Preliminary Title Report, Light, Air and Trees

Yesterday, at a risk management meeting with fellow real estate agents, the focus was on the Preliminary Title Report. As discussion moved to easements, since my current escrow has a light and air easement, I asked how common these are and what sorts of issues they present.

googlebooks

The attorney leading the discussion said that they are quite common and that there are many issues with them, often around trees. If you've been reading this blog, you'll know it got started with my rants encouraging people to think about mature size of redwood trees before planting, and warning of tree trouble so of course I found this interesting.

Stamen Law

Redwood trees are not the only trees that get very tall and block views.  I repeat, know the mature size of trees before you plant them, or buy property with trees on it. It's so easy these days, you can just Google the common name of the tree. Save yourself, your neighbors and the trees pain and suffering! Trees are wonderful oxygen producing, habitat and privacy creating beings and they GROW.

Plant Amnesty

If you value your view, one (expensive) way to protect it is to purchase the potential view blocking property.  Another is to purchase a light and air (and perhaps view) easement from your neighbors, which will then affect the property (and property value) until the expiration date. If there is no expiration date, it will "affect the property until such time as the owner of the property benefited by the easement were to deed back any right title and interest in that easement".

Marin Magazine

If you are ready to purchase property, and thinking maybe you'll add on someday, especially in an upward direction, you'll definitely want to be sure there are no light and air easements on your property, so review that Preliminary Title Report carefully. Your approval of it is a contingency in the contract, so you can decide not to go forward (without losing your deposit) based on what you find, but this is a short contingency, so review it asap and get answers from your title professional if you have questions.

This is also true if you are thinking of purchasing a property that you think you will plant trees on, or has trees on it already, because they may grow into the easement, and you could be required to trim or remove them. If it's too late for all this advice, Nolo Press has FAQ's, and there is at least one local attorney who has expertise with tree issues.

and then there is the Solar Shade Control Act.  Which probably merits another post, as do these other interesting light and air debates in the Mission and Trans Bay terminal zone.

Temporal Microclimates

Microclimates at the Golden Gate - Not just spatial, but temporal!


"Don't like the weather, just walk down the block"
"Don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes"

Friday night, taken while wearing flip flops on the beach.

Next morning, foggy at Jimmy's old car picnic. Back to socks and shoes.

It's so not boring to live here with the drama and contrast the fog cycle provides.  Gives us endless small talk topics for random encounters. Carpe dium!  Sun is out! Gather ye rosebuds while ye may!

Though we can log on and find out the real time wind situation, real time fog is the info many of us crave. As far as I know there this Android app, which sounds awesome, but I am iphone anchored... is any one out there with an android who has tried this?

Microclimate

Enough with the dire and dangerous perils! Lets get back to one of my favorite, much less discouraging subjects: Microclimate.  A microclimate is the climate of an  area that is different from the area around it. It may be warmer or colder, wetter or drier, or more or less prone to frosts. or fog. It can be a small area, or quite extensive.

Hey Neighborhood

A big part of my past life as a plant ecologist involved tramping over hill and dale, finding and characterizing plant communities. In my present life as a realtor, I drive, bike and walk across hill and dale, finding and characterizing human communities. Plants thrive in some places and suffer in others, and the same is true humans. Plants and humans vary in their range of tolerance for specific conditions. Before buying a home it's good to really ponder your temperature, wind and light tolerance and preferences.

Golden Gate Weather Services

The factors that interact to create individual microclimates include slope, aspect (exposure direction) and elevation. In June I discussed this at length, starting with this post.  The built environment also has impact on microclimate.

Almost all microclimates support life of some kind, even the deepest darkest undersea trenches, but some areas support a broader spectrum of life then others. The human species is so adaptive that we are found across the globe, but we generally prefer temperate zones close to water, which is one reason the SF Bay area is such a desirable (read expensive) place to live. 


Another is that humans also like prospect, refuge and complexity, which our diverse and dramatic terrain provides in spades. Chances are, unless you are one of those snow dependent types, there is a neighborhood here where you can really flourish.

Fire in the city

Well, the Bay Area wildland fire season is officially over with this rain and more in the forecast. In the city, as well as more rural communities and wildlands, the danger from dry vegetation fuel load is diminished for the year. 

Photocase

Nevertheless, the city fire season is just beginning. San Francisco burned multiple times before the great earthquake and fire of 1906. 

SF Fire Dept Museum

As recently as last weekend there was a fire in a building in Noe Valley. 

Examiner

and another at Haight and Fillmore the week before. Here's where to go if you want to help the folks impacted by that one.

Haighteration

As rain and cool temps send us indoors, we light candles and fires, cook more and use heating devices, which are in varying conditions re: safety. The San Francisco and  individual and cooperative Marin Fire departments have tips for keeping you, loved ones and property safe. 

Keeping vegetation trimmed and green around your home is still a good idea, as is not letting trash and debris pile up inside or outside your property.  Building or remodeling with fire resistant materials is wise also.

Southbayhomestyles.com

and of course, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, while they can be annoying when you burn the toast, are the best bet for saving lives, so keep those batteries fresh!