Blog Posts By Date: November 2019
If your packages keep getting stolen or lost, it is high time you take some measures to stop package theft. Here are the top 6 ways proven useful to secure package delivery.
1. Use Smart Package Lockers or Convenience Store
To avoid your Amazon package being stolen from your front porch, use an Amazon Locker. Amazon allows you to pick up your delivery in Amazon Locker in selected locations across the country with a unique code, which you can punch into the machine to retrieve your package (See How to find an Amazon Locker near you).
Amazon lockers will be the safest and convenient place to secure your Amazon package. If your community does not have an Amazon Locker, and you are a frequent online shopper, use The UPS Store.
You can also check the availability of lockers in nearby convenience stores, Kiosks or buy your own digital locker like BoxLock to prevent package theft or share a locker with your neighbors or friends.
2. Have Packages Delivered to Your Workplace/Office
We have heard residents complaints about package thieves or bad neighbors sneaking around the street and looting drop-off deliveries, irresponsible mailman or carriers leaving packages on the front door without even knocking or ringing the door, pre-signing your delivery without your consent, or delaying home delivery by sending notifications too early.
One of the best ways to stop package theft is to have your package delivered to your office or friends' houses that you trust, leaving no opportunities for the porch pirates.
3. Require Signature on Delivery to Stop Package Theft
Many customers grumble about delivery man signing the unauthorized packages and leaving them wide open on the porch or doorstep, making them desirable for package snatcher. To prevent your package from being stolen off the front porch, side door, back porch, or garage area, ask for a Signature Delivery.
If your package is delivered by UPS/DHL/FedEx, consult your sender and require a delivery confirmation signature. Signature-required delivery should be strictly followed by couriers.
Did you know? If your package that demands delivery by YOUR signature was left unattended, or even worse, lost, because they didn't follow the protocol, delivery companies are liable to legal actions and you are entitled to a full refund or replacement. more...
According to a new analysis by Redfin, Americans stay in their homes for much longer than before creating a shortage in off-market housing inventory. This helps explain why home sales have been fluctuating throughout the year into 2020. Generally, when owners do not shop for a larger home for a growing family or decline as children depart, it stalls the market for buyers who come after them. Long-term homeowners who have remained contributes to the housing inventory falling to their lowest level in decades, which has also contributed to rising housing prices for median-priced homes.
Fewer homes for sale are a major reason for lower mortgage rates, record levels for equity, and a strong labor market. Economists at Redfin say that baby boomers are the biggest culprits because many stay healthier later in life and choose not to sell. While some look around for smaller and less expensive homes and are unwilling to compete with their children's generation to get one. more...
Most people find it ideal to purchase a home they want to live in for decades, maybe even forever. But with the rising struggle to overcome the daily cost of living, student loan debt, and almost fair waged jobs, Millennials still statistically face far less chance of homeownership than their generational predecessors.
Nationally, a millennial’s likelihood of owning a home increases by 9% if their parents were also homeowners. While 39.5% of caucasian millennials own homes, the black homeownership rate is just 13.4%, the Asian ownership rate is 27.2%, and the Hispanic ownership rate 24.6%. “Left unchecked,” the Urban Institute study declares, “current trends will result in even greater wealth disparities among white, black, and Hispanic millennials.” more...
New data by the Census Bureau uncovers how the rising wealth of Bay Area residents supports the demand for Bay Area homes throughout this expansion. Less than 8% of residents earned $200,000 or more in 2018, yet in 2019 almost one of four Bay Area families made a salary equivalent to or more. Since 2010, the quantity of Bay Area homes gaining or over this amount has expanded about 400,000, with close to 80,000 residents in 2018 alone. In San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, and San Francisco areas, about one out of three families earned, in any event, $200,000 in 2018.
To place this degree of pay in context, a family making $200,000 annually could easily purchase a home priced at $1.5 million, or utilizing traditional financing at current rates. Furthermore, the pay distinction in the Bay Area compared to the national gross average, would without a doubt be more severe if the data was extended to more significant levels of income. While Bay Area home costs continue stressing the financial limit for some households, the unbalanced rise in high-income residents with noteworthy acquiring power has provided support for higher home prices among homes sold. more...
