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Carlsbad, CA Real Estate News

By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I previously wrote about the Monarch Butterfly nursery on our back patio on April 12. At that time we were able to see 11 caterpillars of various sizes.In the last few days the caterpillars started leaving the milkweed plants and crawling onto the table, the patio window, and the edge of one of the flowerpots. Within a day or so we could only find 3 of the 11 caterpillars. Hopefully the others found safe places to hang for the next stage, the chrysalis (pupa). We have looked around but haven't been able to find them so they are either well hidden or perhaps became some bird's dinner.One caterpillar is on the edge of a flowerpot and is not looking very healthy, but there are 2 that have now formed the chrysalis - one on window frame (above) and the other on the edge of the another flower...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report  for October 2021 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to shift, with some changes from last month and 1 year ago. These data do not include private sales, mobile homes or multi-family housing (the numbers are derived from the MLS and are believed to be accurate at the time they are reported but are not guaranteed). Media reports typically speak in general terms, and therefore do not reflect the local Carlsbad housing market conditions. Current data, and analysis, about the local market conditions benefit you so you can make well-informed purchase and/or sale decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale. READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 146 homes sold in Carlsbad in October (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), j...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Little Free Library Organization A number of years ago you may have started noticing an occasional colorful box in a neighborhood or outside someone’s home with a variety of books inside. The purpose, or course, was for people to take (or borrow) books that interested them, but to also replenish the supply with books they felt others might enjoy. Have you ever heard of the Little Free Library organization? This is the one outside my daughter’s condo, recently installed and off to a great start with many more books donated by condo residents than can be used. The bright color certainly stands out, and she says there is lots of activity and people are thrilled to have it (it’s the only one in her local area). She expects others will be inspired to do the same thing.  The Little Free L...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
4-Bedroom Homes for Sale in Carlsbad October 26, 2021 Update Some Carlsbad home buyers want, or need, more space than a 3-bedroom single family detached home can provide. It may be due to a growing household, a desire for multigenerational living options, space for an at-home office, or maybe room for regular guests. A 4-bedroom (or more) can provide that much needed space.  The inventory of single family detached homes remains limited in Carlsbad compared to demand, which has resulted in homes selling quickly, with a number of homes selling over asking price. Here’s the most recent market report for Carlsbad at What’s My Carlsbad Home Worth - Carlsbad Home Sales for September 2021 for a perspective on the market conditions including recent sales, inventory, and average sales prices. As...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Small Business Saturday in Carlsbad Village~ November 27, 2021 ~ It seems the holiday shopping season arrives earlier every year. Halloween is just around the corner, with Thanksgiving soon to follow. Which means it’s nearly time to celebrate the 12th annual Small Business Saturday in Carlsbad Village. The first Saturday after Thanksgiving has become the official day for supporting small businesses throughout the US, and there will be plenty of opportunities at our Carlsbad Village merchants to #shopsmall. Many residents, and visitors, support these small businesses already but this is special opportunity! The Carlsbad Village Association website notes that approximately 67 cents out of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community. That’s pretty impressive, and importan...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Village Street Faire ~ November 7, 2021 After being canceled in 2020 due to COVID, one of the area’s favorite arts and crafts fairs returns to Carlsbad Village on Sunday November 7th. The fair is sponsored by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire is supposedly the largest outdoor 1-day fair in the US. Held annually in the spring and fall, the fair will run from 8 am until 4 pm. The Carlsbad Village Street Faire is held in the heart of the Village, along Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson. Because of the size the fair also spills over onto side streets including State Street. You’ll see signs warning everyone about this upcoming special event, since much of the parking on these streets will not be available due to the fair. (photo fro...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Art Wall October 2021Wall Mural by Nicholas Danger The most recent Carlsbad Art Wall mural, the 30th, was recently completed on October 2 and 3, by San Diego muralist Nicholas Danger. You have to admire his style that makes you smile! Check out his instagram site, too!  The Carlsbad Art Wall is a very special addition to the Carlsbad public art scene, with changing murals several times per year. Bryan Snyder, a well-known Carlsbad artist, founded the Carlsbad Art Wall (CAW) in 2015, in cooperation with the owner of Senor Grubby’s Mexican Restaurant in Carlsbad Village. This very visible venue gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy temporary public wall murals by local, regional, and even a few international, artists. Even if you aren’t aware of the official #CarlsbadArtWall na...