“We want a 4BR/2BA home in Clairemont or Serra Mesa under $475,000. But for some reason my agent keeps calling us with 3BR homes and houses in other areas like Mira Mesa. This happened last time when we bought our condo. What’s the deal?” ***ANSWER: It’s because few agents really listen or take the time

“I’ve heard that if you use a mortgage broker they charge you more and just tend to cause problems. Do you advise getting a home loan from a mortgage broker or a bank?” ***ANSWER: The upside of mortgage brokers is they can shop many places to find you the best loan. Here are the three

“We have a beat-up little rental house in Clairemont that we’d like to sell. What advice can you tell us about fixing it up?” ***ANSWER: Ahhh, another fix-up question. Here are “Gary’s 7 Rules For Preparing Home For Sale”: 1. What you like in a home & what sells it are 2 different things! Unless

“My boyfriend is talking about buying a fixer-upper house to save money and let us design and decorate the home to suit our taste. Do you think he’s right? Or is it better to buy a home already fixed up so we don’t have to spend the money?” ***ANSWER: In the 90’s I sold a

“What do you think of interest only loans? Don’t you think it’s bad idea to get a loan where what you owe doesn’t even go down?” ***ANSWER: I’ll respectfully disagree because it’s not necessarily a bad loan at all. Here’s why: Your standard 30-year fixed-rate loan pays down a microscopic amount of principal the first

“Hi Gary, my wife and I want to list our home. She wanted to use her friend who’s OK, but not especially successful. You’ll be glad to hear that I convinced her to use you. I told her we needed someone seen all the ups and downs and been successful during them. Are you busier

“I just got a s-c-r-e-a-m-i-n-g deal on a home. And I want to thank you for your comments several weeks ago about the buyer’s market and that it’s a great time to buy a home.” ***ANSWER: Congratulations. Of course I’d be even more happy for the both of us if you’d had me find you

“I have a letter from a mortgage broker saying I’m pre-qualified. Is that sufficient to show a seller that I’m qualified when I make an offer?” ***ANSWER: Per the conversation you read in the top section of this week’s Q&A, a pre-qualification or pre-approval is only as good as the loan rep that gives it.

“What can I do to motivate agents to show and sell my home?” ***ANSWER: Here are 5 ways: Price- Agents show homes they can sell. Price yours near market value, otherwise agents are less likely to show it. Commission / Incentives- Agents are putting bread on their table. Offer them a higher commission or other

“What’s the difference between a conforming and a jumbo loan?” ***ANSWER: Conforming loans are residential loans for 400K and below. Their rates are typically 1/8% to 1/4% lower than jumbo loans (over 400K). Investments