California Real Estate Blog
San Diego County median home price now $490,000
San Diego County median home price hit its highest of the year in May, real estate tracker CoreLogic reported. The median home price was $490,000 in May, a 6.8 percent increase from the same time last year, and was inching toward record price points. The county has yet to reach its pre-recession peak of $517,500 from November 2005, [...]
Study: San Diego is 8th Hottest city for Real Estate
When it comes to supply and demand, metro San Diego was the eighth “hottest” home market in the United States in May, according to a monthly report from Realtor.com. San Diego County jumped five spots from April to make the Top 10 of the website’s hotness index. The Vallejo-Fairfield market was ranked first and San Francisco was second. [...]
Wells Fargo Offering 3% Down Mortgages
Wells Fargo & Co. has started offering a new type of mortgage that requires a tiny down payment and could appeal to customers who might otherwise get loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Wells Fargo, with its new loan program called Your First Mortgage, could soon be making fewer FHA loans. "We think this will be [...]
San Diego Flood Map Revised
I know with our beautiful weather, it’s hard to think about rain! But, every now and then it rains in San Diego … Attached is information on the new flood maps that have been revised for San Diego County. I hope you find this information useful! The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued revised Flood Insurance Rate [...]
25+ Relaxing Hanging Beds For Absolute Enjoyment
How COOL would these look for the summer?! Need a weekend project? We are fascinated by elements that are not part of our natural habitat. While some of us tend to spend a disproportionate amount of time on the beaches and surfing the waves, others are obsessed with taking to the skies. Flying has always been one of [...]
Kitchen Ideas: Design Styles and Layout Options
See pictures of kitchen design styles and find layout ideas and inspiration from HGTV.com
Harvard: Why Owning A Home Makes Sense Financially
The American Dream of homeownership is alive and well. The personal reasons to own differ for each buyer, with many basic similarities. Eric Belsky, the Managing Director of the Joint Center of Housing Studies at Harvard University expanded on the top 5 financial benefits of homeownership in his paper -The Dream Lives On: the Future of Homeownership in [...]
New Rules for Reverse Mortgages
According to a Time Inc. article by Donna Rosato, reverse mortgages can be a useful source of cash in retirement. The loans—which let you borrow against the value of your home but don’t require repayment while you’re still living in it—have had a reputation as costly and complex products. This reputation has lessened lately. Thanks in part to new [...]
First-Time Buyers: How Much Down Payment Do You Need?
For someone who is thinking of buying a first home, the idea of saving enough money for a down payment can be daunting. The good news is a first-time buyer can purchase a home for a little as 3 percent down -- and even no money down in some cases. Even with no down payment, home buyers [...]
Why Buy? First-Time vs Repeat Buyers
There are many different reasons why individuals choose to buy a new home versus staying in their current situation. Some people are just tired of renting, while others have had additions to their families and need more space. See below what Californians list as the most important reasons for buying a home - from the first-time and move-up [...]
Have Homeowners Insurance? It won’t Cover Flooding
With more El Nino rains on the way this season, it's important for Homeowners to understand that Homeowners Insurance does not cover these flooding situations. You need a separate flood insurance policy for this. As a recent article from the San Diego Union Tribune reminds us, water falling from the sky would be covered by home insurance. [...]
Happy New Year Everyone!
May this year of 2016 be A year of Health & Happiness.. A year of Wealth & Wisdom.. A year of Peace & Prosperity.. A year of Glee & Glow… And also a year of Love & Laughter… Happy New Year! All the Best, Gregg Watkins Watkins Realty Group “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin [...]