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.

Can I still sell my San Diego duplex even if my rents are way below market value?

Question: “We own a duplex and are considering selling it. Our rents are way below market because we’re just not very good landlords and our tenants have been there forever. Will that be a problem?” Answer: You’ll still be able to sell your duplex. But because a large percentage of potential buyers are investors, and
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What is the proper etiquette for gift giving during a home sale?

Question: “We really love the young couple who are buying our home and want to leave them a gift. What’s the normal etiquette for this? Do you think it’s a good idea?” Answer: First of all, how nice you are to be so thoughtful. This is relatively uncommon, so there’s no accepted etiquette. You can
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How do you make a backup offer?

Question: “My wife and I made an offer on a home. They accepted another offer, but we asked and they said they’d keep us as a backup. But we found out the offer they accepted fell through and they sold to someone else without even telling us. Is that legal?” Answer: From your question, it
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This Week’s Crazy Building: U.S. Bank Stadium

The U.S. Bank Stadium is crazy by design. Inspired by the local landscape of Minnesota as well as Viking longboats this structure by HKS Architects is a landmark piece in several ways. The stadium is LEED Gold certified, meaning it meets international criteria for best in class strategies and practices to make it a sustainable
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Located in Dallas, Texas, the monolithic Perot Museum of Nature and Science was inspired by the local landscape and designed to spark the imagination. The original museum dates back to 1936. Its current form represents the merger of the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place, and the Dallas Children’s Museum. The new building,
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Is a single family house a good investment?

Question: “What do you think of buying a single family house as an investment?” Answer: Funny you should ask. I’ve never been a fan of buying houses in San Diego as a buy-and-hold investment. But I just closed on my very first one ever, earlier this month. So I guess my views have changed. For
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What are some smart tips for buying a home?

Question: “Any smart tips you can share about buying a home?” Answer: Sure, here’s one… When you look at homes online, pay special attention to the ones with very low-quality photos. I don’t mean ugly homes necessarily, but the homes with photos that look like they were taken by an 8-year-old using an iPhone 1.
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How do I choose the right real estate agent to sell my home?

Question: “I interviewed agents to sell my home and chose an energetic young guy who was very successful. The only problem, I found out later, was that his success was a mirage. He had sold very few homes and didn’t know what he was doing. What should I have done?” Answer: “All that glitters isn’t
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Scottish Parliament building

Drawing inspiration from the local landscape and culture the Scottish Parliament building’s futuristic forms are a definite departure from the norm. Architect Enric Miralles referenced boats, the Scottish cross, and the flower paintings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to name a few sources. Although his proposal came in second place, he was awarded the contract because
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Can a home seller legally require me to qualify with their lender?

Question: “I just made an offer on a home. I’ve been qualified by a mortgage broker I know, but the seller wants me to qualify with a lender they know. Is this even legal? I’m a private person and don’t want to share my personal information.” Answer: Yes, it is legal. What may or may
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