ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE
Don’t comply with pool laws, you are liable
Q: We have a house with a swimming pool in the backyard. Yesterday, we came home and, to our horror, found the neigh bor’s 5-year-old son swimming around in it, alone, with all his clothes on. The kid was fine and apparently he just wanted to swim so he walked into the backyard and jumped in. But it got us thinking about our liabil ity to other people if someone else’s child should walk back there and drown. What is our potential liability to someone to whom we never gave permis sion, and who falls into our pool?
A: First of all, it’s certainly fortunate that nobody got hurt. Especially the 5-year-old who must be a pretty good swimmer.
There are a set of very strict building code require ments regarding the fencing of a swimming pool. There may also be additional city or county ordinances placing further requirements on you.
If you aren’t complying with these various safety requirements, you may have considerable liability for a young child who wanders onto your property and drowns.
Assuming that you’ve complied with all of the safety regulations, you probably have little to worry about.
Several decades ago there was a theory of liability being developed by some California courts that came to be known as “Attractive Nuisance.”
There were various definitions, but basically an attractive nuisance was some type of safety hazard, the nature of which would naturally attract children to it.
For example, a neighbor is trying to fix the sewer line running into his house so he digs a giant, open ditch and
Running out of time he leaves the ditch open for the night and
ered the ditch after school on the following day, and played in it, the neighbor was responsible for the broken arm one child experi-
The theory was that it should have been foreseeable to the guy
might find it and be fascinated enough to go over and play in it.
Since the child is too young to fully understand that he is trespassing, so the theory goes, you can’t blame the child for walking into the guy’s front yard.
Stated another way, the court found that the neighbor, and all neighbors, have a duty to make sure there are no hazards on their property that would cause a normal child to want to go to investigate it. Clearly an unprotected swimming pool would fall into this category.
The attractive nuisance theory has pretty much died and fallen off the vine.
Generally, homeowners have no duty to protect trespassers, despite the urban legends you hear about burglars getting hurt while burgling a home and successfully suing the homeowner.
Even a child who doesn’t know any better, and who trespasses and gets hurt, doesn’t normally make the homeowner liable.
3 Beds | 3 Baths | 2,207 Sq. Ft. Home 2500 Sq. Ft. Workshop | 4 Stalls Tack Room | Barn Paddock Fencing | 4 Acre Parcel
This Hillcrest Estate property has four acres with a lovely ranch style home, swimming pool and patio deck, a 2500 sf workshop, 4 horse stalls with a tack room, an open stable/barn or storage structure, paddock fencing, and possibly room for an arena. The front and back yard landscaping create an oasis around the 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home with a formal living/dining room and a second living room with fireplace insert that adjoins the kitchen. A spacious inside laundry and mudroom with bathroom are near the kitchen with access to the garage. Built in 1977, renovations were completed in 2006/07. HVAC and well pump have been replaced; new flooring, carpet, and baseboards. Also note the whole house fan, built-in safe, and a new dishwasher. This property is a place to settle in and enjoy country living.
Price $1,225,000 - Motivated Seller
Tim Jones
RISE OF THE EQUITY RICH
How homes have gained value, owners home equity
DAVID MCMILLIN BANKRATE.COM
Owning a home has long been considered one of the best pathways to building wealth. Homeowners’ median net worth is around $396,500 – significantly higher than the $10,410 median net worth of renters, Federal Reserve data shows. The single biggest asset most people have is their home.
However, not all homeowners are equally wealthy. Some aren’t just rich, but equity rich: They own more of their house than they owe on it (with their mortgage). Nearly half of mortgaged residential properties in the U.S. now fall in the equity-rich category –close to double what they were just five years ago, according to a new report by real estate data analyst ATTOM.
What’s behind the rise of the equity rich – and what does it mean for homeowners who’ve joined their ranks?
What does equity rich mean?
“Equity rich” is an industry term used by real estate analysts and mortgage professionals. To consider yourself equity rich, you need to have an equity stake of 50% or more in your home–meaning your outstanding mortgage balance is less than half the home’s fair market value.
For example, let’s say your home appraises for $500,000. If you owe $250,000 or less on your mortgage, you’re equity rich. Determining equity rich status is not about how much you paid when you purchased your home. Instead, it relies on knowing how much your home is currently worth.
