Home Seller: Friday, September 30, 2022

Read fine print before signing contract with solar company

Q: I’m not sure if this is really a “real estate law” question but my husband and I would really like some advice. It involves adding solar panels to our home. We are seriously think ing about having them installed and, as you may know, there are several ways to go about it. But the two ways we are considering are leasing the panels or buying them outright, the latter being kind of expensive. What can you tell us about the legal or practical pros and cons of adding panels and how it should be done?

A: Let me start by saying solar panel legal problems are begin ning to show up in my inbox almost as frequently as questions about dogs and people parking junk cars on their grass. But since I only answer one ques tion per week, I try to spread it out among a wide range of topics. However, your question is very timely and I’m sure there are increasing numbers of people dealing with the same question.

First, the disclaimers: I have no technical knowledge of how, or to what extent, the panels work. I don’t know how to fix them, who fixes them, when they need to be fixed or how often someone’s roof leaks after they’re installed. So don’t ask me to go there.

But as to the legal ramifica tions, there are two major ways I’ve seen problems crop up.

The first is when something breaks, or leaks, and you need someone to diagnose the problem and make the repair.

Solar panel companies seem ubiquitous nowadays. They’re everywhere and they come and go with the seasons. A couple have been around for a long

time; while some seem to have a business model of opening their doors, selling and install ing the panels relatively cheaply and then closing their doors six months later when problems start to crop up, leaving warranty holders with having to deal with bankruptcy courts.

All I can do is point to the problem, not offer much in the way of solutions. I will say I’ve represented a number of people in this situation and there are a couple of relatively big, longstanding solar companies who have been easy to deal with and seem to fix their problems . . . at least after getting a letter from a lawyer.

But remember, lawyers don’t hear about problems until they become problems. We seldom hear happy stories from satis fied customers.

So my first word of advice is to only do business with a longestablished company.

The other problem comes when you go to sell your house (or buy a house with solar for that matter).

If you own your panels, transformers and other related equipment, the fact that you have the panels shouldn’t negatively affect your sale. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently published an article that claimed it will likely increase the value of your home. Apparently apprais ers are even permitted to consider that added value.

But going the lease or financ ing route can create problems.

If you lease or finance your panels, make sure you read the fine print in your contract before you sign. Typically, the lease or finance obligation may be transferrable to your new buyer, however the buyer would have to qualify independently to assume that burden. So the solar or finance company gets the final say.

In turn, the buyer applying for what amounts to a new loan will affect their credit score and maybe take a buyer who was just barely qualifying to buy your house into someone who just barely doesn’t qualify.

The terms of the agreement with the solar company could require you to pay off the panels when you sell.

The problem here is the payoff amount may be far higher than the now old, used panels are worth. Meaning even if the about-to-be-paid-off panels increase the value of your home, they won’t increase it by the amount of money it will take to pay them off.

The proverbial devil is in the details and the details are in your contract with the solar company.

I’m sure someday in the nottoo-distant future we will all have solar panels on our homes, and that’s a good thing. But right now, it’s still a little bit of the Wild West out there in the solar industry.

Tim Jones is a real estate attor ney 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.

Mortgage rates near 7% as housing market cools

THE WASHINGTON POST

Becky Enrico-Crum spent much of the pandemic racing to keep up as aspiring home owners flocked to Idaho. But toward the end of this summer, the president of Boise Regional Realtors felt the frenzy finally ease up.

Prices in the area dropped 4.4% between July and August, though they were up 6.6% from 2021. Homes now last weeks on the market, as opposed to days. Her clients don’t have to duke it out in fierce bidding wars or scramble to put in allcash offers.

“We aren’t crashing; we’re leveling out,” Enrico-Crum said. “We’re just trying to find out what that level price is. That’s what everybody is trying to figure out.”

The long-awaited shift –from white-hot housing market to something more normal – is playing out across the country as mortgage rates escalate to the highest levels in 20 years, pushed along partly by the Federal Reserve’s moves to slow down the economy and bring down inflation. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage, the most popular home-loan product, has more than doubled in a year, and

many lenders are quoting over 7% for such loans. Data to be released Thursday morning by Freddie Mac could also show mortgage rates crest ing above 7% for the first time since April 2002. A year ago, it was 3.01%.

The housing market has been cooling ever since the Fed began raising rates this spring. And it is clearly cooling faster as rates push higher. U.S. home prices slid in July com pared to June, marking the first month-to-month decline since January 2019, according to the closely watched S&P Core Logic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index. In August, existing-home sales fell for the seventh straight month to the lowest level since early pan demic lockdowns, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales fell 0.4% from July to August and 19.9% com pared to 2021. There are even early signs that rental prices may be easing.

“It’s really important to look at how much a sector like housing, which boomed coming out of the pandemic, is more vulnerable,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG. “It was not only supported by low

11

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10 easy (or free! ) ways to boost your home value

THE WASHINGTON POST

Some elements of home value are beyond your control. You can’t pick up your house and move it to a different location, for example. But even if you don’t have a massive budget or a lot of time, you’re not powerless. We asked home appraisers and real estate agents for the quick upgrades and relatively easy maintenance tasks that make the biggest difference when it comes to adding value before selling, or protecting the investment you’ve made in your home.

Many of their recommendations won’t exactly get your blood pumping: “[It’s] def initely more of a checklist of decidedly non-sexy items that folks need to take care of,” says Dana Scanlon, an agent with Keller Williams in Bethesda, Md. On the bright side, some of their suggestions won’t cost you a dime.

