Should You Wait Till Summer to Sell Your San Diego Home?

Question: “Do you think it’s a good idea to wait to sell until next summer when prices are up?” Answer: You’re making a BIG assumption that prices will be up next summer. How do you know this? Do you have a time machine?  Is it because everyone says – incorrectly – that summer is
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Should You Wait or Lock in Your Loan Rate Now?

Question: “I’m buying a home and my lender says he can get me a rate just under 4%. Do you recommend I lock my rate in now or wait to see if rates drop more?” Answer: WHAT I WANTED TO SAY: Why would you lock in your rate now? Just hang on a little longer
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San Diego’s Changing Housing Market

Question: “My wife and I were looking for a home a few months ago and gave up. We were tired of making offers and losing out to higher bidders and cash buyers. But I’m seeing a lot more for-sale signs. Do you think the market changed?” Answer: Yes! While most of the media is months
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The Crystal Ball Question & The Definition of Value

Question: “I know the market has recovered most of what it lost, but I still don’t think I can get what my home is worth. When do you think we’ll fully recover to 2006 prices?” Answer: First, a non-answer, then a comment… Non-Answer Your question of when will we retake the peak of the 2006
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Do More “For Sale” Signs Mean a Hotter Market?

Question: “Hi Gary, we’re hoping to buy a home soon. We’re seeing a lot of houses for sale in our neighborhood. Looks like the market is picking up. Would you agree?” Answer: Actually, seeing a lot of For Sale signs is more indicative of the market slowing down than picking up. That’s because a hotter
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Don’t Overanalyze the Market—Ask an Agent

Question: “I’ve been tracking San Diego housing inventory to decide when the right time is to buy a home. Inventory is up 14% from last month but only 3% year over year, and…” Answer: Hold on a second. My money says you’re either an engineer or a computer programmer. Which is it? I say that
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How Long Does It Take to Sell a San Diego Home Right Now?

Question: “How long does it take to sell a home right now?” Answer: There are many variables, such as location, condition, property type, price range, etc. But by far the biggest two variables are price and agent. If you price your home near market value and have a good agent, you’re going to sell it
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Don’t Try to Time the Market When Buying a San Diego Home

Question: “I want to buy a home but am trying to time the market right. I’m not sure if we’re in a mini-bubble or are still looking at a lot more appreciation. What do you think?” Answer: I sold two San Diego properties in 2003 and 2004. I missed the peak by some 10-20%. Do
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Top 5 Most (& Least) Costly Homeowning Cities

HSH.com checked data for a study on home prices and mortgage rates in 25 cities to see which require the largest (and smallest) salaries to buy an average home. The top three costliest cities were in California, while Ohio claimed the two lowest. San Francisco’s monthly mortgage payment is $2,695 – nearly 6 times Tampa’s
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San Diego Market Update: March 2014

How’s the real estate market doing? Well, here’s a quick summary. As you know, we had gravity-defying roller coaster thrill rides: Up (2001 to 2006), down (’07 to ’11), and up again (’12 to mid-’13). Since then, the market has been a bit tamer: June ’13 thru Sept. ’13: Flat Oct. ’13 thru Nov. ’13:
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