The Real Estate Beat

Home Equity Is the Key To Unlocking Millionaire Status – but the Dream Is Getting Further Out of Reach – Shared Article

America is minting millionaires at a remarkable pace—but for many households, that wealth exists more on paper than in the bank.

As home prices surged, many homeowners were pushed closer to seven-figure net worth through rising equity. But the same market that helped create those millionaire balance sheets has also made it harder, slower, and more expensive for the next generation to buy in at all.

Today, more than 24 million U.S. households have a net worth above $1 million, according to a Bloomberg analysis of Federal Reserve data, and one-third of those millionaire households have been minted since 2017.

I read this article HERE. By Allaire Conte

That tracks closely with housing: From 2017 to 2023, the national median home price rose 35%, and by 2025, a simple starter home cost $1 million or more in more than half of all states, according to data from Realtor.com®.

“Millionaire status is closely tied to homeownership and resultant home equity,” explains Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com. “Building home equity is the mechanism by which those accumulating wealth can put away some of their income each month and see that money grow with the value of their home.”

But as the typical age for a first-time homebuyer stretches to 40, it poses a complication: More Americans may be reaching millionaire status through housing, even as fewer have the runway to build that kind of wealth themselves.

How housing has made so many millionaires

So why is owning a home such a wealth builder?

The Urban Institute describes homeownership as the anchor of long-term wealth accumulation in a recent report.

Once households get into ownership, the wealth effect compounds. The report found that median home equity rises from about $180,000 within the first five years after purchase to more than $340,000 by years six through 10, then continues climbing with longer tenure.

That helps explain why so many households can cross the seven-figure net-worth threshold without looking or feeling especially affluent—they just keep living in the same house, and over time, their equity stake in that house can swell.

It also helps explain why the old idea of the “millionaire next door” may be even more relevant today than when it was first popularized in 1996 by the bestselling book of the same name.

The book challenged the image of a millionaire as someone who struck it rich in stocks or business, instead portraying millionaires as ordinary-looking households (like your neighbors) whose wealth was real but understated—people who spent carefully and built net worth steadily over time.

https://www.realtor.com/creative/rdc-ads/market-clock/?zip=00000&id=b0e4da&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.realtor.com

It’s what Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale calls the “get rich slow scheme” of homeownership, and Berner says that’s exactly the dynamic playing out for many millionaires today.

“These figures suggest that those who become millionaires do so with high-growth investments rather than simply piling up cash, and that most of them own homes rather than rent,” he says. “These are long-term approaches to wealth building, so these newly minted millionaires may not have major positive cash flows during their years of working, saving, and building up home equity.”

But Berner adds there are other sneaky ways that homeownership can build wealth.

Bar and line graph showing that homeowner net worth is 38 times that of renters in 2022

“We showed that homeownership correlates with higher rates of saving, even on top of home equity building,” he says, pointing to recent research from Realtor.com on generational wealth and homeownership. “This level of financial acumen and discipline leads some to become millionaires and others to be left behind.”

Over time, that combination can produce a very large balance-sheet effect. Homeowners’ median net worth has typically been 30 to 50 times that of renters since 1989, according to a Realtor.com analysis of Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances data.

It’s a clear illustration of why homeownership remains one of the clearest paths to millionaire status. It also offers an important reframing of homeownership today: While high prices have recast homeownership as the end goal of wealth creation, the data instead points to it as where real wealth creation begins.

The same market creating millionaires is locking others out

That poses a material problem for younger and first-time buyers today. The same housing market that has helped many owners build seven-figure net worth is also making it harder for others to get on the ladder in the first place.

The median age of first-time homebuyers has climbed from 30 in 1990 to 40 in 2025, while the time needed to save for a down payment has stretched from three years to nearly 10, according to recent research from Realtor.com on generational wealth.

Multi-line graph showing Millennial and Gen Z homeownership Lags behind older generations

Graphic illustrating that buying a home by age 32 nets 22.5% higher net worth by age 50 — Buyers who purchase early accumulate a higher net worth in middle age, the Realtor.com Generational Wealth study has found.Realtor.com

That delay matters because time is such an important variable in compounding home equity into wealth. Buying by age 32 is associated with roughly 22.5% higher net worth by age 50, or about $119,000 more, compared with buying in one’s 40s, according to the analysis from Realtor.com.