According to the latest figures from ATTOM, 47.4% of all mort-
gaged residential properties in the U.S. fell under the “equity rich” label at the close of the second quarter of 2025. That’s quite a difference compared with five years ago: In Q2 2020, just 27.5% of properties had reached equity-rich status.
What’s behind the rise in equity-rich homes?
There are two basic ways to accumulate home equity: Your property’s mortgage debt decreases, and/or your property value increases. The recent surge in equity-rich properties isn’t due to loads of thrifty homeowners prepaying their mortgage principal (though many doubtless are). Instead, it’s the housing market
that is creating more equity-rich homeowners.
The trend can be traced to the pandemic’s impact on residential real estate. Home prices and values rose at a fast clip between 2020 and 2022, much faster than mortgage debt – and they’ve kept on rising even as the pandemic ebbed. The median price of a home in the U.S. increased from $317,100 in the second quarter of 2020 to $410,800 at the end of Q2 2024, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As a result, home equity stakes have risen to unprecedented amounts. Total home equity in mortgaged properties is $17.8T, according to data analyst ICE
Mortgage Technology. Their owners can access an average of $213,000.
Between 2020 and 2025, the average U.S. mortgage-holding homeowner enjoyed an equity increase of 142%. But the gains were unequal across the country.
What is the significance of being equity rich?
The biggest upside of being equity rich is fairly straightforward: a stronger financial profile and higher net worth. You have an asset that’s worth more (and that’s more valuable to bequeath to heirs). And you’re likely to profit more: If you sold your home tomorrow, you’d have less mortgage debt to settle, letting you
keep more of the sale proceeds. Speaking of mortgages, you’re in a better position to take out a second one – to tap your property’s value via a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) – when you have a sizable ownership stake. More equity means more borrowing power. That not only means a bigger loan or credit line, but better terms as well.
From home improvements to consolidating high-interest debt, there are numerous reasons to tap your home equity for cash. But it’s an obligation to take seriously, since your home will act as collateral: MIss too many payments, and the lender can foreclose on the property.
Are there any drawbacks to being equity rich?
There’s clearly plenty to celebrate if you’re equity rich. But there are some additional considerations to keep in mind:
• If your home is worth more, owning it will likely cost more, too. As home values have risen, so have homeownership costs –everything from property taxes to homeowners insurance premiums to maintenance expenses. Not surprisingly, states with the highest home prices tend to have the highest home costs, too, as Bankrate’s Hidden Costs of Homeownership Study found.
• All that equity isn’t going to be yours to keep. Being equity rich can be a bit deceiving, notes Sebastian Frey, a broker with Compass in the Bay Area of California. For example, consider someone who has amassed a $1 million equity stake in their home. It’s only a paper amount until you actually sell the property
DREAMSTIME/TNS
Between 2020 and 2025, the average U.S. mortgage-holding homeowner enjoyed an equity increase of 142%. But the gains were unequal across the country.
Solano real estate transactions
BENICIA
TOTAL SALES: 9
LOWEST AMOUNT: $220,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $989,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $760,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $648,111
8 Alta Loma - $760,000
08-01-25 [3 Bdrms - 1559 SqFt - 1943 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-04-05, $429,000
735 Buchanan Street #204 - $315,000
07-31-25 [1 Bdrms - 846 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 00/1992, $121,000
900 Cambridge Drive #91 - $220,000
07-31-25 [2 Bdrms - 1087 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-20-10, $120,000
900 Cambridge Drive #77 - $360,000
07-31-25 [2 Bdrms - 1087 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-06-20, $305,500
862 Camden Court - $989,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 2208 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt]
362 Columbia Circle - $650,000
08-01-25 [2 Bdrms - 1500 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-10-24, $673,000
436 Greenbrier Court - $765,000
08-01-25 [2 Bdrms - 1461 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-10-16, $525,000
1438 Landahl Court - $899,000
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 2030 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-18-20, $695,000
908 Rose Drive - $875,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 2039 SqFt - 1981 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-21-04, $520,000
DIXON
TOTAL SALES: 1
LOWEST AMOUNT: $635,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $635,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $635,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $635,000
1865 Derby Drive - $635,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 1969 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-27-03, $385,000
FAIRFIELD
TOTAL SALES: 21
LOWEST AMOUNT: $466,500
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,775,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $688,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $762,595
401 East Alaska Avenue - $535,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 1563 SqFt - 1968 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-21-23, $504,000
