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Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Monarch butterflies are late in our area this year. In 2024 we had butterflies hatching in early May but something was different this year.  Have no fear...our Monarch butterflies came back this year just recently and we now have 20 caterpillars as of today on our 2 milkweed plants. Clearly we need to get a couple more plants to have enough leaves for the caterpillars to eat and grow. They are voracious! 
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for May 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to evolve, with changes from April and from 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically speak in general terms. Thus they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you want to make informed buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 105 homes sold in Carlsbad in May (92008, 92009, 92010 and 9201...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The DM Gallery - A Vision My vision for the ActiveRain Points Store is to establish The DM Gallery, named for the initials of our last names – mine (Dowler) and my wife’s (Meckes), alphabetical of course! The feature photo, part of our collection, is a large oil on canvas (using a palette knife) by Antonio Di Vacarro, a view of Positano on the Amalfi coast of Italy. I believe the painting is from the 1990s. We are both art lovers and have been collectors for many years, plus have past experience of running a successful art gallery (yes, we made money which can be a challenge in the art business!) in Cambridge MA from January 2002 through December 2004 before relocating to California. The vision for this particular art gallery is a bit unique. In order to offer opportunities to new and e...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Make Music Day is June 21, 2025 All are welcome to come celebrate Make Music Day on June 21st at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad from 10 am until 5 pm. Fête de la Musique originated in France in 1982 and now is celebrated on June 21 in more than 1000 cities in over 120 countries. The original vision of the founders was a day of music for everyone to enjoy, whether they made the music themselves or just listened, all over each city. That dream became a reality and Make Music Day has spread throughout the world, arriving in New York around 15 years ago. On June 21, 2023 there were 4791 free concerts in 117 US cities (per Wikipedia). Who knows what music you’ll find in parks, on sidewalks, and other public spaces in your area. Or be creative and make your own! Make Music Day is also...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
We have some beautiful chalk art in our driveway, thanks to 2 of our 2 younger grandkids and my wife. Our younger daughter, her husband, and the 2 younger granddaughters were visiting for the Memorial Day holiday and to celebrate the older granddaughter's birthday a few days early.  The 2 girls spent a good chunk of time on their chalk art creations on Saturday. The "Dinocorn" (a Dino unicorn) above was created by our 10-year-old granddaughter.  The image in the upper left was done by the younger granddaughter (age 6) and the part with the rainbow was her older sister's creation. My wife even got into the act and created this "Japanese Tea House with Cherry Trees".  The weather on Saturday and Sunday was the typical May gray we get although the sun finally came out a bit in the late aft...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Art in the Village - UPDATED 5/28/2025 ~ 2025 Fair ~Art lovers in Carlsbad will be thrilled the 27th Annual Art in the Village Fair will be here soon, 2 days after the 1st day of summer. This popular and well-attended fine art event will feature more than 130 local and regional artists. Art in the Village takes place Sunday June 22nd.  The fair runs from 10 am until 6 pm and is free. Art in the Village vendors will be found along State Street and Grand Avenue in the heart of downtown. Art in the Village is sponsored by the Carlsbad Village Association, and there will be both new and returning artists. The website lists the 2024 participating artists but the 2025 roster is still to be posted stay tuned (I will update this post accordingly). Artist selection is by jury so you wil...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
California Wine Festival in Carlsbad  June 20th is the 1st day of summer, and Day 1 of the 2-day California Wine Festival in Carlsbad. The first TGIF Concerts in the Parks event is also on Friday June 20. If you are a wine and food lover the California Wine Festival is a great opportunity to taste fine wines and enjoy special appetizers. The California Wine Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, June 20 and 21, at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad.  The California Wine Festival is a series, with festivals in Dana Point (April 25 and 26, 2025), Santa Barbara (July 18 and 19, 2025), and Huntington Beach (November 7 and 8, 2025). The California Wine Festival features reserve and rare vintages, as well as an extensive list of wines from some of California’s most popular wineri...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad TGIF Concerts in the Parks Series for 2025 The first day of summer is June 20, and the annual TGIF Concerts in the Parks series begin that day. The free TGIF Concerts in the Parks are the highlight of summertime in Carlsbad for many residents. This free outdoor concert series might be the best entertainment option around North San Diego County! Indeed, the series was voted the 4th best outdoor concert series in the US in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today for 2023 and was the runner-up in the 2024 awards. You can’t miss with a combination of great live music, in a beautiful Carlsbad park, on a Friday summer evening? What more can you ask for in free summer entertainment!  2025 is the 38th season of Carlsbad’s popular TGIF Concerts in the Parks series, presented by t...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Blue Star Museums: Free Admission Program The Blue Star Museums Program offers FREE museum admission to Active Duty Military and up to 5 family members. The military ID card holder can be an active duty service member or other dependent family member with the appropriate ID. The military ID holder does not have to be present for family members to take advantage of this program. The benefit is for museum walk-in admission only, and is not valid for field trips, online orders, concerts, special events, guided tours or reserved group tours. The benefit is also not redeemable for cash. The Blue Star Museums Program is a collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Department of Defense, and more than 2000 museums around the country. The program is activ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad's 1st Creative Cultures Arts Festival World Day for Cultural Diversity is celebrated on May 21 and has been since 2002. To recognize this special day, Carlsbad will be holding its first Creative Cultures Arts Festival on Saturday May 17th. The festival will be held at the Carlsbad Library Learning Center at 3368 Eureka Place from 12 noon until 2:00 pm. The festival is free to attend. Carlsbad continues to grow in its support of, and dedication to, the arts! The Creative Cultures Arts Festival will feature a number of hands-on arts activities reflective of diverse cultures around the world. These include: African quilt making Making bookmarks Stone weaving Decorating Lithuanian blown eggs (Margučiai) Persian woodblock printing Making Glagolitic scripts (Slavic alphabet)  The Cre...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I have been anticipating the 3rd amaryllis blossom for over a week and thought it might open on a Friday as the other 2 had. But perhaps it was more fitting that this beautiful red bloom happened for Mother's Day. Here are the other 2 that I posted previously.   They are all beautiful and I can't say I have a favorite. How about you?! 
