Lot Size vs. Buildable Area

A property listing might say 10,000 square feet. Or an acre. Or more. For many buyers, that number is what defines the possibilities of the property. Room to expand. Space to build. Flexibility over time. But on the Monterey Peninsula, the full lot size is often not the same as the buildable area. A

The Myth of “Grandfathered”

“Don’t worry, it’s grandfathered.” It is one of the most reassuring phrases in real estate. Buyers hear it when a home has a nonconforming feature, an addition that doesn’t match current codes, or a structure built under older regulations. The implication is simple: whatever exists today is protecte

Design Review Isn’t About Taste: How Architecture Boards Evaluate Homes

Many buyers assume that if they own a home, they can redesign it however they like. Throughout much of the Monterey Peninsula, however, that assumption runs into a powerful layer of oversight: architectural review. Before significant exterior changes can be approved, many projects must pass through