HomeSeller: Friday, July 7, 2023

Q: When we retired last year, one of our dreams was to travel around the country in our motor home. We rented our house to a couple who needed a place for about a year while they were saving money to buy a new home. We signed a oneyear lease and took off to see the country. The deal was that the tenants were supposed to put the rent money directly into our bank account by the fifth of every month because the house payment comes out on the tenth. The lease expired last month. When we got back to town we found out they hadn’t made any payments for the past five months. Since we had enough money in our account to make the house payment we didn’t know they were missing their rent payments. We tried to contact them but they wouldn’t talk to us. What do we do now? The lease is up but they are still living in the house. What could we have done differently?

A: Well, you could have had better luck picking more responsible tenants. But luck is a funny thing and no matter how much effort you put into finding a good tenant, sometimes landlords get burned.

Any experienced landlord will tell you that picking out good tenants is a combination of research and dumb luck. Decerning a good future tenant from a bad one is little more than an educated guess.

But I don’t mind telling you that it’s more than a little crazy to go away for a year and not check on your property. While many people in similar situations may not think of things this way, the truth is when you become a landlord you’ve gone into business for yourself.

You can ignore your stocks and mutual funds and the worst thing that happens is you lose your money. But in property management the result can

taken action while you were still

concern is getting these people tion lawsuit. Called an unlawful back much faster

Since the tenants are holding over past the expiration of the lease, and I assume they haven’t paid you anything after the lease expired, you probably don’t need to give any notices to them.

Normally, if a tenant isn’t paying their rent you need to give them a notice that allows them to make up the rent in the next three days. If they fail to do so you can declare their lease forfeited and file your unlawful detainer lawsuit.

An unlawful detainer starts

all this time

much like any other lawsuit, with a complaint.

There is a standard form almost everyone uses for unlawful detainers. It’s a fill-inthe-blanks form, but knowing what to put where can be difficult. A landlord’s technical mistake in filling out the form can result in the whole case being dismissed and the landlord having to start all over again. And all the while the tenants are living there free.

Once the complaint is completed you will pay your filing fee and file it with the court in the county where the property is located.

You then need to find someone to serve it upon the tenant, or in your case, the tenants. A “couple” requires each party to be served, even if they are married. You can hire the sheriff for this purpose or a private process server.

Once served, the tenants have five days in which to file an answer.

If they don’t answer, you file for a default judgment and skip the trial phase described below.

Tenants who are experienced at getting evicted know they can file an answer and buy themselves several more weeks in

What to do about splintering boards on a wood deck

JEANNE HUBER SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

Q: I have 35-year-old decking made of pressuretreated wood planks. They have been stained several times. Now the surface is splintering and nail heads are popping, creating a risk to bare feet. I have spread indoor-outdoor carpeting over broad areas as a temporary, seasonal fix. Is there a better solution, short of tearing up and replacing the 800-square-foot deck?

A: Sometimes when wooden decking splinters, it’s possible to round over sharp edges with sandpaper to eliminate the slivers that poke into feet. But sanding isn’t practical when the wood is so heavily weathered that the whole deck has splinters.

And there’s another reason not to sand your deck extensively: Because it was built in the 1980s, the pressure-treated wood you mention probably contains arsenic, in a formula known as CCA, for chromated copper arsenate. Mostly

because of concerns about arsenic leaching out and contaminating soil, manufacturers quit putting this preservative into residential decking in 2003. Even before that, though, the Environmental Protection Agency warned against sanding CCAtreated wood to minimize exposure to arsenic, an element that can increase the risk of getting certain types of cancer.

In your case, replacing the decking is the only sure way to make it friendly to bare feet for the long term. If you need to put off that job, you can make your old deck much more pleasant to use for at least a while either by applying a highbuild, acrylic coating or by continuing to use indoor-outdoor carpet some of the time.

