Greg Hill DRE 01998494

Greg Hill DRE 01998494 DRE # 01998494 | eXp Realty
Realtor® | Veteran | Community Advocate

Helping San Diego families build wealth through homeownership 🏡

09/25/2026

“I’ll wait until home prices drop, or rates fall.” It sounds logical. But in San Diego County, waiting isn’t automatically the cheaper path.

As of late September, roughly 35% of active listings have had price cuts, the median list price is near $1.25 million, sellers currently outnumber buyers, and 30-year fixed rates are near 6.76%. That’s useful context, but not a crystal ball.

No one can reliably time the bottom. While you wait, rent is still a real housing cost. Prices and mortgage rates also don’t reliably move in lockstep: a lower rate could arrive alongside higher prices or more competition, while today’s inventory may offer negotiating opportunities that change later.

A better question may be: Does buying fit your budget, lifestyle, and personal timeline today? If rates change in the future, refinancing may be an option, but it’s never guaranteed and depends on your situation and market conditions.

The goal isn’t to chase headlines. It’s to create a thoughtful game plan for your own timing, with guidance from qualified real estate and lending professionals.

Would you rather wait for a hoped-for market shift, or explore what buying could look like based on your current goals? Share your perspective below or comment “PLAN” and send us a DM. General education only, not financial, lending, or investment advice.

09/24/2026

Myth: You have to waive every contingency to win a home in San Diego.

Not necessarily. Contingencies are protections, not obstacles. They can give you time to:

• Complete an inspection
• Confirm the appraisal supports your offer
• Secure loan approval and financing
• Review title information
• Examine HOA documents and rules

Waiving them may make an offer look stronger, but it can shift significant financial risk onto you if the home has costly defects, appraises below your offer, financing changes, or title and HOA issues arise.

A smarter strategy may be to compete with fewer compromises:
• Use shorter contingency windows
• Complete a pre-offer inspection when appropriate
• Offer stronger earnest money terms: understanding the deposit may be at risk if protections expire
• Add carefully drafted appraisal-gap language
• Work with a lender who has completed thorough underwriting, not just a basic preapproval

As of September 23, 2026, sellers outnumber buyers by roughly 30%, about 20–22% of listings have had price cuts, and 30-year fixed rates are near 6.76%. That means conditions may offer more negotiating room than headlines suggest, but San Diego is a collection of very different submarkets, from Alpine to Oceanside.

The right offer balances competitiveness with protection. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy.

This is general education, not individualized legal, tax, or lending advice. Consult a licensed lender and a San Diego real estate professional before making offer decisions.

What would make you feel comfortable competing without waiving every protection?

That peaceful home in Alpine, Ramona, Valley Center, Fallbrook, or Jamul may come with more than a great view. It may re...
09/24/2026

That peaceful home in Alpine, Ramona, Valley Center, Fallbrook, or Jamul may come with more than a great view. It may rely on a private well and septic system.

For a VA-financed purchase, the property generally needs safe, sanitary, potable water and an adequate sewage-disposal system. Your lender may request:

• A private-well water-quality test from an acceptable, disinterested third party
• Well records or local health-authority documentation
• A septic inspection, certification, pumping record, or evidence the system is functioning properly
• Current permits, reports, and repair documentation

Testing and certifications can have limited validity, often 90 days, so confirm timing and standards with your lender and the applicable local authority. Requirements can vary by lender, property, and jurisdiction.

If an inspection identifies an issue, repairs and responsibility may be negotiated through the purchase contract. However, the lender may require qualifying repairs or documentation before closing, so don’t wait until the final week to investigate.

A smart offer strategy is to request available well and septic records early, keep appropriate inspection and loan contingencies, and work with a VA-experienced lender and qualified inspectors before deciding how aggressively to negotiate.

This is educational information, not legal, engineering, or water-quality advice. VA and lender requirements vary. San Diego Dream Team can help you coordinate with qualified VA professionals and evaluate rural properties with confidence. Message us to talk through your next move.

That extra bedroom, converted garage, enclosed patio, or backyard ADU may look like a major value boost, but with a VA l...
09/22/2026

That extra bedroom, converted garage, enclosed patio, or backyard ADU may look like a major value boost, but with a VA loan, the permit story matters.

A home with unpermitted work is not automatically disqualified from VA financing. However, the VA appraisal and the lender’s property review may flag additions, converted garages, added bathrooms or kitchens, and ADUs that appear to lack permits.

