19 May 2021

CDC Eviction Ban Ruled Unlawful: What Does This Mean for Californians?

When the pandemic hit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) foresaw widespread financial hardship for Americans and established a moratorium on evictions. For the past seven months, that order has fueled a battle between the Alabama Association of Realtors and the United States Department of Health and Human Services. According to the Alabama Association of Realtors, the CDC overstepped when it extended renter protections to include non-federally-funded rental housing. The moratorium order prohibits

By Christine Schneider | | In California Legislation and Your Real Estate, California Real Estate Trends, New Legislation and Your Real Estate, Santa Cruz Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
13 Jul 2020

What Happens When the Eviction Ban Lifts?

As a result of the recent pandemic, legislation has been passed on a multitude of levels to protect tenants facing financial difficulties from being evicted. This includes legislation passed at the federal, state, county, and city levels, all geared towards implementing a moratorium on evictions. The hope was to keep people safe in their homes during stay-at-home orders, as well as protect those who have faced financial loss as a result of the spreading virus.

By Christine Schneider | | In California Legislation and Your Real Estate, New Legislation and Your Real Estate, Santa Cruz Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
7 Apr 2020

Paying Your Rent or Mortgage Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, businesses have been shut down, thousands have been laid off from their jobs, millions have applied for unemployment, and people have been asked to stay at home until the pandemic is under control. With all of this being said, homeowners and renters are now faced with the challenge of paying rent, even if they do not have the income to pay. In this article we will outline government initiatives that

By Christine Schneider | | In California Legislation and Your Real Estate, California Real Estate Trends, Politics and Real Estate, Santa Cruz Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
6 Sep 2018

Trump Tariffs and New Home Prices

Trump’s tax tariffs on lumber, steel and aluminum may increase the cost of new housing.   In November of 2017, the US set final total tariffs for most Canadian softwood lumber producers at 20.8%. According to Aaron Terrazas, senior economist at Zillow, this caused the price of lumber to jump nearly 15% and added $6,000 to $10,000 to the cost of a newly built median-priced single family home. By contrast, the the National Association of

By Christine Schneider | | In New Legislation and Your Real Estate, Politics and Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
27 Feb 2018

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Benefits for Real Estate Investors and Land Lords

A reduction in incentives for homeownership results in strong demand in the rental market. This fact, and a new deduction on taxable income of pass-through companies suggests that landlords and other real estate investors stand to benefit from the new law.

By Christine Schneider | | In Home Buying Tips and Advice, Investment Property in Santa Cruz County, New Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
19 Jan 2018

The Final Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and Real Estate

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been signed into law. There were some big "wins" in the final bill from the perspective of homebuyers, owners, and real estate investors. However, the bill removes important incentives for homeownership and may have an adverse impact in some markets. According to the National Association of Realtors, home prices will grow at a slower pace of 1-3% nationally. Unfortunately, some local markets in high cost, higher tax areas

By Christine Schneider | | In Politics and Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
7 Dec 2017

How the Proposed Tax Reform Can Affect Your Real Estate

  On Thursday, November 9th, Republicans in the Senate Finance Committee released an outline of their version of the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act". Just one week earlier, the Republicans' congressional House Ways and Means Committee released the original version. Both pose a threat to homeownership as we know it today. Here is a short summary of how both may affect your real estate.   Mortgage Interest Deduction The house bill will keep the mortgage

By Christine Schneider | | In Politics and Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
15 Nov 2017

How “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” Will Affect Your Real Estate

  On Thursday, November 9th, Republicans in the Senate Finance Committee released an outline of their version of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”. Just one week earlier, the Republicans’ congressional House Ways and Means Committee released the original version. Both pose a threat to homeownership as we know it today. Here is a short summary of how both may affect your real estate.   Mortgage Interest Deduction The house bill will keep the mortgage

By Christine Schneider | | In New Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment
5 Jul 2016

BREXIT: Why Stay, Why Leave, and How does it impact the US Real Estate Market?

Arguments For and Against the BREXIT:   Reasons for leaving: The EU threatens Britain's Sovereignty – supports of this viewpoint reference the trend of an increase in EU authority over the past few decades. For example, in matters of competition policy, agriculture, and copyright and patent law, EU rules overrule national laws. The EU is able to impose regulations on its members, some of which BREXIT supporters claim are overly burdensome and cost the British

By Christine Schneider | | In New Legislation and Your Real Estate, US Legislation and Your Real Estate | Read moreLeave a comment