908 Antiquity Drive - $840,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 2073 SqFt - 2009 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-16-09, $410,000 5325 Bayridge Court - $1,775,000
07-31-25 [4 Bdrms - 3874 SqFt - 2015 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-11-18, $980,000
1870 Beacon Falls Way - $810,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 2866 SqFt - 2013 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-23-20, $670,000
410 Calle Del Caballo Street - $1,035,000
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 1910 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-21-16, $555,000
3725 Chapparal Court - $765,000
08-01-25 [5 Bdrms - 2941 SqFt - 1998 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 07-08-98, $270,462
3287 Congressional Court - $1,200,000
07-31-25 [4 Bdrms - 3192 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-03-19, $960,000
4905 Couples Circle - $775,000
07-31-25 [4 Bdrms - 2655 SqFt - 2012 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-02-12, $398,000
5151 Freitas Place - $688,000
07-30-25 [5 Bdrms - 2266 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-29-21, $630,000
5294 Gramercy Circle - $549,000
07-31-25 [5 Bdrms - 2195 SqFt - 2013 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-05-14, $424,000
2456 Hanson Drive - $575,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1999 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-20-22, $645,000
1430 Mckinley Street - $490,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 1881 SqFt - 1958 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-07-13, $215,000
1020 Mission Circle - $619,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1592 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-12-11, $182,000
5214 Pavilion Court - $920,000
08-01-25 [5 Bdrms - 3118 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-25-25, $874,500
2733 Seminole Drive - $650,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 2579 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-08-04, $535,800
2812 Silver Fox Circle - $804,500
07-29-25 [5 Bdrms - 2560 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-04-14, $435,000
588 Silver Lake Drive - $555,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1288 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-08-10, $230,000
1931 Summit Drive - $663,500
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 2125 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-01-20, $588,000 1325 Taft Street - $466,500
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 1235 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-17-04, $335,000
505 Vintage Springs Court - $749,000
07-29-25 [4 Bdrms - 2269 SqFt - 2003 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-18-22, $725,000 2165 Wylie Place - $550,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 1696 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 12-20-10, $206,000
RIO VISTA
TOTAL SALES: 4
LOWEST AMOUNT: $450,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $765,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $567,500
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $587,500
322 Chardonnay Way - $765,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 3009 SqFt - 2003 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-14-16, $530,000
311 Colonial Way - $500,000
07-28-25 [2 Bdrms - 1912 SqFt - 2006 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-07-06, $370,215
339 Desert Forest Court - $635,000
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 2582 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-16-15, $540,000
309 Riverwood Lane - $450,000
07-30-25 [2 Bdrms - 1767 SqFt - 2006 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-29-21, $432,500
SUISUN CITY
TOTAL SALES: 4
LOWEST AMOUNT: $520,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $670,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $610,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $602,500
1688 Duluth Lane - $670,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 2216 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-30-19, $515,000
408 Maloney Court - $610,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 1924 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-17-12, $235,000
1317 Rebecca Drive - $610,000
07-29-25 [4 Bdrms - 1934 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]
515 Wood Duck Drive - $520,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 1890 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]
VACAVILLE
TOTAL SALES: 25
LOWEST AMOUNT: $208,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,220,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $570,000
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $605,200
119 Amethyst Drive - $591,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1744 SqFt - 1997 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-24-15, $395,000
430 April Court - $543,000
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 1437 SqFt - 1985 YrBlt]
143 Beard Street - $370,000
07-31-25 [2 Bdrms - 1096 SqFt - 1951 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 03-07-25, $295,000
130 Brockton Court - $455,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1334 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 00/1992, $138,000
992 Callen Street - $400,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 938 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt]
408 Danbury Circle - $550,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 1767 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-30-16, $385,000
136 Del Rio Circle #1 - $208,000
07-30-25 [2 Bdrms - 820 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt]
2001 Eastwood Drive #48 - $265,000
