I had an interesting discussion yesterday with a first-time home buyer. He was interested in a condo in Santee but was concerned about the price being too high. I researched comparable sold and active property listings for him and determined that the pricing was bang on. The listing agent and seller had priced the property perfectly given all the variables of location, age, amenities, size, etc.

My buyer did not like that response and went on to describe for me everything that he felt detracted from...

Last year the San Diego county real estate market was crazy with sky-rocketing prices and fierce competition. Thus far this year, not so much.

Year-over-year the median price for a single-family home is down 3.5% to $849,000 and up .9% to $590,000 for attached homes.

In comparison to January 2022:

The number of closed sales for detached homes is down by 36.9%. Attached home sales are down 40.5%.

New listings are down by 31% for both detached and attached homes.

And, the average number of days on market...

For most real estate agents, a rainy day means no showings. It is after all uncomfortable for buyers messing with wet umbrellas and no agent likes to get drenched trying to open a lock box.

On the other hand, there is a huge upside. I love showing homes in the rain because you get to see many of the home’s systems in action. Here are some things to look for that are not revealed on a sunny day:

Is the roof leaking? As you walk through the home, be on the lookout for wet spots on the ceiling...

Think back to a year ago. If you’re like most people, you made resolutions and plans to make 2022 the best year ever! Maybe you were going to exercise more, eat less or slay your competition at the office. And it’s likely that most of those resolutions dissolved sometime during the first quarter of the year leaving you once again facing a New Year perhaps feeling a bit frustrated with the progress you’ve made.

Well, first, let me congratulate you! You’re here to celebrate another...

Welcome to Crazy Town. A year ago, if you had told me the current rate for a 30-year mortgage today would be 6.7%, I would have called, “Impossible!” But here we are folks. The Feds are apparently ready to throw the real estate market under the bus to curb inflation. Rates this high drastically reduce a buyer’s spending power which was already stretched, and sellers will just have to have a bit of a reality check as the ridiculously high prices from spring and early summer start...

The San Diego County Recorder’s Office is now offering a new, free service that will help anyone owning property in the county protect the title to their properties. When you sign up for the Recording Notification Service you will be notified by email whenever a document is recorded that is attached to your name and Assessor Parcel Number (APN). So, for instance, if a contractor working on your kitchen remodel files a Mechanic’s Lien, or the IRS files a lien for back taxes, you would be...

In the wake of rising interest rates in June, many would-be home buyers retreated to the sidelines, hopeful that fewer buyers might result in price reductions. While that might be true in some markets, it is unlikely in San Diego where July single family home prices increased by 9.8% compared to a year ago. The driving force behind the high prices remains inventory – demand in San Diego County still outpaces supply. New listings for July fell by 19.3% year over year and closed sales were down...

If you’re an average homeowner in San Diego County, the answer could be “yes”. The median annual income in the county was $54,703, and in 2021 the average increase in home value was $160,493! San Diego County saw the nation’s third highest appreciation behind only San Jose and San Francisco.

So, what does that mean? Home equity is the largest source of wealth for most U.S. families, so the spike of the last couple of years has been a financial boon, especially for those selling...

Fun Facts about San Diego County Wineries

History

• California wines, now world renowned, got their start over 200 years ago right here in San Diego when the Franciscan priests cultivated grapes at the first California mission, San Diego de Alcala. 
• Vineyards flourished in the area until devastated by flooding in 1916, followed by WWII and prohibition which collectively wiped out the industry.
• Wineries didn’t begin a comeback in San Diego County until the early 1990s. From that point forward,...

My short answer is “No”. Last year saw mortgage interest rates hit historic lows, but this week we are seeing a small increase with the average for a 30-year fixed mortgage at 3.14%. Obviously, higher rates mean you pay more for a home both monthly and in the long term, and in a balanced market this might begin to slow demand. However, inventory is so low it is doubtful rising rates will have a major slowing effect.

As the year progresses interest rates are expected to continue to rise...