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Peter Toner

More horrible MLS photos

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

Horrible MLS photo update – more agents to shame .. I swear that these photos only took a total of 10 minutes to find on my local MLS (Sandicor) here in San Diego, California Unfortunately we couldn't make this stuff up if we tried … Hmmm, are they featuring the view from the front door? [...]

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Out & about on the water

by Peter Toner General

My wife and I took a Harbor cruise last Friday night. It was one of those summer evenings with a little nip in the air while out on the water – quite refreshing actually. The night sky was clear enough to take a series of shots of Downtown San Diego with my iPhone and autostitch [...]

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Sales of San Diego homes on Court House steps

by Peter Toner General

San Diego foreclosures and home sales on the Court House steps. Kelly Bennett of the Voice of San Diego talks to NBC San Diego about sales of homes on the court house steps. This is a long time practice made worse of course by the sheer numbers of San Diego homes that are in the [...]

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Bank takes enormous hit on San Diego mansion

by Peter Toner San Diego home prices

A house that local residents dubbed "The Monster House" … has just sold in San Diego for $2,000,000 last week – just a little less than the claimed $13,000,000 that it cost to build back in 2006. With 16,000 square-feet this mansion on Fortuna Ranch in Encinitas is reported to have (according to Sandicor data)  [...]

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How to use your $8,000 tax credit

by Peter Toner Home buying tips

Formal guidelines from the Federal Housing Administration … ….  have been issued regarding the first time homebuyer tax credit worth up to $8000. Many had hoped FHA would allow lenders to give the 3.5% down payment to buyers in the form of a 2nd loan on the property.   The 2nd loan would have then [...]

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Take the Fed’s money!

by Peter Toner Home buying tips

THE GOVERNMENT PAYS YOU TO PURCHASE A HOME!!! The new economic stimulus plan that became law recently gives first time home buyers a tax credit up to $8000. According to the new rules, you have to buy your first home between Jan. 1st and Nov. 30th, 2009, or have had no ownership interest in a [...]

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Stimulus Plan Passed by the House of Representatives for $819 Billion

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

This week President Obama’s Stimulus Plan was passed by the House of Representatives. Since being sworn into office Obama has been working hard to promote the bill in hopes the Republican reps would support him. The plan passed at 244-188, not a single Republican supported the plan and 12 Democrats voted against it. Those opposing [...]

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A Bit of Sugar Helps the REO’s Go Down

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

Today’s real estate news is saturated with talk about REO’s, short sales, foreclosures and the troubled real estate market, but just how bad is it? Some propose the market is nearing bottom, others have a more doomsday approach and expect the market not to bottom out for another couple years. Rather than try to predict [...]

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Real Estate Myths All Buyers and Sellers Should Not Be Fooled By

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

This morning the Today Show interviewed Barbara Corcoran, a well known and very successful entrepreneur who gained her success by creating her own real estate brokerage group. She has since sold her business for a very pretty penny and now spends her time writing books, contributing to the Today Show on NBC, CNBC, The Daily News, [...]

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Good Morning President Obama… Just Sign Here

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

It’s been a busy first day for the new President and one thing is certain; he’ll continue to have his plate full… especially with new measures from lawmakers. In the recent months before Obama’s swearing in, lawmakers have been working quickly to create solutions to our struggling real estate market. Many of these new measures [...]

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Variations in Home Prices in San Diego County

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

As the real estate roller coaster ride continues, MDA DataQuick is discovering some interesting statistics. Although much of the San Diego County has seen price declines, there are some areas that have not been hit and are actually experiencing some median price increases. San Diego real estate that is being hardest hit by foreclosure: the [...]

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San Diego Home Buyers Start Your Engines

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

A recent Forbes.com article discussed the current activity in real estate markets, not only in San Diego, but across the country. Yes the trend we’ve all heard seems to hold true for most markets, median home prices are down. What is being seen that’s different from previous months in 2008 is that home sales are creeping up and [...]

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San Diego Restaurant Week Begins this Sunday

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

 San Diego Restaurant Week is back and ready to satisfy the taste buds! The kick off day for Restaurant Week is this Sunday the 11th and continues through the 16th of January. Lasting only 5 days it’s a special treat to diners who would like to enjoy a full 3 course meal without paying an [...]

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Foreclosure Freeze Extended by Fannie and Freddie

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

San Diego homeowners have you heard; the foreclosure freeze has been extended an additional three weeks? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac originally announced the freeze in November of last year. The program was due to expire on January 9th, 2009; but the new end date is set for January 31st, 2009. The extension was done [...]

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San Diego Home Affordability … Not Just a Thing of the Past

by Peter Toner San Diego real estate

Who would have thought that affordability and San Diego Homes would ever be in the same sentence again… but dare we say it?? Yes we shall! The California Association of Realtors announced recently that San Diego home affordability was at 51% for the 3rd quarter of 2008, compare that t o the affordability rate of [...]

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