What to Do With Your San Diego Home After Improving It

Question: “I just finished renovating my condo. It has never looked this good in the 20 years I’ve owned it, so I’ve decided to keep it and rent it out…” Answer: Since you did so much to your condo, be sure to get a big security deposit from a potential tenant. You may even want
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Do Repairs Increase Home Value or Just Make It Sell Faster?

Question: “I’m not sure if this makes sense. An agent told me that remodeling and new paint and carpet don’t increase the value of my home, they just make it sell faster?” Answer: That’s nonsense. I’ve heard that many times and never understood the “logic.” All smart improvements should increase the value of your home,
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Beware Cost-Benefit Guides When Improving Your San Diego Home

Question: “I’ll be selling in a couple of years and am looking at investing some money in my home now so I can get a higher price when I sell. Can you direct me to a cost versus benefit analysis list for various upgrades or repairs?” Answer: There are several such lists. Here’s one from
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Should You Sell or Add Onto Your San Diego Home?

Question: “Our family is growing and we’re running out of space. We’re expecting our third child and we’re trying to decide if should stay and add-on or sell and move up. What advice can you give us?” Answer: My best advice is to ask yourself these questions: Do you love where you live? Does your
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Is Your San Diego Home Improvement Worth It?

Question: “We got a contractor’s bid of $24,000 to put in new cherry finish cabinets and granite counter tops in the kitchen and both baths, plus a new range/oven.  Do you think that’s a good investment and we would get more than the $24,000 back if we do these things?” Answer: The $24,000 sounds like
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Premium Price for Your Remodeled San Diego Home

Question: “We remodeled our home about 20 years ago.  It’s still in great condition, so we feel we should get a premium price for it…” Answer: I hate to tell you this… Today’s San Diego homebuyers are spoiled. My theory is it started about 10 years ago when thousands of apartments were converted to condos. 
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Will Xeriscaping Add Value to Your San Diego Home?

Question: “Gary, I’m going to xeriscape the front of my house to conserve water and lower my water bill.  How much value do you think that will add?” Answer: [Note: Xeriscaping is landscaping that needs little or no watering by using less-thirsty plants like cacti and succulents.] First, I highly commend you for conserving water.
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How Does a Neighbor’s Ugly Home Affect Your Sale?

Question: “Does it make a difference when you sell your home if the neighbor’s property is unkept and ugly?  The house next door is a rental and the lawn is a mix of dead grass and tall weeds.  The paint is peeling and the garage door is broken.  How much will that impact selling my
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Can the Bank Require Home Repairs?

“I’m buying a house with 20% down and my bank just said that there’s a cracked window and some electrical items that need to be fixed.  Can they do that?” Answer: Remember the golden rule: “He who has the gold makes the rules.” So yes, the bank can require that. This is more common on
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How Much Do Remodels Increase Your San Diego Home Value?

Question: “We redid our baths a couple of years ago and now we’re considering remodeling our kitchen.  We plan to sell the house in 2015 when I retire.  How much will a kitchen remodel increase our home value?” Answer: Someone asked me the same question TODAY. The answer: it depends.  It depends on: How much
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