Last Friday we had the privilege of attending "A Night of 1000 Stars" held at the historic Star Theatre in Oceanside, California.  It was the first time I had been to this theatre.  In fact, I'm almost embarrased to say, I didn't even know the theatre existed prior to this event.  It's always a pleasure to learn something new and delightful about the area where you live.  This theatre was originally built in 1956 as a movie theatre.   One of the Realtors, Bill Ims, who is a strong supporter of Women's Council of Realtors, had a starring role in the evening, and we wanted to be sure to watch Bill in one of his finest hours!  Just 10 years ago the theatre was substantially renovated and it now has a 33' x 40' performing stage so that it can host both live and film performances.  The event... 10/20/2008

Buyers interested in Oceanside real estate, in particular those seeking a 55+ (age-restricted) community, have a number of choices. Oceana is just one of them. Oceanside is the northern-most coastal community in San Diego County just south of Camp Pendleton, and the 3rd largest city in San Diego County. With an area of around 41 square miles, rolling hills, and several miles of coastline, Oceanside offers a diverse geography to the 170,000 residents. There is a broad mix of housing, including multiple 55+ communities, and the rapid growth of the community since the 1970s has transformed it into a city of significant industrial and commercial development in addition to the large residential area. You can read more about Oceanside here, and visit the Oceanside website for lots of informat... 10/17/2008

Oceanside real estate buyers have lots of opportunities these days, and pricing is lower on average here than in any other North County coastal community. Oceanside (the 2000 census puts the population at 160,000) is sandwiched between Camp Pendleton, the northernmost "community" in San Diego County, and Carlsbad, with several miles of coastal frontage. The community extends inland to Bonsall and also borders Vista. Buyers who are seeking a detached home in the $500K and under range will find the gated community (2 gates, one for residents only) of South Ridge Estate appealing. This community, built around 1990, offers both single story and two story homes in a Spanish style with tile roofs. Homes are located along 4 meandering streets on rolling hills not far from the Calavera Hills ar... 09/30/2008

  1311 Active listings in Oceanside, in the MLS. 577 properties are listed as VACANT. 477 properties have Pending offers. Oceanside is one of the last great affordable coastal communities.  Prices range from $35,000 to $6,300,000.  There is something here for everyone. Now is the best possible time to be a first time buyer.  There is a Huge inventory to choose from.  With aggressive pricing and seller concessions, you can get the home you thought was out of reach.  Call today If you would like to see any of these homes or any homes in San Diego County or Orange County, please contact Sean Patrick Murphy at (949) 677-6315 or Sean@BlueTideRealty.com. 09/29/2008

Oceanside is the northern-most coastal community in San Diego County, bordering Camp Pendleton. As the name implies, a good portion of the development is right along the coast, just west of the downtown area along the main drag, historic Route 101.   READ MORE:Visit the California Surf Museum in OceansideStroll the Oceanside PierBuyers looking for oceanfront and water views homes and condos have a number of options here, in an area that is pretty densely built just south of Camp Pendleton all the way to the Buena Vista Lagoon that borders Carlsbad. A popular complex that offers a range of condos designed for 1st and 2nd homes, and for investment, is North Coast Village.Located between the ocean and Pacific Street, the main coastal thoroughfare, and at the north end of town just south of... 09/16/2008

I sold my last home (my personal residence) a little over 2 years ago for $495,000. Unfortunately it ended up in foreclosure and just closed escrow for $250,000!!!! That is an extreme example of what has happened here in Oceanside. The beach properties are much more stable, but anything that is entry level was hit hard. As a local Realtor with 90% of my business in Oceanside I have mixed feelings about what is happening. So I have decided to make the best of it and concentrate on helping buyers get a great deal. I am working with more first time home buyers than ever and my move up buyers that don't need to sell are thrilled at the prices. 09/11/2008

