Freddie Mac’s VP and Chief Economist, Frank Nothaft, said, “”The housing market has also shown some improvement as well. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s purchase-only house price index rose at a monthly rate of 0.3 percent in February. Moreover, 12 out of 20 metropolitan areas experienced increases over the month, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller® 20-city indexes, led by a 2.1 percent gain in Phoenix. New home sales in March were stronger than the consensus market forecast and February’s sales were revised upwards to the strongest pace in almost two years.”

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home in San Diego, now is the time to contact Imagine San Diego real estate agents! Even if you think you don’t qualify due to bad credit, bankruptcy, foreclosure or short sale, our team can help guide you through the process of repairing your credit and removing negative marks so that you can find your perfect San Diego home!

For more information, contact our knowledgable San Diego real estate agents today!

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Freddie Mac mortgage rates

This year, I finally have an edible gardening that’s producing, including lettuces, arugula, squash, peppers, onions and tomatoes. While some of those have yet to fruit, I am excited about the prospect of eating an entire meal from our own yard! But, it’s taken years to get a feel for what and when to grow, and we are still novices.

Growing zone map via Garden.org

Before it gets too late into the season, consider these tips from HGTV about home gardening, especially if you’re hoping to get a vegetable garden going this year. One of the most important tips they give, and one I must heed, is to KNOW YOUR ZONE. Your zone is the geographical area in which you live, and it’s relative climate. We live fairly close to the ocean, but just a few more miles inland can change your zone and the way you grow. To find out your zone, simply enter your zip code on this easy-to-read map from Garden.org.

A few other helpful tips from HGTV:

• Till soil when it’s somewhat dry

• Make your own compost

• Consider raised beds for edible gardens

• Deeply water the roots of your plants, instead of lightly spraying an entire area and/or plant

These and many more tips can be found at HGTV.com.

And remember, if you’re looking to sell your home, you may increase the value by simply having a well-pruned, edible garden. Buyers are looking to be more socially responsible and environmentally friendly, and enjoy the bounty of having a home garden.

For more tips on increasing the value of your home, or to get information on buying or selling, go to your source for San Diego real estate information, Imagine San Diego!

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This Old Houseaddresses common concerns about automatic thermostats, renewable energy, landscaping, toilets and more. Ideas like how to inexpensively

Busting myths about how to be green via This Old House

modify older toilets so that they can be dual flush, using appropriate grass for your climate and how to spot “green” products were amongst the helpful tips.

As San Diegans, we are always concerned about the beautiful place we live, and continuing to keep it beautiful by being responsible homeowners. Continue checking Imagine San Diego for the latest tips, tricks and advice on how to be green and save some green.

Contact Imagine San Diego real estate agents for more on how we can help you with all your housing related needs!
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iMortgage Home Equity

So, in case you missed that, in 60 months you could either PAY your landlord $126,000, OR gain $84,917 in equity. Pretty sobering numbers.

Imagine San Diego real estate agents love helping out homebuyers, whether it’s your first or an investment. We will crunch the numbers with you, represent you with confidence and knowledge so that you know you are getting the best home possible.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you start gaining equity and becoming a home owner!
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In his article on Huffington Post, Peter S. Goodman states that, “The value of real estate is crucial, because home ownership tends to be the price of admission to top-quality public education: Communities with high-scoring schools have a much smaller percentage of rental homes than those with lower-scoring schools.” Goodman’s point is that individuals who have purchased homes in recent years may have been driven by a desire to send their kids to good schools, but in turn, over spent and ended up underwater on their homes.

In the nationwide debate about what caused the housing crises, and how to repair it, many have blamed people’s greed for the collapse. But this study reveals a potential piece of the puzzle in which some families were simply trying to make a better life for themselves and their children.

While the housing crises is far from being repaired, there are many hopeful signs on the horizon. What do you think about the housing crisis? Have you been personally effected? Do you feel that struggling homeowners should be bailed out? Imagine San Diego realtors want to hear from you!

Imagine San Diego real estate agents are driven by your desire to find the perfect home. We welcome your thoughts and desires regarding home ownership, so contact us today with all your real estate questions and concerns!

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via Shutterstock

HomeZada is the go-to source for tracking belongings, managing projects and projecting home repairs and maintenance. Users can access their account at home on their computer, or from their smart phone, with apps available on iPad, iPhone and Android systems.

Owning a home can be stressful and the list of projects never ending. By taking a little time to organize the honey-do list, you’ll had more free time to enjoy you perfect home!

For more information on how technology meets real estate, check out Inman News, and continue logging onto Imagine San Diego for all the latest in real estate advice.

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• Fluorescent lightbulbs

• Wash ALL laundry on COLD setting

• Buy ONLY energy star appliances (which may also be a tax deduction)

• Remove grass, and add drought resistant plants

• Check to make sure there are no leaks in pipes

• Get low flow toilets and shower heads

• Check water pressure, and lower if needed

• Change gushing sprinkler heads

• Switch from traditional cable to streaming online video sites such as Netflix or Hulu

• Buy ceiling fans or oscillating fans to replace some AC use in summer

• Eat IN!

• Grow an edible garden year round

• Establish a rain water collection system to nourish your plants

For more advice and tips for your home, keep checking back with Imagine San Diego!  We are YOUR source for all things real estate in San Diego!

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Here are 6 things NOT to do to get the best return on your investment:

1) Home office. While creating a functional, multi-purpose room can be highly desirable to prospective buyers, a overly personalized office space with too many built-ins and no room for guests can be a big downfall. With portable technology like laptops, tablets and smart phones, many folks barely use a home office. If you want an office space, go for a simple remodel that can be easily returned to a bedroom or den.