Federal Reserve data also shows how this matters for millionaire status. Average household net worth doesn’t climb above $1 million until ages 55 to 64, meaning households that buy later have less time to let home equity compound before reaching the years when wealth typically peaks.

As Berner put it, “Homeownership is certainly a path to the upper middle class, and the fact that it is so hard to achieve for first-time buyers right now is creating serious inequity.”

Millionaire status under pressure

As the American millionaire class has grown, the material meaning of that status has changed. In 1995, for perspective, there were only 1.6 million millionaires in the U.S., according to a report from the IRS.

Today, that threshold is far less exclusive and far more tied up in illiquid assets like home equity—meaning that it hasn’t necessarily translated into obvious abundance or day-to-day financial freedom.

The broader class picture points in the same direction. A recent American Enterprise Institute report found that the upper middle class expanded from 10% of families in 1979 to 31% in 2024, while the share of families below the core middle class fell from 54% to 35%.

So as more households have moved further up the balance-sheet ladder, they haven’t necessarily transcended into old (often liquid) ideas of affluence.

That’s why millionaire status is under more pressure today. The assets are real, but for many households they’re embedded in the home they live in or the retirement account they are not yet ready to draw from. What has grown is not only the number of millionaires, but the gap between looking wealthy on paper and feeling wealthy in practice.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Cell| Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654

EMAIL | WEB| YouTube| BLOG

We love what we do and would love to help you navigate your sale or purchase of Residential Real Estate. Please reach out for a personal consultation. Please enjoy our free resources below and get to know our team from our TESTIMONIALS.

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral, or some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text, or click away!

The Caton Team believes, in order to be successful in the San Francisco | Peninsula | Bay Area | Silicon Valley Real Estate Market, we have to think and act differently. We do this by positioning our clients in the strongest light, representing them with the utmost integrity, while strategically maneuvering through negotiations and contracts. Together we make dreams come true.

A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined local Real Estate experience and knowledge – wouldn’t you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified. We are licensed to assist our clients with their Real Estate needs. We do not provide legal or financial advice, directly or implied. Please seek the appropriate counsel.

$84 Trillion in Generational Wealth Is About To Transfer — but the Heirs Are Missing – Shared Article

This article is eye opening.

I read this article HERE. By Allaire Conte

On the eve of the largest transfer of wealth in history, something is wrong: The heirs are missing.

Today, as many as 15.2 million adults ages 55 and older are childless, according to the latest estimate available from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of these adults, about 40% live alone—double the rate of similarly aged adults with children.

“We’re kind of in a troubling situation,” Ronald Lee, a UC Berkeley demographer and economist, tells Realtor.com®. “We’re stuck with these values and institutions that haven’t really adjusted to the fact that we live much longer and we’re having many fewer kids.”

That’s creating a historic paradox: On the one hand, $19 trillion in baby boomer home equity is preparing to move. On the other, the vertical flow of family legacy is being rerouted laterally to nieces, nephews, charities, and the high cost of the American health care system.

That introduces a slew of questions for the population, and uniquely, the housing market.

As steep competition has put more pressure on the role of family help for younger house hunters to become homeowners, children raised in homeowner households are 18.4 percentage points more likely to become homeowners by age 35, according to a Realtor.com analysis of data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics.

So as the Great Wealth Transfer collides with the baby bust, the $124 trillion question is what happens to the American dream when the ladder of inheritance runs out of rungs?

The rise of ‘solo agers’ and ‘orphan-elders’

“There’s so many of us that are growing older without family support and structure,” Carol Marak, a financial educator who is aging on her own at 74 years old, tells Realtor.com. “I initially started out just wanting to build awareness about this, but it’s going to take more than building awareness. We need to put systems in place.”

In her work, she leads peer groups and workshops with other solo-agers to help them plan for the later stages of life. That includes financial, health care, and estate planning as well as social networking.

“We all have our own preferences for how we want to age, how we want to live, how we want to address these issues. I give [solo-agers] the tools for how to start thinking through these issues,” she says.

When asked where most of the solo-agers she works with plan on leaving their wealth, Marak says that many “don’t really care where it goes.”

“Most of us will leave it to a charity,” she adds, also citing nieces and nephews, as well as caretakers of beloved pets.

Some heirs may get more—but fewer people may benefit

As wealth moves laterally, it upends what Jay Zigmont, a certified financial planner who specializes in working with child-free clients, calls the “traditional life script.”