High-build, acrylic coatings create a film that is many times thicker than regular opaque deck stain or even paint. The coatings are so thick that they can fill cracks up to a quarterinch wide and lock in splinters. Options include Rust-Oleum’s See Boards, Page 7

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

American Dream education in California

Fifty-two percent of all Americans over 55 have no pension plan, IRA or 401k. Thirtyeight percent of the population does not own a home. According to Experian, 16% of the population has FICO scores below 580, which is considered “very poor” and this doesn’t include folks with no scores. California leads the country with 32% of the nation’s homeless population at more than 160,000 folks, according to the CA.gov website.

Congress passed the law creating IRAs in 1974 and there was no such thing as a 401k until 1978. I would be willing to bet, you nor any of your kids were taught anything about retirement plans during 12 years of school and only a small percentage of people with college degrees even knew what a 401k plan was after they graduated from college. I would also suggest that no one has learned anything about the benefits and housing security and homeownership during their 12 to 16 years of schooling other than those kids that majored in economics or were brainy enough to achieve an MBA.

If these two vital topics –retirement, and housing – were never part of any curriculum, then I am sure you can imagine, teaching high school kids about FICO scores and debt management has never been discussed in any public or even private school in California.

Luckily, most unions have better retirement programs today than they had back in the ’70s and now some have deferred compensation to supplement the pension plan.

Only 12% of Americans work through a union and only 15% of Americans work in local or federal government, and very few private companies have a pension plan anymore, leaving the IRA the only retirement plan for most folks.

These facts and this financial literacy information needs to become part of the K-12 curriculum immediately if educators and politicians are serious about diversity, equity and inclusion and rebuilding the middle class.

California has improved a bit and now ranks around 35th out of all the other states in the union for education but geez, if we are in fact the seventh or eighth largest economy on Earth, we better try like heck to move up in the standings. We must teach our kids about the American Dream. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and the rich all have high FICOs, a retirement plan and own a house.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager and senior loan adviser 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.

2797 Whitney Drive Fairfield

Welcome to this 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home located in the desirable Whitney Park neighborhood. This home features an expanded side yard, a deck off the family room, and is situated on a premium corner lot, providing plenty of outdoor space. With large windows throughout, natural light fills the home, creating a bright and inviting atmosphere. Inside, you’ll find an interior laundry room and a 2-car garage for added convenience. The kitchen and family room are combined, offering a functional and open layout. The primary suite is spacious and includes an ensuite bathroom with 2 sinks and a walk-in closet. The community amenities include a playground and beautifully landscaped common areas. This home is conveniently located near schools and Travis Air Force Base. It’s important to note that this home is designated as Affordable Housing with the City of Fairfield and is sold Below Market Rate. Don’t miss the opportunity to own this lovely home in a sought-after neighborhood. Schedule a viewing today.

Offered at $476,741

Open House Saturday & Sunday 11-2

Jim Porter

Solano real estate transactions

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 5

LOWEST AMOUNT: $366,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $2,400,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $645,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $941,200

900 Cambridge Drive #68 – $366,000

05-30-23 [1 Bdrms – 687 SqFt – 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-25-21, $285,000 413 East I Street – $645,000 05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1350 SqFt – 1942

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-16-14, $357,000 465 West I Street – $2,400,000 06-01-23 [3 Bdrms – 2954 SqFt – 1992

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-21-06, $1,275,000 264 West J Street – $700,000 05-30-23 [2 Bdrms – 1130 SqFt – 1931 YrBlt]

43 Linda Vista Street – $595,000

05-31-23 [2 Bdrms – 832 SqFt – 1943 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 01-13-21, $466,000

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 5

LOWEST AMOUNT: $145,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $860,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $599,000

3436 Nantucket Drive – $670,000

06-02-23 [5 Bdrms – 2392 SqFt – 1983

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-15-13, $334,000

3009 Poplar Court – $678,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 2261 SqFt – 1986

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-05-11, $218,000

3168 Potrero Way – $720,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 2623 SqFt – 1980

YrBlt]

5230 Ralph Moore Lane – $760,000 05-31-23 [5 Bdrms – 2737 SqFt – 2013

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-09-19, $595,000

1213 East Tennessee Street – $450,000

05-30-23 [3 Bdrms – 1261 SqFt – 1958

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-02-13, $229,000

802 Union Avenue – $455,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 986 SqFt – 1946 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-15-08, $177,000

