Child Drowns in Jamul - San Diego 6
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Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Lawson Valley
This morning things are back to normal. The road in is open. The power is back on which means we have water! After a strange night of candles, no TV or computer and wondering if showering would be an option this morning, it feels good to wake up to electricity and water! Have a good day. And for those of you who live out here in Lawson Valley, slow down on the road. The curves can be dangerous! Stay on your own side and give yourself extra time. Your life and the lives of others are in our hands. This time the driver was lucky and is okay but as we have seen numerous times, that is not always the case. SLOW DOWN, BE CAREFUL AND RESPECT THE ROAD!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Jamul Accident/Fire
There has been an accident on Lawson Valley Rd in Jamul. As a result there is a brush fire. The fire department is on site and a helicopter is dropping water. No traffic is getting through. The accident is before Hillary. The Steele Canyon school bus has been stopped on their way in before the accident.
FHA approved complex
Yesterday evening I showed a client a condo in an FHA and VA approved complex. Finally, we have been looking for while now and the condo complexes in good standing are getting harder to find. If you can find them many times the VA buyer gets out bid by cash buyers who do not have to worry about the appraisal or the seller accepts a conventional offer over the VA offer. This was a 2 bedroom, upstairs unit and it was in excellent condition. We submitted an offer so now we wait with our fingers crossed.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Time is running out for tax credit
Time is running out to claim the $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit. When it passed earlier this year, part of the economic stimulus package, was a credit for first time home buyers. The credit is good for up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price, which ever is less. This credit does not have to be repaid!
However, the buyer needs to close escrow by Dec 1, 2009 in order to qualify. Now there has been talk of an extension but it has not happened yet. I am a firm believer in "better safe than sorry" and I am encouraging people that if they are planning on purchasing a home in the near future, do it now.
Many buyers think they have until November to start looking but the reality is that it can take awhile to close escrow. First they have to find the home they want and submit an offer. Then the offer needs to get accepted, short sales can take months and bank owned foreclosures more than a week. Many buyers quickly realize that well priced properties get snapped up quickly and they are often out bid by cash buyers who do not have to worry about the property appaising. The process can take some time. Once a buyer accomplishes getting an offer accepted then escrow opens. With changes in lending procedures, escrows can easily last 30-45 days, many lasting 60 days or more.
So, if you are considering buying a home, do not wait to start your home search. It can take much longer than you anticipate.
However, the buyer needs to close escrow by Dec 1, 2009 in order to qualify. Now there has been talk of an extension but it has not happened yet. I am a firm believer in "better safe than sorry" and I am encouraging people that if they are planning on purchasing a home in the near future, do it now.
Many buyers think they have until November to start looking but the reality is that it can take awhile to close escrow. First they have to find the home they want and submit an offer. Then the offer needs to get accepted, short sales can take months and bank owned foreclosures more than a week. Many buyers quickly realize that well priced properties get snapped up quickly and they are often out bid by cash buyers who do not have to worry about the property appaising. The process can take some time. Once a buyer accomplishes getting an offer accepted then escrow opens. With changes in lending procedures, escrows can easily last 30-45 days, many lasting 60 days or more.
So, if you are considering buying a home, do not wait to start your home search. It can take much longer than you anticipate.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Do you know how much your home is worth?
If you are thinking about whether or not to sell your home, your need to know what your home is worth in today's market to make an informed decision. You should determine its value based on comparing it to similar homes that have recently sold in your area. For a free Competitive Market Analysis of your home, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I will need the address, number of bedrooms and baths, square footage, year built, amenities and any upgrades. I will respond with the proper valuation of your home in today's marketplace, so you can make an informed decision.
ALL INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.
ALL INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.
Friday, August 21, 2009
10 Mistakes Home Sellers Make
Here are some of common mistakes home sellers can make. If you want to sell your home, try to avoid them! To some, these may seem like common sense but you would be amazed at how many sellers make these mistakes.
1.) Smelly House: Nothing is worse than opening the door to house and being hit by a strong smell. Some of the common ones are pet odors, dirty clothes, body odor, and stale food. But what you may not know is that strong incense, candles and air fresheners can have the same effect and it makes potential buyers wonder what you are covering up. You want the house to smell clean and fresh no over-powering smells of any kind.
