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.

Selling Your San Diego Home Furnished

“I’m moving out of state and talked to moving companies and it’s going to cost a bundle to ship all my furniture. It’s pretty good quality and only 2 years old. Can you give me a rule of thumb for how much extra should I be able to get for my condo if I sell
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Must Listing Agents Disclose Defects of San Diego Foreclosures?

“I’ve been looking at foreclosures to buy and my agent told me the listing agent doesn’t have to tell you if they know something is wrong with the home. Is that correct?” Answer: Nope. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about foreclosures. Both the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent have the same disclosure
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More on Improving Your Credit

“I’d like to buy a home, but have some credit issues. Do you know where I can find out how to improve my credit?” Answer: (Part 1 of a multi-part answer…) Here’s a tip from San Diego credit repair expert Derrick Evens of “Perfect Credentials” (858-571-0271, derrickevens@yahoo.com): Credit repair/improvement tip: COLLECTIONS… “Don’t ever pay a
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How Long You Have to Buy After Selling to Avoid Taxes

“Hi Gary. After I sell my home, how long do I have to buy another one to avoid paying taxes?” Answer: You’re either thinking of the old I.R.S. Code Sec.121 rules for a principal residence, or the Sec.1031 rules for investment property. Old Section 121 rules gave you 18 months to sell your home and
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How Much Property Tax When Buying a San Diego Home?

“How much do property taxes run when you buy a home?” Answer: In San Diego, your property taxes are about 1.1% of your assessed value. And in the year you buy your home, your assessed value is almost always what you paid for the home. That makes for a simple formula: monthly taxes are just
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Do Banks Prefer to Sell to Owner-Occupants?

“I’ve heard that some banks prefer to sell to owner-occupants instead of investors. Is that true? And it sounds like discrimination. Is it legal?” Answer: You’re correct. Some banks do prefer to sell to owner-occupants. For most banks, it’s strictly practical: all other things being equal (down payment, etc.), an owner-occupant has an easier time
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How to Know if You Qualify for a Short Sale

“How do I know if I qualify for a short sale?” Answer: The only way to know 100% is to go through the process and see if your lender(s) approves you. Of course, it would be nice to know in advance if you’re likely to be approved, so you don’t waste a lot of time
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Size of Your Deposit When Buying a San Diego Home

“How much should my deposit be when I buy a home? I’ve heard you should make it as small as possible so you don’t lose much if you back out.” Answer: Small deposits do pose less risk to you as a buyer. But your deposit money is only at risk if you back out, and
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Finding Out Your Credit Score

“I want to buy a home next year. I know my credit has problems from a few years ago, but I’ve paid all my bills on time or early for awhile. How do I find out what my credit score is now?” Answer: Residents of California (and 12 other western states) can get a FREE
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Fate of the Deposit if the Buyer Backs Out

“Hi Gary, we’re going to be calling you shortly to sell our home soon. Right now my wife and I have a question. If we sell and the buyer backs out, do we get to keep the deposit? I say yes, but my wife says it depends.” Answer: Listen to your wife! The standard purchase
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