How Can You Be Sure That Your Getting A Good Deal On Your Del Mar Homes?

Know your market. Gone are the days of "sure thing" home purchases when buyers of Del Mar homes would bid up prices and then watch the values of their houses soar like tech stocks in 1999. Today, if buyers are bidding at all, they're far more likely to insist on lower prices and to walk away if they don't get what they want.

Now more than ever, location is crucial, and Del Mar homes have the advantage. Focus on good school districts, crime statistics and any impending construction or public works that could increase or decrease the value of a home. Conduct preliminary research online at Web sites like Zillow.com, Trulia.com and greatschools.net.

"Eighty percent to 90% of housing prices can be explained by what's happening in local economies. Take a hard look at job growth and neighborhood conditions," says Patrick Newport, an economist at Global Insight in Waltham, Mass.

• Make your dollars count. Although conditions vary by market, look for a home that is significantly lower than its 2004 price. (You can ask real-estate agents for information and check estimated historical values at Zillow.) "From the peak to trough, home prices in some markets will drop 35% to 40%," says Christopher Thornberg, a principal at Beacon Economics, a consulting and research firm in Los Angeles.

 

• Haggle. Don't assume the seller is even in the right ballpark with his asking price. Most real-estate agents and sellers only look at comparable sales prices, or "comps," of similar homes in similar neighborhoods. Take a lesson from property investors and appraisers instead and check out prices from other angles as well.

 

• Consider what it would cost to buy land and build a comparable structure. Insurance companies can provide general cost estimates, but for a thorough assessment consider hiring an appraiser (search online by zip code at AppraisalInstitute.org).

Also compare your estimated monthly costs for the mortgage, taxes and other expenses with the cost of renting a similar place nearby. If you can rent virtually the same house for a much lower cost, the seller is asking too much.

Builders, sellers and banks are eager to unload unoccupied houses, giving the buyer more leverage to ask for lower prices or incentives. And don't overlook REOs ("real estate owned" properties) held by lenders, says Patrick Carey, executive vice president of default and retention operations for Wells Fargo.

Buy for the long haul. "Most first-time home buyers don't buy the house they're going to end up in," says Ilyce Glink, author of "100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask." But experts suggest that in a downward market, people should purchase a home only if they intend to live there for seven to 10 years.

"Historically, housing bubbles have taken several years to deflate, but it's hard to tell if we'll see prices drop a lot in the next two or three years or see moderate drops over the next 10 years," says Mr. Newport, the economist.

If you're not planning to stay in the house for long, he notes, "it may be wise to watch from the sidelines."

 

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