rancho bernardo: Capital Gains Taxes
- 04/12/09 05:23 AM
I have recently spoken with several people who were not at all familiar with the current laws regarding capital gains taxes when you sell real estate. So, even though the current laws have been in place for a number of years, I think it is worthwhile to review them. First, let me emphasize that I am not a tax professional. I'm just telling you how I believe the tax system works from the standpoint of a real estate broker. Before you make any decision regarding buying or selling real estate, I recommend you talk with your tax attorney or CPA. When (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: "Take Advantage Of Low Mortgage Interest Rates"
- 12/09/08 03:18 AM
If you are in the market for a home, boy is your timing great! Right now there are tons of houses to choose from; prices are low; and many sellers are desperate to cut a deal. But, perhaps even better for the prospective home buyer are the current interest rates. Lenders are now offering 30-year fixed-rate mortgages at 5.1%. This is the lowest that interest rates have been since the 1960s! And the Federal Government is trying to push rates even lower - perhaps as low as 4.5% -- in the next few months in an effort to nudge buyers who (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Rancho Bernardo Real Estate Market Update October 2008
- 10/08/08 02:40 AM
John Trucillo, former Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, is the smartest person I've ever met on the subject of the real estate market. In the September-October edition of "The Real Estate Professional" magazine, John stated that "Most of the metropolitan areas in the United States have housing markets that have stopped declining and are stabilized, poised for the upside of the cycle." I believe he is correct, at least as far as San Diego and Rancho Bernardo are concerned. We are at or near the bottom of the market now. So, how bad has this down cycle been? (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Frequently Asked Questions About Home Inspections
- 09/02/08 08:41 AM
When buying a home, one of the first things that you need to do after your purchase offer is accepted is a home inspection. Here are answers to common questions regarding home inspections. When Should The Inspection Be Done? In California, unless a different timeframe was negotiated, you have 17 days from offer acceptance to complete any and all inspections and to notify the seller in writing of any conditions with the property that you disapprove. Since you will need some time to negotiate repairs, you should schedule your inspection as early as possible. What Inspections Should I Do? You should (1 comments)
rancho bernardo: "Keep Those Pests Away"
- 08/11/08 04:49 AM
When you sell a house or condo, the buyers will require a Structural Pest Control Clearance as a condition of getting their loan. This means your property must be free of wood-destroying pests such as termites and dry rot, which is a wood-eating fungus. Lately, there seems to be an epidemic of both termites and dry rot in Rancho Bernardo. I don't know if this is a function of the wet weather or what, but nearly every house is infested to some extent with either termites, dry rot, or both. So, what can you do to protect your property? Keep all (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Home Buyer Tip - "10 Questions To Ask Lenders"
- 04/08/08 09:54 AM
There are tons of home mortgage lenders out there - banks, savings & loans, home loan companies, and even Internet lenders. So, how do you choose which lender is best for you. Here are 10 questions that you should ask a lender that may help. 1. What are your most popular loans and why? 2. Which type of mortgage program would best suit my needs and why? 3. Are your interest rates, terms, fees, and closing costs negotiable? (Beware that some lenders claiming to have the lowest rates charge absolutely outrageous "junk" fees.) 4. Will I have to buy Private Mortgage Insurance and, if so, how (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: "Disposing Of Old Electronics Equipment"
- 03/05/08 02:21 AM
Are you aware that, in California, it is against the law to throw electronics equipment, including computers, in the trash or in a landfill? So, what should you do with electronic equipment that you no longer need? If it is still in working order, the preferred solution is to donate the equipment to someone who can get some use out of it. You could give it to a friend, relative, school child, or even charity. Another option for operating equipment is to sell it on e-Bay. It is amazing what people will buy. If the equipment is inoperable and of no value, then you should dispose (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Homeowner Tip - "Beware Air Duct Cleaning Scams"
- 02/05/08 05:02 AM
"Consumer Reports" magazine is a fountain of information for the homeowner, from which paint to use when repainting your house to which appliance or car to buy. The March 2008 issue has an interesting article on air duct cleaning. They warn readers to be wary of a scam that goes like this. You receive a phone call or postcard or flyer offering to clean your home's air ducts for $99. Sounds like a good deal. Once you let them in the door, they tell you that, from inspecting your air ducts, they found mold or some other situation that is hazardous to your (3 comments)
rancho bernardo: Homeowner Tip - The Value Of Remodeling
- 12/12/07 10:09 AM
Each year, Realtor Magazine conducts a survey on the cost of various remodeling projects around the country and how much they add to the value of the house. In 2007, the value of remodeling nationwide trended down compared to 2006. The reasons are the rising cost of remodeling and a slight depreciation in home values. However, in California, remodeling still results in a healthy increase in the value of a home. But some remodeling projects give better value than others. For example, replacing old windows with new dual-pane vinyl windows costs an average of $15,743. However, this increases the value of the house (1 comments)
rancho bernardo: Rancho Bernardo Wildfire Follow-Up
- 11/10/07 06:14 AM
Fire Impact On Rancho Bernardo Since the wildfires roared through two and a half weeks ago, I've driven through the neighborhoods that were hardest hit. Along the northern edge of RB, it looks like some neighborhoods were bombed. Some streets are closed to all but residents. The latest count says over 300 homes in Rancho Bernardo were completely destroyed and about another hundred suffered significant damage. Many residents had only a few minutes to evacuate so they lost everything. And sadly, many who lost their homes now find they were under-insured or even uninsured. Just in my RE/MAX office, 4 agents lost their homes and (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: San Diego Wildfires - Impact On Rancho Bernardo
- 10/25/07 09:14 AM