07-31-25 [2 Bdrms - 890 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-25-22, $270,000
698 Hamilton Drive - $670,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 1551 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]
612 Hillcrest Circle - $1,000,000
07-28-25 [6 Bdrms - 3112 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-18-22, $985,000
779 Hydrangea Drive - $785,000
07-31-25 [8 Bdrms - 2429 SqFt - 2021 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-01-21, $711,500
9013 Indigo Court - $665,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1864 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-06-17, $519,000
4012 Jade Crest Hill Way - $408,000
07-31-25 [5 Bdrms - 3819 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-20-17, $788,500
111 Laurel Street - $575,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 1873 SqFt - 1948 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 11-23-21, $560,000
242 Lighthouse Way - $778,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 2158 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-19-15, $400,000
321 Limerick Way - $700,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1988 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]
225 Lone Oak Drive - $699,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 2140 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt]
115 Myrtle Street - $515,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1053 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt]
2648 Nut Tree Road - $530,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 1287 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 04-19-23, $495,000
7511 Paddon Road - $1,220,000
07-30-25 [4 Bdrms - 2752 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 10-24-24, $740,000
307 Ponderosa Drive - $500,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 988 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 05-13-16, $310,000
509 Regency Circle - $669,000
07-31-25 [4 Bdrms - 1925 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 02-07-01, $280,000
397 Robin Circle - $549,000
07-28-25 [4 Bdrms - 1701 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]
548 Star Lilly Drive - $915,000
07-28-25 [5 Bdrms - 3585 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-18-08, $515,000 496 Yellowstone Drive - $570,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1702 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]
VALLEJO
TOTAL SALES: 21
LOWEST AMOUNT: $375,000
HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,254,000
MEDIAN AMOUNT: $572,500
AVERAGE AMOUNT: $616,357
1105 Azuar Avenue - $590,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 1676 SqFt - 2006 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-18-07, $457,500 1007 Azuar Avenue - $610,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1813 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-24-07, $503,500 167 C Street - $740,000
07-28-25 [6 Bdrms - 2568 SqFt - 1934 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-11-13, $270,000 5853 Cabernet Drive - $763,000
07-30-25 [4 Bdrms - 2622 SqFt - 2000 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-29-01, $190,000 109 Camino Del Sol - $776,000
07-29-25 [4 Bdrms - 2306 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-29-17, $559,000 1408 Carl Avenue - $459,000
07-29-25 [2 Bdrms - 1197 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt] 1015 Falcon Drive - $536,000
07-30-25 [4 Bdrms - 1260 SqFt - 1962 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 08-06-09, $125,000
820 Fulton Avenue - $1,254,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 966 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-03-09, $63,000 317 Indiana Street - $415,000
08-01-25 [3 Bdrms - 1520 SqFt - 1958 YrBlt] 155 Ken Court - $566,000
07-30-25 [4 Bdrms - 2159 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]
1927 L Ellenburg Street - $537,000
07-31-25 [2 Bdrms - 787 SqFt - 1928 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 06-30-21, $315,000
1531 Landmark Drive - $800,000
07-31-25 [5 Bdrms - 2828 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-10-02, $538,417
356 Los Cerritos Drive - $375,000
07-30-25 [3 Bdrms - 1595 SqFt - 1957 YrBlt]
1309 Nebraska Street - $565,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1605 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 09-04-03, $175,000
1321 Nebraska Street - $527,000
08-01-25 [2 Bdrms - 1537 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-22-23, $550,000
513 Phillip Street - $423,000
07-29-25 [2 Bdrms - 954 SqFt - 1951 YrBlt]
133 Plov Way - $420,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1088 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt],
Previous Sale: 01-27-14, $170,000
520 Poplar Avenue - $669,000
07-29-25 [3 Bdrms - 2039 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-29-16, $451,000
1740 Sereno Drive - $572,500
07-28-25 [3 Bdrms - 1751 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-09-16, $340,000
149 Westminster Way - $701,000
08-01-25 [4 Bdrms - 2268 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-13-21, $760,000
117 Winter Harbor Place - $645,000
07-31-25 [3 Bdrms - 1985 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-16-19, $537,500
SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE
Financial downsides of a reverse mortgage
One of my readers called me this week and mentioned that I should tell people about the downsides of a reverse mortgage.
Something like 80% of the time, people that inquire about a reverse with me, don’t go for one and the 20% that do move forward after hours of education, including government required counseling. It is usually lifechanging for the seniors that take advantage of one of the many options.