2) Skip the backup generator. Many buyers will not see it’s worth, especially out-of-town buyers.

3) Adding a room. Whether you call it a Sun Room or a multi-purpose room, if it’s an unnecessary addition (a very expensive one), it will eat your wallet. While additions aren’t always bad, it’s better to consider the entire house, and what it NEEDS vs. what you like.

4) Deluxe Master Suite is a no no. The price tag alone should be enough to keep  you from giving in to making your master a 5 star resort. The average cost for a deluxe master, adding square footage and using the best products, is around $232,000. Ouch. Sadly, you won’t recoup very much of that addition.

5) Bathroom remodel. We all would love a great bathroom. Clean, big and full of amenities, a souped up bathroom can definitely be a winner. But it can also be a loser for the seller. Instead of bringing in the bathtub with jets, cool your own jets and find some simpler, more cost effective ways to update, like refacing cabinets, painting and adding new fixtures.

6) Upscale garage. While the thought of having a media room or granny flat is tempting, don’t forget that potential buyers want to park their cars. Very few buyers look for an upscale garage space that can be livable, or has all latest cabinetry, flooring and storage.

Getting ready to sell your home? Give Imagine San Diego real estate agents a call and let us help you find the perfect buyer!

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Along with the good news about mortgages, both banks are increasing their cash reserves, seeing lower foreclosure rates and lowering their repurchase losses.

Wells Fargo CEO, John Stumpf put it clearly:

“When you have the dynamics of higher rental rates and lower home values at great financing rates there’s a point in time where the market will start to clear…We’re getting very close to the tipping point.”

Mr. Stumpf seems to be reiterating what many others are talking about: it’s a good time to buy. That tipping point IS coming, in which interest rates will begin to rise, and home prices will steadily increase. Even now there has been a surge of bidding wars, leading some to consider buying a newly constructed home in places like Phoenix, where bidding wars are pushing up the prices of existing homes beyond what it could cost to by a newly contstructed home.

Are you thinking about buying a home in San Diego? If so, you need to contact Imagine San Diego real estate agents today! We look forward to helping you find the perfect home in San Diego!

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Shrub and tree border via HGTV

Kelly here, Imagine San Diego’s resident real estate blogger extraordinaire! I love perusing the pages of the internet for daily information on all things housing, whether it’s tips on lending for first time buyers, or homeowners looking to rehab a messy kitchen. As a homeowner, and one with a sizable yard to care for, I am always intrigued by advice on how to create livable space outdoors. If you’re like me and live in beautiful San Diego, you know that having enjoyable outdoor space is just an extension of the rest of your home. It’s like adding square footage. So, when I came across this article in The Helping Homes Daily, I just couldn’t resist!

Creating an enjoyable, but also private space can be really important, especially if you have a lot of open and viewable land. For me, I have a trellised fence per San Diego city code, which presents some challenges on creating privacy in my back yard. I have long wondered how to make an aesthetically pleasing, but also low maintenance barrier. So, here’s some very helpful tips to get you started on creating the ultimate in outdoor living space!

• Trellises. Like I mentioned above, I have a trellised fence on one side of my yard. When we purchased the home, there was a very old fence buried beneath mountains of ivy that housed a lot of bugs and suspected rodents. We removed it all and rebuilt a fence, but were left with no privacy. While we are not going to use vines again, for some, the trellis option can be very functional. Be sure to choose appropriate plants for your trellis size and sturdiness. Trellises come in aluminum, wood, iron, copper and even plastic. Some good suggestions for perennials are clematis, honeysuckle, and Dutchman’s pipe.

• Hedges. I am a big fan of hedges. They don’t attack my fence, and for our climate, they’re easier to care for and grow than a big tree. With that said, it’s important to find hedges that suit the size of your space. I have a fairly narrow space, and I have made the mistake of planting grasses that grew much larger than I anticipated. That results in a lot of pruning to keep walkways open. Deciduous plants drop leaves, and will be bare in the winter, leaving you without privacy, but some, like the red-twig dogwood, are attractive even bare. Some ideas for hedging are dwarf lilac, golden privet, and Onondaga viburnum. Grasses can also create lovely organic, wispy landscapes.

• Trees. Large trees, with little growth at the base, will not create very private spaces. While great for shading large areas, best to stick with smaller trees that grow out from the base. They tend to be easier to prune than shrubs. Using trees of various sizes and colors can create a more natural privacy border. Some tree ideas are magnolias, flowering dogwoods, Japanese maple, Japanese tree lilac, stewartia, birch, and palms. Be mindful of tree root systems when planting, as some can be aggressive and effect nearby plants and structures.

• Outdoor Rooms. Using a few simple materials like wooden posts, pots and planter boxes, can create unique outdoor spaces to swoon over. I have 2 decks, one off my front porch, and one off my bedroom, that are begging for some foliage. Construct a simple pergola with posts at the corners of your space, and grow vines to soften the look of the area. Plant a few narrow boxes with flowers and herbs to add color and define space, or large pots to create a more organic feel. Trellises can be used here, as well. Be sure to keep the look of your home and your outdoor space consistent with similar color scheme and style.

To create your own online idea books and get helpful tips from other homeowners AND experts, check out Houzz.com.

If you’re still looking for your perfect home to create a dream outdoor space, contact Imagine San Diego real estate agents, and keep checking back with the blog for the latest in home and real estate news!