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Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Flower Fields Up Close I attended a CRS Networking Event with 25 other Southern California Realtors this past Thursday for a couple of hours at the Carlsbad Flower Fields.  It was fun to see my CRS friends as well as to meet other agents I didn’t know. There was time to talk with each other before taking a tour. After the group photo we split up into small groups to leisurely walk through the gardens, and of course take lots of photos.  While I have often driven by the Flower Fields on Armada Drive on the hill above to the east which offers great panoramic views of the flowers and the ocean, I haven’t seen the flowers and the venue itself up close for years.   It was a sunny day with a cool ocean breeze, although the marine layer moved in before the event was over so it was pre...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
2024 Carlsbad Village Street Faire is May 5 One of our more popular arts and craft fairs returns to Carlsbad Village on Sunday May 5, 2024. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire is reportedly the largest outdoor 1-day fair in the US, other than its counter-part, the Carlsbad Village Faire in November. This is the 50th year for this fair! The Carlsbad Village Street Faire takes place from 8 am until 5 pm, so there is ample time to enjoy over 900 vendors and shop all you want. The Carlsbad Village 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. (photo is from another art fair in the Village in the same area).  Given the number of vendor booths much of the public parking will not be available ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Our Monarch Caterpillar Nursery The nursery is doing well and so are the 10 Monarch Caterpillars, doing what caterpillars do. The Monarch Butterfly visited our back patio several weeks ago and spent quite a bit of time landing on the milkweed plants repeatedly. We didn't see any eggs left behind but that may simply have been our vision as Monarch eggs are supposedly quite small. A couple weeks ago my wife saw a couple of very small caterpillars on one of the milkweed plants and now there are 10 (there were a couple others but they didn't make it for long). They have grown pretty substantially which we hope will help at least some of them survive and move into the next phase (chrysalis), and not become a tasty meal for one of the many birds in our yard. I suspect the mortality rate for c...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Lots of buyers looking at Carlsbad homes are interested in a property with a view of some sort, and there are lots of choices, depending on what you want in terms of view.You can acquire a home with a view of the golf course (or even be directly ON the golf course in some cases), especially in the La Costa or Aviara areas.or of the ocean (or be on the ocean in a few cases)or one of Carlsbad's lagoonsthere are homes with great views of the back-country hills and mountainsor perhaps you prefer panoramic vistas and enjoy the evening lights.In general, views will cost you more money. It's a simple matter of supply and demand coupled with desirability. Homes with views tend to be desired, and are more limited in supply, and therefore they cost more money. Ocean front properties, as you would...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I went to this year's Art Splash in Carlsbad today, just one of the many things to do here. - I'm sorry I missed previous years of this terrific outdoor art-focused event for folks of all ages (but I have only been here for a couple of years). This is the 5th year for this event and it just keeps getting better. Carlsbad has a number of festivals and outdoors activities (2 major arts fairs, a business expo, the 10-concert series TGIF Jazz in the Parks in the summer, to name a few), more so than any other town I have lived in, and it is great fun to experience the diversity of activities that are available throughout the year. Unless you buy something they are all FREE and very well attended. We did not make it to the Taste of Carlsbad, which was held in conjunction with Saturday's porti...
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By Roberta Murphy, Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes
(San Diego Previews Real Estate)
Preparing the Carlsbad or Encinitas home for sale involves not only staging, debulking and depersonalizing, it also involves reaching under sinks and deep into garage shelves to clear the way for new owners. And almost without fail, hazardous waste will materialize. What to do with those old cans of paint, bug sprays, automotive products, cleaning solutions, lawn, garden and pool chemicals, rodent poisons and boxes of mothballs? And what about old electronics, monitors, car batteries, mercury thermostats and thermometers and fluorescent bulbs? Please don’t even think of adding any of these items to your regular trash. This is hazardous waste that requires special handling and disposal. The area wastewater treatment plant is unable to process toxic substances, so never put any hazardous...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
In south east coastal Carlsbad (zip code 92011), Harbor Pointe is generally considered the entry point for detached Carlsbad homes. While only a handful of these homes are under $500K, it is a community near the coast where first time buyers, and those who are downsizing, can find a property within a short distance of the beaches under the median price for Carlsbad homes. Harbor Pointe is a gated community on the hills leading down to the ocean. Rolling hills, tree-lined streets, pleasant 2-story detached homes and a private pool area provide a comfortable residential community near the beautiful coast. A number of the homes have ocean views because of the placement on the hill. One does have to be careful, however, if noise is an issue, as the community is adjacent to the I-5 freeway ...
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By Mike and Dawn Lewis, The Lewis Team at Keller Williams in San Diego CA
(The Lewis Team at Keller Williams)
The old VA loan. It was my very first loan and I thought it was a great loan. No closing costs for me to pay and a good interest rate for the time. Since part way through the recent real estate boom I have not seen a client use a VA loan. It's been over 5 years since I've seen any of my buyers or a buyer buying one of my listings use a VA loan. Why do you suppose this is? Does the loan not go up high enough for a vet or active duty military to buy an expensive San Diego home? Are other loans just that much better? Now that so many of the interest only loans are gone is the VA loan a good choice? Are these loans still popular in other areas of the country? Any lenders that could answer these questions I would greatly appreciate it. Mike Lewis Real Estate Agent for Dawn Sells San Diego If...
