“When I was a kid in the 60’s, my dad was in the navy and we moved a lot. When we sold a home, my mom baked bread when people were coming to look. The whole house smelled great and my folks said it helped with the sale. Now I’ll be selling soon, but I

“Hi Gary, my wife and I really enjoy your newsletter. We own a condo right now that I inherited, so I’ve never bought a home. But my wife and I want to buy a house. Do you think it’s a good idea to stick with one agent or work with several agents to find the

“I’d like to buy a 2-4 unit property in Pacific Beach, but the prices are so high relative to the rents. I know this is typically the case, but why? Why are gross rent multipliers higher in better neighborhoods?” Answer: Great question. Here are the reasons, as I see them: 1. Many buyers of 2-4

“My wife wants to use her friend’s sister who is a realtor to sell our home. But I don’t know that person and from what I’ve heard it sounds like she’s not that successful. This sounds like a bad move, isn’t it?” Answer: The biggest mistake people make when selling their home is choosing a

“Hi Gary. My wife and I are working to save the 20% down before we buy our first home, but it’s slow going. Is it possible to buy with less than 20% down?” Answer: You’re not alone in your crazy belief that you actually need MONEY to buy a home. Financing rules have moved like

“We have a new pair of twins and need a bigger home. We’re very picky and won’t list our current home until we find one to buy. We need the money from that to buy, so we’ll have to make a contingent offer and then sell our place. Do you think this is a good

“We own a duplex in North Park free and clear. We’ve had it 17 years and we’re tired of managing and thinking about selling it. Do you recommend we carry a note so we don’t have to pay taxes?” Answer: (“Carrying a note” means that when you sell, the buyer gives you a down payment

“How are FICO scores determined?” Answer: The formula itself is complicated and the FICO company (Fair Isaac Corp) keeps it secret. But here are the basic components: A. 35% Past Delinquencies Your payment history B. 30% Debt Ratio Your revolving account balances divided by their limits, as a percentage C. 15% Average Age of File