Steve Welty Issue# 71 October 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! California housing providers are getting a little more flexibility and a lot more clarity when it comes to returning tenants’ security deposits. Governor Gavin Newsom just signed Assembly Bill 414 (AB 414), introduced by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D–Santa Cruz). The new law takes effect January 1, 2026, and it modernizes how deposits are returned and how itemized statements are delivered. Think of it as California’s way of...
13 days ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 70 October 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! Governor Gavin Newsom just signed Assembly Bill 628, and starting January 1, 2026, housing providers will be required to provide a working stove and refrigerator in every newly signed, renewed, or extended lease. Let’s break down what this means for you and your rentals. What the Law Says Beginning in 2026, every residential unit covered by California’s habitability laws must include: A stove in good working order, capable of...
27 days ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 70 October 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! Shutdowns make the headlines, but as a housing provider, what you really want to know is: how does this affect my rentals, and my tenants? With the federal government officially in shutdown mode, let’s break down what it means for federally funded housing programs, Section 8 tenants, and even renters who are federal employees. First Things First: Will Section 8 Payments Continue? For now, yes. HUD has already obligated funds...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 69 September 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! If you’ve ever found yourself crossing your fingers and hoping your next tenant is “the one,” this one’s for you. We’ve managed thousands of rentals over the years at Good Life, and I want to share exactly how we screen tenants to avoid drama, protect your investment, and make landlording a whole lot easier. First Things First: Put It in Writing Starting 2025, AB 2493 says that if you charge a screening fee, you’ve got to...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 68 September 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, One of the most common questions I get from rental property owners is this: “How do I know what counts as normal wear and tear versus actual property damage?” It’s a fair question and one that comes up at nearly every move-out. The difference may sound simple, but when it comes time to return (or deduct from) a tenant’s security deposit, the line gets blurry. Let’s clear it up. What Is Normal Wear & Tear? Think of wear and...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 67 September 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, One of the questions I hear most often from clients is: “What happens to my rental properties when I pass them down to my kids?” That’s where Prop 19 comes in. It’s been on the books for a few years, but it continues to surprise property owners with how it affects rental real estate. Let’s walk through what it means for you. Reassessment to Market Value Here’s the tough part: If your children inherit a rental property and...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 66 September 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, If you’ve ever found yourself crossing your fingers and hoping your next tenant is “the one,” this one’s for you. We’ve managed thousands of rentals over the years at Good Life, and I want to share exactly how we screen tenants to avoid drama, protect your investment, and make landlording a whole lot easier. First Things First: Put It in Writing Starting 2025, AB 2493 says that if you charge a screening fee, you’ve got to...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 65 August 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, One of the most common questions I get from clients is: “What can I actually use the security deposit for, and what counts as normal wear versus damage?” It’s a great question and one that gets trickier in California with our strict deposit laws and the new requirements under AB 2493. The short answer is: you can absolutely recover real costs from a deposit, but you need to be fair, consistent, and have good documentation....
2 months ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 64 August 2025 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, I’ve been keeping a close eye on the rental market and this summer has me noticing something interesting. Usually, summer is our busiest season - phones ringing nonstop, applications pouring in, and homes getting snatched up in days. But this year? It feels like things have slowed just a touch. What We’re Seeing At Good Life, we’ve got 77 properties on the market right now. And here’s the surprising part: more than 15 of them...
3 months ago • 2 min read