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Having friends over for tear-down work before a remodeling project can save money -- and also lead to personal injury and property damage.
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NATION'S HOUSING
Critics say the 'home valuation code' worked out in N.Y. could negatively affect borrowers nationwide. >>
APARTMENT LIFE
Question: I am living in a one-bedroom apartment in Reseda, but I want to move into a two-bedroom in the same area. I have lived here for 18 months. I originally signed a one-year lease; now I am on a month-to-month lease. What is the least amount of written notice I can give to move out? Most of the apartments I look at are ready to move into immediately, and I don't know if the landlords will wait 30 days or more. >>
Forget staging -- the latest weapon in the savvy seller's arsenal is the home manager. It's a sweet deal for both sides: Owners get occupants who'll maintain that lived-in look and tenants get an upsc >>
REAL ESTATE
Pilots and flight attendants in need of overnight quarters -- 'crashpads' -- can help you meet the mortgage. >>
The recent phenomenon has been greeted by some with jeers, but agents say it's an opportunity for prospective buyers. >>
REAL ESTATE
Many buyers and sellers are playing the waiting game, but there is some movement, especially in foreclosures. >>
THE HOUSING SCENE
Do prep work to show the lender that cutting the value of the loan is the logical choice. >>
NATION'S HOUSING
WASHINGTON -- If you own or plan to buy a condominium, an ominous new phase of the mortgage credit squeeze could be on your horizon. >>
ARCHITECT'S VIEWPOINT
The other day I came across a plastic house. Not the futuristic World's Fair variety -- this was just an ordinary old house that had been "improved" with a brace of glaring-white vinyl windows, lots of wavy vinyl siding and some flimsy looking vinyl gutters and downspouts. As icing on the petrochemical cake, it was ringed by a white vinyl picket fence. >>
REAL ESTATE
Duct tape fixes everything? Buyers might not agree. Here are some of 2007's most outrageous defects, from the files of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). >>
LETTERS
Accompanying the April 6 article "Fraud Traps Await Unwary Associations" was a sidebar titled "Built-In Safety Checkpoints." The first item in the list is "Require two signatures on checks . . . greater than $500." >>
Loft owners scrap their commutes, opting for digs they can work in. >>
Although Hot Property will continue, this week Ruth Ryon will be filing her last installment of the feature she created almost a quarter-century ago. >>
BOOK REVIEW
The bestselling author puts together a location guide for those who, thanks to the Wired Age, have more freedom to choose where to live. >>
ASSOCIATIONS
The legal requirements are clear. But it's not the property manager's responsibility to supply the names. >>
NATION'S HOUSING
WASHINGTON -- The two largest sources of mortgage money in the country have a blunt warning for anyone thinking about joining the growing "walkaway" trend and becoming one of those homeowners who stops making payments and months later sends the house keys back to the lender: You will feel the pain. >>
ASK THE INSPECTOR
Question: I recently purchased a new home with an unconnected water line to the refrigerator. The line is not attached to the water supply beneath the kitchen sink, and the end that is near the refrigerator has been capped. The builder thinks the line was capped because of leakage beneath the slab. He and the plumber both refuse to repair the line, and the bid from another plumber is $275. What should I do? >>
Owners seeking solutions to their mortgage problems, including how to keep their homes, now have more phone counselors at their disposal, at a time when foreclosures have more than doubled the record set in 1996. >>
Hot Property
The Rancho Monte Alegre project has roots in historic Carpinteria ranchland. >>
REAL ESTATE | SENIORS
An aging population is finding happiness in communities and condos, where the lifestyle is hardly in rocking-chair mode. >>
HOUSING SCENE
WASHINGTON -- Mortgage schemes are becoming more intricate, and the criminals who work them are more active than ever. >>
REAL ESTATE
A lack of safeguards and financial acumen can leave common-interest groups vulnerable. >>
BOOK REVIEW
'The Can-Do, How-To, Get-Through Guide' for owning a second house. >>
With luxury penthouses in Los Angeles, developers pursue the ultra-wealthy buyer. >>
PARDON OUR DUST
In Santa Barbara County, a house is made unique with handcrafted adornments both indoors and out. >>
BOOK REVIEW
Surprisingly simple strategies for getting top dollar fast >>
That's the peak -- so far. Those who can handle a sky-high price like the proximity to stars that it buys them. >>
Faced with the local real estate slump, some agents are helping sellers tap the overseas thirst to own property in the Golden State. >>
LOANS
They remain roughly where they were a year ago amid banks' wariness about making loans. >>
REAL ESTATE
Staging is a growing profession and may help to get your languishing home sold. >>
On YouTube, former Ventura County appraiser finds humor in the housing bubble collapse. >>
LENDING
Loan checkers say their warnings of risk were met with indifference >>
