Understanding the Stepped-Up Basis

What the Stepped-Up Tax Basis Means for California Homeowners, Heirs, and Anyone Inheriting Property on the Monterey Peninsula There are topics people hope they never need to learn about. The stepped-up basis is one of them. It arrives in conversations that already feel heavy. Someone has passed awa

How Buyers Should Think About Comps

How Buyers Should Think About Comps What Makes a Good Comparison, What Doesn’t, and How to Make Sense of Pricing in a Market Where No Two Homes Match “What is this house actually worth?” This is the question smart buyers want their agents to answer for them. Not in terms of the list price. Not based

Which Home Inspection Issues Actually Matter, And Which Ones Don’t?

Which Home Inspection Issues Actually Matter, And Which Ones Don’t? There is a moment in every Monterey County home purchase where the inspection reports come in, and suddenly everyone has the same expression. Some version of, “Is this normal?” mixed with “Is the house falling apart?” This is fair.