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  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Adding a Dog to the Family? Here Are Some Expenses to Consider Getting a dog can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. Seeing your cute pet’s tail wag when you get home from a long day at work can be a heartwarming experience that makes the responsibilities of dog ownership worthwhile. But don’t forget those responsibilities, including financial ones, when determining whether now is the right time to bring a dog into the mix. New owners can expect to pay $1,400-$2,000 in the first year of having a puppy, and $14,500 over their dog’s lifetime, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA. Here are some costs to consider, according to the ASPCA: Food Don’t underestimate the cost of feeding your dog. Premium brand dry dog food for large dogs costs an average of $400 per year. Taking care to not overfeed your pet will lower the food cos

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Tech for Efficient Remote Working Digital nomads who work while traveling need to keep their tech devices updated and in good shape if they want to succeed. Without them, their productivity could suffer and could cost them their jobs. Here are some tech must-haves for the remote worker: Portable Wi-Fi Router Internet connections at hotels, coffee shops, libraries and other public places can be unreliable. Having your own portable Wi-Fi router that allows you to wirelessly connect multiple devices at the same time can be a lifesaver. You can buy a Wi-Fi hotspot, such as a  Karma Go , for immediate online access. The easiest way may be through your smartphone, which allows you to create your own private Wi-Fi network wherever there’s cellular coverage. Check with your phone carrier for what type of Wi-Fi router service is offered on your phone. Wi-Fi Range Extender If you’re in a hotel w

A home warranty is a service contract that protects your home's appliances and some systems from repairs or possible replacements.   A convenient benefit of a home warranty is that when you report an item, they will assign a service provider to evaluate whether it should be repaired or replaced without the owner having to act like a middleman. Homeowner's insurance is required by most mortgage lenders when there is an outstanding loan.   This coverage protects the structure and the dwelling and the homeowner's personal property from named occurrences like theft, natural disaster, or accident.   Homeowner's insurance does not cover the systems and appliances for repairs or replacements due to normal wear. The fees for home warranties can vary based on deductibles and how much of the risk the homeowner is willing to accept. Additional items can be included to the standard coverage to include pool, spa, additional refrigerators, septic tanks, and other items.   There

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Identify and Deal With Fire Hazards Each year, fires destroy homes and cause serious injuries and deaths all across the country. While many of these events are preventable, it’s important to take into consideration the fact that the average home is filled with fire hazards that homeowners may not recognize. Smoke Detectors Your home should have smoke detectors near the sleeping and living areas. Many people don’t keep track of the age of smoke detectors or don’t change the batteries often enough, while others remove the batteries to stop a false alarm and forget to put them back. These actions can leave a family unaware of a fire until it’s too late to escape. Keep written records showing when you bought your smoke detectors and change the batteries at recommended intervals. Cooking, Appliances and Electronics Turning the heat up too high, leaving food on the stove unattended, n

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Here's Why You Should Decorate With Green Regardless of the shade, adding elements of green to your home can improve your mood, complement your design, and more. Below are a few reasons to choose green for your interior design scheme. It’s soothing.  Green has long been used in decorating for its calming effect. Add some green curtains to your bedroom, paint the wall across from your sleeping space green and snag some easier ahhhhs. It looks great with wood.  If you have wood floors or furniture, tying in a shade of green will make your space even more lustrous. It’s complimentary.  There are so many gorgeous shades of green that it will be easy to thread a little green into your decorating scheme. It’s natural.  Don’t want to add any permanent green to your home? No problem! Just grab a few fresh houseplants and pepper them throughout your room for a fresh splash of green. It may

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 10 Painless Changes for a Greener Home Making eco-friendly changes in the way we live may be easier than you think. Real Simple Magazine lists 10 little tips that can go a long way toward living a “greener” lifestyle: Start with household cleaners.  Switch to plant-based products (read the list of ingredients) that reduce air pollution, minimizing exposure to asthma and allergy triggers as well as chemicals that can be harmful to your health. Try meatless Mondays.  Preparing one meat-free meal per week (for a family of four) has the same impact on the environment as driving a hybrid car. (That’s because of the greenhouse gases produced in raising livestock.) Buy sustainably-raised meat.  Look for labels like free-range and organic, as well as no-hormone and no-antibiotic, which indicate the animal was given ample room to roam and wasn’t treated with hormones. Upgrade your home’s insula

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Helping Your Child Adjust to a New Pet A pet can become a beloved member of the family and a source of fun and companionship for everyone, but especially for children. If you’re planning to have a new pet join your family, the first interactions between the pet and your child are critical. Tell Your Child What to Expect Before you bring home a new pet, talk to your child about the type of animal you’re planning to get, its age, typical behavior and anything you know about that particular animal’s background that may affect its behavior, such as a history of abuse or life in a shelter, its age or any medical problems. Discussing these things with your child in advance can help them be sensitive and have reasonable expectations. This can also help the animal avoid feeling overwhelmed and can keep your child from misinterpreting the pet’s behavior and being hurt or disappointed. Take Thin

Credit plays a huge role in getting a mortgage because it is a variable that helps the lender determine the likelihood that the loan will be repaid on a timely basis.   Credit bureaus evaluate people's credit worthiness using a FICO score.   The higher the score the better the borrower's credit. The mortgage rate charged to a borrower depends on their credit score.    There is an inverse relationship between credit score and interest rate changed.   The higher the score the lower the rate and the lower the score, the higher the rate.   Two separate buyers with the same income, purchasing the same price home may both be approved by the lender, but they may be charged different interest rates based on their credit scores. You could save thousands of dollars over the life of a loan by improving your credit score by just a few points.   A $350,000 mortgage at 3.5% has a principal and interest payment of $1,571.66.   By improving your credit score to qualify for a 3% rate, it