Reliant Senior Care is now located on coastal route 101, just north of the Vista Road exit of the 5 (i.e., the west end of the 78). I just attended the Ribbon Cutting yesterday evening with the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce ambassadors. Friend Sherry Courtney-Lawrence is the Founder and President of this growing senior care services company that provides bonded and insured private-duty caregivers to seniors throughout North County San Diego. Services vary and you can arrange for care for 4 to 24 hours, and overnight and live-in care is available. The situations where seniors might need care vary tremendously - someone recovering from illness or a hospital stay, or a senior in need of help or companionship in order to remain at home, are just a few examples of when Reliant Senior Care se... 09/05/2008

Mt Calavera & Oceanside In the late 1700s Father Juan Crespi arrived in the Oceanside area, and he felt the location was perfect for what is now known as the Mission San Luis Rey de Francia.   After the completion of the railroad from San Diego to San Bernardino, the city of Oceanside began to take shape. Folks who lived inland would take day trips to the ocean-side, and eventually the two words became one. When the town petitioned for a post office, they wrote ‘Oceanside' down as its name. In 1888, Oceanside's population was approximately 1000 individuals. Today, there are more than 160,000 people living in Oceanside. Oceanside sits next the Marine Corps base, Camp Pendleton, and has benefited economically from the close proximity. Oceanside, like Carlsbad, has a pleasant climate and m... 08/18/2008

The establishment of the 21 California missions over a period of about 54 years, beginning in 1769, played an important role in the history, growth, and development of California.A number of existing towns grew up around these religious communities that brought livestock, grains, flowers, fruits and industry to California in addition to Christianity.The missions were all established along El Camino Real, the "King's Highway", which exist today; from as far north as Sonoma (north of San Francisco) and south almost to the Mexican border in San Diego.READ MORE: The History of the California MissionsThe Mission San Luis Rey de Francia is the 18th of the 21 missions, established in 1798 and named for Louis IX, King of France. This particular mission was the largest of all the California miss... 08/10/2008

Opening Doors - Labradors & REALTORS® by Dustin Rosa, REALTOR®∣Friday, August 1, 2008 Community Ties Being a REALTOR® involves more than just helping people buy and sell real estate. It’s being able to share quality services that improve people’s lives and make our neighborhoods better places to call home.   Giving back to the community by supporting local charities is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job as a REALTOR®, so I wanted to take this time to promote an amazing organization (located right here in Oceanside) that I proudly support, called Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).   For more than 30 years, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) has been matching people with disabilities with highly-trained assistance dogs to enhance their independence and quality of lif... 08/01/2008

8 Reasons Why You Should Work With a REALTOR® 1. Navigate a complicated process. Buying or selling a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. 2. Information and opinions. Realtors® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They'll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell? 3. Help finding the best property out... 07/25/2008

Here is a map showing the 7 residential villages(plus Sandalwood) comprising the tract home community of Rancho Del Oro in Oceanside, CA. Most are detached homes(about 1600), but there is Alacima which are townhomes, and The Missions at Rancho Del Oro Apartments(www.missionsatranchodeloro.com) also. In addition there is quite a bit of commercial space. Also shown are nearby Starbucks to give you an idea how convenient is the location. If you are interested in finding nice neighborhoods in Oceanside like this, let me know. 07/24/2008

I had a buyer offer $360,000 4 months ago for 1706 Calle Platico in Oceanside's Rancho Del Oro neighborhood. We were beat out one month later by an offer at $378,000. Today the bank lists the home as an REO at an asking price of $325,000. Will multiple offers drive the price up to the price they could have gotten during the short sale. Probably not. So the bank loses more money, and the seller had to have a foreclosure instead of a short sale on their credit. Seems like a lose-lose decision which is unfortunately all too common with banks not looking at the "big picture". 07/24/2008

Thank heavens for FHA financing. Many of today's real estate professionals and consumers have never been exposed to FHA because of home prices in the San Diego market over the past several years. For many of us, FHA was an important part of the housing market in the past. All good things eventually resurface and FHA is one of the bright stars that are shining on this market. I think it is important to identify all of the reasons why this program is so important to the real estate community. Before doing so, it is worth noting that the mandatory seller fees associated with FHA financing in the past no longer exist. All fees are negotiable now - mandatory seller fees were as high as $1500 with some lenders and often discouraged sellers from entertaining offers involving FHA financing prio... 07/21/2008