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By Mike and Dawn Lewis, The Lewis Team at Keller Williams in San Diego CA
(The Lewis Team at Keller Williams)
I keep hearing that most agents don't like to do open houses. I agree they're not fun but it is part of the job and free marketing in the community where I list homes in. If I list a house and my sign goes up in front of that house the neighbors are now watching how I'm selling that home. Things like is the flyer box full and how hard is that agent working to sell that house are noted by everyone on the street. If the neighbors don't see me crossing the t's and dotting the i's they very well might not call me for an interview when they go to sell. I think this slower market will find some agents back at their old jobs and other agents getting their business. It's time to step it up a notch or two. I still get buyer leads that buy from me when standing open houses. I guess I could just l...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Many Carlsbad home buyers have an interest in a specific area, or even a particular neighborhood. Some of this is driven by reputation or cost, but other times it is more an issue of location (inland, north, near the beaches) or style of home.For many Carlsbad home buyers the neighborhood is one of the most important factors in determining which home to buy.So doing your research and learning as much as you can about different areas, the housing that is available, the market conditions and costs,  the schools, and the amenities is essential.For folks who are relocating this is more of a challenge, and much of your research can be done on-line. The following table is a summary of many of the communities in Carlsbad, with some specific neighborhoods that may be of interest depending on yo...
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By Mike and Dawn Lewis, The Lewis Team at Keller Williams in San Diego CA
(The Lewis Team at Keller Williams)
I started using MYFAX about 2 years ago and it has really saved me lots of money on paper and toner, especially that toner. Yeah I want to do my part on saving the earth but my reasons for using this EFAX or MYFAX are truly selfish. It's fast and convenient. My fax number goes to a giant server somewhere, I think Canada with MYFAX and then it emails me my fax within minutes. No more paper jams out of toner or if you have an inkjet OH MY you're wasting some serious money on that ink. I can be on the road and I can email the offer to my client and then email to the buyer's agent or listing agent. It's out of this world. I know it's not the latest technology out there but highly recommend it. Mike Lewis Real Estate Agent for Dawn Sells San Diego If you're interested in San Diego Home Buyin...
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By Mike and Dawn Lewis, The Lewis Team at Keller Williams in San Diego CA
(The Lewis Team at Keller Williams)
I must confess, I LIKE STARBUCKS. I know many of you just cringed while others said, "Good for you". The consistency in the coffee is what I like about the product. I just order coffee no lattes, espressos, frappaccinos or tazo teas. I'm actually writing this from a Starbucks coffee house in San Diego so I just had to glance up at the menu for the correct spellings. The coffee is always the same, good, hot and tasty. I must say I like the Starbucks product and their coffee house environment and the service is always good. The stores are in the best locations of where I need to be as a real estate agent. If I'm meeting a client somewhere it's usually at a Starbucks. We grab a cup-o-Joe or I like to call it MUD and start looking at homes for sale. Also most Starbucks have plenty of seatin...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Buying a Carlsbad home, or a house elsewhere in North County, means using the standard California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions (a.k.a. RPA). It's an imposing document, especially for first time buyers. The standard document is 8 pages of single-spaced contract language, so for someone who has not done this before it CAN be intimidating. There are critical decisions that YOU have to make along the way. But here are some hints to get you through the offer process. However, the intent is NOT to review everything, since you need to do some of the Q and A stuff with your trusted Buyer Agent (you DO have one, don't you? Someone to represent YOUR fiduciary interests?). There are some KEY DECISIONS you will need to make (but NOT an exhaustive list), so knowing ab...