The appraiser generally reports observable conditions and must consider health, safety, structural soundness, and marketability. The appraisal or underwriting process may call for evidence that the work meets VA Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). The lender and VA underwriting team determine what documentation or resolution is required.

Unpermitted square footage may also be valued as permitted or legally usable space, or may contribute less to value than a buyer expects. Separately, the city or county may require permits, plan review, inspections, or corrective work.

This is especially important with older homes in La Mesa, El Cajon, Chula Vista, Escondido, Lemon Grove, Clairemont, and inland or foothill communities where garage conversions and added units are common.

Buyers: Ask early whether every extra bedroom, bathroom, casita, garage conversion, or ADU is permitted. Request permit records, seller disclosures, and completed-work documentation, and consult the local building department.

Sellers and agents: Order the permit history before listing to avoid surprises.

This educational post is not legal, tax, or construction advice. VA requirements, lender guidelines, and local permit rules vary.

Considering a San Diego County home with additions or an ADU? San Diego Dream Team can connect you with trusted VA-experienced lenders, appraisers, and inspectors. Send us a message before you make an offer.

09/22/2026

A question we hear from San Diego veterans and military families: “Do I have to pay the VA funding fee, and do I need 20 years of active duty to qualify?”

Not necessarily. The VA funding fee is a one-time charge that helps keep the VA loan program running. It’s typically financed into the loan instead of paid upfront, and the amount can vary based on your down payment, whether it’s your first or subsequent use, and whether you’re purchasing or using an IRRRL refinance.

Many borrowers with a qualifying service-connected disability may be exempt. Certain surviving spouses may also qualify for an exemption. Ask a VA-experienced lender to confirm your status: many eligible borrowers don’t realize this may apply to them.

Eligibility isn’t limited to full-career active-duty service members. National Guard and Reserve members may qualify under certain service requirements. Proposed legislation, H.R. 9237-the “Take Care of America’s Veterans Act”: could broaden eligibility, but it is not yet law.

The same proposal would increase the IRRRL funding fee from about 0.50% to roughly 1.42%. On a $400,000 refinance, that’s approximately $2,000 versus $5,680. If you’re considering a VA refinance, it may be worth speaking with a lender sooner rather than later, without assuming what Congress will do.

Eligibility, entitlement, exemptions and program rules are individual and VA- and lender-specific. Request a Loan Estimate showing your funding fee, exemption status and remaining entitlement before deciding.

From Camp Pendleton and Oceanside to Miramar, Naval Base San Diego and East County, San Diego’s submarkets bring different property-condition, occupancy and neighborhood considerations. A VA-experienced lender and local real estate professional can help you evaluate them.

Have questions? Comment “VA” or send us a DM.

East County San Diego Weekly Market Update: Week of September 21, 2026 🍂Here’s this week’s snapshot:• Active listings: 2...
09/21/2026

East County San Diego Weekly Market Update: Week of September 21, 2026 🍂

Here’s this week’s snapshot:
• Active listings: 236, up from about 231 last week
• Homes moved to pending: 36
• New listings: 28

East County is settling into a steady early-fall rhythm. Buyers have more choice than they did in mid-summer, while well-prepared, well-priced homes in El Cajon, Santee, Lakeside, and Alpine are still moving quickly.

For sellers, the highest offer price isn’t always the strongest offer. Look closely at financing strength, cash or conventional financing compared with offers still awaiting loan approval, along with appraisal gap coverage, the number of contingencies, and flexibility around the closing timeline. Seller concessions and credits matter, too: a slightly lower price with fewer credits may put more in your pocket than a higher headline number. For financing-specific questions, a qualified lender can help you evaluate the details.

With 236 active listings and 28 new ones this week, buyers have room to be selective, but well-presented homes still draw attention quickly.

Thinking about buying or selling? Message our team. Sellers can ask for a no-pressure review of how their home is positioned and how to weigh competing offers.

San Diego Dream Team | Gregory Hill, DRE #01998494

09/21/2026

A slower market doesn’t always mean the best savings come from negotiating the seller’s price down.

In San Diego, where sellers currently outnumber buyers by roughly 30% and about 20–22% of listings have taken price cuts, buyers may also be winning valuable seller concessions, such as:

• Closing-cost credits to reduce the cash needed at closing
• Seller-funded mortgage rate buydowns, including a 2-1 buydown, to lower payments during the first two years
• Repair credits so you can address immediate needs after closing
• Prepaid HOA dues, especially helpful for condo and townhome buyers

When can a concession beat a price cut? A price reduction lowers the purchase price and may help with appraisal. But depending on your loan, interest rate, and how long you plan to keep the home, a seller-funded rate buydown may save more each month than a straight price reduction.