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Jeune at Jolie in Carlsbad Awarded a Michelin Star                  Jeune et Jolie has been making a name for itself since opening in late 2018, and the accolades continue. In 2019 Jeune et Jolie received a Bib Gourmand award from Michelin in 2019. The award is given to “good quality, good value restaurants” among other criteria. The restaurant was also named one of Esquire’s 20 best new restaurants in America in 2019. Four San Diego area restaurants were recently awarded coveted star ratings from the famed Michelin Guide, including Jeune et Jolie in Carlsbad Village who received a 1 star rating, “a very good restaurant.” Jeune et Jolie offers imaginative French cuisine. The fixed price dinner menu is 4 courses for $85. There are 3 selections for each course, with optional wine pairings...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Carlsbad Eclectic Lawn Concert 2021Carlsbad Village on October 9th The Carlsbad Music Festival is pleased to present another outdoor Eclectic Lawn Concert in Carlsbad Village on Saturday October 9 at St. Michael’s by the Sea from 2 until 6 pm. Carlsbad’s reputation as an arts community – visual arts, music, theater – continues to expand, and so much of it is FREE. There are events all year-round for visitors and residents to enjoy! The pandemic resulted in many events being canceled in 2020 and in 2021 but thankfully that is changing. Here’s the line-up for this Eclectic Lawn Concert:          2:00  Kamini Natarajan (Indian classical music)          3:00  The Ed Kornhauser Quartet (original jazz compositions)          4:00  Francis Blume (retro Americana)          5:00  Shannon Lay ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Halloween Pumpkin Plunge 2021Alga Norte Aquatic Center in Carlsbad Fall has arrived, stores are jammed with Halloween stuff, local pumpkin patches are open, and it’s just 3 weeks to the 2021 Pumpkin Plunge in Carlsbad. This popular annual floating pumpkin patch will take place at the Alga Norte Community Center in South Carlsbad (La Costa), at 6565 Alicante Road (corner of Poinsettia), on Saturday October 16th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Carlsbad kids get to lasso their favorite pumpkin from the floating pumpkin patch with a hula hoop to take them home for carving, decorating and Halloween festivities. Kids, be sure to bring your bathing suits so you can enjoy all the fun!! The fun in and out of the pool will include several Halloween-themed activities. There will also be a Bounce House and p...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Single Story Homes for Sale in Carlsbad CASeptember 23, 2021 Market Update It’s not uncommon for Carlsbad buyers to prefer a 1-story single family home when searching for a new home. Reasons vary, of course, from person to person. It might simply be a  preference for a single story floor plan, or perhaps there is a medical need necessitating 1 floor living. Some buyers are open to buying a 2-story home as long as there is a master bedroom with bath on the main floor. These tend to be few and far between; often the 1st floor bedroom is a smaller guest room and the bath may only be a half bath. The overall Carlsbad inventory remains tight (here’s the August 2021 Housing Market Report for Carlsbad). All existing single story listings are resales – no new construction single story homes are...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Give Blood in Carlsbad Village on September 25, 2021 Carlsbad residents can help the San Diego Blood Bank with their significant need for blood donations by donating at the 4th Annual Blood Drive in Carlsbad Village on Saturday, September 25th. You may recall there was one in the Village back on February 13th of this year! You might also decide to do some shopping and dine in the Village before or after your kind deed! The Heart of Carlsbad Village Blood Drive will take place from 10 am to 3 pm at Carlsbad Village Music, a boutique music school and retail shop, located in the heart of downtown at 505 Carlsbad Village Drive. This event is being sponsored by the Carlsbad Village Association. The Heart of the Village blood donations will be taken at the San Diego Blood Bank Bloodmobile in ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Market Report for August 2021  The Carlsbad real estate market continues to shift, with some changes from last month and 1 year ago. These data do not include private sales, mobile homes or multi-family housing (the numbers are derived from the MLS and are believed to be accurate at the time they are reported but are not guaranteed). Media reports generally speak in broad terms, and do not reflect our local Carlsbad housing market. Current data, and analysis, about the local market conditions benefit you so you can make well-informed purchase and/or sale decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale.  READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 173 homes sold in Carlsbad in August (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), just 4 fewer sales than i...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
