Brian Ripp's Blog

Facing the possibility of foreclosure, California homeowners may be hit with more than just losing their homes. Due to a loophole in state law, they also can be sued by their lender. To prevent this, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) is sponsoring Senate Bill 1178 by State Sen. Ell...

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March but not closed, rose 5.3 percent from the previous month and was 21.1 percent higher than March 2009, NAR reports. This follows an 8.3 percent monthly increase in February. NAR chief economist Lawrence Yu...

Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 626,000 in March, 1.6 percent higher than the 616,000 estimated in February and 20.2 percent higher than the 521,000 estimated a year ago, according to the latest figures compiled by the U.S. Commerce Department. Permits for new resident...

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese belief in energy forces called "chi".  These forces can be found anywhere, even inside our bodies, and can bring happiness, prosperity, love, even good luck. According to the Chinese, there are three types of luck: Heaven luck, Mankind luck, and Earth luck.  Of the...

You know that when you are seeking a mortgage you should shop around for the best rate.  But because interest rates fluctuate, it is a good idea to consider locking your rate.  A rate lock, also called a "lock-in", is a lender's guarantee that you will get a specific interest rate and number of p...

Here are a few tips you can do to help in the quest to ‘go green'. 1. Reduce, recycle, reuse, and buy recycled.  We use a ‘blue' bin and recycle paper and bottles & cans. 2. Turn off your computer & lights when not in use. 3. Recycle ink cartridges. 4. Use you notepad wisely. Use the entire page,...

One of the best ways to select a contractor is to ask friends or relatives for recommendations.  Make sure they have worker's compensation insurance and general liability insurance in case of accidents on the job.  Building codes set minimum safety standards for construction.  Generally, a buildi...

Governor Schwarzenegger today signed AB 183 providing $200 million for home buyer tax credits.  The bill allocates $100 million for qualified first-time home buyers who purchase existing homes and $100 million for purchasers of new, or previously unoccupied, homes.  Eligible taxpayers who close e...

A new study by the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate finds that more immigrants are choosing to put down roots in mid-size cities rather than larger gateway areas, in part because many smaller metro areas feature established, growing neighborhoods of fellow immigrants and less competition for entry...

Arranging your office so you can be efficient is important, but since you spend so much of your time there, you also want to be comfortable while you work.  To promote well-being and prevent injury, you should try to position your body so your joints are naturally aligned.  Leaning forward, slouc...