2.) Beware of Dog: I mentioned pets earlier but while we are the subject, contain your pets. Not everyone loves animals and they can be a huge distraction. Your sweet dog may scare or intimidate a potential buyer. They may focus more on not being eaten rather than your home. Find an area outside to contain the animals while the home is being shown. Locking in the master bedroom is not a good idea! It causes the room to smell and the buyer to rush while looking at it.
3.) No High Pressure: Speaking of rushing a buyer, don't follow the buyer around and point out all the great features. This is incredibly uncomfortable for the buyer. Allow them to look at the home in peace and at their own pace. This gives them the chance to think about the home and picture themselves in it.
4.) No Grumpy Gus: This one is related to #8 above. When someone shows up to view your home be a gracious host. Don't be grumpy and appear inconvenienced by their presence. When you greet the buyer smile, welcome them in. Let them know that you are available to answer all their questions then make your self scarce. When they are done looking at the house ask them if they have any questions and thank them for coming.
5.) Less is More: Get rid of the clutter and big furniture. When every flat surface of the room is covered with clutter the house comes across as dirty. Clear the clutter. Remove large pieces of furniture. All that big furniture makes the rooms appear smaller. You want the buyer to be able to see the room and imagine their furniture in there.
6.) Personal is Personal: Over the years you may have made personal design and decorating choices that you love. Do not expect that buyers will be willing to pay more for these. You may love your upgrades but others may not. Remember when goldenrod was all the rage? You may love your Berber carpet but buyers will not be willing to pay more for your home because you put it in.
7.) Don't Test Me: Do your research before you put your home on the market. Don't list high and then lower the price later. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Your property will get the most interest when it first goes on the market. If you list high it will turn off potential buyers and you will have an uphill battle later trying to convince them to give your home a second look. Also the longer the property is on the market without selling the more buyers are apt to think there is something wrong with it.
8.) Too much Media: Do not do virtual tours. It is true that buyers start their home search on the internet and gather much of the information there. But there can be too much of a good thing. When buyers run a search they may get 20 or more listings that meet their requirements. They do not want to look at all 20 so they begin to eliminate them. They are looking for reasons to remove a home from their list. The virtual tours can provide this by helping them find one little reason to eliminate it. Give the buyer enough to interest them and nothing that can change their mind.
9.) Don't be Difficult: Right now buyers are pretty spoiled with all the vacant homes on the market. They can see homes at the drop of a hat. You need to make your home easy to show. You need to have a lockbox so the property can be shown if you are not home. Do not require that the buyer give you a large amount of time as notice. Do not require a confirmed appointment unless you are going to answer the phone right away. Make it easy for buyers to see your home.
10.) Terms: Price is important but don't forget the terms. Be open to helping buyers with closing costs, be open and honest with the disclosures about the property and make it easy for the buyer to get their inspections done. Have a plan of where you are going before escrow closes, buyers usually want to move right in and not rent back to you
1.) Smelly House: Nothing is worse than opening the door to house and being hit by a strong smell. Some of the common ones are pet odors, dirty clothes, body odor, and stale food. But what you may not know is that strong incense, candles and air fresheners can have the same effect and it makes potential buyers wonder what you are covering up. You want the house to smell clean and fresh no over-powering smells of any kind.
2.) Beware of Dog: I mentioned pets earlier but while we are the subject, contain your pets. Not everyone loves animals and they can be a huge distraction. Your sweet dog may scare or intimidate a potential buyer. They may focus more on not being eaten rather than your home. Find an area outside to contain the animals while the home is being shown. Locking in the master bedroom is not a good idea! It causes the room to smell and the buyer to rush while looking at it.
3.) No High Pressure: Speaking of rushing a buyer, don't follow the buyer around and point out all the great features. This is incredibly uncomfortable for the buyer. Allow them to look at the home in peace and at their own pace. This gives them the chance to think about the home and picture themselves in it.
4.) No Grumpy Gus: This one is related to #8 above. When someone shows up to view your home be a gracious host. Don't be grumpy and appear inconvenienced by their presence. When you greet the buyer smile, welcome them in. Let them know that you are available to answer all their questions then make your self scarce. When they are done looking at the house ask them if they have any questions and thank them for coming.
5.) Less is More: Get rid of the clutter and big furniture. When every flat surface of the room is covered with clutter the house comes across as dirty. Clear the clutter. Remove large pieces of furniture. All that big furniture makes the rooms appear smaller. You want the buyer to be able to see the room and imagine their furniture in there.
