Buying a Home in CA: What to Look for in Neighborhoods and Communities
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | September 28, 2009
Most prospective homebuyers in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas already know that when it comes to purchasing real estate, location is key. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to make a profit on your new home or if you simply want a place that will help you raise your family – the neighborhood you choose to call your own is just as important as those details of square footage, number of bathrooms, and central air.
Choosing a home in CA based on the quality of the neighborhood is especially important. There are so many diverse and incredible places to live here that you can change your lifestyle simply by moving closer to that hip, urban center or further out, where suburban sprawl or a few acres of your own are calling.
Most people already look at neighborhoods and communities in La Jolla when considering a home purchase. In fact, some of the more common considerations include:
• School districts
• Type of neighborhood (gated, urban, suburban, etc.)
• Public transportation options
• Access to commuting routes
• Proximity to shopping
• Proximity to facilities like police, fire, or medical care
• Tax rates
• Crime rates
However, although these are all very important parts of choosing a neighborhood in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas, finding the facts might not be as easy as you hope. For example, things like tax rates can be researched, but you’ll also need to look at the future of development in the area. If there’s a big plan for condos to go up in your family neighborhood, you might find that the area is gearing for development. This might mean higher tax rates as the community draws in a higher-income crowd. (It might also mean a change in the neighborhood dynamic).
It’s also important to consider the different times of day and the year in which you visit your prospective home.
• How crowded are the streets during rush hour? On the weekends?
• How safe do you feel walking around during the day? What about at night?
• How maintained are the parks and streets in the winter? In the summer?
• How is the noise level at night or in the morning? Does this change on the weekends?
In order to make the most well-informed decision possible on your new home in La Jolla, it’s best to ask a trusted real estate professional like Dan & Brenda Wyatt or to talk with current (and past) residents. Not only will you get an insider’s view on what the CA community looks like after hours and in real life, but you might also learn that the people who will become your new neighbors are an enticing draw all on their own.
Topics: La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
Get the Most Out of Your Square Footage
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | August 31, 2009
If you’re getting ready to sell your La Jolla, Del Mar or Rancho Santa Fe home, you know that one of the most important things you can do to increase your sale price is to spend some time staging. After all, the better your home looks, the better the chances are that someone else will love it enough to buy it, too. However, many of the homes for sale in the California area are smaller in size than what’s currently hot on the market. While this doesn’t mean you can’t sell your home, it does mean that it might take a little extra work before you get that figure you’re aiming for.
The truth is, there’s no reason why your La Jolla home has to be the size of a small country in order to appeal to homebuyers. Small spaces, while more of a challenge to decorate and stage, have quite a bit of potential for appealing to those looking for charm, coziness, and class. If you’re doing the staging for your home yourself, here are few important tips in making your small home look like it’s worth every penny.
1. Get rid of the stuff. In any home staging effort, you want to get rid of personalized items and all the miscellaneous knickknacks that find their way into your home – including paintings and even overly unique drapes. This is never more important than when you’re trying to make a small house look bigger in CA.
2. Go for neutral colors. Dark colors make rooms look smaller in size. By using light, airy colors, you’ll give the appearance of more light – and therefore, more space.
3. Offer storage options. Most people need to really “see” themselves in a La Jolla home before they buy it. If you find creative ways to set up storage (such as in hidden cupboards, in strategic locations behind the couch, or even in a great set of shelves), you’ll give the impression that the house is not only beautiful, but livable.
4. Go for high-end details. Many of today’s homebuyers are willing to overlook a smaller space as long as it still retains a high value. Things like crown molding, built-ins, great appliances, and hardwood floors can go a long way in adding to the charm factor.
5. Use bright, strategic lighting. As with choosing lighter colors for wall paint, the idea of using light to give the impression of space is a good one. This is especially true if you can use track or recessed lighting to streamline the space even more.