This script assumes a vertical flow: You build wealth and pass it on to direct heirs.

Baby boomers alone are estimated to transfer roughly $84 trillion in wealth through 2048, with millennials standing to inherit the lion’s share, according to projections from Cerulli Associates.

But as families shrink, that flow is narrowing and colliding with a long and established trend of wealth inequality.

“Since there are fewer children, that means for each old person, those inherited assets are going to be concentrated on a smaller number of people,” Lee explains.

So instead of spreading, wealth is at risk of pooling—more than it already is. Cerulli’s estimates suggest that 2% of households will control over 50% of the Great Wealth Transfer’s transfers. Add in fewer people (or just one person) to divide the assets among and the individual lift can be massive.

Zigmont describes one 29-year-old client whose inheritance from her grandmother was so significant “she doesn’t have to work again in her life.”

That concentration risks super-charging long entrenched wealth divides. Today, the homeownership rate for white households is 75.1%, compared with 44.2% for Black households and 48.7% for Hispanic households.

Even for the lucky heirs, the timing is at risk of being a mismatch. As people live longer, they’re bequeathing wealth to their inheritors later.

“The age of inheriting is going to be in the 50s, something like that,” Lee says—long after the critical window where buying a home can maximize a person’s lifetime net worth. “It comes too late to really help you with your life.”

Even for the lucky heirs, the timing is at risk of being a mismatch. As people live longer, they’re bequeathing wealth to their inheritors later.

Long-term care may be the biggest heir of all

Even when there is significant wealth to pass on, there is no guarantee that it will survive the high cost of aging.

As of 2026, the nationwide average annual cost for a shared room in a nursing home has climbed to roughly $120,000, while private rooms now exceed $136,000, according to the American Council on Aging.

It’s a sum few can afford out of pocket; and for those with children, the gap is often closed by familial care—an informal support system that costs adult children an estimated $144,000 to $201,000 over a two year period, according to one study.

But for those aging solo, that unpaid labor isn’t baked in. To make matters harder, there isn’t the same social safety net that there once was.

The problem, Lee explains, comes back to the changing population: Older generations are living longer with higher care needs and fewer younger workers to fund the programs that provide a backstop.

Lee’s research shows that public transfers like these (i.e., Social Security and Medicaid) historically play a larger role in high-income countries like the U.S. than any massive transfer of private wealth.

“The transfers older people get … are often the only thing standing between an elderly person and poverty,” he says.

This structural void is exactly what Marak recognized in her 50s.

While she owned her home outright, she realized she had little liquidity to fund the professional support she would eventually need as a solo-ager. To bridge that gap, she spent five years saving aggressively before selling her suburban house and downsizing to a high-rise in downtown Dallas, where she’s closer to public transit, her doctors, and community.

Her goal—a lesson she now imparts to her senior groups—is to maximize quality of life while ensuring her money outlasts her. In this new landscape, leaving wealth behind isn’t about ensuring a windfall for an heir; it is a final level of financial security that guarantees these seniors will be taken care of.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Cell| Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654

EMAIL | WEB| YouTube| BLOG

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Stats are In… Market Snapshot for Feb 2026 & March 2026

Hello Caton Team Friends,

The stats are in for Feb & Mar 2026.

What gain we saw in Feb has tempered in March. We are midway through April and I can feel the cold thawing. Buyers are doing their homework, loan shopping and budget making. While sellers are getting their homes ready for the Spring Market that officially starts on May 1. Are you ready?

There was slight price adjustments in March, which still feels seasonal. Buyer right now are weighing so much, the interest rates haven’t fallen much, hovering around 6%+, the state of the economy and the world has folks on edge. But not off the table. With caution and a solid plan, I am seeing my clients make their Real Estate goals work! How can The Caton Team help you?

What are your thoughts for the year ahead?

For my selling clients, life changes everyday and if you need to sell your home – let’s come up with a strategy to get you sold! Even in an odd market The Caton Team can help you strategically sell your home.

For my buyers, some homes are garnering multiple offers, but some are overlooked. With a little legwork, a buyer can truly find some great opportunities when they align with the market.

If you’re considering a Real Estate move, contact The Caton Team for a free consultation. With over 45+ years of combined Real Estate experience, we have the knowledge and know-how to guide you to your goal. Call us at 650.799.4333 or email us at info@TheCatonTeam.com.