1Clean up

Appraisers use six levels to describe the condition of a home, explains Jon athan Montgomery, president of the Real Estate Appraisal Group in Washington. The first level (known as C1) is reserved for houses that are brand new and haven’t been lived in, and the sixth level (C6) signals that a house is basically uninhabitable. Those are set in stone, but it’s in between those two ends of the spectrum that people can level up or down, sometimes based on very simple things like how messy their house is. “If your house is cluttered,” Montgom ery says, “then the buyer is going to have the perception that there may be repairs or something that they need to do to improve that home once they buy it.” Clutter also typ ically makes a space look smaller than it is.

2

Painting makes the biggest impact in the quickest amount of time.

Replace bad gutters

“When you’re buying a home, a single-family home in particular, you need to recognize that moisture is your

enemy,” Scanlon says. One of the main ways to fight this foe is by regularly clean ing out your gutters - Scanlon suggests doing it twice in the fall and twice in the spring. But if regular maintenance won’t cut it, and they’re leaky and damaged beyond repair, don’t wait to replace them. Nonfunctional gutters (meaning they don’t properly redi rect water away from your house) can lead to much pricier problems, such as founda tion and roof damage, and mold.

3

Maintain your HVAC system

Proper heating and cooling are essen tial to making your home livable, yet many homeowners don’t think about their HVAC (heating, ventilation and air con ditioning) until something goes wrong. To avoid a breakdown, change your HVAC filters each season and have a technician out twice a year to give the system a checkup.

Such regular maintenance will hopefully prevent you from having to buy a brand-new system - an investment that appraisers say sellers will not recoup. While a buyer might feel reassured by a new HVAC system, explains Frank John, chief appraiser at D.C.’s Washington Appraisal, they won’t pay a premium for it the way they might for a newly renovated kitchen or bathroom.

4

Change cabinet hardware

Even if you can’t afford a full renovation, one simple upgrade that agents say often goes a long way in kitchens and bathrooms is replacing old cabinet hard ware with more stylish knobs and drawer pulls. If you can spend a bit more time and money, swap out dingy faucets and shower heads, and outdated towel bars and hooks, too. This will “signal to a buyer that, oh, it’s modern, it’s updated, it’s on trend,” says Amanda Pendleton, a home trends expert for Zillow. It’s that feeling, she says, that can lead to a higher home value.

Real estate transactions

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 6

LOWEST AMOUNT: $555,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $935,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $725,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $743,333

225 East 2nd Street - $650,000

08-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1544 SqFt - 1982

YrBlt], Previous Sale:  00/1991, $195,000

16 Alta Loma - $610,000

08-22-22 [5 Bdrms - 1902 SqFt - 1943 YrBlt]

2161 Clearview Circle - $555,000

08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 1506 SqFt - 1983

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-29-15, $356,000

101 Gill Way - $935,000

08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1481 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-11-18, $645,000

496 Raymond Drive - $910,000

08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1561 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-31-19, $670,000

816 Rose Drive - $800,000

08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 2212 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 02-28-19, $715,000

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 5

LOWEST AMOUNT: $460,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $782,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $550,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $580,800

1426 Bello Drive - $550,000

08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 2185 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-11-22, $604,500

465 Brians Way - $624,000

08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1819 SqFt - 1995 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-26-17, $415,000

2240 Mariposa Drive - $782,000

08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 3413 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-11-20, $644,500

550 Marvin Way - $460,000

08-24-22 [2 Bdrms - 1180 SqFt - 1948 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-21-21, $388,000

22 Sierra Drive - $488,000

08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1290 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-18-20, $409,500

FAIRFIELD

TOTAL SALES: 21

LOWEST AMOUNT: $240,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,400,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $567,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $607,667

1813 Alford Drive - $567,000

08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1309 SqFt - 1968 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 02-10-20, $381,000

921 Antiquity Drive - $955,000

08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 3005 SqFt - 2005

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-18-18, $157,500

66 Barlow Court - $579,000

08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 1970 SqFt - 1990

YrBlt], Previous Sale:  00/1990, $170,000

479 Cement Hill Road - $475,000

08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1130 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt]

3193 Cherry Valley Circle - $810,000

08-24-22 [4 Bdrms - 2036 SqFt - 1989

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-21-13, $445,000

511 Dahlia Court - $240,000

08-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1448 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-27-04, $300,500

532 Dynasty Drive - $775,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 2073 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-13-15, $385,000

1315 Empire Street - $360,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1588 SqFt - 1950 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-17-19, $312,000

1756 Fawn Glen Circle - $635,000 08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 1440 SqFt - 1995 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-14-11, $217,000

2701 Gramercy Place - $580,000 08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1770 SqFt - 2014 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 02-01-19, $425,000

1719 Kentucky Street - $350,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 925 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt]

3216 La Quinta Court - $870,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 2411 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-17-13, $510,000

5075 Lakeshore Drive - $500,000 08-22-22 [2 Bdrms - 1072 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-10-18, $390,000

2703 Marcel Lane - $525,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 1775 SqFt - 2009 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-20-19, $429,000

1320 Monroe Street - $305,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1277 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-27-12, $95,000

924 Nightingale Drive - $520,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1584 SqFt - 1969 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-14-16, $320,000

2948 Orchid Street - $525,000

08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 1440 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-23-21, $450,000

