Why Is Summer a Great Time to List Your Home?

We all think of long, lazy days when we think of summer, but did you know that summer is actually a great time to sell your home?

Summertime is here; the days are longer, the weather is warmer, and everyone seems to be more relaxed. We all think of long, lazy days when we think of summer, but did you know it’s a great time to sell your home?

San Diego is in a pretty hot market right now. Home prices are up and mortgage rates continue to remain relatively low. We are at the top of this real estate market cycle, and there’s never been a better time to sell your property.

There are three main reasons why summer is a great time to sell your home:

1. Buyers are more relaxed. There aren’t any major holidays and school is out, so buyers are simply less stressed.

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Buyers are more relaxed during the summer.

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2. They have vacation homes on their mind. In San Diego, that means big business. People are looking for the perfect summer home or that income property. Income properties are a pretty hot commodity right now in our market.

3. Better weather means more traffic. When the weather is nice, you can expect 15% more traffic coming through your home. More traffic means more buyers.

If you’re interested in getting your home on the market this summer, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

3 Simple Ways to Increase Your Home Value

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

Have you ever heard the saying "You have to spend money to make money?" It's so true when you're getting ready to refinance or sell your home in San Diego's real estate market.

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Landscaping, kitchens and baths 
will always give you a better return.

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If you've been watching the real estate market, you know that inventory is still very low, and there are a lot of buyers out there who are very selective. So what can you do to either enjoy your home more, prepare for a sale, or prepare for a refinance?

1. Have a professional walk through your home or hire an inspector who will give you an honest evaluation of your home. Sometimes it's even worth paying a few hundred dollars to have an appraisal on your home, which will give you an idea if you have more square footage than you thought, and what the value is.
2. Focus on the money-makers. Landscaping, kitchens and baths will always give you a better return. Look at those areas first both for your own enjoyment or if you're thinking about selling and want to increase your home's value.
3. Focus on curb appeal. Landscaping and security, too. Security and fencing are a sure way to get a quicker sale, which usually means a full-price offer and sometimes, offers above list price.

If you need a professional to come look at your home and find ways to make the most of it, please give me a call! I'm more than happy to help you and your friends through the process.

How the Internet Impacts San Diego Real Estate

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

The Internet is a great place to start a home search or find information on what your home is worth, but take that information with a grain of salt. I hear every day how frustrating it is to sort out all the information buyers and sellers find online. 

Popular sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia are all excellent starting points. However, studies show in cities like San Diego, their prices can be off by 10% to 20%. In our market, that means these estimates are anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000 off the price. What can you do? 

Start by finding a trusted real estate guide. If you’re a buyer, don’t believe anything you read online. Make sure you’re looking at multiple sites, including local sites like mine that pull information directly from the multiple listing service. These sites are up to date and accurate.  

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Find a trusted real estate agent to be your guide.

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For buyers, it’s also important to get pre-approved. You will save time on your search because you know how much your loan limit is. In our tight market, a pre-approval means you have negotiating power that will help you edge out other buyers. Having a pre-approval shows that you’re serious and ready to buy today. 

Also, stay calm and don’t fall in love with houses you see online right away. Not only are homes inaccurately priced, but Zillow sometimes keeps listings up that actually sold months ago. An experienced agent will guide you to the right home. 

If you’re selling a home, don’t get caught up in Zestimates. Look for accurate information. Your home is unique and if you’ve made improvements in the last few years, you need a proper appraisal so that you get every single dollar. Trust a professional for accurate numbers.

Finally, when you’re selling your home, conduct your research. Check out multiple search tools to see what your home is worth today. Check out the comparable sales, or homes that have recently sold in your area. This is the most accurate way to determine what you can get for your home.

If you have any questions, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

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!

How to Kill Your Real Estate Deal by Asking for Too Much

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

Most people aren't trying to kill their real estate transaction - rather, they unwittingly make a mistake that leads to the termination of the deal. Today, we want to give you a few tips on how to avoid such a disastrous situation. 

If you're selling, you need to avoid pushing buyers over the limit - you don't want to ask for too much. You don't want to let the buyer put one over you, but you have to know a good deal when you see one. 

You need to be strict about your terms. You want to make the time periods for inspections and closing to be as short as possible. You also want to have as few contingencies if possible. 

One of the most important things you need to do when negotiating is strip away all emotion and deal only with the facts. This will keep you on track to a successful closing.

If you have any questions about this stage of the real estate transaction, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you!  

How Can You Make the Most of Your San Diego Home Sale?

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

Getting multiple offers when selling is a best case scenario. However, it's not always obvious which offer you should accept. Today, we share some tips on how to pick the best offer!

Right now, there isn't much inventory in the San Diego market and interest rates are near record lows. As the spring market moves into the summer one, buyers are starting to flock to the market. Now is a fantastic time to take advantage of the market!

