Home Seller: Friday, February 25, 2022

Week of February 25, 2022 DailyRepublic.com

Serving S Se i gS Solano l C County t

Custom Single-Level with Breathtaking Views 678 Hillside Drive, Fairfield

Nicole Solari

Broker Owner • DRE# 01952567 707.486.5400 Nicole@SolariTeam.com

See inside for home details.

2 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE

15 cats using your yard as litter box could reasonably be considered a nuisance Q: Let me first say thank you for your Friday columns. I’ve been a longtime reader and really benefit from all I learn.

It’s a great public service you are providing. Now I have a question which I’ve never seen you write about. It’s about my neighbor’s cats. I live in a house in Fairfield and have been here for over 20 years. Last year, my neighbor bought their house.

Over the past 10 months he has accumulated more cats than I can count. There’s at least 15 of them. While I don’t really care what he does with his house, the cats are constantly in my yard.

A lot of my yard is dedicated to raising flowers and vegetables every year, and a portion in the corner has a sandbox and playground for my grandchildren.

Well, the cats see pretty much my whole yard as a giant litter box. I can’t keep up with it and on the warmer days the whole yard stinks. I finally spoke to the neighbor, who seemed not to care but only said there was nothing he could do to control the cats. I threatened to start trapping them and taking them to the shelter. He said he would call the police if I did. Is there any advice you can give me?

A: I actually remember writing about this exact problem well over a decade ago. You must have missed that column.

It’s common knowledge that few cities have laws preventing owners from raising “free range” cats. Dog owners certainly can’t let Fido roam unleashed down the street, but for some reason cats generally can.

However, regardless of the lack of feline regulating laws, no WE WANT YOUR

one can create a legal nuisance for their neighbor.

A legal nuisance is defined as creating an “unreasonable” interference with a neighbor’s right to enjoy their property.

Regular readers like you will recognize that term “unreasonable.” Reasonable and unreasonable are opposite sides of a coin that is found throughout the law.

In this case, it generally involves a balancing test for a judge in determining if an activity is wrong.

We all do things that interfere with other people’s right to enjoy themselves. We walk into a crowded store and gently bump other peoples’ shoulders trying to get to the sales rack.

On a hot summer’s afternoon our kids play loudly in our pool, disturbing our neighbor’s nap. Maybe we park our boat in our driveway, which creates an eyesore in the mind of a neighbor.

So the question for the court is, “does the activity that is being complained of serve an accepted or useful purpose that is more important than the imposition upon the complaining neighbor.”

For example, during the hot summer day above, society supports kids being able to play noisily in a backyard pool. So the neighbor will just have to wear earplugs. On the other hand, if the same kids are making noise in the same pool at 1 a.m., the court would likely find the noise to be unreasonable.

In your case, having so many cats that poop in your yard would, I should think, be held to be entirely unreasonable.

GOOD NEWS

So what to do?

First, if you were to decide to go to court, you can go to small claims court and get the judge to issue an injunction prohibiting the neighbor from letting the cats go to the bathroom in your yard. How the neighbor goes about obeying the injunction is his problem.

Small claims court is cheap and fast. No lawyers allowed.

I’ll bet your neighbor will argue that not all those cats are his. Proving they are would be your burden and not an easy one to meet.

But first, I’d try calling the county’s Animal Control department.

I don’t honestly know if they have the authority or the manpower to deal with the problem, but it would only cost you a telephone call to find out.

You are within your rights to humanely trap the animals and take them to a shelter.

However, laying out poison or shooting them is against the law. I know you didn’t mention those two things but I wanted to head off others whom I know had that thought going through their minds.

Ultimately, there’s no quick answer. Like so many disputes between neighbors, if it can’t be settled, the road toward a final, forced resolution can be time consuming.

Tim Jones 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.

Send it to Susan Hiland at shiland@dailyrepublic.net. Include your name, phone number, put “Good News” in subject line.

The Law Offices of

Timothy Jones

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www.pamwatson.com • e-mail: pam@pamwatson.com

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 3

This roadmap can help you save on insurance if you live in a fire-prone part of California

W

TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY

ith the fire season growing longer and wildfires increasing in intensity, Californians living in fire-prone areas are having a harder time finding affordable insurance for their homes – if they can find coverage at all.

With that in mind, state officials unveiled a “Safer from Wildfires” framework last week for improving fire safety and reducing losses. The goal is not just to save lives, but also to hold down premiums and make coverage available in more areas.

The framework lays out a list of upgrades that individual homeowners should make and preventive actions that local governments and community groups should take. Rather than breaking new ground on fire safety, it draws from the best practices outlined by the consumer group United Policyholders, the Insurance Institute for Business & Homes Safety and Cal Fire, among others.

Many of the items on the list are already required for homes being sold or new homes built in neighborhoods with an elevated risk of fire. And some of the recommended upgrades are costly, albeit less so than a blaze that destroys your home.

The recommendations are the fruit of an effort started a year ago by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and several state agencies involved in firefighting and prevention.

Today, Lara said, 13 insurers with 40% of the market in the state are offering discounts to homeowners who have made fire-related safety improvements or who live in communities that have done so. His office is weighing regulations that could require more insurers to follow suit,

can do on your own. They are: • Clearing vegetation, debris and other combustible material – think “tinder” – from under your deck(s).

• Moving sheds or other combustible structures at least 30 feet away from the house. (Don’t worry – garages don’t count.)

• Complying with state and local requirements for “defensible space” around the home, which means trimming trees, clearing dead vegetation and reducing the amount of potential fuel for a fire.

Taking communitywide action

MARCUS YAM/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS FILE (2017)

A family pack up and evacuate as a brushfire get closer to their home in Ventura, Dec. 5, 2017. with the new framework potentially serving as a benchmark for determining who qualifies for lower rates.

The state is also putting more money into helping communities and homeowners meet the standards laid out here.

Here are the framework’s recommendations.

Making houses more fire-resistant There are six recommended structural upgrades to “harden” your home against wildfire risk, and specifically the risk that your house will be set ablaze by burning trees or buildings nearby or by embers blown in from a distance. Some of these carry price tags north of $10,000, while others are do-it-yourself

jobs. The steps are: • Installing a roof rated Class A for fire resistance. For an explanation of the qualities that make a roof Class A, see the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Surviving Wildfire site or the Homeowner’s Wildfire Mitigation Guide posted by the University of California.

• Creating a 5-foot-wide zone around the house that resists burning embers, for example by laying down gravel or stone walkways in place of mulched flower beds.

• Removing combustible material, such as untreated siding, from the bottom six inches of exterior walls.

• Blocking the entry of burning embers by covering vent openings with fire-resistant metal screens.

• Installing double-paned windows or fire-resistant shutters. Single-paned windows may not stop the heat from an intense fire from setting your curtains on fire and burning down your house.

• Enclosing the eaves to prevent burning embers from drifting into your attic.

For more detailed suggestions, consult Cal Fire’s hardening your home site, its low-cost retrofit list, and the University of California’s preparing your home web page.

Reducing risks near your home The framework calls for three types of improvements to the property around your house, most of which include things you

Lara noted that a homeowner’s safety upgrades can be undermined by neighbors who ignore the hazards on their own properties. So community-wide efforts are crucial.

