When Will We See The Bottom? Oh….Probably About 6 Months After We Hit It..

You are seeing the news…whispers of a Real Estate recovery.  Although this Broker still has a large grain of salt in hand, I will say this.  Logic says this, homes half price of what they were 4 years ago, yet to meet anyone who wouldn’t love to live in San Diego, a tourist destination with million things to do, the best climate on the continent, amazing quality of life, and rates that everyone agrees will be increasing soon…if I were going to buy a house I’d call San Diego a solid long term bet.  As an investor, there are flips to be reno’d and there is cash flow like never before.

With that, the world is now looking at San Diego as one of the first indictors of a Real Estate recovery.  When will we see the bottom?  Oh, about 6 months after is happened… While we’re waiting, why don’t we get our arms around how to find our next San Diego home, 2011 style.

“The loudest person in the rooms is many times the one who knows the least” If you there are people in your world who talk a big Real Estate game (you know, the guy who talks just a little louder than necessary at the Starbucks about the market) most likely he’s not doing anything.  Our clients don’t sit around and talk about the market.  They just go buy a house that they love and they get the best deal along the way.

The Steps To Buying a San Diego Deal In 2011

Choosing to enlist the help of a Real Estate Agent to find a home is your choice.  Just like buying a car, doing your taxes, going to small claims court, you have the choice to represent yourself.  Take the car buying example.  I will research online for the type of car I want, but when it is time to buy I have always gone to a dealership and bought.  This is just my style; I know that I don’t know everything about cars so I want the professionalism of the dealership experience and the education they provide along the way.  I also want to know where they live in case I have an issue later.

Why would someone spend hundreds of hours trying to become a Real Estate expert when they could simply work with an Agent (who by the way doesn’t charge you a penny for their services?).  Simple.  Trust.  On behalf of the Real Estate Industry, I’d like to apologize for that.  As Realtors, we have to admit (and I do every day) that the bar is low for several reasons.  Multiple choice tests, (just check c, right?), next to no

Broker support and education, a much more complex career than most realize, and a once booming market that could make a monkey a millionaire has resulted in a ton of embarrassing stories for Realtors.  Thanks to these experiences, some people see Agents like commodities that they would only use as a last resort.

Others see the value in enlisting the help of really good Buyer Representation.

The obvious benefits:

1. It’s what we do. There is so much going on in the local markets you can’t expect you’ll learn it all.  Active, experienced agents will educate you on the local market and help you sift through all the lies and garbage. (online especially)
2. Time Saver.  Most people research way too much before asking for help.  If we are looking for the bottom on the market, we could completely wipe ourselves out by just getting stuck in analysis paralysis.
3. The DEAL is in the negotiations!! This is the most overlooked aspect.  If you think you are going to find a home 20% off market on Realtor.com or Zillow, think again!!  The deal is in the negotiations of the price, terms, repairs etc.  This is where solid Buyer Representation comes in.

Here are the steps we have found have worked the best for our recent success stories:

1. Know what you can afford.
2. Polish Up Your Credit for the Best Rate and Payment.
3. Know what you want in a home.
4. Know where your options are.
5. Look at SOLDS not ACTIVES.
6. Narrow it down to communities.
7. Get accurate data
8. Take a tour and get in some homes.
9. Reassess Or Commit
10. Find the Deals
11. Offering Aggressively
12. Negotiating Terms, Repairs, and Extra Goodies
13. Avoid the Potholes along the way.

For More Information on how to access the data that is critical to finding your ideal San Diego home at the best price possible, click here.