As more buyers come out, your chances of receiving multiple offers on your home increases. It's not always wise to take the offer with the highest dollar value. The other day, I had a client who took an offer that was worth $10,000 less than another one he received. Why would he do that, you ask? Sometimes, it's beneficial to you to accept an offer with a short closing time. Having an agent who can ask the right questions and get the best terms will go a long way in helping you choose the best offer!

If you have any questions about this topic, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you! 

How Can You Help Your Home Sell?

Looking to buy a home in the San Diego area? GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search. If you're thinking about selling your home get a FREE Home Valuation Here. For any other questions about San Diego real estate, reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

Welcome back for another real estate market update. Today we are going to talk a little about how the process of getting your home ready to go on the market works. 

The first thing you should do before listing your home is have an agent over to do a consultation with you. They will go over exactly what you need to do to sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time possible. One of the first things they will likely recommend is shoring up the outside appearance of your home, including washing your windows and siding. 

The next step is to have home stagers come over with tips for you on what you can do to maximize the space in your home. You will definitely want to de-clutter, as well as remove any personal items. People want open spaces and open floor plans, so maximizing the space you have is key. From there, we will take professional photos of the property for its online listing, and create a unique marketing plan designed to make your home sale as successful as possible. 

Thanks for checking out my blog today. If you have any questions, or would like some more tips on what you can do to prepare your home for sale, give me a call or send me an email!

Why Should you Price Correctly From the Start?

Looking to buy a home in the San Diego area? GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search. If you're thinking about selling your home get a FREE Home Valuation Here. For any other questions about San Diego real estate, reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

Today we are going to talk about one of the most common questions home sellers want to know about the process of getting their home prepared to go on the market: Why does pricing low sell high?

Well, for starters, everyone is looking for a great deal. When you initially price your home too high, you won't be getting as many viewings or offers as you'd like. However, pricing your home accurately with the market gives more value to the buyer. In turn, this value creates major demand for your home. With the supply being only one, this will result in buyers bringing up the price over its true market value.

When sellers price a property too high, buyers tend to wait until the price comes down. This negatively affects the sellers and by the time you reduce the price, you have missed the market and the listing has become stale. Pricing correctly up front will give you the most buyers and get you the most money for your home.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call or send us a quick email. We look forward to helping you, your friends, and your family!

Don't Miss the Great Opportunities of the Holiday Market!

Looking to buy a home in the San Diego area? GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search. If you're thinking about selling your home get a FREE Home Valuation Here. For any other questions about San Diego real estate, reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

Welcome back to my one minute real estate update! Today, we're talking about the holidays and why you, or your friends, should think about taking advantage of the market.

If you are in the position to sell, now is the time to do it. People who failed to sell their homes in the late summer and early fall months are taking them off the market and waiting until spring to put them back on. Because there is less competition, choosing to sell now would be very beneficial.

If you want to take advantage of this great market, you're going to want to make sure your home is warm and inviting. Bake some cookies or other deserts to leave a pleasing smell in the house, but don't overdo it. Make sure you decorate your home to really drive home the great feelings that come with the holidays. Again, don't overdo it, as too many decorations may make your home look cluttered.

Remember to put away all your valuables when showing your home. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes there are people out looking at homes for reasons other than to purchase. It's better to be safe than sorry.

If you have any real estate needs, or would like to discuss your options, please reach out to us. We would love to give you a hand!

What's so Great About the Fall Selling Season?

There are a wide variety of homes on the market in the San Diego area. If you're a prospective home buyer wanting to browse all the current listings, GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search, or you can get a FREE Home Valuation Here if you are interested in selling your home. For any other questions or general information you have about San Diego's local real estate market, or the value of your home, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

Most people don't realize it, but the fall is a fantastic time to put your home on the market. There are many people who don't have kids, are relocating for their job, or need to downsize now, who are out looking for homes during this time. While there are less buyers out looking, the ones who are tend to be pretty serious about finding a home. 

With interest rates as low as they've ever been and a low inventory, there is a high demand for housing this fall. If you price your home correctly, you can get a great value and sell your home fast. Not everyone knows about this, so if you've been thinking about selling your home, September through March is a fantastic time to put your home on the market. 

If you are interested in taking advantage of this great opportunity, we'd be happy to help you out. Give us a call or shoot us an email, so we can start planning how to net you the most money in the shortest amount of time. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

What Matters More: Home Prices or Interest Rates?

There are a wide variety of homes on the market in the San Diego area. If you're a prospective home buyer wanting to browse all the current listings, GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search, or you can get a FREE Home Valuation Here if you are interested in selling your home. For any other questions or general information you have about San Diego's local real estate market, or the value of your home, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

If you are planning on buying a new home, the first thing you need to do is to secure the right financing for you and your family. Currently, rates are still at historic lows at around 4%. Waiting for the "right" market is a fools errand - nothing affects your spending power like interest rates! Getting a home for a few thousand dollars cheaper down the road is useless if you're paying a substantially higher rate. 

