Halloween Fun in the Greater San Diego Area!Halloween is fast approaching and San Diego natives know where to go to have the most fun on this holiday!   Your San Diego Downtown Condo might not be the perfect place to have a Halloween Ball, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the fun of Halloween.    Here is a brief list of things that you can do to around San Diego to enjoy the Halloween festivities!   The Haunted Trail at Balboa ParkThe Whaley HouseGhostly Tours in HistoryPumpkin CentralHalloween Monster Bash in the Gaslamp QuarterHaunted San Diego ToursMira Mesa Monster ManorScream Zone at Del Mar FairgroundsHowl-O-Ween Pet Portraits & Pooch PartyThe Haunted HotelHalloween Spooktacular                                                                                                   ... 10/19/2007

Carmel Valley Real Estate Market Conditions - Fastest Home Search in San Diego with best maps FREE!  Your Carmel Valley Real Estate Experts Includes Zip Codes 92130 Homes for Sale in Carmel Valley California Real Estate Update Carmel Valley 92130 Zip Code in North County Coastal San Diego just east of Del Mar had 20 homes close escrow in September of 2007. There are currently 140 homes on the market for sale in the San Diego Multiple Listing Service for 92130 Carmel Valley. In September of 2007 the average sold price was $1,437,225 and those homes were marketed on the average of $1,532,377. The lowest closed home was sold at $607,500 while the highest closed home in 92130 was a whopping $4,750,000 and had 5 bedrooms and 6.5 baths and was 8,400 square feet. The average time on the market... 10/19/2007

10/19/2007

In our coastal San Diego luxury real estate market, buyers are practically manic about their closets–and especially the ones in the master suite.And what are luxury home buyers seeking in closets?They are most pleased when there are separate closets for each–or if single, separate closets for the seasons. The compleat closet in the luxury home will be spacious, well lighted and masterfully organized. It is a room where we prepare ourselves to meet the world–or simply the day. Closets hold our clothing, our personal treasures, our shopping triumphs. Its status in homes has been elevated to be far more than functional storage. People now want to spend real time in their master bedroom closets.And what are some features they would like to see?  A staggered hanging carousel for shirts, skir... 10/19/2007

Thinking of selling your San Diego home? Should you sell now or wait? Who really knows? The only thing I can assure my clients of, is I will get them the best possible price, buying or selling for the current market time. Where market is going, is pure speculation With that said, the slow summer San Diego real estate market (usually this season has the highest real estate activity) may indicate that the situation will be even worse down the road, as lenders who are now enduring a surge in mortgage delinquencies among subprime and other less-creditworthy borrowers try to unload a growing number of foreclosed homes. *** To read the full post, please visit the San Diego real estate blog. The exact page link is: http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou/?p=204   To subscribe to the San Diego... 10/18/2007

Sure, a small percentage of home buyers, with poor credit, were taken advantage of by unscrupulous loan representatives between 2000 and 2005.  However, in the middle to upper end San Diego neighborhoods in which I work, this is not the problem.   The simple truth is that the problem was GREED!  Yes, greed and pure speculation were king in the San Diego real estate market heyday! One hundred percent loan purchases were ‘main-stream,’ while 110% and 120% refinancing were easy to obtain. The word was out:“Have good credit but do not make enough to purchase the larger property you desire?  No problem!   Just apply for a ‘stated’ income loan.” With these loans, the purchaser stated what their income was, and the lenders NEVER verified these statements.* To read the full post, please visit t... 10/18/2007

For San Diego, the market top was around the summer of 2005. Since than, many neighborhood real estate values have been on a continuing decline. A very important point to keep in mind, is that most published sales data (including chart data below) do not reflect the very prevalent buyer concessions both the new and resale San Diego sellers are having to pay.  * To read the full post, please visit the San Diego real estate blog. The exact page link is:http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou/?m=200708 To subscribe to the San Diego real estate blog for free, our RSS feed is:http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou/?feed=rss2  10/17/2007

