Licensed since 1984, San Diego real estate broker Gary Kent is a recognized authority on real estate. In addition to selling over 5,500 homes for clients, he has been an expert court witness, trainer of other agents, and he does seminars on home buying, home selling, and investing. Gary has sold homes for The Salvation Army, dozens of major banks, and Fannie Mae, amongst others. You can find Gary on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This Week’s Crazy Building: Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 by Johndedios licensed under the terms of CC BY 3.0
This week’s crazy building is Biosphere 2 in Oracle, Arizona. Biosphere 2’s weird series of structures has an even weirder history. Based on the name, you may expect that there was a similar building built before this one. In fact, Biosphere 2 was meant as the second self-sufficient biosphere—the first being Earth itself. It originally contained miniature
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Will Lenders Make a 30-Year Loan to a Senior?

Question: “I’m 63 years old and would like to move and buy a home in San Diego. Will lenders make a 30 year loan to a senior? That would mean I’d be 93 when the loan is paid off” Answer: Good news. Lenders are not allowed to discriminate based on age. If you qualify, they’ll
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Buying a Warranty for the Homebuyer

Question: “I got an offer on my home that asks us to pay for an optional warranty on the a/c unit. We rarely use it and its 15 years old. If it breaks for the buyer, I don’t want to take on that expense. How do I protect myself?” Answer: You’re buying a warranty policy
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The 50/20/10 Rule for Looking at Homes

Question: “I’ve only been looking at homes for a couple of weeks and seen about 25. There’s one I really like, but I’m afraid it’s too soon. I know there’s no magic number, but how many homes do you suggest I see before buying one?” Answer: Because it’s very subjective, I’m going to just make
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Robarts Library

Robarts Library by Sascha Noyes is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
This week’s crazy building is Robarts Library at the University of Toronto. This fortress-like structure is one of the most prominent examples of Brutalist architecture: raw concrete with strong lines and a plain, stark feel. It’s appropriately nicknamed “Fort Book.” Opened in 1973 and created by Mathers & Haldenby Architects, it features over 4.5 million
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Can You Get a VA Loan to Buy a Rental?

Question: “Hi Gary. I’d like to buy a property to rent to my son and his family. Can I use my VA eligibility to get a VA loan?” Answer: Unfortunately, no. You can only get a VA loan on a home that you intend to live in. This is a longshot, but if you don’t
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7 Disclosure Tips to Help Keep You Out of Court

Question: “We’ll be selling our home in University City next year. I’m an honest person and plan to disclose everything, even though I don’t know of anything wrong with our home. But with all the lawyers and litigation in California, I’m afraid of being sued by the buyer for some technicality. What can I do
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Adding a Second Story to Your San Diego Home

Question: “We’re looking to buy a house in the I-5 corridor. We either want a view or one where we can build up to get one. How do I know if I can add a 2nd story? What kind of restrictions are there on building up?” Answer: Great question. Here are some things you need
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Hundertwasser House

This week’s crazy building is the Hundertwasser House in Vienna, Austria. This strange apartment building is the brainchild of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (a name that truly rolls off the tongue!). He convinced city planners to go along with his idea of a building with undulating floors, bright contrasting colors and even a forested roof
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Know the Rules of a 1031 Exchange

Question: “I’d like to sell my rental and buy another property. I have 45 days after I sell to buy the next one, correct?” Answer: Not exactly. You’re talking about what’s called a 1031 exchange, named after IRS Code Section 1031. Contrary to popular belief, 1031 exchanges are fairly simple, with just a few rules
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