Admin

Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
For those of you who read my blog entry on Blackberry phones, you probably saw that my phone had been stolen.  Guess what...I got it back!  The fellow who had it seemed like a fairly decent chap...I don't know how to gauge these things. (Yes, he did buy my phone for a $100 from some unknown guy and he did use it for a month on my service....but he did return it instead of tossing it in a dumpster.)In order to try to track the person down who had been using the phone, we had only ONE thing - the phone records of the phone calls that he made.  So the challenge was to connect these phone numbers to people and people to addresses so that we could investigate and try to find out who had the phone.In the process of doing this, we used several different Internet lookup services: 1) Information...
Comments 4
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
  One of the things that makes a community appealing, and viable as a place to live, work and grow old, is the attention paid to the housing and services provided in that community for a broad range of residents. Towns like Carlsbad are attractive to the residents because they provide a range of housing types (e.g., for rent or purchase) and community services that address the needs of the changing population. Carlsbad, with its Smart Growth plan, is also planning for the future growth of the community and addressing not only housing issues (affordability, senior, rentals) but traffic, the environment, public transportation and much more. Carlsbad has been known for some time as a popular retirement community due to the temperate weather year round, the beaches, services for seniors, g...
Comments 14
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad has a number of new subdivisions, including La Costa Greens, La Costa Ridge, and Bressi Ranch. The newest real estate community, just beginning construction, is Robertson Ranch, just east of El Camino Real at Cannon Road and College Boulevard (the 55+ community of Rancho Carlsbad is across the street). Robertson Ranch is located adjacent to Calavera Hills (to the north/northeast), a recently built master-planned community centered around Carlsbad Village Drive and College Boulevard. Given the terrain, there should be some nice views, at least from some areas of the community. Robertson Ranch is in the Carlsbad Unified School District. Robertson Ranch is being constructed on land that was primarily agricultural, and the plans call for a range of housing types and densities, wit...
Comments 0
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
If you or someone you know is thinking about selling their home, it is important to consider the use of full-motion video and DVDs. We have been doing this for years, and have gotten to the point where we own cameras, remote microphones, lights, Avid post-production systems and more.  Here are a few of the reasons we have found that having video and DVDs is so important in selling a home today.   Open House 24/7. The most critical factor in selling a home for top dollar is marketing exposure. By having full-color brochures with DVDs in the flyer box at all times, buyers can take a DVD and watch it on their TV at their convenience. A DVD makes it easy for buyers to preview your home, and, basically, means that your house is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Relieves Burden. For some...
Comments 4
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
Thinking about living in Carlsbad, CA?  It's a great place!  That's where we relocated to when we moved from the East Coast.  However, here are some things to think about if you are new to the area. Three School Systems In many areas of the country, the school systems follow the municipal boundaries; this is not the case in Carlsbad, and there are three different school systems within its boundaries.  The Carlsbad Unified School District (“CUSD”) covers most of the city, including Olde Carlsbad, north Carlsbad, and Aviara.  The area east of the La Costa golf course is part of the San Marcos Unified School District, and the area south of La Costa Ave is part of the Encinitas Union Elementary and San Dieguito Union High School Districts.  Because of all the growth, Carlsbad may be issuing...
Comments 1
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
Frequently Asked Questions by Investors Q: What is the cost of investor money? A: Compared to an identical loan for purchase as owner occupied, an investor loan will cost approximatley 2% in origination. (That doesn't mean you have to come to closing with 2% because you can raise the interest rate and still have a no-points, no-origination loan.) Q: Is there any relatively easy way to drive that cost down? A: If the property could reasonably be seen as a second home AND you do not require the income from the property to qualify for the loan, then you may want to talk with your loan officer about applying for a second-home loan instead of a straight investment loan. This will save you approximately 1 to 1½% in origination costs. 1031 ExchangesThe IRS passed Section 1031 to permit investo...
Comments 0
By Chula Dodson
(Century 21 Seacoast)
This comprehensive Carlsbad Real Estate site presents useful information for homebuyers and sellers as well as links to great Carlsbad community information and other real estate internet sites. Find your Carlsbad home quickly by using my Quick Search Links thought out my website http://www.chuladodsonhomes.com .
Comments 4
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
At the NAR national conference we had the good fortune of attending a session by Barbara Nichols.  This speaker has written a book on avoiding legal liability in real estate transactions.  Click here for book info.Probably the key item in her session was the concept of proactively disclosing ALL material facts.  Since material facts are relevant to a buyer's decision, it is important to get them out into the sunshine.  So, if you know that the neighbor is crazy, disclose it to the buyer.  If you know of any water issues, disclose them.  She made a big point out of the fact that afterwards it will look really bad if you knew of a fact and did not disclose it, and it will be very easy for the buyer to say that it was material (i.e., "I wouldn't have bought the house if I had known that.")...
