Posts - page 16

What's driving the cost of building affordable housing in California? According to a report from several state housing agencies, NIMBY's, design chances and parking requirements are among the top factors.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has voted 4-1 to enact a second hand smoking ordinance that, among requirements, bans smoking in ownership units. SAMCAR Government Affairs Director Paul Stewart explains which units this ban affects and how the votes came down in the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

REALTOR® members and organizations like SAMCAR work hard to help home buyers and sellers, and protect property owners by providing valuable resources, legislative advocacy, giving back to our communities and holding our members to the highest ethical standards. Learn more about how REALTORS® are working for YOU!

The "Classic" version of InstanetForms is being replaced with the newest version of InstanetForms. Learn more about the transition with a helpful video and FAQ from Instanet Solutions.

There is a slim but powerful chance the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act will be extended by Congress this year but not before the midterm elections in November.

Foster City's City Council is seeking to ban smoking in one's own house as pertains to townhomes and condominiums. SAMCAR members please be prepared for a "Call for Action" to contact Foster City councilmembers prior to the hearing at which the smoking ordinance will be finalized.

H.R. 5078 will prevent the EPA from treating waters on private property as so-called "waters of the U.S." under the Clean Water Act.

It's official: FHA issued its final rule to eliminate post-payment interest charges on FHA-insured single family mortgages.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking input on the guarantee fees (or "G-fees") that Freddie and Fannie charge lenders as well as their impact on up-front fees charged to borrowers.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is seeking input on the draft Private Mortgage Insurer Eligibility Requirements (PMIERs) for companies that insure mortgage loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

With the recent resignation of Councilman Jerry Deal, the city of Burlingame invites applicants to offer their interest, experience, and enthusiasm in service of their City. Applications due by September 22.

FHA has announced that borrowers who prepay their FHA-insured mortgages will not have to make interest payments beyond the date their mortgage is paid in full.

On September 2 at the Combined Tour Meeting SAMCAR members heard from Assemblyman Rich Gordon on the 2013-2014 legislative session, and from grant recipient organizations supported by the SAMCAR Foundation's quarterly grant program.

AB 2416 (a bill that would've created a new kind of lien for wage claim disputes) failed the state Senate thanks in large part to the strong response from REALTORS®.

Ever wonder how to understand and get through the maze of personnel in an elected official's office? SAMCAR GAD Paul Stewart has just the guide for you.

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is issuing a warning to beware of several scams that have been making their way around the county. These three scams have been the most prevalent.

The president's budget proposal would limit the capital gains from the exchange of real estate that can be deferred under Section 1031 to $1 million per taxpayer per year.

The National Association of REALTORS® has begun offering Web addresses with the new ".REALTOR®" top-level domain. You could be among the first 500,000 members to register a free .realtor domain for one year, as the clearest way to show consumers you are a member of NAR and adhere to the highest standard of professional ethics.

South San Francisco will be saving costs and improving energy efficiency with about 4,000 new LED street lights.

San Mateo is re-opening its Private Sewer Lateral Cost Sharing Program, providing financial assistance in the form of a grant of 50% of the lateral replacement cost. Find out if your and clients' repairs are eligible.

Solar panels can add value to a home, but they're expensive to install. So, many homeowners have entered solar panel lease arrangements to avoid upfront costs and find out at time of sale just what a liability these leases can be. SAMCAR encourages members to be aware of these leases on your listings and look into the terms as part of your due diligence.

C.A.R.-sponsored AB 2430, which tightens the prohibition of bundling fees in common interest development (CID) transactions, was signed into law by Governor Brown.

One of the fastest growing housing issues in California is the problem of squatters taking over vacant properties. Under California law, it can take a minimum of 30 to 60 days to evict a sophisticated squatter. AB 1513 (Fox) seeks to address this obstacle in parts of the state. Cities in the Bay Area can "opt-in". SAMCAR needs to hear your "squatter stories" to determine if San Mateo County will opt in to AB 1513.

The San Francisco Association of REALTORS® (SFAR) filed a lawsuit challenging the recent change in the amount of tenant relocation fees as authorized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.