A question we received: We are looking for a builder who has a lovely model we would love. Are there any differences in getting financing to build a home versus buying an existing home? Yes, there are some differences but the process shouldn't be too painful. New home construction is financed in three key ways: The builder finances the construction. You get a construction loan and Continue Reading
Celebrated Chef Bruce Kalman Has Left Old Pasadena’s Union Restaurant
Pasadena Chef Bruce Kalman, who partnered with Marie Petulla to open Union Pasadena more than four years ago, has announced he is stepping down as head chef and co-owner of the 50-seat neighborhood restaurant and bar that features Northern Italian cuisine. His Instagram Post said he wanted to spend more time with his family. “It’s been a wild ride, 4 1/2 years at Union and I’m sad to say it’s Continue Reading
Fly the Friendly Skies… of Pasadena’s Peekaboo Galleries.
Peekaboo Gallery, a new experiential gallery located at 40 Mills Place in Old Pasadena, will be lifting off its second rotating exhibition, “Welcome Aboard The Friendly Skies: The Art of High Altitude Travel,” on Saturday, August 18, featuring vintage airline memorabilia and collectibles from a time when traveling aboard a luxury airliner was a magical experience. The Golden Age of flying was a Continue Reading
Time for the appraiser? Make your home shine.
If you are selling or refinancing, the lender will have your home appraised. It's different from a home inspection. A home inspector is primarily preoccupied with the internal workings of a home and looks for current problems or things that could become a problem. An appraiser is trying to determine the value of your home, comparing it to prices of similar homes in the area, and Continue Reading
High and Dry in Pasadena. More on the sales tax initiative.
As a rare municipality with an AAA credit rating from S&P Global, Pasadena is an oasis of financial stability in California. Yet the city declared a fiscal emergency earlier this year, and the reason is a sign of the progressive times. In 1978 and 1996, Californians approved two amendments to the state constitution to limit municipal authority to raise taxes. Among other restrictions, Continue Reading
New City Sales Tax Measure Approved for November Ballot.
The Pasadena City Council early Tuesday morning approved placing a .75 percent municipal sales tax measure on the November 2018 ballot. The motion passed unanimously. The tax, if approved by voters, would raise the City’s sales tax rate from 9.5 percent to 10.25 percent. At that, Pasadena would join Long Beach, California, and Chicago, Illinois, as imposing the highest combined state and Continue Reading
How and why mortgage interest rates rise (or fall).
The rate on a mortgage loan is often the most significant factor in how much an owner will ultimately pay for their home. Monetary policy, market inflation, and the overall economy all play a part in determining when it rises and falls. Currently, the United States is experiencing remarkably low rates by historical standards, below five percent in most cases, that contrast harshly with those in Continue Reading
Pasadena Pulls Out of Metro Bike Share Program.
The city of Pasadena decided to terminate the Metro Bike Share program on Wednesday, July 11, 2018. Low ridership, unanticipated cost overruns doomed the bike program. Ridership is so dismal and revenue from Pasadena’s struggling Metro Bike Share program is so low that the program’s costs now threaten the City’s total transit operating budget and the City must terminate its Continue Reading
Pasadena : What is an Accessory Dwelling Unit?
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a small, self-contained residential unit located on the same lot as an existing single-family home. An ADU has all the basic facilities needed for day-to-day living independent of the main home, such as a kitchen, sleeping area, and a bathroom. As the term "accessory" implies, ADUs are generally defined to be smaller in size and prominence than the main Continue Reading
Due on Sale Clauses in Your Mortgage.
The terms of my new mortgage include a 'due on sale' clause. My broker says this is an acceleration clause. But I thought acceleration clauses were about foreclosure. What is going on? Don't worry! 'Due on Sale' clauses are a typical part of a standard mortgage. All it means is that if you sell the house, you have to use the proceeds of the sale to pay off the existing Continue Reading
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 7
- Next Page »