Cell Phone Numbers Went Public June 2010!

Cell Phone Numbers Went Public June 2010!

I just received my first telemarketer call on my cell phone.  Uh uh, no thank you.  I immediately registered my number.

REMINDER……  all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.

…. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone:    888-382-1222.

It is the National DO NOT CALL list.. It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked.

This only takes about 20 seconds and you cannot call from a different phone number.

Your Meter Just Got Smarter

PG&E just got a little smarter.  By now your gas and/or electric meter has been upgraded.  It is designed to improve the service the PG&E provides.  Some of the features include:

• Remote energy usage reading by PG&E
• Allows you to view hourly and daily energy usage
• Faster problem resolution
• Faster power restoration
• Energy alerts via text, email or phone
• A positive impact on the environment by helping customer make better energy choices

Since getting the Smart Meter my husband and I have been able to discern exactly when we are using the bulk of our energy throughout the day.  We know that the heater takes up X-amount of energy when it comes on, we can now determine just how much the washer and dryer suck up, and our computers as well.  Very cool!

Watch your bills though, seems a few of the meters are faulty.  May take a couple of billing cycles to see the new meter results.

For more information about the PG&E SmartMeter program, visit www.pge.com/smartmeter or call 1-866-PGE-0263.

Transfer Taxes for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

Many cities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties impose a point of sale ordinance on real property.  The chart below will show which cities will impose a transfer tax. 

Both Alameda County and Contra Costa County have a county transfer tax of $1.10/$1,000.

Example: If the sales price of a house in Berkeley is $500,000 then the seller can expect to pay $500 for the county transfer tax and both the buyer and seller can expect to split the city transfer tax of $7,500.

April 2010 Price and Sales Report for California

Quick Facts:

• Existing, single-family home sales decreased 8.1 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted rate of 483,830 units on an annualized basis compared with April 2009.

• The statewide median price of an existing single-family home increased 21 percent in April to $306,230, compared with April 2009.

Click here for a link to the April report for median prices in California cities, comparing April 2009 vs. April 2009.  How is your city doing?

http://www.car.org/marketdata/historicalprices/2010medianprices/apr2010medianprices/

If you don’t see your city in the above chart, try here:

http://www.dqnews.com/Charts/Monthly-Charts/SF-Chronicle-Charts/ZIPSFC.aspx

New Renovation Rule on Older Homes in the East Bay

It’s the law!

Federal law requires contractors that disturb painted surfaces in homes, child care facilities and schools, built before 1978 to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Always ask to see your contractor’s certification.

Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects or window replacement or demolition in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978.

• Homeowners and tenants: renovators must give you this pamphlet before starting work.

• Child care facilities, including preschools and kindergarten classrooms, and the families of children under six years of age that attend those facilities: renovators must provide a copy of this pamphlet to child care facilities and general renovation information to families whose children attend those facilities.

Click here for more information: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf