Before you head out to look at homes, write up offers and (hopefully) get into escrow, you'll want to have your finances in good order and know what you're getting into. A good credit score can be the difference between buying now or having to wait, between a great interest rate or a "just happy to qualify" rate. Looking ahead and taking steps to prepare your credit ahead of time can pay (literally) handsome dividends. A few tips to help out:

• Talk to a mortgage specialist. It's their job to help you and that means prepping you to qualify ahead of time as much as it does taking care of your loan while you're in escrow.
• Gather your documentation and keep it organized. When you apply for a mortgage loan, your lender will need complete financial documents to determine your ability to borrow. This includes pay stubs, tax returns, W2s and bank statements, etc. Don't pack anything up too soon!
• Exercise caution when opening new credit accounts. Balances on new accounts can affect your debt-to-income ratios and reduce the amount of home you can buy. New inquiries into you credit history can lower your score.
• Exercise caution when closing accounts. Lenders look to your history and health of credit accounts as a part of determining your ability to borrow and repay. Active accounts with a good payment history can demonstrate an ability to use credit responsibly.
• Keep working! Lenders will look over your employment history, as much as 2 years or more, to determine financial stability.
• Save, save, save. The more money you have saved up, the better your profile will look.
• Don't forget anything! Be sure to pay your bills on time. One late payment can drop your score or jeapardize your loan.

These are just a few tips; please consult with a mortgage professional for more, including a review of your credit report.

San Diego has the second fastest growing economy in the state. Per the State Labor Department the southern border region experienced a 3.6% growth in nonfarm payroll since July 2014, second to San Francisco’s rate of 4%. The biggest gains have come from the hospitality and tourism sector.

This is a welcome development for both buyers and sellers in the San Diego real estate market. As their economic outlook improves, buyers will be more willing and able to enter the home buying market; in turn, the increased demand can push San Diego sales prices up for current owners and encourage those still waiting on growth of their equity to enter the market, increasing supply.

San Diego real estate market experienced an uptick in sales in March. Single family home sales were up 33% from February with 1,885 homes purchased. Along with single family homes, an additional 998 condominiums & townhomes exchanged hands.

Though the increase in the number of sales was welcome news for San Diego, the sales numbers are below the figures from a year ago. San Diego single family home sales were down 7% from March 2015, while condominium & townhome sales were down 1%.

You’ve decided to sell your home. You found an agent you can trust to represent your best interests. You’re motivated to sell fast and for top dollar. Now what? Prepping your home to be viewed by potential buyers will have a huge impact on its marketability. A few tips to consider:

• Repaint walls with neutral colors – A fresh coat will stand out, bland colors might not. Make color choices that will compliment your home, but not so bold as to narrow your audience. Repair any nail holes, damage you find along the way.
• Clean up – A tidy and well organized home will make it more appealing and gives the buyer a better idea of the space they have to work with. Pay attention to the details: dust on top of the fridge, cobwebs on your ceilings, dirty window screens, etc.
• Keep an eye on the little things – Some small scale renovations can go a long way. Get to those little things you’ve been meaning to fix, lest potential buyers notice them.
• It’s not your home anymore (in time, anyway) – Personal items that made it yours may distract a buyer and not give them ample opportunity to envision how the home will work for them. Plan on packing up pictures, mementos, etc. anyway – get a head start.
• Bring life into your home – a few well-placed plants energize a space and can bring focus to features of the home that will impress.
• Arrange any remaining furniture to compliment the room and give it a bigger sense of space.
• Optimize closet & storage space. When a perspective buyer opens a closet or panty, they want to see how much room they’ll have to keep their items, not how you managed to stuff that last can of beans into the pantry or that last sweater box into the closet. See it from the eyes of your buyer.
• Spruce up your curb appeal – The first thing a potential buyer or passer-by sees is the exterior, impress them from the outset by cleaning up, sweeping driveways and walk ways, trimming shrubs and pulling weeds.

Your agent can give you a few more suggestions to prep your home to sell fast and for a great price. A few home improvements here and there can go a long way!

San Diego home prices have been improving at a higher rate than the national average. Home values have arisen 6.15% over the past year according to the S&P/ Case-Schiller home price index. San Diego homeowners can thank an improved labor market, low interest rates, improved employment rates, and low inventory for pushing prices up. Nationally, the number of homes available on the real estate market is less than 2% of the number of households in the country, the percentage hasn’t been that low in 30 years.