Real Estate Made Simple

Whether you are learning for the first time or being refreshed on the basics, you will be entertained and impressed with what our smart office helper has to say!

Staging Your Home for Sale

A home for sale can be a great way to help you achieve a higher price in a shorter amount of time. It requires planning a little more investment and commitment to the sale. However, professional staging helps your buyers visualize your home in a positive light, and it gets results.

The Secret to More Showings

Lowering the asking price is a surefire way to get more showings. This is true whether you're selling or leasing a property. Advertising, photography, and condition make a big difference. If the pricing isn't right, people won't even look. A competitive price drives traffic and generates interest in your home.

Fixing Little Things First

Take the extra step to fix the little things that need to be repaired on a property before you put it on a market. This is true! If it is for sale or rent, things like loose doorknobs, torn screens, or a splotchy paint job cheapen the look. These little fixes can help you achieve a higher price or a better tenant in a shorter amount of time.

On Photography and Video

Online platforms for selling and leasing real estate make professional photography and video more important than ever before. If people don’t like what they see online, they won’t go in person. Quality photography and video get results. After all, you’re seeing me online right now!

Automate Your Rent Collection

Whenever possible, arrange rent collection from your tenant electronically. It is more convenient for both tenant and landlord, easier to document, and can be automatically entered into your property management software. The data shows that tenants are more likely to pay on time when automated systems are used.

Bad Smell? No Sell!

You should have properties on the market smelling clean and fresh. If it smells bad, prospective tenants and buyers subconsciously think it's gonna have germs and cooties. And if they don't like the smell, it won't sell.

Capital Gain Tax Exemption

You can get a maximum of $250,000 per person of capital gains tax exemptions for the sale of your primary residence. Up to $5,000 for a married couple. That's a lot of tax relief, but it must be your primary residence. Talk to your tax professional for tax advice and the Mike Dunfee Group for a strategy for selling your home.

Timing The Market

Nobody really knows if real estate prices are going up or down. Even the world's smartest economists are often wrong when deciding whether you should buy, sell or hold. You need to take into consideration with your own unique situation including the market in general. At the Mike Dunfee Group we will be happy to help you come up with the plan that is right for you.

The 4P’s to a Successful Home Sale

Every home seller should know the four P’s essential to success in selling their home: Pricing, Promotion, Presentation and Professional Representation. If you have all four covered, you’ll do great.

Estimating California Property Tax

In California, property taxes are estimated at an annual rate 1.25% of the properties’ assessed value. This is either included with your mortgage payment or you can make two semiannual payments directly to the county tax assessor.

Tenant Relations

If you own rental property, you are a landlord. That means you are in the business of providing housing. Your tenants are your customers. How do you treat your customers? Most people are better off hiring a professional management company to do it right.

Fast Money in Real Estate?

If you're trying to make a fast buck in real estate, there's a good chance you'll get burned. Investing for the long term is a much safer bet, play the long game, that's where the real money is made.

Your First Real Estate Investment

The first real estate investment most people should make is the home they live in. Then look at rental property. Your home is an investment with a huge impact on your quality of life. Plus, you get tax benefits and a hedge against inflation.

Understanding Tax Implications

Understand the tax implications when deciding to sell or lease your rental property. Sometimes it is OK to pay the taxes. That means you made money. So please talk to your tax professional and then contact the Mike Dunfee Group to help you come up with the best strategy to fit your needs.

On Keeping Your Rent Competitive

When leasing out a property keep your rent competitive. That way you will get the best tenants to choose from. You will also increase cash flow by decreasing your vacancy time.

On Home Inspections

When you are buying a home be sure to have a professional home inspection. Even if you are buying “as-is”, it’s still good to have an organized list documenting the condition of your new home!

Every Home Is Valuable

There's no such thing as an inexpensive home. Even the most affordable home costs a lot. Smart buyers have an experienced agent to guide them. Contact the Mike Dunfee Group to make sure you're getting the right advice.

Smart To Hire A Manager

Rental real estate can be a great investment. However, it can be more involved than owning a mutual fund. Smart investors hire a professional property manager.

Buying Your First Home

Before you start looking at homes to buy you should get pre-approved by a lender, that way you'll know what you can spend and what your payments will be. Then, you can look for a real estate agent that you can trust.

The Best Endorsement

For all your real estate needs, there's nobody better than the Mike Dunfee Group. He's my daddy!