209-988-5254 | Century21 Select | DRE #01225017. – Serving Stanislaus, San Joaquin & Merced Counties.
SOLD – Semi-Custom Home with 4 Bedrooms and RV Access at $539, 900. This 1748sf Home is Spacious with Modern Design, Modern Colors, and Ready to Move into. Laminate flooring throughout with High Ceilings in the Living and Family Areas. Granite Counter in the Kitchen area including the Island. New Carpet in the Bedrooms, Lots of Storage, and Inside Laundry. Big 2 Car Garage with Sink. Tool Shed in the Backyard with New Grass Areas. A Must See!!
Perfect Starter home! Cute Floor Plan with Vaulted Ceilings. Approx 1259sf with 3 Bedrooms and 2 Full Baths. Big Kitchen with an Open Living Room. Inside Laundry. 2 Car Garage. Low maintenance yard. Centrally located. Close to the University, Schools, Parks, and Shopping. A Must See!
$589,900 – North East Turlock!! This beautiful 4-bedroom home has a Tandem 3-Car Garage!! Super Clean Home with Newer Paint, Newer Flooring, New Fences, Newer Light Fixtures, Newer Shutters, Newer Insulated Garage Doors, and More!! Great Family Home with Style and Good-Sized rooms. High Ceilings, Lots of Natural Lighting, Separate Living, and Family Areas. Kitchen has Lots of Cabinets, Butler’s Pantry, and Inside Laundry Area. Very Nice Formal Dining Room. There’s a Loft Area Upstairs for Kid’s Play and Storage. Private Backyard with Room to Play, Large Patio Area, and Big Tool Shed with Shelves/Workbench. Walking Distance to the Park, Bike Trail, and More!! This home also has a Big Driveway Area. A Must See!!
97 Acre Modesto Dairy!! Permitted for 920 animals plus 300 support stock. Newer Milk Parlor of a Double 15 Parallel Barn, Newer Calves Barn and Hutch Setup, New Lagoon that has a Rubber Liner, Newer Ice Machines, and Newer 400amp Service Panel. Newer Barn with 470 Free-stall Beds. Extremely Fertile River Ground-Approx. 60 acres Farmable with MID Water District. Newer Ag Well Developed to Approx. 750gpm. Approx. 1943sf Main House was Remodeled 4 Bedrooms and 2 full baths with Pool a newer HVAC system. Remodeled 1293sf Second Home of 3 Bedroom & 2 Bath Newer HVAC. Newer Dairy Equipment. Office. Metal Shop.
With the risk of drought and wildfires increasing across the country, it’s more important than ever to consider just how flammable your home might be.
Wildfire damage starts outside and moves in, unlike interior-focused kitchen or basement fires.
With wildfires increasing year after year, more homeowners are thinking about the future of their houses – and whether they have a future at all as the climate rapidly changes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, there has been a billion-dollar wildfire event every year from 2015 to 2024, which ended up costing over $108 billion and resulted in incredible numbers of homes destroyed.
This doesn’t include the January 2025 LA wildfires, which have so far affected over 57,000 acres, and over 16,200 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) website.
Due to these increasing costs, as well as the danger to human life, areas prone to wildfires are becoming increasingly difficult to insure, making it even more important that homes in those areas and adjacent to them have plans for the day fire approaches.
But can you build or renovate a home that’s truly fireproof?
Wildfire damage is not like a kitchen or basement fire, with smoke and flames primarily damaging a home’s interior. Wildfire damage starts outside and moves inward, sometimes from quite a distance.
“The biggest risk to homeowners in the event of a wildfire is not just the fire itself, but also the embers that can travel long distances and ignite materials around the home,” says Megan Micco, CEO of Megan Micco Inc. and a real estate agent at Compass in Berkeley, California. “Smoke damage is a significant concern, but is generally less destructive than the fire and embers.”
When it comes to wildfire damage, the external parts of your house are the first line of defense and first at risk, but it might be surprising where those embers get lodged, according to Micco. “The roof, eaves, vents and decks are often the most vulnerable parts of a home during a wildfire,” she says.