2643 Seminole Circle - $1,400,000 08-24-22 [5 Bdrms - 4532 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt]

5024 Silverado Drive - $655,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1609 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-18-00, $200,000

5281 Trophy Drive - $700,000 08-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1863 SqFt - 1996 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-08-00, $267,500

1518 Utah Street - $435,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1000 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt]

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 2

LOWEST AMOUNT: $379,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $560,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $469,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $469,500

370 Edgewood Drive - $379,000

08-25-22 [2 Bdrms - 950 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-24-99, $144,377

345 Rainier Court - $560,000

08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 2003 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-13-08, $312,000

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 12

LOWEST AMOUNT: $217,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $745,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $514,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $503,042

421 Amber Drive - $645,000

08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 2371 SqFt - 2006

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-21-19, $520,000

73 Buena Vista Avenue - $525,000

08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1490 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

1507 Casa Loma Way - $460,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1064 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt]

333 Cinnamon Way - $400,000

08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 1440 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-19-21, $361,500

618 Frieda Drive - $530,000 08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 1351 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-24-16, $315,100

1021 Greylag Drive - $217,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1308 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt]

1771 Keesler Circle - $636,000

08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 2216 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-24-09, $315,000

220 Long Street - $364,500 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1176 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-04-16, $286,000

400 Maloney Court - $745,000 08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 3488 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-09-12, $279,000

1201 Mayfield Circle - $510,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1542 SqFt - 1990 YrBlt]

804 Mosswood Drive - $519,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 1342 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt]

826 Osprey Way - $485,000 08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1492 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-02-16, $348,000

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 32

LOWEST AMOUNT: $260,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,125,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $572,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $597,125

236 Alder Crest Way - $639,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1469 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-23-13, $310,000

273 Arlington Way - $525,000 08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 1498 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-30-21, $418,000

118 Auburn Way - $735,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1980 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-05-14, $400,000

160 Aurora Way - $575,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1497 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

743 Beelard Drive - $370,000 08-25-22 [2 Bdrms - 1376 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-21-11, $59,000

169 Bryce Way - $465,000 08-22-22 [2 Bdrms - 1292 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-22-06, $330,000

669 Canterbury Circle - $765,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 2726 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-26-09, $434,000

800 Charter Way - $520,000 08-22-22 [2 Bdrms - 1048 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-22-11, $125,000

175 Court Way - $519,500 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1247 SqFt - 1964 YrBlt]

140 Del Rio Court #4 - $340,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1056 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-01-09, $83,000

198 Elm Street - $260,000 08-25-22 [2 Bdrms - 896 SqFt - 1930 YrBlt]

775 Embassy Circle - $610,000

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.

08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 2101 SqFt - 2011 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-06-16, $400,000

7514 English Hills Road - $390,000 08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 1530 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 02-04-09, $439,000

203 Fairoaks Drive - $420,000 08-23-22 [2 Bdrms - 1011 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt]

8085 Finchley Court - $600,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1809 SqFt - 2012 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-02-15, $417,000

186 Grape Street - $559,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1144 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt]

655 Hawk Drive - $639,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1943 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-01-03, $365,000

260 Hemlock Street - $467,500 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1294 SqFt - 1957 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-03-22, $385,000

188 Homewood Street - $540,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1168 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-12-19, $415,000

520 Lupine Circle - $640,000 08-22-22 [4 Bdrms - 1943 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-21-09, $270,000

5138 Maple Road - $670,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 1475 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt]

718 Oakmeade Drive - $560,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1755 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-14-19, $450,000

705 Placer Circle - $899,000 08-26-22 [6 Bdrms - 3711 SqFt - 2007 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-25-15, $585,000

327 Plantation Court - $555,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1417 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

226 Rolling Sage Circle - $970,000 08-23-22 [4 Bdrms - 3462 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-02-17, $733,500

596 Sitka Drive - $700,000 08-24-22 [4 Bdrms - 2380 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-28-17, $479,000

331 Turnbridge Street - $756,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 2566 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-02-17, $523,000

7690 Tyler Court - $1,125,000 08-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 2332 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]

937 Westgate Drive - $570,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1328 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-21-10, $237,000

218 Wimbledon Drive - $599,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1776 SqFt - 2010 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-10-20, $519,000

227 Wisteria Circle - $720,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 2100 SqFt - 2017 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-15-21, $670,000

606 Yellowstone Drive - $405,000 08-23-22 [2 Bdrms - 1008 SqFt - 1973 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-03-12, $104,500

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 29

LOWEST AMOUNT: $299,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $855,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $500,500

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $520,172

308 Alabama Street - $447,500 08-26-22 [1 Bdrms - 1064 SqFt - 1919 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 01-07-22, $447,500

1824 Alice Drive - $360,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1104 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt]

819 Annette Avenue - $450,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1120 SqFt - 1951 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-06-18, $360,000

52 Baldwin Street - $310,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 988 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-01-08, $50,000

413 Birkdale Drive - $690,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 2098 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-05-01, $324,000

1333 North Camino Alto #161 - $329,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 980 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-11-20, $239,000

1204 Devlin Drive - $635,000 08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1634 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-12-99, $175,000

1201 Glen Cove Parkway #1513$405,000

08-25-22 [2 Bdrms - 1014 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-24-18, $318,000

177 Harvard Avenue - $460,000 08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1072 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-24-09, $106,000