American seniors and financial advisers like this product.)
Remedies for creaky floors
METRO
HThe most popular is the reverse home equity conversion mortgage line of credit for seniors that want monthly cash flow now or in the future when their IRAs start to run low.
Here are my Top 5:
• Less equity for your heirs when you die and they inherit the house.
• Some reverse mortgage loans have high loan fees and expensive non-refundable mortgage insurance premiums that goes to the FHA insurance fund.
• You cannot move out of your home for more than six months without written permission from the lender, and you can never convert the home to a long-term rental property.
• The loan balance grows every month because monthly payments are not required, which means you will have less money to use for your next house if you sell to move up, down or away. And if you die, the kids get less money than they hoped for over the years.
(Note: the unused portion of the home equity conversion mortgage line of credit grows every month, which is why so many
• Many people don’t move forward on a reverse mortgage because the ethical loan officer advises them to do something else like sell and move down because the senior cannot afford to pay the property taxes, insurance, utilities and home maintenance. If a homeowner with a reverse falls behind on property taxes and home insurance, the homeowner will need to sell or face foreclosure.
Some seniors should sell the giant house and move down to a less expensive house and bring their low property tax rate with Proposition 19 to a more affordable home to maintain. Some may want to do a reverse mortgage purchase on the new house and pocket some of the sale proceeds.
To summarize, the reverse mortgage is not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but like my buddy Tom Selleck has said for years representing my primary reverse funding source, Finance of America, they do not want your house. It’s true, lenders just want the interest and the fees. The last thing a lender ever wants is the house.
Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager and senior loan adviser of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.
ardwood floors are coveted features in many homes. The National Wood Flooring Association says wood floors are the most environmentally friendly flooring options available. In the United States, the hardwood forests that provide flooring products are growing twice as fast as they are being harvested. Furthermore, wood floors can last for many generations and require fewer raw materials to produce than other flooring options. That means less waste may end up in landfills. Hardwood floors can endure for decades in a home, but over time those same floors may need some tender loving care to keep them looking good and working as they should. Squeaky floors are a common nuisance that homeowners may experience. Squeaking is often caused by movement and friction between floorboards. Treating the problem involves identifying the underlying issue.
Loose hardware
Squeaky floors may be due to the loosening of the hardware holding the floor in place, says The Home Depot. When nails or screws no longer are secured tightly, the boards can rub together. The noise heard is the sound produced by rubbing. Tightening or replacing the hardware can help reduce the squeaking.
Counter-snap kit method
This Old House says this kit method is a great way to fix squeaks without damaging the floor. Once the source of the squeak is located, drill a 3/32-inch pilot hole through the hardwood flooring. Then insert a screw through the kit’s depth-control fixture and into the pilot hole, and drive it until it automatically snaps off below the wood surface. Follow this up by filling the hole
with wood putty that matches the floor color. Once the putty is dry, lightly sand the area to blend.
Use a shim or shims
Sometimes the floor may squeak because of a gap between the joists and the subfloor. Filling the gap with a small piece of wood called a shim can help alleviate the gap or gaps.
Drive up screws
If a squeak is just in one spot, The Home Depot says that you may be able to drive short screws from below into the subfloor.
Small gaps
For small gaps between boards, sprinkle talcum powder or powdered graphite between squeaky boards to reduce friction. Wood filler applied with a putty knife also may work. For larger gaps, use a liquid filler designed for wood floors.
Homeowners also can visit their local home improvement center for other hardware solutions designed for underfloor repairs to remedy squeaks. Many work from underneath the floor and involve mounting plates or brackets to sure up the floor. Squeaky floors can be problematic, but noises can be banished with some repair work.
Financing the AMERICAN DREAM for everyone!TM
FRUSTRATED with your current Lender fumbling your Purchase or Refinance, Bring your loan to us so we can get you locked at a GREAT RATE and Finish it up QUICKLY! We don’t mess around, We Get it DONE, We are Local and we DELIVER!
When we write your Pre-Approval Letter to present to the seller, You WILL Close the Deal with us!
