Professional Insight
We have reserved space on our website for real estate, home maintenance, and financial professionals to add insight and advice for our readers. Additionally, we have began a series called “Lending a Hand”, in which we address the tightening lending standards and meticulous lending process to let you know some of the difficulties your loan might go through in today’s climate. Click “More” for an Archive of the items written in this section. Read more 
Why home prices might be nearing an improvement
In February, the 20-city Case-Shiller index, which monitors home price trends from metropolitan areas in the U.S., registered a 3.5 percent slide. Home prices have already dropped on average 33 percent from their peak, and we have seen slow, continuous declines ever since. With the steady drop in prices, we are starting to see the question asked with more urgency: when will the housing market bottom out so that prices can begin to recover?
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European turmoil helps 10-year bond hit record; rates at new lows
They say that seeing is believing. So what exactly have we been seeing? If you are looking to purchase a home, or refinance your existing mortgage, you are seeing an unprecedented opportunity to capture the lowest interest rates in history. For more on why rates have dropped to this extent, please continue reading.
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Tolbert Painting: How to paint straight lines and avoid paint bleed
Every once in awhile I get a call from a homeowner who has attempted to do a paint job themselves, and the caller is apologetic and almost embarrassed by the damage they have done. Then they ask me to fix it.
By the time I get there it’s to late, but it’s never as bad as they make it sound. Most people do a good job of protecting their belongings, flooring, and other areas from unwanted splatter or drips. Most folks are good at rolling out a wall and often take the extra time to apply two coats. Overall, from what I can tell, the paint jobs aren’t half bad. So where do they go wrong? Read more
What are the statutes of limitation?
Every claim in a civil case has to be filed within certain time periods or deadlines known as statutes of limitation. Generally speaking, if these deadlines are missed, then the lawsuit is barred and the claim is lost. So making sure you know which time periods apply and ensuring that your case is filed on time are extremely important considerations. Continue reading for these specifics: Read more
Plants that Clean the Air
Traditional and native cultures used the healing power of plants and trees such as bay, oak, fir and juniper for all sorts of medicinal purposes, including dental care. Twigs from certain trees contain oils which stimulate blood circulation and tannins that tighten and cleanse gum tissue—they can even infuse Vitamin C. Here is something else plants can do – cleanse the air in your home from harmful chemicals. Read more
How (and why) to deal with peeling paint
House paint functions first as a protective application and second for aesthetic value. For example, I recently looked at a potential exterior project involving some failing wood on my client’s porch. The area was a 2 x 10 board that went along the top of a stucco wall that closed in her front porch like a shelf. The wood was completely dry rot all the way through.
Lending a Hand: Documentation Difficulties
We are in a new time of loan processing. In years past lenders required less documentation, allowed for substitutions of required forms, and readily made exceptions. Today, we find that lenders are the exact opposite – lenders require fully documented files and rarely make exceptions. Following are few tips to avoid documentation troubles. Read more
Professional Insight Blog: Home Finance
5/18/12 – Why home prices might be nearing a recovery (Dan Podesto and Rylan Stewart)
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Jason Van Dyke
Jason VanDyke is an expert Loan Officer with Central Coast Lending. You can reach him by email at jasonv@centralcoastlending.com and by phone at 805.801.2139.
5/18/12 – European turmoil helps 10-year hit record, rates reach new lows (Jason Van Dyke)
3/28/12 – Refinance Options… Opportunity is all Around You (Jason Van Dyke)
3/1/12 – Low Mortgage Rates, High Oil Prices… and Disneyland? (Jason Van Dyke)
2/23/12 – Breaking Down Interest Rate Movement… Costs Increase (Jason Van Dyke)
2/15/12 – When the Lowest Interest Rate is NOT the Best Plan (Jason Van Dyke)
2/2/12 – The Long-Term Outlook for Interest Rates (Jason Van Dyke)
1/19/12 – Why Interest Rates are so Low (Jason Van Dyke)
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Jason Grote
Jason Grote is co-owner of Central Coast Lending and host of popular radio show Mortgage Matters (KVEC 920, Saturday 10 a.m. to 12 noon). You can reach him by email at jason@centralcoastlending.com and by phone at 805.441.1016.
4/19/12 – Documentation Difficulties
3/5/12 - The Floating Rate Lock
2/28.12 – The Rate Lock
1/27/12 – The Industry: When (and how) to Refinance (Jason Grote)
1/20/12 – The Industry: When to Pay Points for a Lower Rate (Jason Grote)
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Will Barnaby
Will Barnaby is an expert Loan Officer with Central Coast Lending. You can reach him by email at will@centralcoastlending.com and by phone at 805.423.4067.
2/27/12 – How to Read a Rate Sheet (Will Barnaby)
1/30/12 – Market Watch: Breaking Down the Fed’s Interest Rate Announcement (Will Barnaby)
How to Find the Right Litigation Attorney
Being served with a lawsuit can be a shock, even if you expect it. How do you find the right attorney to represent you? In this post, I’ll provide you with some tips that will help you make the right choice. Read more
Estate Planning Basics Part 3: Avoiding a Probate Conservatorship
The third goal in estate planning in California is avoiding a probate conservatorship. Luckily, with good planning, a probate conservatorship can be avoided.