Let’s see our month over month…

How can The Caton Team Help You?

Contact The Caton Team 650.799.4333 | Email Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Whether you are selling or buying – today or tomorrow – contact The Caton Team – we’re happy to help you achieve your Real Estate goals.

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

Each market is unique and with over 40 years of combined Real Estate experience, The Caton Team is more than happy to be of service if and when you are considering a move. Contact us anytime during your journey, together we’ll help you achieve your Real Estate goals.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

RECENTLY SOLD by THE CATON TEAM

Homes Sold by The Caton Team | Helping Our Buyers Find Their Way Home

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral, or need some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text or click away!

The Caton Team believes, in order to be successful in the San Fransisco | Peninsula | Bay Area | Silicon Valley Real Estate Market we have to think and act differently. We do this by positioning our clients in the strongest light, representing them with the utmost integrity, while strategically maneuvering through negotiations and contracts. Together we make dreams come true.

A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined, local Real Estate experience and knowledge – wouldn’t you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

Cybersecurity Checklist: Best Practices for Real Estate Professionals & You – Shared Article

Cybercrime can be devastating to real estate professionals and their clients. The following checklist offers some best practices to help you curb the risk of cybercrime. Because data protection and cybersecurity laws differ across the country, NAR recommends that you work with an attorney licensed in your state to help you develop cybersecurity-related programs, policies, and materials.

I read this article HERE.

A. Email and Password Hygiene

Never click on unknown attachments or links, as doing so can download malware onto your device.
Use encrypted email, a transaction management platform, or a document-sharing program to share sensitive information.
Carefully guard login and access credentials to email and other services used in the transaction.
Regularly purge your email account, and archive important emails in a secure location.
Use long, complicated passwords such as phrases or a combination of letters, numbers, symbols.
Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
Consider using a password manager.
Use two-factor authentication whenever it is available.
Avoid doing business over public, unsecured Wi-Fi.

B. Other IT-based Security Measures

Keep antivirus software and firewalls active and up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and programs patched and up-to-date.
Regularly back up critical data, applications, and systems, and keep backed up data separate from online systems.
Don’t download apps without verifying that they are legitimate and won’t install malware or breach privacy.
Don’t click on links in texts from unknown senders.
Prior to engaging any outside IT provider, review the applicable privacy policies and contracts with your attorney.

C. Law, Policy, and Insurance Considerations

In collaboration with your attorney, develop a written disclosure warning clients of the possibility of transaction-related cybercrime. NAR has created a Wire Fraud Email Notice Template that you and your counsel may use and adapt. Stay up-to-date on your state’s laws regarding personally identifiable information, the development and maintenance of cyber and data-related business policies, and other required security-related business practices.
Develop and implement the following policies:
1. Document Retention and Destruction Policy
2. Cyber and Data Security Policy
3. Breach Response and Breach Notification Policy
Ensure that your staff and licensees have reviewed and are following all implemented policies.
Review your current insurance coverage, and ask your insurance agent about cyber insurance and the availability and applicability of products such as social engineering fraud endorsements and computer & electronic crime riders.

Why is cyber security important?

Online Real Estate Fraud Climbed to $275M in 2025, FBI Says

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 12,000 real estate fraud complaints last year.

I read this HERE. By Eliana Block

Cyber criminals stole more than $275 million through real estate-related fraud from at least 12,368 victims last year, according to a new reportpdf from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Those figures are higher than 2024 and 2023—which saw 9,359 complaints totaling more than $173 million in losses and 9,521 complaints totaling about $145 million, respectively—but significantly less than 2022’s peakpdf of 11,727 complaints and a whopping $397 million in losses.

IC3 considers financial loss from a real estate investment or fraud involving rental or timeshare property as “real estate fraud.”

The FBI report outlines how just about anyone, at any age and real estate experience level, can fall victim to these crimes, with persons in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s submitting an equal amount of real estate-related fraud reports last year.

The report, which notes that total cybercrime losses have reached about $20.9 billion, emphasizes how AI is shaping fraud by helping schemers appear more convincing and thwarting victims by becoming harder to detect.

“AI technology enables the creation of convincing synthetic content, such as social media profiles and personalized conversations, often in mass quantities,” the report says. “People have manipulated video and audio similarly for decades, but the widespread availability of this developing technology makes it possible to create high-quality content.”