The framework lays out the following “mitigation elements” for communities to adopt: • Clearly defining the community’s boundary, then obtaining an assessment of the community’s fire risk from the local fire district or the state fire agency.

• Identifying an evacuation route that is kept clear of overgrown vegetation, along with a contingency plan.

• Finding the financial resources to support the upgrades needed to meet “clear risk reduction goals.” Cal Fire offers fire prevention grants that can pay for clearing fire breaks and removing combustible material, but the dollars are available only to governmental agencies, tribal groups and nonprofits.

• Developing plans with measurable annual goals for reducing the community’s wildfire risks, as well as steps to increase the See Roadmap, Page 6

4 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Real estate transactions BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 4 LOWEST AMOUNT: $390,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,080,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $695,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $715,000

900 Cambridge Drive #188 - $390,000

01-20-22 [2 Bdrms - 1087 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-26-11, $109,500

49 Carolina Drive - $660,000

01-20-22 [5 Bdrms - 1722 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-20-12, $270,000

471 Panorama Drive - $1,080,000

01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2473 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-24-17, $784,000

383 Warwick Drive - $730,000

01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1412 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt]

DIXON TOTAL SALES: 7 LOWEST AMOUNT: $505,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $808,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $609,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $626,857

515 Kings Court - $808,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1370 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt]

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1808 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-09-21, $591,000

1215 Valley Glen Drive - $625,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 2608 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-25-16, $400,000

1135 Valley Glen Drive - $609,000

01-20-22 [4 Bdrms - 2162 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-19-05, $565,000

191 West Walnut Street - $531,000

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1692 SqFt - 1915 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-21-16, $365,000

FAIRFIELD TOTAL SALES: 17 LOWEST AMOUNT: $259,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $839,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $520,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $569,500

567 Abruzzi Court - $645,000

01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1623 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-26-06, $517,000

2812 Calle De Cordoba - $665,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 2057 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-08-11, $365,000

2031 Cormorant Drive - $460,000

01-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 1598 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt]

2346 Danube Court - $460,000

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1254 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt]

1920 Grande Circle #98 - $259,000

01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1302 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-02-03, $170,000

664 Hillside Drive - $486,500

900 Turquoise Street - $560,000

72 Calhoun Street - $340,000

01-19-22 [1 Bdrms - 1111 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-27-20, $385,000

1126 Vintage Court - $700,000

19 Cliff Walk Drive - $750,000

112 Wisteria Circle - $665,000

408 Corcoran Avenue #2 - $189,000

666 Yellowstone Drive - $341,000

1605 Dewey Street - $618,000

VALLEJO

300 Doncaster Drive - $753,000

1625 Park Lane #20 - $305,000

202 Yarrow Court - $560,000

3096 Pinto Court - $645,000

VACAVILLE

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1285 SqFt - 1994 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-05-20, $350,000 01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1012 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-21-20, $239,500 01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 2127 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-07-20, $560,000

3875 Quarryville Court - $790,000

01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2352 SqFt - 2009 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-16-13, $482,000

407 San Jose Street - $490,000

01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1287 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-24-20, $380,000

2425 Sanders Lane - $830,000

01-19-22 [5 Bdrms - 3333 SqFt - 2014 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-07-14, $571,000

2500 Shorey Way - $670,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1478 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt]

TOTAL SALES: 22 LOWEST AMOUNT: $330,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $850,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $595,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $599,000

328 Andrea Drive - $525,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1318 SqFt - 1975 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-17-16, $348,000

513 Boone Drive - $830,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 2476 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-29-01, $347,390

01-19-22 [5 Bdrms - 2434 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-28-14, $442,500 01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1348 SqFt - 1997 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-24-14, $305,000 01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2474 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-04-05, $595,726 01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1860 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-24-17, $430,100 01-21-22 [2 Bdrms - 1224 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-22-03, $205,000

TOTAL SALES: 26 LOWEST AMOUNT: $189,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $775,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $545,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $523,231

371 Bowline Drive - $550,000

1003 Azuar Avenue - $585,000

01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1038 SqFt - 1962 YrBlt]

184 Breakwater Way - $660,000

369 Barcelona Street - $775,000

01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 1345 SqFt - 1952 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-07-21, $323,000

1019 Canterbury Court - $850,000

01-21-22, Previous Sale: 08-14-20, $5,984,500

678 Claremont Drive - $565,000

01-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 2791 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-04-12, $280,000

1118 Tabor Avenue - $472,000

563 Yarrow Court - $839,000

1261 Valley Glen Drive - $585,000

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1264 SqFt - 1994 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-28-08, $290,000

227 Tamarisk Circle - $515,000

01-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 2084 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-10-16, $467,000 01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 949 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-13-10, $217,500

407 Bw Williams Drive - $492,000

73 Manchester Drive #18 - $420,000

206 East Utah Street - $520,000

22 Solano Drive - $505,000

783 Shannon Drive - $750,000

713 Palermo Drive - $530,000

01-20-22 [5 Bdrms - 3413 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-13-20, $735,500

1920 Kingston Drive - $725,000

Previous Sale: 07-17-18, $317,500

2745 Kaanapali Drive - $725,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 2062 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1989, $279,000

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi.

The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

RIO VISTA TOTAL SALES: 5 LOWEST AMOUNT: $430,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $500,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $469,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $467,800

01-20-22 [4 Bdrms - 1402 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-18-19, $435,000 01-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 1989 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-26-14, $425,000 01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 3686 SqFt - 2009 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-26-19, $640,000 01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1289 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-13-13, $225,000

432 Colonial Circle - $525,000

01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1164 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-07-12, $135,000

513 Dolcetto Court - $590,000

01-20-22 [4 Bdrms - 2197 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-29-08, $384,000

560 Anderson Way - $469,000

101 Fairoaks Drive - $415,000

200 Crescent Drive - $480,000

179 East Hemlock Street - $572,000

615 Montezuma Street - $460,000

1801 Marshall Road #107 - $330,000

679 Rubier Way - $500,000

803 Monaghan Circle - $722,000

589 Turnberry Terrace - $430,000

233 West Monte Vista Avenue - $470,000

SUISUN CITY

906 Noble Road - $708,000

01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1346 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-27-01, $205,000 01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 2052 SqFt - 1958 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-26-15, $340,000 01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 2560 SqFt - 1916 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1990, $49,000 01-20-22 [4 Bdrms - 1859 SqFt - 1997 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-27-19, $375,000 01-21-22 [2 Bdrms - 1451 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-08-20, $360,000

TOTAL SALES: 5 LOWEST AMOUNT: $515,000 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $690,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $545,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $568,000

1728 Dover Circle - $690,000

01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2695 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-19-21, $695,000

803 Golden Eye Way - $545,000

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1320 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt],

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1445 SqFt - 1979 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-17-05, $360,000 01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1714 SqFt - 1958 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-18-21, $371,500 01-19-22 [2 Bdrms - 948 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-20-13, $125,000 01-20-22 [4 Bdrms - 1911 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-25-07, $552,000

01-19-22 [3 Bdrms - 1002 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-18-20, $399,000 01-18-22 [5 Bdrms - 2219 SqFt - 2016 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-05-19, $560,000