George R. Kalis Broker/Owner
Jim Porter
ON THE M ARKET THIS WEEKEND
~ September 20th & 21st~
OPEN HOUSE
Open House: Sat & Sun 11AM-1PM
2231 Silver Fox Circle, Fairfield
Discover this stunning four-bedroom, three full bathroom home nestled in the exclusive Rolling Hills neighborhood that of fers both privacy and convenience. The home features a large, wellappointed kitchen, full bed and bath downstairs, expansive primary bed and bath. A landscaped .24 acre lot in a quiet neighborhood. $688,900
Bobby Schult ze RE ALTOR® DRE#02059665 (707) 389-9331
OPEN HOUSE
Open House: Sat & Sun 10AM-2PM
2347 Fair view Place, Fairfield
Elegant, spacious 3,565 square foot, 5 bedrooms, plus office (possible 6th bedroom, and 3.5 bath home (full bedroom and bath plus office downstair s) . Located in the beautiful Sanctuary subdivision with views of the hills. Gas fireplace in the family room. Refrigerator, washer, and dryer included. Laundry room plumbed for a sink. Spacious 3 car garage. Schools, shopping, and transportation nearby. Priced to sell quickly. See it today! $850,000
LynDonna Gamez & As sociates RE ALTOR® DRE#02218423 (510) 277-6005
OPEN HOUSE
Open House : Saturday 1-3PM
3262 Inwood Place, Fairfield
Tuscany Hills Duplex in the heart of Rancho Solano Single Level 2 bedroom, 2 bath located in the 62yr+ Senior Community. Enjoy the Open Floor plan, charming backyard and neighborhood. Rancho Solano has many wonderful things to of fer, golf, fitness, event center & restaurant. Property is in a Trust, easy to view! $539,000
Carolyn Munson
RE ALTOR® DRE#10851623 (707) 803-1662
OPEN HOUSE
Open House : Saturday 12:30-2:30PM
1306 Washington Street, Fairfield
Charming Mid-Century Ranch Home on a Spacious Lot! This Single Level Layout offers a Spacious Dining/ Living room with Fireplace. Enjoy plenty of natural light and Stunning Backyard Views that seamlessly bring the outdoors in. Beautiful Hardwood Floors. Charming Kitchen featuring a 1935 Wedgewood Vintage Stove. To top it off an adjoining exceptionally large Laundry room. Many Updates, including New Anderson Windows, updated Roof, exterior and interior Paint. $569,900
Angela Moore & As sociates RE ALTOR® DRE#00887007 (707) 888-1829
ABOVE: Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana is mounding 26 inches in height and 24 inches in width. Here is seen in a recipe called Never Lonely and paired with Supertunia Bermuda Beach petunia and Superbells Yellow calibrachoa.
RIGHT: Monarch butterflies have been finding the Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana to be high on the nectar menu too.
ON GARDENING
Luscious Basket Tangeglow is lantana perfection
he Garden Guy fell in love with Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana last year after seeing it in recipes at Young’s Plant Farm Annual Garden Tour in Auburn, Alabama. The colors were so incredible. Like the name suggests, it is a tangerine that seems to be glowing. Proven winners officially call it peach, orange and yellow. You might wonder if those colors could shake the industry with so many lantanas already available. University testing answered that in the affirmative. Luscious Basket Tangeglow is a winner: Perfect Score Oklahoma State, University of Minnesota, University of Tennessee and Director’s Select “Best Performance” at Penn State and Top Performer awards too.
This was my first year to really give it a trial in one category and that is butterflies. You might be thinking, aren’t lantanas one of the butterfly champs anyway? That would be true. I’m growing eight different varieties, and this year Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana was, and still is, the daily winner bringing in those graceful creatures of flight that we all love.
Our butterfly year started off painfully slow for our region but then it hit big. By big I’m talking quantity and size. The giant swallowtails, eastern tiger swallowtails, spicebush swallowtails and monarchs too, often feeding together. but there are others, gulf fritillaries, silver-spotted skippers and several species of yellow sulphur.
You will also like the size and structure of the Luscious Basket Tangeglow. It has a mounding habit reaching 24-26 inches in height and 24 inches in width. This is a size you can enjoy in containers and boxes and is super manageable in the landscape. It is not one that will get away from you.
You will love the size of the flower cluster composed of the smaller florets. They are large and ever changing in color and intensity. They really do seem to pulsate or glow. To me it is reminiscent of embers in a fire
Luscious Basket Tangeglow is recommended as an annual in all zones and perennial in zone 9a-11b. The varieties of lantana I am growing are all in the Luscious series. In the 6 years that I have been growing them I have only lost one plant from cold in my area of zone 8.
