Brian Ripp ~ Your Bay Area & Fremont Real Estate & Financial Agent » 2010 » July

Know Your Credit Score

Brian Ripp — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:26:15 +0000

Whether you’re in the market for a new home, or applying for a loan, before you start looking at neighborhoods, you need to look at something else-your credit score. Here are some of the key terms you should know:

Payment History-Your payment history is a significant factor in determining your credit score. A history of late payments on current and past accounts is likely to have a nigative impact on your score.

Amounts Owed-What you owe counts significantly in the calculation of your credit score. Maintaining large balances on your credit cards may be a signal to lenders that you have accrued more debt than you can handle.

Length of Credit History-A portion of your score is based on how long you’ve had established credit. A longer credit history can help earn you a better standing with creditor grantors and lenders.

New Credit Requests-Consider ways to manage new credit wisely. Applying for many different types of credit in a short period of time can take a toll on your score.

Credit Diversity-Mix it up. Having a combination of account types including installment, revolving and mortgage is a good way to help diversify your credit.

Eco-Friendly Landscaping

Brian Ripp — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:03:17 +0000

Landscaping with native wildflowers and grasses improves the environment. A native plant species is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, ecosystem and/or habitat without direct or indirect human actions. Natural landscaping affects a variety of beneficial insects, birds, butterflies, and other animals. And the beauty of native wildflowers and grasses creates a sense of place, both at home and in commercial applications. The native plants increase our connection to nature, help educate our neighbors and provides a beautiful, peaceful place to relax.

Native landscaping practices can help improve air quality on a local, regional and global level. Gas lawn and garden equipment, on average, produces5% of ozone forming VOC‘s in area with smog problems. Once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or even regular watering, thus benefiting the environment, conserving resources, and reducing maintenance costs.

go to www.epa.gov/greenacres for more information about ec0-friendly landscaping information and resources.

Changes to sidewalk repair & street tree services

Brian Ripp — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:45:43 +0000

Street trees are a great asset to the community, as well as individual property owners. For many years, the City of Fremont has maintained street tree and repaired the damage caused by them to residential sidewalks as a service to the adjoining property owner. This approach was always contrary to State law, which maintains property owners are responsible. Now, due to budget and staffing reductions, these services will no longer be provided.

Beginning June 24, the responsibility will now shift to property owners to maintain their street trees and sidewalks. In addition, property owners will be responsible for damages caused by improper tree maintenance.

To view the new Street Tree Guidelines and Sidewalk Repair Guidelines, go to Fremont.gov/Maintenance. Or call the city maintenance at 979-5700

information from Fremont’s summer 2010 “Fremont City News”

Home buyer credit extension heads to Obama

Brian Ripp — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:32:27 +0000

Home buyer credit extension heads to Obama Congress passed a bill this week extending the deadline to close escrow and qualify for the federal home buyers tax credit. President Obama is expected to sign the bill extending the deadline to Sept. 30, 2010, instead of its original June 30 deadline.

KEEP THIS IN MIND

• The bill extends the deadline to close escrow for home buyers who entered into a home purchase contract by the April 30 deadline. First-time buyers may be eligible to receive up to $8,000 and qualified existing homeowners may receive up to $6,500 if the home buyer closes escrow by Sept. 30.

• Home buyers entering into sales contracts May 1 or later are not eligible for the federal tax credit, but they may qualify for the California home buyer tax credit.

• The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® worked closely with members of Congress to extend the deadline. Estimates from NAR show nearly 180,000 home buyers nationwide would have missed out on the tax credit if the deadline was not extended, including nearly 17,700 home buyers in California.

• Many of the home buyers who would have missed out on the tax credit are in the midst of purchasing a short sale or foreclosure, which generally take longer to close due to the amount of paperwork involved in the transaction.