Licensed since 1984, San Diego real estate broker Gary Kent is a recognized authority on real estate. In addition to selling over 5,500 homes for clients, he has been an expert court witness, trainer of other agents, and he does seminars on home buying, home selling, and investing. Gary has sold homes for The Salvation Army, dozens of major banks, and Fannie Mae, amongst others. You can find Gary on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

How to find homes for sale

Question: “I’m so frustrated. I keep calling about homes for sale on Zillow and other sites, as well as on for sale signs, and they’re always sold. Any suggestions?” Answer: Let me answer that in multiple parts… WEBSITESMany well-known websites have inaccurate and outdated information about homes for sale and home values. They can be
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What is the reinvestment requirement when I sell my home?

Question: “I just sold my house. How long do I have to reinvest and buy another home?” Answer: There’s no reinvestment requirement when you sell your home. The law that applies is IRS Section 121, known as the Principal Residence Exclusion. Under that law, you don’t pay tax on the first 250K of gain (singles)
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Calgary Central Library

If you thought a library was just a musty storehouse for old books, think again! Calgary’s Central Library is a contemporary structure in both design and functionality equipped to handle the needs of its people. Situated between the Downtown and East Village, a light rail line crosses the library. Upon entering visitors are greeted with
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Mercat Encants

Don’t be fooled by the Mercat Encants’ contemporary look, this site is home to a 100-year old market! b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos created the new structure. The ostentatious gold canopy acts as a sunscreen while also reflecting the city into the market, connecting the two. One of the challenges was the limited location size which
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum in Paris presents a strange juxtaposition of architecture. The main building dates back to the 12th century and is done in French Renaissance style while the new entrance, completed in 1989 is a modern steel and glass structure built to the same proportions as the Pyramid of Giza. Designed by American-Chinese architect
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Do real estate agents have to present all offers?

Question: “I had my house in escrow and found out that I got a HIGHER offer before the house closed. But my agent never told me about it. I’ve heard that agents are supposed to ‘present all offers,’ aren’t they?” Answer: You’re 100% right! The seller’s agent is required to inform the seller of ALL
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Can I get a home loan with bad credit?

Question: “I have pretty bad credit, so it’s not even worth trying to get a home loan…” Answer: Maybe. Maybe not. One of our lenders just got someone with “awful” credit a mortgage and they were able to realize their dream to own their own home. So unless you’re a professional mortgage lender, let a
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What is the best deposit amount?

Question: “How much should my deposit be?” Answer: Great question! In my experience, I’ve found that 1% of the purchase price is the minimum acceptable deposit. But if you really want to impress the seller to help your offer get accepted, you might want to do 2-3% of the price.
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How can I find foreclosures in San Diego?

Question: “Where do I find more information about buying foreclosures in San Diego?” Answer: The very good news, though not good for your plans, is that foreclosures in San Diego are exceedingly rare. And they’ve been that way since 2012 when our market turned around. So you can hunt around for foreclosure info, but in
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Is it possible to buy a home 20% below market in San Diego?

Question: “What’s the best way to get a good deal? We’d like to find a home at least 20% below market.” Answer: Not sure how to answer that, but I’ll try. First of all, not to sound harsh but your odds of success are just above zero, if that. Opportunities to buy property at such
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