How do I find off market properties?

Question: “Do you have any homes that are not on the market?” Answer: Yes! Not only do we typically have a handful of “Coming Soon” homes, I often know of other homes before they hit the market. But wait, there’s more… We’ve developed several other sources of homes we use to find just the right
Read more
No Comments

Are HOA’s allowed to charge for documents?

Question: “My HOA management company wants to charge me $700 for the condo documents. That’s highway robbery. Is that even legal?” Answer: I’m no attorney, but in my opinion, that is NOT legal (and is, in fact, highway robbery!). Too many HOA management companies are raking it in and breaking the law in the process.
Read more
No Comments

How does the Mills Act work?

Question: I recently heard of something called the Mills Act, can you tell me more about it and how it works? Answer: Certainly. What is the Mills Act?The Mills Act is property tax reduction for designated historic properties. It will limit changes that can be made to the property. How does a property qualify for
Read more
No Comments

How to (Almost) Lose $100,000

Foreclosure sales can lead to great deals, but it’s important to do your due diligence on any home you’re thinking about buying. Back in 2011, my associate Kevin and I made a few offers at foreclosure sales. There was one house in Pacific Beach that we were thinking about making an offer on. By total
Read more
No Comments

This Week’s Crazy Building: Temple of Valadier

Sitting in the midst of a cave, the Temple of Valadier seems bizarrely out of place. Located nearby Ancona, Italy, a small port city. The Temple was built in 1828 by architect Giuseppe Valadier and uses white travertine. This spot is believed to have been used as a sanctuary from invaders as early as the
Read more
No Comments

Is there a downside to value range pricing?

Question: “If I sell my home, is there any downside to value range pricing?” Answer: Only one that I know of… Because value range pricing is rarely seen outside of San Diego, none of the national websites support it. They only have a field for one price, not a range. Their work-around is to use
Read more
No Comments

Can property managers effectively sell properties?

Question: “We’re going to sell our rental property and have our property manager list it…” Answer: Hold on a sec! You don’t want a regular real estate “sales” agent trying to manage your property. And you don’t want a property manager trying to sell your property. Even though both jobs require real estate licenses, they’re
Read more
No Comments

How much do I pay the agent who is showing us homes?

Question: We are starting to look for a home but are not sure about using an agent. How much would we have to pay them? Answer: Great question! The answer most of the time is… Zero! Of course, real estate agents don’t work for free. In practice, the seller almost always pays both agents. There
Read more
No Comments

You’re Invited to Our Next Open House Extravaganza

It’s that time again. You’re invited to another Open House Extravaganza. Join me on June 29 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 5049 Pacifica Drive in Pacific Beach to see a beautiful house with a beautiful view. We’ll have wine, cheese, music, good conversation, and so much more. The asking price is $1.299 million.
Read more
No Comments

Can I bring my dog when I go to see a home?

Question: “Is it okay to bring my dog inside when I see a home?” Answer: Great question. First of all, I love, love, LOVE dogs. But even though you and I and most normal people love dogs, you should never bring your dog into a home you’re viewing without permission. The owner may be allergic,
Read more
No Comments
TOP