On or after January 1, 2014, all single-family residential properties undergoing alterations or improvements will have to replace all noncompliant fixtures before certificate of final completion can be issued by the local building department.

On or after January 1, 2014 specific building alterations or improvements to multifamily and commercial properties must replace noncompliant plumbing fixtures as a condition for issuance of a certificate of completion and occupancy by the local building department.

On or after January 1, 2017 a seller of a single-family home must disclose in writing to a potential buyer the new requirements for plumbing retrofits and whether the property includes non-compliant plumbing.

On or after January 1,2019 a seller of multifamily or commercial property must disclose in writing the plumbing retrofit requirements and if any noncompliant fixtures exist in the property to be sold.

By January 1, 2019 all non-compliant plumbing fixtures in multifamily or commercial properties must be replaced with water-saving plumbing fixtures.

The law does not appear to mandate point-of-sale retrofits for single-family homes. However taking out a building permit before, during or after the home purchase could trigger the reqirement that plumbing fixtures be replaced. Home buyers will want to famailiarize themselves with the requirements in order to avoid expensive retrofit costs after purcahsing a pre-1994 built home.

BRAD GARBUTT

RELTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN DOWNTOWN REDDING

NEARLY 30 YEARS LOCAL REAL ESTATE SALES EXPERIENCE

BRADGREPS@YAHOO.COM

530-224-6767 OR 530-941-7492

Here is a short list of voter approved measures:

• 43 of 63 school bonds (nine too close to call)
• 7 of 17 hotel taxes
• 12 of 12 marijuana sales taxes
• 13 of 44 parcel taxes (seven too close to call)
• 13 of 21 sales taxes
• 12 of 21 utility user taxes
• 5 of 7  local vehicle registration taxes

Defeated measures include:

• San Diego 0.5% sales tax increase (voted down by 70% of voters)
• $69/year school tax voted down by 59% of Santa Clara voters
• 1% sales tax in Half Moon Bay voted down by 53% of voters

The results indicate voters are willing to pass tax increases that benefit their local communities despite all the rhetoric about overspending by bureaucrats.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL SALES EXPERIENCE

The government aid program is designed to pay down loan balances and provide cash assistance to struggling homeowners in California. Here are some program details:

• Program targets 100,000 low-to moderate-income homeowners
• Borrowers must have endured some sort of financial hardship resulting in a loss of income
• $875 million will be directed to unemployed homeowners who need help making their mortgage payments
• $790 million will be used to reduce mortgage loan balances

The delay was caused in part by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac instructing their loan servicers to get on-board with the program. This greatly increases the number of eligible homeowners.

In the meantime, homeowners having financial difficulties are encouraged to contact their lender immediately instead of waiting several weeks for the program to launch. For more detailed information on the program, follow this link: www.keepyourhomecalifornia.org

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN DOWNTOWN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL SALES EXPERIENCE

According to an article published recently in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL,many websites have sprung up to assist home buyers rate a property’s walkability. One such site, www.WalkScore.com allows users to enter a property address and receive a score from 0-100 pegging the walkability of the neighborhood. The scale goes from “car dependant” to “walkers paradise”.

Redding is slowly catching up to this trend with recent zoning changes that allow mixed uses for downtown area parcels. The new Kobe’s Steakhouse location is one example of allowing restaurant,offices and residential units under one roof. Unfortunately, Redding planners for decades preferred island subdivisions away from retail and commercial areas. Most Redding residents must hop in their car to go grocery shopping, take in a movie or eat out. Urban sprawl has been the norm as Redding sought to expand the city limits to gain additional land for development. In recent times, our city officials have experienced the financial pain of extending utilities, maintaining  streets and providing  police and fire protection to those furthest from the city’s core.

There is mounting evidence that housing prices are higher for properties within walking distance of amenities.One such study was published by the non-profit group CEOs for Cities. For each one point increase in a Walk Score values increased by as much as $3,000!

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL REAL ESTATE SALES EXPERIENCE 

Cal Tax cited the following new tax proposals as proof local officials are cooking up new revenue schemes:

• San Fransisco Supervisors are considering a tax on commercial rents, a parking tax and an increase in the property transfer tax
• Santa Rosa is pondering an extension of the utility user’s tax to cell phones and asking area hoteliers to add 3% to the bed tax
• Los Angeles is considering a parcel tax to help fund the libraries, despite the failure just days ago of a tax measure to help schools

Redding has kicked around the idea of placing a sales tax hike on the ballot in recent times. I suspect Northstate residents would vote down any new tax regardless of the intended usage of those revenues.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL REAL ESTATE SALES EXPERIENCE

Anyone observing gang activity is asked to contact Sergeant Bruce Bonner at 225-4294 or Sergeant Jeff Wallace at 225-4297. I believe the citizens can aid the city by reporting suspected gang activity. Here are some facts about the gangs in question:

Nortenos

• use the number 14 for the 14th letter of the alphabet “N” for north
• controlled by the Nuestra Family prison gang
• gang attire includes red shirts, pants, boxers ,shoes, shoelaces, bandanas, hats, etc.
• call rival Surenos gang members “Scrap”

Surenos

• use the number 13 for the 13th letter “M” which stands for Mexican Mafia 
• The Mexican Mafia is the prison gang that controls all Sureno street gangs
• gang attire includes blue shirts, pants, boxers, shoes, shoelaces, bandanas, hats, etc.
• call rival Nortenos gang members “Buster”

More resources have been assigned to this problem according to City Manager Kurt Starman and Police Chief Peter Hansen. They hope to squelch these gangs quickly before they get a foothold in the Redding area. Let’s all help the city in their efforts to stamp out these gangsters!

