A little bit about Prop 19

This year, voters in California passed Prop 19, which potentially can changes the financials in a positive way of your next home sale or purchase. The proposition will go into effect in mid-February of 2021, so below is a summary of details. Some things the legislature will still have to interpret some of the language.

Inherited Properties

All reassessment exemptions for inherited properties only apply if the property is used as a primary residence by the child (or sometimes grandchild) or used as a family farm. In cases in which the current market value of an inherited property exceeds the parent’s taxable value by more than $1M, the child’s taxable value will be assessed at the current market value and reduced by $1M. The State Board of Equalization will adjust the $1M amount of inflation beginning February 16, 2023, and every two years thereafter.

Transfers

As of April 1, 2021, previous restrictions based on location will be removed, allowing eligible (meaning people over age 55, victims of wildfires or other natural disasters (and the severely disabled) homeowners to do a few things. First, they can utilize the transfer multiple times; they can transfer the taxable value of a property up to three times in their lifetime. Natural disaster/wildfire victims will be allowed to transfer once. The language around what constitutes a natural disaster still needs to be defined.

This group can also purchase a property of higher value, meaning the tax bill will go up but by a lower amount than for other buyers. And, finally, they can also move anywhere in California by transferring the taxable value of a primary residence anywhere in the state within two years of the sale of the original primary residence.

If you’re interested in the details of Prop 19, here’s a great resource from the California Association of Realtors that might answer all of your questions!

How to survive a remodel in your relationship

I found this graphic from HomeAdvisor and the California Association of Realtors pretty funny. It says:

“More than half of couples who complete a remodeling project with a spouse or domestic partner admit to arguing during the process, and 3% even considered separation or divorce!”

While reaching that conclusion may be a little extreme (and maybe indicative of larger problems…), remodeling really is difficult on yourself and your relationship. Even just picking an agreeable paint color for the walls can be tricky.

As the graphic states, communicate more with whoever you’re doing the remodeling project with, and you’re bound to be better off. I know firsthand how difficult the buying, selling, remodeling, etc. processes can be, and the only way to survive them (even the easy ones!) is to be open and honest about everything you want to do.

Take my word for it, so you don’t end up looking like the characters in this little graphic! You can always call on a friendly realtor like myself for advice on how to best survive this daunting task.

The universe provides the right house

Don’t get me wrong – the right house for you won’t just magically appear out of thin air! People like me do a lot of work to find you your dream home and get it all properly situated. But there is a lesson in real estate that I believe is valuable: The universe always provides the right house in the end.

You can always look back with regrets, but there are reasons for everything. Even reasons for why getting your dream house took so long or why you didn’t get the first house you loved. The right one always comes along! Check out this graphic from the California Association of Realtors.

As you can see above, most homeowners didn’t find their home for at least 3 months. Whether it was price, location, aesthetics and amenities, or simply just being outbid, it is very common to not get the first house you offer.

That’s why you have me! I’ll be the one to help you attain your dream home by walking you through the process, preaching how important patience is, and making sure the whole, stressful process runs smoothly. In the end, the universe always brings you the right home!

Let’s talk about Millennials and Real Estate

My sons are Millennials. My Walnut Creek Lifestyle freelance writer is a Millennial. More and more of my clients and colleagues are Millennials, as that generation continues to age into home-buyers.

So, realtors like myself are starting to notice more trends with the market geared toward that age group. It’s a different real estate market for Millennials than it was for their parents – nowadays, they are graduating with huge student loan debts, having trouble finding lucrative work out of college, and then struggling to pay sky-high rents and mortgages once they do get jobs.

That said, Millennials are driving the real estate market right now, which has made the following observations more obvious.

From San Francisco realtor John Solaegui:

There is a low inventory of single-family homes in San Francisco
Millennial buyers don’t care about parking spaces (though this might be more prevalent in San Francisco – it’s contradicted by the graphic above!) with the rise of ridesharing apps – they’d prefer having decks or gardens for outdoor entertaining
Areas like Noe Valley, Glen Park, Bernal Heights and The Sunset in San Francisco are extremely popular with Millennial buyers right now

From the California Association of Realtors’ REALTOR Magazine:

Millennials are cashing in on equity at a historic rate, thanks to rising home prices
One-third of Millennials say they are considering applying for a HELOC (home equity line of credit) in the next 18 months – much more than Gen-X or Baby Boomers
HELOC’s are popular with Millennials because they can consolidate debt and afford home remodels with them

I think this is an interesting trend in our market. Home prices are high, but so are the debts and loans owed by Millennials, so we’re seeing more and more interest in new ways around that issue. And even more interestingly, Millennials are changing the way we market homes – who cares about parking when you don’t have a car, right?

Pending home sales are down in CA – what does it mean?

According to the California Association of Realtors, pending home sales have dialed back and marked the weakest February in three years.

Low housing inventory, eroding affordability and rising interest rates made pending sales on a year-over-year basis for the month of February suffer after a good start to the year in closed escrow sales. Also, sellers simply aren’t selling.

They did see elevated market activity, but the Bay Area pending sales specifically were down year-to-year for the fifth straight month. According to the release, the Bay Area has been plagued by a shortage of homes on the market and poor affordability.

We have seen an increase in listings starting in April, but with pent-up demand, buyers are getting frustrated losing out in multiple-offer scenarios and with ever-increasing prices.

If you want to know more about the market, give me a call!

The State of Convenience

The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.) report that 69 percent of Americans are looking for ways to simplify their lives. Furthermore, they say, 74 percent of Americans will walk out of a store – even if they have exactly what that person is looking for – if the service is poor. And 45 percent of U.S. consumers say they are likely to pay for a service that provides extra convenience in their lives. See their graphic below:

So, what’s the conclusion here? Consumers value time, and therefore convenience. This also translates to buying a home. Home buyers these days, especially millennials, want updated and move-in ready homes. They want properties conveniently located nearby public transportation or in an area with a high walking score.

As a seller, taking care of deferred maintenance, updates or remodeling will appeal to these convenience consumers. Though you can’t change the location, you can highlight positive conveniences. As a buyer, know that living without some of these things may either get you a home or a better deal.

First-Time Home-Buyers vs. Repeat Buyers

According to the California Association of Realtors, first-time home buyers look for different things in a property than repeat buyers do. Californians list rental fatigue as the single most important reason for buying a home. From those who are trying to move up, it’s a size upgrade, followed by a location improvement.

First-time home buyers are who allow repeat home buyers to move up to the next home and continue the domino effect into the higher-priced homes. This chart to the left provides an interesting look at the different reasons different types of buyers want a new house.

On average, first-time home buyers will stay in their first home between 5-7 years. The reasons for eventually selling vary, but often it is because of the addition of new members to their family, or the search for more space, good schools and a neighborhood where home owners can see their kids riding bikes and being part of a safe community.

I recently listed a past client’s home who bought 3 years ago. When she called me, she said, “Kristin, you were right. We are ready to move.” When they bought their home, I told her they would be there maybe for 5 years and she adamantly said we will be here for a long time. Do you have a similar story? Are you outgrowing your first home?