Santa Clarita Valley, CA
Cadê News · The Cadê Brazil newspaper and the California regions — each region with its own local paper.
North of Santa Clarita, up the 14 freeway, lies the Antelope Valley: bigger, cheaper houses, lots with room for horses and an economy driven by the aerospace industry. The trade-off is the distance to Los Angeles — and realtor Mariness Chata explains how residents deal with it.
Brazilian CommunityIn the Brasilidade segment, Jason Lanzarini and realtor Mariness Chata rate the cities of northern LA on how easy it is to find a Brazilian salon, manicurist and grocery store. Sherman Oaks comes out on top; Santa Clarita has plenty of Brazilian families but no gathering spot.
Neighborhood GuideLeave central Los Angeles and you won't find a 'periferia' in the Brazilian sense: new subdivisions arrive with planned schools, parks and shopping areas. The reason lies in the fees and requirements the law imposes on builders — and that cost goes into the price of the house.
Episode 9 · Part 5 of 6
A 500-square-foot unit renting for $2,800 in Huntington Beach, an increase in value the builder puts at $150,000, and banks that already count the future rent. What the episode's numbers mean, the rules that limit how an ADU can be used, and the financing routes now that 3% interest is gone.
Episode 1 · Part 3 of 5Listings for homes that don't belong to the advertiser, deposits paid straight to strangers, properties with hidden debts. Realtor Mariness Chata explains the safeguards in the American system — and rule number one: a real estate agent never takes money from the buyer.
Episode 9 · Part 6 of 6
Finding out after the purchase that the lot can't take the unit — or that half the house was never permitted — is an expensive mistake. What to evaluate before you make an offer, why the conversation with the builder should come before the architect, and how a 2025 law opened a path to legalizing old ADUs.
Episode 4 · Part 7 of 9
With about 250,000 residents, wide streets and plenty of green space, Santa Clarita draws Brazilian families looking for a different pace than downtown Los Angeles. Get to know the area's profile and the highly rated schools driving demand.
Episode 1 · Part 4 of 5North of Santa Clarita, up the 14 freeway, lies the Antelope Valley: bigger, cheaper houses, lots with room for horses and an economy driven by the aerospace industry. The trade-off is the distance to Los Angeles — and realtor Mariness Chata explains how residents deal with it.
Episode 1 · Part 2 of 5Leave central Los Angeles and you won't find a 'periferia' in the Brazilian sense: new subdivisions arrive with planned schools, parks and shopping areas. The reason lies in the fees and requirements the law imposes on builders — and that cost goes into the price of the house.
Episode 8 · Part 1 of 6
Roof, electrical panel, plumbing and air conditioning. More and more insurers are sending an inspector to the house before they will issue or renew a policy — and certain older items, like Zinsco panels and galvanized pipes, are common grounds for refusal until they are replaced.
Episode 8 · Part 4 of 6
A hairline crack in the exterior wall, the concrete slab or the driveway is almost the rule in earthquake country — and it rarely means the house is coming down. The difference between a slab foundation and a crawl space, the bolts the insurer wants to see, and the signs that deserve a specialist.
Episode 8 · Part 3 of 6
A report with 40 findings doesn't mean the house is bad — and an item flagged red can cost three dollars. How to read the inspector's report, the most common defects in new construction, the small items that save lives, and the inspections a general inspector does not do.
Episode 9 · Part 3 of 6
Converting the garage looks like the obvious shortcut: the walls and roof are already there. But a garage was built for a car, not for people, and a foundation with no footings can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The types of ADU, the dimensions state law guarantees and what should weigh on the choice.
Episode 10 · Part 5 of 7
Anyone living in a rent-controlled apartment thinks twice before buying — the payment barely goes up. But the cap on increases depends on where the property is, when it was built and who owns it. State law, the City of Los Angeles rule, and what happens when the tenant moves out.
Episode 9 · Part 1 of 6
A state planned around big houses on big lots, decades of people arriving and very little building. The extra house in the backyard started out illegal, became law in 2017 and is today one of the state government's weapons to force cities to meet housing targets. Understanding that history helps you choose where to build.
Episode 11 · Part 1 of 8
The show's realtors are betting on stability, not a crash: too few homes for sale, years-long construction timelines, and buyers who come right back once prices ease. The reasoning behind that read, what's changed in lending since 2008, and why the Airbnb desert tells a different story.
Episode 9 · Part 4 of 6
The quick answer — $200 to $300 per square foot with a licensed contractor — leaves out what pushes some units to $500: a sloped lot, a sewage pump, retaining walls. A small unit costs more per square foot, and construction takes six to eight months, with a city inspection at every stage.