1174 Notre Dame Circle - $640,000

01-21-22 [4 Bdrms - 2137 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-16-13, $400,000

427 Robin Circle - $600,000

01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1417 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-20-18, $448,500

657 Scottsdale Drive - $610,000

01-18-22 [4 Bdrms - 1803 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-21-12, $180,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1676 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-08-10, $200,000 01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 1989 SqFt - 1979 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-16-21, $600,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1356 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-15-15, $255,000 01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1152 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-07-19, $299,000 01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1890 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-10-10, $264,000 01-19-22 [2 Bdrms - 880 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1992, $45,000 01-20-22 [3 Bdrms - 1664 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-18-11, $220,000 01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2601 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-25-17, $553,500

1212 El Dorado - $360,000

01-19-22 [1 Bdrms - 834 SqFt - 1920 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-05-12, $74,500

1421 Gordon Street - $495,000

01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1184 SqFt - 1928 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-31-19, $155,000

1061 Grant Street - $450,000

01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1032 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt]

See Transactions, Page 6

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 5

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

California EDD fraud hits big number

W

hen I heard my favorite news anchor report that the California unemployment office gave away $20 billion over the past couple years to prison inmates, dead people and fictitious folks, I thought he misspoke.

I had heard lots of news reporters talking about the prison scam where $5 million was somehow sent to unemployed inmates, but $20 billion is 4,000 times the amount California taxpayers deposited at the prison commissary for cigarettes and snacks.

This is no way to run a business or a government agency.

This is only an educated guess based on my 40 years of dealing with collection agencies and debt collectors, but this money will be hard to recover, and if the state is lucky and diligent, they may recover $5 billion. The $5 billion will probably come from currently employed folks who “accidentally” received checks in the mail and will now have to deal with the state coming after their tax refunds and maybe wage garnishments over the next few years.

Last week, I wrote about the Olympics, American spirit and the American Dream and how I believe investing in U.S. real estate and stocks is a proven sure bet. Betting on California seems to be in question today with the population declining in 2020 for the first time since 1850 – by 182,000 people. It seems like two or three times per week, one of my friends, clients and colleagues are talking about moving out of state and too many of them are doing it, which is not good for my family business or our economy.

Jim Porter I get it and understand that for some, moving to Las Vegas, Texas or Tennessee will result in a 10% pay raise and a lower cost of living, but before you pull the trigger on this, you may want to spend a couple nights at Pebble Beach, Silverado or Lake Tahoe and compare the sights, sounds and weather to anywhere in the country.

We live in the most beautiful place on Earth and once a person moves out, it is financially hard to move back.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager 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.

To advertise here, call 427-6927

This is where your search ends and the next exciting chapter of your life begins, come see this 3 bed/2 bath custom single-level w/ breathtaking views. Welcomed by the accommodating driveway, step inside to find a formal family room w/ cozy fireplace extending into formal dining + more relaxed living room accented w/ wet bar. Kitchen has all practical aspects incorporated into the design w/ plenty of space for a casual meal + tons of cabinets & pantry. Every space has been utilized to maximize efficiency, a rare mud/utility room, the 2nd bathroom accommodates guests & close proximity to the additional spacious bedrooms. The massive primary bedroom offers spectacular views & ensuite for privacy & convenience. An extension of the home, the custom deck is the perfect size for outdoor furniture w/o compromising privacy. 3-car garage (855 sf) + a covered RV/boat carport tucked away on the side home. The entire property has remarkable utility & design w/ close proximity to Fairfield’s finest amenities.

Offered at $639,000

Open House Sat. 12-3pm & Sun. 1-4pm

Nicole Solari Broker Owner, DRE#01952567

707.486.5400

The Solari Group

nicole@Levelupbrokerage.com www.LevelUpBrokerage.com

6 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Roadmap From Page 3 awareness and education of community members regarding those risks.

Currently, 10 insurers are offering community-based discounts to homeowners, although they aren’t all using the same criteria. The new framework puts forward a standard that all insurers could use to judge a community’s mitigation efforts.

Where to find help A good place to start is with your local Fire Safe Council, which you can locate on the California Fire Safe Council website.

These groups draw up wildfire plans, educate local homeowners about prevention and tackle larger projects to protect their

communities, such as clearing brush and creating fire breaks.

For example, the Meadows Fire Safe Council in Altadena offers to inspect properties and let homeowners know what safety improvements they should make, said the group’s spokesman, Bill Ramseyer. In addition, he said, “we will help people do the work, in terms of physically having our people come by with the chainsaws and the weed whips.”

That help, however, won’t extend to replacing someone’s roof or windows, Ramseyer said.

Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, said one challenge for homeowners is the lack of funding for that sort of costly improvement to an individual property.

The California Office of Emergency Services is providing grants to local agencies to help low- and moderate-income homeowners with wildfire mit-

igation projects, but they’re confined at this point to pilot programs in San Diego and Shasta counties. The agency says it is aiming to take the program statewide in 2023.

In the meantime, the agency has a $100 million grant program to help vulnerable communities obtain federal aid for a variety of disaster-related purposes, including creating defensible space and retrofitting structures.

As with the wildfire mitigation grants, money flows to local governments and organizations, not directly to individuals.

Some counties have taken matters into their own hands, creating funds to help homeowners directly. One example is Marin County, which approved a special tax in 2020 to fund a new county wildfire prevention authority. That group offers grants for home hardening and defensible space projects.

Transactions: Homes 01-21-22 [3 Bdrms - 1511 SqFt - 1979 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-02-09, $133,500

From Page 4 534 Hichborn Street - $567,000

130 Outrigger Drive - $575,000

521 La Jolla Street - $510,000

138 Outrigger Drive - $680,000

1004 Lewis Avenue - $260,000

70 Parkhaven Drive - $605,000

443 Lighthouse Drive - $285,000

176 Parkhaven Drive - $760,000

01-21-22 [2 Bdrms - 988 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-30-21, $320,000 01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 966 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-28-13, $160,000

01-18-22 [3 Bdrms - 1736 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-20-12, $187,500 01-21-22 [5 Bdrms - 1935 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-15-18, $460,000 01-19-22 [4 Bdrms - 2390 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

01-21-22 [2 Bdrms - 1191 SqFt - 1930 YrBlt] 01-21-22 [2 Bdrms - 840 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]

909 Napa Street - $435,000

01-21-22 [5 Bdrms - 2382 SqFt - 1997 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-16-97, $224,900

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537 Quartz Lane - $555,000

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DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 7

Hummingbirds gracefully approach the blue blooms of Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia.

Your Home Improvement Specialists Accumulation of pollen, leaves, dust, wildfires and more will affect panels and cause their efficiency to drop. We also offer bird netting estimates and services!

NORMAN WINTER/TNS PHOTOS

This Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, left, looks ever so picturesque among the tall spires of Rockin’ Playin’

the Blues salvia. The annual salvia also brings in an assortment of bees.

ON GARDENING

Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia all about bees, birds, butterflies

T

here is not a gardener I meet that doesn’t crave plants that are all about blooms, birds and butterflies. Shoot, add bees to it and you would have a surefire award winner. The Dallas Arboretum has one of the superior plant trials in the country, and they gave the award for most Pollinator Friendly Perennial to Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia.

