Getting Undisclosed Repairs After a San Diego Home Sale

Question: “I bought a home and am pretty sure the seller didn’t disclose that the roof was leaking. In the rain a few weeks ago, we had a leak. Our roofer said it HAD to be leaking before the house was sold. What should we do?” Answer: I recommend that you… 1. See an attorney.
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Home Offers Aren’t “First Come First Served”

Question: [From an agent who sent me the first of several offers I received on a home.] “Can I get something back to acknowledge that we do have our offer in and it is in before any others?” Answer: I’ve been asked this by homebuyers and homesellers. But I was surprised that an AGENT actually
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How Much Your Home Deposit Should Be

Question: “How much should my deposit be? And if they accept my offer but the home doesn’t pass the inspection, do I get my deposit back?” Answer: A decent deposit is 1% of the offered price. If you want to show the seller you’re serious (that’s why it’s called an “earnest” money deposit) you might
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How to Get Your Offer Accepted Over Cash Buyers

Question: “My wife and are trying to buy a home, but we’ve lost out to several cash offers. Any ideas for how to get our offer accepted over the cash buyers?” Answer: Here are a few: Offer a higher price (OK, you knew that one) Get full loan approval ahead of time, subject only to
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Can Agents Accept Other Offers Without Countering Yours?

Question: “I made a decent offer on a condo and didn’t even get a counter offer to see if I’d go up. They just accepted another offer. Is that ethical?” Answer: It’s most likely ethical. There are some cases where the seller’s agent ignores other offers so he can get his own offer accepted and
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Is Your Relationship Ready for Home Ownership?

Question: “My boyfriend and I want to buy a home. We’ve been together 6 months, but don’t have any current plans to get married. Do you think that’s a good idea?” Answer: Since I’m a Realtor, you might expect me to espouse the party line of, “Yes, it’s always a great time to buy a
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Why People Sell Their San Diego Homes Without Signs

Question: “The house next door to me is for sale, but I didn’t even know because there’s no sign. Why would someone sell without a For Sale sign?” Answer: Unless you live in La Jolla, where no signs are allowed, there’s no good reason to sell without a sign. The main reason I’ve heard is
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Common Mistakes When Buying a San Diego Home

Question: “What are some mistakes that people make when they buy their first home?” Answer: Oh my. There are so many. Here are some that come to mind: Choosing the wrong agent, especially choosing on personality instead of experience and skill Choosing the wrong lender Not changing criteria if unable to find a home after
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Never Use a Lender Who’s Also an Agent

“I just went to your San Diego investing seminar and heard you say never to use a lender who’s also an agent. Sadly, I heard this too late. I bought my San Diego home in 2009 and my (ex) agent did my loan. It was a nightmare. It took almost three months to close and
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5 Options for Selling a Home & Buying Another

Question “We live in Clairemont and we’re ready for a bigger house, but I don’t know how to go about this. I don’t want to sell mine until I’ve got another one, but I have to sell to get the money to buy the next one. How do people do this?” Answer: I hear San
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