Don King's Rancho Bernardo Blog

Not long ago, a prospective home buyer who had no property to sell and who was financially-qualified was in the driver's seat. They had numerous properties from which to choose and most sellers were highly motivated. No longer. Now when a nice property comes on the market, especially if it is not...

Everyone has their own idea of what they want in a home. You need to buy a place in which you and your family will be comfortable. On the other hand, you probably won't be in the house or condo forever and, when the time comes to sell, it would be nice to learn you made a sound financial investme...

Floods in a home are more common than you might think. They can result from a leaky roof, broken water pipe, or malfunctioning dishwasher. If you have a flood, it is imperative that you take immediate action. Just mopping up the water won't hack it. Left unattended, water can result in mold and p...

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...

So you want to buy a brand new home. Should you work with an agent or just walk into the builder's sales office and check out the model homes? Builders are affected by this "buyer's market" just like other homeowners. So they are offering incentives to attract buyers. One incentive is a commissio...

You have probably heard the terms "seller's market" and "buyer's market". But what do they mean? Real estate values go up and down, depending upon supply and demand. Obviously, the quantity of homes for sale is the supply and ready, willing, and able buyers provide demand. Simply put, a seller's ...

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 ...

If you are in the market to purchase a home, you will discover that many properties on the market these days are "short sales". This means the owners are upside-down. They owe more on the property than they will net if they sell the property. Whenever an owner who is upside-down accepts a purchas...

I've heard several predictions that San Diego will have a wet winter this year. If so, lots of homeowners will be faced with leaking roofs. As the old adage goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." So, if your roof has not been serviced in recent years, you should consider having ...

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 Unite...