2632 Vista Cerro – $645,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1551 SqFt – 1974

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-22-13, $335,000

2945 Waterman Court – $640,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms

RIO VISTA

YrBlt]

607 Decoy Lane – $560,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 1890 SqFt – 1978 YrBlt]

604 Ring Neck Lane – $495,000

05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 1440 SqFt – 1977

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-29-05, $380,500

183 Sunshine Street – $575,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 1898 SqFt – 2014

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-14-16, $375,000

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 25

LOWEST AMOUNT: $200,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,125,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $600,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $625,040

1655 Amapola Street – $540,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 1433 SqFt – 1967 YrBlt]

254 Arlington Way – $580,000

06-01-23 [4 Bdrms – 1498 SqFt – 1975

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-20-19, $444,500

118 Birch Street – $200,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1359 SqFt – 1948

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-28-04, $284,000

743 Blue Ridge Lane – $650,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 1560 SqFt – 1972

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-20-98, $147,900

1000 Brighton Court – $835,000

05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 3431 SqFt – 2007

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-03-07, $724,000

184 Buttercup Circle – $595,000

05-30-23 [3 Bdrms – 1577 SqFt – 1989

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-06-09, $259,000 124 Carriage Way – $1,125,000

FAIRFIELD

LOWEST AMOUNT: $410,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $850,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $640,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $615,533

4718 Autumn Meadow Drive – $640,000

05-30-23 [3 Bdrms – 1430 SqFt – 1998

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-10-22, $625,000

423 Begonia Boulevard – $410,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1337 SqFt – 1967 YrBlt]

258 Camellia Street – $565,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 1583 SqFt – 1964

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-10-20, $440,000

2109 Clipper Ship Drive – $618,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 2509 SqFt – 1984 YrBlt]

1962 Dorland Drive – $427,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1487 SqFt – 1968 YrBlt]

1760 Gillespie Drive – $850,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 2824 SqFt – 1993

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-03-11, $310,000

5029 Gurnett Lane – $705,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 2395 SqFt – 2019

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-14-19, $515,000

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 5

LOWEST AMOUNT: $495,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $575,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $525,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $531,000 351

667 Claremont Court – $600,000 05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 1698 SqFt – 1978 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-27-17, $425,000

118 Coulter Way – $590,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 1885 SqFt – 2007

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-19-20, $498,000

3006 Duke Circle – $750,000

05-30-23 [5 Bdrms – 2867 SqFt – 2013

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-19-15, $525,000

3030 Duke Circle – $725,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 2599 SqFt – 2014

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-01-20, $604,000

936 Fallsgrove Way – $800,000

06-01-23 [7 Bdrms – 3162 SqFt – 1999

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-19-19, $615,000

107 Glacier Circle – $335,000

06-02-23 [2 Bdrms – 918 SqFt – 1965 YrBlt]

813 Hampton Street – $730,000

05-31-23 [5 Bdrms – 2566 SqFt – 2009

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-21-20, $610,000

664 Harvard Court – $600,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 1980 SqFt – 1990

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-07-98, $200,000

440 La Cresta Drive – $440,000

06-01-23 [2 Bdrms – 1734 SqFt – 1967

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-06-20, $450,000

79 Longview Drive – $450,000

05-31-23 [4 Bdrms – 2051 SqFt – 1975 YrBlt]

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.

