Best San Diego Homes Guide

Rancho Bernardo Realtor

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Janet

Buying a home in San Diego can be very challenging , especially in this current sellers market. Many buyers are finding houses online and then contacting with an agent to learn that the house is no longer available. Many houses are selling pre-market or even without being placed on the MLS ( multiple listing service). Agents in large offices, like mine at Keller Williams – Carmel Valley/ Del Mar, often know other agents who have buyers already pre-approved and ready to buy. Buyers who are not connected with an agent are also missing out on many opportunities – because houses are selling quickly and many of the internet sites are not up-to-date.

Buyers do not pay a buyers agent – they are compensated at close of escrow from the seller, however they have a fiduciary responsibility to the buyer. That means that they have a duty to provide utmost care, integrity, honesty and loyalty in dealings with the buyer.

I take this responsibility very seriously!

If you are thinking of buying a house, selling a house or investing in San Diego real estate, contact me and I will take very good care of you.

Janet McCarthy

Keller Williams Carmel Valley/Del Mar

jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com

858-243-5719

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: buying a house., san diego realtor, sell house, sell your house, selling | Leave a Comment »

Carmel Valley Home For Sale – Open House – Sat & Sun 1-4pm

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Janet

Beautiful Carmel Valley home for sale – - Open House Sat. & Sun 1-4 pm
Many upgrades – Gourmet Kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Stone Tile flooring downstairs, plantation shutters throughout and full bedroom and bath down stairs.
Great location! Walking distance to Sycamore Ridge elementary, Cathedral High School and Canyon Crest.
Open House Sat & Sun 1-4pm

Free Home buyer guide – How to Sell your Carmel Valley Home for Every Penny it’s Worth.
Contact Janet McCarthy
Keller Williams
jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com
858-243-5719
Lic. # 01428791

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: 92130 homes for Sale, Carmel Valley home for sale, Open house | Leave a Comment »

Down Payment Assistance – How to Receive up to $30,000

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Janet

Down payment assistance

The California Association of Realtors is hosting an event for first time homebuyers on Saturday, May 25th from 9am-5pm. The Endeavor to Achieve Homeownership is an informative and interactive event for potential homebuyers. The event will include presentations from real estate and finance industry experts on how to repair credit, recover from a short sale or foreclosure, steps to accessing down payment assistance programs and what it takes to become a homeowner.

Free Admission

Down Payment Assistance

Credit Repair

Avoiding Foreclosure

Find out how you can receive up to $30,000 in down payment assistance

Free Giveaways and more…

The Endeavor to Achieve Homeownership Fair will serve as a one-stop-shopping venue for individuals and families looking to enter the real estate market for the first time, or recover from the economic downturn. The fair is the perfect place for families looking to mix business with pleasure over the long Memorial Day weekend as it’s held at The California Science Center, which features the Space Shuttle Endeavor exhibit.

An eight-hour homebuyer’s education session will be scheduled as a follow up to Endeavor to Achieve Homeownership at a later date.

Contact me for more information

Janet McCarthy

Keller Williams

jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com

http://www.justlistedinRanchoBernardo.com

858-243-5719

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: avoiding foreclosure, credit repair, down payment assistance, Free down payment | Leave a Comment »

Down Payment Assistance – Free Program

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Janet

Down payment assistance

Free Admission

Down Payment Assistance

Credit Repair

Avoiding Foreclosure

Find out how you can receive up to $30,000 in down payment assistance

Free Giveaways and more…

An eight-hour homebuyer’s education session will be scheduled as a follow up to Endeavor to Achieve Homeownership at a later date.

Contact me for more information

Janet McCarthy

Keller Williams

jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com

858-243-5719

Filed under: Buyer Programs, Foreclosure, Loan modification | Tagged: avoiding foreclosure, credit repair, down payment assistance, home buyers | Leave a Comment »

Timing the Market – Waiting for Prices to go down

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Janet

This is a reprint of a great article written by mortgage lender – Michael Deery. It addresses one of the biggest issues most buyers wrestle with – prices versus interest rates. Most buyers want to wait for the right price and pay little to no attention to the interest rates. If you’re thinking, ” I’ll just refinance then remember it costs approx. $2,000+ every time you refinance and usually it’s added to the mortgage debt – in other words you aren’t getting ahead with a refinance.

As Mortgage Rates Increase By 1% a Buyer Loses 10% in Affordability! Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

With rates jumping from 4% to 5% on a home loan in just over a few months, it might be fair to say we may have hit bottom in the housing market when factoring in what the overall cost is to buy a home? Because did you know that with every 1% rise in rates, the buyer loses 10% in affordability. It is now very important that buyers understand that rising interest rates will eat away any savings they could get from waiting for prices to dip again. Eventually a buyer needs to make a decision what is most important, their monthly payment or “finding the bottom of the market in terms of price”.

Cost vs price. What is the difference?

A lot of buyers have a tendency to look at just the PRICE of the house instead of the overall COST to buy the home. The cost is actually more important. So what is the difference between cost vs price and why is this so important for a buyer to understand? Cost is what a buyer will pay for a home overall, including financing costs. Price is just the actual price tag the buyer will pay the seller for the home not including any financing costs.

