Is the area’s average income increasing? The more affluent a neighborhood, the higher the property values.

 

Are employment opportunities growing nearby?  More jobs=more people that want to live in the area. 

 

Are there any nearby housing or community developments that will enhance the quality of life in the area? If a park with a quiet walking trail, a new golf course, a new grocery store, etc. is being built nearby, the value of the neighborhood will increase.

 

Is the crime rate on the rise or decline? This can have a significant impact on future property values. 

Are there public transit lines located nearby? This is key in higher-density, more urban parts of town.  It's also important near colleges,…

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 If you have had your offer accepted, congratulations!  That is a big step.  You may think now is the time to relax.  After all, you've worked hard to get a mortgage pre-approval, connect with a Realtor, see homes, submit an offer, negotiate, and agree to the terms.  However, there is much left to do, so it's important to stay focused to get through the Escrow process.  We have broken the next steps down into small, manageable tasks that will help you stay on track.  Your Realtor will be there for you every step of the way, guiding you through each task.  If you follow these 10 steps after your offer is accepted, you'll be on track towards closing your Escrow successfully.  


 

 

Earnest Money 

You need to submit your Earnest…

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I KNOW your grandma had or has wallpaper in her house, right!?  I bet you didn't think it would ever come back into style, did you?  Well, surprise!  We are seeing wallpaper all over Pinterest, in home design magazines, and in pretty houses that I tour around San Diego!  We think there's definitely a "right way" to use wallpaper. Here are a few of the best tips we've found for how to use wallpaper to spruce up your space: 

Choose the Right Color:  

Color sets the mood of a room!  To make your space feel bigger, choose cool colors, like blue, green, and violet.  If the room has a ton of sunlight already, a bold, warm color such as yellow, red, or orange can look great.  The more intense the color, the more vibrant and exciting the room will feel;…

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An escrow is a deposit of funds or deed from one party, with the intention to deliver it to the other party upon completion of a series of events, as laid out in a contract.  Escrow "opens" upon delivery of escrow instructions and a fully executed real estate contract to a certified escrow company.  The escrow officer processes the escrow, essentially by making sure all of the terms of the agreement set forth by both parties have been met.  Once they have all been met, and the trust deed is recorded at the city recorder's office, funds/deed change hands and escrow is then "closed."  In short, Escrow makes sure everything that the buyer and seller agree upon in the contract are carried out correctly.  

Escrow officers and companies are…

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I want to share with you a few common mistakes that home buyers make, so that you can avoid them at all costs when you buy a home yourself.

Eek! This is a biggie. You probably know your approximate monthly budget for your groceries, car payment, student loans, gas, and weekend outings. So why, then, would you go into a home search without a budget? The best advice I can give it to speak with a mortgage broker early on in your home search to get a sense of your budget. This way, your agent has a number to be respectful of, and you won’t fall in love with a house you can’t afford. 

 

 

Try not to get too excited or downtrodden throughout the process.  I know you are passionate about your new home. However, there will likely be many…

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"Can I keep it?"  This is a very common question amongst homebuyers, and comes up in almost every real estate transaction.  The Realtor usually starts talking about fixtures vs. personal property to help the buyers determine what will be theirs and what won't be.  There are, though, a lot of grey areas regarding what is considered a fixture and what is personal property.

Fixtures are items which are affixed to the property (usually bolted in).  Typical examples of fixtures are light switches, plants in the ground, windows, mail boxes, garage doors, etc.  Personal property includes items which can be easily moved and removed from the property.  Examples are art work, potted plants, TVs, standing lamps, tables, etc.  However, consider the following…

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How do I set my budget? 

Answer:  If you are paying cash, you are the only one that can decide what your budget is.  If you are getting a mortgage, your pre-approval will help you set your budget.  You are approved to buy a home in the amount of the pre-approval or below.  However, just because you are pre-approved for a certain amount does not mean that you have to spend that much.  Look at the monthly payments on the pre-approval letter to see if they are appropriate for you.  If not, consider spending less on a home than the amount you were pre-approved for.  Feel free to play around with the mortgage calculator on my site.  I can't stress this enough--set your budget BEFORE you start to search for homes!  

  

What are my loan options?  …

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Finances:  Keeping your financial position stable will increase the odds that you will quality for a loan and that the loan will get funded (no new credit cards, don't quit your job, no huge purchases, etc).  Remember during tax season that buying a home qualifies you for numerous tax benefits.  

Down Payment:  Figuring out your down payment is critical.  In general, down payments can be comprised of money you have saved OR money that has been gifted to you.  Different loans have different down payment requirements, but all loans except for VA loans require some down payment.  

Leave Lease:  Will you be breaking a lease to move out into your new home?  If so, what's the penalty for this?  If your lease is up soon, consider waiting until it…

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Have you been renting for a while, and have been thinking about whether it's the right time for you to take that leap and buy for the first time?  You are not alone!  Every first time home buyer goes through the process of figuring out whether they are ready to buy a home.  

This is a big decision, and there are a great deal of "signs" that can let you know that you may be ready to purchase.  If a handful of the below signs apply to you, I invite you to reach out and see whether now is the right time for you to purchase a home in San Diego.  








Have you found a city that you love?  Many young renters decide to rent not only for financial reasons, but also because they do not want to be tied to a single city (or state,…

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When we host open houses in condo complexes, potential home buyers usually have a lot of questions about condo living.  We want to share a few of our thoughts with you on the ups and downs of buying a condo rather than a single family detached home.

Pros:

Exterior Maintenance: Someone else handles the work on the exterior of your unit

Perks: Condos often provide amenities such as pools, parks, gyms, and community events

Price: Condos often have a lower sales price than single family detached homes Location: You may be able to purchase a condo in a central, popular part of town where there are few single family detached homes Security: The HOA may provide a security guard or security measures to make sure you and your property are…

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