Escondido Starter Homes for Sale

Escondido Homes for Sale and Escondido Foreclosures

Welcome to my Escondido Starter Homes featured listing page.  You can click on the hot links below by price to get a fast start.  If you would like to see an area not shown you can set up your own personalized search by zip code, area, price, features, and much more.  You can start your own custom serarch here.   You can also see Escondido foreclosures, auction, or pre-forclosure homes at “Free Foreclosure Search.”  For your on  personalized tour of any of these Escondido homes contact Gary Harmon.
 
Escondido Starter Homes $300k – $400k
Escondido Homes $400k-$500k
All Other Price Ranges 
 
See Video and learn how to SEARCH LIKE AN AGENT!

Now is the Best Time to Sell Your Escondido Home

It is spring in the Escondido real estate area and the flowers around your Escondido home are starting to bloom.    The skies have cleared of rain and the days are mostly sunny.  The lawn is looking lush green and is at its very best.  First impressions of your Escondido property are always the most important. NOW is when Escondido buyers will get that great first impression when they drive up in front of your home. 

In is a know fact in the San Diego North County area that Escondido buyers like to buy in the spring.  One of the main reasons is that tax season is over and they can now concentrate on their Escondido home search.   Another reason is that buyers like to buy in the spring so they are ready to move when school is out for the summer.  After summer the Escondido real estate market slows considerably.  So, the best months to have your Escondido house on the market are April through August. 

The San Diego North County real estate market is getting stronger.  Data Quick released results yesterday saying  the market has improved and prices have increased over this time last year.  The State of California is coming out with a new tax credit of $10,000 on May 1st  to help boost California real estate sales for new and first-time home buyers.  Interest rates are still relative low.   So the best thing you can do is list your Escondido real estate now.

To get a free CMA (competitive market analysis) of your Escondido home, contact Gary Harmon, your top Escondido Realtor.

Escondido Homes – Rent vs Buy

Don’t miss this great opportunity to own a piece of Escondido real estate.  Don’t always be the person that is sending all their money to a landlord.  Gary Harmon is providing the table below so you can see how easy it is to own an Escondido home.  Take how much you pay in rent for your Escondido house and find that amount under an interest column, for example assume 5%.   Now go to the left and that will tell you roughly how much of an Escondido home you could afford.

Sorry about the size of the chart.  For example, if you pay $2,147 in rent for your Escondido house, look under the 5% column and read to the left.  You could own a Escondido home that cost $400,000.  Of course there are many other benefits to owning your own Escondido property.  To get more information about borrowing money see HomeServices Lending.  To get more information about buying Escondido real estate, contact Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor.

Fix Up Your Escondido Home for Spring

Considering selling your Escondido property this spring?  Now’s a good time to complete some spring maintenance to make sure your home is in tip-top shape.   Even if you aren’t planning to sell your Escondido home, you should still add these chores to your list to help preserve your home’s value and help avoid major repairs later on.

Check the outside of your Escondido Property

Look for any damage caused by winter’s weather. Check for those sagging or loose gutters.  Over the fall and winter, leaves, dirt and debris may have accumulated in your gutters.  Check your gutters for clogging and damage and schedule an appointment for cleaning. Check the condition of your stucco, clean or patch if necessary.  Check the eaves and patio cover for dry rot.  Promptly schedule repairs for those items you can’t do yourself.

Walk around your yard as if you were a first-time visitor. What impression does your Escondido real estate make?  Loosen the soil around perennials, plant annuals or a vegetable garden. Prune shrubs and trees.  Fertilize you lawn and remove weeds from the flowerbeds.

If your sprinklers have been off for the winter, turn them back on. Test your automatic sprinkler system. Reset your timer.  Replace old washers or sprinkler heads.

Don’t forget the backyard! Is it time to condition your deck? Be sure to hammer in any loose nails, or replace them with galvanized deck screws. Replace any broken boards or rails. Consider renting a power washer to clean dirt and mildew from the wood, and then apply an all-weather sealer or stain. Then dust off that patio furniture you kept protected over the winter.

Repair any broken fence boards and paint or seal them as needed. Wash windows and screens.

Take a Tour Inside Your Escondido Home

Start making a list of things to do in each room. Then go to work. Dust walls and ceilings to remove cobwebs and wash any grimy areas. Wash window curtains or remove drapes for dry cleaning. Deep clean rugs and carpets. Dust and polish wood or laminate floors.  Make sure tile grout is clean.

Clean fan blades using mild soapy water. Check the central air-conditioning unit for debris and obstructions; vacuum the main condenser coil on top of the unit.

Make sure all exhaust fans and vents are clean and clear.  Don’t forget to remove the lint buildup from the clothes dryer vent.  Take strainers off the ends of all the lavatory faucets and clean them.

One often-overlooked area is the fireplace.  Be sure to sweep ashes carefully into a dustpan.  Have the flue professionally cleaned every few years. Look around for clutter. Are there items you don’t use any longer?  If you are planning on moving, what items will you not need? Consider having a garage sale and then either donate or trash the remaining items.

