Avoiding Home Mortgage Occupancy Fraud

July 18, 2023 2022 saw a dramatic rise in interest rates, including rates on home mortgage loans. The rise was so swift that many potential home buyers were quickly priced out of the market. As the mortgage landscape has shifted from the historically low rates that we all have enjoyed these past few years, it … Continued

The Changing Landscape of Homeowner’s Insurance in CA Due to Fire Risk

May 24, 2021 Sand Hill’s Senior Wealth Manager Steve Peterson and Senior Managing Director at the specialty brokerage firm Risk Strategies, John O’Neill, discuss the the changing landscape of homeowner’s insurance in California due to fire risk. The devastating wildfires that have hit California in recent years have had a direct impact on both the … Continued

California’s Proposition 19 Institutes New Property Tax and Transfer Rules

January 8, 2021 In the November 2020 election, California voters narrowly passed Proposition 19, a measure that impacts two major areas related to property tax and property transfer. First, it gives homeowners more flexibility to change residences anywhere within California while retaining their property tax base as long as the new home is purchased within … Continued

Home Swapping in Paradise

Gorgeous weather, fantastic food and easy access to both the mountains and beaches make Northern California an extremely attractive place to live and one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. For homeowners who like to travel and are looking to trim their vacation budget, or simply want a unique travel experience, the … Continued

Shaken, Not Stirred…to Action

It used to be that earthquake insurance in California had to be offered by the same company that underwrote one’s regular homeowners policy.  Then in 1994, the devastating Northridge earthquake literally shook up the entire industry, and subsequently many insurance companies simply refused to write either type of policy.  Out of necessity, a new entity … Continued

Enough Is Enough! Or Is It?

Are you adequately insured on your Homeowners insurance coverage? It was not that long ago that many homeowners in California could purchase “guaranteed replacement cost coverage” for their dwelling, and thus not really worry too much about the potential cost of rebuilding if they suffered great damage or even total destruction.  This type of insurance … Continued

Appreciating Debt

There are many reasons why people accumulate personal debt, and home purchase and improvement decisions are usually at the top of the list. In addition, there are many unique advantages available to homeowners that generally make such debt attractive, including tax exemptions on realized gains and deductions for property tax and mortgage interest. And yet, … Continued