Issue #204
In This Issue
Welcome / This Week's Special Offer
Welcome To The Latest Issue
Happy Friday and Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you. I hope the day finds you well, and that you behave this evening!
Why Do You Think They Call It A BUYER’S Market, Anyway?!
There’s a huge selection of homes for sale. Prices are soft. Many sellers are willing to pay closing costs. It’s a GREAT time to buy a home! If you or a friend are considering buying, you can search the San Diego or Riverside Realtor now for FREE to find a home. Just click on Free MLS Homesearch
Does This Make Me A Paid Professional Speaker…?
Last week I told you of an agent who snuck into my “How To Sell In A Slow Market” seminar w/o forking out the $750 “disincentive fee” I charge agents. Turns out it was an honest mistake. Realtor Enrique Gonzalez called me Monday, saying he didn’t know about the fee and INSISTED he pay. Hats off to Enrique of South Bay, a gentleman with true class…
New Credit Scoring System To Debut
Just when we got used to FICO scores, the 3 major credit bureaus announced Tuesday they’ve developed a new credit scoring system called VantageScore. New scores will range from 501 to 990 as follows:
901-990 = A Credit
801-900 = B
701-800 = C
601-700 = D
501-600 = F
For more on the story, click here:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20060314-0949-creditscores.html
True Story: Technology Has Its Limits
For kicks, I went on one of those sites that promises to tell you your home
value. First, I played “stump the site” and gave it tough-to-price custom homes.
Sure enough, the values were some 15% off, typically on the high side. Then, to
be nice, I gave it cookie-cutter tract homes and condos. But the values were
still WAY off kilter. And it’s not just me… A client tried her north county
beachfront home, literally on the SAND. Nearby sales are $3M-$4M, but the site
spit out all of $482,000!
Positive Cashflow Apartments With Hands-Off
Management?
This is a great investment that I'm putting a bundle of my own money in, as have
several of my clients. If you have 100K to 3M and want to find out more...Call
me at (858)457-KENT or
CLICK HERE for info on the Positive Cash-Flow Apartments
Reciprocal Link, Anyone?
Got your own website, blog or “myspace” account? Want it to come up higher on
Google, Yahoo and other searches? If so, let’s swap links, as “reciprocal links”
make sites come up higher on searches. Just go to Gary Kent Team Links.
This Week’s Special Offer:
10 Hours Of Free Handyman Repairs
List your home or rental with me any time before April 15 and I’ll pay for
my handyman to do 10 hours of free repairs, painting, hauling… whatever you
need. You pay materials and must mention this prior to listing. To take me up on
this offer, call me at (858)457-KENT.
Your Questions + Send This
eNewsletter To A Friend
Subscribe them with a quick email to
TellAFriend@GaryKent.com
with their email address
in the subject line. Also, remember to email your questions, comments,
compliments, corrections, critiques, & rebuttals to Questions
FREE
SEMINAR April 20th / Thursday 6-8PM
"Discover Exactly Where I'm Investing MY Money In 2006"
...Positive Cash Flow Apartments With Appreciation & ZERO Management
At "Forum Hall" at the UTC Mall in University City
CLICK HERE for flyer, more
info, & free sign-up
Want to build wealth through real estate? Want an easy, hands-off investment
with appreciation and consistent positive cashflow? I've found a great
opportunity that my wife and I are investing in, as have 23 of my clients. If
you have 100K to 5M to invest and want to find out more...
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click here or call
(858)457-KENT!
Homebuying Question
"If I buy a home with a view,
would my neighbor be allowed to build up or grow their trees and block the
view?"
***ANSWER:
To my knowledge, there’s NO universal law or statute preventing someone from
blocking someone else’s view.
The only common things I know of that may protect a view are neighborhood CC&Rs
or a deed restriction. Some neighborhoods and all condo complexes have CC&R’s
(covenants, conditions, and restrictions).
CC&Rs may contain a provision preventing second story or other additions,
limiting tree heights, or protecting views. Be careful because some CC&Rs are
not enforceable, for various reasons. (See a real estate attorney.)
A deed restriction could limit the height of any structure or tree, or
explicitly protect a view. I recently sold a home in P.B. where the neighbors
bought it solely so they could record such a deed restriction to protect their
view, then resell the house.
Other factors could limit a neighbor’s ability to add another story, such as
having already maxed out the allowed square-footage on the lot. Or many parts of
the county have a 30-foot height limit, so this may also prevent another story.
NOTE: I’ve also heard of something called a “view corridor” that could protect
views in certain cities, but I have no info on them.
So when you buy a view home, if the view is important to you, check out all
these factors…
HomeSELLING Question
"My home was built in the early 90’s, so it’s too new to remodel. The carpet and paint are worn, but since the home is newer do I really need to do anything?”
***ANSWER:
Imagine two $20 bills. One is fresh from the bank, flawless and so crisp it sticks to the other new bills. The other looks like it blew around I-5 for a month. They’re worth the same, but which would you rather put in your wallet?
The impact is far greater on a home. So it’s worth your money to get new paint & carpet. I can recommend some excellent flooring and painting firms to you. Just call me…
Investing or Financing Question
(Bill, a talented agent on my team, provides this PROPERTY TAX Q&A that was asked OF -- not BY -- him. It was phrased a little rough, hence the missing word, but it’s still an excellent question.)
"I'd divorce the *BLANK*, but I don't want my property to be re-assessed and have my property taxes go up..."