6.) Personal is Personal: Over the years you may have made personal design and decorating choices that you love. Do not expect that buyers will be willing to pay more for these. You may love your upgrades but others may not. Remember when goldenrod was all the rage? You may love your Berber carpet but buyers will not be willing to pay more for your home because you put it in.
7.) Don't Test Me: Do your research before you put your home on the market. Don't list high and then lower the price later. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Your property will get the most interest when it first goes on the market. If you list high it will turn off potential buyers and you will have an uphill battle later trying to convince them to give your home a second look. Also the longer the property is on the market without selling the more buyers are apt to think there is something wrong with it.
8.) Too much Media: Do not do virtual tours. It is true that buyers start their home search on the internet and gather much of the information there. But there can be too much of a good thing. When buyers run a search they may get 20 or more listings that meet their requirements. They do not want to look at all 20 so they begin to eliminate them. They are looking for reasons to remove a home from their list. The virtual tours can provide this by helping them find one little reason to eliminate it. Give the buyer enough to interest them and nothing that can change their mind.
9.) Don't be Difficult: Right now buyers are pretty spoiled with all the vacant homes on the market. They can see homes at the drop of a hat. You need to make your home easy to show. You need to have a lockbox so the property can be shown if you are not home. Do not require that the buyer give you a large amount of time as notice. Do not require a confirmed appointment unless you are going to answer the phone right away. Make it easy for buyers to see your home.
10.) Terms: Price is important but don't forget the terms. Be open to helping buyers with closing costs, be open and honest with the disclosures about the property and make it easy for the buyer to get their inspections done. Have a plan of where you are going before escrow closes, buyers usually want to move right in and not rent back to you
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Jamul Real Estate Snapshot
I was running a search for a client who is looking for a home in Jamul. Here is what I found...
There are currently 50 Active listings ranging from $214,900 - $2,350,000 in Jamul.
There are 15 properties currently in escrow.
In the last 30 days, 9 properties have sold in Jamul. The lowest sales price was $320,000 and the highest was $693,000.
I am glad to see so many pending sales in Jamul and I also like to see that some of the higher priced properties are starting to move.
There are currently 50 Active listings ranging from $214,900 - $2,350,000 in Jamul.
There are 15 properties currently in escrow.
In the last 30 days, 9 properties have sold in Jamul. The lowest sales price was $320,000 and the highest was $693,000.
I am glad to see so many pending sales in Jamul and I also like to see that some of the higher priced properties are starting to move.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
All Lenders are Not the Same
I just closed on a very difficult escrow and learned a very valuable lesson that I wanted to share... Not all loan officers are the same! I represented the seller in this transaction and we recieved an offer in the middle of March. It is now the middle of August and we just closed, NO! this was not a short sale. After the original loan officer tried for months to get the loan to go through, the buyer and the seller were left feeling "led-on" and frustrated.
I called Suzy Dukelow from ARPLLS,Inc. From the moment I called her, her knowledge and expertise were readily apparent. She was honest and straight forward. She did not make promises she could not keep. She kept us informed of the progress and any issues that needed to be resolved. And believe me with appraisals and inspection reports that were now more than 90 days old and lending standards changing almost daily, there were plenty of challenges for Suzy to overcome. But she did it! She handled everything with the utmost professionalism. I am truly grateful for her hard work and determination to see this through to the end.
So, the next time you need a loan or are thinking of refinancing make sure you find someone you can trust and who is knowledgeable. Do your research and look for recommendations. Just because a loan officer says they can do it, doesn't mean they can or they will. Remember...Not all loan officers are the same.
I called Suzy Dukelow from ARPLLS,Inc. From the moment I called her, her knowledge and expertise were readily apparent. She was honest and straight forward. She did not make promises she could not keep. She kept us informed of the progress and any issues that needed to be resolved. And believe me with appraisals and inspection reports that were now more than 90 days old and lending standards changing almost daily, there were plenty of challenges for Suzy to overcome. But she did it! She handled everything with the utmost professionalism. I am truly grateful for her hard work and determination to see this through to the end.
So, the next time you need a loan or are thinking of refinancing make sure you find someone you can trust and who is knowledgeable. Do your research and look for recommendations. Just because a loan officer says they can do it, doesn't mean they can or they will. Remember...Not all loan officers are the same.
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