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Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Lilies in Honor of Our Cat Lily We lost Lily about 2 years ago, our female Maine Coon Cat that we had had since her kittenhood, about 19 years. She was a delightful, playful and friendly lap cat and we were devastated when she became quite ill. It was such a sad time and our home became cat-less, something we had not experienced for many years.  My wife planted a bunch of lily bulbs after Lily died in her memory, and we have been waiting for them to bloom...it's taken quite a while but they are beautiful and greet us from the front patio when we come home. It took a few months but we acquired another rescue cat, also part Maine Coon Cat, about 6 months later. Fiona is a delight but different from Lily...and that's purrfectly OK. It was hard to not have a fur friend in the house for thos...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
For homebuyers looking at Carlsbad homes for sale and interested in a recently-built gated community (around 2001), you might consider Brindisi. Located in the highly acclaimed and upscale resort residential community of Aviara (this community offers a quiet, and small, residential community just a few minutes from the beaches, the Four Seasons Aviara Resort and other Carlsbad attractions). Brindisi (in zip code 92011, formerly 92009) is located at the intersection of Ambrosia and Poinsettia and offers 90 homes, all attached, in a rectangular layout adjacent to the Aviara Community Park, with playground, ball field, and soccer field. Homes are clustered in groups of approximately 4 or 5, and all homes are two-story with 2 car garages, and many have small private fenced backyards. The c...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I often get asked about earthquakes, now that I live in California. And I certainly have friends and family members tell me they would never live in California because of the earthquakes. I think it's kinda silly, but it's their reality and that's fine. I have noticed one very minor tremor since I have been here, but I suspect there have been others. I have no other frame of reference, although my wife was in San Francisco on business during the big earthquake there in 1989 (she swore we would NEVER live in California - hah, I convinced her after all) so I have her experience in my thoughts.  People I have talked to out here don't seem to give it much thought. Maybe those who have lost their homes are more leery, and understandably so.I understand the concern about earthquakes. But we h...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Tonight I witnessed a bit of La Costa history in the making.The La Costa Resort and Spa, just a short walk from my home in Carlsbad, has been the site of the women's Acura Tennis Classic for many years. It's a great event and always draws world-class players.I had the good fortune to attend the quarterfinals tonight, to watch Venus Williams (recent Wimbleton champion and three-time Acura Tennis Classic Champ) vs. AnnaChakvetadze. Williams, IMHO, was not at her best, and was beaten by Chalvetadze. I am a bit of a Venus Williams fan. So it was disappointing to see her give up so many points, but her opponent was outstanding, and at 20 years old, is a rising star.But that's not really the history I was referring to.The Acura Tennis Classic is leaving La Costa after this year.  I don't know...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Buyers looking for new construction homes in Carlsbad in the La Costa area should consider the new neighborhood of Trieste, part of the La Costa Greens master planned community. La Costa Greens has been a very popular community for buyers seeking new Carlsbad homes, and Trieste will be no exception. A number of the homes have terrific views over the north golf course of La Costa Spa and Resort, however there is an interest list for these homes and they disappear as soon as they are released (but if you have an interest, let me know). The new homes at Trieste, built by Warmington Homes (a well known national builder for 80 years), will number 107 once completed. All are detached and two-story with Craftsman, Tuscan, European Cottage and Spanish Colonial styling. Amenities include hiking...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad has a terrific reputation for the arts programs it offers its residents. There is the Cannon Art Gallery (with multiple exhibitions annually), the Museum of Making Music, art programs for kids at the gallery, and the summer TGIF Jazz in the Parks series, among other things. The TGIF Jazz in the Parks series is 22 years old (that in itself is pretty darn impressive), and has continued to grow in popularity each year. The concerts are free for the public (no, you DON'T have to be a resident) and are held in one of 4 beautiful public parks on 10 Fridays from June to late August from 6 -8 PM. I attended the concert this past Friday at Poinsettia Park (one of my favorite parks) featuring Big Time Operator (big band swing music - turn up your sound and click on one of their songs).  ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I am a non-participant surfer. And I suppose I shouldn't be writing about something that I know almost nothing about. But other people do so why not give it a shot. The inspiration, by the way, is the statue in the photo to the left. More on that later. I know what a surfboard is, that there are long boards and short boards, and that you need waves in order to surf successfully, the bigger the better I think. That's about the extent of my formal knowledge. Surfing has been around for many years (I wonder who the first person was to think about standing up on a piece of wood to "ride the waves?" but history suggests the mid 1700s was the beginning, around the time of Captain Cook), and has been immortalized by ultimate California band, The Beach Boys (see video below). Where I live you ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Have you ever broken your eyeglasses and needed a quick fix? How about some jewelry that you've had for years and which suddenly breaks.If you are in the Carlsbad area, I discovered a terrific repair shop called Hot Shots, right in the heart of Carlsbad Village.I dropped my glasses getting out of the car and put my foot on them, breaking off the side piece. Dumb, but reality. I went to my eyeglass place but they said it required soldering, so they referred me to Hot Shots.I stopped in, left the glasses, went off to take photos of the village and came back to a perfect pair of glasses. 