Fertile well-drained soil with plenty of sun will give you the green thumb. So, it stands to reason that good potting
This magical combination features Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana, Superbells Cherry Red calibrachoa and Mezoo Trailing Red Livingstone Daisy.
soil in a container with drainage holes will be perfect, even more so with Luscious Basket Tangeglow.
The recipes I saw last year
Winter
NORMAN WINTER/TNS PHOTOS
Winter
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looked as though they were designed by an artist. Never Lonely features Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana, Supertunia Bermuda Beach petunia and Superbells Yellow calibrachoa. It will bring a mood of cheer and happiness.
The other recipe was generic and only had a number ID. It featured the star of this column, the Luascious Basket Tangeglow and Superbells Cherry Red calibrachoa, which played off the lantana to perfection. The third ingredient taught everyone a lesson and that is the value of succulent foliage. The plant I am referring to was Mezoo Trailing Red Livingstone Daisy. The plant has green and cream var-
Equity
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iegated foliage and small red flowers.
The Garden Guy combined his Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana with the fiery orange Rainbow Rhythm Primal Scream daylily and lavender SunPatiens.
Someone recently asked why we need another yellow-orange lantana? My answer is you’ll “want” this one. Your color combinations will pop and last until fall. Your pollinator count will skyrocket which will be followed closely by the Happy Dance.
Norman Winter is a horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.
and, even then, “that does not equal $1,000,000 in cash,” Frey says. “A typical homeowner with $1,000,000 in gain, even if sold as a married couple, would result in a cost of sale of close to $200,000 considering expenses for home preparation, marketing, sales commissions, and capital gains tax.”
• Values change all the time –which means your equity does, too. Being equity-rich doesn’t necessarily mean staying equityrich – especially if a serious deflation of your local real estate market occurs. For example, ATTOM’s latest figures show that the percentage of equityrich homes in Florida decreased by more than seven percentage points over the past year. Arizona,
WINTER/TNS Luscious Basket Tangeglow lantana has won awards like Perfect Score and is an Eastern tiger swallowtail favorite.
Georgia, Colorado and Washington all posted declines in the number of equity-rich homes, too.
With that in mind, if you are carrying a big home equity loan and a large mortgage, you could wind up owing more than the property is worth should a recession occur.
Will more homeowners become equity-rich soon?
Maybe not. “It’s a challenging time for many first-time homebuyers looking to build equity,” says Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. “Home prices are at record highs, and for the typical American, buying and maintaining a home consumes about a third of their annual income.”
Many homebuyers, especially first-timers, can only afford a small down payment: The median amount is currently 15% of the sale price. That means they own only that percent of the home out-
right, which translates to it taking more time to achieve the equityrich level of 50%.
Also, while the past few years have delivered big equity gains, the housing market is coming back down to Earth. Home prices are still increasing, but the pace has slowed considerably. So, no tide of rising property values to lift all home equity boats –at least, not as rapidly as in the last few years.
Barber points out that owning a home hasn’t been this demanding on one’s finances since 2007 –just before the Great Recession, during which real estate values and home equity plummeted. “While today’s housing market is quite different from that era, it serves as a reminder that markets don’t go steadily up forever,” Barber says. “There are likely to be drops and corrections in the future that lower the value of homes – but also make it possible for new owners to buy one.”
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However, and this is a big “however,” if the regulations regarding fences and locks, the purpose of which are to prevent kids from gaining access to your pool, are not strictly adhered to, the homeowner will absolutely be liable for the injured child. So, contact the city or county building department, depending upon where you live, and find out exactly what is legally required to protect kids from entering your pool without permission.
Tim Jones, Esq., is a real estate attorney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like to have answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com.
NORMAN
Solano County Listings: Homes, land for sale
$850,000
$865,000 3245 Winged Foot Drive Fairfield 4 3/0 3045 8,015 215076370
$879,000
$899,000 1937 Moosup Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3,288 0.42 325028913
$987,200
$1,100,000
$1,300,000 3114 Lomita Ct Fairfield
$1,477,000
LAND
REAL ESTATE