Working mostly as a listing broker, I always receive calls from appraisers who want to confirm the reported MLS sales price, ask about the condition of the property and if the seller gave any buyer concessions.  By concessions, I’m referring to payment of buyers closing/loan costs or adding some improvement to the property prior to the close of escrow. Obviously, the appraisers were doing their due diligence to insure that their appraisals reflect the true resale value. * To read the full post, please visit the San Diego real estate blog. The exact page link is:http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou   To subscribe to the San Diego real estate blog for free, our RSS feed is:http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou/?feed=rss2 10/17/2007

When we witness an accident or an emergency strikes at home, we instinctively know to dial 911. But what happens if an emergency strikes when we are away from home? You can now opt in to receive a phone call via San Diego’s Emergency Notification System in the event of an emergency in your neighborhood or community. If such an emergency should occur, the system will automatically call listed and unlisted numbers within the affected San Diego area to deliver a recorded message about the situation. And since cellular and Voice over IP (VoIP) are not in the system database, those numbers must also be registered if you wish to be called in the event of an emergency. Click to register for the San Diego Emergency Notification System.If you live outside the San Diego area, do you know if your ... 10/17/2007

In the San Diego California real estate market in 2005 the real estate community and prevaling majority opinion was that all the real estate bubble talk was just that ....talk, based on on unfounded opinion. I guess I could have joined the crowd, but I had seen too many signs of trouble in our local market to join the joyful chorus.Below is an editorial I wrote for my print newsletter in March 2005. Many, especially other real estate professionals, thought I was way out of 'reality' by my comments and having sold all my San Diego investment real estate in 2003. It's sad, but, probly just human nature that the herd mentality causes the majority to suspend reality: "The paradigm change in property financing has been occurring that may be setting up time bombs that could under-mine our loc... 10/15/2007

In SAN DIEGO, the best and fasted way to get a response to see what the seller's motivation is to just "Write the Offer".  I'm constantly bombarded with questions from buyers asking, "What do you think they will take?", "How low will they go?" or "Do you think the market has bottomed out?"  No one in this country can predict what the future holds for San Diego real estate.  We can all give our professional "best guess" but that's about it.  I try to avoid making predictions because this market is so "unpredictable". If your Realtor is taking the time out of their busy schedules to drive around and show you properties that meet your search criteria, then you should be prepared to "Write An Offer" when you locate a home you like.  In this tough market, I wish I had a dollar for everytime ... 10/14/2007

 Come Home To Value And Security At Union Square!Value and security are the primary reasons that wise downtown San Diegans seek condo ownership in the Union Square property. Located on 14th and Broadway, directly across the street from City College and the Police station, Union Square has the feel of classic Americana in Downtown San Diego. Historical relevance is displayed in the architectural design of Union Square, with a classic ivy league appeal. Elements of natural stone and tidy landscaping surround the outer perimeter, before stepping inside either one of two garden courtyards. Two impressive fountains command attention with prominent placement and classic design.                                                                     Read more »                                     ... 10/14/2007

 Who Let The Downtown San Diego Dogs Out?Let the Frisbees fly! San Diego Downtown is home to dogs of all size, breed, and color. Ditch that leash, San Diego is a canine friendly city with several leash free dog parks and beaches where owners and their pets can enjoy hours of play time. With so many choices, it's easy to find a park or beach near your San Diego downtown condo, where your pooch can enjoy total freedom.Read more »                                                                                                                      516 Fifth Avenue   San Diego, CA 921011-800-221-2210http://www.sellsandiego.com/Contact Us | About Us Like what you have been reading here? Subscribe now and receive email updates of our articles. 10/14/2007

