Straight answers about realtors from Stone Real Estate Group.
Don't start with house tours — start with your numbers. Get pre-approved so you know your budget and sellers take you seriously. In San Diego, a pre-approval letter can win the…
Yes. A pre-approval is a lender's written commitment based on your income, credit, and debts — and most San Diego sellers won't consider an offer without one. It proves you can…
It depends on your loan. Conventional loans can go as low as three percent down, FHA starts at three and a half, and VA loans for eligible military buyers can be zero down — a big…
Far more than unlocking doors. Your buyer's agent finds matching homes — including off-market ones — pulls comparable sales so you know true value, then negotiates price, repairs,…
Plan on sixty to ninety days from serious search to move-in. Finding the right home can take weeks or months, then California escrow typically runs about thirty days —…
Closing costs are the fees due on closing day, on top of your down payment — lender fees, escrow and title charges, title insurance, recording fees, plus prepaid insurance and…
In California, escrow is a neutral third party that holds everyone's money and documents while the sale finalizes. Once your offer is accepted, your deposit goes in and the clock…
Absolutely — San Diego is one of the best places in the country for it. VA loans offer zero percent down, no private mortgage insurance, and competitive rates for eligible…
Look past the staging. Run faucets and flush toilets, open and close windows, and watch for cracks, stains, or fresh paint hiding problems. Check street noise, parking, and the…
Carmel Valley, Scripps Ranch, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo are known for great schools, parks, and community feel. Closer to the coast, Bay Park and Bay Ho bring the beach…
Online estimates are a starting point, not an answer. They can't see your remodeled kitchen, your view, or the deferred maintenance next door. A real valuation comes from a…
Spring is busiest, but San Diego has no true off-season — homes sell every month here. What matters far more than the calendar is pricing it right, presenting it beautifully, and…
Declutter first — pack away personal items so rooms feel larger. Deep clean everything, boost curb appeal with fresh mulch and trimmed hedges, and fix the small stuff buyers…
The biggest cost is agent compensation — negotiable and agreed up front. Beyond that: escrow and title fees, county transfer taxes, possible repairs after inspections, and HOA…
Three things: price, condition, and marketing. A well-priced home in great condition with professional marketing can go under contract in days. An overpriced home — even a…
No one-size answer. Selling first gives you cash in hand and a clean, non-contingent offer — but you may need temporary housing. Buying first means one move, but two mortgages or…
List price is the asking price — the opening number. Sold price is what a buyer paid. In hot markets homes sell above list; in slower markets, below. But pricing strategy matters…
Fix what's broken; skip the big renovations. Buyers notice leaky faucets and tired paint — small issues signal neglect and invite low offers. But a full kitchen remodel rarely…
Accepting an offer opens escrow. The buyer's deposit goes to the neutral escrow holder, then inspections happen — general, and often termite or roof. If issues surface, you…
California has some of the strictest disclosure laws — one missed form can unravel a sale or land you in legal trouble. A listing agent prices from real comparable sales, markets…
It shifts by neighborhood, price range, and month. A seller's market means more buyers than homes: firm prices, bidding wars. A buyer's market flips it: more inventory, longer…
Anyone who gives you a one-word answer is guessing. San Diego values move with rates, inventory, and the economy — differently in La Jolla versus El Cajon, and for condos versus…
Mello-Roos is a special tax district in newer San Diego communities — it paid for the roads, schools, and parks, and homeowners repay it through an extra property-tax line item.…
California property taxes start around one percent of assessed value, plus local bonds — most San Diego County bills land near one-point-two percent. Your assessed value is…
Proposition 13, passed in 1978, set your assessed value at your purchase price and capped annual increases at two percent — so longtime owners often pay taxes far below today's…
Stone Real Estate Group is a San Diego brokerage led by Richard Stone, license 00874215, serving buyers and sellers since 1987 — nearly four decades of making real estate goals…
Big websites show you listings. They can't tell you which ones are worth buying. An algorithm has never walked a home or smelled moisture in the garage. A local agent knows…
Stone Real Estate Group is based in San Diego at 12750 High Bluff Drive and serves buyers and sellers across the San Diego area — coastal communities to inland neighborhoods,…
Start with a conversation. Call 858-481-7653 or email richardstonerealestate@gmail.com — buying, selling, or just exploring. We'll set up a no-pressure consultation to understand…
San Diego is not a simple market. Coastal versus inland, Mello-Roos districts, HOAs, military relocations, multi-offer negotiations, strict disclosure laws — mistakes are…
