14 Easy Fixes to Make Before Your Home Inspection

14 Easy Fixes to Make Before Your Home InspectionBefore your home goes on the market, you want to make sure it looks its best for potential buyers. Once you have an accepted offer, the next person you need to worry about is the home inspector. The home inspector will be looking at many things your buyer did not. Here are 14 easy fixes to make before your home inspection.

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June 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

June 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportSan Diego County jumped up to eighth position in realtor.com’s® 20 Hottest Real Estate Markets. That’s our best ranking in May since Realtor.com started comparing markets three years ago.

Real Estate Report

May’s market statistics certainly support that hot ranking. Countywide, the median sales price increased 7.9 percent compared to the previous May and the supply of available inventory fell to a meager 2.1 months.

This is wonderful for San Diego County home sellers, but rising prices are making it difficult for buyers. The California Association of Realtors reports that only 28 percent of households could afford the median priced home in the first quarter of 2016. With home prices continuing to rise, that number will most likely drop even lower.

See below for today’s interest rates.

Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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May 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

May 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportIt’s a great time to sell, and may be your last chance to buy. San Diego County home prices continue to rise; inventory keeps dropping, and interest rates are near historic lows.

With increasing prices, low inventory and short market times, the second quarter of 2016 looks very promising for San Diego County home sellers. But those rising prices are pushing buyers out of the market. If interest rates increase, this will squeeze many buyers out of an already tight market.

Real Estate Report

Here’s the three minute skinny for North County’s first quarter report with a forecast of what the second quarter will bring.

See below for today’s interest rates.

Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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April 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

April 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportSan Diego County home prices continue to recover, but still have not reached their 2005 peaks according to CoreLogic and reported in the Union-Tribune.

Real Estate Report

March brought more listing and sales activity compared to February, but the continued low inventory and rising prices are keeping the total number of sales low for what is normally a busy time of year.

San Diego County saw a year-over median price increase of 6 percent with prices reaching $485,000. In North County the median price was $537,000 with a year-over increase of 4.1 percent

See below for today’s interest rates. Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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March 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

March 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportAlthough North County saw a drop in the median sales price compared to January, and San Diego County as a whole was mostly flat, the San Diego County real estate market continued moving upward with healthy year-over price increases.

Real Estate Report

As is typical this time of year, there were more new listings on the market in February, but the number of homes going under contract, or pending, also increased. This is keeping the inventory hovering at a painfully low two months’ supply. Most experts expect to see six months’ supply in a healthy market.

The continuing low interest rates, low resale inventory, and lack of new homes being built in San Diego County has created a housing shortage. This lack of available housing is keeping upward pressure on home prices and rents. We’ve seen an increase in the number of homes being built in the county, 25 new projects this year according to the Union-Tribune. It’s still not enough to meet demand, and many of those homes are in a price range that most buyers can’t afford.

See below for today’s interest rates. Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders

How to Buy a HomeNo matter if you’re in a buyer’s or seller’s market, there are a few critical steps you can take to make a smarter purchase. Since buying a home is likely the biggest single investment you will ever make, being prepared will help you make a better purchase. Here are 7 tips and tricks to buying a home.

Know Your Buying Power

What is your buying power? It is your ability to borrow plus the cash you have available for a down payment and closing costs. Your credit-worthiness and income will affect how much you can realistically borrow for a home.

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Three Negotiating Mistakes Sellers Make

Three Negotiating Mistakes Sellers MakeWhen you list your home for sale, you may think you’ve priced it right, staged it beautifully, and timed the market for a quick sale.

The reality is that buyers are full of surprises, nearly all of them predictable. They rarely pay list price; they discount or dismiss improvements you’ve made; their inspections usually turn up something for you to fix, and they may have terms that you weren’t counting on — like needing to sell their home before they buy yours.

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Top Homeowner Tax Deductions That Decrease Your Tax Burden

Top Homeowner Tax DeductionsYou can’t avoid paying taxes, and we all need to pay our fair share. However, paying your fair share shouldn’t place an unjust burden on you. As a homeowner, your tax burden is doubled because you pay both income and property taxes. To decrease that burden and boost your tax savings, take advantage of these homeowner tax deductions. As a result, you can use your tax savings to go on a vacation, increase your child’s college fund, build upon your retirement fund, or complete another home improvement project.

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February 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

February 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportSan Diego County real estate looked strong in January with 10.5 percent year over median price increases for North County and 7.5 percent increases countywide. Interest rates continue to remain below 4 percent for many types of loans.

Real Estate Report

San Diego was ranked number five on the list of realtor.com’s® 20 Hottest U.S. Real Estate Markets in January 2016. It doesn’t look like this is going to change in the near future. January saw increases in the number of pending sales compared to both the previous month and to January 2015.

Where’s the Inventory?

Although there were many new listings in January, inventory supply is still under two months in both North County and in San Diego County as a whole. Most experts say four to six months of supply is needed for a balanced market.

See below for today’s interest rates. Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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Check Your Credit

Check Your CreditYou are probably aware that federal law entitles you to a free copy of your credit report annually by each of the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.

Why bother to check your credit? Because by regularly looking at each of these reports, you can determine if there are any errors on them and be aware of your credit worthiness.

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