San Diego Real Estate Cafe by Krista Lombardi
Happy Easter
Happy Easter!
Ever wondered what the Easter Bunny has to do with Easter?
There’s no story in the Bible about a long-eared, cotton-tailed creature known as the Easter Bunny. Neither is there a passage about young children painting eggs or hunting for baskets overflowing with scrumptious Easter goodies.
And real rabbits certainly don’t lay eggs, right?
Why are these traditions so ingrained in Easter Sunday? And what do they have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?
Apparently nothing.
Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening hats all stem from pagan roots. They were incorporated into the celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of honoring the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
How to Find Out if There is a Lot of Crime Before You Buy Your Home
The list of questions every buyer asks about the various properties during a house hunt can change with each person. Color of granite? How much landscaping? Where can I put the doggy door?
Agents in San Diego are prohibited from discussing this and will refer you to law enforcement sites. As buyers, we assume that neighborhoods are either “good” or “bad.” The truth unfortunately is never black and white. Looking at details a little closer helps, which in turn allows us to make smarter decisions about which home we buy and how we live in it, once we buy it.
Here is a quick list of the right questions to ask about crime before buying a home.
1. What sorts of crimes happen in the area? Where and when do they happen? Crime truly happens everywhere. But the details of crime patterns vary widely in various neighborhoods especially San Diego because we have such diverse pockets within one zip code and the next. Some areas may have more stay at home workers or entrepreneurs and more break ins during the night and other areas may have day time workers and more day time crime.
This sort of information can be highly useful to a buyer-to-be, as it can help you make decisions not just about whether or not to buy, but also about whether to park your car outside (or not), whether to get an alarm and where in a given neighborhood you might prefer your home to be (interior cul-de-sac vs. thoroughfare in the same area).
Are the Foreclosures Playing Hide and Seek?
“House hunters looking for bargain properties in the new year
will probably be disappointed.” – Los Angeles Times
A new report by CoreLogic shows that shadow inventory fell 12.3%
from the year prior to stand at 2.6 million units nationwide. Split among 50 states that does not
constitute a large number.
The housing recovery that began last year was dominated by tight inventory and strong demand from cash
investors and buyers capitalizing on record interest rates.
Those factors have pushed up prices in recent months.
According to CoreLogic
analysts, the strong demand from investors means that the current shadow supply is unlikely to drag
down the market in 2013.
Find Out If You Owe More Taxes Than You Thought on Your Real Estate
The Mortgage Debt Relief Act was passed by the U.S. Senate early this morning to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. This is a
programs important to real estate that would impact household wealth.
The “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012’’ passed on a bipartisan 89-9 vote in the middle of the night and extends current tax rates for all households earning less than $450,000, and $400,000 for individual filers. For households earning above these limits, tax rates would revert to where they were in 2003, when taxes were reduced across the board. That means taxpayers in the highest bracket would pay taxes on ordinary income at a rate of 39.6 percent, up from 35 percent.
The tax rate on capital gains would also remain the same, at 15 percent, for most households, but for those earning above the $400,000-$450,000 threshold, the rate would rise to 20 percent.
Importantly from NAR’s perspective, the exclusion from taxes for gains on the sale of a principal residence of up to $500,000 ($250,000 for individuals) remains in effect, so only home sellers whose income is $450,000 or above and the gain on the sale of their house is above $500,000 would pay taxes on the excess capital gains at the higher rate (with corresponding numbers for individual filers).
Would You Name Your Home Ugly Betty?
It happens sometimes, it’s not intentional, I mean let’s say that you inherited an old house in a distant location and want to put it on the market. You may not have the time, resources or energy to make it perfect and just want a quick sale.
Or, maybe you had renters at your property who did substantial damage and you don’t have the money to make necessary renovations.
Fear not. Just because the house needs work doesn’t mean you can’t sell it.
Many homebuyers today are shopping for deals and want to see the potential in your home. In that case, leave brochures for new cabinets in the kitchen, color palates around the bedrooms and even create computerized images of what updates could look like.
In addition, secure bids from licensed contractors on necessary fixes and provide them to your potential buyers. People may overestimate the cost of a new roof, shower stall or drywall repair and fresh paint. Estimates will bring the home into clearer perspective.
Would You Like to Buy This House?
I thought I would share this morning’s great find while looking through properties for my clients. Out of 4 photos, this was one of them, and possibly one of the worst I’ve seen in awhile. Would you buy this house?
Top 7 Things To Do In San Diego This Week
The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men.
~Minot J. Savage
Happy Memorial Day!!
1. Sunday, May 27- Memorial Day Pool Party with DJ Dan
Fortune’s Holiday Pool Party series is back again for 2012 and building off the amazing energy of last summer! We’ll be celebrating all our holiday Sundays six stories high on the Ivy Rooftop at the Andaz Hotel again this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 7 Things To Do In North County This Week
I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and… I believe in miracles. ~Audrey Hepburn
Happy Memorial Day!
Every weekend (weather permitting) COAL Gallery member artists display their paintings, glass work, photography, and sculpture at Art on the Green. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 7 Things To Do In San Diego This Week
Everything in creation has its appointed painter or poet and remains in bondage like the princess in the fairy tale ’til its appropriate liberator comes to set it free. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Come see Northparks Art Festival
1. Sunday, May 20- Northpark Festival of The Arts
Come sing, dance and revel in the streets alongside 35,000 people in the historic North Park neighborhood at the 16th Annual North Park Festival of Arts on Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM along University Avenue! Read the rest of this entry »
Top 7 Things To Do In North County This Week
Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known. ~Oscar Wilde
1. Sunday, May 20- Watercolor in the Garden
Embrace the day exploring botanical details with watercolor, collage, and ink journaling style. This workshop taught by Helen Shafer Garcia, will focus on combinations of drawing and painting botanical elements with thoughtful descriptive words. Read the rest of this entry »
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Recent Posts
- Happy Easter
- How to Find Out if There is a Lot of Crime Before You Buy Your Home
- Are the Foreclosures Playing Hide and Seek?
- Find Out If You Owe More Taxes Than You Thought on Your Real Estate
- Would You Name Your Home Ugly Betty?
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