Living in the Bay Area has its fair share of difficulties, from the lofty average cost for basic items to the awful traffic, yet there's no uncertainty that life here is additionally loaded with care-free joy. Stunning natural beauty, a cutting edge tech-driven economy, and a feeling of belonging due to diverse cultures make this area one of a kind. Toss in a world-class social scene and the absolute best colleges on earth, and you can see why eight Bay Area cities made it into the top 10 of a new ranking of best places in California to retire.
In a new report by WalletHub, which inspected factors like the typical cost for basic items, climate, change, access to medicinal services and entertaining activities, the Bay Area turned out on top! After all, where else can you find gorgeous beaches, huge redwoods and world-famous landmarks nearby? In fact, there are so many amazing places to live in the Bay that you may have trouble guessing which city ranked number 1. more...
While Immigration is still a sensitive topic to most Americans, many would agree that what makes America amazing is the melting pot of culture occurring across the nation. The diversity of a city is a unique selling point in deciding where to buy, sell, or even rent a property. So we are proud to congratulate three Bay Area cities with the highest ethno-racial diversity in the country. The personal finance website WalletHub took a snapshot of the nation. Comparing more than 500 of the largest U.S. cities to see which are the most diverse. The company analyzed each city based on ethnicity, race, language, and birthplace. Most of the data used to create this ranking were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The largest city in the East Bay, Oakland, came in at seventh place. With a population of 429,082 according to the census, received a score of 68.91. “The city ranked first in terms of ethno-racial diversity,” says WalletHub analyst, Jill Gonzalez. The majority of Oakland’s population is almost evenly distributed between Caucasian, Hispanic or Latinx, and Black or African-American. Additionally, citizens of Asian descent make up for almost 16 percent of Oakland’s population. more...
11/06/2019
Resources for Unlawful Evictions
The Tenant Protection Act caps annual rent increases at 5% plus inflation, while also forcing landlords to specify a legitimate reason for evicting tenants and to offer relocation assistance for no-fault evictions. While AB 1482: California’s new tenant protection act is set to take effect on January 1st, 2020. Many California residents find themselves receiving wrongful eviction notices from Landlords of their respective homes.
We have received calls from recently evicted tenants of competitor Property Management companies, to discuss their options for resolving these matters and finding new homes to reside. It is unclear if the actions of some landlords are motivated by the new law, or simply profit-maximizing. But Advent Properties, Inc. takes pride in conducting every precautionary step to verify that Property Owners we work with are knowledgeable of rental laws, and never abuse this method of unjust evictions. more...
A recent report from Realtor.com® confirms that lower mortgage rates have piqued the interest of more buyers this fall. However, the consistently shrinking inventory of lower-cost homes is not keeping up with the high demand of buyers.
Highlights:
• In September, inventory levels were 2.5% lower than a year ago
• Mid-market homes—those priced between $200,000 to $750,000, which make up the largest segment of housing inventory—showed zero percent growth in September.
• “The mid-tier of housing represents nearly 60 percent of homes for sale on the market, making it a solid indicator of how tight inventory levels are in the U.S.,” says George Ratiu, senior economist for realtor.com®.
• Further, homes available under $200,000—the entry-level tier--have decreased 10% over the last year.
• Meanwhile, homes listed for sale over $750,000 continued to grow, in September reaching 4.7 percent over levels from a year ago.
• However, realtor.com® economists note that if strong homebuying demand, fueled by lower interest rates, continues to persist into the fall, the inventory of homes in this upper-tier price range also could see declines by February of the coming year.
• “While lower mortgage rates and the arrival of fall promised a reprieve, conditions continue to tighten as demand remains strong. September inventory trends, especially in the mid-market, may be the canary in the coal mine that we could be headed for even lower levels of inventory in early 2020.”
• The median list price nationwide in September was $305,000, up 4.3% over last year. Nationally, homes sold at an average of 65 days in September, one day slower than a year ago.
Tell us your thoughts below:
• How can move-up buyers edge the first-time buyer competition?
• What are some ways that first-time buyers can top move-up buyers in search of lower-cost homes?
For More Information set up an appointment to speak with Darryl Glass, our lead Realtor and Broker Associate by clicking here: Darryl's Calendly
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