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.

When in Doubt, Disclose on Your San Diego Home

Question: “Last year I had a plumbing leak that led to mold in my laundry room. A mold remediation company handled everything and the mold test came out 100% clear. Do I still need to disclose it when I sell my home?” Answer: Definitely. The law says you must disclose anything that could “materially affect
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How Big a Deposit Must You Make?

Question: “How much deposit am I required to make to have a binding contract?” Answer: This may surprise you and many readers, but you’re not legally required to make a deposit at all. While contracts require what is called “consideration” to be valid, that doesn’t mean you need to have a deposit. Per the good
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Is It Easy to Get a Loan for a San Diego Home?

Question: “I’ve heard conflicting stories about how easy or hard it is to get a home loan. What’s your take on it?” Answer: There are two competing forces impacting people’s ability to get a home loan. On the plus side, today’s ridiculously low mortgage rates and resulting low payments make it much easier to qualify
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Two San Diego Short Sale Questions

Question: “I have two questions about doing a short sale. First, we have a leaky roof. Is it possible to just disclose that and sell as is? Second, what’s the cost to hire you to handle everything? We definitely want your expertise, but we’re short on money.” Answer: I’ve got good news on both your
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Who’s Buying San Diego Homes?

Question: “Who are you seeing out there buying homes in San Diego? Are they first-time homebuyers, people moving up or down, foreign buyers, or ???” Answer: Of course, we’re seeing all of those groups, and a few more. But I think you’re asking about major trends… There’s an unusually high percentage of cash buyers, many
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What Interest Rate Can You Get for a Home Loan?

Question: “What interest rate can I get for a home loan?” Answer: Years ago, that was a simple question with a simple answer. But today, you have to answer these questions first: Owner occupied or investment property? For single family, 2 units/duplex, or 3-4 units? Fixed or adjustable? If fixed, fixed for 3, 5, 7,
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3 Reasons a San Diego Home Is Listed “As Is”

Question: “If a house is advertised ‘as is,’ does that mean that the house has problems? And can you still inspect it and ask for something to be fixed?” Answer: Great questions. Homes are typically advertised “As Is” for three different but related reasons: First, the home may indeed have problems, ranging from ugly cosmetics
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Keeping an Expensive San Diego Home as a Rental

Question: “Hi Gary. We have a pretty nice house in UC, worth around $850,000. We want to scale down and buy a condo. Do you think we should keep the house as a rental?” Answer: Expensive homes make no financial sense as a rental in San Diego. Your cash on cash return will likely be
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Should You Pick the Middle of 3 Agents’ Price Opinions?

Question: “I’m going to sell my house this summer. I know how important it is to price your home right. So I plan to get 3 agents’ price opinions and then hire the agent in the middle. Is this a good idea?” Answer: I don’t recommend it. 2 reasons… Reason #1: Whether it’s a high
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Do Buyers & Sellers Attend the Closing on a San Diego Home?

Question: “Hi Gary. I really enjoy reading your newsletter. I have a question. My wife and I will be buying our first home in San Diego. Do the buyer and seller both attend the closing, or just the agents?” Answer: None of the above. Practices vary by geography. In some states, the buyer, seller, agents,
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