Remember, there is no such thing as a typical homebuyer. By neutralizing your space and offering the little luxuries that allow people to envision themselves in your home, you’re allowing them to look beyond square footage to see how your La Jolla house for sale will help them create a lifetime of memories.
Topics: La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
Buying a Home as an Investment
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | July 15, 2009
These days, most of the listed homes for sale in La Jolla, Del Mar, or Rancho Santa Fe are all about building a family future. Savvy buyers know that the market is theirs, and they can bargain for things like better school districts, home improvements, and other amenities that make owning real estate in California great. However, when the La Jolla real estate market boasts more homes than there are buyers, there’s another advantage: homes for investment opportunities are cheaper and have greater potential than ever before.
First-Time Homebuyers in La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe: If you’re in the market for the first time, buying a home as an investment is a wonderful opportunity. Not only are there federal funding options available for first-time buyers, but the low average cost of homes right now means that you can get more California home for your dollar. This is especially true if you’re looking for a home to live in for a few years. By buying a house now, you can have a place to call home and the potential to sell it for profit five, ten, or even twenty years from now.
La Jolla Home Flipping: “Flipping” a home, or buying a house and fixing it up to increase the resale value, has been made popular by television shows and success stories that boast of tens of thousands of dollars virtually overnight. However, the process of fixing up a house is a much larger task than it at first appears. If you plan to flip a house as a way to earn a living, make sure you know exactly what the construction projects will entail and how you will finance your way through the process for the entire time it might take to resell your investment home.
When Buying CA Real Estate, Timing is Everything: As a financial decision, buying real estate is often best taken advantage of as a long-term investment. After all, it can be difficult even for professionals to predict the La Jolla real estate market. That’s why one of the best ways to turn a profit on a California home is to plan on living in the home or renting it out for upwards of 10 years at a time. It’s one of the best ways to guarantee an increase in your investment, and to enjoy yourself – and your family – while doing it.
The most important thing to remember before delving into CA real estate as a way to make money is that there is no quick and easy road to riches. The recent housing bubble burst is perfect evidence of this, and many people learned the hard way that buying a home as an investment, like any financial decision, takes time, planning, and a little homework.
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Ways to Increase your Home’s Value
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | June 23, 2009
When you first purchase a house in La Jolla, Del Mar or Rancho Santa Fe, you’re most likely thinking of ways to build a home for you and your family. A big yard means plenty of room for the children to play. A newly renovated kitchen means you can finally throw the types of dinner parties you’ve always wanted. A master suite, well, that’s just icing on the cake. However, when it comes to sell your California home, it’s important to remember that all those little (and big) changes can also mean big little (and big) changes in your sale price.
While most homeowners should make changes to their houses that suit their lifestyle rather than the eventual sale price of their home five, ten, or even twenty years down the road, there are a few things to keep in mind. After all, if you will someday be selling your La Jolla house, you want to be sure you’re maximizing your profit.
- Repair all the little things – now. Most of the time, homeowners are willing to overlook the little idiosyncrasies like a broken step on the porch or chipping paint on the kitchen cabinets while they live in their house. These small repair needs are a bit like a knee that acts up in the rain or a car that always requires you to turn the key three times to the right before starting; they just become part of the everyday backdrop of your life. However, for someone buying a home in La Jolla, Del Mar or considering real estate in Rancho Santa Fe, these things can become glaring problems. By fixing issues as they arise (rather than waiting until you’re ready to sell your CA home), you not only avoid making major repairs all at once, but you actually get to enjoy the repairs while you live there.
- Know your neighborhood. If you live in one of La Jolla’s family-friendly neighborhoods, chances are things like well-maintained yards, large family rooms, and spacious kitchens will be worth more in the long run. If you live in a Del Mar condo, you might find that built-in bookshelves and jacuzzi bathtubs are more appropriate. While you don’t have to tailor every change to your eventual sales audience, you can choose to make the types of changes that will translate into the highest returns.
