Monthly notes on the Bay Area real estate market, in plain language.https://michaelfielden.com/en-ushttps://michaelfielden.com/blog/selling-and-buying-at-the-same-time/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/selling-and-buying-at-the-same-time/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.Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersbuyersprocessmove-upmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/living-in-your-home-while-its-listed/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/living-in-your-home-while-its-listed/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.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersprepprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/prop-19-taking-your-tax-base-with-you/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/prop-19-taking-your-tax-base-with-you/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.Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellerstaxesdownsizingmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-it-actually-costs-to-sell/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-it-actually-costs-to-sell/Commissions, transfer taxes, escrow and title, prep, prorations, and the payoff: every line item between your sale price and your wire, in plain language.Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersmoneyprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-sellers-have-to-disclose/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-sellers-have-to-disclose/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.Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersdisclosuresprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-second-season-buying-after-labor-day/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-second-season-buying-after-labor-day/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.Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersprocessbay-areamfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-best-offer-is-not-always-the-highest/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-best-offer-is-not-always-the-highest/Price is one line on the scorecard. Financing strength, contingencies, timing, and credits are the others, and they decide whether the number survives escrow.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersoffersnegotiationmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-80-20-of-getting-a-home-ready-to-sell/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/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.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellersprepmoneymfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/how-the-right-list-price-gets-picked/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/how-the-right-list-price-gets-picked/Closed sales, active competition, and pending data build the number. Search bands, anchoring, and the reduction trap decide how it performs.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTsellerspricingstrategymfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/why-va-loans-are-so-good/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/why-va-loans-are-so-good/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.Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersfinancingva-loansveteransmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/down-payments-and-california-assistance-programs/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/down-payments-and-california-assistance-programs/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.Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersfinancingdown-paymentcaliforniamfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/types-of-mortgages-explained/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/types-of-mortgages-explained/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.Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersfinancingmortgagesmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/renter-to-owner-month-by-month-timeline/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/renter-to-owner-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.Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersprocessfirst-timemfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/property-taxes-supplemental-bills-mello-roos/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/property-taxes-supplemental-bills-mello-roos/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.Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersmoneybay-areamfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/negotiating-repairs-and-credits/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/negotiating-repairs-and-credits/After inspections, you have options: repairs, credits, or a price reduction. Here's how they compare and how to stay reasonable.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersoffersinspectionsmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-a-home-inspection-covers/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-a-home-inspection-covers/A clear look at what a general home inspection includes, what it leaves to specialists, and how to decide which extra inspections to order.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersinspectionsprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/closing-costs-line-by-line/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/closing-costs-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.Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersmoneyprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/reading-an-hoa-package/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/reading-an-hoa-package/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.Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersdisclosurescondosmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-final-walkthrough/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-final-walkthrough/What the final walkthrough is, when it happens, and exactly what to check before you close on your new home.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/how-earnest-money-works-and-wiring-it-safely/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/how-earnest-money-works-and-wiring-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.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersprocessmoneymfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/natural-hazard-disclosure-flood-fire-fault-zones/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/natural-hazard-disclosure-flood-fire-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.Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersdisclosuresbay-areamfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-preliminary-title-report-explained/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/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.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersdisclosuresprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-brbc-in-plain-language/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-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.Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersprocesscontractsmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/welcome-to-the-journal/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/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.Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTmetabay-areamfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/inspection-came-back-bad-cancelling-in-the-contingency-window/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/inspection-came-back-bad-cancelling-in-the-contingency-window/An inspection turned up a serious issue during your contingency window. Here's how cancelling works, and how you get your earnest money back.Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyerscontingenciesprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/cancelling-after-removing-contingencies/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/cancelling-after-removing-contingencies/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.Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyerscontingenciesprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/what-a-clean-disclosure-package-actually-looks-like/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/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.Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersdisclosuresprocessmfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)https://michaelfielden.com/blog/the-real-math-on-waiving-contingencies/https://michaelfielden.com/blog/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.Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTbuyersoffersstrategymfielden@luxuriantrealty.com (Michael Fielden)