We live on a canyon in Carlsbad, and as a result have a bit of wildlife running around - lots of different birds, coyotes, rabbits and squirrels.  Some of the smaller critters make it through the fence and onto to our back patio. Fortunately the coyotes are usually way off in the distance, but we occasionally see them during the day, and hear them late at night or very early in the morning. Last night we had another visitor on the patio..."that little stinker," as my wife said (pun intended). It was on the move, checking out the in-ground spa, and then it ran off, so the photo from inside the French doors is not very good. But it didn't seem prudent to try and get a better photo from outside. We've seen it a number of times (occasionally with a friend) in the last year or so on the othe...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Music Festival 2021 ~ Carlsbad Village ~ The 17th Annual Carlsbad Music Festival, offering “adventurous music at the beach” (per the website) with multiple concerts, will take place in Carlsbad Village August 27th through the 29th. Check out the Carlsbad Music Festival Facebook page. The Carlsbad Music Festival, has been a crowd pleaser for nearly 2 decades and 2021 will likely be no different.  This year there are 25 individual artists and groups, with all performances outdoors for Covid safety. In addition to great music there will be an artisan market, a beer garden, and food trucks to enjoy. St. Michael’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, at 2775 Carlsbad Boulevard, is the hub of the Carlsbad Music Festival. Concerts will also be held at nearby Magee Park at 258 Beech Avenue.  H...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Carlsbad Oktober-Feast Kickoff ~ Saturday October 2, 2021 ~  No, that’s not a typo! Carlsbad’s popular annual Oktoberfest, for years traditionally taking place the 1st Saturday in October, will be a modified event in 2021, and will celebrate our local restaurants for the entire month. Pretty cool idea! Sponsored, as always, by Carlsbad’s 2 rotary clubs – the Rotary Club of Carlsbad, and the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club – the October-Feast will include a Kick-Off event at the Carlsbad Strawberry Company on October 2nd, and a month-long feast at local restaurants. The event serves as a major fundraiser for the Carlsbad Rotary Clubs – they raised almost $60,000 in 2020 for various local charities. Now about the October 2nd kick-off event from 12 noon until 8:00 PM… Come enjoy a traditional...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
I was in the middle of making a Tiramisu Saturday morning for our weekend family guests when the doorbell rang. I figured it was a delivery but went to the door anyhow. It was the neighbor from several doors down the street who immediately announced "I think your main water line just burst!" Yes, indeed, we had a major problem, with lots of water flowing down the driveway, sidewalk and into the street. The neighbor lives several doors down from us and had seen the water flowing down the road. He told me he was pretty sure he what the problem was before coming up to our house, since others on the street had experienced the same issue in the last few years, and he had as well. Thank goodness for a thoughtful neighbor! I turned off the water at the street right away and immediately got on ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
 Taste of Carlsbad Village 2021~ Thursday October 14th ~ The 2021 Taste of Carlsbad Village will be here soon, and excitement is mounting for this fun and tasty event which sadly was canceled last year, like so many other Carlsbad events. The Taste of Carlsbad Village is sponsored this year by First Team Real Estate.  The Taste of Carlsbad Village is still a couple of months away, but why not get it on your Fall calendar now so you don’t forget?! Carlsbad foodies will get to spend 3 hours on THURSDAY OCTOBER 14th from 5:00 and 8:00 pm on a self-guided tour with map and Passport (your ticket), tasting their way around charming Carlsbad Village, enjoying bite-sized samples from dozens of local popular restaurants. What a great opportunity to check out places you don’t know or haven’t trie...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
What’s the Value of My Carlsbad Home? Carlsbad Home Sales for July 2021 The Carlsbad real estate market continues to shift, with some changes from last month and 1 year ago. These data do not include private sales, mobile homes or multi-family housing (the numbers are derived from the MLS and are believed to be accurate at the time they are reported but are not guaranteed). Media reports typically speak in generalities, and do not reflect our local Carlsbad housing market. Current data, and analysis, about the local market conditions benefit you so you can make well-informed purchase and/or sale decisions about Carlsbad homes for sale.  READ MORE ABOUT CARLSBADCarlsbad Village by the Sea 177 homes sold in Carlsbad in July (92008, 92009, 92010 and 92011), an increase of 7% from June sale...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
Single Story Homes for Sale in Carlsbad CA Market Update as of July 27, 2021 Carlsbad home buyers sometimes prefer a 1-story single family home when searching for a new place to live.  The reasons for this can vary from a simple preference for a single story floor plan, to a medical need necessitating 1 floor living.  Some buyers are willing to purchase a 2-story home as long as there is a master bedroom with bath on the main floor, however these tend to be hard to find; often the 1st floor bedroom is a smaller guest room and the bath may only be a half bath. The overall Carlsbad inventory remains tight (here’s the June 2021 Housing Market Report for Carlsbad). All existing single story listings are resales - there is no new single story construction at this time in the MLS.  As of the ...
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By Jeff Dowler, CRS, The Southern California Relocation Dude
(eXp Realty of California, Inc.)
The Pizza No-Recipe Recipe I started making pizzas in college, when I was paying my way through the University of Maryland, working fulltime at a local fast-food place and going to school fulltime (I later changed to a different fulltime job). Over the years I have continued to create pizzas at home, at times getting more creative and adventuresome. I cook a lot of other stuff, too, sometimes following formal recipes, but other times just creating from scratch. That’s part of the fun of cooking, isn’t it? My feeling with pizza is that the best are simply crafted, without following any sort of formal recipe…it’s all about what ingredients appeal to you, what’s in the fridge and cupboard, and combining flavors and textures to create your masterpiece.  Each one is unique, but there are som...
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