84 Longview Drive – $535,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1417 SqFt – 1975 YrBlt]

291 Raleigh Drive – $595,000

05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 1617 SqFt – 1984

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-08-19, $469,000

154 Randall Avenue – $615,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 1806 SqFt – 1975

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-27-23, $380,000

484 Salisbury Circle – $910,000

05-30-23 [5 Bdrms – 3982 SqFt – 2016

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-10-16, $680,000

124 Silver Eagle Way – $765,000

05-30-23 [5 Bdrms – 2671 SqFt – 1991

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1990, $262,500

903 Tipperary Drive – $549,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1312 SqFt – 1994

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-04-12, $220,000

125 Valhalla Court – $655,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 2248 SqFt – 1979

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-27-18, $470,000

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 29

LOWEST AMOUNT: $310,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $1,110,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $525,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $560,121

821 5th Street – $330,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1192 SqFt – 1960 YrBlt]

1420 Alabama Street – $650,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1601 SqFt – 1935 YrBlt]

2449 Alameda Street – $475,000

05-30-23 [2 Bdrms – 900 SqFt – 1942 YrBlt]

372 Alhambra Avenue – $370,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1149 SqFt – 1955 YrBlt]

613 Annette Avenue – $430,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 1233 SqFt – 1941 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-26-09, $106,000

449 Annette Avenue – $435,000

05-31-23 [2 Bdrms – 860 SqFt – 1943 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-28-18, $319,000

1269 Arkansas Street – $547,500

06-01-23 [2 Bdrms – 1466 SqFt – 1941 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-10-11, $149,000

1317 Arkansas Street – $500,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1095 SqFt – 1948 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-17-23, $370,000

329 Baywood Drive – $579,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1449 SqFt – 1961 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-06-23, $445,000

324 Benson Avenue – $499,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1088 SqFt – 1941 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-03-10, $74,000 58 Beverly Drive – $520,000

See Transactions, Page 13

Keep mosquitoes away from your patio with these expert tips

KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST

Ah, the sounds of summer: The sizzle of a grill. The pop of a gin and tonic. The unmistakable whining of a mosquito in your ear.

“Unfortunately, 85% of what makes us alluring or less alluring to mosquitoes is hardwired in our genetic circuit board,” says Timothy C. Winegard, author of “The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.” The factors at play, he says, include your blood type; the amount of carbon dioxide you emit when you exhale; lactic acid in your skin; and your natural odors. “So, at the end of the day, unless you CRISPR yourself with genetic engineering, you’re kind of stuck with what you got.”

Still, there are ways to outsmart summer’s most annoying party-crashers, especially if all you want is to enjoy an evening on your patio. We’re not talking about eradicating them from your yard – mosquitoes are vital to ecosystems – but if you want to keep them away from an entertaining space for a few precious hours, here’s what experts recommend.

1. Know your blood type

Only female mosquitoes feast on humans, and for good reason: The proteins in your blood help them grow and mature their eggs. “She’s just being a good mom,” Winegard says. “People with blood type O are her vintage of choice. ... They get bitten twice as much as people with blood type A, with blood type B falling in between.”

If you’re an O, pay extra attention to the precautions recommended below.

2. Stay cool

“Mosquitoes hunt by both smell and infrared sight, if you want to call it that,” Winegard says. “They can smell the carbon dioxide and see the heat signature of their target.” Avoiding alcohol can keep your body temperature lower – making you harder to find – so consider opting for a mocktail instead.

3. Wear light colors

Shirking dark clothing can also keep you cooler, but that’s not the only reason it may offer relief. “Mosquitoes, like many biting flies, are attracted to darker colors,” says Daniel Markowski, technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Asso-

ciation. “The thinking behind this is that the animals they typically feed upon are larger, dark-bodied mammals. Hence, they’ve adapted to locate dark, moving animals.”

4. Protect yourself

Even if you can’t keep every mosquito away, you can prevent them from biting you with the right repellent. DEET is “the gold standard,” says Markowski, “because it’s highly effective in most all situations.” Despite an enduring stigma around it, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that normal use of DEET doesn’t present a health concern to the general population. Markowski also notes that it’s endorsed by the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention.

He also recommends Picaridin, an odorless, synthetic repellent that’s effective against a variety of mosquito species, and oil of lemon eucalyptus, which comes from the Corymbia citriodora plant. Other plant-based options such as citronella, lavender and peppermint “can be good if you’re not highly attractive to mosquitoes,” Markowski says.

When relying on any bug spray, make sure you’re thorough: “Any chink in your armor, they will find it,” says Winegard.