Comments 1
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
Here are some thoughts by John about the buyers' needs and what he terms the Old Way and the New Way of addressing those needs. Some of these are a bit strong, but you'll get the idea. NeedOld WayNew Way You want to talk with an experienced agent about the market and the inventory of homes. You walk into a real estate office. Much like a used car lot, the "floor" agent comes over to talk to you. You don't get to pick who you talk to, and you may end up with a rookie agent. You stroll out onto the Internet. You visit a bunch of agents' web sites and get to read about the services they provide. Based on what you read and video you see, you call the agents you think are experienced. You want to see some of the home inventory. The random agent that you talk to runs a search on his/her compu...
Comments 0
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
There's a lot of talk these days about foreclosures, reos, and defaults. In an effort to answer our client's questions about what was going on in the market, we implemented Foreclosure maps, where we take the current data and plot it on the map. This allows our clients (and us) to visually see where the foreclosures are occurring to better understand the real estate market. Here's the kind of map that I'm talking about: Note: The numbers on the pushpins show how many bedrooms for the particular property. This map is the current (as of this writing) trustee sale map (i.e., properties scheduled for sale). As soon as you see this data displayed on the map, one thing becomes immediately evident. Notice the lack of trustee sale property along the coastal area. There are a handful, but only a...
Comments 0
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
People hear a lot about the climate in San Diego, but did you know that the west part of San Diego has FOUR climate zones? Depending upon where you buy a house, there can be substantial differences in your climate experience there, and things like air conditioning can matter in one zone and not another. Here's a quick list of the zones that scientists have identified by looking at empirical temperature and humidity data: Zone Coverage Climate 1. Marine Zone The marine zone extends to six or so miles from the coast, but is characterized by being less than 400 feet in elevation. This area is dominated by the ocean, and the ocean conditions pretty much dictate what the Marine Zone is experiencing. Temperature changes are far less day to night than the other zones, there is less seasonal ch...
Comments 1
By Dusty Brazil- San Marcos CA Realtor San Marcos Bank Owned Homes Buyers Agent
(San Marcos Real Estate, Short Sales & Bank Owned Homes)
Carlsbad Real Estate, Carlsbad Homes for saleRefine your SearchSelect a subdivision in CARLSBAD, CAALDEA ALGA HILL ALTA MIRA ALTAMIRA ALTAMIRA II AQUA HEDOINIA ARROYO VISTA AT THE BEACH AVIARA AVIARA POINT AVOCET AZURE COVE BARRINGTON PLACE BAY COLLECTION BAYSHORE BEACH BEACH LIVING BEACHWALK BELLA LAGO BELLEDONNA HEIGHT BLACK RAIL BLUFFS BONITA VALLEY BRENTWOOD HEIGHT BRESSI RANCH BRIDGES TO LA COSTA BRINDISI BRISTOL COVE BROOKFIELD BUENA WOOD  CALAVERA HILL CALAVERAS HILL CAMINO HILL CANTAMA CANTAMAR CANTATA CANTERBURY CAPE CAPRI CARINA CARLSBAD CARLSBAD BEACH CARLSBAD CREST CARLSBAD GARDEN CARLSBAD PALISADE CARLSBAD SOUTH CARLSBAD TR CARLSBAD TRACT CARLSBAD VILLAGE CARLSBAD WEST CARLSBD CARSBAD WEST CASITAS CASITAS DE LA COSTA CBAD BEACH CHAPARRELL CHERRY TREE CHESTNUT HILL CHESTNUT ...
Comments 0
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The holiday season is here once again...the retailers favorite. The catalogs have been arriving (about 5-10 per day) for weeks now and the countdown until Christmas (for those who celebrate) has begun.I tend to be a point and click shopper, with a few exceptions. But for those in the Carlsbad area who prefer bricks and mortar, and need to experience the thrill of touching before you buy and wrestling others aside to reach that one last sale item, Carlsbad offers you the experience of the Carlsbad Premium Outlets.This outdoor mall is located just north of Palomar Airport Road at 5620 Paseo del Norte, conveniently off the I-5 Freeway (30 minutes north of San Diego and about the same south of the Orange County border) and offers a wealth of shopping opportunities, especially now that the h...
Comments 6
By Margaret Hokkanen, → Carlsbad Real Estate
(SurfTheTurf.com, Inc.)
Did you ever wonder why VERY VERY FEW real estate sites have really good lot/land real estate maps? This blog entry seeks to explain the problems and to give you some ideas on how you might solve them. Recently we implemented real estate maps with Lot/Land data pulled from the MLS RETS server. This had been a troublesome set of maps to create, so I decided to share some of my ideas with our colleagues on this. Just so you know what I'm talking about, I'll show you a piece of one of the details of one of my current Encinitas and Carlsbad lot/land map: Sample section of Carlsbad and Encinitas Lot/Land Map Just a note on the above map....The pushpins are color-coded by price for the lot, and the number on the pushpin tells you the approximate number of acres (rounded up or down). Click her...
