Should You Use the BBB to Find an Agent?

Question: “Should I check with the Better Business Bureau to find an agent?” Answer: There are a range of opinions about the “BBB.” Some say it’s a fine consumer protection organization that provides a great service. Others say it’s really just a for-profit business that charges businesses to be listed. Some say it’s a relevant
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Emporia

Emporia Shopping Center by Håkan Dahlström licensed under the terms of CC BY 2.0
This week’s crazy building is Emporia in Malmö, Sweden. Constructed in 2012 for over $250 million, Emporia is one of the biggest shopping malls in Scandinavia. It contains roughly 200 shops and restaurants in its 1,000,000 square feet of of shopping space. On top of the three-story mall is a rooftop terrace garden where people
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How to Refinance Without Paying Another 30-Year Mortgage

Question: “We’d like to refi and get our rate down, but we’ve had this loan 10 years. So we just have 20 years left and don’t want to start over on a 30 year loan. Is there a way to get our current lender to just lower the rate or refinance the loan in place?”
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Adding Up Selling Costs on Your San Diego Home

Question: “We’re trying to figure out the costs when we sell our home. What are they?” Answer: As a rule of thumb, figure 8% of the selling price for all selling costs, including a cushion of 1% to 1.5% for repairs and NOT including last mortgage payment and property tax prorations. Specifically, in San Diego,
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Buying a Home w/ Payment No Bigger Than Your Rent

Question: “Is it a realistic target to want to buy a home and keep my payment no greater than the rent I’m paying now?” Answer: I don’t know your current rent, your down payment, or what you want in a home to answer for your specific situation. But I can say it’s tough to buy
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Chand Baori

Chand Baori at Abhaneri by Chetan licensed under the terms of CC BY-SA 3.0
This week’s crazy building is Chand Baori in Abhaneri, India. Some of the past crazy buildings have been extraordinarily high. This one is 100 feet deep! Chand Baori is one of the world’s largest stepwells, extends 13 stories downward into the earth. It is so deep, in fact, that it is several degrees cooler at
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Be Careful When Offering Incentives to Tenants

Question: “Due to the crazy laws in California, I have to give my tenant a 60-day notice to move. But I’d like to get her out sooner by letting her skip the last month’s rent. Good idea?” Answer: No and yes. Offering an incentive is a good idea, but never give a tenant an incentive
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Is There Demand for Fixer-Upper San Diego Homes?

Question: “My brother and I inherited a rental house that has been very neglected and is in horrible condition. Can we even sell it?” Answer: Definitely. There’s still good demand for fixer upper homes. Most people buying are “flippers” who fix and resell for profit. Others are just regular potential homeowners looking for a less
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Do Termite Inspections Cover Fungus?

Question: “I saw a house that has a lot of fungus damage to the wood. Does a termite inspection cover that?” Answer: Yes. While it’s often called a “termite inspection”, the correct term is “pest control inspection,” which covers anything that can decay or eat the wood. And that includes fungus.
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Should You Cosign a Loan on a San Diego Home?

Question: “My son asked me to cosign on a loan so he can buy his first home. Is there any risk to me doing that?” Answer: Cosigning on a loan makes you as liable as the person you’re cosigning for. So if your son is late on his mortgage, his and YOUR credit will be
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