Must Sellers Disclose San Diego Home Appraisals?

Question: “I just bought a house and we closed a few days ago. We paid $550,000, but now I just heard from a neighbor that the old owner had the house appraised and it was for $525,000. Didn’t they have to disclose that?” Answer: Simple answer is “no.” But I rarely keep it simple, do
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Can You Cancel Your San Diego Home Listing & Hire a New Agent?

Question: “We listed our home 3 months ago. Even though our agent is with a big company and seemed very professional, he’s terrible. He’s made several big mistakes (wrong # of bedrooms and square footage on the flyer, etc.) and isn’t doing what he promised. Also, the price he recommended was way too high, which
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Don’t Base Your San Diego Home Value on an Appraisal

Question: “My home was appraised a couple of months ago for $725,000. What price do you think we should ask?” Answer: It depends on what your home is worth. But wait a second… You just had it appraised for $725,000, so that’s what it’s worth, right? Not necessarily. Check out the example I’ve reproduced to the right.
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Is Artificial Turf Better for Your San Diego Home?

Question: “Does replacing grass with artificial turf increase property value or not?” Answer: Great question. I used to say absolutely not. Now I’ll soften that and say probably not. But, with this water shortage, shouldn’t artificial turf make a home more desirable and slightly more valuable? As I’ve said before, people buy on emotion and
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Should You Get a Stager for Your San Diego Home?

Question: “I’ll be selling my 1-bedroom condo that’s worth about 200K. At what point is it worth hiring a professional stager?” Answer: In my opinion, a good stager will return at least 3 and up to 10 times the fee, depending on the cost and the home price. Because your condo is small, it should
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Can You Sell Without Paying Taxes on the Gain?

Question: “I’ve heard about avoiding taxes when you sell your home. There’s some rule about owning and living in the house two years. My wife and I rented a house nine years and finally bought it in 2012. Then in 2013 we moved to Seattle. So we didn’t own and live in it at the
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A Real Estate License Isn’t a “Golden Ticket”

Question: “A friend of the family just got a real estate license, so we’re going to have him sell our home.” Answer: This reminds me of what I call the “Golden Ticket Syndrome.” Remember Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? If you had a Golden Ticket you got the grand tour of Willy’s candy factory
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The Crystal Ball Question & The Definition of Value

Question: “I know the market has recovered most of what it lost, but I still don’t think I can get what my home is worth. When do you think we’ll fully recover to 2006 prices?” Answer: First, a non-answer, then a comment… Non-Answer Your question of when will we retake the peak of the 2006
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Is It Okay For Buyer’s Agents to Contact the Seller?

Question: “We have our home listed and an agent who showed the house called us asking about why we’re selling, when we’d like to move, and if we had other offers. Is that normal?” Answer: Absolutely NOT! That practice is unethical and possibly illegal. The only communication the buyer’s agent should initiate with you should
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How Much Value Does a Pool Add to a San Diego Home?

Backyardpool by Vic Brincat is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Question: “I’d really like to get a home with a pool in the backyard. How much more is that likely to cost?” Answer: Great question. There’s a lot of misinformation amongst the public and even agents on this topic. Some people say that a pool adds no value, while others even say it makes a
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