Sorry I've been absent, but we've been busy.  I've had a few comments lately on some of the HDR posts, so I thought I would post some recent images that I created for consideration. THESE WERE HARD TO TAKE.  This is a beach house right on the sand in Oceanside, CA.  I had to wait until a very clear day when there wasn't so much humidity in the air (i.e., NO cloud cover).  Consequently, the outside light was HOT HOT HOT.  The difference between inside and outside is large even on a cloudy day in a neighborhood with grass and trees.  But on the sand next to the water, the amount of light bouncing around outside is RIDICULOUS.  I had never shot a home in this setting, and if you haven't done it, get prepared for some post-processing work!  Even my HDR images were having all sorts of issues... 07/19/2008

Los Angeles Times Fed stiffens restrictions on mortgage lenders The Federal Reserve is clamping down on what it called "deceptive acts and practices" by some mortgage lenders that it says helped lead to the subprime mortgage crisis. The new rules, which apply to all banks and other lenders and specifically target subprime loans and borrowers, will take effect Oct. 1. MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS · The new rules "are intended to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive acts and practices in mortgage lending, while keeping credit available to qualified borrowers and supporting sustainable homeownership," said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. · The new rules will prohibit loans to borrowers who can't repay the loan from income and assets other than the home's value and w... 07/17/2008

I have been a realtor in San Diego for 15 years. I am also a certified and background checked Notary for the State of California.  I have two sons and two grandsons.  I am honest, ethical and knowledgable about our real estate market.   I work for Windermere Exclusive Properties near the beach in Carlsbad, California and love being near the place where all the tourist and locals come to have fun. I also run a non profit corportation called Garden of Innocence National and the sole purpose of this it to teach and provide dignified burials for abandoned and unidentified children.  I am trying to raise money so I can start a garden in every state.   Currently I have a garden in San Diego and have laid to rest over 105 babies.   We also have one in St. Louis and getting ready to start ones ... 07/17/2008

I was wondering why I didn't get any comments on my article.  So upon my review I found the damn statistics had taken the path of error...this page can't be found.  So Damn Lies, Statistics and Techonology!  Here is the latest on what is going on in San Diego.   http://hangtenrealestate.com/2008/06/24/san-diego-county-economic-profile-june-2008/ 06/29/2008

Looking to retire in North County San Diego? North County San Diego offers some of the best retirement living for folks who want to enjoy the finest place to live in America. If you are seeking to live in a 55 + Up community in Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos areas, here are a couple great choices for you. Oceanside Homes For Sale- Mobile Homes, Manufacutured Homes, Condos, Townhomes, Pacifica- Senior Community in Oceanside High $200,000's - High $300,000's  Detached and attached homes Pool, spa, tennis, clubhouse, lots more! SEE ALL PACIFICA HOMES FOR SALE IN OCEANSIDE HERE     Oceana- Condominiums, Attached and Detached Homes in Oceanside near everything  Condos start at $100,000-$200,000 Attached Homes go from $150,000's to high $200,000's Detached Homes go from  $200,000's to mid $3... 06/28/2008

Have you considered the 92057 zip code in Oceanside for your next investment property?  We think there is a compelling argument for the long-term property investor.  Consider this question on Trulia Voices: How is San Diego market doing now? Is it good time to buy investment/rental properties?Which zip codes have best potential if I plan to keep the properties for long term (5/10 years)? I said: Do a home search for properties in the 92057 Zip code, on Trulia- keep it to under $225,000.  Most of these properties sold north of $400K, in 2005. While that was overblown, you can see that there is a lot of room there for growth over a 5-10 year period.  They were once valued that high, now they're about half of the 2005 values.   Now, click this link- Marine Corps NCOs receive about $1,500-$... 06/24/2008