Dispatches
From the Practice.
Market notes, regulatory updates, and practical advice for Bay Area ADU owners. Written by the practitioners, for owners.
Table of Contents.
What ADU property management costs in the Bay Area (and when it's worth it)
Management fees, placement fees, what full-service actually includes, and the ROI math: when a manager pays for itself and when self-managing wins.
Utility separation for your Bay Area ADU: PG&E, water, gas, and the rent question
Sub-metering, shared utilities, the Civil Code §1940.9 rule, and how to bake utility costs into rent. What I tell ADU owners every summer.
Tenant screening for your Bay Area ADU: the checklist I actually use
The application form, credit thresholds, prior-landlord references, no-US-credit handling, Section 8, and the fair-housing pitfalls.
SB 9 + ADU stacking: two homes on a Bay Area lot in 2026
SB 9 lets you split your lot. ADU rules let you build a second unit. Stack them to get 3-4 homes on what was a single-family parcel.
Refinancing your Bay Area ADU in spring 2026: the appraisal trap and what cash-out actually pencils to
The April Fed move opened a refi window. The Bay Area appraisal gap is what decides whether your ADU cash-out pencils. Real numbers from spring 2026.
Bay Area ADU permit timelines in spring 2026: which cities are actually fastest
The state's 60-day rule is on the books. Actual processing across San Jose, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Cupertino tells a different story. Real timelines from spring 2026 active permits.
California's 2025 Energy Code is hitting Bay Area ADU builds. Here's what owners are actually paying now.
The 2025 Title 24 Energy Code took effect January 1. Heat pump space heating is now baseline, solar requirements expanded, and PG&E backlogs are stretching. Real numbers from spring 2026 ADU change orders.
AB 1033 in spring 2026: which Bay Area cities actually let you sell your ADU
AB 1033 lets cities allow ADU owners to sell their unit as a separate condo. Here's the real city-by-city status, what it actually costs, and whether it pencils for you.
The property tax surprises Bay Area ADU owners didn't see coming
April 15 is behind us, but your property tax bill is a separate beast. Here's what ADU owners in Santa Clara County get wrong about supplemental assessments, Prop 13, Prop 19, and Schedule E.
A judge just sided with an HOA over California's ADU law. Here's what it means for Bay Area ADU owners.
A San Diego County judge ruled that California's ADU laws don't apply to condos. It's the first major court pushback on the state's pro-ADU agenda, and it matters even if you're on a single-family lot.
ADU Insurance in San Jose, Sunnyvale & the Bay Area: What Homeowners Get Wrong About Coverage
Your homeowner's policy probably doesn't cover your ADU the way you think it does. Here's what I've learned about the insurance gap after managing 150+ ADU tenancies across San Jose, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto in Santa Clara County.
Fannie Mae Is Accepting Crypto-Backed Mortgages. What ADU Owners Should Know.
Fannie Mae will now let buyers pledge Bitcoin or USDC as collateral instead of selling it for a down payment. Here's how that affects ADU investments and your tenant pool in the Bay Area.
How to Legalize an Unpermitted ADU in the Bay Area: The 2026 Guide
AB 2533 changed the game for unpermitted ADUs built before 2020. I walk through the actual legalization process, what it costs, where cities differ, and the mistakes that delay people by months.
I've Earned 1,016 Reviews on Airbnb. Here's Why I Now Recommend Long-Term Rentals for ADUs.
After 12 years as a Bay Area Airbnb Superhost, I've learned what works and what doesn't. Right now, the math points clearly toward long-term ADU rentals. A few things that happened this week sealed it.
What the $113 Oil Spike Means for Your ADU Build Timeline and Costs
Oil has surged 70% in ten days and mortgage rates are climbing again. We break down what this means for ADU owners and builders in the Bay Area.
California Just Made It Way Easier to Build and Rent ADUs. Here's Everything That Changed in 2026.
New laws mean faster permits, fewer fees, and more flexibility for ADU owners. We break down what matters most for Bay Area homeowners.
How Much Can You Actually Make Renting Out an ADU in the Bay Area?
We pulled real rental data from across Silicon Valley to show what ADU owners are earning in 2026. The numbers might surprise you.
Living Next to Your Tenant: A Practical Guide to ADU Management on Shared Property
Managing a tenant on your own property is a unique challenge. Here's how to set boundaries, avoid conflict, and keep the relationship professional.
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