Santa Monica Observer - Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Let's start with what we know.... President Biden's American Families Plan contains tax proposals with major implications for IRS Section 1031 like-kind exchanges. If adopted, they would land the foll...

When buying a home, it's important to have a budget and make sure you plan ahead for certain homebuying expenses. Saving for a down payment is the main cost that comes to mind for many, but budgeting...

The housing market keeps sailing along. The only headwind that could take it off course is the lack of inventory for sale. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that there were 410,000...

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a very encouraging jobs report. The economy gained 916,000 jobs in March – well above expert projections of 650,000 to 675,000. The unemployment...

A recent Survey of Consumer Finances study released by the Federal Reserve reveals the net worth of homeowners is forty times greater than that of renters. If you're wondering if homeownership is a...

One of the biggest hurdles homebuyers face is saving for a down payment. As you're budgeting and planning for your home purchase, you'll want to understand how much you'll need to put down and how...

Over the past year, we've had plenty of opportunities to reflect on what we consider most important in our lives. The place we call home is one of the biggest things many of us are reevaluating....

As vaccines are administered and travel resumes, many of us are beginning to plan for those long-awaited vacations we missed out on over the past year. Some households are focusing their efforts on...

There has been a lot of discussion as to what will happen once the 2.3 million households currently in forbearance no longer have the protection of the program. Some assume there could potentially be...

If you've given even a casual thought to selling your house in the near future, this is the time to really think seriously about making a move. Here's why this season is the ultimate sellers' market a...

Mortgage rates are on the rise this year, but they're still incredibly low compared to the historic average. However, anytime there's a change in the mortgage rate, it affects what you can afford to...

Freddie Mac recently released their Quarterly Refinance Statistics report which covers refinances through 2020. The report explains that the dollar amount of cash-out refinances was greater in 2020...

Once you've found the right home and applied for a mortgage, there are some key things to keep in mind before you close. You're undoubtedly excited about the opportunity to decorate your new place,...

Today's homebuyers are faced with a strong sellers' market, which means there are a lot of active buyers competing for a relatively low number of available homes. As a result, it's essential to...

When thinking about selling, homeowners often feel they need to get their house ready with some remodeling to make it more appealing to buyers. However, with so many buyers competing for available...

According to many experts, the real estate market is expected to continue growing in 2021, and it's largely driven by the lasting impact the pandemic is having on our lifestyles. As many of us spend...

When selling a house, most homeowners hope for a quick and profitable transaction that puts them in a position to make a great move. If you're waiting for the best time to win as a seller, the market...

The real estate market was on fire during the second half of 2020. Buyer demand was way up, and the supply of homes available for sale hit record lows. The price of anything is determined by the...

Homeownership is on the goal list for many young adults, but sometimes it's hard to know exactly how to get there. From understanding the homebuying process to pre-approval and down payment...

The 2020 Millennial Home Buyer Report shows how this generation is not really any different from previous ones when it comes to homeownership goals: "The majority of millennials not only want to own...

Low mortgage rates and a desire for more space amid COVID-19 pandemic fuels Southern California's housing surge. In January home prices and sales jumped double digits in Southern California as...

If you're thinking of buying a home this year, you may be wondering how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many people may think it's 20% of the loan to secure a mortgage....

With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows so many times recently, some are wondering if we'll see low rates continue throughout 2021, or if they'll start to rise. Recently, Freddie Mac...

We're currently experiencing historically low mortgage rates. Over the last fifty years, the average on a Freddie Mac 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been 7.76%. Today, that rate is 2.81%. Flocks of...