There are a few things that are absolutely critical to whether a home sells quickly, and for as much money as it should.  The first is price.  Overpriced homes almost always sit on the market much longer than fairly priced homes.  A home's value is based on the price of comparable properties that are for sale, as well as the sale price of homes that have sold recently.  Value is NOT influenced by how much you paid for the house, what your family or neighbors think it's worth, or how much money you want to get from the sale.  Pricing competitively is one of the key components to making sure the house sells quickly for a lot of money.  When priced correctly, more interest is drawn and multiple offers often come in.  

The next item that influences

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Prior to putting your home on the market, there are some steps to take that will dramatically increase the probability of your home selling quickly for top dollar.  These steps are designed to be relatively quick and inexpensive, so that you can get your home on the market as soon as possible.  

Deep Clean 

Your home should absolutely sparkle when it is on the market!  If you are a great cleaner or enjoy doing it, go ahead and deep clean your home yourself.  If not, consider hiring a cleaning service to do the job.  Your house should look and smell lovely to make a great impression on potential home buyers.  If you are going to be living in your home while selling, remember to KEEP it clean throughout the process.

De-Personalize 

I

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Your Realtor is an important partner in the process of selling your home.  You are paying them a commission to sell your home, and they provide you with a valuable service.  You should hold your Realtor to high standards.  Below are four main things that you should expect of your Realtor.  

 

 

 

 

Realtors have a Fiduciary Duty to their clients. This means that Realtors must always protect the best interests of the client. More specifically, it means the Realtor must provide full disclosure, proper accounting, confidentiality, obedience, loyalty, due diligence, and honesty to the principal (buyer or seller).  

 

Realtors spend a great deal of time writing contracts and negotiating deals for their clients. They can

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 If you have had your offer accepted, congratulations!  That is a big step.  You may think now is the time to relax.  After all, you've worked hard to get a mortgage pre-approval, connect with a Realtor, see houses, submit an offer, negotiate, and agree to the terms.  However, there is much left to do, so it's important to stay focused to get through the Escrow process.  I have broken the next steps down into small, manageable tasks that will help you stay on track.  Your Realtor will be there for you every step of the way, guiding you through each task.  If you follow these 10 steps after your offer is accepted, you'll be on track towards closing your Escrow successfully.  

 

 

Earnest Money 

You need to submit your Earnest

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Hi everyone!  My boyfriend James and I adopted a puppy, Finn, about two months ago.  He has brought us so much joy and I just want to share a little bit about him today. 

Finn was originally named Bach.  He was rescued through Baja Dog Rescue, which is an organization that finds stray dogs in Mexico and brings them to their shelter in Baja.  The organization has gotten approval to bring up a handful of their rescue dogs to adoption events on Saturdays.  I believe they are able to bring 8 dogs each week.  Their website is www.bajadogrescue.org.  

Anyway, we had been thinking about rescuing a pup for a long time.  We never knew if the timing was right, due to our jobs, travel, the cats, etc.  I finally convinced James to at least go to an adoption

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Do you feel like you’re always hearing that it’s the “perfect time to buy!” AND the “perfect time to sell!”? Do you wonder how that can be the case? I bet you have, informed real estate consumer! And you’re right–it is not always the best time to buy or sell.

Realtors will sometimes use this verbiage because they want your business now, regardless of whether it is a great time for you to buy or sell real estate. Let’s set the record straight.

A great way to put your finger on the pulse of your real estate market is by reading a complete market update. A quicker way is to use a reputable market index. I like the Altos Research Market Action Index. When this index is less than 30, the buyers have the advantage in the market. When it is above 30,

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You only get one chance to make a first impression! Whether you are selling your home or just want to spruce up its curb appeal, here are some easy and budget friendly tips to help your house look great from the outside:

Dress up your front door

Give your door some TLC with a new coat of paint and a new door handle.  I personally love brightly colored front doors.  Your fabulous new door is sure to be noticed by everyone who walks into your home.  

 

Improve outdoor lighting

Beautiful lights on the sides of the door or path lights leading up to your home can make a huge impact.  It looks great, AND helps guests see the path in front of them.  

 

Boost your garden

Plant easy-to-maintain bushes, trees and flowers.

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I want to share with you a few common mistakes that home buyers make, so that you can avoid them at all costs when you buy a home yourself.

Eek! This is a biggie. You probably know your approximate monthly budget for your groceries, car payment, student loans, gas, and weekend outings. So why, then, would you go into a home search without a budget? The best advice I can give it to speak with a mortgage broker early on in your home search to get a sense of your budget. This way, your agent has a number to be respectful of, and you won’t fall in love with a house you can’t afford.  

 

Try not to get too excited or downtrodden throughout the process.  I know you are passionate about your new home. However, there will likely be many ups

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Are you curious to when and where farmers markets are held in the San Diego? Look no further! Here is a list of farmers markets that are located/held in the San Diego County!

Monday

Escondido – Welk: 4-7 PM

Tuesday

Coronado: 2:30-6 PM

Escondido: 2-6 PM

Mira Mesa: 2:30-7 PM

Otay Ranch: 4-7 PM

Pacific Beach: 2-7 PM

UCSD/ La Jolla 10-2 PM

Wednesday

Carlsbad: 3-7 PM

Encinitas: 4-7 PM

Ocean Beach: 5-8 PM

Santee: 3-6 PM

Thursday

Carmel Valley: 2:30-7 PM

Chula Vista: 4-7 PM

El Cajon: 3-7:30 PM

Linda Vista: 2-6 PM

North Park: 3-7 PM

Oceanside CFM: 9 AM – 1 PM

UTC: 3-7 PM

Warner Springs: 3-6 PM

Friday

Alpine: 3-7 PM

Fallbrook: 10 AM -2 PM

Imperial Beach: 12-6 PM

Kearny Mesa: 11

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Lately, I have been working heavily on my  website's design. This is tough work for me, as I've had to teach myself coding, website layouts, etc.  To combat the stress of the task, I gave myself a 30 minute morning walk break, an afternoon yoga class break, and a green juice.

 

Whenever I feel stressed out, sick, or generally unhealthy, I turn to my trusty Breville. If you haven't heard of Breville, it's a company that makes fabulous juicing products. I have the Breville Compact and it makes enough juice for 1-2 people at a time. I think juicing is wonderful--much of the nutrients carry over in the juice, and it is easy to chug numerous servings of fruits and veggies quickly. Here's what I used today: 

 

 

You just set up the machine,

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