The journal
Monthly notes, in plain language.
What I'm seeing in the market, what I'm reading, and what I'd tell a friend.
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August 8, 2026
Selling and buying at the same time, without losing sleep
The three ways to sequence a sell-and-buy move: sell first with a rent-back, buy first, or write contingent, and how to pick the right one for your situation.
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August 7, 2026
Living in your home while it's listed: the realistic version
The reset routine, the go-bag, the scent rule, and what to do with kids, pets, and video calls. Two to four weeks of show-ready, made survivable.
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August 6, 2026
Prop 19: the tax break long-time owners forget they have
If you're 55 or older, California lets you sell your home and carry your old property tax assessment to the next one, anywhere in the state, up to three times.
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August 4, 2026
What it actually costs to sell a Bay Area home
Commissions, transfer taxes, escrow and title, prep, prorations, and the payoff: every line item between your sale price and your wire, in plain language.
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August 2, 2026
What California sellers have to disclose, and why generous wins
The TDS, SPQ, NHD, and AVID in plain language, the pre-listing inspection question, and why disclosure is the cheapest insurance a seller can buy.
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August 1, 2026
The second season: what buying after Labor Day looks like
The Bay Area market has a fall season, not just a spring one. Here is how the post-Labor Day stretch behaves and how to use August to get ready for it.
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July 24, 2026
The best offer is not always the highest one
Price is one line on the scorecard. Financing strength, contingencies, timing, and credits are the others, and they decide whether the number survives escrow.
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July 21, 2026
The 80/20 of getting a home ready to sell
Paint, light, and curb appeal return their money. The kitchen remodel doesn't. How to spend on what the first ten seconds of a tour reward.
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July 16, 2026
How the right list price actually gets picked
Closed sales, active competition, and pending data build the number. Search bands, anchoring, and the reduction trap decide how it performs.
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July 14, 2026
Why VA loans are so good for the people who earned them
Zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, no loan limit with full entitlement, and an assumable rate: what the VA loan benefit really delivers, and its limits.
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July 8, 2026
Down payments, and the California programs that help with them
How much you really need down, how PMI works, where the money can come from, and the California programs (CalHFA MyHome, Dream For All) worth knowing.
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July 3, 2026
Every major mortgage type, explained in plain language
Conventional, jumbo, FHA, VA, fixed, ARM: what each mortgage type is, who it fits, and what matters in a high-cost market like the Bay Area.
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June 29, 2026
From renter to owner: a first-time buyer's month-by-month timeline
A realistic, month-by-month timeline of buying your first home, from deciding to buy through getting the keys, written for first-time Bay Area buyers.
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June 27, 2026
Property taxes, supplemental bills, and Mello-Roos in California
How California reassesses property at purchase, why a supplemental tax bill arrives after closing, and how to find out if a home has Mello-Roos.
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June 24, 2026
Negotiating repairs and credits after the inspection
After inspections, you have options: repairs, credits, or a price reduction. Here's how they compare and how to stay reasonable.
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June 20, 2026
What a home inspection does and does not cover
A clear look at what a general home inspection includes, what it leaves to specialists, and how to decide which extra inspections to order.
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June 17, 2026
Closing costs for Bay Area buyers, line by line
A plain-language walk through the closing costs Bay Area buyers pay, the common line items, and how to budget for them before you ever write an offer.
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June 13, 2026
Reading an HOA package before you buy a condo or townhome
What's inside an HOA package, why the reserve study and meeting minutes matter most, and what to discuss with your agent before you buy.
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June 11, 2026
The final walkthrough: your last look before the keys
What the final walkthrough is, when it happens, and exactly what to check before you close on your new home.
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June 9, 2026
How earnest money works, and how to wire it safely
A plain-language look at the earnest money deposit, when it goes into escrow, when it's at risk, and how to wire it safely.
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June 6, 2026
Natural Hazard Disclosure: flood, fire, and fault zones
What the Natural Hazard Disclosure report tells Bay Area buyers about flood, wildfire, and earthquake zones, and what to do with that information.
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June 3, 2026
The preliminary title report, explained
A plain-language guide to the preliminary title report: what it shows, why you read it, and how title insurance protects your purchase.
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May 26, 2026
The Buyer Representation Agreement (BRBC), in plain language
Since August 2024, California buyers and agents sign a written representation agreement before touring homes. Here's what the BRBC is and what to expect.
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May 26, 2026
Welcome to the journal
A new home for honest notes on Bay Area real estate: what I'm seeing, what I'm reading, and what I'd tell a friend.
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May 23, 2026
The inspection came back bad. Now what?
An inspection turned up a serious issue during your contingency window. Here's how cancelling works, and how you get your earnest money back.
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May 22, 2026
What happens if you need to cancel after contingencies are released
Once contingencies are removed in writing, your deposit is at risk. Cancelling after that point is a real conversation. Here's how to think about it.
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May 19, 2026
What a clean disclosure package actually looks like
What's actually in a California disclosure package, what to read carefully, and what 'clean' really means when you're deciding whether to offer.
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May 12, 2026
The real math on waiving contingencies
Bay Area buyers waive inspection, loan, and appraisal contingencies to win offers. Here's what each protects, and what you bet when you drop it.
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When you're ready