There’s Far More to Selling than the Marketing Plan

“Gary, please give me a call. My husband is being transferred to Florida and we’ll be putting our home on the market next week. We’ve heard a lot about you and want to find out about your marketing plan…” Answer: I’d love to meet with you… and I’d like to give you some advice. There’s
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Suing Over Problems with Your New Home

“We bought some San Diego real estate 2 months ago and have found plumbing problems that no one disclosed to us. The sewer line has deteriorated. We need to tear up the lawn and have the line replaced. And we noticed a warm spot on the floor and found out a pipe in the slab
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Selling vs. Renting a San Diego Home

“We’re retiring and moving to Georgia to be near family. Do you think we should sell our University City home or rent it?” Answer: Let me start by saying I’ve advised many people NOT to sell their homes, depending on their situation. I say that because I obviously have a self-interest to just advise you
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When Is Personal Property Included in the Sale?

“Hi I’m buying a home and thought I was getting the washer, dryer, and refrigerator. Now the seller says she’s taking those items with her. We didn’t write them in the contract, but my agent says they’re included because the MLS specifically says the washer, dryer, and refrigerator are included. Who’s right?” Answer: Your agent
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FHA Loans on Du-, Tri- & Fourplexes

Is it possible to get an FHA loan on a duplex, triplex, or fourplex? Answer: I was recently discussing that topic with my favorite lender, Robert Geiler of Rancho Financial. Here are the relevant bullet points of our conversation: – All FHA loans are for owner-occupants – The typical FHA loan is 3.5% down –
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Canceling an Agent’s Contract

“Help! My mother inherited a University City home. She’s not real estate savvy, so she asked me to handle it for her. I hired an agent and he hasn’t called us since listing the home 3 weeks ago. I’m planning to call him to find out what’s going on, but I can already tell we
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Houses vs. Condos: Which Appreciate More

“Which do you think will appreciate more, a house or a condo?” Answer: For some reason, many people automatically assume that houses appreciate more. It’s probably because houses are generally preferred over condos. However, this preference is taken into account by the fact that a house will sell for more than a condo of the
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The Five Returns of Real Estate

No question today, but here’s some info you may find interesting: What are the 5 returns of real estate? 1. Positive cashflow 2. Appreciation 3. Sweat equity 4. Principal paydown 5. Depreciation deduction Many people only think of #1 and #2. #3 never comes up. But a benefit of rental real estate is you can
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Zillow: For Entertainment Purposes Only

“Hi Gary…I checked on Zillow and see my San Diego property is estimated at 691K, but it looks like the values listed on this site are quite high. I was thinking low 600’s. What would you estimate for the property as is?” Answer: We’re on the same page. Zillow does tend to be high. In
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Is There Rent Control in San Diego County?

“I’m considering investing in San Diego real estate. I’m from the Bay Area where we have rent control. Do you have it in San Diego? If so, I’ll invest elsewhere as rent control is an outrageous infringement on people’s rights. It’s Big Brother telling you how much rent to charge. I hate it because it
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