For further protection, Eric Caragata, assistant professor at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory at the University of Florida, suggests donning clothes in a thicker material such as denim, which is tough for a

mosquito’s proboscis (mouthpart) to pierce.

5. Blow them away

Mosquitoes are not especially strong fliers, so adding a fan to your patio can be an effective deterrent. But a lazily whirring overhead fan, such as what you’d find on a covered porch, won’t be enough. Instead go for a larger box fan set on high, says Markowski.

6. Smoke them out

If it’s not too sweltering outside, try lighting a wood-burning firepit or chiminea. Smoke from a wood fire is an effective mosquito repellent “the same way it is for any other animal, whether it’s humans or lions or anything else,” Winegard says, because “we don’t like smoke in our face.”

7. Get rid of standing water

Even a glass of drinking water left on the deck can become a breeding ground for mosquito eggs – and mother mosquitoes lay about 100 eggs at a time. “They don’t need very much at all to breed. It can be a backyard toy, like a Tonka truck that has a bit of water in it, or a crushed pop can,” says Winegard. If you get rid of it, “they’ll go somewhere else to lay their eggs.”

If you have a bird bath, try picking up a biopesticide sold at hardware stores, such as Mosquito Dunks – tablets you drop in water that can nix mosquito larvae for 30 days or more. “These are naturally derived products that are available for home use, and they’re quite effective at killing mosquitoes, but won’t kill

See Mosquitos, Page 13

ADOBE STOCK

Mosquitos are not especially strong fliers so adding a fan to your patio can be a deterrent.

Hot new firecracker for your hummingbird celebrations

There was a new firecracker in town for the long Fourth of July celebration weekend and The Garden Guy couldn’t be happier. It’s not the kind of fire cracker to make noise (other than the sounds of humming bird’s wings rushing in to feed). It’s not just for July 4, either, but the entire summer, too! The plant I am referring to Estrellita Little Star, Proven Winners’ new Bouvardia, or firecracker bush. Bouvardia is in the Rubia ceae family with other great firecrackers like the Manet tia cordifolia, or firecracker vine, which is also incredible,

OPEN HOUSE SAT & SUN 1-3 PM

but I have never seen it for sale. Bouvardia is related to ixora, firebush and Crossandra, which is also a firecracker flower. The Rubiaceae family also has coffee and the gardenia (I would like to visit with a taxonomist

Estrellita Little Star gets about 2 feet tall and as wide. The flowers will shock you with their

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glowing red/orange color that does seem to be nature’s version of a floral explosion. The flowers mature to a hot coral pink. The flower clusters just keep coming without deadheading or any exuberant maintenance on your part.

I expect that most garden centers east of Texas don’t know the name Bouvardia either, so it may take a little searching and possibly mail ordering to get the new plant. My biggest hope will be that everyone will give this plant a chance and

See Winter, Page 10

Call/text: 530-902-3632

Norman Winter

NORMAN WINTER/TNS

Estrellita Little Star, a new firecracker bush or bouvardia, is debuting in garden centers this year, to the delight of hummingbirds everywhere.

Boards

From Page 2

RockSolid 20X deck resurfacer ($52.99 a gallon at Home Depot), Behr’s advanced deckover ($44.98 a gallon) and Olympic’s rescue it ($39.98 a gallon).

On some decks, these coatings provide an easy-to-clean, splinter-free surface that lasts for years. But customer reviews make it clear that the coatings can peel, sometimes in less than a year. And if the coatings fail, they are difficult to remove completely.

Although the high-build coatings are all acrylics, the manufacturers’ recommendations about how to apply them vary significantly. With all three, you’re supposed to thoroughly clean the deck using a deck cleaner. Each brand has one; Behr’s all-in-one wood cleaner is $12.21 a gallon at Home Depot. But with each finish, you will probably need other products to prepare the surface, and with some finishes, you need two coats of the final finish. Factor in all of the costs and your time to help you decide whether it’s worth it. Among Home Depot customers, Olympic’s rescue it scored 4.5 points out of 5, Behr’s advanced deckover scored 3.9 and Rust-Oleum’s 20X deck resurfacer scored 3.8.