Comments 0
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I discovered a new restaurant in Carlsbad today and wanted to share it. I saw an article (actually a recommendation) about it the other day and decided to stop by.Chef Pascal Vignau, of Savory casual Fare fame in Encinitas, has started this new place, along with Chef David Birtness.The El Camino Real Grille is in the La Costa Town Center at the corner of El Camino Real and La Costa Avenue in South Carlsbad (7740 El Camino Real, Suite F - the former Red Dahlia Restaurant). This is great news, since there are not a lot of restaurants in the area, at least not casual ones, and the menu looks to be top notch. There are even a few tables outside. Or stop by to order your food and take it home.The El Camino Real Grille focuses on fresh ingredients and a simple, creative and flavorful menu. Ha...
Comments 8
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad has gone to the dogs, and the cats. And not just Carlsbad, either.Pets, especially dogs, seem to becoming more popular in our area, and retailers and other service providers are responding. And people carry their pets (well, at least the small dogs) everywhere.Does Fido need a place to romp at the beach? Many of the beaches allow dogs at certain times of the year, OR you could just go to Dog Beach in Del Mar (at the north end of town, a.k.a. North Beach). This is dog heaven at the beach. No reason why you can't take Fluffy, too, though somehow cats don't seem all that enthralled with the beach like dogs are. Or visit the Humane Society's public dog park in Encinitas. There's a dog park in Carlsbad (17,000 SF), on Carlsbad Village Drive ½ mile east of El Camino Real (on the left...
Comments 25
San Diego Real Estate and Poseidon Resources - Is Desalination in the Cards for San Diego? As a major contributor to solving the water shortage availability to residents in San Diego County and an out of the box solution has been proposed and will go before the state coastal commission. A Desalination plant proposed by Poseidon Resources will be the largest plant of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. San Diego, which relies on imported blended water, partly from the Sacramento River Delta and the Colorado River is in serious jeopardy of having it's supply curtailed by a recent court order. See Serious Water Issues Lie Ahead in San Diego and Will Affect Home Values ! The County Coastal Commission staff, who claims to have some serious concerns with natural water supplies and marine lif...
Comments 33
By Dusty Brazil- San Marcos CA Realtor San Marcos Bank Owned Homes Buyers Agent
(San Marcos Real Estate, Short Sales & Bank Owned Homes)
La Costa Real Estate Website: www.La-Costa-Real-Estate-Homes.com: Dusty Brazil Century 21 United Brokers Real Estate Agent, Realtor, Homes, Condos, Properties in La Costa Carlsbad    La Costa Aviara Real Estate My Contact Info  Mr. Dusty BrazilEmail Mr. Dusty Phone: 760-207-7245City: Carlsbad State: California   La Costa Ridge Homes  range in size from approximately 2500 SF up to 5300 SF, with 3-5 bedrooms, and 2.5 up to 6 bathrooms. Starting prices are $900,000 to $1.2 million Beautiful View of La Costa Resort and Spa  LA COSTA REAL ESTATE AND HOMES FOR SALE, CARLSBAD REAL ESTATE, AVIARA HOMES        Are you looking to buy La Costa Real Estate?              Looking to sell La Costa Carlsbad Real Estate?         If you just browsing La Costa Real Estate and are considering somewhere to ...
Comments 0
By Eliot Rachman, GRI
(Century 21 Award)
 • Rancho Santa Fe (92067) reported the highest median SFD price at $4.1 million,followed by Del Mar (92014), Solana Beach (92075), Cardiff (92007), andBonsall (92003) at over $1 million; Carmel Valley (92130) had a median price of$990,000.• Carlsbad (92011), Encinitas (92024), and Pala (92059) reported median prices inthe $800,000s; Rancho Bernardo (92127) and Carlsbad (92009) reported medianprices in the mid $700,000s.• Carlsbad (92008) had a median price of $689,500 and San Marcos (92078)$618,000. Rancho Penasquitos (92129), Rancho Bernardo (92128), ValleyCenter (92082), Carlsbad (92010), Fallbrook (92028), and Poway (92064) hadmedian prices in the $500,000s.• San Marcos (92069), Oceanside (92054, 92056, 92057), Ramona (92065),Escondido (92025, 92026, 92029), and Vista (92081, 92083,...
Comments 0
By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I have mentioned a number of times about how dedicated Carlsbad is to the arts. Carlsbad IS a town that is fond of the artworld, and there are plenty of venues and activities during the year that illustrate this attitude.Art Splash, in September, is one such outdoor activity. And Carlsbad's Cannon Art Gallery has become well known for its art exhibits each year as well as the annual Plein Air Brunch fundraiser.The current art exhibit at the Cannon Art Gallery, curated by Director Karen McGuire, is another fine example of the dedication to bringing a range of art to the residents of Carlsbad. This invitational show features David Adey, Gerrit Greve (who also spoke at the Plein Air Brunch fundraiser and donated a wonderful piece to the silent auction), Lee Puffer, and Jen Trute. The talen...
Comments 8
Explore Carlsbad, CA