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for April 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to evolve, with changes from March as well as 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically speak in general terms. Thus they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Up-to-date information, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you want to make informed buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 104 homes sold in Carlsbad in April (92008, 92009, 92010 an...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The second of our 3 amaryllis bulbs opened yesterday. The red and white striped blossom is quite striking, especially on this very May Gray day. The white amaryllis opened a little over a week ago and I shared that post last Friday...but here is the photo.  There is one more amaryllis bulb that is getting close to blooming that appears to be a red one...something to look forward to, perhaps in the next week!
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
This white amaryllis is a beautiful sight that greets us from the wall by our front patio when arriving home. It opened 2 days ago after much anticipation as we watched the buds mature over the last couple of weeks. This is its 2nd blooming. We originally planted the bulb for Christmas 2023. We had hoped it would bloom again this past Christmas but it didn't happen. It came back to life a couple of months ago and we hoped it might blossom for Easter but we missed that holiday, too. You can't rush Mother Nature I suppose. We'd like to have it indoors while it's blooming so we could enjoy it but our cat Fiona likes to chomp on flowers and greenery. Given amaryllis are toxic for cats indoor residency is out of the question. So we enjoy it where it is. There is a red and white striped amary...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Hot Rods and Cool Treats in Carlsbad~ May 10, 2025 ~ The Hot Rods and Cool Treats Carnival and Classic Car Show returns to Carlsbad Village on Saturday May 10th. This fun event takes place at the Pine Avenue Community Center and Park at 3209 Harding Street from 11 am until 2 pm. (The feature photo is from another area classic car show) Hot Rods and Cool Treats includes a number of fun activities for all, plus the classic car show. Classic cars must be 25 years or older and there will be multiple awards. The contest is limited to 30 cars. Entries are due by May 8th. Here's a video from the Hot Rods and Cool Treats event in 2024 with some award winners.  Come check out some beautiful classic cars and vote for your favorite, plus have lots of fun. There are awards in 11 categories, includi...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Village Street Faire is May 4 One of Carlsbad’s more popular arts and craft fairs returns to the Village on Sunday May 4, 2025 from 8 am until 5 pm. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire is reported to be the largest outdoor 1-day fair in the US, other than its counter-part, the Carlsbad Village Street Faire in November. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire runs from 8 am until 5 pm, so there is plenty of time to enjoy over 800 vendors. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire takes place in the heart of the Village, along Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson. The Faire spills over onto side streets, too. Given the size of the Faire and the number of vendor booths much of the public parking will not be available so plan accordingly. (photo is from a previous art fair)  The Carls...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Sometimes you have to stop, pull over, and take a photo. Such was the case for these vibrant pink flowers in the front and side yards of this Carlsbad house. I was on the way to Trader Joe's for some shopping and drove by this morning. I figured no time was better than the present to grab a photo on a beautiful spring day, and so I turned onto the side street and grabbed my phone.  I probably should have gotten our of the car for a real close-up...perhaps some other time.  I'm not even sure what it is so will have to do some research.
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for March 2025 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to shift, with changes from February as well as 1 year ago. Private sales, mobile homes and multi-family housing are not included (the numbers are taken from the MLS and believed to be accurate as reported but are not guaranteed). Media market reports typically are very generalized in nature. Thus they do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions (read more - How Local IS Local?). Current data, and analysis, about local market conditions will benefit you when you need to make educated buying and/or selling decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 82 homes sold in Carlsbad in March (92008, 92009, 92010 and...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
A New Taste of Carlsbad Village~ Brunch Edition ~ SEE UPDATES IN RED AS OF 4/9/2025There’s a new Taste of Carlsbad Village in 2025 – the Brunch Edition. With the wildly successful Taste of Carlsbad Village year after year it was only a matter of time. This Brunch Edition, like the fall Taste of Carlsbad Village, is sponsored by the Carlsbad Village Association. The Taste of Carlsbad Village Brunch Edition is on Saturday May 17th from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. Come enjoy specialty coffees and teas, pastries, quiches, crepes, breakfast tacos, breakfast sips (think espresso martinis and mimosas) and so much more. So why the early announcement more than a month in advance? There are a couple of reasons. First, the Taste of Carlsbad Village is very popular, and it sells out quickly each year. ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Carlsbad Flower Fields on April 1, 2025 The Carlsbad Flower Fields in Carlsbad CA opened for business on March 1, a beautiful annual tradition. I stopped today to snap a few photos while out running errands – looks to me like the fields may be at, or about at, peak bloom. And that’s not an April Fool’s Day joke.  Here are some things to know about visiting the Flower Fields:You must book your tickets online for a specific date and arrival time. Tickets are not available at the entrance. Once you are in the venue you can stay as long as you wish (the Flower Fields close at 6 pm). Parking is free and adjacent to the Fields. The Carlsbad Flower Fields are open until Mother’s Day, which is Sunday May 11th in 2025. The fields of Ranunculus are planted in a staggered fashion so sections m...
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