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A mansion without the mass
Cut into a steep hillside, this contemporary home in north Laguna Beach reflects the changes the city made to its municipal code in 2002, commonly known as the “mansionization ordinance,” to reduce the appearance of mass from the growing number of stacked homes.

Real Estate Matters
I have been paying taxes on my house since 1997, when I bought the house. I have a property deed to my house but so does the new property owner. The new owners showed up at my house in December 2010 to inform me that they bought the house. I got a temporary reprieve by using an attorney, but that was short-lived.

Loans help with home energy improvements
The FHA’s PowerSaver program allows eligible owners to borrow up to $25,000 at fixed rates between 5% and 7% for as long as 20 years to finance high-efficiency windows and doors, heating and ventilating systems, solar panels, geothermal systems, insulation and duct sealing, among other retrofits.

Ask The Builder
First, understand that some cities and towns don’t allow unlicensed people to work on the potable water supply systems in their homes. Keep in mind that if your home is connected to a municipal water system, water in certain situations can flow out of your home and into the water mains outside your home.

MANSION
From the driveway, stairs lead up to the first level. An 800-square-foot guest suite over the garage has two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchenette with a stacked washer-dryer and a patio with an ocean view. Its private entrance provides flexibility for guests and family members who aren’t using the main section of the home.

Housing turmoil affects rich, poor
One of the misconceptions of the ongoing turmoil in the housing market is that it has touched only those on the low end of the economic scale — those who bought “Shearson Lehman” homes and would not have qualified for a mortgage under normal circumstances.