Recent News
Summary of New Real Estate Laws (November 2022)
December 8th, 2022, 02:20 pm
Below are summaries of new state laws that affect real estate licensees and applicants. Unless otherwise noted, the laws take effect January 1, 2023.
California 2019 wildfire season – how prepared are you?
April 24th, 2019, 10:39 am
California’s 2018 wildfire season was one of the most destructive on record, causing billions of dollars in damages and killing almost 100 people. As we approach a new fire season, prevention is vital. A recent McClatchy analysis revealed that “more than 350,000 Californians live in towns and cities that exist almost entirely within “very high… View Article
Why do I need Natural Hazard Disclosure and Tax Reports?
November 8th, 2018, 12:13 pm
Are the NHD, Tax, and Environmental reports legal obligations of home sellers and Realtors? When a home is sold in California, the seller is legally mandated to disclose specific hazards and taxes that affect the property. Generally, sellers turn to 3rd party companies, such as PDQ Disclosure, that provide this information in Natural Hazard Disclosure… View Article
Seismic Cloak
April 13th, 2018, 11:09 am
Can trees and buildings act as seismic cloaks to shield cities from earthquakes? While it sounds like science fiction, scientists from Europe and the United States are researching the idea. The theory is based on findings that trees can absorb and then dissipate seismic waves. Initial experiments showed that as vibrations passed underground, the trees… View Article
Sea level rise: what we can do now
March 5th, 2018, 10:58 am
By Charles K. Huyck Sea level rise will strongly influence real estate investment strategies in the coming decades. Those who understand the nature of the problem will be in the best position to identify risks and mitigate impacts. Background Sea level rise will undoubtedly impact coastal communities in the coming decades. Yet, little is being… View Article
Trump’s infrastructure plan: How will it affect the real estate industry?
February 16th, 2018, 04:25 pm
Our country’s infrastructure is aging, creating numerous hazards, ranging from pot holes on our roads to unstable bridges. To address this issue, the Trump Administration released their new infrastructure plan earlier this week. This plan is of interest to those in the real estate industry, as they understand that the condition of a community’s infrastructure,… View Article
2018 Real Estate Legal Update with Gov Hutchinson
January 9th, 2018, 05:22 pm
On January 4, 2018, C.A.R. Assistant General Counsel Gov Hutchinson spoke at the Long Beach Broker Preview, highlighting current issues affecting realtors throughout California. The following is an outline of his talk and meeting. Gov Hutchinson began by discussing new regulations on marketing. These specify that if a realtor reaches out to potential customers through… View Article
Southern California Wildfires
January 2nd, 2018, 02:28 pm
Several fast moving wildfires raged in Southern California during the month of December. The Thomas fire began in Santa Paula, Ventura County and eventually made its way west to the Pacific Ocean, north into Santa Barbara County and deep into the Los Padres National Forest. The fire is now the largest wildfire to burn in… View Article
New vs. older housing in Houston during Hurricane Harvey
November 13th, 2017, 03:57 pm
This past August Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, TX and surrounding areas. Through media we all witnessed the horrible flooding that took place in Houston as record levels of rainfall inundated the city. Billions of dollars in damage was done, with a reported 800 homes destroyed and 119,000 damaged in Harris County alone. Putting aside the… View Article
Questioning the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
November 7th, 2017, 04:03 pm
With the recent hurricane disasters in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is in the public spotlight. The program is currently set to expire on December 8, 2017 after being given a three month extension by the President and Congress in September. It is unclear whether… View Article
Earth-slowing Earthquakes
November 7th, 2017, 11:02 am
Earthquake prediction is a young and complicated science. Earthquake early warning systems can potentially provide minutes of warning before damage occurs. To date, attempts at predicting earthquakes far in advance have been mixed at best, but new promising research at the University of Colorado and the University of Montana may provide clues to increased probability… View Article