Fire Impact On Rancho Bernardo The Witch Creek Fire, which originated between Ramona and Julian on Sunday, roared through San Pasqual Valley early Monday morning along the northern edge of RB. It was pushed by Santa Ana winds gusting up to 60 mph with the fire sometimes moving at 50 mph. Residents in the areas of The Trails, Oaks North, Montelena, and The Greens were awakened between 3-6 am and told to evacuate immediately. Some had less than 5 minutes to get out. I haven't seen a final list of addresses yet but I know that mre than 400 houses in RB were destroyed, including (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: 20 Point Marketing Plan To Get Your House Sold
- 10/18/07 12:08 PM
Selling a home in today's challenging real estate market requires more than just a sign in the yard and an ad in the newspaper. Sure, you may be able to sell a house that way but you won't get the highest possible price and you could waste a lot of time. A technology-based marketing approach is needed to expose the home to the maximum number of qualified buyers. And, since over 85% of all qualified buyers work with a real estate agent, the property must also be marketed to brokers and agents. Below are the 20 points of my marketing plan. I am so confident the seller will be (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: "Using A Virtual Tour To Sell Your House"
- 08/23/07 02:50 AM
The latest National Association of Realtor's Survey Of Home Buyers discovered that 77% of all home buyers start their home search on the Internet. They also learned that buyers always prefer listings that have multiple photos or, even better, a virtual tour. So, how can a virtual tour help you to get your house sold? Here is how I have made virtual tours a central part of my marketing plan. First, I use VisualTour.com because it gives me total control over the tour. I can use up to 50 photos of the property, neighborhood, and community. I can use still photos or I can stitch (2 comments)
rancho bernardo: Rancho Bernardo Information
- 08/01/07 05:00 AM
I recently had an out-of-town buyer comment that the information on my web site is invaluable to anyone considering moving to Rancho Bernardo. It dawns on me that it is probably valuable to others too. Even if you already live in Rancho Bernardo, I suspect you will find information that you do not already know. There are over 50 pages on my site and almost all of it is specifically about Rancho Bernardo. So here is a summary of what you can find at http://www.donkinghomes.com/. Living In RB - What it is really like to live in a 52-week vacation environment. Things To Do - (1 comments)
rancho bernardo: Homeowner Tip - "Keep Your Firewall Intact"
- 07/18/07 11:44 AM
Recently, one of my listings was inspected by a home inspector I had not met before. This guy is a highly-qualified licensed contractor and really knows his stuff. We had an interesting conversation. He told me that, in addition to performing home inspections, he also works for insurance companies such as State Farm and All State. When a house has been destroyed by fire, they hire him to investigate and determine whether the property had defects that void the insurance coverage. Building codes require that houses be built with a firewall between the garage and the living area of the house. Since many house fires begin in the (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: What You Should Know About Home Staging
- 07/01/07 02:31 AM
"Staging" is the hot buzz word these days in the real estate world. Staging refers to actions you can take or hire to be done that will make your property more appealing to prospective buyers. A whole new profession has popped up as people with interior design backgrounds become specialists in staging a home for the market. In Northern California, home staging is far more prevalent than in San Diego. Many owners in the Bay Area spend between $5,000 and $10,000 with a professional home stager to prepare their home before it goes on the market. If you decide you want to hire a professional to (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Improving Your Home
- 06/20/07 04:20 AM
Pride of ownership is one of the principal advantages of home ownership. So it is only natural to want to improve your home. However, homeowners need to make improvements wisely. Some changes to a property enhance the value to almost the full extent of the cost of the improvement. Other "improvements" will return very little in terms of enhanced market value and can even reduce the value of the home. If you are making improvements for the purpose of getting your property ready to sell and increasing its value, then some of the best changes to make are new paint and carpet. (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: What You Should Know About Home Warranties
- 05/16/07 03:46 AM
Although not mandatory, over 90% of home resales in California include a home warranty. Unless you are purchasing a property "as-is" at considerably below market value, you should always ask the seller to provide you with a warranty plan. A home warranty or home protection plan is essentially an insurance policy that covers the basic systems of a home for one year. Usually, the homeowner can renew the policy to extend coverage for longer. So what is covered? Basic home warranties cover the home's heating system, plumbing, and electrical system. In addition, the water heater and built-in appliances are covered. Home warranty companies offer (0 comments)
rancho bernardo: Light Up The Night
- 05/09/07 09:03 AM
There are two very good reasons to surround your home with outdoor lighting - it increases the aesthetic beauty of your home and garden, and also significantly improves home safety and security. A comprehensive outdoor lighting system can include attractive light fixtures to enhance the architectural style of your home, patio and garden areas. With the right landscaping and lighting, you're ready to entertain outside in good weather. A well-lit yard also discourages unwanted intruders. Safety lights can detect motion and flood the yard, porch or walkway with bright light. An advanced photocell operation can automatically turn your outdoor lights on at (1 comments)
rancho bernardo: What Sellers Should Know About Real Estate Commissions
- 03/25/07 02:54 AM
You want to sell your house and walk away with the most money possible. So what commission rate should you pay? Let's start with a little background. Up through 2003, almost every listing was at 6%. So, when escrow closed the listing broker and agent earned 3% of the sales price and the buyer's broker and agent earned 3%. In early 2004, the San Diego real estate market superheated - virtually everything on the market sold quickly and agents had to spend little time and money on a listing. So, the objective became to get the listing at any price. Agents began taking listing at 5% and offering 2.5% to (3 comments)