According to Cal Fire, the three main ways your home is exposed during a wildfire are direct flames, radiant heat and flying embers. Although the fire itself is a risk, there are many ways your home can be exposed to damage and destruction during a wildfire.
It’s important to define things like “fireproof” before you put all your hopes and wishes on the materials you choose to create that outcome. A fireproof home isn’t guaranteed to never burn, but it stands a better chance than one made of wood and other combustible materials. “Fire resistant” may be a more realistic term.
“Owning a fireproof home means your home is designed and constructed to withstand a fire,” says Chris Stevenson, sales manager and business developer at 730 South Exteriors in Meridian, Idaho. “This does not mean that your home will not burn under any circumstances, but it does mean that it is less likely to catch fire and more likely to survive a fire if it does occur. To build a fireproof home, you need to use materials and construction methods that can resist the high temperatures and flames of a fire.”
“Every second counts when fighting fires,” says Niki O’Brien, operations manager with Custom Exteriors in Berthoud, Colorado. “With limited resources and perfect conditions for spreading, the more time you can buy before the fire penetrates your home, the better.”
If you’re building a new home in an area that’s fire-prone, it’s important that you choose materials that aren’t going to burn. Key areas to focus on, besides landscaping, are the siding and roofing, but there other aspects of your home that you need to consider.
“If I were building a fireproof home from the ground up, it would be built out of concrete, brick, stone and mortar,” says John Mazzuca, custom homebuilder with Gambrick Construction in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. “I’d then use steel and glass for the windows. I’d minimize the amount of glazing in the home to better insulate it and protect it from fires. This design would also extend to the roof.”
For existing homes, the rules are the same, but you can also add materials to create a barrier between your home’s flammable parts and the outside world without completely rebuilding your home. Fiber cement siding is a good option for homes that currently have wood or vinyl siding, and is simple for a homeowner to install without a lot of additional construction.
“I’ve seen firsthand the protection that fiber cement siding can have on a home and community,” says retired firefighter Dan Dwyer of Grizzly Flats, California, and a consultant with James Hardie Building Products Inc., manufacturer of fiber cement products.
Dwyer reminds potential homebuyers to consider fire resistance during their home search but adds that it’s not a deal-breaker.
“If you are in the market for a new home and the home that catches your eye isn’t already equipped with fire-resistant attributes, it’s important to remember that you can always make improvements to enhance your dream home’s resilience,” says Dwyer.
Here are other areas of your current or new home to consider when fireproofing, according to Cal Fire:
In general, always opt for noncombustible materials for the exterior of your home, even on outbuildings or fence sections that are close to your home. While this may not stop all fire damage, it can certainly slow down a fire, and may buy you the time it takes for a fire crew to get to your house.
If you’ve survived a wildfire, there’s no question as to why fireproof housing matters. But if you live in an area that is just starting to experience wildfires, you may wonder if there are other benefits to fireproofing your home. There are plenty.
“Fireproofing a home makes it much better insulated, which brings down heating and cooling costs,” Mazzuca says. “It makes the home more comfortable to live in because there are no drafts or hot and cold spots. If you’re living in the right area, it also adds value to the home because of how energy efficient they are.”
You may find that your fireproof home is easier to insure and sell later. But, most importantly, you will know that your family will likely have time to safely evacuate should a wildfire grow.
“Because most Colorado mountain town residents know the requirements and costs of replacing existing materials with fire-resistant materials, they most definitely add value to your home in our area,” says O’Brien. “Our local real estate agents understand the costs associated if these repairs have not been completed yet.”
Depending on your carrier, you may also see a discount on your homeowner’s insurance policy, he adds.
“The most important benefit of fireproofing your home is peace of mind,” O’Brien says. “Your home holds everything important, including your family. So, considering that, the idea that you have taken every precaution to avoid damage can be reassuring.”