I really love that award for another reason, that Proven Winners calls it an annual. Well, they are right to a point, but in zones 7b and warmer, in soil that drains well, Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues has indeed become a stalwart perennial. It is at The

Norman Winter Garden Guy’s in zone 8a Georgia and it obviously was in Dallas.

You may be thinking, “That’s fine and dandy, but what about treating it as an annual? Is it worth the effort?” It won the Top Performer Award in the prestigious Penn State Trials. So that pretty much sums it up.

No matter where you live in the country, Rockin’ Playin’ the

Blues salvia is outstanding and a good buy for your garden dollar.

Looking at the Rockin’ series of salvia, gardeners will be quick to notice that Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues is a totally different species from the others. It is actually the selection of a chance cross, Salvia farinacea x longispicata. This compact cross gives you the best traits of both species. The S. farinacea with DNA from Texas and the S. longispicata native to Western Mexico into elevations from 1,000 to 6,500 feet.

This plant will quickly See Winter, Page 12

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8 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Investors bought a record share of homes in 2021 15% 2021 Q4

15%

10

5

0

Start of pandemic 2000

2010

2021

Investors have increasingly bought in Black Zip codes Share of purchased homes bought by investors OTHER ZIP CODES

2021

MAJORITY BLACK ZIP CODES

12%

2020

9%

2015

8%

2010

30% 25% 21%

7%

14%

Washington region had relatively little investor activity Share of purchased homes bought by investors 0%

10% 20%

30%

Too few sales

No data

Washington, D.C.

Baltimore

6% bought by investors

11% bought by investors

Martinsburg

MARYLAND VIRGINIA

Front Royal

Baltimore

270

Annapolis

Middleburg

Washington 66

Alexandria Waldorf

Culpepper

95

Fredericksburg Source: Redfin

L

THE WASHINGTON POST

Share of purchased homes bought by investors, in 40 major metro areas

THE WASHINGTON POST

Belt, especially heavily minority neighborhoods in Detroit and Cleveland.

The growing number of investor purchases has drawn increasing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly as buyers target minority neighborhoods.

“One of the reasons housing prices have gotten so out

Martin said the city passed a series of ordinances aimed ast year, investors bought at stopping predatory behavnearly one in seven homes ior, to limited effect. One sold in America’s top metprovision, called “pay to stay,” ropolitan areas, the most allows tenants to pay any unpaid in at least two decades, accordrent and fees up until their evicing to the realty company Redfin. tion hearing.

Those purchases come “Unlike mom and pop landat a time when would-be lords, large out-of-state investors buyers across the country are typically don’t have much seeing wildly escaempathy for their lating prices, raising tenants,” she said. the question of what ‘Unlike mom and pop landlords, “Residents can be a day impact investors are late in paying rent and large out-of-state investors having on prices for face an eviction notice.” everyone else. InvesIn other cases, investypically don’t have much empathy tors were even more tors buy properties that aggressive in the final for their tenants Residents can be might otherwise be the three months of the first home purchases year, buying 15% of all a day late in paying rent and face for families looking homes that sold in the to accrue wealth that an eviction notice.’

40 markets. they can pass down Real estate investors — SALLY ACCORTI MARTIN, A FORMER LONGTIME to their children or can be large corporaHOUSING DIRECTOR grandchildren. A lower tions, local companies homeownership rate or wealthy individuals, among minorities has and they generally don’t live in of control, is that corporate contributed to a much lower rate America sensed an opportuthe properties they are buying.

Some look to flip homes to nity,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, of wealth accumulation.

“There is a massive racial new buyers, while others D-Ohio, last week at a hearing homeownership gap in this of the Senate Committee on rent them out.

Neighborhoods where a Banking, Housing and Urban country, which is a serious problem because owning a home majority of residents are Black Affairs, a panel he chairs.

Brown took direct aim at is a key to building intergenerahave been heavily targeted, according to a Washington Post private equity firms and corpo- tional wealth and reducing racial inequality overall,” Sen. Robert analysis of Redfin data. Last rate landlords in particular.

“They bought up proper- Menendez, D-N.J., said. year, 30% of home sales in majorIn the hearing, Democrats ties, they raised rents, they ity Black neighborhoods were to investors, compared with 12% cut services, they priced out as well as Republicans on the in other Zip codes, The Post’s family home buyers, and they committee, led by Sen. Patrick forced renters out of their Toomey, R-Pa., raised concerns analysis shows. about an underlying problem: the “We know historically that homes,” he said.

Investors have been snap- stringent zoning rules in many places where minorities live are undervalued or lower priced,” ping up homes in and around cities that prevent more homes Redfin’s Sheharyar Bokhari said. downtown Cleveland at a stag- from being built.

Bokhari, from Redfin, echoed That, he said, makes them more gering rate, putting three of the attractive to investors, driving up city’s Zip codes among the top that concern in discussing his 15 nationally in the rate of inves- research. In the shortage that prices for residents. comes from too few homes being The effect of investor activ- tor purchases last year.

Sally Accorti Martin, the built, he said, there is profit to ity differs city to city. Regions with the highest share of inves- former longtime housing direc- be made. “If we were building tor purchases are in the south, tor for South Euclid, a small enough housing there wouldn’t stretching from Florida to city east of Cleveland, testified be as much investing activity in Arizona, with a quarter of all at the hearing that a majority of the housing we have,” he said.

“If we had enough homes to home sales in Atlanta and Char- the city’s roughly 1,600 rental lotte last year going to investors. units are now owned by compa- meet this demand,” he added, But some of the most targeted nies from other states, and that “everyone would be able to Zip codes overall are in the Rust tenants have suffered as a result. buy a home.

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 9

How electric stoves are poised to dethrone the mighty gas range

T

THE WASHINGTON POST

anuj Deora works in the energy industry – specifically to decarbonize energy systems. That’s the technical term for efforts to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. It’s a vast and complex problem, but Deora and his family try to do their part. At their home in Northwest Washington, they have solar panels, LED lightbulbs and a hybrid minivan. In the kitchen, though, the issue of fossil fuel usage was more personal. Their natural gas cooktop was making Deora sick.

“I would get a headache whenever the gas was running,” he says, so he started looking into replacing their gas stove.

But first, he had to sell his wife, Amy, on the idea. The two of them love to cook and make meals from scratch most nights. Amy believed that gas cooking was superior in performance. When they remodeled their kitchen in 2021, though, she agreed to try an induction stove.

Five months later, they have no regrets. “This cooktop isn’t just adequate for cooking – it’s better than the gas stove was,” Deora says.

Gas cooktops do have some advantages. With gas, you can control the flame, and it’s easy to get the temperature you need, which has made it a preferred choice for those who consider themselves to be serious cooks.

An estimated 90% of professional chefs still use gas.

Is it really that much better, though? The fossil fuel industry wants you to think so. Since the 1930s, it has targeted consumers with well-placed ads.