15 minutes max. The neat thing is they will do repairs while you wait for most items - just walk right in. They brag that any two pieces of metal can be repaired, including titanium frames. They offer a 1 ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
One of the pleasures of living near the ocean is having the opportunity to enjoy dining while enjoying the views, either directly on the ocean or within a short distance so you can appreciate the views, sounds and smells.There are a number of opportunities to dine near or on the ocean north of San Diego. In Oceanside there are a number of casual dining places with views. A favorite eatery in the marina, with terrific views is Joe's Crab Shack.             Heading south into Carlsbad perhaps the best view spot with more than casual dining is Vigilucci's on the Coast Highway by Tamarack Surf Beach (there is another Vigilucci's elsewhere in town but no views). While it is across the road from the ocean there are great views from the outdoor and indoor eating areas. There is some traffic to...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The next building of the La Costa Resort Villas at the famed La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad are under construction and are available for acquisition. [photos shown below are of the model unit]. If you are considering a Carlsbad home as a second property, you might find these to your liking,             There are 5 phases of the Villas, and Building 4 of Phase 2 is well under way (prior buildings in that phase are sold out), with phase 3 to begin construction shortly.Building 4 consists of 42 villas on 3 floors, ranging in size from about 500 SF to 1260 SF. Some have ocean views. The Casa del Mar plans (5) are 1 master bedroom with master bath (the word sumptuous comes to mind), and are priced in the $500,000s to high $600,000sThe Hacienda del Mar plans (4) offer 2 master suites wit...
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By Roberta Murphy, Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes
(San Diego Previews Real Estate)
It’s always interesting to know how metropolitan communities stack up when it comes to median household income, and San Diego is no exception. There were a few surprises. I had no idea Carlsbad would outrank Encinitas, or that Poway would beat out Coronado. When to comes to compiling such reports (and a host of others), there is no finer source than the San Diego Business Journal. Their data is fresh, well-researched and provides some interesting reading.Just click to read more and see these San Diego Financial Demographics....
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
If you are interested in homes for sale in La Costa (Carlsbad) and particularly want to purchase a new construction home, here is a list of most of the new home opportunities available to you.La Costa actually has a good number of new construction homes available, in a range of prices and styles. You can find both detached and attached new homes for sale in La Costa as well as Whole-ownership vacation villas.The following does not include any individual new homes (such as the one on Estrella de Mar Road priced in the mid $2 millions) that have been built on speculation. Links to community profiles that are available with more information are provided where applicable. *******************************La Costa Greens- a master planned community almost wholly built in the main community wit...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
If you are looking at homes for sale in La Costa (Carlsbad) and are interested in new construction, these condos by Michael Crews, a top-notch developer in the area, may be just right.Located directly on the golf course, these 2 bedroom, 2 bath (plus office) homes are ready for purchase. And you still have time to choose your flooring.Match Play is a small enclave of 8 single-level condos (4 at ground level with patios offering very pleasant views of the La Costa Spa and Resort south course) and 4 above with balconies and even more dramatic golf course views. Two of the ground level units have already been acquired, so 6 units remain. Each comes with garage parking (2 spaces, not just one) and a large storage unit.The finishes are excellent, with stone, tile, hard wood and high-quality ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
La Costa in south Carlsbad has a nice collection of new construction homes. One of the newest master planned communities is La Costa Greens, just off Alga Road and east of El Camino Real.One of the several communities in La Costa Greens that has had great appeal for buyers is Balearas, a wonderful neighborhood of 100 homes built by Pulte, one of the most respected home builders around. While much of Balearas has been built, sold and now occupied, there are still some properties that can be obtained by lucky buyers (I just put a new home of 4700 SF under contract). These homes have the largest floor plans in the La Costa greens community, with lot sizes averaging around 11,500 SF. (model shown at left)This upscale gated community offers some homes with golf course (La Costa Spa and Resor...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
