coins stacked up high

Rental Increases in California: Timeframe for Proper Notice

  • August 5, 2016
  • devinlucas

Rent Increases:Generally speaking (lease provisions must be reviewed), in areas without rent control (all of Orange County as of Summer 2016), there is no limit to the amount a landlord can increase the rent as long as proper advance notice is provided to the tenant. The length of notice is dependent upon the percentage of … Continue Reading

pen on contract

Feds Expand Reporting Requirements In All Cash Purchases to Some Areas of California

  • August 4, 2016
  • devinlucas

The U.S. Treasury in late July announced its intention to expand its Geographic Targeting Orders (GTO), temporarily requiring U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies used to pay “all cash” for high-end residential real estate in six major metropolitan areas, including five in California. Expanding the GTOs is a continued … Continue Reading

eviction notice

Evicting a Tenant Over Failure to Obtain Renter’s Insurance? Think Again.

  • May 19, 2016
  • devinlucas

In Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Orange County Communities, where rental properties are abundant, landlords routinely require tenants to obtain “renter’s insurance” – insurance to protect the renter’s personal property, i.e. their T.V., clothing, etc. – in case of a fire, burglary, or other incident.  Many landlords take a firm position “requiring” the tenant to … Continue Reading

Fair housing foundation logo

Fair Housing Foundation’s Tip of the Month: Responding to Landlord Notices (and tips for landlords on how to serve a notice)

  • January 27, 2016
  • devinlucas

From the Fair Housing Foundation – their “Tip of the Month”… Visit www.fairhousingfoundation.com for more information… Responding to Notices Tenants: Receiving a notice from your landlord can be a very stressing occurrence. It is of the upmost importance that responding to the notice takes priority and that you respond as soon as possible to resolve the … Continue Reading

White fence in dire need of repair

Neighbor Disputes: Repairing or Replacing a Shared Fence

  • October 27, 2015
  • devinlucas

In Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange County Communities and elsewhere, good neighbors can be the key to a happy home; thus the reverse is also true. Neighbor disputes, frequently surrounding fence line and property line issues, can be the end-all of confrontational matters and lend to costly litigation. A shared fence, worn and in need … Continue Reading

construction buleprints

Hiring a Contractor? – A Few Tips to Consider

  • October 11, 2015
  • devinlucas

Remodeling your Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange County or other California property? – Hiring a contractor is a significant decision, with quality and pricing varying dramatically, especially on any larger scale project.  Check out this info graphic from the California Contractors State License Board and the California Association of REALTORS® for some good tips. -Devin … Continue Reading

A real estate contract

Option Agreements in California Real Property Transactions

  • September 10, 2015
  • devinlucas

Most commonly, an “Option Agreement” is a rent-to-own situation, more frequent in a landlord-tenant context. Typically (though 100 percent negotiable), an Option Agreement works like this: The Property Owner (called the “Optionor”) agrees to sell a home and/or parcel of land (the “Real Property”) to the Buyer (called the “Optionee”) at a later date, for … Continue Reading

Fair Housing Foundation Tip of the Month: Rent Increases

  • August 28, 2015
  • devinlucas

Fair Housing Foundation Tip of the Month: Rent Increases In areas without rent control, there is no limit to the amount a landlord can increase the rent, provided it’s done so with proper notice and not being done in retaliation or based on a discriminatory motive.  In Los Angeles County some cities do have rent … Continue Reading

Key Issues in California Landlord-Tenant Law

  • August 27, 2015
  • devinlucas

Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Orange County are abundant rental markets, but landlords must use caution as California laws are extremely harsh on landlords and overly tenant friendly.  I’s must be dotted, and T’s must be crossed.  Sacramento is constantly trying to figure out ways to squeeze property owners, and landlord-tenant laws are among the … Continue Reading

To Drone or Not to Drone in Real Estate Photography? (Tip: Do Not Drone)

  • August 25, 2015
  • devinlucas

In Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Orange County real estate, those aerial shots of high-end properties sure do look fantastic.  But most sellers, photographers and REALTORS® might not realize it’s a blatant violation of current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules to operate drones for commercial purposes (i.e. real estate photography) without a waiver from the … Continue Reading