In July 2025, REALTOR® News covered a growing cryptocurrency scheme known as pig butchering—the practice of scammers gaining trust and gradually encouraging victims to invest more and more money into false accounts by showing fake profits. The U.S. Secret Service said this particular scam resulted in $15 million total in losses for 60 real estate agents.

Agent Awareness and Prevention

The National Association of REALTORS® published a Window the Law video warning real estate professionals about these scams, along with an NAR Cryptoscam Awareness one-sheetpdf that outlines red flags and best practices.

Brokers are encouraged to have a risk-reduction plan in place and regularly offer AI cybersecurity and wire fraud training for agents and staff.

The FBI IC3 report describes a success story where preparation and awareness prevented a fraudulent transaction from being completed. The individuals who were closing on a house received an email impersonating their attorneys and mistakenly sent a large wire transfer to a scammer.

“A wire was submitted at their bank for over $449,000 and was sent to the recipient bank. After the fraud was discovered, the individuals reported the fraud to their bank, and their attorneys made separate attempts to contact the recipient bank with negative results,” the FBI report states.

“Upon receiving the IC3 complaint filed about the incident, the [IC3 Recovery Asset Team] immediately initiated the [Financial Fraud Kill Chain (FFKC)] to request a freeze of the fraudulent account at the recipient bank. The RAT received notification from the recipient bank that the full amount was still in the account and on hold.”

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Cell| Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654

EMAIL | WEB| YouTube| BLOG

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

Mind Games Are Preventing You from Saving Money – Shared Article

Saving money can be difficult, and sometimes your frame of mind can hold you back. Here are some negative thoughts to overcome:

I read this article HERE.

I Don’t Make Enough Money to Save
You are more than likely wrong about this one. Sometimes it’s about writing down your numbers and determining what you can cut and save on.

With the improving economy, it’s becoming even easier. Household incomes have been increasing and the unemployment rate has been falling the past few years, giving more people a chance to save. And many are doing it. The personal savings rate in the U.S. rose to 5.9 percent in March after rising steadily since 2013. But there’s room for improvement. The personal savings rate averaged 8.29 percent from 1959 until 2017.

I’ll Start Saving When I Earn More
How many times have you told yourself that you’ll start saving when your income rises enough so you can afford it? Unfortunately, this kind of thinking won’t get you anywhere. Expenses often increase as pay does, so putting off saving for this reason doesn’t mean you’ll do it later. Start now instead of waiting.

I’m Young. I’ve Got Decades to Save
Telling yourself that you’ll save later can affect your retirement planning. It’s a problem that can be dealt with later, the thinking goes, and it can be hard to imagine what will happen decades from now.

The value of compounding and saving early in life are explained on the website interest.com. Waiting only five years, not decades, can require a higher savings rate to reach a retirement goal of $1 million by age 65.

According to the site, if you save $405 per month by age 25 at an average annual return of 7 percent then you’ll have $1 million at age 65. But if you wait until you’re 30 to start saving then you’ll need to save $585 per month to reach that same goal.

It’s Too Difficult
Saving money isn’t easy, but it isn’t as difficult as you might think. Some apps can help. Digit monitors your spending and moves money from your checking account into savings when you can afford it. Meanwhile, a finance app, Acorns, automatically invests your spare change.

Some retirement plans take the work out of investing with target-date retirement funds. Workers select a fund closest to their retirement date and the portfolio changes automatically as they age—aggressive investing when they’re young and more conservative as they near retirement.

Enrollment in a 401(k) retirement plan can be automatic when a worker joins a company, allowing them to opt out if they want to. Employee contributions can also be automatically increased over time.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Cell| Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654

EMAIL | WEB| YouTube| BLOG

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

Best Ways to Use Credit Card Concierge – Shared Article

Somewhere on your credit card statement—or maybe even on the back of the card—is contact information for a credit card concierge. The service is usually free, and while it isn’t available on all credit cards, many travel rewards cards offer it as a way to have someone do some tasks for you. Requests can be made over the phone or by filling out an online form.

Here are some of the best ways to use a concierge service offered through your credit card:

I read this article HERE.

Sports Tickets
Is that hockey game you want to go to sold out? Is the game in two days and you really want to go? A credit card concierge can check resale markets for you, and should have a number of price ranges for you within a few hours.