It may not be an issue in your area, but buyers here in Southern California are often concerned about the presence of high power lines and towers. While many neighborhoods in the San Diego area have telephone and electrical lines buried, there are areas where high power lines and towers are a significant presence, especially in the Carlsbad and Encinitas area.There has been increasing concern for years about the health hazard potential of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) associated with a broad spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, with light being the most common form. Electric and magnetic fields may stem from the more obvious things such as power lines, xrays and microwave ovens, as well as other sources (cell phones, for example). Much controversy has swirled around whether these sour...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I have had several clients who are interested in La Costa real estate and in taking advantage of all that the area has to offer in terms of the outdoor Southern California lifestyle. Being in the La Costa area, of course, means one of your most prestigious neighbors IS the La Costa Spa and Resort. This world-famous resort, in south Carlsbad, was built in the mid 60s, when the hills were bare and the developer envisioned a fabulous golf course in the valley below the hills, just minutes from the ocean. Accommodations were originally built as the Rancho La Costa Inn to house guests, and the area became a magnet for good times for the Hollywood jet set and the Rat Pack (local homes in the area, built soon after the golf course) were reportedly rented by or built for many of these celebrit...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
101 Things to do In and Around Carlsbad CA There are lots of things to do in North County San Diego (so this post is LONG), no matter whether you prefer indoors or out. I guess that's one of the things that appeals to me about being here. While I am still learning my way around, after only being here barely 2 years (at the time this was written), I have discovered a tremendous array of things to do. Lots of this is in Carlsbad, bit there's so much more if we start at the north part of the county in Oceanside. This post is about things to do on Route 101 (the Coast Highway, as it is commonly called). While there may be 101 of them, or likely many more, the focus is on this eclectic road along the ocean from Oceanside to Torrey Pines, just south of Del Mar.        Starting your journey i...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Here are the summary market statistics for Carlsbadfor the month of June 2007, based on the MLS, provided by Jeff Dowler of RE/MAX Associatesin Encinitas, CA. Data are shown separately for detached and attached homes since they are distinctly different marketsHomes for sale - 513 detached, 290 attached (up 9% from May)193 detached and 90 attached homes came on the market in June511 detached and 246 attached homes have sold in the last 6 monthsAbsorption (inventory) is 6 months for detached and 7 months for attached homesAverage marketing time was 58 days for attached and 69 days for detachedMedian sales price for detached - $765,500, up 1% from MayMedian sales price for attached - $445,250, up 1% from MayHome prices are still down from where they were 1 year ago - off by about 1% for de...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I know you have heard through the media, and perhaps friends and neighbors, that this is a tough market for sellers. The media may, at times, distort the facts or headline trends that are not necessarily accurate, but the truth is that this market favors buyers. There is a lot of competition, with many homes in your price range and area, so potential buyers have many choices besides your home. So how do we ensure that your home in Carlsbad is the one that they will see as the best value for their money?I have talked about the things sellers should do in order to sell their homesfor top dollar and quickly in a buyer's market. And you probably know some of this information already. But having worked with many sellers in different markets, I find that despite knowing what they should do i...
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By Tim Holsten, Holsten Team
(Sea Coast Exclusive Properties | Holsten Team )
I like to put a community spin on my marketing pieces and wanted to show an example. Unfortunately, the photographs and fonts from this 2005 Carlsbad marketing piece did not post over into this blog but please look at the content as an example of how I try to use my marketing pieces to educate people about their community.           Tim Holsten   Broker-Associate 858-922-7908     The Holsten Report    "Experience your Community" - October 20      Do you ever have visiting friends/family ask you "What's living in Carlsbad like?"  Here's something you can hold onto and simply hand them the next time the question comes up.  I dedicated Friday, October 14, to taking pictures of different locations in Carlsbad every hour on the hour from 7am to 5pm.  Below is the result of my enjoyable day s...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Southern California is known for its outdoor lifestyle that residents and vacationers can enjoy year-round due to the fabulous weather (well, most of the time). In large part that is the reason for the number of folks who now live here, or are moving here despite the high cost of living.Carlsbad, like many other coastal towns in the San Diego area offers much in the way of outdoor living. Of course you have wonderful beaches to enjoy year-round - surfing, sun bathing, swimming, fishing, kite flying, dining, watching the sun set, and more. And of course there is lots of camping available at South Carlsbad State Beach.Most homes are oriented toward an outdoor lifestyle, and a merging of the inside and outdoors. Outdoor kitchens are getting far more popular and elaborate - some properties ...
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