How to Fire a Realtor (Good Luck!)

Question: “Re: how to fire a realtor.  Went online and got some vague answers.  Wish to cancel my listing based on realtor’s breach of contract and lack of communication.  Any advice???” Answer: Good luck. Listing contracts make it virtually impossible to fire an agent who isn’t performing. That’s why you don’t want to just use
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Should You Rush to Make an Offer on a Home You Love?

Question: My boyfriend and I found a home we love and the agent told us to rush to make offer.  We were not at all comfortable with her pushing us.  Do you tell your clients to rush to make offers?” Answer: In any market, timing can make or break a purchase. I’ve seen people lose
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Pros & Cons of FHA Loans to Buy a San Diego Home

Question: “What are the pros and cons of getting an FHA loan to buy a home?” Answer: The Pros: Low down payments More flexible qualifying Lower credit score requirements The Cons: High up-front 1.75% mortgage insurance premium (MIP) High monthly 1.3% to 1.55% MIP Monthly MIP can never be removed if the loan is <10%
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Why You’re Not Getting Offers on Your Rental Property

Question: “I’ve got my fourplex for sale, but nobody’s made an offer.  I don’t get it.  You get almost nothing with your money in the bank, and I hear that most properties are getting multiple offers.  Why do you think I’m not getting any offers?” Answer: While what you’re stating is true, it doesn’t mean
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Can the Acceptance Date Be a Weekend or Holiday?

Question: “My offer was accepted on a weekend.  My lender told me that you always consider the following Monday to be the acceptance date as far as when you start counting how many days you have for inspections and other things.  Is that correct?” Answer: Your lender has an active imagination.  And he’s wrong. Even
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Why You Can’t Use Cash For Down Payments

Question: “I run a cash business. Since banks pay so little interest, I keep most of it in a safe. Now I want to buy a home and someone told me that it’s a problem using cash for a down payment. Why would that be a problem?” Answer: OK, so I’m not going to ask
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Is Now a Good Time to Sell Your San Diego Home?

Question: “I had my home on the market in 2011, but it didn’t sell because no one would pay what it was worth. Do you think it’s a good time to sell now?” Answer: Wikipedia, the ultimate source of all knowledge, defines value this way: Fair market value (FMV) is…what a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured
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Value Matters, Not List Price

“I’ve been looking at homes and made a few offers. My friend is a bookkeeper, but he has a real estate license, so he’s been showing me homes. He’s told me on several homes to offer over the list price, but I don’t feel comfortable doing that…” Answer: Let me interject two comments… #1: It’s
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Where to Look for a Lender for Your San Diego Home

Question: “Where do you suggest I start looking for a lender to get approved for a home loan?” Answer: I would avoid some of the common sources, such as going online or looking at newspaper ads. The best source is to ask a good, reputable, experienced agent. He or she will know a handful of
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Selecting a Range for Value Range Pricing

Question: “I’m trying to figure out value range pricing. If I feel my home is worth $500,000. What range would I ask?” Answer: Great question. Your desired price should be around the middle of the range. That allows for an attractive lower end of the range to draw interest, and a higher range to give
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