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL REAL ESTATE SALES EXPERIENCE

Every property owner in Shasta County pays for mosquito control through an assessment on their property tax bill. The district needs your help identifying problem pools and ponds that become production grounds this time of year for mosquitoes. These insects can potentially spread viruses including West Nile Virus.

Contact the district at 530-365-3768 and provide them the address of a property you are aware of which has an abandoned pool or water feature. They will investigate and attempt to contact the owner or bank to gain permission to evaluate the situation. If necessary, the district will treat the problem using guppy-like fish that eat mosquitoes or possibly a chemical larvicide will be applied. There is no charge for the service.

Besides inspecting and treating pools, the district also surveils disease by taking blood samples from chickens and sick or dead crows, magpies and jays which are first indicators that West Nile Virus is in the area. Other targets include ticks which can spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease.

The district needs your help because warmer weather perfect for breeding millions of mosquitoes is just around the corner. You can help make your outdoor leisure activities safer and more enjoyable by reporting neglected or abandoned pools where you live.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVIN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL SALES EXPERIENCE

The debate lasted just over an hour. Candidates running in a contested race were asked 3 questions. First, they were given an opportunity to briefly review their qualifications for the office they seek to be elected or re-elected. Then they were asked to state their single most important goalif elected or re-elected. Finally, one office-specific question was asked of  each participant. Only two minutes were allowed for participants to respond to each of the three questions. Marie Whitacre, Government Affairs Director for the Shasta Association of Realtors, served as timekeeper.

Several candidates  spoke passionately about their reasons for wanting to unseat the incumbent. This was particularly true of the Assessor-Recorder, DA and Auditor candidates.  Even while being verbally attacked by their opponents, all candidates responded with civility. Some rebutted statements made by opponents while others focused on what they would do differently if elected or re-elected.

The budget crisisfacing Shasta County was cited by the supervisor and DA candidates as being the largest challenge for their departments. Les Baugh pointed to recent union concessions regarding retirement benefits as one step toward reducing future budgetary obligations to taxpayers. Jerry Benito’s office has coped with the closure of one floor of the jail with programs to monitor those released using funds paid for by offenders. Leslie Morgan indicated Prop. 8 property reassessments are well ahead of Butte County,which shares similar type and number of properties on their tax role.

Randal Faulkner harped on several negative Grand Juryreport findings regarding the Auditors office which cited low morale and high employee turnover. Connie Regnell fired back that those reports were done before she officially took the reins of office in 2007. Randal would implement more audits if elected. Connie claims recent upgrades to computer software programs have increased efficiency and automation of vendor payments.

Supervisor candidate Les Baugh said his focus will be keeping Shasta County’s budget in the black.Chris Young believes job creation should be Shasta County’s top priority. Corkey Harmon stated the county must do a better job eliminating departmental red tape that slows development and the jobs they create. He cited personal experiences as a local businessman jumping through all the permit process hoops to get a local project approved.

I believe those in attendance, myself included, have a much better understanding of candidate’s positions and public demeanor upon conclusion of the debate. I hope they found the forum useful, though all probably wished for more time to detail their platform. This format forced the candidates to stay on topic and be as clear and concise as possible, a rarity in the political arena.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE

To see a list of individuals and companies involved, click here:http://ag.ca.gov/loanmod/

If you or someone you know was duped by one of the listed firms, make sure they contact the Ag’s office for information regarding potential compensation from those being sued. It’s likely to be only pennies on the dollar but that’s better than nothing!

 Jerry also lists tips to avoid becoming a victim of these schemes.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-224-6767 or 530-941-7492

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY LOCAL REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE

This week I was headed home from work and noticed all the blue bins left curbside for pickup were empty except one. My neighbor had a large plastic trash bag on top of their full bin preventing the lid from closing. I suspect the driver spotted this non-recyclable item and decided it was filled with items deemed contaminants. The bin was not emptied and likely a form letter was left explaining which items were inappropriately placed in the bin.

This is a common problem, even in our home. My wife and I debate what items should and should not be placed in the cart. I find myself regularly removing items tossed in the blue bin knowing it is not on the list of items that should be placed in the cart. The sticker on the lid detailing what should and should not be recycled peeled away years ago.

The City of Redding’s website has a complete list and explanations of items accepted and common items that should not be placed in the bin. The following link will take you to that page:

Here are some items on the no-no list:  http://www.ci.redding.ca.us/solwaste/recyclingrules.htm

• Plastic bags-including trash bags, shopping bags and the blue bag the newspaper comes in
• Styrofoam-including cups,egg containers and packaging materials 
• Waxed cardboard-including milk and juice cartons
• Aerosol cans
• Shredded paper-it clogs the sorting machine
• Wire, rope and chain
• Wrapping paper and cards if they contain metallic printing or lining

Most plastics with numbers 1 & 2 are accepted as long as the mouth is narrower than the base. Other items accepted include:

• Glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans
• Newspaper and paper egg cartons
• Junk mail and catalogs
• Cardboard and pasteboard boxes-broken down and plastic liners removed

The drivers also request the various collection carts be positioned at least three feet apart to allow the automated trucks to empty the cans.

The city has tried to make recycling as easy as possible so let’s all help make their jobs easier by educating ourselves regarding what should and shouldn’t be placed in the blue bin.

bradgreps@yahoo.com

530-941-7492 or 530-224-6767

BRAD GARBUTT

REALTOR/BROKER ASSOCIATE

REAL LIVING REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

CORNER OF COURT AND PLACER IN REDDING

MORE THAN 25 YEARS LOCAL SALES EXPERIENCE