Elizabeth Samuels

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REALTOR® | DRE #01500122 | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Licensed since 2005. start.lizsamuelsproperty.com

I handle the moves nobody plans for across Southern California: probate, Prop 19, senior moves, short sales and VA.

10/31/2026

10/30/2026

Selling a California home while you live somewhere else?

A Palmdale seller wrote this in a Zillow review: "I was out of state but Liz made the process seamless and smooth..."

You don't have to fly back for every step. Many papers can be signed electronically. Escrow can arrange a notary near you for the deed. If you can't sign at all, a power of attorney may work once escrow approves it.

Thinking about selling from a distance? Send me a message and I'll walk you through it.

10/28/2026

Your LA County property tax bill should be in your mailbox this week.

The first installment is due November 1. It is late after the close of business on Thursday, December 10. A late payment adds a 10% penalty.

While you have the bill open, look for the homeowners' exemption. If you live in the home, it takes $7,000 off the assessed value. At the 1% base rate, that saves about $70 a year. If yours is missing, contact the Assessor. File by February 15 to get the full exemption for that year.

Questions about your bill or your home's value? Send me a message.

10/26/2026

Can't make it to closing? Maybe you live out of state, or Mom is in the hospital. A power of attorney can let someone you trust sign for you.

Here is the step people skip. Send the POA to the escrow officer before anyone signs it. The title company reads every word. In California, it needs a notary, and title usually records it with the county. A health care POA can't sign a deed.

Get it approved early, and your closing date stays on track.

I made a free two-page guide on using a POA at closing. Send me a message, and I'll send it to you.

General information, not legal advice.

10/23/2026

Did you know people in Compton still keep horses, goats and chickens a few blocks from City Hall?

That's Richland Farms. In Compton's R-A zone, Residential Agriculture, the city code allows one horse or cow for every 2,500 square feet of lot, up to five, for the family that lives there. Up to five goats and five sheep are allowed too.

Zoning can vary by parcel, so check the exact address with the city before you buy.

Own a home in Richland Farms? Send me a message for a free value check.

10/21/2026

Thinking about downsizing, or wondering if Mom and Dad should?

Start with where you want to live.

Who do you want close by? Family, church, old friends.
What do you need nearby? Doctors, groceries, a bus line.
What will your body thank you for? One level, fewer stairs, a smaller yard.

Answer those first. The right home, and the right time to sell, get much clearer after that.

I have a free guide that walks through each step. Send me a message and I'll send it to you.

10/19/2026

Did your parents sign a living trust? Ask one more question. Is the house in it?

This is Estate Planning Awareness Week, so here is a quick check worth doing.

A trust controls only what it holds. If the deed still shows Mom and Dad by name, the house can end up in probate anyway. That can mean court and months of waiting.

Get a copy of the deed and read the owner line. It should name them as trustees of their trust. If they refinanced, look again. Some lenders take the house out of the trust for the loan, and it does not always go back in.

This is much easier to fix while your parents can still sign. Send me a message and I'll help you read the deed.

General information, not legal advice. Ask your estate planning attorney to confirm.

09/28/2026

The typical first-time home buyer in America is now 40 years old.

That number comes from NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. First-time buyers made up 21% of all purchases, the lowest share on record. The typical repeat buyer is 62. Sellers stayed in their homes a record 11 years before they sold.

In other words, homes change hands less often, and the people who buy them are older.

Part of the reason in California is the property tax. Many owners 55 and older would move to a smaller home, or closer to family. They stay because they fear losing a low tax base. Prop 19 lets many of them take that base with them. When they move, a home opens up for a younger family.

These are national figures. Local numbers differ from county to county.

How old were you when you bought your first home? Tell me in the comments.

Tomorrow I will show how Prop 19 works for owners who want to move up in price.

Address

600 Deep Valley Drive
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
90274

Website

http://start.lizsamuelsproperty.com/

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