What’s the biggest misconception surrounding home warranties? I’ve brought in Lisa Vizza of Fidelity Home Warranty to answer that question today.

According to Lisa, the biggest misconception is that home warranties cover everything under the home’s roof. That’s simply not true. There are limitations to what a home warranty covers. They’re more in place to offset the costs of homeownership. They’ll repair and replace the major systems and appliances in a home that fail due to normal wear and tear, but they don’t cover everything.

Still, home warranties are well worth having. I know from experience. After my family and I recently moved into our new home, our tankless water heater failed. Because we had a home warranty, though, we got it fixed instead of replacing the entire thing, which saved us about $2,000. 

“

The purpose of a home warranty is to offset the costs of homeownership.

”

Whether you’re in the middle of escrow or you’re already a homeowner, you can and should get a home warranty to offset the costs of the deferred maintenance you’ll have down the road.

If you have any stories where having a home warranty saved you a ton of cash, we’d love to hear them. If you reply to this email or comment on the video on Youtube or Facebook and we mention you in a future video, we’ll send you a $10 gift card.

If you have any other real estate questions or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us as well. We’d be happy to help you.

How often should you get your flooring cleaned? Dave Johnson from State of the Art Cleaning Services joins me today to discuss some misconceptions about preparing your home's floors as you get ready to list, as well as how often you should clean your tile, grout, hardwood, laminate, and carpet that you have in your home.

Dave says that his company does a multi-step process that begins with pre-vacuuming all of the carpets. With the use of a professional-grade vacuum, he is able to remove dry soils ahead of time. The carpet is then pre-treated with detergent and then agitated with another machine that helps loosen the soil. Through this process, he is able to remove the maximum amount of soil without using as much water so the carpets will dry faster.

This whole process helps prevent stains from reoccurring because he uses a rinsing agent on the carpet with hot water. This pulls the soap and soil back out of the carpet so you are not left with detergent residue in the carpet which will cause resoiling.

I have seen people who have not used our preferred vendors actually end up with carpets that looked good initially but were dirty again a few weeks later. They chose a cheaper company that used a lot of chemicals and the cleaning process left a detergent residue in the carpet. Besides being not good for the carpet, it is also not good for the homeowner because they spend a lot of money to have their carpets cleaned only to have them soiled again in two weeks.

“

I have seen people who have not used our preferred vendors actually end up with carpets that looked good initially but were dirty again a few weeks later.

”

Dave suggests that if you have allergy issues you should have your carpets cleaned once a year. Carpet manufacturers recommend getting them cleaned every 12 to 18 months depending on your lifestyle. If you have a lot of pets or you have your windows open a lot, you may want to have them cleaned every six months.

Tile and grout cleaning is also done by State of the Art Cleaning Services. Dave says that they are familiar with all kinds of tile, including marble, travertine, and ceramic. He says that cleaning tile is a relatively simple process because the dry time is very quick. When you are looking to sell a house, cleaning these areas makes a big difference because clean, white grout really pops in the photos

To close, Dave wanted to emphasize that his company strives to provide the most outstanding service with a 100% guarantee for his clients. That means that if you are not entirely happy, they will go back and try to make you happy and, if after that you still are unhappy, you will not owe him anything because of his 100% money-back guarantee.

If you have any additional questions or are interested in buying or selling a home, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you.

If you’re a new homeowner, here are seven tasks you need to take up to keep your homeownership experience as stress-free as possible:

1. Save for unexpected problems. You can’t stop your dishwasher from breaking, but you can set aside the funds it will take to repair those kinds of items. Here in California, I recommend saving 1% to 3% of your home’s purchase value. For example, if you bought a $400,000 home, save about $4,000 a year to account for unexpected problems.

2. Form an inspection habit. You don’t want to wait until you have a big issue like a rodent infestation or mold growth. An inspection habit can be the difference between a simple fix and an unaffordable disaster. Take the time to properly inspect your property and check areas like your attic or roof at least once a year. If you’d rather have a certified home inspector give your home an annual inspection, give us a call so we can refer you to the best inspectors in the business.

3. Buy a bunch of furnace filters. Your furnace’s filters have to be replaced quite often. By changing them regularly, you can not only save money by making your furnace last longer, but you can also improve your health. Remembering to buy new filters at the hardware store isn’t always easy, so buy in bulk. The exact number you need will depend on your furnace. First though, take a look at your furnace and make sure you know what size filter it needs. This tip also really helps if you have allergies. In Solano County, we’re known for having some of the worst hay fever in the entire country.

4. Get to know your appliances. Just like cars and TVs, your appliances have different life expectancies. Furnaces usually last 15 to 20 years, while water heaters tend to reach the end of their lifespan at about 10 years. Find out how old your home’s appliances are when you move in and plan for their replacement. Another useful tip we recommend is to get a home warranty when you purchase your home and renew it each year. Doing this can really cut down on the replacement costs because they cover all the major systems and appliances.

5. Take advantage of tax credits. Did you know you can receive tax credits for installing solar panels or purchasing energy star appliances. If you’re purchasing a maintenance-deferred home, there are also energy-efficient mortgages you can obtain. 

“

Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs.

”

6. Start keeping records. Whenever you make some kind of home improvement or repair, write it down. Make sure all of your hard work pays off by keeping a record of your repairs and their costs. Keep in mind that appraisers will add the full amount of any repair you make to your home’s overall value if you do it within six months of selling.

7. Beef up your insurance. Take a look at your homeowners insurance policy and look for relevant gaps. This is another situation where professional advice can be really helpful. Two areas to consider are flood and fire protection, which aren’t always included in standard policies. You should also consider bundling your car insurance with your homeowners insurance since you now have a much bigger asset—your home—to lose in the event of a lawsuit.

If you have any questions about these tasks or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to me and my team. We’d love to help you.

It’s very exciting for me to be able to give back to our past clients, friends, family, and affiliates—anyone who has helped our business grow and served our clients alongside us.

We really appreciate all of you and want to be able to give back to you in some way. So, once again, we’re holding our annual pie giveaway. That means you get to choose between a delicious apple or pumpkin pie to take home with you.

To claim your free pie, we need you to RSVP at LambRavingFans.com by November 16.

Your apple or pumpkin pie will be available for pick-up at our office Monday, November 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The address is 312 Cernon Street, Suite D, Vacaville, CA.

Again, thank you all so much. We appreciate everyone who has worked with us, sent us referrals, left us a great review, or has done anything to improve our business and grow the number of people we’re able to serve.

“

You get to choose between a delicious apple or pumpkin pie to take home with you.

”

We’ve never gone backward. We’ve only continued to serve more and more people every year, and it’s really a testament to our amazing friends and family. (And our raving fan club!)

As always, if you have any real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Until next time, have a great one!

Two out of three of us have a pet, and 61% of pet owners say they have trouble finding a home that is a good match for their pet.

In fact, a recent survey noted that 31% of animal owners don't put in an offer because a home would not suit their pet.

This means that if your home is a good match for a pet, it will be attractive to animal owners.

On the other hand, 67% of Realtors also estimate that having a pet in your home can make it harder for you to sell.

So what should you do? There are three things I typically recommend:

Number one, repair any damage

From the floors, to the walls, to the doors, and the yard — these are areas that pets love to chew on, scratch at, and dig up. Repairing this damage is an investment that will pay for itself many times over in terms of a higher sale price.

Secondly, get a professional to remove pet odors

“

Pet owners are less sensitive to odors in their home than prospective buyers are.

”

Pet owners are less sensitive to odors in their home than prospective buyers are. That's why you should hire a professional cleaning crew to clean carpets, rugs, or upholstery that has absorbed pet smells. Once you're done, ask a friend or your Realtor to sniff around to make sure the job is really complete.

Number three, take your pet out of your home during showings

Some people are afraid of animals. Others might be allergic. Regardless of the time, money, and effort you've put in to clean and repair your home, some buyers will be prejudiced by simply knowing that a pet currently lives there.

By following these simple guidelines, you will be able to sell your home for the highest price possible, whether the buyer is a pet owner or not.

If you have any questions or concerns about preparing your home for a sale, give me a call or send me an email today.  I’m here to help.

Have you heard the news?

The new administration is looking to revamp the tax code — in a way that affects the long-standing mortgage interest deduction (MID). Some people are concerned this might impact home sales and drive down home values.

I believe it will do just the opposite. Here's why. First — a bit of background. Under the current system, you can include the interest you pay on your mortgage in your itemized tax deductions. If your itemized deductions turn out to be more than your standard deduction, you save more on taxes.