And lastly, don’t forget to replace batteries in smoke detectors and change air filters.  A good time to change them is when you change your clock for daylight savings.

Although performing these spring chores may be dreaded task, they go a long way in maintaining and even enhancing the attractiveness and quality Escondido your home.  With more buyers out and about, you must be sure your Escondido property is ready for its next new owner!

For more information read “100 Ways to Prepare Your Escondido Home for Sale.”

If  you are considering placing your Escondido home for sale, call Gary Harmon, you top Escondido Realtor.

Minimize Identity Theft

Idenity Theft

No longer do thieves have to break into you Escondido home to steal from you.  They can just steal your identity or steal through your computer if you are careless.  Below are some things you can do to help minimize the chance of electronic theft or identity theft.

—If you bank online, frequently check your accounts to spot errors or fraudulent transactions. The sooner you detect a problem, the easier it can be to fix.  Also, look over each of your credit card bills each month for unauthorized charges.

—Don’t respond to “urgent” requests. Never give out your Social Security, credit or debit card numbers or PIN in response to an unsolicited e-mail, text message or phone call. That “urgent” message purportedly from a bank, merchant or government agency (such as the IRS) could be a scam attempting to trick you into divulging personal and account information.  If you are concerned about the urgent request, log into your account and see if you have any messages. In the case of credit cards, call the number on the back of the card and ask them if they have tried to contact you about anything.

—Watch out for bogus text messages. Cell phone texts claiming that your bank account has been “blocked” and that you must call to fix the problem can be a scam. If you make the call, you’ll likely be asked for your account and PIN, which can be used to create counterfeit debit cards.

—Don’t open attachments or click on links in unsolicited e-mails. Your computer could become infected with “spyware” that changes your security settings and records your keystrokes. It lets online thieves silently steal your passwords, bank or credit-card numbers and obtain answers to security questions, like your mother’s maiden name.

-Shred items that have your personal information and account numbers before throwing them in the trash.

-PayPal is where I personally see most of the fraud attempts against me.  I get a bogus message wanting me to click to log in to PayPal.  If you use that login link, anything you give them is lost.  Tip: If you use PayPal, anything officially from PayPal will address you by name.  Also, like above, log into your PayPal account directly yourself if you need to check something.  Never click a link in an email to login.

By using a little common sense, you can help minimize the risk of identity fraud. To minimize risk when buying or selling Escondido real estate fraud, always use a top Escondido Realtor, like Gary Harmon.

Escondido Homes – Life of an Escrow

Once you have written a contract on your Escondido real estate purchase and it has been accepted by the Escondido seller, your escrow should start.  Hopefully you have chosen to work with a full service escrow company like Pickford Escrow.  The following will describe what takes place during the four week escrow period based on a 30 day escrow period.

Week 1 – Opening Escrow on you Escondido home

  • Escrow gets a copy of the fully executed purchase contract on your Escondido house.  Many times this includes counter offers.
  • The Escondido buyer takes his deposit to escrow (usually within the first 3 days).
  • The escrow company request lender information and/ or a pre-qual letter.  These can be provided by HomeServices Lending.
  • Escrow opens a title order with the chosen title company.  Gary recommends California Title Company (CalTitle).
  • Escrow request CC&R’s and payoff demands.
  • Faxes escrow instructions to both Gary Harmon, your Escondido real estate agent, and the other Realtor.
  • Sends out escrow packages to both the Escondido buyer and Escondido seller for completion.

Your Escondido Realtor, Gary Harmon will make sure the physical inspection, Disclosure Source natural hazard report, and pest control inspection are ordered.

Week 2 – Of your Escondido home escrow

  • Gary Harmon, your top Escondido Realtor, will call escrow to make sure paperwork is being returned.
  • The Escondido selling agent, will check to make sure the lender has the completed loan package.
  • Make sure the credit report is in and the Escondido property appraisal is ordered.
  • Title report and CC&R’s are sent to the Escondido buyer
  • Check  to make sure termite inspection has been done and a copy forwarded to escrow.
  • Check with Pickford Escrow to make sure payoff demands, HOA demands, and docs have been ordered.

Week 3 – Escrow on Escondido property continues

  • You Escondido real estate agent checks with escrow to see what may still be outstanding. 
  • Your Escondido Realtor follows up on outstanding items and checks loan status.
  • Has the termite work on the Escondido real estate been finished?
  • Have repairs been completed as specified in the Escondido home repair request?
  • Order Escondido home protection plan from First American.

Final Week – Escondido home escrow

  • Docs should now be back to escrow for a on  time closing
  • Make an appointment with Escondido buyer to sign docs.  Also, let buyer know how much money to bring in.
  • Go over any final items with your Escondido Realtor and transaction coordinator.
  • All docs go back to the lender and escrow coordinates with lender to fund the Escondido buyer’s loan.
  • When the loan funds, and documents record, your Escondido home escrow closes.  Your Escondido real estate agent will get you your key.