It embraced the term “natural gas” to increase consumer con-

CURTIS ADAMS/PEXELS

Glass-ceramic electric cooktops, whether induction or resistance coil, are attractive to kitchen designers, particularly for those interested in a clean, minimalist aesthetic. fidence in indoor combustion. It even created a catchy rap in the 1980s, all in an effort to increase gas usage. The industry also flooded the market with images of massive gas ranges as the keystone of aspirational kitchens.

But as new data emerges about health concerns, and as more Americans rethink their use of fossil fuels, the mighty gas stove might be facing dethronement.

A recent Stanford University study found that gas stoves emit more methane, and could contribute more to climate change, than previously thought. They are also a significant source of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide.

In the short term, headaches like those Deora experienced are

common. Over time, that indoor air quality can have negative effects on health, exacerbating cardiovascular illness in certain populations and worsening asthma symptoms. Given these concerns, as well as stricter environmental standards, several locations, including New York City, have banned gas appliances in new construction.

About two-thirds of Americans already cook with electric stoves. Any type of electric stove has the same air-quality and environmental benefits, but each cooks a bit differently.

Traditional electric resistance coil stoves, the most affordable option, have separate burners that plug in to recesses in the

surface. Many families cook proficiently on this basic stovetop, though this option is prone to uneven heating, and it’s difficult to quickly reduce its heat.

Ceramic-glass cooktops use the same coil technology. Induction stovetops are also made of ceramic glass, but they use magnetic fields to create heat. This means they only heat up when a magnetic pan – think cast iron or magnetic stainless steel – is touching the surface, and they cool to the touch when the pan is removed. They also offer the temperature control that makes gas so popular: When a cook turns the heat down, the temperature drops quickly.

Even some chefs are con-

sciously choosing to cut ties with gas. Evan Hennessey, coowner of Stages in Dover, N.H., designed his restaurant around the versatility and health benefits of induction cooking. He gently challenges any professional chef who thinks induction is inferior.

“You can do so much more on induction than gas. The precision cooking allows us to do way more, without compromising the air quality in the kitchen for our guests or our staff.”

Glass-ceramic electric cooktops, whether induction or resistance coil, are also attractive to kitchen designers, particularly for those interested in a clean, minimalist aesthetic.

At Bonnie Wu Design in Ann Arbor, Mich., founder Leslie Murchie Cascino has put electric cooktops into high-end luxury remodels. To her, the choice makes sense from visual, health and safety, and environmental standpoints.

She is in the middle of a $160,000 kitchen renovation, and the homeowners requested a Wolf transitional induction cooktop, despite never having cooked on induction before.

The design benefits are clear to Cascino, who loves clean lines. “From a functional standpoint, there are a lot of positives: the smooth and easy-to-clean surface, its minimal profile, and the feature that the surface doesn’t heat up or remain hot after cooking.”

Homeowners particularly love the safety features for their young children; because the stovetop only heats the pan and cools to the touch once it’s removed, there’s little chance for children to get burned. And the surface won’t See Stoves, Page 14

10 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Are you managing your smart home technology or is it managing you?

‘L

THE WASHINGTON POST

ights, camera, action” isn’t heard just on movie sets these days. You’re just as likely to say it in your own home when you operate your smart home devices.

Although using an app for security, lighting and entertainment can feel simple, you need to understand how to protect your privacy and secure your personal information in this new age of high life at home. We sought advice from two experts: Hank Schless, senior manager of security solutions at Lookout, a mobile security provider; and Scott McKinley, assistant vice president of Pocket Geek Home.

Both replied via email, and their responses were edited.

Q: How do you know if you have the bandwidth in your home to handle more smart home-tech gadgets?

Schless: Many internet service providers have apps that help you understand how much data and bandwidth your connected devices are using.

The providers will also note how many devices each of their plans can support.

McKinley: Depending on the number of smart home tech devices you have in your home, and the type of techie you are, you may have different needs.

A basic rule of thumb is that if you are a casual user (you use a streaming service to watch TV, you have one or two smart devices, etc.) then you should aim for about 20 to 50 mbps [megabits per second] speeds.

If you have several TVs streaming 4k at the same time, various smart home devices and a gamer

METRO SERVICES

Although using an app for security, lighting and entertainment can feel simple, you need to understand how to protect your privacy and secure your personal information in this new age of high life at home. or two in the house, then you should aim for speeds of 100 mbps or more. Don’t forget, just because you have speed, doesn’t mean you have coverage. You need to make sure you perform a speed test from various points of your home to determine your coverage.

If coverage is poor in areas where you want to put a device, you may want to consider: • Centralizing your router.

You may pay for great speeds coming into your home, but if your router is located in a decentralized corner of your house, you are severely limiting its cov-

erage. Wi-Fi signals don’t travel well through dense objects like concrete, metal and wood. The more walls your signal must move through, the more strength it loses. Just a simple move of the router to another location can solve many signal strength and coverage issues.

• Upgrading your router to a mesh system. Mesh routers provide a great option for extending your coverage for those who have big gaps where their Wi-Fi signal just won’t reach. They provide a consistent speed since they work together to extend your coverage.

• Upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 router. Wi-Fi 6 is a relatively

new technology that is faster and can handle more devices (or streams) simultaneously. This gives it an advantage, but it’s a single router so it needs to be centralized in your home to be effective. If you have a central location in your home that you can move your router to, a Wi-Fi 6 upgrade may be the best choice for you due to its ability to process several instructions simultaneously.

Q: When you add devices, are you more vulnerable to someone getting your personal information?

Schless: More devices inevitably mean more places where some part of your personal data

is stored. Since attacks on consumer hardware like connected home technology typically take place at the network level, the number of devices may not affect your actual vulnerability level.

However, you have to take into account the risk of the device manufacturer being attacked. Nowadays, you almost always have to enter some personal information in order to activate a new device, which means the manufacturer possesses that data. If their corporate infrastructure is breached, there’s a risk that your data could be exposed.

Q: How do you protect privacy when you’re using smart home tech?

Schless: Protecting your personal privacy with smart home tech is important to think about.

The general best practice is to enable the minimum amount of data access and permissions.

With smart home tech, there’s usually a minimum necessity for things like location data, microphone access and connected accounts in order for the technology to work. Depending on your personal risk tolerance and how you want to balance increased functionality with less privacy, you may choose to enable additional home tech features at the expense of a little more personal data.

Q: What do you do when something goes wrong with a smart home gadget?

Schless: If something seems like it’s not functioning correctly, the best thing to do is call the manufacturer and see if they can help you fix it. However, if you feel the device has been hacked or someone else is controlling it, you should first turn it off and See Smart, Page 15

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 11

Propagation a low-cost way to grow a plant collection Here’s how to do it

A

THE WASHINGTON POST

bout two years ago, the pandemic pushed people into their homes – and sent houseplant sales soaring. New houseplant owners might hesitate to expand their collection beyond those monsteras and philodendrons they bought in 2020. Plants can be expensive, and growing from seed is time-consuming. But there is an easier, cheaper way to grow new houseplants: propagation, or the process of growing a new plant from a piece of a mature one.

You can propagate with seeds or roots, but the easiest and most common method is by cutting, or transferring a piece of a mature plant into water or soil and letting it grow a new root system.

Propagating with cuttings offers a lesson in plant biology.