We recommend you get a monthly mortgage check up. We think AmeriFirst Financial, Inc. is the best in town. We work closely with Jeannete Lizarraga, a direct lender who is fantastic at what she does. Working with her, you won't have to worry about the red tape of big banks - once you submit your file, she'll have it back to you in 24 hours.

You can reach Jeannete by phone at (619) 246-8946 or by email at Jeannete@AmeriFirst.us. If you have any questions about this topic or would like us to answer another real estate related question in the future, give us a call or shoot us an email! We want to be your San Diego real estate resource!

Your One-Minute Market Update and Invitation to Tower 23 Mixer

There are a wide variety of homes on the market in the San Diego area. If you're a prospective home buyer wanting to browse all the current listings, GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search, or you can get a FREE Home Valuation Here if you are interested in selling your home. For any other questions or general information you have about San Diego's local real estate market, or the value of your home, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

The San Diego real estate market has slowed down. In fact, we're seeing a more balanced market than we've seen in years. So what does this mean for homeowners?

I talk to many homeowners who would love to upgrade to a larger home, or downsize to a home closer to the water or a golf course. However, they are sitting on the sidelines, not selling their home, because there still isn't enough of a selection of homes out there to choose from.

In our latest update we talk about a unique option for finding that right-size home...off-market properties. We call it our "Quiet List." These properties are not listed on the MLS but are either actively looking for a buyer or are open to the right offer.

Only agents who are actively prospecting and talking to homeowners daily are aware of these properties, so if you're having trouble finding the right size home for your needs, we'd love to talk with you!

The perfect home for your needs might be on our Quiet List.

We also want to invite you to our Tower 23 Mixer event!

As a way of saying thank-you to clients, friends and the Paradise Found San Diego family, Carlos Gutierrez and Jeannete Lizarraga are hosting a Happy Hour Mixer at Tower 23 in Pacific Beach on Wednesday August 27th, from 5-7pm.

Tower 23 is located at: 723 Felspar St, San Diego CA 92109.

Valet parking is available. Beer and Wine will be provided.

Please RSVP to: Carlos@MontezumaProperties.com.

Professional photography WILL help get your home sold

There are a wide variety of homes on the market in the San Diego area. If you're a prospective home buyer wanting to browse all the current listings, GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search, or you can get a FREE Home Valuation Here if you are interested in selling your home. For any other questions or general information you have about San Diego's local real estate market, or the value of your home, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

We think some of the photos people post of their homes are crazy. If you are planning on renting out or selling your home, you need to make it stand out. Professional photography is the way to do that. You can make small rooms look spacious by picking things up off the floor and rearranging furniture, before snapping a picture.

It's also important to remember that less is more: make your home look irresistible by de-cluttering and cleaning it up. These tips are especially important if you are planning on selling your home yourself. If you would like more information on how to make your home "sellable", or have ANY San Diego area real estate questions, don't hesitate to call. We would love to assist you in any way possible.

Consider me your top resource for San Diego real estate

There are a wide variety of homes on the market in the San Diego area. If you're a prospective home buyer wanting to browse all the current listings, GO HERE to Perform a Full Home Search, or you can get a FREE Home Valuation Here if you are interested in selling your home. For any other questions or general information you have about San Diego's local real estate market, or the value of your home, please feel free to reach out to me anytime at (858) 551-3380.

Welcome to my San Diego Real Estate Blog
This will be the first of many San Diego real estate market updates that I will be providing you with. Today I will be speaking about what you will need to do if you're preparing to list your home for sale in San Diego.

Some of the very basic things that you will need to do to your home are to perform a very basic deep cleaning. When was the last time you power-washed your home? You need to clean the inside and the outside of your home very well. Don't forget about landscaping or curb appeal.

You will also probably want to get a home inspection before your sale so that you're not met with any major obstacles during the contract period.
If you hire me to sell your home, I'm going to do everything possible to get a multiple offer scenario for your home. The following steps will be needed in order for me to do this:

• Get the home prepared
• Strategically price the property to attract the most buyers possible 
• My pricing strategy factors into what consumers think your home is worth because it is not you who decides the price of your home, it's the market that sets the price.

If you're thinking about buying a home in San Diego, I also recommend that you get in contact with Jeannete Lizarraga (619-246-8946) who can perform a mortgage check-up for you. I always refer my clients to her because she can take care of all your financial needs. We want your credit to be strong so that you will be an attractive candidate to buy a home. Keep in mind that we're still dealing with some of the lowest interest rates in the history of our country.

Hopefully this information has been valuable to you. If you or anyone else you know has any questions about San Diego real estate, please refer them to me. I want to be your main resource for San Diego real estate. I want to provide the easiest and most hassle-free real estate transaction that I possibly can.
 
I can be contacted via phone or email. Thanks for tuning in!