- Don’t ignore the less visible changes. Almost all of the houses for sale in La Jolla go through cosmetic changes before they hit the market. Fresh paint, new kitchen appliances, and good landscaping are fairly common. Less common are things like a new roof, updated plumbing, or even a newly-installed automatic sprinkler system. However, these things show up in a home inspection evaluation, and when you put your trust in a CA real estate agents like Dan & Brenda Wyatt, these types of changes will always get the focus and attention they deserve.
The most important thing you can do to your La Jolla home is enjoy the time you’re going to spend there. However, by keeping its eventual sale at the back of your mind, you’ll be able to get the most out of your life – and your investment.
Topics: Energy Efficiency and Awareness, La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
Guide to Buying a Fixer-Upper in California
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | May 23, 2009
In the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California real estate market, buying a home with the intent to fix it up is one of the best investments you can make. There’s no better way to take control over your home ownership than to customize the design, floorplan, and landscaping of everything from a single story rancher to a charming Victorian – especially if you’re looking to use the current California real estate economic climate as a way to get the home of your dreams without breaking the bank.
However, as any responsible real estate agent will tell you, buying a fixer-upper can be a big challenge. Excessive or hidden damage in a home can be both dangerous and costly. Before you make the plunge, make sure you follow a few important fixer-upper guidelines.
1. Always get an inspection. Nothing will give you a better idea of what kind of repairs you’ll come across than a thorough home inspection from a trusted source. Don’t take on more damage than you, your contractor, and your budget can handle.
2. Pay attention to the layout and structural foundation of the house. If you’ve always dreamed of a large kitchen, make sure your potential new home can be adapted in terms of wiring, plumbing, and layout. Sometimes, the skeletal structure of a house prevents certain types of cosmetic changes.
3. Location matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a single family house in La Jolla or a condo in Del Mar; a home’s value is only as high as the neighborhood in which it’s located. A rundown building in a nice neighborhood has the greatest potential to bring an enormous resale price.
4. Know the difference between “big fixes” and “small fixes.” Things like drywall, painting, floor refinishing, landscaping, and hardware are easy to do yourself. Things like plumbing, electrical work, windows, and roofs can be more expensive and difficult. Stick to changes you can make for certain based on your skill level and budget.
When buying a home in La Jolla or looking at Del Mar real estate options, a fixer-upper can be one of the best ways to get the home of your dreams for a low overall cost. Just make sure you enter into the transaction with your eyes open, with flexibility in mind, and with Dan & Brenda Wyatt at your side.
Topics: Energy Efficiency and Awareness, La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
The Importance of Curb Appeal
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | April 24, 2009
Most real estate agents will tell you that the best time to sell a home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas is during the late spring and early summer months. When the weather turns warm, the vibrant growing season commences, and children can be seen playing happily in the yard, potential homebuyers really begin to connect with a house – even before they set foot across the threshold.
In real estate lingo, this is known as curb appeal.
Most potential homebuyers make a decision about a house within the first 30 seconds. For example, simply driving by a well-kept single family home for sale in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas is often enough to cause people to pull over and make an immediate call to their realtor. That’s because an inviting exterior promises an inviting interior.
To get the kind of curb appeal that really gets noticed, you have to be able to detach yourself from your home. You may have lived there for months or years, and have probably learned to overlook the overgrown shrubbery next to the sidewalk or the mailbox in need of repair. However, these are the first things potential homebuyers will see. You have to view your home as objectively as possible in order to begin making the necessary repairs to get noticed.
Look out for:
• Visible mold or mildew on the house, roof, or sidewalks
• Outdated exteriors
• Yard clutter
• Dirty gutters, siding, or windows
• Chipped paint
• How your home appears at dusk or even at night
• Overgrowth in the yard or on the sidewalks
• Dead plants or leaf piles
• Overly personalized doormats
Of course, if you’re really motivated to sell your home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas, you may also want to consider upgrading your landscaping. Like staging your home or making repairs, restorative landscaping can give your house just enough polish to entice a higher level of buyers. In fact, in a recent study, it was determined that good landscaping can actually add 6 to 11 percent to your home’s sale price.