Restaurant Reservations
If the OpenTable app or calling a restaurant directly doesn’t get you a dinner reservation at the time you want, try the concierge. They may be able to find availability that you can’t, getting you in to a popular restaurant.

Hotel
If you have a hotel rewards credit card, you may be better off calling the card’s customer service line for help. After all, hotels are their specialty, so they should be able to find you a great room at a great price.

Otherwise, ask the credit card concierge for hotel recommendations. The hotel chain doesn’t have to be tied to your credit card, though that can’t hurt if it allows you to collect more rewards points from the trip. Just tell the concierge your travel dates, price range and location, and see what they can do.

Gifts
If you don’t like to shop for gifts, give your concierge a few ideas on what your friend likes—along with their age—and, chances are, they can find a few gift ideas for birthdays or other events that you may not find on your own. You can direct the concierge to charge them to your credit card, or you can go purchase them yourself online.

If you’re pressed for time and don’t mind that you won’t be comparison-shopping yourself, a credit card concierge can be one of the best free services on your credit card.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Cell| Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654 |

EMAIL | WEB | YouTube | BLOG

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

OPEN SAT & SUN 1-4 | For Sale – 948 Peninsula Ave | San Mateo | TOWNHOME | 2 Bed | 1.5 Bath

For Sale by The Caton Team | Dated 3.11.26

Welcome to this charming San Mateo residence offering a blend of comfort and convenience. With 1,152 sq ft of living space, this home boasts two spacious bedrooms upstairs, including a primary suite retreat, and one full bathroom upstairs with modern updates and a skylight for natural light. The kitchen is fully equipped with a suite of appliances, including an electric cooktop, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer & dryer, making it a delight. The dining area merges seamlessly with the living room, providing a cozy space to relax by the fireplace. Half bath located near entrance. Flooring includes carpet, engineered wood, and tile, catering to various tastes. Enjoy community amenities such as a gym, pool, spa, tennis courts, clubhouse, and putting green. Pool access from private patio. This property is ideal for those seeking a vibrant San Mateo lifestyle. Close to Burlingame Ave, shops, parks, restaurants, transportation, highway access. Additional features include central heating and energy-efficient double pane windows. What a great opportunity!

All Information & Photos | 3D Tour

Virtual Tour & Links

We love what we do! How Can the Caton Team Help You?

Cell 650.799.4333 | EMAIL | WEB | BLOG

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡 How can The Caton Team help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

Sold! Three Smart Tips for Home Sellers – Shared Article

I read this article HERE.

Selling your home should be an exciting experience! Whether you’re upgrading, downsizing, or relocating, making the right choices can lead to a faster sale at a better price. Here are three essential tips every home seller should follow to skip the stress, attract buyers, and close the deal with confidence.

Boost Curb Appeal

Buyers begin forming opinions as soon as they pull into the driveway. Make first impressions count by tidying up the lawn, mulching flower beds, planting seasonal blooms, and giving the front door a fresh coat of paint. Simple upgrades can add instant charm and set the tone for a fantastic showing.

Declutter and Depersonalize

Buyers need to envision themselves living in the home rather than feeling like visitors in someone else’s home. Remove personal photos and hide clutter. A clean, neutral, and open layout helps buyers see the potential of each room and can make the home feel larger and more inviting.

Price It Right

Overpricing their property is one of the biggest mistakes sellers make. While it’s important to get the most value from a sale, pricing too high can lead to fewer showings and more time sitting on the market. Work with your real estate agent to analyze local properties and set a competitive, realistic price to attract qualified buyers from day one.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

Time Change – Spring Forward Tomorrow Sunday

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour on Sunday March 8 2026 to Pacific Standard Time.

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

We strive to be more than just Realtors – we are also your home resource. If you have any real estate questions, concerns, need a referral or some guidance – we are here for you. Contact us at your convenience – we are but a call, text or click away!

A mother and daughter-in-law team with over 35 years of combined, local Real Estate experience and knowledge – would’t you like The Caton Team to represent you? Let us know how we can be of service. Contact us any time.

Call | Text | Sabrina 650.799.4333 | Susan 650.796.0654

Email | Info@TheCatonTeam.com

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Should Furniture Ever Touch the Walls? Here’s What Designers Actually Recommend – Shared Article

Key Points

Balance furniture placement throughout the room for an optimal result.

