Be Wary Of Blind Offers

  If you’re selling a home, be wary of blind offers.   What do I mean by being wary of blind offers? Well, many house-flippers are making offers on homes sight unseen—the downside is that they’re tying the house up by getting it taken off the market with an accepted offer. Then they decide if
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If an agent isn’t busy, does that mean they will give better service?

Question: “We interviewed two agents to sell our home. We mentioned to the first one that we’re also talking to a certain well-known agent who has sold signs all over our area. That first agent said she could give me better service and do a better job than the other agent because she’s not as
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What is a Zillow Zestimate?

Question: “Hi Gary. I saw a little condo near SDSU for sale. The agent was advertising it as being $35,000 under Zillow Zestimate. I’m not sure what they’re talking about. Does that mean it’s a good deal?” Answer: Nope. What that means is the agent is trying to sway anyone foolish enough to think that
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What is Fannie Mae?

Question: “I hear all this talk about Fannie Mae. What is Fannie Mae exactly?” Answer: Fannie Mae or FNMA, stands for the Federal National Mortgage Association.  It’s a major market for buying and selling home loans and they have certain critical guidelines. If a loan doesn’t meet FNMA guidelines, it’s harder to sell, which typically
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Clairemont Duplex Market Update

    Here’s the latest on your Clairemont duplex market.     Right now, there are zero Clairemont duplexes for sale—not a single one.What does this mean? If you’re thinking of selling your Clairemont duplex, this is good news, because if you put it on the market, you’ll have no competition at all.  Overall, duplex
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What Does the Pacific Beach 2-4 Unit Market Look Like?

    Here’s the latest on two- to four-unit properties in Pacific Beach.     I’m here today with an update for you on our Pacific Beach two- to four-unit marketplace. Right now, I would put this market in the “very good” category. It’s not extremely hot and it’s not really slow, but it’s humming
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How soon should I make an offer on a house?

Question: “Hi Gary. Love your newsletter. I want to know, when you’re looking for a home and find one you really like, how long do you think it’s OK to think about it before making an offer?” Answer: He who hesitates is lost.  If a home is attractive and/or well-priced, someone else may have seen
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Are FHA loans only for first-time buyers?

Question: “Can I get an FHA loan if I’ve owned a home before?” Answer: Yes, contrary to what many people believe, you don’t have to be a first-time buyer to get an FHA loan. I think the confusion is because many first-time buyers do get FHA loans.
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How to keep the low property tax assessment for an inherited property

Question: “Are propositions 60 and 90 the ones that let people who inherit property from a parent or grandparent keep the low property tax assessment?” Answer: You’re thinking of California Propositions 58 and 193. Propositions 60 and 90 allow people 55 or older to transfer their low Proposition 13 tax assessment to a new home
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Can I get an FHA loan if I’ve owned a home before?

Question: “Can I get an FHA loan if I’ve owned a home before?” Answer: Yes, contrary to what many people believe, you don’t have to be a first-time buyer to get an FHA loan. I think the confusion is because many first-time buyers do get FHA loans.
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