377 Hawkins Street - $605,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 2157 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt]

523 Jennings Avenue - $540,000 08-22-22 [3 Bdrms - 1292 SqFt - 1941 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-25-11, $112,000

447 Jordan Street - $540,000 08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1478 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-09-11, $137,000

112 Kentucky Street - $665,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 1682 SqFt - 1900 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-14-18, $550,000

424 Kirkland Avenue - $765,000 08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 2803 SqFt - 2005 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-15-21, $750,000

821 Lassen Street - $455,000 08-22-22 [2 Bdrms - 860 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-13-10, $90,000

124 Laurel Street - $460,000 08-23-22 [3 Bdrms - 875 SqFt - 1944 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 01-11-11, $80,000

114 Lois Lane - $535,000 08-24-22 [3 Bdrms - 1649 SqFt - 1953 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-19-11, $200,000

531 Louisiana Street - $565,000 08-22-22 [2 Bdrms - 1331 SqFt - 1935 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-27-18, $399,000

165 Oddstad Drive #65 - $299,000

08-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 1100 SqFt - 1985 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 01-05-09, $65,000

346 Ohio Street - $315,000 08-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 864 SqFt - 1915 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-03-22, $315,000

288 Parkview Terrace - $710,000 08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 2280 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt]

39 Parrott Street - $375,000

08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1100 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-22-04, $256,500

596 Seahorse Drive - $650,000

08-25-22 [4 Bdrms - 1801 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-04-18, $505,000

119 Seville Street - $500,500

08-24-22 [4 Bdrms - 1608 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt]

Seller incentives, price improvements return

Sellers, including new home builders, are now offering incentives to attract buyers. Home sellers didn’t need to offer financial incentives in 2020 and 2021 because there were three to five motivated homebuyers for every home for sale.

Now that the market has shifted, Realtors and builders are getting creative by calling for price reductions, price improvements and convincing their sellers to offer options to prospective buyers. I remem ber one builder in the Browns Valley neighborhood in Vacaville offering swimming pools as an incentive back in the mid-1990s to attract buyers.

Jim Porter

Now, motivated sellers are advertising incentive options to potential buyers. The most common is a credit for closing costs. Historically, it has been common for sellers to credit buyers for closing costs in Solano County because a lot of veter ans and active-duty military buy here with a VA loan. A VA buyer can buy a home with only $1 out of pocket if the seller pays the closing costs.

Transactions: Homes

From Page 4

1244 Sonata Drive - $460,000

08-26-22 [2 Bdrms - 1167 SqFt - 2010 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-08-13, $300,000

727 Tregaskis Avenue - $485,000

08-25-22 [3 Bdrms - 1184 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt]

1309 Tuolumne Street - $632,000

08-26-22 [3 Bdrms - 1377 SqFt - 1936 YrBlt]

1466 Valle Vista Avenue - $587,000

08-26-22 [4 Bdrms - 1658 SqFt - 1963 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 04-05-22, $400,000

6155 Wild Dune Court - $855,000

08-25-22 [5 Bdrms - 2767 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 11-16-16, $900,000

Solano County is the most affordable market in the Bay Area and many first-time home buyers benefit from seller credits for closing costs because down payment dollars are usually the biggest challenge for firsttime homebuyers. The CALHFA down payment assistance program makes it possible for a non-VA buyer that makes less than $215,000 per year to pur chase a home with nothing out of pocket with a small seller credit for closing costs.

Permanent and temporary interest rate buydowns paid by the seller are being adver tised today to motivate buyers to get off the fence. A perma

nent buydown is when a buyer pays the lender discount points to obtain a better rate for the life of the loan. For the first time in more than 22 years the tem porary 2-1 buydown is being advertised and paid for by sellers and builders. It’s kind of a gimmick, but it is appeal ing to buyers who may have rising incomes over the next few years and like the idea of having a house payment based on a 3.875% rate the first year, 4.875% the second year and then 5.875% for the final 28 years with no pre payment penalty.

Seller credits for closing costs can really make a big difference for buyers who are squeaking in

with limited funds or buyers who have exactly 5% to 20% down payments. For buyers with large down payments, it is usually best to take the lower sales price, but in our middle-class, first-time homebuyer market, these incen tives can make the American Dream come true.

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.

LONEY & WORLEY TEAM

As Your Listing Agents:

• We pay for professional photography, video productions including drone photography.

• We pay for all marketing and advertising for the entire duration of the listing until the property is sold.

• We will full y host and advertise a “Grand Opening -Open House Event”

Scott C. L oney BROKER ASSOCIATE BRE# 01146887 (707) 290-0556

“Your Real Estate Team committed to getting you e Highest return on your investment.”

TOP PRODUCERS WITH OVER 30 YEARS EACH IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRYLUXURY ESTATES, WINE RIES, VINEYARDS, COMMERCIAL, DEVELOPMENTS AND RESIDENTIAL SALES.

