For years, California's housing debate has centered around one question: Where are we supposed to put all these homes? Walnut Creek may have just given us one answer. A former auto-repair property at 1532 Mt. Diablo Boulevard in downtown Walnut Creek has been approved for redevelopment into an eight-story mixed-use building with 104 homes, including 14 affordable units. The project would also include roughly 8,400 square feet of retail space and just 49 parking spaces

For generations, there was a fairly straightforward path into homeownership. You didn't necessarily buy your dream house first. You started smaller. Maybe it was a two-bedroom condo. Maybe a townhome. Maybe a modest starter house. You built equity, increased your income, saved more money and eventually moved into something larger. That first property was a rung on the housing ladder. But in California, one of those lower rungs has become increasingly difficult

If you own a home in Marin County and are considering refinancing, the first question should not simply be, “What is today’s refinance rate?” The better question is: What do I want the refinance to accomplish? A refinance can potentially lower your interest rate or monthly payment, change the term of your mortgage, remove mortgage insurance, convert an adjustable-rate loan to a fixed-rate loan, consolidate debt, or allow you to access some of the equity in your home.