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Signs That Your Driveway Needs to Be Repaved Asphalt is a popular choice for paving driveways. It’s an environmentally-friendly material that can be recycled and is unlikely to cause damage to vehicles. Asphalt also lasts for decades and can enhance your home’s curb appeal, but eventually, it may show signs of wear or damage. If you notice any of these problems, they should not be ignored. Visible Signs of Damage If your driveway is cracked in one or more places, you should have a professional inspect it. Even if the cracks don’t seem like a big deal, they can expand. A cracked driveway can cause damage to vehicles and increase the risk of a person falling and getting injured, particularly at night or when guests visit. Wear and tear from vehicles driving over asphalt can cause potholes as the ground becomes weak and cracks. If your driveway has several potholes, the surface may not be

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Behind on Mortgage Payments? Follow These Tips Everyone who takes out a mortgage hopes to be able to make payments on time, but life sometimes gets in the way. A job loss, an unexpected expense, or an illness or injury can wreak havoc on a family’s finances. A mortgage that converts from a fixed- to an adjustable-interest rate can cause mortgage payments to skyrocket overnight. If you have missed payments, don’t panic. You have options to help you get back on track, but the first thing you need to do is contact your lender, explain your situation and ask what can be done to help you. Your lender would rather see you get caught up than have your home go into foreclosure and will be willing to work with you—but you have to ask. How to Get Back on Track One option is forbearance. That means the lender will agree to reduce or postpone your payments for a period of time. You will need to ma

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Protect Your Kids from Identity Theft Children are often victims of identity theft for two reasons: They have a clean identity that probably hasn’t been used much and can be exploited in many ways, and there’s often a large gap between the theft and when it’s discovered. Fraudsters will usually wait years before applying for a mortgage or credit card with a child’s personal information, used to create a shadow identity. They’ll build credit with a cell phone service account, for example, and build to financing a car. Stealing a child’s name, Social Security number (SSN) and date of birth can be enough to get thieves started. Parents need to be the first line of defense against child identity theft. It’s a crime they may not realize has been happening for years. Most victims are 12 when their identity is stolen, but discovery doesn’t happen until they are 17, according to a  surv

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Clean Painted Walls Did your toddler scribble on the walls? Or perhaps a year or two of wear and tear have your interior paints looking less than pristine. If your walls could use a little TLC, but you’re not quite ready for a fresh coat of paint, consider the following methods for freshening up. Latex Paints Whether you have dirt or dust clogging up your paint job, all you need to do is mix a few drops of dish soap into warm water, soak and wring a sponge, and go. Be sure to wring the sponge to avoid long drips making their way down your walls and right into your electrical socket. If you don’t want to use dish soap, two tablespoons of white vinegar to one gallon of water will also do the trick. Warning: Never use a scrubby sponge, brillo pad or harsh cleaning solution, or you could risk ruining your paint job. Oil-Based Paints If your interior paint is oil-based and soap or vi

There is a story of a real estate agent's prayer: "Dear Lord, if I can't be someone's first love, or second wife, at least, please let me be their third REALTOR®."  In a normal market with a balanced supply of sellers and buyers, this describes the preference that it might be better to be the third listing agent to help the seller after they became more realistic about their list price. In today's market, it might have more to do with buyers because of the increased competition, their chance of having an accepted offer is greatly reduced and it is only after they have lost several that they become more aggressive in the negotiations. Competition for homes being sold has greatly increased over the previous two years, according to a recent REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey from NAR.   In April of 2021, there were nearly five offers for every home sold which increased from two offers in 2019 and 2020. Utah reported the highest number of offers per home sold

  nformation is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Do You Need Flood Insurance? Flooding can occur anywhere and at any time of the year. Even if you do not live near a body of water, you could still be at risk. Hurricanes strike large portions of the country every year or a large rainstorm could flood your basement. A blizzard could even dump a foot or more of snow, and when that snow melts, the water will need to go somewhere and could flood your home. Even a relatively small amount of water can cause significant damage. Just a few inches can be enough to flood your basement and damage your house’s foundation. Water can damage hardwood floors, carpet, furniture, electronics and other possessions. The costs can easily total several thousand dollars. Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Flood Damage? Many people mistakenly believe that homeowners insurance covers flood damage. That is generally not true. In most circumstances, you will only b

Looking for a simple way to determine if a rental property will give you the rate of return you want?   This modified annual property operating data may be just what you've been looking for. There are many different rates of return that investor's consider to determine whether a property will generate the yield that they expect.   Sometimes the simplest of calculations can tell you whether you want it or not and if you get the other things like tax advantages and appreciation, it just makes it that much better. The first yield we will look at is commonly called the Cash-on-Cash rate of return.   It is calculated by dividing the initial investment, usually down payment and closing costs, into the Cash Flow Before Tax. To arrive at Net Operating Income, it is simply taking the gross scheduled income, less vacancy allowance and all operating expenses.   From that is deducted the annual debt service which is the principal and interest payment times twelve.   The remaining amo

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties How to Support Better Vision For desk jockeys, or anyone who spends long hours staring at a screen, it’s important to pay mind to your vision. And while it can be hard to undo eye damage once it’s done, you can try to stay abreast of eyesight deterioration with the following tips: Eat for eye support.  While diet can’t better your vision once it’s impaired, you can eat for eye support. Focus on foods with essential fatty acids, minerals like copper and zinc, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and E. Roll your eyes.  Turns out, a sense of sarcasm might help you see better. To strengthen your eye muscles, stop your desk-work three times a day and do the following eye roll exercise: Look up, then slowly circle 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise. Practice focus.  Staring at a screen all day can impair your eye’s range of focus. To help, hold an item like a pencil or pen an arm’s