The right choice depends on your specific numbers. Concessions must be negotiated in the contract and are subject to lender and appraisal limits, so ask your lender to run the comparison both ways: price reduction versus seller concession.

From Alpine to Oceanside, San Diego’s submarkets can vary considerably. Talk with a licensed lender and a San Diego real estate professional about your situation. This is general education, not individualized financial or lending advice; individual results vary.

$0 down does not usually mean $0 out of pocket when you make an offer on a San Diego home.Earnest money is a good-faith ...
09/20/2026

$0 down does not usually mean $0 out of pocket when you make an offer on a San Diego home.

Earnest money is a good-faith deposit that shows the seller you’re serious. It is not your down payment or an extra fee. The funds are generally held in escrow: not paid directly to the seller: and, if you close, are credited toward eligible closing costs or the loan balance.

There is no VA-mandated earnest money amount. It is negotiated in the purchase contract and may be expressed as a percentage of the purchase price. In competitive markets, a larger deposit may strengthen an offer, while a more modest deposit can help a low-cash VA buyer preserve reserves. The key is offering an amount you can actually fund upfront.

If the transaction does not move forward, what happens to the deposit depends on the contract, deadlines, and contingencies: such as inspection, appraisal, and loan terms. It may be refundable when a contingency is properly exercised, but it is not automatic. Review those terms carefully with your agent.

From Oceanside to Chula Vista to Alpine, deposit size and offer strategy are negotiated: not standardized. San Diego Dream Team can help structure an offer that fits your budget and goals.

Questions about buying with a VA loan in San Diego County? Message us or visit sandiegodreamteam.com.

Educational information only: not legal or financial advice. Lender guidelines, contract terms, and individual circumstances vary.

💙 Can a non-veteran spouse be on your VA home loan? Yes : and here's how it works.Many San Diego military families assum...
09/18/2026

💙 Can a non-veteran spouse be on your VA home loan? Yes : and here's how it works.

Many San Diego military families assume VA financing is only for the service member. A veteran or active-duty borrower can often add a non-veteran spouse as a co-borrower to combine income and credit while keeping VA benefits: $0 down, no monthly PMI, and competitive rates.

How it typically works:
• The eligible borrower uses VA entitlement and occupies the home as a primary residence.
• The spouse may be added as co-borrower and included on title.
• Both incomes and credit profiles may be considered together.
• The spouse does not receive separate VA entitlement or use the benefit independently.

Ask your lender:
✅ How much of the spouse's income and credit can be used?
✅ What occupancy and ownership requirements apply?
✅ If both spouses are veterans, would a VA joint loan fit better?

Example: A Navy family in Coronado may combine BAH, salary, and other qualifying income to purchase near base while keeping the veteran's $0-down advantage. This structure can help families throughout San Diego County.

Important: lender guidelines vary, the veteran generally must occupy the home, and every application is different. Eligible surviving spouses have separate considerations. This is educational, not a guarantee of approval.

San Diego Dream Team can connect you with trusted VA-experienced lenders and help you find the right home throughout San Diego County. 🇺🇸

09/17/2026

Veterans and service members: your VA home loan benefit may not be a one-time opportunity. 🏠

A common myth we hear is that once you've used your VA loan, the benefit is gone for good. The truth is, many eligible veterans can use their VA home loan benefit more than once.

Depending on your remaining entitlement, loan history, occupancy plans, and lender qualifications, you may be able to:

🏠 Purchase another primary residence
🔁 Restore your full entitlement after paying off a previous VA loan
📄 Use remaining entitlement while keeping an existing VA loan
💵 Potentially buy with little or no down payment, if eligible

Important to know: VA loans are intended for homes you plan to occupy: not vacation or investment properties: and your lender will review income, credit, entitlement, and other qualifications.

If you're relocating, moving closer to family, or considering a new primary residence in San Diego County, it may be worth reviewing your benefit with a qualified VA-approved lender before assuming you can't buy again.

Have questions about using your VA benefit again? Save this post and reach out: we'd love to help you find a home that fits your next chapter. 🇺🇸

Disclaimer: VA loan eligibility, entitlement, occupancy, and funding-fee requirements vary by borrower. Consult a qualified VA lender for advice about your specific situation.

Address

Wrightwood, CA

Telephone

+16197870849

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Greg Hill DRE 01998494 posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Greg Hill DRE 01998494:

Shortcuts

Share

Category