For more information on escrow, title, etc., contact Gary Harmon, your best Escondido Realtor.

Escondido Foreclosures – How do I buy?

How do I buy a pre-foreclosure Escondido home?

An Escondido home becomes a pre-foreclosure when it has a notice of default filed against the Escondido real estate.  There is usually a sale at auction 120 days after the pre-foreclosure is filed.  During this 120 day period the Escondido home owner still has a chance to stop the entire process by paying off what is owed on his Escondido home or selling his Escondido property.  You may contact the owner during this period, but they may not be ready to talk at this time.  To find pre-foreclosures of Escondido homes, use “Free Foreclosure Search.”

How do I buy an auction Escondido home?

After the Escondido property owner fails to make several mortgage payments the bank may file a notice of default on the Escondido house.  After 120 days the property will usually be scheduled for auction.  During the 120 days the Escondido homeowner has a grace period to bring payments up to date and to stop the foreclosure proceedings against his Escondido home.  If the Escondido homeowner fails to do so, his Escondido property will probably be sold at auction.  You can find Escondido properties scheduled for auction along with the dates of the auction at “Free Foreclosure search.”  For more information on how to actually buy this Escondido auction homes, contact Gary Harmon your Escondido Realtor.

How do I buy Escondido foreclosure homes?

Escondido foreclosure homes are homes the bank has taken back through the foreclosure process.  Most banks will list these properties with an Escondido Realtor.  You can find these Escondido homes by using “Free Foreclosure Search,” “Quick Homes Search” or use “Listingbook.”  Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor can help you find these homes and get the best deal available.

How do I contact the owners in default?

The only time you can contact the owners in default is during the pre-foreclosue period on their Escondido real estate.  This is usually about a 120 day window.  See Gary Harmon’s next post on “How do I contact the owners in default?” for great tips.

Do's of Mortgage Fraud Prevention

Escondido HomeYesterday, we discussed tips to prevent mortage fraud when buying Escondido real estate.  We focused on the “don’ts.”   Again, when you are in the market to buy Escondido real estate, the first thing you should do is to get pre-qualified with a lender.  I recommend HomeServices Lending.  During the process of buying your Escondido home and getting a loan here are some  “Do’s” that can help avoid mortgage fraud.

  • Do provide your confidential financial and personal info to your trusted mortgage lender.  Gary Harmon, your Escondid0 Realtor, has been in the Escondido real estate business locally and can help you choose a trusted lender.
  • Do always be totally honest when completing the Escondido home loan application.
  • Do request and keep copies of everything you provide to the lenders and everything you are ask to sign.  If you feel uncomfortable, call Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor for advice.
  • Do review the Good Faith Estimate of Closing Cost carefully.
  • Do ask about any parties being paid if you are unfamiliar with their names.
  • Do ask about any fees that you may not understand.
  • Do lock in your interest rate as soon as you get a rate you like.
  • Do read everything presented to you before you sign.  Don’t let anyone rush you.

Follow the do’s and don’ts of these last post for a better Escondido home loan experience.   For more information, call Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor.

Tips to Prevent Mortgage Fraud

Escondido home loan

HomeServices Lending

When you are in the market to buy Escondido real estate, the first thing you should do is to get pre-qualified with a lender.  I recommend HomeServices Lending and Charla Rueda at Bank of America.  During the process of buying your Escondido home and getting a loan here are some  “Don’ts” that can help avoid mortgage fraud.

When getting your Escondido home mortgage:

  • Don’t provide false information about your job, income, credit or bank accounts.
  • Don’t lend your credit info or social security # to anyone so they can take out a loan in your name.
  • Don’t close on any loan on an Escondido house that has any false of misleading information.
  • Don’t use appraisals that have incorrect or inflated values on the Escondido home.
  • Don’t use down payment or earnest money that did not come from you.
  • Don’t pay your good faith deposit to anyone except Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor or directly to the escrow company you are using for the Escondido home purchase.
  • Don’t let anyone sign anything for you during the Escondido real estate purchase.
  • Don’t expect to get “paid” for purchasing a home.  You will need to bring a certified check to escrow prior to closing on your Escondido property.
  • Don’t pay anyone any additional fees or cost for the loan after it closes.  When in doubt, check with Gary Harmon, your Escondido Realtor.

The Do’s of mortgage fraud prevention tips will be listed in a p0st to follow.  For Escondido real estate information that you can trust, contact Gary Harmon, your top Escondido Realtor.

Escondido Homes and Escondido Foreclosures

Welcome to my Escondido Homes featured listing page.  Click on the hot links below by price to get a fast start.  If you would like to see an area not shown you can set up your own personalized search by zip code, area, price, features, and much more.  Start your own custom serarch here.   You can also see Escondido foreclosures, auction, or pre-forclosure homes at “Free Foreclosure Search.”  For a personalized tour of any of these Escondido homes contact Gary Harmon.
Escondido Homes $300k – $400k
Escondido Homes $400k-$500k
All Other Price Ranges
See Video and learn how to SEARCH LIKE AN AGENT!