San Diego real estate blog - Peter Toner

A recent article online at RISMedia provided some very valuable information regarding recent guideline changes for Fannie Mae loans… We have posted the full article below for your review. The fourth change will come as “good” news to those considering purchasing a home in San Diego. If you have any questions on the material feel [...]

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This Saturday May 10th, marks the First Annual San Diego Home Expo 2008, being held by San Diego Association of Realtors and San Diego County’s Building Industry Association. The San Diego Home Expo’s goal is to inform the consumer on important things they should know about buying a home, selling a home, as well as [...]

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We blogged already about the new FHA loan limits ~ Before you get too excited to use an FHA loan, be sure to check and see if the condo community of interest has been HUD approved!
We can do the research for you to find out if a condo has made the approved list. [...]

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Are you one of those just waiting for that perfect bank owned or foreclosure property?
 
Let me tell you - you are not alone! There are many poised for that “must have” deal which just do not materialize that often. It can be very frustrating for buyers who think that they will be the only lucky [...]

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We have added an option that allows you to email your friends and family a link of  homes that you have selected as “Favorites” and ask that they let you know what they think. You can also ask one of our Agent’s to comment and you can add to your own personal comments too.

Your friend [...]

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All markets are cyclical, they are rarely stable - this video from a Southern California real estate consulting group adds explanations. Includes graphs about San Diego real estate.

Posted by Peter Toner

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It’s one of those early Spring Friday’s when the weather forecast calls for a slight rain over the weekend, but the sun is high in the sky and it couldn’t be more gorgeous out! Perhaps the weather forecasters are just bored of reporting that San Diego is sunny, sunny and more sunny so they mix [...]

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With all the talk about FHA, CalHFA and Conventional-Conforming loans, one can get a bit confused on all the details. To make it a bit easier to compare the three we have a list below that shows the main points of the three types of loans.  
These details are current as of today, but should you [...]

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CalHFA stands for California Housing Finance Agency and was established in 1975 as the states “affordable housing bank.” It’s focus is on assisting first time home-buyers that are within specific lower and moderate income range brackets. These loan programs can be great for the first time home-buyer allowing them to borrow up to 100% financing for their home. Currently the [...]

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The FHA loan program offers many advantages including a low 3% down payment – if you are curious just what it all means here is an example if you were to purchase a home  and take advantage of the new loan limit of $697,500 - which would allow a purchase price of $719,000.
Here is an [...]

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Children win with the new lead ordinance that was passed by the San Diego City Council this past Tuesday. Collectively agreed upon by all Council members, the ordinance applies to all homes built prior to 1979. Some of the essential elements of the new law are that it is now illegal to create a lead hazard [...]

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Nightline exposed the practice of Real Estate Agent’s “refreshing” properties in order to make them more appealing to buyers. The concept of “refreshing” is simple. A real estate agent lists a home, and hopes it will sell quickly. In some cases the home sits on the market for a while, becoming “stale” to prospective buyers. [...]

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We often hear from our clients such things as ~  “I think I’ll just wait and see what happens” or “Isn’t it a buyer’s market” or “Let’s wait and see if the price goes down anymore” ~  All are credible reasons to wait in today’s real estate market. But what happens when you sit on [...]

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 We have received a lot of inquiries about short sales. The question is usually “Are short sales worth the headache?” Whether or not the process will be a headache all depends on who you are working with. An agent who’s never done a short sale might make the process more painful than necessary, while one who [...]

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The current wave of mortgage defaults and delinquencies has distressed our country’s lending industry. Not only are the small banks shutting their doors, but the major banks are also feeling the pinch, some even choosing to sell out to their own competitors.
In a recent article written by Lew Sichelman in the Union Tribune, its estimated [...]

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