With mortgage rates still at record lows, many Americans are wondering how the 2020 Presidential election will impact today's housing market.In short — it's difficult to predict.Though 2020 has been volatile in a variety of ways, presidential elections have historically had little impact on the mortgage rates that followed. According to Dana George of Motley Fool, the 12 elections since 1978 illustrate a different factor to consider — the overall health of the U.S. economy."The rate ended the year higher than it started after seven elections. It dropped four times and, in 2012, it stayed th...

It's fun to enter the California real estate market. If you're beginning to look for your potential home, you might be looking at your options for obtaining a mortgage. Something that many people don't know beforehand is that your mortgage lender will have a few requirements. One of those requirements is that you obtain a flood certificate for the home you're buying. You may already be aware of the California requirement for home sellers to provide a natural hazard disclosure, which states the risk to your home from various hazards. A flood certificate is a document specifically related to ...

Being a homeowner comes with plenty of added responsibilities. There's a lot to take care of when it comes to homes. One of those essential things to take care of is determining whether or not you are located in a flood zone. This is especially true for California homeowners since it is a highly flood-prone state …In fact, every county in California has been declared a flood disaster area multiple times.Figuring out if a home is at risk of flooding isn't always as simple as looking around to see if there's a nearby ocean or lake. Flooding in California can be caused by heavy rainfall, snow ...

With its beautiful beaches and warm weather, California is known for being a dream location to live in. As California experiences an increasing amount of natural disasters, however, there are certain issues that California homeowners need to watch out for.Natural Hazard Disclosures ensure that homeowners are well informed about the natural disaster risks in their area. Once you're aware of any possible hazards you can go forward with your home purchase with peace of mind, knowing which precautions you need to take to protect your home. With the proper precautions, insurance policies, and aw...

California is one of the most populous states in America. It’s a place where a lot of people want to live, especially in LA and the Bay Area — just look at housing prices.But along with the sunny beaches, beautiful redwoods, big cities and gorgeous mountains, there are a lot of hazards you need to be aware of when you buy a home. California is a beautiful state, but it’s also prone to natural disasters.That’s why the Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) report exists.The Reason for the NHD ReportBack in 1991, the Oakland Hills Fire (also known as the Tunnel Fire and the East Bay Fire) destroyed ...

Buying a home is a major investment, so it should come as no surprise that buyers want to have as much information as possible before making a purchase. This is why so many investigate details like area schools, crime statistics and local amenities before they even start looking at houses After someone makes an offer on a house, their research and vetting continues. Home inspections and appraisals are a part of the home buying process all across the country, but in California, sellers are also required to provide a Natural Hazard Disclosure report.The NHD Report is required under California...

The NHD Report is an essential part of any California real estate transaction. Understanding whether a property lies in an area that is at high risk for fires, flooding or earthquake-related damage can significantly affect your insurance rates and the need for additional precautions to protect your property.Quite often, whether your home lies in a disclosed hazard zone could affect your decision of whether or not to buy it. But while these natural hazards get most of the attention in an NHD report, they are far from the only potential issues these reports cover. Several additional items ref...

Everyone knows California is susceptible to an impressive array of natural hazards, including earthquakes, fires, flooding and mudslides. But people often ask me why there are so many hazards in one place.A combination of geology, coastal conditions and fluctuating weather and seasonal patterns contribute to California’s predisposition to catastrophe.Fortunately, home buyers and sellers can access detailed risk disclosure through a Natural Hazard Disclosure in a Natural Hazard (NHD) Report. This report discloses the existence of a special flood hazard area, dam inundation, very high fire ri...

Just about every homeowner will eventually find themselves in a position where they need to sell their house. Of course, getting your home ready for market often requires a decent amount of work. From upgrading certain areas to taking care of necessary repairs, the work you put into your house can have a direct impact on the selling price and whether it appeals to potential buyers. Unfortunately, you can’t control everything during the home selling process. Among the things that lie outside your control are the results of the NHD Report.The Natural Hazard Disclosure lists whether your prope...

The NHD Report is a required part of California real estate transactions. It must be provided for all residential and commercial real estate sales. The Natural Hazard Disclosure indicates if a property lies within one of the state’s six primary hazard zones, which include Very High Fire Risk zones, Wildland Fire areas, Earthquake Fault Zones, Seismic Hazard areas, Special Flood Hazard areas and Dam Inundation zones. In addition, these reports provide vital information on additional issues that could affect the property, such as proximity to a military ordnance zone or airport influence area...