Will the Fence Always Be on the Property Line?

Question: “I was looking at a house with a large yard that goes down a hill. I assume the fences would be on the property line, correct? That’s what the owner said.” Answer: While fences are usually on the property line, never assume that’s true for any given house. And it helps that the owner
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This Week’s Crazy Building: The Cogwheel

Kuggen by Mats Kristoffersen licensed under the terms of CC BY 3.0
This week’s crazy building is Kuggen in Gothenburg, Sweden. Completed in 2011, Kuggen (Swedish for “the Cogwheel”) was designed for the Chalmers Institute of Technology by famous architect Gert Wingårdh. It connects to neighboring buildings via two second-floor walkways. This weird structure does indeed look like a giant cogwheel—or perhaps a jagged red tornado. Each
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Should You Wait or Lock in Your Loan Rate Now?

Question: “I’m buying a home and my lender says he can get me a rate just under 4%. Do you recommend I lock my rate in now or wait to see if rates drop more?” Answer: WHAT I WANTED TO SAY: Why would you lock in your rate now? Just hang on a little longer
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Having a Broker Caravan When Selling Your San Diego Home

Question: “How important is it to have a broker caravan when selling a home?” Answer: (A broker caravan, aka “broker open house” or “broker tour”, is typically a 2-3 hour period where a home is open for Realtors to come through and see it.) If you asked me this question 15 or more years ago,
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How Much Should Your Deposit Be?

Question: “We’re going to make an offer on a home for $875,000. How much do you think our deposit be? Is $2500 too low?” Answer: Yes! The seller won’t take your offer seriously with a low deposit like that. Deposits are typically 1 to 2% of the price. When I represent a homeseller, I insist
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Can the Seller Cancel if They Didn’t Sign Escrow Instructions?

Question: “I got a good deal on a little condo that would make a great rental. Now the seller is trying to cancel saying he never signed escrow instructions so we don’t have a deal. I’ve asked my agent if that’s correct and he thinks the seller is wrong but isn’t sure. The seller can’t
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Should You Get an Appraisal Before Selling?

Question: “We plan to sell our home and get it on the market in the next few weeks. What’s the first step, getting an appraisal?” Answer: You certainly can get an appraisal, but you’ll be shelling out $500 for what your agent will do for free. Basically, your steps are: Find a good agent Determine
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How Long Do Buyers Have to Inspect a San Diego Home?

Question: “How long does a homebuyer have to inspect a home?” Answer: That’s a good question, but a more complete question to ask is: “How long does a buyer have to inspect and investigate a home and, depending on what they find, either cancel or request from the seller a credit or repair?” That’s because
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This Week’s Crazy Building: The Crooked House

This week’s crazy building is the Crooked House in South Staffordshire, England. Built as a farmhouse way back in 1765, the Crooked House didn’t become crooked right away. During the late 1800s, nearby mining caused the land beneath to start gradually sinking. Now one side of the building is four feet lower than the other! In
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Does it Hurt Credit More to Shop Several Lenders?

Question: “Two questions. I’ve heard that every time a banker runs my credit for a mortgage, it actually hurts my credit. Is that true? And does it hurt my credit more to shop several lenders?” Answer: First of all, your credit is only impacted if a mortgage lender actually runs your credit. A conversation won’t
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