        Who Has a Key To Your San Diego Downtown Condo?If you recently purchased a San Diego downtown condo, there is a good chance that you are not the only person with a key. Before you settle in and unpack the boxes, you might just want look into hiring a reputable locksmith.  Moving day can be hectic, so don't wait until last minute. The best time to find a locksmith is before you move into you San Diego condo. Allow yourself plenty of time to ask the proper questions and get a professional quote before the job is completed. Are you wondering who to call or where to begin?  Read more »                                                                                                                      516 Fifth Avenue   San Diego, CA 921011-800-221-2210http://www.sellsandiego.com/Con... 10/14/2007

For San Diego, the market top was around the summer of 2005. Since than, many neighborhood real estate values have been on a continuing decline. Largest value drop on the chart below was 34.2% in Mission Valley (92108). In Mission Valley there were 30 sales in 2007  and 32 sales in 2006.For an eye-opening chart of San Diego condominium values for the period from July 2007 to July 2006, please visit the San Diego real estate blog. The exact page link is:http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou/index.php?paged=4 10/13/2007

According to the 2007 Milken Report of the top 200 Metropolitan Regions in the US for business, San Diego is now ranked 72nd. In 2002, that same report placed San Diego as No 1 ( numero uno) performing Metropolitan Regions.How did this happen in 5 short years? The answer lies in our cost of housing as the number one culprit. It seems that the high cost of housing has scared away businesses that might otherwise increase our growth rate.In 2006 with over 3 million in the county in population, we added only 17,800 jobs for a whopping 1.4% increase. The Milken report places San Diego below 71 other better performing metro areas. The other factors that were considered besides job growth were salary increases and its main focus was on technology.San Diego ranked very high nationally in 2002 b... 10/13/2007

The San Diego homeowner who purchased in 2005 even with a FIXED rate loan for 90% of the purchase price, will today find that the mortgage amount is in many cases thousands of dollars greater than the current resale value. *Please click San Diego real estate blog to view the full post. 10/13/2007

Watching San Diego home mortgage rates, it seemed to me that they had actually increased after the 1/2 percent Fed rate cut. To confirm this, I contacted one of San Diego's largest home mortgage lenders. Here is his reply: Please note that mortgage rates are very VERY individualized, now more than ever. Rates vary based on down payment, FICO score, type of property, and other factors. With that in mind, the "benchmark" that many people use to determine "rates" on a given day is the best rate available for a 30 year fixed rate "conforming" loan. This is a loan amount of up to $417,000 meaning that it is saleable to FNMA or FHLMC. To view the full post, please visit my San Diego real estate blog The actual link is: http://www.brokerforyou.com/brokerforyou   10/13/2007

 Downtown San Diego 1031 Tax Exchange Basics So you have your Downtown San Diego Condo For Sale. When we speak with San Diego Downtown real estate investors, the discussion of 1031 Tax Exchange comes up. Under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, this is an opportunity for some investors to defer capital gains taxes and it is an important investment strategy. A 1031 Tax Exchange is a way to defer taxes when purchasing Downtown San Diego Real Estate.  Reasons to change or swap an old property for a newer property vary.  As San Diego Realtors we know the basics about tax-deferred exchanges, but you should consult with your financial professional to explain and map out your plan for using a 1031 Tax Exchange before you engage in a Real Estate Transaction.   There are many rules and regulations ... 10/12/2007

Carmel Valley in San Diego California - Real Estate and Information for locals and relocation. Search Carmel Valley Homes for Sale Carmel Valley Real Estate - If you're buying a home in Carmel Valley or need to know your Carmel Valley House Value make sure you contact Dawn Sells San Diego today. Your Carmel Valley Real Estate, Home and Loan Connection. All Carmel Valley Homes for Sale including 92130 ZIP Code. All Carmel Valley Condos for Sale including 92130 ZIP Code. Carmel Valley located in North County Coastal San Diego came to be in February of 1975. Originally called North City West by the City Council the name was later changed to Carmel Valley in the early part of the 1990's. Carmel Valley was designed as a master planned community and become a model for other master planned com... 10/11/2007