HOUSING SCENE
WASHINGTON -- In a market where houses are taking longer to sell -- or not selling at all -- owners hoping to move on sometimes opt to rent their homes until things improve. >>
HANDYMAN Q & A
Question: Is there a synthetic wood veneer that I could install over the top of my pressure-treated deck, or will I have to tear the deck out? The structure itself is still in good condition -- I just don't want the hassle of tearing off all the wood decking and taking it to the dump. >>
REAL ESTATE
The Internal Revenue Service has handed investors and second-home owners a new gift in the form of a safety net that provides a "safe harbor" for taxpayers who wish to swap the property via a Section 1031 tax-free exchange even though they have enjoyed personal use of the property. >>
Home of the Week
Myron Hunt designed this Arts and Crafts-style beauty for a glassware magnate in Ojai. After a loving restoration, the Libbey Estate is on the market for $6.25 million. >>
HOT PROPERTY
Moving farther from Melrose? >>
Al Gastelum, 76, and Irene Samson, 63, at their home in Trilogy at Glen Ivy, an age-restricted residential community of 55-plus folks in Riverside County. >>
Architecture and the Environment
It is the house that won new respect for factory-built prefab housing: Leo Marmol's sleek, solar-powered, steel-and-glass Desert House in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. It has been Marmol's weekend house since he built it in 2005, but it is now listed for sale for $1.85 million. >>
Friends thought he was nuts when a Times reporter sold his home and started to rent in 2005. But for him, the warning signs were just too hard to miss. >>
That HGTV show made it look so easy. But growing numbers of budget-conscious homeowners are tackling jobs beyond their skills -- often to the dismay of their mates. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: San Diego's Kensington area
The street names may sound like Olde England -- Marlborough, Canterbury -- but this San Diego neighborhood is more old California with an abundance of classic Spanish-style architecture. Its quiet, winding streets, beautiful homes and canyon views set Kensington apart from the surrounding city. >>
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Fair Housing Amendments Act, here are some reminders for families with kids: >>
BOOK REVIEW
A visual guide to understanding and maintaining your home. >>
REAL ESTATE Q & A
Serving as lenders, annually 'gifting' a portion of the home's value and shared-equity arrangements are among the methods. >>
HANDYMAN Q & A
Sealers are intended to shed water, but pavers let water pass right on through. Take care when cleaning pavers with a pressure washer. >>
ASSOCIATIONS
Question: Our board has allowed more than 300 units to go without heat for two years, and there is talk that our association is $400,000 in debt. One owner hired a private investigator, who made discoveries that raise questions about the past mental fitness of an influential board officer. This board director intimidates other board members and employees to enforce his decisions. Board directors who oppose him aren't permitted in executive sessions. >>
ASK THE INSPECTOR
Then they should decide if they want to sue sellers or agent. >>
REAL ESTATE
It's a buyers' market in a getaway area east of L.A. Areas such as Lake Arrowhead are rebounding from 2007 wildfires. >>
HOUSING SCENE
Lenders will be pickier than before, so organize your credit records, document earnings, list debts and establish your home's value. >>
EVENTS
Events >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE | SAN BUENAVENTURA
The city's on a mission to change its image, including calling its revitalized downtown by its original name. Good fortune indeed. >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: FAIRFAX VILLAGE
A rejuvenated area of L.A. retains its identity as it embraces commercial change. >>
ASK THE INSPECTOR
Question: I purchased a new home and hired a home inspector before closing. But the inspector did not give me a written report. He just reviewed his findings by phone and then sent a bill for $750. When I complained about not receiving a written report, he discounted the fee to $600. This doesn't seem right. What should I do? >>
NEIGHBORLY ADVICE: HORSETHIEF CANYON RANCH
THERE are big backyards, and there are humongous backyards. For those who fancy the latter for hiking, riding mountain bikes and horses, or just watching golden eagles and prairie falcons take off and land, Horsethief Canyon Ranch may be the ticket. >>
BOOK REVIEW
MARNI Jameson: dizzy, uncertain, overwhelmed ditz? >>
HANDYMAN Q & A
Question: We will be putting a new roof on soon and it will most likely be a lightweight tile one. We currently have a heavy shake roof. Should we remove the shakes before the tile is put on or should the tile be put over the shakes? I have seen both approaches lately and am not sure which would be better. >>
ASSOCIATIONS
Even with claims of a safety emergency, property owners still have a voice in the decision. >>
HOUSING SCENE
WASHINGTON -- Reverse mortgages are one way for house-rich but cash-poor seniors to tap into their equity without having to sell. But there are other options to consider as well. >>
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