The simple answer is probably – as long as you aren’t too far into the purchase transaction.  If your Carlsbad real estate agent is savvy, they have normally written a number of contingencies into your purchase contract – allowing you to get the home appraised, get loan approval, get an inspection, etc.  The period of time for you to get all these answers, and “remove your contingencies” is typically 14 to 17 days.

At the end of that time period, you either have to sign off on the contingency removal, or get the seller to agree to an extension of a contingency.

HOWEVER – Buyer BEWARE!!!  If you are purchasing a San Diego foreclosure or San Diego REO property, then you have likely signed a very “non-standard” California purchase agreement.  Most REO homes have very specific terms that will often leave you without your earnest deposit if you pull out of the purchase.

This is one of the largest reasons most buyers should have a buyer’s agent working on their behalf!  You want a representative that has a fiduciary responsibility to look out for YOUR best interest – even if it costs the agent a sale!  If you are working with the agent that is representing the bank, they have been hired specifically by the bank to get this home sold – and unfortunately, it is YOUR interests that suffer!

As always, if you are in a current situation, and need legal advice, we strongly encourage you to contact a real estate attorney.  If you have general questions, or are looking for a La Costa or Carlsbad home for sale and would like someone to ensure that YOUR best interest is protected, contact The Mewborn Team.  We promise to always deal with our clients with fairness, honesty, and integrity, giving you as much information as possible to make your best decisions!

By renting, they are not responsible for home improvements, large maintenance expenses, taxes, and other unforeseen expenses!  They are instead able to budget for their rent, without the headaches and big costs that come up with home ownership.

But also, with this change, we are seeing people that would have been home owners have to either stay in or re-enter the rental market, creating rental shortages – ultimately driving rental prices up.  The US Census Bureau has reported that vacancies in the rental market are as low as 9.2%, down 1.4% from last year.  The last time we have seen rental vacancies this low was in 2003.

According to CNNMoney, the expectation is that in San Diego, rents may rise more than 31 percent by 2015.  Although we don’t know what will happen in the short term in the San Diego real estate market, we do know that historically, San Diego real estate averages 6-8% appreciation per year in the long term.

Between the expected rental increases and appreciation potential, if you happen to have enough money to put down on a rental property to ensure that any expenses would be covered by the rent, it may be time to buy a Carlsbad or San Diego rental property.

If you have any questions, and would like to know more about if buying San Diego rental property might be right for you, please contact The Mewborn Team for a no obligation consultation.

When someone is looking to buy a house, statistics show that the more time a potential buyer will spend in your home, the more likely they are to buy it.  The reason is that as they spend time in your home, they are often envisioning their own family in that home.

In getting your home ready to sell, you want to ensure that your house will be desirable to a potential buyer.  Because of all the options available to buyers, they are becoming more picky – often holding out for a home that is almost turn key.

As you get ready to sell a house, you often don’t want to put a lot of money into it.  However, there are a few low cost things that you can do to make your home more buyer friendly.

A little cleaning goes a long way:

Does the house smell clean and inviting?
When you walk through the house, are all the baseboards dirty, black, and old looking?  Sometimes something as simple as wiping down the baseboards, cleaning up the corners, putting away the dishes, vacuuming the house, or lighting a scented candle can really add to the ambiance of the home.

De-clutter your life!
Walk around and put away (pack or throw away) the clutter.  Make sure that the house is neat and orderly.  Put away the pictures that you have hanging on the refrigerator.  Maybe put away some of the extra knick knacks.

Paint it up!
Are the colors neutral, warm, and inviting?  Again, you may not want to put a lot of money into home improvements, but paint is a cheap, HUGELY impactful item that really makes a house feel more like a home!

Yards matter!
In Carlsbad and San Diego real estate – homes and outdoor living become an extension of who we are!  In La Costa Oaks, many of our homes have outdoor bars, barbecues, and lounge chairs.  That’s because we pay so much to enjoy this weather – that when it’s nice, we want to soak it up!  Again, just walk around and pick it up.  Make sure there aren’t tons of toys in the yard.  Throw away the old mattress in the side yard.  Throw down a little grass seed to cover up where the dog kept killing the grass!

These are all small things that you can do, without costing a lot of money, that will dramatically increase the desirability of your home – making it sell faster, and maybe even earning you a bit more money.

If you are considering selling your Carlsbad or La Costa home, please contact us for a marketing review.  We are happy to sit down with you and make recommendations about the things you can do to make your home more saleable!

But in addition to some of the existing projects, there is a new development starting in northern Carlsbad called The Foothills.  DR Horton, William Lyon Homes, and Brookfield Homes are partnering up to build 404 new homes at the intersection of El Camino Real and Cannon Road in Carlsbad, CA. 

William Lyon will be building 110 single family homes.  Brookfield will be building 210 single family homes.  And DR Horton will be building 84 detached condominiums.  A grand opening is anticipated to be some time in the spring of 2010.  The homes will range in size from 1,778 to 3,287 square feet, with prices expected to start in the $500,000s. 

The neighborhood will also include a 2.67 acre recreation center that includes a picnic area, tennis courts, a swimming pool, children’s pool, and various parks and trails.   

If you have any questions about this neighborhood or any other Carlsbad real estate, please contact The Mewborn Team.  We specialize in Carlsbad and Coastal North County San Diego real estate.

July 2009 – Carlsbad Real Estate – Carlsbad Homes For Sale
Carlsbad Market Statistics 92008, 92009, 92010, 92011, 92012

Carlsbad and La Costa interest rates went down slightly from 5.32% for the average 30 year fixed in the month of June to an interest rate of 5.25% for the average 30 year fixed in the month of July.

If you have any questions about Carlsbad, La Costa, or other local real estate, please contact us.