For the Behr product, you first need to take off all the old finish with a chemical stripper, such as Behr wood stain and finish stripper ($21.96 a gallon at Home Depot), then clean. With the Olympic product, you’re supposed to scrape off loose finish, clean and then go over the deck with a pressure washer. RustOleum says to scrape off loose finish, remove any large splinters that might poke through the final finish, wash the deck and then prime with RockSolid deck start wood primer ($51.48 a gallon). This is a specialty primer that dries clear and seals in the remaining finish and weathered wood.

You can apply the primer when the deck boards are still slightly damp from the cleaning step, provided all actual puddles are gone. With the Olympic and Behr finishes, you must wait for the wood to dry completely before you apply them. RustOleum says a single coat of its finish is sufficient. Olympic and Behr recommend two coats of their products. Behr adds a prep step that the others don’t mention but that might be wise for all: After the deck is clean and prepped, brush a little finish into cracks up to a quarter-inch wide to pre-fill them. This will help the main finish stay more level and reduce the risk of cracks, which could lead to peeling.

Covering a splintery deck with indoor-outdoor carpet is another option. Trade the time and money spent choosing and buying these rugs, some of which look quite stylish, for the time and money you wouldn’t be investing in preparing the deck for paint and then applying the coating. But keep carpet sections small enough so you can hang them over the deck balustrade or another place to dry between rainstorms. While the carpets are drying, clean the decking underneath. Reinstall the rugs once they and the wood are dry.

The chemical preservatives in your decking minimize the risk of rot, but it’s still a real concern, especially if the boards stay damp for long periods and the boards were trimmed to length without coating the ends with a preservative. CCA-treated deck boards typically received only a relatively light application of the preservative because they were rated for aboveground use only.

Winter

From Page 6

learn to use it.

Estrellita Little Star is deciduous and cold-hardy in zones 8a-10b. I expect it will most likely return from the ground in zone 8a like a lot of other flowers and shrubs do, such as Vermillionaire cuphea, Hamelia (firebush) and even Double Play Candy Corn spirea after it is cut back.

You will want to space yours 18 to 24 inches apart. It will need a good amount of sun and welldrained soil. I have shortchanged the sunlight a little at my house and will need to make a few pruning adjustments on a tree form Austin Pretty Limits oleander up above. But even with that I am deliriously happy about the blooms. I am also happy that although deer have eaten plants 10 feet away, the Estrellita Little Star has been left alone.

My combination has been totally wonderful (other than how I need to work in a little more sunlight). Around my tree form oleander, I have two Luscious Citrus Blend lantanas, three Colorblaze Lime Time coleus informally in the background and three ColorBlaze Torchlight coleus in between the Estrellita Little Star bouvardia. To be honest, I could never have guessed how the colors of the ColorBlaze Torchlight would have interacted with the vibrant red/orange of the Estrellita Little Star.

Let the fireworks recommence as soon as you can get your hands on our little star, Estrellita Little Star bouvardia. The hummingbirds will thank you!

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.

NORMAN WINTER/TNS

The fiery red orange tubular flowers of Estrellita Little Star bouvardia age to hot coral pink.

Jones

From Page 2

the property.

If you tenants file an answer, you will have to file more papers asking the court to schedule a trial date.

More times than not, tenants don’t show up at the trial. They normally don’t have a valid defense to the lawsuit so they don’t even bother coming.

If that happens to you, you still need to put on some evidence, probably the lease agreement and your personal testimony, to show the court what happened and why you’re evicting the tenants. Since the tenants aren’t present to challenge you, it’s normally not too difficult to convince the judge.

If the tenants do show, they have a right to cross-examine your witnesses and you have a right to ask them questions under oath, just like you see on television courtroom dramas.

Assuming you win at trial, you will give the judge a document to sign called a writ of possession. A writ is simply an order from a court to a public official to do something. In this case, it’s an order to the county sheriff to physically remove the tenants from the property.

The process usually takes another two weeks or so, but ultimately the sheriff will meet you at the property and remove the tenants, delivering possession back to you.

