The only question you need to ask: "How might this affect my ability to use this property in the way I want?"

EASEMENTS 😱 Buyers often immediately assume risk. But an easement is simply a recorded right for someone else to use a specific portion of a property for a defined purpose. Utilities, access, drainage, shared driveways. Nearly every home has at least one.

The Preliminary Title Report. One of the densest documents that we, as agents, have to explain to our buyers before they purchase a home. It’s a snapshot of the public record, issued during escrow so recorded facts can be reviewed, clarified, or resolved before closing.

We put together a clear, first-time-buyer guide to title insurance, including costs, coverage limits, and common misunderstandings we see every week on the Monterey Peninsula. https://t.co/oSWilSbA3r

Most properties have easements, recorded agreements, or legacy restrictions that are part of their legal story. Title insurance ensures their disclosure to you as the buyer (or protects you from harm if they aren't disclosed).

Title insurance protects you from problems in a property’s recorded history that existed before you bought it, but weren’t discovered at the time. You're essentially buying insurance against history.

Title insurance is one of the least understood parts of buying a home. It doesn’t insure the house. It doesn’t guarantee permits. It doesn’t protect you from zoning or coastal rules. So what does it do?

We wrote an honest piece for owners reassessing next steps against a shifting real estate landscape: https://t.co/6xUd3FRQSi

“What is my house worth?” is the wrong question for many long-time Monterey Peninsula owners. Market value is the least interesting part of the conversation. Replacement cost, taxes, optionality, insurance, time, and use ALL matter more than a Zestimate.

4 In our experience: Sellers who order inspections and complete all disclosures upfront (before offers ever have a chance to come in) pave the clearest, smoothest path forward for themselves and minimize the risk that their homes will fall out of escrow. #RealEstate

3 But what about the inspections? Inspection reports CAN (and do) end escrows. But it's almost never because the home is secretly uninhabitable. Deals can fall apart when inspection findings shift the financial equation, and sellers aren't willing to offer credits.

2 The most common deal-breakers we see in our market: • Appraisal gaps buyers can’t bridge • Financing issues that surface late • Inspection findings that change the math

1 Ever checked Zillow and seen a home come back on market that was previously in contract? Our clients send us these all the time, asking us to explain "what's wrong." Typically, nothing is wrong. Here's why homes fall out of escrow. 👇

Some remodels create new taxable value, others don’t. We just published a deep dive on what actually triggers reassessment, and what doesn’t, written for long-time homeowners who can’t afford to guess. https://t.co/lbwgVti38K

Most California homeowners believe one of two things about remodels and property taxes: Either any remodel triggers reassessment Or no remodel does if you “don’t add square footage” Both are wrong. Prop 13 protects your original tax basis, not every dollar you invest later.

Did you know that we have a water moratorium here on the Monterey Peninsula? Many of our out-of-area buyers don't. Our latest article breaks down what it is, why it exists, and what it means for future development. https://t.co/zMlFHM8miw

Walking away from the wrong home shows discernment. The buyers who end up happiest are the ones who recognize early when a property is asking them to absorb more risk than they want, and choose differently. We're here to help! #RealEstateTips https://t.co/XjIl6LkNuQ

5. The project will require you to become someone you aren't. Long permitting processes demand patience, emotional detachment, and tolerance for ambiguity. If the process itself feels misaligned with who you are and how you want to live, that matters.

4. Any shift in the timeline would severely impact your life. A redesign, an appeal, or a clarification from a reviewing body can add months. If a project only works under an optimistic schedule, it’s vulnerable.

3. Your vision is unlikely to pass an Architectural Review Board. If approval depends on a committee taking a risk it has historically avoided, you're in for more than a style debate.