July 2014

Today, owing more than a home’s current market value is common. In fact, according to a study by CoreLogic, 23.1% of all residential mortgages had negative equity in March 2011. That’s 11.1 million homes – and 11.1 million homeowners wondering what to do.

If you’re in that 23.1%, you do have choices, but which is the right one?

• Should you try for a loan modification?
• Should you keep making your current payments and hope for the best?
• Should you simply stop making payments, and walk away? 
• Should you offer your home as a short sale?

Loan modifications have turned into a nightmare for many homeowners – as I’m sure you’ve read. Instead of helping 3 to 4 million families, only about 600,000 have actually gotten real modifications.

The first impression potential buyers get when they drive up in front of a house sets the tone for the entire showing – and actually affects what they’ll see when they go inside.

If the exterior is well maintained and attractive, buyers will expect to see an attractive, well-maintained interior as well. As a result, they might not notice small imperfections.

On the other hand, if the exterior looks run down, they’ll notice every flaw inside the house even if it’s clean, freshly painted, and well maintained. That is, if they go inside at all. I’ve been with buyers who took one look at a home’s exterior and refused to go in.

So the first step in preparing a house for sale is to create the “curb appeal.” Fix-up, paint-up, and clean up – so the first

Are you about to relocate to San Diego? It’s always exciting to start a new job in a new city, but moving your household to a new city can provide a litte bit of headache. Here at Andrew Arroyo we are prepared to make your San Diego home search quick and painless!

The first step in relocating is finding a home, and unless you’re already very familiar with San Diego, it is not an easy task. You may already be doing on-line searches of the MLS listings, but they don’t really give you all the information you need to narrow your choices. The MLS listings do not offer information about things that may be important to you – such as the proximity to your work or to the stores and recreational facilities you’ll enjoy during your leisure hours.

That kind of

Presenting Your Home For a Quick Sale – De-cluttering

De-cluttering should be the first step in getting the interior of your house “show-ready.” 

Your aim will be to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that has been de-personalized, so that other people can visualize it as their own. In addition, you want to create the impression that you have more than enough space.

Start by looking at your furniture and the traffic patterns throughout the house. If there are bottle-necks or if any room feels crowded or cramped, put some furniture in storage. When you have a little “empty space” your home will instantly look larger.  

Next, remove all the extra “stuff” you have sitting around. Clean the kitchen counter-tops, leaving only the appliances you use

Making the decision to uproot your family and move can be difficult, especially when the real estate market is in turmoil.

If you purchased your home before the boom, you may be looking at the profit you might have made if you’d sold at the top of the market - and feeling like if you sell now you’ll be losing money.

But, there is another way to look at it. If you’d sold then, you’d also have had to purchase your next home at an inflated price. Now you’ll sell with a normal appreciation – and also buy at a much lower price.

So consider these three important questions, then make your decision.

• Does my house still fit me and the people who share it, or do I need a smaller or larger home? 
• Do I love living here, or do I really want to move