Selling Your San Diego Home Vacant vs. with Tenants

“I’m thinking about selling my La Jolla home. Should I sell my home vacant or with tenants there?” Answer: It depends on the occupants. In particular, how they keep the home and how cooperative they are. A well-kept home with beautiful furniture is a real plus. But a messy home with dated or ugly furniture
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Should You Sell Your San Diego Home “As Is”?

“My husband and I are planning to sell our large 2-story home in University City. We’re in our 70s and don’t want to do a lot of fixing to it. Our daughter’s friend who is an agent told us to just sell our home ‘As Is’ and then we won’t have to fix anything. Will
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Listing Your San Diego Home with the “Neighborhood Specialist”

“Hello… My wife and I will be selling our La Jolla home this spring and don’t know any agents. There is one who seems to work the neighborhood. She calls herself the neighborhood specialist. Do you think we should list with her?” Answer: Excellent question. Let me share a story with you… Years ago at
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Do Sellers Always Need to Tent for Termites?

“I have a question. Does the seller always have to tent their home for termites when they sell?” Answer: First of all, there’s no law requiring a termite clearance. So, if you want a termite clearance, you must request it in your offer. The two main categories of pest control work are “Section 1” and
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Using a Friend to Sell Your San Diego Home

“Hello Gary. I have a dilemma. I want to sell my home and move to Riverside. Because my friend is an agent and having money problems, I feel obligated to list with her. But I’d much rather use another agent I know who’d do a much better job. Any ideas?” Answer: First of all, you’re
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Are Tax Assessors’ Home Valuations Accurate?

“In 2005 I bought a house in PB worth $700K. …I just received the property appraisal from the tax assessor and the current value of my house is now down to $488K…” Answer: Let me stop you right there. The tax assessor’s assessment of your Pacific Beach home is not necessarily the value. In fact,
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Finding a Good Homestager for Your San Diego Home

“Do you have a home stager you can recommend? And what do they typically cost?” Answer: I do know a good homestager and will be happy to give you her contact info. Homestagers offer a range of services, in increasing order of cost: – Initial consultation (often free) – A list of things you can
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Finding Out the Bank’s Appraisal of Your San Diego Home

“When I sell my home, will I find out what how much the bank appraises it for?” Answer: If the appraisal comes in at the sales price or higher, the bank tells us the appraisal was “sufficient” or some similar term, but they don’t usually release the price. If it’s low, they do tell us
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Selling San Diego Real Estate Without Too Much Tax

“I’ve owned San Diego real estate for 40 years and I’m tired. I’m 71 and want out of being a property manager. My wife and I own a 7-unit apartment complex in Normal Heights. Any ideas on how to sell it without paying a lot of tax?” Answer: Here are SIX ideas for you: 1.
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7 Easy Fixes for Selling Your San Diego Home

“We’re planning to sell our home. We’ve done a beautiful remodel inside our home, but our front porch is shabby. From reading your newsletter we know how important a good first impression is. Can you give us ideas to improve it that won’t cost too much?” Answer: Of course, I haven’t seen your home, but
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