We all know that selling a home can be hard work. Increase your chances of success by making sure your potential buyers are impressed before they even get out of the car.
Topics: Energy Efficiency and Awareness, La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
Staging Your Home
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | March 24, 2009
Staging your home is a great way to prepare your home to sale and to make it look alluring to buyers in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas. Staging your home has become popular during the last decade. Read this article to find out some great ideas on how to get your home ready for potential buyers and get it sold sooner, rather than later.
Within the first minute, people decide if they could live in your home. The problem is that there are so many homes on the market right now, that if yours doesn’t catch their eye immediately, then they have other choices. The struggling housing market is forcing people to take more drastic measures to sell their homes. Many homeowners say they need all the help they can get. With the market not being so good, there are ways you can make your house stand out. Staging your home is the way to make your house stand out in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas.
The idea of home staging is to highlight your home’s best attributes and positively affect potential buyers. Staging your home isn’t about your own tastes. It is about making the home appealing to the general population. Whether you go at it alone or use a stager, you need to have the attitude that your home is no longer your home.
Following are some tips to consider:
- Take down family pictures. Potential buyers need to picture themselves in your home, not you!
- Staging your rooms to show off their true potential. Clear out clutter or other personal items that will distract buyers.
- Painting the walls yourself is the cheapest upgrading option you have. This will really attract buyers. Try a neutral tone.
Staging your home is a great option to make your home stand out in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas. Let us, Dan & Brenda Wyatt, your agents offer you advice about how to make your house more attractive to buyers.
Topics: Energy Efficiency and Awareness, La Jolla California Real Estate, San Diego Beach Homes, San Diego Real Estate | No Comments »
What buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home.
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | February 12, 2009
What should buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas? This article will help sellers look into some important aspects of selling their home and what potential buyers look out for as well.
The way you live in your house is not the way to sell your house. So, what makes a house a home for sale on the market, and one that soon has a “SOLD” sign out on the front lawn? And what aspects are important to look at because potential buyers will ask the question, “How much work are we going to need to do prior to moving in and beyond?” The appearance and cleanliness of the home are significant. Always have your home ready to be shown at a moment’s notice with us, your agents Dan & Brenda Wyatt, because this is what buyers are looking for. And a tip- burned out lights need to be replaced; classy lighting and upgraded fixtures can ameliorate the value of a home. Also, buyers said they would be willing to pay more for a home with a renovated kitchen.
Here are some things a buyer will look out for when dealing with the purchase of a home. The buyer will consider the following:
- Exactly what property is included in the sale? Lighting fixtures, drapes or blinds, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and dryers are often problem areas.
- Is the neighborhood quiet, friendly? Are the homes well kept?
- Are there any development plans that will affect the property?
- The inspection report - are there any substantial problems with the house?
- Real estate taxes - what are the current property taxes, and what impact will your purchase have on the taxes?
Another issue that raises concern regarding buyer appeal is that sellers often mistakenly think that viewing empty properties will give the buyers an accurate sense of the space available. On the contrary, it is more difficult to really judge the size of a room without furniture and other objects as reference points. An empty room even allows buyers to focus on negative details instead of getting a sense of the overall space and the flow of each room to the next. Buyers need to ask themselves the question, “Can I see myself in this home?” Therefore, staging really helps buyers envision themselves in the space.
The idea of “staging” a home to make it look alluring to buyers has become popular during the last decade, as manifested by the proliferation of numerous home staging companies offering advice about how to make the house more attractive to buyers. Check out next’s months article about “Staging a Home.”
When selling your home with us, Dan & Brenda Wyatt, your agents keep in mind what buyers look for, or look out for before coming to look at your home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas.