Tailor furniture layout to suit your space and lifestyle.

Anchor larger pieces against the wall and float smaller pieces to create flow.

I read this article HERE. By Kristin Hohenadel

Home decorators often tend to push every piece of furniture against the walls in a misguided effort to create a more spacious look and feel. But furniture layout is a balancing act that requires more finesse.

We asked a designer to explain why lining your walls with furniture never works—and how to arrange furniture correctly for an inviting space that flows well and is visually pleasing.

Meet the Expert

Laura Brophy is principal designer and creative director at Laura Brophy Interiors.

Should Furniture Touch Walls?

bedroom layout tips — Credit: Desiree Burns Interiors

“Absolutely,” says interior designer Laura Brophy. “Design isn’t about hard rules, it’s about balance. A bed can sit against a wall if it anchors the room beautifully, or a console can live along a wall when it creates a grounding moment.”

But even in smaller spaces, furniture should be arranged to create an airy feel rather than be crowded together.

“In tighter rooms, it’s perfectly fine for a sofa to brush the wall,” Brophy notes, “just make sure there’s breathing room somewhere else so the space doesn’t feel static. The key is intention. If it touches, it should feel purposeful, not like default placement.”

Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!

Create Balance and Flow

should your furniture ever touch the walls — Credit: Laura Brophy Interiors

If your instincts are telling you to push every piece of furniture up against the wall to create a more spacious feel, ignore them in favor of a more balanced approach.

Floating furniture is crucial in open-plan spaces to create distinct zones and organize the space. A long, rectangular living room will resemble a bowling alley if you push everything up against the walls, rather than breaking up the linear proportions and allowing the eye to move naturally around the room.

“When everything is lined up along the perimeter, you lose the energy of the room,” Brophy explains. “Bringing pieces inward can create conversation, intimacy, and flow. It’s how you make a space feel designed. I always say, let your furniture talk to each other.”

When everything is lined up along the perimeter, you lose the energy of the room.

How to Arrange Furniture

open plan furniture layout — Credit: Desiree Burns Interiors

Before you start laying out furniture, Brophy suggests asking yourself how you want to live in the space.

“Do you want conversation, comfort, or flexibility?” she says. “Float pieces where they naturally form connection points. Create pathways that invite movement, and always think in layers—rugs to define zones, side tables to hold a moment, lighting to pull it all together.”

furniture layout tips — Credit: Laura Brophy Interiors

This could mean setting up a conversation area by placing a sofa against the wall and arranging a pair of armchairs with a small side table opposite and a coffee table in between. Or positioning a play table for kids in the middle of a playroom and a seating area for adults with armchairs and a small table nearby.

In a dining room, balance a central dining table and chairs with a buffet against the wall to create a focal point while leaving plenty of room around the table to allow people to move in and out.

Install a reading nook in the bedroom with a comfortable armchair hovering in the corner alongside a small side table, and a floor lamp that will create a second zone and make it feel more functional and cozy.

“The goal is to create harmony between function and feeling,” Brophy says. “When it’s right, you can sense it the moment you walk in.”

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Effective. Efficient. Responsive. The Caton Team 🏡

How Can The Caton Team Help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

DRE # | Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 | Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third-party information not verified.

How housing has made so many millionaires

Millionaire status under pressure

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

The rise of ‘solo agers’ and ‘orphan-elders’

Long-term care may be the biggest heir of all

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

Let’s see our month over month…

How can The Caton Team Help You?

Contact The Caton Team 650.799.4333 | Email Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Whether you are selling or buying – today or tomorrow – contact The Caton Team – we’re happy to help you achieve your Real Estate goals.

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

RECENTLY SOLD by THE CATON TEAM

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

Share this:

A. Email and Password Hygiene

B. Other IT-based Security Measures

C. Law, Policy, and Insurance Considerations

Why is cyber security important?

Online Real Estate Fraud Climbed to $275M in 2025, FBI Says

Agent Awareness and Prevention

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

For Sale by The Caton Team | Dated 3.11.26

All Information & Photos | 3D Tour

We love what we do! How Can the Caton Team Help You?

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

Boost Curb Appeal

Declutter and Depersonalize

Price It Right

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this:

Share this:

Meet the Expert

Should Furniture Touch Walls?

Create Balance and Flow

How to Arrange Furniture

Got Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties, Redwood City Ca.

Share this: