Question: “When is a deposit supposed to be refundable and when is it supposed to be forfeited?” Answer: Great question…long answer! Deposits tend to be fully refundable provided you have not broken the contract and you still have active contingencies. Said another way… Your contract gives you certain contingencies, which are rights to exit the

Question: “Do I need an attorney when I buy a home?” Answer: First of all, I would NEVER tell you not to have an attorney review documents or answer questions for you. And in many other states, attorneys handle the closing instead of escrow companies, like we do here in San Diego. That being said,

Question: “We’re looking at a home on over a quarter acre, most of it is on a hillside and unusable. The agent we’re working with keeps telling us that the huge lot means the property is worth more. Is it?” Answer: If the large lot means you have greater privacy, a view, can add an

Question: “Who pays for the house to be cleaned, the seller or buyer?” Answer: Great question! Unless you write in the offer that the seller is to have the home professionally cleaned, the seller is only required to remove possessions and debris. In practice, most home sellers leave homes fairly clean, and some have them

Question: “I’d like the seller to pay my half of my closing costs. Isn’t it normal to share the costs?” Answer: Yes and no. It depends on what you mean by “share the costs.” When a home sells, the buyer and seller have different costs that they pay. There’s no law that says who pays

Question: “I don’t want to buy a house from a flipper because they cut corners and do a poor job.” Answer: There are indeed some renovators/flippers who do work as you describe. There are others who are very thorough and do a great job. If you want a nice remodeled house, but won’t buy one

Question: “My husband and I are frustrated. We’re renting and we know it’s a great time to buy, but we can’t afford to buy a home we really want…” Answer: Some people call that having “champagne taste and a beer budget.” That’s a little rough, so I prefer to just say that some people have