Archive for September, 2005

Avoiding a Pre-Payment Penalty

Friday, September 30th, 2005

“I’m going to refinance soon and I want to be sure I don’t have a prepayment penalty. I told my loan person, but how can I be sure?”
***ANSWER:
My best friend is a smart, successful stockbroker. His mother refinanced her home awhile back and he told the lender she planned to sell soon and didn’t […]

How to Choose a Lender?

Tuesday, September 27th, 2005

How to Choose a Lender?
“We’re going to be buying a home soon, either in University City or maybe La Jolla. Do you recommend using a bank or a mortgage broker? I’ve heard direct lenders and banks have very limited options, but mortgage brokers can shop your loan to many sources and have a wider variety […]

How Much Money Should I put down as my Deposit?

Sunday, September 25th, 2005

How Much Money Should I put down as my Deposit?
“How much should my deposit be when I buy a home? I’ve heard you should make it as small as possible so you don’t lose much if you back out.”
***ANSWER:
Small deposits do pose less risk to you as a buyer. But your deposit money is […]

Mello-Roos. Why the fee?

Thursday, September 22nd, 2005

San Diego Real Estate Mello Roos Question
“We’ve been looking at homes in North San Diego County and sometimes we see an extra fee called Mello Roos for a few hundred bucks a month. I wouldn’t want to buy a property with an extra fee. What is that?”
***ANSWER:
In California’s “taxpayer revolt” of 1978, voters […]

Agents, Brokers, & REALTORS

Friday, September 16th, 2005

Agents, Brokers, & REALTORS
“Hi Gary. We really enjoy reading your newsletter. We’re going to be selling my aunt’s home in Clairemont soon and will be looking for an agent. I’ve seen several different titles. What’s the difference between a Realtor, an agent, and a broker?”
***ANSWER:
A real estate agent in California can have either […]