3 Tips for Investing in Real Estate

Today I wanted to share with you three tips for investing in rental properties.

You may have played the game of Monopoly and you know that the way to win that game is to have the most amount of properties and cash in the bank. Life can sometimes be a game as well, and we live in the perfect city for investing in rental properties. You might have thought about investing, and I wanted to share three things to consider before you invest.

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Have a one-year plan and five-year plan and stick to them!

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1. Be selective when you buy. You need to make money when you buy the property. Often investors see a home at a low price and think they’ve found a good deal. However, you need to do your homework and research the area to determine whether it’s a good deal or not. Remember, price is what you pay, value is what you get.
2. Have an exit strategy. While investing in a rental property can be a great way to earn profit, don’t let it become such a large part of your portfolio that losing returns on it can ultimately bring you down with it. Have a one-year plan and then a five-year plan and stick to those plans.
3. Be ready for the unexpected! Things can quickly take an unexpected turn, and you need to be prepared for it. Houses can be a great investment, but are often full of unseen costs that correspond with those investments. So be prepared and able to address those issues when they present themselves.

If you have any questions about this or any other real estate topic, give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help!

How You Can Increase Your Home's Value

So you want to be the change in your neighborhood, but you don’t know where to start. It’s okay—I know the feeling, and I’m here to help. In my last video, I gave you some tips on how to organize your own community beautification project. Today, I want to share with you three great tips on how to continue this community outreach:

1. Contact your local city council member or local area representative. These people are committed to helping improve neighborhoods. Set up a time to sit down and talk with them or just call them and parlay over the phone. 
2. Create a list of specific goals you hope to achieve. This project can become overwhelming if you don’t break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, you might just write down “clear all trash off west side of Main Street.” Make it that specific so you have an attainable goal to share with the rest of the team. 
3. Get out there and talk to your neighbors. Start knocking on doors and letting people know what’s happening. If you don’t know your neighbors, introduce yourself. If you really want to start beautifying a neighborhood, you want support in numbers. 

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  Beautifying a neighborhood is an 
initiative everyone can get behind.

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Everyone wins when you clean up a neighborhood. Not only is it nice to see a clean, well-maintained area, but home values will go up, crime will go down, and it’s something everyone can get behind.

In my next video, we’ll talk about how you can get the materials to get this job done. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the community beautification process or anything real estate-related, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

3 Ways to Find the Right Realtor for You

Have you ever met a bad Realtor? They can change the way you view this profession.

When you need a real estate professional, it can be hard to find someone you can trust. When the market is hot like it's been lately, a lot of people think they can make a quick buck selling real estate, and these people can be hard to spot. To help you differentiate between a good Realtor and a bad one, I want to share the three things you should ask a Realtor before you decide to work with them.

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 Is real estate a hobby
 or a profession for them?

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1. How long have you been selling real estate full-time, and how many homes are you selling? This will show you if real estate is a profession for them or just a hobby. People who think they can use real estate to make a quick buck don't last long in this market.   
2. How do you determine the price of a property? Listing your home at the right price can be the difference between selling or lingering on the market with no offers. Pricing a home is more than checking the comps—a true professional will have a comprehensive strategy for pricing.
3. What is your marketing plan? Sticking a sign in the yard and listing your house on the MLS is not a marketing plan. There are more than 30 different ways a professional agent can market your home, so make sure your agent is maximizing their network and has a strategy to help you achieve your real estate goals.

I really hope these tips help you find the right Realtor when the time comes. If you have any more questions about finding the right agent, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I hope to hear from you soon!

What Does the San Diego Market Look Like?

Buying a home? Click Here to Perform a Full Home Search 
Selling a home? Click Here for a Free Home Valuation. 
For any other questions about San Diego real estate,  reach out to me anytime at (858) 864-8741

By now, you’ve heard we’re in a drought here in California when it comes to our water supply. However, did you know we’re also in a seller’s drought in the surrounding San Diego area? Today, I’ll discuss local market conditions.

If you’ve been considering buying or selling a home, there’s no better time to sell than right now. A seller’s drought means housing inventory is at an all-time low. Since last August, we’ve seen inventory drop to the floor, as well as interest rates and unemployment. That’s why it’s an opportune time to list your home for sale. Who knows how long it will last!

What does this mean for you as a real estate consumer? It means three things.

• You can earn top dollar and the maximum value of your home.
• Choose a strong negotiator to fight in bidding wars.
• I serve as your local guide in today’s shifting market at your disposal.

If you’re interested in buying or selling a home, contact me by phone or email! I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have and serve your real estate needs!

What's Stopping You from Downsizing?

Buying a home? Click Here to Perform a Full Home Search 
Selling a home? Click Here for a Free Home Valuation. 
For any other questions about San Diego real estate,  reach out to me anytime at (858) 864-8741

Today, we're going to talk about buyers whose kids have left the home.These buyers are looking to downsize, but our current market makes it difficult for them to do so.

Unfortunately, even though there are more homes on the market than there were earlier this year, people have been dropping out of the market since school started. That means there are fewer buyers and sellers in today's market, so in many price points, we still don't have enough homes for sale for the buyers out there.

One big reason for the low inventory is many sellers don't have their next property purchased. They can't move into their next home, so they are hesitant to sell their current one.

With that said, if you're looking to get into your single-level dream retirement home with a smaller yard, there are two things for you to keep in mind:

1. Don't make any improvements to your existing home if it doesn't raise the price of your home. We can help you determine which improvements will be most beneficial to you. My job is to help you save money and make money on your home sale.
2. Expand your search. Some agents, including myself, have lists of homes that are not on the market yet. These homeowners are open to the right offer, but they don't want to go through the hassle of getting the property on the MLS.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

What Homes Are Millennials, Baby Boomers, and Gen X Competing For?

Buying a home? Click Here to Perform a Full Home Search 
Selling a home? Click Here for a Free Home Valuation. 
For any other questions about San Diego real estate,  reach out to me anytime at (858) 864-8741

Right now, there is a lot of pressure on the $400K-$800K market here in San Diego.

It all has to do with the varying generations looking for homes right now. There are about 74,900,000 baby boomers; every 10 seconds, someone turns 65. Baby boomers are looking to downsize at this time; they are trying to get 2/3-bedroom homes that are in very walkable areas.

On the other hand, there are about 78,000,000 millennials between the ages of 18-34, who are starting to look at the $400K-$800K price range as well. There are also about 50,000,000 people in Gen X who are going to surpass the baby boomers by 2028.

If you're looking to purchase or sell a home in the $400K-$800K price range, give me a call. Three different segments of society are competing for homes at that price point, so you'll want all the help you can get! I would love to hear from you.