Emma Erler, landscape and greenhouse field specialist at the University of New Hampshire Extension, says every plant has a meristem, a type of tissue that contains cells that can develop into different plant parts.

“Above ground, meristematic tissue can turn into buds and

MARVIN JOSEPH/ THE WASHINGTON POST

Propagating with cuttings works with many common houseplants, such as pothos, seen here. shoots, but it’s also capable of turning into roots,” Erler says.

There’s also a sentimental factor to propagation. “You grow a plant under your care, take a cutting and then pass it on to someone else,” says Mollie Lee, shop director at Little Leaf in D.C., which sells cuttings for propagation.

Here’s how to use cuttings to reproduce your own plants at home, according to plant experts.

cutting works on many common, easy-to-care-for houseplants, such as pothos, monsteras, philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plants.

But different plants require different methods of cutting, says Paris Lalicata, plant education coordinator at the Sill. For example, pothos, monsteras and philodendrons can grow roots from their stems. You can also propagate plants that don’t have stems, such as snake plants, by cutting from their leaves. If you’re unsure, your local university’s extension office, which should have an agriculture and gardening education program, can help you determine which method to use. Erler says a local garden center can also help.

Propagation usually works best when you cut from a mature,

healthy plant with new growth.

Erler suggests choosing one that needs pruning. (You can often tell when it’s time, because a plant will look fuller on one side or appear unkempt.) That way, you are improving the parent plant’s health and growing a new one at the same time.

Stem cuttings Stem cuttings grow from aerial roots, or roots that grow above the soil on the stem of a plant.

To reproduce with a stem cutting, Lalicata suggests choosing a healthy-looking area with a few leaves growing from it.

Successful cuttings are usually about four to six inches long.

Next, find a node, the nub that connects a leaf to a stem. “Nodes

are a plant’s growth points, and in them are hormones that promote growth if you put it in soil or water,” says Matt Aulton, co-founder of the plant delivery service Plant Proper.

Use a clean pair of pruners to cut about a quarter-inch below the node at a 45-degree angle.

If you only have kitchen scissors, Lalicata suggests sterilizing them with hot, soapy water or rubbing alcohol to avoid spreading pathogens that could harm your cutting.

Remove all but one leaf from the cutting to increase its chance of rooting. “Too many leaves can cause the plant to focus its energy on keeping them alive,” Lalicata says.

Choose a vessel to propagate See Plant, Page 12

You can fi fin nd me on Facebook, but I prefer face to face.

Choose a plant According to Maryah Greene, a plant stylist and consultant and the founder of Greene Piece,

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12 Friday, February 25, 2022 — DAILY REPUBLIC

Plant From Page 11

Hummingbirds love Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia. This one appears to be pondering his options.

Winter From Page 7

become the jewel of your cottage garden. Reaching heights of 4 feet with a spread of 3 feet, these spikes or spires of blue will draw attention from your neighbors and flying visitors, too. The tall spires create excitement, reaching above the imaginary horizontal plane of the garden where the round flowers dominate. Add bees, hummingbirds and butterflies and you’ll want to get out the camera.

The ideal site would be full sun, but most of you know I am sun-challenged with high shifting sun. I get good shots of sun from late morning until 3 p.m. The soil should be very well drained.

Plant on raised beds or amend heavy soils with the addition of compost or humus. Remember with many plants it is not the cold that takes them out in the winter, but cold coupled with soggy conditions. Well-drained soil may encourage it to return further north than expected.

While preparing the soil, incorporate two pounds of a continuous release plant food per

NORMAN WINTER/TNS PHOTOS

Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia is the quintessential cottage garden flower, combined here with Goldsturm rudbeckia, pink gaura and scaevola.

100 square feet of bed space.

Space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart where perennial and a little closer for annual plantings.

Set in the ground at the same depth they are growing in the container. Apply a good layer of mulch after planting.

Heat it Up Yellow blanket flower, Luscious Marmalade lantana, Goldsturm rudbeckia, Uptick coreopsis, Color Coded Orange You Awesome echinacea and Blue Fortune agastache, are among The Garden Guy’s companion favorites. Try layering a bed with Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvias in the back, then Truffula Pink Gomphrena

midway and Ladybird Lemonade calylophus, which is making its debut this year, in the front. The blue, hot pink and soft yellow will be stunning.

Here is hoping you have a garden for the bees, birds and butterflies this year.

Norman Winter is a horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.

your cutting in, such as an old jar or small vase. Many plant stores sell test tubes, so you can create a propagation station.

The most important thing is to use a vessel with a narrow top to support the cutting.

Next, Greene says, fill the vessel with just enough water to avoid getting the leaf wet. Tap water is fine, but Lalicata says it should be at room temperature to avoid shocking the plant.

Once your cutting is in water, place it near a bright – but filtered – window, because too much direct light could harm the plant, Erler says. “Cuttings don’t have roots yet to take up water, so if it was in a really warm, sunny spot, that cutting might lose water really quickly and dehydrate,” she says.

According to Lalicata, stem cuttings can root in a few weeks.

While you wait, change the water weekly. If the cutting is black or slimy at the base of the stem, Lalicata says, it could be rotting, which means you’ll probably have to start over. If you notice rotting below the root growth, simply cut the slimy part off.

Leaf cuttings Propagating from a leaf uses a different cutting process, and these plants take longer to root.

Lalicata says it may be a few months before you see progress.

On a snake plant, she suggests cutting horizontally at the bottom of a leaf, as close to the soil as possible. You can use just the top few inches of the leaf, or you can segment it into multiple cuttings. To propagate a ZZ plant, cut off a healthy-looking leaf as close to the plant’s stalk as you can.

After you make the cut, Erler suggests leaving it to dry for a full day, so the cut surface can form a dry, crusty layer. “Allow-

ing the cutting to callus over prevents root rot, and rooting is more likely with this approach,” she says. Putting liquid or powdered plant growth hormones, available at greenhouses, on the bottom can quicken the process.

Follow the same steps as you would with stems to propagate succulents in water.

For a snake plant, Lalicata says, immerse the bottom third of the leaf; for ZZ plants, submerge just the bottom tip of the leaf.

Erler prefers planting leaf cuttings in a standard indoor soil mix as soon as you cut them, because she says they can easily rot in water. If you’re planting an unrooted cutting, she recommends watering the soil and using your finger or a pencil to create a small hole. Gently place the cutting inside. You’ll need to go a little deeper to plant a rooted cutting.

If the plant doesn’t stand up straight on its own, Aulton suggests stabilizing it with a bamboo stake; over time, the roots should hold the plant up.

Transferring a cutting to a pot Once the roots are two to three inches long, you can transfer your cutting to a small pot with soil, where it should eventually grow deeper roots and more leaves.

Whether you put a fresh or rooted cutting in a pot, Aulton recommends choosing a twoto four-inch pot with drainage holes to prevent root rot. Erler suggests adding enough soil to get close to the top of the pot, with about a quarterinch to spare.

Then you should gently pat the soil down. As your cutting grows, you’ll need to water it more than you would a mature plant; Erler suggests keeping the soil moist for the first week to wean the cutting from the water it had been immersed in.

After that initial period, wait for the soil to dry completely before you water again.