OUR FAMILY ESTABLISHED COUNTRY ESTATES, INC IN 1982

Water View Home

275 Har vest Hills Lane

Entering you see tile floors, large windows framing the spectacular view of the backyard & lake. Chef’s kitchen w/soft closing cabinets/doors, stainless appliances, 5 burner gas stove top. Extended patio/all weather cover & fenced. $599,000

ON THE M ARKET

Ralene Nelson

REALTOR® BRE#01503588 (707) 334-0699

Venza Model on the Lake

245 Har vest Hills Lane Rio Vista

Exquisite home w/lake view. 2 b/2.5 ba w/ flex room, gourmet kitchen, & entertainment bar w/wine refrig. Bose theater pkg, & primary bedroom w/lake view. Laundry room built out w/stacking W/D & office space. Extended patio, & BBQ. $675,000

FOR THIS WEEKEND

October 1st & 2nd

Open House Sat & Sun 1-3PM

938 Beechwood Circle, Suisun City

Hidden Gem, Must see this Beautiful, Move in ready home with featured upgrades. Conveniently located to restaurants and shopping. Easy access to Highway 12. $535,000

Monica Winn & Associate REALTOR® DRE#01971960 (707) 344-4237

Don’t Miss This One!

1536 Michigan Street, Fairfield

Updated 3 bd 2 ba with new interior paint, carpets & laminate flooring, new stainless appliances, painted cabinets & resurfaced counter tops. Home also has dual pane windows, tankless water heater, newer roof and new air condenser. $495,500

Custom Craftsman Cottage

147 Gardiner Way Rio Vista

Custom Craftsman Cottage, 1952, w/ detached carport, 70 ft driveway, workshop & studio/she shed, sunroom on a shy 1/4 acre lot. 3 bedroom, possibly 4, w/2 baths, laminate floors & white blinds. Space for your RV/boat etc. Solar. $525,000

Ralene Nelson

REALTOR® BRE#01503588

(707) 334-0699

Ralene Nelson

REALTOR® BRE#01503588 (707) 334-0699

Ralene Nelson REALTOR® BRE#01503588 (707) 334-0699

OPEN HOUSE

Open House Saturday 2-4PM

3032 Muse Way, Fairfield

4bed/3ba. Sep. living areas, formal dining + addl. bonus rm upstairs! 1st floor bd/ba. Vaulted ceilings. Kitchen w/ granite, oversized sink, large pantr y, huge island w/ storage & counter seating. $824,999

Renee Neuman & Debbie Duncan

REALTOR® DRE#01231287 &

(707) 249-2702 or 235-1408

OPEN HOUSE

Open House Saturday 1-3PM

4831 Silver Creek Road, Fairfield

3 bedroom, 2 bath. Simulated wood, tile & carpet. Kitchen with granite counters, SS appliances. Newer dual pane windows.

Private 8,071 oversized lot. Outdoor BBQ+. $588,888

ON THE M ARKET

FOR THIS WEEKEND

October 1st & 2nd

OPEN HOUSE

Renee Neuman & Associate

REALTOR® DRE#01231287 (707) 249-2702

OPEN HOUSE

Open House Saturday 1-3PM

7396 Paddon Road, Vacaville

Great horse set-up! 3BR 2BA cottage w/ charming front porch on 2.5 acres. 3 stall barn w/wash station & fenced & gated riding arena + fenced pastures. $959,000

Donna Harmon & Associate

REALTOR® DRE#01355120

(707) 301-3516

OPEN HOUSE

Open House Sunday 1-3PM

424 Mandarin Circle, Vacaville

Senior living at its BEST in beautiful Diamond Grove!!! 2bd/2ba + den, 1323sf. Gas fireplace between living room & dining area. Eat in kitchen. Large covered patio runs width of home. Easy care garden w/fruit trees & roses. Community pool. $524,000 Omar Hampton & Associate

REALTOR® DRE#01242723

(707) 529-7545

Open House Sunday 1:30-3:30PM

1084 Mission Circle, Fairfield

Sparkling 3bd/2ba in Cordelia Villages! Recently updated w/new kitchen & appliances, new floors throughout. Backyard w/ new deck. Close to schools, shops, I-80/680+ $635,000

Lisa Imhoff & Deanna Million

REALTORS® DRE#01790343 or 02173443

(707) 333-1057 or 469-3346

There is a real upside to two new sweet potatoes making their debut in 2023. I mean that tongue and cheek as that is actually part of their name, but their application in the land scape looks to be amazing. So here is the skinny, so to speak: Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime and Sweet Caro line Upside Black Coffee, two climbing sweet potatoes, will be hot commodities in 2023.

My first thought was, “Why do we need a climbing sweet potato when they run, cascade, tumble and drape with perfection?” Most of all, I asked, “What do we do with them?” So with that thought in mind I gave my trial plants to son James.

The new Sweet Caroline Upside sweet potatoes have

scored really high in trials, as in 4.79 out of 5 at Penn State Flower Trials at the Southeast Agricul tural Research and Extension Center. In Louisiana they were recognized as Blue Chip-win ning plants at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station.

In the Penn State trials, the plants developed a shrublike look with their application, which was pleasant for sure. The LSU application, however, was zowie shazam, as they were allowed to climb what appears to be a steel or iron trellis. Proven

Winners suggest a potential height of 72 inches, but it might reach higher in the South. In the photo it also shows the dualpurpose ability to let it both climb and run.

James planted his mixed together in a container with a copper-colored large tomato cage inverted to resemble a tower. James said he was sur prised at the ability the sweet potatoes had to climb on their own without training. Neat freaks may want to simply move or push a running stem or shoot back into the center of the struc ture. As the plant outgrows its tower, a little snipping can cer tainly be done if needed.

Proven Winners has several

Jim Porter Branch Manager NMLS 276412

Norman Winter

pillars

chartreuse, Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potatoes show why they were Blue Chip Award Winners in Louisiana.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LSU AGCENTER RESEARCH STATION, HAMMOND, LA/TNS

Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee will also be making its debut.

