Do You Need Tenant Permission to Repair Your San Diego Home?

Question: [From a client whose rental house I listed] “Can you get me bids to make some repairs the flooring?  My property manager says I need to get the tenants’ permission to repair it.  Is that correct?” Answer: As the owner, you have the right to make repairs and you only need to give the
Read more
No Comments

Deal with Unfixable Home Items Before Selling

Question: “I have an old in-ground jacuzzi that’s beyond repair.  I’m going to put my home on the market and prefer not to deal with it.  What do you advise?” Answer: You’re going to have to deal with it one way or another. If you don’t remove it, your prospective buyer will expect it to
Read more
No Comments

Must Value Range Sellers Accept Any Offer in the Range?

Question: [From an agent (who should but doesn’t understand value range pricing) who brought an offer in the bottom half of the value range of a home I had listed] “My clients and I spent hours trying to make a deal happen that isn’t possible.  Why is there a range posted when your clients are
Read more
No Comments

Refinance and Still Pay Off Your Loan

Question: “I’d like to refinance, but I’ve had my loan 18 years and have got myself in a position where I only have 12 years to pay it off.  I don’t want to blow that and start over with a 30 year loan.” Answer: I hear this a lot! And with some math or going
Read more
No Comments

Why You Want a “For Sale” Sign for Your San Diego Home

Question: “Do I really need a sign?  I don’t want my neighbors to know or call attention to my house so it’s burglarized…” Answer: Your neighbors WILL know your home is for sale. How? Well, it might be when they see professionally dressed (well, this is San Diego, so not always so professionally dressed) men
Read more
No Comments

When Does the Seller Pay for Undisclosed Problems?

Question: “We bought a house and the seller disclosed the presence of a cat in one room, but no disclosure of any pet stains.  We pulled up carpet and found 15-20 stains on the floor underneath.  Is this a case where seller should have known and disclosed it? Or is he covered by saying he
Read more
No Comments

Owning Rental Properties Comes with Its Challenges

Question: “I’m a beginning real estate investor and want to get into rental property.  I’m a little concerned because I think I might be too ‘nice’ and won’t know how to deal with problem tenants.  I think I read in your newsletter that you have rental property.  Do you have problems with your rentals?” Answer:
Read more
No Comments

Price Per Square Foot Won’t Determine Your Home Addition Profit

Question: “I can add onto my house for $200 per square foot and houses in my neighborhood are selling for about $400 per square foot.  Why shouldn’t I just keep on adding onto my house until I hit the maximum the city will allow?  If I can pay $200 and receive $400, I’ll do that
Read more
No Comments

What Are Sellers Required to Fix?

Question: “I know the seller has to fix health and safety items, but don’t they also have to fix code violations?” Answer: No, no, and no. There are very few physical requirements a homeseller in San Diego County is legally required to meet, and those don’t include health, safety, or code items. Here’s the short
Read more
No Comments

What Should a Rookie Investor Buy?

Question: “I’d like to start investing in real estate.  What do you suggest for a rookie investor like me to buy?” Answer: I’d suggest keeping it simple and buying a small condo.  As a matter of fact, the first property my son bought was a condo that he rented out.  It’s worked out quite well
Read more
No Comments