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 13

How joining the Great Resignation could hamper homebuying plans ZACH WICHTER

I

BANKR ATE.COM

f you joined the Great Resignation in the last year, you may have found it even harder to compete in the already wild pandemic housing market.

A record number of Americans quit their jobs in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and while it was a liberating experience for many, it added a layer of complexity for resignees who were also trying to secure a mortgage.

It’s not impossible to quit your job and still get to closing, but any big life changes during the process do make your mortgage application more difficult.

Why quitting your job can make getting a mortgage tougher Employment history is one of the key indicators mortgage lenders consider when evaluating your application.

“Employment and income are the two most important factors that lenders consider,” says Marsha Barnes, a certified financial social worker and founder of The Finance Bar. “Lenders simply want to know that you can afford the monthly payments and that you can consistently pay them on time.”

Any changes to your employment situation can make lenders wary about your ability to pay, though not all employment changes are created equal, and lenders will be more concerned about certain kinds of job shifts.

Ace Watanasuparp, national director of Strategic Sales at Citizens Bank, says that lenders generally view applicants more favorably if they switch between

similar lines of work, or at least continue to file W-2 tax forms, rather than shifting to selfemployment with 1099 filing.

“When it comes to getting a mortgage, clients really need to understand that changing your job on a macro level, that can affect your ability to qualify for a loan,” says Watanasuparp.

“Once you segue into a new industry, then you’re starting from scratch.”

Why timing your resignation matters Buying a house doesn’t preclude you from ever switching careers, but it does mean you should think strategically about your priorities.

“If you are someone considering quitting your job, what do you really want for your life over the next year or two?” Barnes says. “Reevaluate the timing of you leaving your job” if buying a house is the more important goal.

While you may only need your first paycheck or a few months under your belt to show employment history at a new company, most lenders will want to see a minimum of two years of tax returns as proof that a new business is sustainable if you quit to

strike out on your own.

“For many employers, even if you are going to another job that’s paying you more, often you’re on a probationary period,” Barnes says. “If you think like a lender, those are all things that come into play if they are considering getting you a mortgage.”

More broadly, Watanasuparp says, it’s not a good idea to make any major lifestyle changes while you’re applying for a mortgage.

“First and foremost, I always tell all of our clients, if you’re looking to buy a home, stay put. Don’t go out and build debt, don’t go out and get a car loan while getting a mortgage. You want to show the bank stability.”

thing about your finances to your loan officer, and adds that your loan officer can help you develop a strategy to keep moving your application forward in many cases.

“Be as transparent as possible with your loan officer,” Watanasuparp says. “If you quit your job and you have something lined up, we may be able to help you.”

Providing documents like your offer letter, new pay stubs, proof of any bonuses or other financial ballast can keep your mortgage application going even as you switch careers.

Keep in mind, however, that if

you quit a corporate job to start a new business, you may need to wait a while before securing a new loan.

Tips for all mortgage applicants No matter your life situation a few basics will always apply.

One key factor in any mortgage application is your credit score.

The higher your score, the stronger a candidate you will appear to lenders, and the lower your See Plans, Page 16

How to salvage your application if you resign before the closing So you quit your job in a fit of passion and are still moving forward with a mortgage application. In that case, reach out to your loan officer as soon as possible to strategize.

“You are required to make the lender aware that you have quit your job, even if it’s during Covid,” Barnes says.

Watanasuparp agrees that it’s crucial to disclose every-

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Solano County Listings: Homes for sale PRICE

ADDRESS

CITY

BEDS

BA (F/H)

SQ. FT.

LOT/AC

MLS #

$657,000 $435,000 $700,000 $1,050,000 $1,395,000 $420,000 $500,000 $549,000 $579,999 $479,000 $525,000 $525,000 $550,000 $565,000 $620,000 $620,000 $620,000 $649,999 $678,999 $765,000 $899,000 $1,170,000 $450,000 $499,000

890 Royal Elf Ct 514 San Remo St 3337 El Pinole Wy 1240 Delaware St 4486 Glencannon Dr 1091 Waterwood Dr 696 Rubier Way 526 E Wigeon Wy 811 Bluejay Dr 180 Carlsbad Cir 291 Markham Ave 503 Klamath Dr 413 Elizabeth Street 960 Countrywood Cir 313 Sun Valley Way 512 Davis Street 531 Amanda Ct 1036 Barnsbury Court 578 Dunsmuir 837 Kells Circle 536 Topeka Ln 220 Hidden Valley Ln 125 Fairview Ave 1115 Santa Clara St

Dixon Fairfield Fairfield Fairfield Fairfield Rio Vista Rio Vista Suisun City Suisun City Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vacaville Vallejo Vallejo

4 3 5 5 3 2 3 4 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 4 4 3 2 3

2/0 1/0 3/0 3/1 3/0 2/0 2/0 2/1 2/1 2/0 2/0 2/0 1/0 2/0 2/0 2/0 2/0 2/1 3/0 2/1 4/0 3/0 1/0 1/0

1984 960 2603 3133 3759 1154 1191 1890 1960 1598 1228 1247 1104 1494 1616 1006 1195 1656 1950 2816 4087 2586 820 1305

0.19 0.13 0.19 0.34 3.09 0.095 0.12 5662sf 0.15 0.13 0.12 0.14 0.15 0.119 0.15 0.15 0.177 0.1 0.19 0.14 0.18 0.49 6534sf 0.05

322010503 322009970 321086962 322008307 321102102 321114877 322013945 322013283 322010003 321092945 322005186 322007114 322006048 322012629 322012788 321111961 322011567 322011996 322011375 322010208 322013733 322000386 322010990 322005510

OFFICE #

PRICE

BEDS

BA (F/H)

707-446-0600 707-864-0205 707-864-0205 707-864-0205 707-864-6101 707-448-6119 707-448-6119 707-864-0205 707-864-0205 707-446-0600 707-446-0600 707-446-0600 707-448-1158 707-446-0600 707-448-6119 707-448-1158 707-446-0600 707-448-1158 707-448-6119 707-448-1158 707-448-6119 707-448-6119 707-864-0205 707-448-6119

$550,000 807 Daniels Ave Vallejo $895,000 8457 Pleasants Valley Rd Winters $2,495,000 26518 County Road 34 Winters

ADDRESS

4 2 3

2/1 1782 1/0 22.16 5/0 3135 20.0

PRICE

LOT/AC

LOTS & LAND

$479,000 $500,000 $2,000,000 $15,000,000 $379,950 $895,000 $498,000 $324,999 $379,500

ADDRESS

CITY

CITY

7215 Pleasants Valley Rd 360 Butcher 2300-11 E. Monte Vista Mankas Gibson Canyon 8457 Pleasants Valley Rd 746 Bridleridge 2939 Mix Canyon Rd 3062 Mix Canyon Rd

Vacaville 6 Vacaville 1.10 Vacaville 3.66 Fairfield Vacaville 1.55 Winters 22.16 Fairfield 1.03 Vacaville 24.42 Vacaville 40

ADDRESS

CITY

MOBILE/FLOATING

PRICE

$119,900

700 Shady Glen Road #37 Vacaville

COMMERCIAL

PRICE

$550,000 $620,000

ADDRESS

413 Elizabeth Street 512 Davis Street

CITY

Vacaville Vacaville

BEDS

1

SQ. FT.