5Upgrade to LED lighting

Replacing incandescent recessed lights with LED versions, which are significantly more efficient, will save you electricity, and also the hassle of frequent bulb changes. High lighting eco-friendly upgrades like this when you market your home for sale can make a differ ence, says Craig McCullough, an agent with Compass in D.C. “Also,” he says, “it makes [the home] look more modern, more fresh.”

6Get rid of carpet

If you have carpet that’s worn out or not neutralespecially in places other than bedrooms - experts say you really ought to get rid of it if you’re hoping to sell. Some lucky homeowners tear out old carpet ing only to discover hardwoods underneath. But if you’re not in that camp, McCullough suggests laminate or vinyl plank flooring as wallet-friendly options. For an ambitious DIY-er, those prod ucts are relatively easy to install, because they can be cut with a utility knife and don’t require

7outdoor space

The pandemic heightened people’s desire for outdoor space, but it wasn’t necessar ily about acreage. “What we learned was that they didn’t want more outdoor space - they just wanted a functional outdoor space,” says Zillow’s Pendle ton. “They wanted to be able to dine outside. They wanted to be able to lounge and relax outside.” Creating outdoor space can be very costly if you decide to, say, build a deck, but it doesn’t have to be. You could, for example, build a firepit, says Montgom ery, the home appraiser, or add outdoor lighting as a way to “give people an idea of a space they could enjoy.”

8

Freshen up landscaping

Think of this as declutter ing, but for the outdoors: trim overgrown hedges, clean up flower beds, collect loose branches, spread fresh mulch, paint your front door. “Those are going to be relatively inex pensive enhancements that will really improve the look and feel of your home,” says John, of Washington Appraisal. Still, he cautions that they’re harder to quantify. They might attract

more buyers and potentially drive up bids, but “an appraiser is not going to say, ‘okay, because of the door, we’re going to add thousands of dollars to the house.’ “

9

Don’t stink it up

If a home smells like smoke or pets, “that is a big deter rent in price,” says Emily Lowe, of RE/MAX in Nashville. The cheapest, easiest option, of course, is to ban smoking in your home, and be proactive about cleaning up after your animals (including staying on top of changing the litter box). If it’s too late for prevention, you can do an ozone treatment, which deploys a high concentration of ozone gas to get rid of smells that have already seeped into walls and floors.

10Paint!

Painting is “the number one thing you can do to make the biggest impact the quickest,” Lowe says. It’ll make you feel instantly better about living in your space, or if you’re planning to list, it’ll signal to buyers that your home has been well cared for. If selling is your goal, going neutral is key. “What you want to shoot for is that everybody could see themselves moving in,” Montgomery says.

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

$479,000 1019 Parkgreen Dr Dixon 2 2 /0 1257 0.130 322063429

$495,900 1320 Blackberry Ct Dixon 3 2 /0 1487 0.073 322062507

$519,700 710 Priddy Dr Dixon 3 1/1 1036 6969sf 322080176

$530,000 1000 West F Street Dixon 4 2 /0 1771 0.15 322071225

$565,000 160 Victoria Ct Dixon 4 2 /0 1688 0.132 322082941

$610,000 1235 Baylor Wy Dixon 4 3/0 2169 0.075 322074809

$633,000 1410 Cornell Dr Dixon 3 3/0 1,917 0.07 322085404 $650,000 1405 Bello Dr Dixon 4 2 /0 2,036 0.19 322084561

$679,000 1950 Dailey Ct Dixon 4 2 /0 2021 0.248 322084370

$749,000 705 Wiegand Way Dixon 4 2 /0 1850 0.23 322055685

$785,000 515 West Cherry St Dixon 4 3/0 2755 0.124 322083817

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 4 4 /0 5906 78.98 322047718

$367,000 225 Pennsylvania Ave #42 Fairfield 3 2 /0 1084 0.026 322065570

$480,000 1655 Hemlock St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,274 0.16 322082879

$499,000 2373 Cabrillo Dr Fairfield 4 2 /0 1704 0.13 322086472

$499,900 231 E Utah St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1517 0.12 322083815

$524,500 175 Santa Barbara Way Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,213 0.14 322079516

$525,000 2435 Gulf Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,519 0.23 322087212

$534,000 8 49 Finch Wy Fairfield 3 2 /0 1300 0.13 322053377

$535,000 2723 Marigod Dr Fairfield 3 2 /0 1300 0.14 322086301

$535,000 618 E Colorado St Fairfield 4 2 /0 1261 0.13 322081431

$539,900 178 Santa Barbara Way Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,335 0.14 322079600

$549,000 1180 Dana Dr Fairfield 5 2 /0 1,650 0.16 322070975

$565,000 8 32 Tulare Circle Fairfield 4 2 /1 1934 6006 322080552

$588,888 4 831 Silver Creek Rd Fairfield 3 2 /0 1082 0.185 322077342

$589,000 2737 Almondwood Wy Fairfield 4 2 /1 1512 0.08 322080695

$599,000 2759 Parkview Terrace Fairfiled 3 2 /0 1,332 0.16 322072682

$675,000 3116 Clydesdale W Fairfield 4 2 /1 2253 8 302 322044501

$679,997 4756 Canyon Hills Dr Fairfield 4 3/0 1,816 0.12 322076136

$695,000 4 480 Rolling Meadows Ln Fairfield 4 2 /1 2210 0.169 322086454

$799,999 5224 Tuscany Drive Fairfield 3 3/0 2,308 0.12 322067123

$824,999 3032 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2841 0.135 322078149

