Is Your San Diego Home Overpriced?

Question: “I’d like to move closer to my mother. There’s a home directly behind hers that’s been on the market for about a year and they haven’t reduced the price. Do you think it’s over-priced?” Answer: If a home is priced right, even the most pathetic, good-for-nothing, lay-about real estate agent will find a way
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Selling to a Cash Investor vs. a Family

Question: [From a client whose home I had for sale] “I know I should go with the cash investor and quick closing, but my heart is telling me to sell to the other buyer who offered the same amount. I’d really love to see a family living in my home. And they said they’re okay
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How Agents Price Your San Diego Home So Fast

Question: “I interviewed an agent to list my house. She walked through for a few minutes and told me what price we could get. It surprised me that she gave me a value that quickly after just seeing my house for 10 minutes. It didn’t seem like she did any homework. Is that normal?” Answer:
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Are Agents Responsible for Finding & Disclosing Home Problems?

Question: “Hi Gary. A friend of mine bought a home and it turned out to have several problems, including a lot of mold behind a couch. Is an agent responsible for finding and disclosing things like that?” Answer: An agent is legally required to “conduct a reasonably competent diligent visual inspection of reasonably and normally
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When Low Owner-Occupancy Hurts Your Condo Value

Question: “I live in a four-unit condo complex. Three occupants are owners and the fourth is a vacation home for the owners. Now one of the owners plans to move and rent his unit. Does this hurt the value of my condo?” Answer: If a condo complex falls below 60% owner-occupied, financing gets more difficult
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Selling Your San Diego Home with an Agent vs. a Team

Question: “Is it better to list my home with a real estate agent or a team?” Answer: Full disclosure: I lead a real estate team and it’s possible I’m biased. That being said… You will definitely be better served with a successful team. Here are just a few of the reasons… Selling a home today
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How Much Should You Pay for a San Diego Home You Love?

Question: “We could use your advice. We’ve been really studying the market and looked at over 50 condos. We finally found the perfect condo for us. We offered and the seller’s bottom price is $435,000, but that model has been going in the 420s. Any words of wisdom?” Answer: I have three comments – I
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Can You Do 1031 Exchanges with Property Outside the U.S.?

Question: “Can I do a 1031 exchange from my San Diego rental into a property in Italy, or can I only exchange for something in the U.S.?” Answer: You can only exchange your San Diego property for another investment property in the U.S., or possibly U.S. territories or U.S. possessions. Temporary Regulations issued in 2005
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Are Agents Paid When People Buy a Loved One’s San Diego Home?

Question: “Do agents get paid when family members buy a loved one’s home?” Answer: As long as everyone gets along in the family and the parties feel comfortable, they don’t necessarily need an agent for a sale to a family member. But some people have had me handle such cases because they really want a
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Can You Outbid a Backup Home Offer?

Question: “There’s a home next door to some friends that my wife and I just missed out on. Now our friend tells us he heard the sale is cancelling. So our agent called the seller’s agent saying we’ll raise our offer $10,000 over the asking price, but was told they had an accepted backup offer
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