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By Roberta Murphy, Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes
(San Diego Previews Real Estate)
We keep hearing that Carlsbad real estate and homes will sell if they are priced well and are in excellent condition–and that Carlsbad prices are still increasing year-over-year. We also keep hearing that the real estate market is in the tank and that recovery is years away. So what are we to believe? One of the best ways to check market conditions is to calculate the absorption rate, or roughly how many week’s or month’s inventory is on hand. As the following calculations show, Carlsbad has 30.39 weeks worth of single family home inventory, which if current levels of sales continue, will take around seven months to absorb. Attached homes fare somewhat worse. There is a 38.8-week supply of inventory, which equates to an absorption period of just over 9 months if market conditions remain...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
As those of you living in Carlsbad already know, there are a number of newspapers in the area, both major and local. While many people get their news on TV, the radio and perhaps more and more on the Internet, the local newspapers provide an important source of information of current events, town news, classifieds (including real estate) and much more.San Diego Union-Tribune - the major daily and Sunday paper, also on-line at Sign-on San Diego. Both a=re good sources of Carlsbad homes listings and those of other areas.The North County Times -daily paper covering North County San Diego (Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Fallbrook, Escondido and other nearby communities) and Southwest Riverside County. Also available on-line. Good local real estate source with ads for Carlsbad homes and nea...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The new public golf course, off Palomar Airport Road at 5800 The Crossings Drive, is open in Carlsbad. This long anticipated course (17+ years in the making and the subject of much controversy over land, budget and other issues) opened in early August 2007 to much acclaim, and is getting very popular with visitors and residents already.The 28,000 SF Club House is beautiful, inside and out, and situated on the hill with a panoramic view of the ocean and the course to the south and east. There is a gourmet restaurant, The Canyons, which is open for breakfast and lunch daily with full bar service (check out their sample menu), offers great views of the course, the surrounding hills, and the ocean in the distance. The Pro Shop was pretty impressive looking, at least to this non-golfer (I'll...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
One of my favorite desserts in the summer (well, all year, actually) is ice cream. And I have had the gustatory pleasure of enjoying ice cream at many fine places. Kimball's, back in Littleton/Westford, MA was THE favorite of all time, but since I now live here in Carlsbad, finding an alternative was essential (since I don't always want to make my own).Cold Stone Creamery is the best I have found here in South Carlsbad. Located at The Forum, and upscale shopping mall off El Camino Real on Calle Barcelona, this place seems to be the most popular ice cream place in this part of town (I am working in discovering some other places to have some variety).       Cold Stone Creamery is a chain (you can own a franchise if you want), so the offerings are creative and the same everywhere. There is...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
For new home buyers interested in Carlsbad homes, it's an exciting time. The model homes in one of the most popular subdivisions have just been released for sale.And they are beautiful!The model homes at Balearas, the Pulte-built neighborhood at La Costa Greens in La Costa, South Carlsbad were released this past Saturday. These homes range in size from 4,342 SF up to 4,913 SF on lots of 13,821 to 15,485 SF. The homes were being sold first to the interest list of registered buyers, if interested, and then to the general public, beginning Saturday morning at 11. All furnishings and accessories in these gorgeous Carlsbad homes are included in the sales price.The Craftsman model is priced at $1,623,899 and sits overlooking the north course of the La Costa Resort and Spa. This home is two st...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Rancho Santa Fe Art Fair took place today in the two parks in the heart of the Village across the street from the famed Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.  The weather was perfect and there were a couple of hundred arts and crafts vendors displaying their creations, scattered among the two parks under the trees along Avenida de Acacias at Paseo Delicias.There were a large number of jewelry makers, along with numerous painters in all media (watercolor, oil, prints, drawings, mixed media and more). Other artists displayed their sculpture, hand-made scarves and hand bags, heirloom pillows, creative t-shirts with antique lace and other trimmings (Antiqui-TEE), fountains, photographs and much more. It was a feast for the eyes and some great shopping. This was the 8th year for the fair and it seemed...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad has achieved a reputation as the place to go on the Southern California coast for spa treatments. Whether you are seeking to spend a day luxuriating, or simply want a massage or a facial, the spas in Carlsbad offer an array of body and facial treatments, and a mix of prices to boot. There is no limit as to what you can spend on pampering yourself or relaxing.(photo from the Four Seasons Aviara Resort website)Named after the famous health spa in Karlsbad in the Czech Republic, Carlsbad is probably best known for the world-renowned La Costa Resort and Spa, established back in the 1960s and perhaps the first full-treatment spa in the US. Following a series of transitions and, most recently, a make-over (sort of like a human make-over) of more than $120 million (for the full resort...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
A question Carlsbad buyers often have is "How far is it to _____?" It seems this is typically focused on things like the beach (especially in my area in coastal Carlsbad), public transportation, the city (San Diego), golf options and so on. I suspect you have the same experience, with different buyers focusing on different venues depending on their particular needs (seniors perhaps need to be near medical facilities; buyers with kids want to be near certain schools). (photo courtesy of Andertho at Flickr)I'm curious - how do you handle these questions?My personal approach is to suggest that people verify the distances by walking or by car themselves, since driving and walking time can vary by person. Plus some people view a 15 walk as a breeze while others would say "only by car." I pre...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Here is a summary of the housing statistics from the MLS for Carlsbad for the month of August (this information does not include private sales or homes sold through builders that are not in the MLS).Homes for sale - 532 detached, 288 attached (up 4% from July)174 detached and 99 attached homes came on the market in August578 detached and 257 attached homes have sold in the last 6 monthsAbsorption (inventory) is 5.5 months for detached (same as July) and 6.7 months for attached homes (slight increase from July)Average marketing time was 60 days for attached and 67 days for detachedMedian sales price for detached - $767,375, about the same as in JulyMedian sales price for attached - $450,500, about the same as in JulyOn average, homes are selling at 95% (detached) and 96% (attached) of li...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Is there mold in your Carlsbad home? Did the home inspection for the property you are trying to buy reveal possible mold? It's likely the answer is YES in many Carlsbad homes. It's important to know that mold is very common both indoors and out, and molds provide a useful service by destroying dead or decaying plant matter. However they can also cause problems indoors - destruction of wall, ceiling, roof or floor surfaces, and may pose a health hazard for many people. In recent years the presence of mold has become a much larger issue in real estate transactions and many concerns have been raised in the media about mold. While it is true that mold can be found just about anywhere there is moisture, which it needs to survive, it is not true that mold presents a significant problem in mos...
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