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New Year brings optimism for the 2009 Real Estate Market
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | January 29, 2009
What better way to start the New Year, then to bring confidence to our 2009 Real Estate Market. Ringing in the New Year being hopeful and optimistic will allow us to decide what we can do to improve our way of thinking about what is currently going on in the market. The New Year begins with us having a positive outlook and is a promising time for those of us looking to buy a home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas.
Here are a few reasons to make a real estate investment in 2009:
Lower Home Prices: Housing prices have fallen to more affordable levels, in some markets moving back to 2003 prices. Lower home prices expand the number of people able to afford to buy and own home, creating a greater demand in the 2009 Real Estate Market.
Historically low interest rates: 30 year fixed mortgage rates are nearing 5 percent and are expected to move to 4.5 percent or lower in the 2009 Real Estate Market. Compared to 6.25 percent rates seen earlier in 2008, a rate of 4.5 percent would mean a monthly savings of $218 on a $200,000 mortgage. Lower monthly costs will keep people in their homes, reduce the number of homes on the market and lead to a stabile housing market.
The New Year brings optimism for the 2009 Real Estate Market. It is already evident that the housing inventories and prices are beginning to stabilize. The combination of lower prices and historically low interest rates will lead to a very good housing recovery.
No one can predict a market bottom, however it appears the worst of the market turmoil is behind us. The drive to stabilize and improve the housing market should lead to an improved 2009 Real Estate Market.
Let us all take a good peek into our own personal outlook on the 2009 Real Estate Market. With the interest rates low and many homes available, there is no better time than the present especially if you are looking for a home in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas.
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Real Estate during the Holidays
By Dan & Brenda Wyatt | December 19, 2008
Now is still a really good time for Real Estate in La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas. Buyers can, and do, get serious during this busy time of year. Lots of sellers take their homes off the market during the holidays, assuming no one will be buying at this time. But with serious buyers still out there and a lower inventory of homes, your home has a good chance of standing out. With fewer homes for sale, competition is decreased. There are good reasons to sell your home during the holidays.
Buyers are more serious during the holidays. Anyone shopping for a home during the holidays probably has to buy before a certain deadline. Therefore some buyers may be looking to relocate before the new year. Investors may also want to close before the end of the year for tax reasons. If you live near a university, students and staff may be looking for homes between academic sessions, and if you live near a military base, servicemen and women may be moving to the area. Work with us, Dan & Brenda Wyatt, your agents to target these motivated buyers. Buyers have more time to house-hunt. Buyers who are looking at this time during the holidays are serious about making a purchase. Some buyers purposely wait until their families are together for holiday vacations to start looking for a home. Homes show better in the winter. Decked out in lights and garland, homes often look their best during the holiday months. Take advantage of the Holidays and spruce up your homes to make them more festive. Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard, just enough to make your prospects feel at home and your home still looking spacious.
Home sellers can’t always take a holiday from keeping their house on the market. Instead, they should consider ways to turn the holidays to their advantage. By holding a holiday-themed open house - maybe instead of the traditional Sunday afternoon open house; your home could be open in the evening to take advantage of a festive holiday light display. Keep in mind to not block or cover up important selling features such as fireplace mantels, stairs, stained-glass windows. Tone down the size of tree. In place of a 10-foot tree, try decorating a table-top, four-foot version. Set a plate of cookies on the counter, next to festive paper napkins for guests. Giving house hunters a place to escape from the cold is another excellent way to get them inside your home.
The holidays are stressful enough without having to think about staging and open houses, so if you’re not truly motivated to sell, it’s probably best to wait a few months. But if you absolutely have to sell, don’t be discouraged. Good agents like ourselves can take the burden off of your shoulders, giving you more time to enjoy the season.
With these tips in mind, it is possible to enjoy the holidays and still successfully feature a home for sale on the real estate market. Now is still a good time as ever in the La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe California areas.
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