This is why it is so important for buyers to understand that rising rates have a tremendous impact on a buyer’s overall cost and monthly payment. We all know there are home buyers still standing on the sidelines waiting for the prices of real estate to hit rock bottom. But buyers need to be concerned about the monthly COST as much as they are concerned about the PRICE of the home. Here is why.

Impact of higher rates on payment

Let’s take a look at some numbers to see what rising interest rates do to the monthly payment on a loan. Here is a great chart below that shows as the rate goes up the affordability of the buyer goes down. As you can see, with every 1% increase in rates, the buyer loses 10% in affordability.

So lets say if someone was shopping in the $400k range a month ago because that was their maximum mortgage budget, unfortunately that same buyer will now need to be looking in the $360k price range today to keep the same monthly mortgage budget.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Home buying, interest rates, timing the market | Leave a Comment »

Curb Appeal Ideas to Help you Sell your House Fast

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Janet

Curb Appeal is one of the most important issues to address when preparing your home for sale. Simply cleaning, cutting, trimming and planting can make the difference between a buyer driving by or coming inside. Creating great curb appeal doesn’t have to be expensive and that’s the beauty of the project. So read the list and get to work or hire some neighborhood kids to help you out.

Curb appeal Tips

1. Remove dead plants. It’s better to having nothing than a dead tree or bush.

2. Clean your mailbox. Paint it if it is faded.

3. Clean and polish, if necessary, your front door’s hardware. Replace it as well if necessary.

4. Check your house numbers. Are they still in good shape and visible from the street? If not, replace them.

5. Wash down your front door and garage door.

6. Wash the windows. If this isn’t your strong suit, hire a professional.

7. Hose down the porch and driveway and clean any stains. ( TIP – Hose down your driveway before you take exterior pictures).

8. Sweep the porch, driveway and patio to get rid of any leaves.

9. Check your porch, driveway, and patio for any cracking or lifting of patio stones that may have taken place during a deep freeze.

10. Check your roof to make sure no shingles are missing or were damaged during the winter.

11. Remove debris from your gutters and downspouts.

12. Rake the lawn and add Ironite. Your lawn will be green in no time.

13. For a burst of color, plant spring flowers.

14. Tidy up your gardens in preparation for planting season. Rake leaves and apply bark or mulch.

15. Organize the garage. Put away shovels, bikes, skateboards and other items that made their way into your garage over the winter.

16. If you have a built- in BBQ grill – clean it, Buyers look everywhere.

17. Clean your pool. Contact a pool company and get your system inspected.

18. Bring out your patio furniture and set it up. Although it may be too cold to sit outside just yet, you want potential buyers to see your outdoor living space’s potential.

Curb appeal can increase the value of your house and get it sold faster. Don’t skip this important step when preparing your home for sale.

Now here is my extra Tip – If you have a patio awning that is old and weathered you might save a lot of money by having it removed instead of replacing all the old wood. Attached patio covers are inspected by the termite company and any dry rot found needs to be replaced.

Contact me today for a Free home inspection and I promise I’ll save you lots of money.

Janet McCarthy

Jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com

858-243-5719

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: curb appeal, rancho bernardo house for sale | Leave a Comment »

Foreclosure Prevention Options – Making Affordable Event – April 16, 2013

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Janet

Foreclosure Prevention Options

Throughout the country, the Making Home Affordable® Program sponsors free Help for Homeowners Community Events where struggling homeowners can meet one-on-one with mortgage servicers, HUD-approved housing counselors, and other local non-profit organizations to learn about foreclosure prevention options.

If you are a homeowner having trouble making your mortgage payments due to unemployment, under employment, medical hardship or other financial issues, don’t miss this opportunity for free help. Check the list below for an event in your area.

Call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) for free help
preparing the following forms and documents for review at the event:
 Request for Mortgage Assistance Form
(Find at MakingHomeAffordable.gov)
 IRS Form 4506T-EZ (Find at
MakingHomeAffordable.gov)
 Monthly mortgage statement
 Information about any other
mortgages
 Two most recent pay stubs
 If self-employed, the most recent
quarterly or year-to-date Profit and
Loss Statement
 Documentation of income from all
sources
 Two most recent bank statements
 Unemployment insurance letter, if
applicable

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 | 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street(Entrances at 11th Street and Pico)
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Contact me today for more help with Foreclosure Prevention Options

Thanks

Janet McCarthy

Keller Williams Realty

jmccarthyhomes@gmail.com

858-243-5719

Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Best San Diego Homes Guide

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Rancho Bernardo Realtor

Carmel Valley Home For Sale – Open House – Sat & Sun 1-4pm

Down Payment Assistance – How to Receive up to $30,000

Down Payment Assistance – Free Program

Timing the Market – Waiting for Prices to go down

Curb Appeal Ideas to Help you Sell your House Fast

Foreclosure Prevention Options – Making Affordable Event – April 16, 2013

Foreclosure Prevention Options

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