I have really oversimplified

the unlawful detainer process to give you an idea of what to expect. However, because an unlawful detainer happens much more quickly than a regular lawsuit, which can take up to one year or more to resolve, and because we live in the No. 1 state in the country in term of consumer protection laws, unlawful detainers are very technical. Any mistakes or irregularities in the documents or procedures will be construed against you, the landlord, likely letting the tenants off of the hook, so

be careful.

The timeframe from filing suit until you get possession back can range from as little as a few weeks, if the tenants don’t answer, to six or more weeks if you have to go through a trial.

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.

Annie Vogelpohl BROKER, CAL BRE #00705450

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

RESIDENTIAL LOTS & LAND

Transactions

From Page 4

05-31-23 [2 Bdrms – 1220 SqFt – 1939 YrBlt]

4244 Rose Arbor Way – $700,000

06-02-23 [4 Bdrms – 2720 SqFt – 2002

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-24-02, $432,725

228 Sandy Neck Way – $706,000

06-01-23 [3 Bdrms – 2188 SqFt – 1988

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-18-09, $290,000

125 Sea Crest Circle – $375,000

06-01-23 [1 Bdrms – 869 SqFt – 1994 YrBlt]

10 Sereno Place – $615,000

06-01-23 [4 Bdrms – 1775 SqFt – 1955

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-15-09, $185,000

140 Southport Court – $775,000

05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 2157 SqFt – 1988

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-26-19, $518,000

102 Milita Street – $525,000

$232,000

149 Stonewalk Court – $690,000

06-01-23 [3 Bdrms – 2225 SqFt – 1985

MOBILE/FLOATING

MULTI UNIT 2-4

COMMERCIAL

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-16-05, $498,520

1827 Tennessee Street – $560,000

06-01-23 [2 Bdrms – 1244 SqFt – 1938

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-28-22, $365,000

161 Toyon Drive – $375,000

05-30-23 [3 Bdrms – 1060 SqFt – 1951

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-17-04, $352,000

142 Toyon Drive – $664,000

06-02-23 [3 Bdrms – 1640 SqFt – 1951

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-02-23, $425,500

1024 Valle Vista Avenue – $455,000

05-30-23 [4 Bdrms – 2122 SqFt – 1941

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-13-14, $257,000

175 Viewmont Avenue – $520,000

05-30-23 [2 Bdrms – 896 SqFt – 1939

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-22-16, $324,000

26 Werden Street – $310,000

05-31-23 [3 Bdrms – 988 SqFt – 1978

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-06-02, $119,545

211 Windsor Way – $1,110,000

06-01-23 [4 Bdrms – 2251 SqFt – 1978

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-04-21, $976,000

Mosquitos

From Page 5

the birds,” Caragata says. He also advises inspecting any water around your home regularly for mosquito eggs, and promptly dumping it onto dry land if you spot any. “They look like tiny little grains of rice. Sometimes they’re black or mostly black.”

8. What doesn’t work

You may be wondering if old-school remedies (such as

Citronella candles) and new gimmicks (such as ultrasonic mosquito repellents and scented stickers that affix to your clothes) actually work. Not necessarily, says Markowski. “Their effectiveness will vary depending on wind, airflow patterns and the species of mosquito that are present in your area,” he says.

Bug zappers, meanwhile, are not only ineffective – they’re harmful. Their ultraviolet light winds up attracting and killing many beneficial insects, while zapping few mosquitoes, says Markowski. “I wouldn’t use them for mosquitoes at all.”

What it’s like to buy a $200 million home

THE WASHINGTON POST

Stephen Shapiro talks with rich and wealthy home buyers all the time. His agency’s clients want homes that cost $3 million, $10 million, $14 million. They want gyms, pools, movie theaters and swaths of land.

And they want homes that even they can’t afford.

“They always want more,” Shapiro, co-founder of the Westside Estate Agency in Beverly Hills said. “They always want more, they always want more.”

Though he wouldn’t (or couldn’t) confirm it, Shapiro’s agency reportedly brokered Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s $200 million home purchase – the most expensive home ever sold in California.