$975,000 417 Knoll Dr Fairfield 4 2 /1 2803 0.257 322070191

$1,425,000 3279 Congressional Cir Fairfield 5 5/0 3948 0.292 322086975

$1,525,000 1106 Skywest Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3414 0.804 322068078

$1,599,000 5270 Oakridge Drive Fairfield 4 3/0 4,034 0.3 332069250

$2,300,000 853 Bridle Ridge Dr Fairfield 4 6/0 3,937 0.97 322075479

$2,350,000 1604 Amaral Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 2,319 2.5 322074329

$445,000 101 Cedar Ridge Dr Rio Vista 2 2 /0 1671 0.129 322064595

$545,000 1973 Garden Ln Rio Vista 3 2 /0 1635 0.146 322085292

$450,000 541 E Wigeon Way Suisun City 3 2 /0 1488 0.16 322087097

$495,000 1313 Philip Wy Suisun City 3 1/0 1020 322085230

$535,000 635 Klamath Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 1492 0.14 322079444

$550,000 411 Avalon Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 2152 0.23 322067943

$575,000 502 Floyd Ct Suisun City 3 2 /1 1492 0.092 322071753

$670,000 330 Engell Ct Suisun City 3 2 /1 2206 0.160 322070250

$249,999 1801 Marshall Rd #903 Vacaville 1 1/0 714 0.017 322068424

$439,000 101 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.15 322080839

$457,000 105 Rainier Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.13 322078018

$477,000 112 Manzanita Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1472 0.12 322075477

$479,500 137 Cambridge Dr Vacaville 2 2 /0 1,212 0.05 322087011

$480,000 125 Christine Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,062 0.11 322080818

$495,000 207 Madrone St Vacaville 3 2 /0 1286 0.11 322040262

$529,000 424 Mandarin Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1323 1163 322066345

$547,900 407 Deodara St Vacaville 3 2 /0 1168 0.13 322059937

$549,000 686 Mashall Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1402 0.18 322059279

$549,999 118 Oakmeade Ct Vacaville 4 3/0 1799 0.13 322086318

$567,500 801 S Orchard Ave Vacaville 3 2 /0 1230 0.12 322073187

$570,000 4 84 Manchester Wy Vacaville 3 2 /0 1602 0.13 322083162

$590,000 107 Colony Way Vacaville 4 3/0 1,887 0.07 322068608

$590,000 250 Harvest Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1614 0.138 322066995

$594,999 116 American Wy Vacaville 3 2 /1 1734 3404sf 322084469

$599,999 296 Plantation Way Vacaville 4 2 /1 1840 0.13 322062209

$605,000 542 Twilight St Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,484 0.10 322073176

$612,000 773 Calico Trl Vacaville 3 2 /0 1633 0.152 322078867

$615,000 718 Scottsdale Dr Vacaville 4 2 /0 1489 9147sf 322078575

$619,900 219 Larkspur Dr Vacaville 3 2 /1 2040 0.138 322073197

$625,000 667 Laurelwood Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,750 0.14 322080908

$648,000 636 Silver Star Ct Vacaville 4 2 /0 1661 0.134 322071775 $649,900 784 Calico Trl Vacaville 3 3/0 1,951 0.15 322072800

$650,000 148 Monte Verde Dr Vacaville 5 2 /1 2196 0.43 322080601

$650,000 272 San Leon Dr Vacaville 4 3/0 1,843 0.15 322084746

$675,000 263 Bantry Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 2143 0.184 322086137

$689,000 330 Woodside Circle Vacaville 4 2 /1 2048 0.18 322080336 $699,950 112 Salinas Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1567 0.19 322075118 $770,000 901 Cedarcrest Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 3014 0.207 322061115 $775,000 754 Arabian Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 2,066 0.26 322067856

$785,000 200 Ginger St Vacaville 4 3/0 2482 0.135 322085207 $790,000 8024 Claret Court Vacaville 4 3/1 2941 0.16 322074811 $839,000 606 Hillcrest Cir Vacaville 4 2 /0 2202 0.233 322054244 $925,000 155 Foothill Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,919 0.60 322068886 $959,000 7396 Paddon Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1500 2.43 322071057 $1,249,000 8 42 Elderberry Loop Vacaville 5 4 /1 4058 0.295 322043728 $2,200,000 4150 Shelly Ln Vacaville 6 4 /0 4,800 20.00 322060664 $375,000 614 Tennessee St Vallejo 2 1/0 8 37 0.105 322082419 $495,000 2940 Georgia St Vallejo 3 2 /0 876 0.13 322087029 $519,000 721 Rosewood Ave Vallejo 3 1/0 1020 0.11 322086482 $575,000 745 Rollingwood Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1,100 0.13 322074991 $595,000 1543 Granada Street Vallejo 3 2 /0 1350 6534 322072731 $595,000 184 Smokey Hills Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1532 10890sf 322084742 $599,000 815 Valle Vista Ave Vallejo 3 2 /0 1,829 0.13 322068195 $615,000 118 Fairmont Ave Vallejo 4 3/0 2,107 0.16 322069781 $1,180,000 3024 Overlook Dr Vallejo 4 3/0 3,368 0.25 322071681 $659,900 3931 Central Ln Winters 3 2 /0 1782 5.52 322032322 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 2 1/0 22.16 321006700