LOT/AC

SUB TYPE

MLS#

AGRI COMM COMM RESA RESA RESA RESL RESL RESL BA(F/H)

1/0

MLS #

SQ. FT

672

TYPE

MIXU OFFC

OFFICE #

321103322 707-864-0205 321006700 707-446-0600 222005840 707-448-6119 OFFICE #

322010137 321098151 321102156 21825708 22029146 321000406 321003452 321007519 321095229

707-446-0600 707-448-6119 707-448-6119 707-864-0205 707-446-0600 707-446-0600 707-864-6101 707-446-0600 707-446-0600

MLS #

OFFICE #

MLS #

OFFICE #

321112850

707-448-1158

322006050 707-448-1159 321111889 707-448-1158

Mortgage rates dip because of global tensions Stoves THE WASHINGTON POST Mortgage rates’ upward trajectory was halted by developments in Ukraine.

According to the latest data, released Thursday by Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate average fell to 3.89% with an average 0.8 point. (A point is a fee paid to a lender equal to 1% of the loan amount. It is in addition to the interest rate.) It was 3.92% a week ago and 2.97% a year ago.

Freddie Mac, the federally chartered mortgage investor, aggregates rates from about 80 lenders across the country to come up with weekly national averages. The survey is based on home purchase mortgages.

Rates for refinances may be different. It uses rates for high-quality borrowers with strong credit scores and large down payments. Because of the criteria, these rates are not

available to every borrower.

The 15-year fixed-rate average slipped to 3.14% with an average 0.7 point. It was 3.15% a week ago and 2.34% a year ago. The five-year adjustable-rate average was unchanged at 2.98% with an average 0.3 point. It was 2.99% a year ago.

“Mortgage rates were fairly flat last week,” said Paul Thomas, vice president of capital markets at Zillow.

“There were no signs of changes in labor markets, as employment figures remain strong. Retail sales were stronger than expected and import prices pointed to continued inflationary pressures. But the strong economic data from last week was offset by continued uncertainty in Ukraine, keeping rates from continuing to increase. Markets will be focused on the situation in Ukraine this week and poten-

tial economic impacts, along with inflation data coming out Friday.”

Although Russia’s attack on Ukraine came too late in the week to be factored into Freddie Mac’s survey, events leading up to it had already caused a reaction in the financial markets. Stocks plunged, with the S&P 500 entering correction territory. Energy prices soared. And the yield on the 10-year Treasury dropped below 2%.

Long-term bond yields are a closely watched indicator of where mortgage rates are headed because they often follow the same path. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which had closed at 2.05% on Feb. 15, has remained under 2% the past week. However, it closed at 1.99% on Wednesday.

“We live in a global economy, so as much as interest rates are swayed by

domestic policy, current world events have a marked impact on interest rate direction as well. Russia is a prime example of this,” said Nicole Rueth, producing branch manager at the Rueth Team. “People start selling out their higher risk, higher return options, such as bitcoin and stocks, for the safer lower return of bonds.

We’ve seen this increased demand increase bond prices and pull the 10-year Treasury back below 2%. As Russia changes their tune to be more diplomatic one day and more aggressive the next, our bond prices and yields react, giving [the Federal Reserve] a run for their money on their effect on today’s rates.”

But Rueth notes that actions by the Federal Reserve in the coming months will affect mortgage rates’ trajectory, as well.

From Page 9 heat without a pan present, so a child cannot turn on the stovetop and ignite a towel or other object left on top. Products such as Invisacook even allow for cooking through a porcelain or granite countertop, making your cooktop invisible. That’s a huge draw for designers and homeowners who prefer an uncluttered look.

Cascino says the design world is ready for this shift, just as many home cooks and some professional chefs are. But manufacturers would need to make induction accessible at all price points; at the moment, it’s mostly a luxury choice, with prices starting at more than $1,000. Even the cheapest induction cooktops are more than twice the price of the least-expensive gas models in the current market.

If the induction option becomes more affordable, Cascino says, then “the selection is not between something that is environmentally conscious and something that is not, but the selection is: ‘Which environmentally conscious product is the right fit for the project?’ ”

DAILY REPUBLIC — Friday, February 25, 2022 15

Smart From Page 10 unplug it from its power source.

McKinley: Reboot! Sometimes the quickest resolution is to unplug the device, then unplug your Wi-Fi router, then power them back on after about 30 seconds and see if the issue resolves itself. Nine times out of 10, a simple reboot fixes the issue. If this doesn’t solve your issue, then the next step really depends on your situation

and device. If you’re a Pocket Geek Home customer, use the mobile app for access to connected home device experts and self-help content for the most common connected home devices if you prefer to DIY. You can also Google the problem and see what others have done to resolve it. If that doesn’t help, then your next option is to contact the manufacturer and hope they can help. However, today’s smart home devices are interacting with other devices.

Many manufacturers have great support for their devices, but if the issue extends beyond their

device, then they may provide limited or no support.

Q: What’s the best way to keep up with software updates on your devices?

Schless: It’s critically important to make sure that any device you have that’s connected to the internet is running on the latest software updates. Most devices will notify you when it’s time to update but you should check every couple of weeks. Most updates these days have to do with security, so if you’re not on the latest version then you could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The most evident example of this

is our smartphones and tablets, which seem to always be asking us to update. This isn’t without reason, and you should always be running a security app like Lookout Mobile Security on your mobile devices. This will ensure that you’re protected from malicious network connections, phishing attacks and advanced device compromise attacks.

McKinley: Most smart home devices on the market today are powered by an accompanying mobile app. You should make sure those apps are always up to date by installing the latest app updates (or setting your phone

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to automatically update your apps). Once the app is up to date, you should have access to the latest features. Some devices like Sonos, for example, rely on the app to push updates to the physical devices. In those cases, when you launch the latest app, it will remind you that a device update is available. When you see those messages, you should always take the time to allow those updates to take place to ensure you don’t have any usability problems.

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Plans

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Bottom line

From Page 13

DREAMSTIME/TNS

While quitting an unpleasant job may be a liberating experience for many, it adds a layer of complexity for resignees who were also trying to secure a mortgage.

interest rate is likely to be.

Barnes says that her former employer, Wells Fargo, has a new tool for customers called Credit Close-Up, that helps them better understand and improve their scores.

Beyond credit, having savings and generally healthy finances overall will help make it easier to take on a mortgage. Check out Bankrate’s guide to getting a

REAL ESTATE

Changing jobs while applying for a mortgage can make you look like a riskier candidate to lenders, but that doesn’t mean it completely erases any possibility of securing a loan.

If your employment situation changes during your application, talk to your loan officer and be transparent about what’s going on so you can figure out your best option.

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If changing jobs is in your control, it’s a good idea to wait until after you close on the loan if you can.

“I don’t recommend folks doing that, but if you do end up changing jobs after the mortgage closes, the banks will not pull their commitment or approval for you.”

Watanasuparp says. “But before you do that, make sure you’re dotting your Is and crossing your Ts and getting all the ins and outs of the venture you’re about to embark on.”

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