The house, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean near Paradise Cove, sits on Billionaires’ Row –which is exactly what it sounds like, an area full of massive homes for the wealthy. They may look the same – massive, towering, stunning – but the buyers want them for specific reasons.

“Not all billionaires are created equal,” said Leonard Steinberg, a corporate broker for Compass, a New York real estate company.

“The big thing about the very wealthy buyer is they’re very different,” he said. “And it has nothing to do with the amount of wealth they have as much as their personal needs and likes and wants.”

He added: “The more money they want to spend, the more perfect the house has to be.”

Overall, they just want quality, according to Shapiro, whose clients purchased homes for $14 million on average last year.

The $200 million home – which was reportedly paid for in cash –may be as quality as it gets. The all-concrete home has shimmering electric blue pools, massive windows and a stunning view.

Designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the home was originally built for William Bell, one of the world’s biggest art collectors, who wanted the residence to double as an art museum for his work.

Ando’s designs have attracted wealthy clients. Designer Tom Ford was one of the first American men to ask Ando to design a home. He also designed a home in Malibu that Kanye West bought (though the home is now reportedly rotting away). There are rumors that Kim Kardashian has met with Ando for a design project, too.

The Japanese designer uses reinforced concrete for his work and develops a space where natural sunlight can shine through, evolving a normally dull and mundane substance into something “poetic,” according to Ahmed Ali, associate professor of architecture at Texas A&M University. The concrete blends with the natural light, bringing the physical and natural worlds together, a common attribute among Japanese architecture, Ali said.

Celebrities – or any art collector – seek Ando’s work for his taste. It’s not only about his style and craft, but also his name and recognition, Ali said.

“If you need a signature, you’re willing to pay the price,” Ali said.

“For some people, architecture is like fashion, and they will buy the ‘product,’ because the architect is famous or trendy, and not necessarily because they like the house,” said Howard Davis, professor of architecture at the University of Oregon. “What they very well might be buying is an image and a name.”

But wealthy clients don’t always pick out specific architects, Shapiro said. Clients often approach his agency with a specific style of home in mind, such as mid-century or neocolonial.

They might not walk away with that style of home, though.

Some homes make a name for themselves, such as “The One Above All Else,” an elegant towering residential skyscraper in New York City that offers a view of the Hudson River, Central Park and much of the city’s skyline. There’s Rupert Murdoch’s Beaverhead Ranch in Dillon, Mont., which is worth $200 million, according to Robb Report, a luxury lifestyle magazine. Another expensive property includes a Palm Beach, Fla., one that sold for a state record of $122.7 million in 2021.

Settling on the right price is a massive factor for wealthy buyers.

“Everybody thinks that their money should buy more than what they’re getting,” Shapiro said.

As wealthy people lower their expectations in price, they sacrifice some of their desires, Shapiro said. Maybe it’s that breathtaking view, or maybe they’ll have to settle for less square footage. Other times, they might even have neighbors.

Excited clients only need 30 to 60 days to wrap up a deal, according to Shapiro. Everything moves quickly when homes are super expensive, he said, because wealthy home buyers will often pay fully in cash, bypassing the need of a lender that “can slow down the process.”

Some wealthy people deal only in secret, whispering which homes are for sale and striking permanent deals. The “Succession” scene where Connor Roy purchases his late father’s home for $63 million after a 10-second negotiation with his widow isn’t too far off from what’s happening out there.

Like the eldest Roy son, celebrities are always searching for the right deal, too. The buyers of the newly sold property can tell themselves they got a steal, because it was originally listed at $295 million, according to Forbes.

The purchase price still did not exceed the all-time real estate record deal in the United States, which was $238 million for a New York City penthouse.

According to Steinberg, wealthy home buyers have recently been trying to buy items that only they can have. “What are the things you can have and

own that separates you and gives you that status that others cannot replicate?”

Steinberg said houses like these may be used for parties, marketing and events.

“They’ll be able to attract the globe to that house,” he said. “That is a destination.”