Source: realestate.usnews.com ~ By: Kristi Waterworth ~ Image: Canva Pro
Ranchette With a Special View!! This Beautiful Setting is Surrounded by Trees, Farming, and the River in the Distance. This 1.5 Acre Parcel Offers Country Living with a Home that is 1400sf of living Space. The Home has 1 bath and 2 Bedrooms. One of the Bedrooms has been converted from living space. Very nice Front Porch, Back Porch, Upfront White Fencing with Large Grass Area, and a Small Horse Barn/Storage Room with Power. There is room for Animals and Corrals with your Design and Creativity.
You might think you already know about any liens on a property you already own. However, the fact is they can lurk beneath your radar and pop up at the most inopportune times.
Like when you’re getting ready to sell your place—and a search of public records uncovers the lien.
This can be very bad news, resulting in delays in selling your home or, worse, throwing a wrench into the whole deal. The good news is that finding out if there are liens on your property is simple—and by finding out early, you can make sure it won’t hinder selling your home, whenever that takes place.
Here’s how to find out if there is a lien on a property, plus how to do a property lien search by address.
In the most basic terms, a lien is a legal notice that’s attached to your property title because of an unpaid debt. That means it gives the unpaid party a legal claim to a portion of your property when it’s sold, and you typically can’t sell or refinance your property if the lien isn’t cleared.
Liens fall into three primary categories:
Homeowners won’t always know if a lien is filed against their property, says Sacha Ferrandi, co-founder of Source Capital Funding.
“A notable exception is if you buy a newly built home, and the contractors or subcontractors were never paid for their work,” Ferrandi explains. “Contractors and subcontractors can file liens without notifying the homebuyer.”
Also, sometimes mistakes are made: There might be a lien wrongly filed against your property or a lien that remains on record for a debt you’ve already paid. Fortunately, in those cases, you can take some simple steps to clear them up with your county clerk.
Liens are a matter of public record, so it’s simple to find out if there’s one on your property, or on anyone else’s property for that matter.
In most states, you can typically conduct a property lien search by address with the county recorder, clerk, or assessor’s office online. The search for liens is free, though you may have to pay a small fee for a copy of the report, which will vary by county.
Another easy place to start? Property Shark has a portal where you can also complete a property lien search by address by simply typing in a property’s address to find any liens on it.
You can also hire a title company to do the legwork for you, but there will be a charge.
If you have your eye on a property, it’s a good idea to conduct your own search as well so you don’t run into any surprises at the last minute.
If you do find a lien on your property (or one you want to purchase), don’t panic. If the lien is paid off already, you may just have to contact the appropriate party with proof in the form of a lien release. But if it hasn’t been paid, you’ll need to sort this out before your home sale goes through.
“Liens can become an issue for everyone involved, particularly if the total liens on a property add up to more than the contract price,” says Klaus Gonche, a real estate agent with Re/Max in Fort Lauderdale, FL. If so, “the seller will have to bring cash to cover the difference at closing. If the seller lacks the cash available for this, the buyers will have to either help clear the lien with their own funds or walk away from the deal.”
Source: realtor.com ~ By: Julie Ryan Evans ~ Image: Canva Pro
Ranch Style Ranchette in Denair with 5 Bedrooms!! This Custom Home offers is Single Story with Built-in Pool, Approx. 4.64 Acres, and a Metal Shop of Approx. 30×60. Great Place to raise a family, minutes from Town. Great Views of The Sierra Mountain and Country Life. Secluded, Private, and a Paved-Long Driveway that’s shared with the Neighbor. Lots of Touches and Designs throughout with a Remodeled Kitchen, Remodeled Master Bedroom/Bath, and a Newer Presidential Roof. This property is well-Manicured and Setup with a Beautiful Park-like Backyard. This property is Completely Fence and Crossed Fenced for your animals.
