Here are some additional benefits of home ownership

• Growing equity - Home ownership can be an automatic savings account. Your equity will accumulate with time as your home appreciates.
• Appreciation - Although real estate moves in cycles, sometimes up, sometimes down, over the years, real estate has consistently appreciated. Homes appreciate about five percent a year on average.
• Property Tax Deductions - Real estate property taxes paid for a first home and a vacation home are fully deductible for income tax purposes.

Determining what to offer
How to determine your offer - As you are thinking about your offer to purchase a home, look at the condition of the home, what other homes have sold for in that area recently, how many other people are making offers, and how much you want this particular property.

Comparable sales
A professional realtor has immediate access to the latest data on sales in the market area you desire. A realtor like Coastal San Diego Homes can provide detailed information on active listings, as well as a history of sold properties in the area. Finding the perfect home in San Diego County can be a daunting task, especially if you are unfamiliar with the nuances of each area. We understand that each family has unique requirements, and we are dedicated to helping you locate the best neighborhood and the best value for your lifestyle.

What price is too low?
If you make an offer which is too low you run the risk of losing out to a higher offer and/or alienating the seller.

What price is too high?
Most buyers are unlikely to make an offer that is too high, but in some cases people just fall in love with a certain house and offer over the market value. The danger here is that if you pay too much, and the home does not appreciate past that amount, you might lose money at the point you decide to sell the home.

Negotiable costs
In addition to the offer on the home price, buyers may choose to ask the seller to cover some of the other costs associated with the transaction as a bargaining tool.

Factors which may affect price:

• Circumstances of the sale - In a distressed property, the seller may be in a hurry or the property itself might need work. Asking price - The asking price is a starting point, not necessarily where things will end up.
• Condition of the property - There are three kinds of conditions - average, greatly improved, and in definite need of attention. These affect your offer price and terms.
• Current market conditions - Comparable home sales, the local economy and other factors affect your offer.
• Improvements to the property - If there are special additions and features which are attractive to you, this may justify a better offer.

Get your agent's advice
Be sure to do a reality check with your agent as a test, and as a way to verify everything is ready. Your offer should reflect enough "room" for negotiating a few thousand dollars if necessary.

Let us help you find that perfect home ...