This article was written by Stacey Lamirand.

Purchasing a home is a large investment and buyers are advised to do a careful investigation of the property.  There are six areas of potential trouble that should be thoroughly investigated by a licensed home inspector. Sometimes cracks, bulges and spots are an indication of trouble, sometimes they are not.  Better to be safe than sorry--hire a licensed contractor to inspect your property before you complete while you are in escrow.

We're often asked by our clients, "How much should we offer?"  This is an excellent question.  The answer is not straight-forward, especially in a market like ours. 

Congratulations!  You may be in the process of purchasing a home or condo!  Before you start packing, consider the following:  there are ways of making your move a bit greener.  

How?  First, you can cull through all of the things that are in your home and consider getting rid of the things that you don't use often.  There are many places to take your unwanted clothing and household items, and I like the SF Public Library to recycle the books that my friends don't claim.  

This entry was written by Paula Siegel, Escrow Officer with Fidelity National Title.  She can be reached at psiegel@fnf.com. 

Most disclosure packages in San Francisco are prepared and
presented to interested buyers so they can review these disclosures prior to
writing an offer. There is a lot of important
information in these packages, and although some of them look big and imposing
(especially for some condominiums), it is important to read all of the
documents. If you have any questions
while you are reading, note them and be sure to discuss any questions or
concerns with your agent.

There has been increased focus during the last few weeks on how comapnies and individuals get loans--from the availability of money to the increased standards applied to individuals who apply for all types of loans, including mortgages. 

Before we get started, it is important that you understand that the conversion of units to condominiums is governed by local and state laws.  For buildings with four units or fewer, San Francisco City and County laws govern  the process.  For larger buildings (five or more units), the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) regulations also apply.  These laws and regulations can change at any time.