Hughson Single Story Home with RV Access. The Home feels like New, with a Large Open Great Room. Approx. 1840sf Home with 3 Bedrooms and 2 Full Baths. Almost an 8000sf lot. Big Kitchen with Large Island Granite Counters, Elegant Cabinetry, Stainless Steel Appliances, and Walk-in Pantry Closet. Big Family Room with Custom Shutters and Exterior-Automatic Shades. Water system, Instant Hot Water Heater, and Alarm System. Master Bedroom is Large with Big Shower, Double Sinks, and Large Walk-in Closet. Backyard is private with Stained Wood Fencing, Citrus Trees, Tuff Shed, and large Concrete side yard area. A Must See!
In the third quarter of 2023, U.S. mortgage holders collectively held $17.2 trillion in home equity, according to the November 2024 ICE Mortgage Monitor report. This includes $11.2 million in “tappable” equity, or equity homeowners can borrow against without dropping below an 80% loan-to-value ratio.
For homeowners, this translates to an average of $319,000 in total equity and $207,000 in tappable equity. Rising home prices provided this big pot of accessible cash and, for some, using it to upgrade their space could increase home values further — especially now that home equity loan and home equity line of credit (HELOC) rates have dropped steadily since their post-pandemic peak and are expected to fall further in the coming months.
Taking out a home equity loan or a HELOC to fund improvements allows you to borrow at an affordable rate, and both HELOC interest and home equity loan interest may be tax-deductible if funds are used to improve a qualifying primary or second home. If you’re thinking about using some of your equity to improve your living quarters, though, there are some home improvement projects in particular that experts say could boost your home’s value.
The following home projects could pay off by boosting the value of your home in the new year:
If you’re hoping your home could bring in some extra cash, or if you want to make room for extended family and household help, adding an accessory dwelling unit could be the ideal upgrade for you.
Andrea Saturno-Sanajna, a broker with Coldwell Banker Warburg, says that many localities are enacting legislation or creating programs to encourage the building of ADUs to create more affordable housing. In some cases, these programs even come with government funding to help cover the costs. However, even without this bonus, Saturno-Sanajna believes this is a project worth thinking about if it’s allowed in your area.
“The ADU could be rented out for additional income or used for aging parents or college students to be near family while maintaining some autonomy, for au pairs, exchange students or carers, or even for income-generating, short-term holiday accommodation where permitted,” Saturno-Sanajna says.
MyHome by Freddie Mac reports that ADUs increase your home’s value by as much as 35%, but they must fulfill certain requirements including having a kitchen, bathroom, and separate entrance. If you have the space and the equity available to create this type of dwelling, the payoff could be substantial.
With the growing threat of climate change and the rising cost of electricity, projects that improve your home’s energy efficiency should be top on your list in 2025, says Michael C. Weiner, an agent at Coldwell Banker Warburg.
“Infrastructure changes that improve energy efficiency aren’t just helpful in boosting value but also can start paying for themselves from day one,” Weiner says.
His suggestions included upgrading your windows, adding insulation or installing a smart thermostat.
Weiner also recommends switching out older appliances with newer, more energy-efficient ones that can both give your home an updated look and reduce your utility bills for a double payoff. With the Department of Energy reporting that a new Energy-Star-certified fridge could save you more than $220 during its 12-year lifetime, this upgrade alone could be worth making.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a renewed focus on maintaining good health, so incorporating wellness features in your home could be an upgrade worth considering in 2025.
Broker Sean Adu-Gymafi of Coldwell Banker Warburg advises installing upgrades like whole-house water filtration systems and air purification systems throughout the home.
“Water filtration systems will provide better water quality and are better for the environment as they can reduce the amount of bottled water used,” Adu-Gymafi says. “Similarly, installing air purification systems throughout the home can also add value. As more people prioritize health and their well-being, these features are becoming very desirable.”
These upgrades could help you to improve your financial situation immediately as you bring in rental income, improve your health and lower your monthly bills. They may also make your property more desirable to future buyers. Tapping into equity to complete them could be a smart financial choice in the new year, especially if you shop around for loans at competitive rates and take advantage of new, more affordable borrowing opportunities.
Source: cbsnews.com ~ By: Christy Bieber ~ Image: Canva Pro