Currently, about 20% of homeowners who have a mortgage take advantage of the MID, for an annual average savings of $2,000 in taxes. Under the proposed new tax plan, the standard tax deduction would almost double. For example, the standard deduction for a married couple would go from $12,600 to $24,000.

If this happens, an estimated 84% of people who are currently opting to itemize taxes would simply go for the standard deduction. This is the part that has some people worried... After all, if people don't take advantage of the MID, won't this decrease the value of owning a home?

Here are two reasons why that won't happen. First, most people do NOT buy a home in order to save on taxes.

“

Under the proposed new plan, the overall tax burden will be less than it currently is.

”

A survey from 2015 confirms this fact. The top reasons why people buy a home include the need for change, an increase in income, or a baby on the way... but there's no mention of saving on taxes. This bears out what most real estate professionals see in real life.

By the way, if you are looking to buy, check out the new homes for sale around northern California right now:

Second, taxes will actually be lower under the proposed new plan. Traditional estimates of the impact of the MID assume other taxes stay the same. In this case, if the deduction goes away, home prices can indeed suffer to an extent.

Under the proposed new plan, the overall tax burden will be less than it currently is. In other words, most people will not be losing money because they aren't claiming the MID.

Instead, they will be gaining money by having to pay less in taxes altogether. With more disposable income, people will be free to spend more on a home. This will drive sales as well as prices.

If you’re considering selling and want to take advantage of this situation, or check out this home value calculator to find out what your home is currently worth:

Give us a call or shoot us an email and we’ll put you in touch with him! We look forward to hearing from you soon!

As you might’ve noticed, the holidays are right around the corner. As we all know, holidays are all about traditions.

It’s a tradition in my family during Thanksgiving to go around the table and say what we’re grateful for. As a business, we’re grateful for our friends, past clients, and every last member of our Raving Fan Club. We’re always happy to help these people build generational wealth and change the course of their lives.

As our way of saying thanks, we’re doing our first annual pumpkin pie giveaway. To RSVP for a free pie, click here.

After that, all you have to do is come visit our office on Nov. 22nd anytime between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’re located at 190 South Orchard Avenue, Suite B115 Vacaville. As soon as you walk through the front doors, just turn right to find us. We would be overjoyed to see you, chat, and personally wish you a happy Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions or know of anyone looking to buy or sell real estate, please give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Today, Jennifer of Quality & Efficient Movers joins us to discuss some of the details of the moving process.

The nice thing about Quality & Efficient Movers is how quickly they respond. They guarantee to get back to you within 24 hours, if not the same day! Once you decide they might be the right fit for you, they will come out and do a quick estimate. They will come to your home and the location you’re moving to, find out what you want to move and what you don’t want to move, and give you an idea of what it will cost and how much time it will take. The best part about this estimate is that it’s completely free!

Quality & Efficient Movers offers a full packing and unpacking service for those who don’t have the time or energy to pack up their belongings themselves. They offer flat rates if you’re just doing a delivery or a one-piece move. They also offer a guaranteed price, or discounted rate, for seniors and veterans. In addition to these flexible pricing options, they also offer competitive hourly rates on your move!

“

The nice thing about Quality & Efficient Movers is how quickly they respond.

”

They will also go out of state if the job requires, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them if even if you’re relocating out of the state. They’ve gone as far as Maine on a move, so distance is no issue! Their main goal is to accommodate the customer, so you know you’re in good hands working with their team.

If you would like to get in touch with Quality & Efficient Movers, give them a call or reach out to them at QualityAndEfficientMovers.com. Of course, if you need help on the real estate side of things, we’re always available to help. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time!

Today we are joined by Anna from Cozy Chic Design. We use them for all of our clients who have home staging needs, and she is our preferred vendor for this sort of work.

By definition, home staging is a marketing process where a home is shown to its full potential in order to attract the largest number of buyers possible. Stagers focus on the presentation when you sell, and they aim to appeal to your particular audience of home buyers.

A stager's job is to create a welcoming, yet neutral environment. When a home is staged properly, it should show the potential of the home. Staging only takes a small amount of effort, but can yield fantastic results.

“

Staged homes are proven to sell for more money in less time.

”

It has been proven that homes will sell in less time and for more money when you hire a professional stager. Please don’t hesitate to contact Anna or myself if you want to make your home pop when selling this spring.

We look forward to hearing from you!