***ANSWER:
Here’s how County Tax Assessor Greg Smith weighs in:
"The transfer of property between husband and wife does not require a reappraisal for property tax purposes. This includes transfers resulting from divorce or death. In addition, a refinancing will not cause a reappraisal. There are other exclusions for senior citizens, the disabled, and those involving parent/child transfers."
It’s nice to know there are still some sentimental husbands out there. I wonder about the fellow’s judgment and morals if he’s staying married just to save a few $100’s each month. But it’s none of my business…
Hot Properties: Call Now On These Hot New
Listings & Not-Yet-On-The-Market Properties
|
THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PROPERTY! | |
 |
San Diego home with a view! Centrally located single story home. Complete with granny flat/ helper unit.
|
|
View
more beautiful
San Diego Homes online right now. | |
"COMING SOON"
(Click Contact Me to be contacted BEFORE these properties hit the market!)
- Alpine – Fully remodeled 2BR/2BA condo w/ granite counters, new carpet &
paint. Feels like new! $270s? Contact Me
- College Area – BARGAIN 1BR condo near SDSU—perfect for college student.
Would you believe in the $150s?! Contact Me
- Encanto – 5-Bedroom home on near 1/2-acre lot on a quiet street.
Unbelievably low price: low $400,000’s! Contact Me
- Encanto – Lovely & affordable 2BR condo in quiet complex near trolley.
Newer appliances, carpet. Mid-$200’s! Contact Me
- Logan Heights – 5 Minutes to downtown & Petco! 3BR/2BA home in
improving area. 400K range… Contact Me
- North Park – Duplex: 2BR + studio. Ideal to live in one & rent the
other. Should be under $500K… Contact Me
- Pacific Beach – 3BR/2BA house 7 blocks to the beach, oversize 6600 sqft
lot. $900’s. Contact Me
- Pacific Beach – Cute 3BR house w/ new paint, new carpet, new hardwood
floors, more... Just 525K! Contact Me
- Pacific Beach - Large 5BR/3BA house on culdesac. Family room, bonus
room, 2 FPL, 3-car garage, & more! Contact Me
- Rancho Bernardo – 2410sqft 4BR+bonus house on immense 1/4-acre culdesac
lot, 3-car garage. Low $700’s? Contact Me
- Spring Valley – 2BR+2BR duplex fully renovated 2004: baths, electr,
plumb, windows, etc. $2500/mo rent. 575K Contact Me
NEWLY LISTED (Your Home Here!)
- Oak Park – 3BR/3BA house w/
ocean & fireworks view deck, remodeled kitchen, hardwood floors: 450-490K
Contact
Me
- Rancho Bernardo – 2410sqft 4BR+bonus house on immense 1/4-acre culdesac
lot, 3-car garage. 675-745K
Contact
Me
- Bonita area – 2BR/2.5BA condo a short stroll to Plaza Bonita! Offers
oversize garage, in-unit laundry, FPL, tennis. 355-375K
- Carlsbad – Spacious 1766sqft, 3BR/2.5BA townhome in “Harbor Point” near
the beach. 695K-705K
- Clairemont - Spacious 3BR/2BA home w/ HUGE 580sqft family room/ "great
room"! Quiet street, 2-car garage. Reduced: 575K
- La Jolla – Cute 2BR/2BA condo end unit. Offers hardwood floors, new
carpet, xtra windows, security garage: 430-470K Contact
Me
- La Jolla – Newer 2BR/2BA condo, heart of downtown La Jolla—walk to
shops, restaurants! Marble, granite. 650-725K Reduced!
- Mira Mesa – Sunny 2BR/2BA top-floor corner/end unit w/ redone kitchen,
dbl-MBR floorplan, large patio, quiet location: 315-335K Contact
Me
- Mission Hills – Build your dream home on this 9500 square foot
buildable view lot. $395,000.
- Mission Hills –6251 square foot view homesite! Ready for you to build
your custom home. $345,000.
- Mission Hills - Attention Contractors / Developers / Investors! Build
10-11 homes on this canyon view lot. 950K-1.15M!
- Ocean Beach - Stunning triplex w/ breathtaking ocean vu. Live in 3BR
house, rent 2BR & 1BR units for income. $1.395M-1.495M.
Contact
Me
- Pacific Beach - Development Opportunity! 3BR home, approved plans to
build 2 condos. Resell or rent. Reduced: 775-850K
- Phoenix, AZ - 30 apartments, large 3BR & 2BR units, well-maintained
complex, Mesa area. Do a condo conversion? $2.1M.
- Phoenix, AZ - Cashflow apartments, zero management, 15% under-market!.
1031 exchange OK. $100K to $2M down.
- Temecula – Turnkey 3BR/2BA model home with pool, gourmet kitchen, large
family rm w/ FPL, community tennis. 385-399K
- Vista – No Payments ‘til 2007!
Seller makes your payments! Secluded hilltop 4br/3ba, 3000sqft, home on big lot:
790-820K
Call me at (858)457-KENT to find out more or arrange a private showing...
Thank You For Your Referrals
Thank you Don M., for referring a client to sell his rental property…
Thank you Juan L. for referring a friend to buy a home...
Thank you Emily S. for referring your mother to buy a home…
Have a great week...
GARY KENT
"The Agent You See EVERYWHERE"
All-Time #1 Agent/Team In San Diego County for RE/MAX
21 Years Experience -- 3,000+ Homes Sold
Gary Kent Team --- RE/MAX Associates
(858)457-KENT --- (858)457-5368
GaryK@GaryKent.com -- http://www.garykent.com/
Due to production and shipping expense, free items are available only to residents, owners, and people planning to purchase real estate in San Diego.