LOTS & LAND

PRICE A DDRESS CITY LOT/AC SUB TYPE MLS#

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 78.98 AGRI 322049465 $550,000 Liberty Ln Vacaville 25.01 AGRI 322061524 $699,000 Liberty Ln Vacaville 29.9 AGRI 322061700 $850,000 Gaddini Road Vacaville 14.89 AGRI 322085720 $2,300,000 5663 Dally Rd Vacaville 76.09 AGRI 322070665 $1,250,000 8 362 Auction Ln Dixon 2.16 COMM 322014651 $1,870,000 2300-11 E Monte Vista Ave Vacaville 3.66 COMM 321102156 $500,000 360 Butcher Rd Vacaville 1.10 COMM 321098151 $875,000 Oakridge and Lopes Rd Benicia 20 RESA 322061922 $15,000,000 Mankas Fairfield RESA 21825708 $265,000 2060 Pinecrest Ct Vacaville 1.15 RESA 322048328 $359,950 Gibson Canyon Vacaville 1.55 RESA 22029146 $399,500 3757 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 4.96 RESA 322061715 $549,000 3745 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 5 RESA 322061705 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 22.16 RESA 321000406 $498,000 English Hills Rd Vacaville 2.5 RESL 322065164

MOBILE/FLOATING

PRICE ADDRESS CITY

$187,000 10 Del Rey Ct Vacaville

1000 322065331 $209,000 140 Calle Chapultepec Vacaville

2 /0 1300 322072141 $75,000 2500 Springs Rd #252 Vallejo 1 1/0 360 322065332

MULTI UNIT 2-4

PRICE ADDRESS

$735,900 549-551 Pacific Avenue Fairfield 2 1 2479 321043438

Mortgage

From Page 2

rates, but it was also supported by the work from home and other shifts. Some of those shifts are not going to go away, but the low rates are.”

Last week, the Federal Reserve hiked rates yet again by 0.75%.ge points, and the bank is expected to hike them twice more before the end of the year. The Fed doesn’t deter mine mortgage rates specifically,

but changes in its benchmark rate – known as the federal funds rate – ripple through the economy and influence all kinds of lending. Since the spring, the Fed has hoisted that rate from near zero to between 3% and 3.25%, sending mortgage rates on a swift upward streak.

And they might not stop here, especially since the Fed has a long way to go on the inflation fight. Consumer prices unex pectedly rose in August, with rent and food remaining major strains. Stock markets have been tumbling for weeks as policymakers make clear that they

are far from seeing the kind of progress they would need to scale their interest rate cam paign back, and as central banks around the world hoist rates at the same time.

Many economists predict a recession later this year or in early 2023, especially since rate hikes operate with a lag and may not fully seize on the economy for months. The housing market reacts very closely to any movement in interest rates. But many other parts of the economy do not.

Asked this week about fears that the central bank won’t

have enough time to gauge the impact of rate hikes, Charles Evans, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, said, “Well, I am a little nervous about exactly that.

“There are lags in mone tary policy and we have moved expeditiously,” Evans said. “We have done three 75 basis point increases in a row, and there is a talk of more to get to that 4.25% to 4.5% by the end of the year. You’re not leaving much time to sort of look at each monthly release.”

The Fed’s rate hikes are designed to cool demand, and in

the housing market, that means culling out buyers who, until just a few months ago, were vying for a handful of houses, sending prices to record highs. Fed officials hope that their pol icies can slow down the housing market without spurring a crash altogether. Demand for mort gages has dropped as swiftly as rates have risen. Total applica tion volume has fallen six of the past seven weeks, according to the Mortgage Bankers Associa tion. Refinances are off 84% from where they were a year ago.

Annie Vogelpohl BROKER, CAL

Penn State developed a shrubby look with Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potato. Upside varieties scored 4:75 and 4:79 on a scale of 5.

Winter

From Page 8

designer recipes for each color. One of The Garden Guy’s favor ites is called Morning Breeze. It features Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potato on a small trellis as the thriller, with Truffula Pink gomphrena as a filler and Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star petunia as a spiller. Toss in the expected butterflies and pol linators and this will be one special container.

Like all ornamental sweet potatoes, the Sweet Caroline Upside varieties like fertile, well-drained soil, and that’s especially true in the landscape. This usually means incorpo rating 3 to 4 inches of organic matter into heavier clay soil. A container with potting soil will be like a dream come true.

Plant your Sweet Caroline Upside sweet potato trans plants at the same depth they are growing in the con tainer, spacing 18 to 24 inches apart. Use as tall of a climbing support structure as appro priate for your container or

landscape application. Don’t forget about the possibilities with fences, gazebos, pergolas, towers and trellises. The poten tial is 6 feet and possibly more with a spread of 36 inches, maybe more if you wish.

These really are in the cate gory of easy to grow and tough as nails. Even at that, plan on giving them water during hot, dry periods. The sweet potatoes grow back quickly if you need to trim to manage its look in mixed baskets and containers or if it has outgrown its allotted structure or space.

Next year looks to be really

exciting with all the new plants. Using a climber like Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime or Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee will give you a new, vertical dimension in the landscape.

Norman Winter, horticultur ist, 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 @NormanWin terTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PENN STATE FLOWER TRIALS AT THE SOUTHEAST AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EXTENSION CENTER/TNS