Impossible to Forget is a haunting, sobering, powerful, and stunning black and white photography show that just opened in Carlsbad at the well-known Cannon Art Gallery, adjacent to the public library. [the photograph here is taken from the artist's personal website and appears in the show]I have been very impressed with the art offerings that this thriving town of 95,000 offers here in Southern California, which I call home, and it is one of the many things that attracts people to buy a home in Carlsbad. In addition to the gallery (which offers multiple programs a year including family craft days [free] to accompany each show), the Friends of the Arts raises money to fund the 9 TGIF Jazz in the Park Seriesduring the summer. These events are free to the public and usually attract 3-4,000... 03/26/2007

LA COSTA RIDGE in La Costa, Carlsbad CA   Gated Planned Community Offering Wonderful Views     The Carlsbad real estate market offers several options to new home buyers.   La Costa Ridge is the newest of the La Costa Villages, 4 master planned communities in the South Carlsbad area known as La Costa (anchored by the internationally-known Omni La Costa Spa and Resort).   This master planned community begand construction around 2007, and as of 2014 is now complete. . La Costa Ridge is built on the highest hill in La Costa, so many homes have dramatic vistas - the ocean, the Batiquitos Lagoon, south to La Jolla, north beyond Camp Pendleton, or of the back county hills. The La Costa Preserve provides about 1000 acres of open space, and there is a system of biking paths and hiking trails tha... 03/25/2007

Six mornings a week, I arise in the quiet, cold hours before dawn, shower and head over to La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA. Behind the gates and tall palms, and off the main plaza, is a serene place that has become dear to my heart: The Chopra Center.Seven days a week, they hold Yoga and meditation classes that generally start at 7 a.m. I have become a regular at the Chora Center and look forward to starting each day with serenity, exercise, intersting teas,incense and a parade of new acquaintances.Most of these acquaintances are staying at La Costa Resort and Spa and are anxious to experience what the Chopra Center has to offer. Some come back to attend one of Chopra's week long health programs--and some simply fall in love with Carlsbad with its sandy beaches, abundant year ro... 03/23/2007

La Costa Greens, located in the area of South Carlsbad known as La Costa (home of the world famous La Costa Spa and Resort), is one of the three communities in the La Costa Villages - La Costa Oaks and La Costa Ridge (the newest) being the other two. Located on the hills of La Costa, with views of the ocean, golf course (the North Course at La Costa) and surrounding hillsides, La Costa Greens is still under construction, although the majority of the homes are built and many are now occupied.    As a Master planned Community, La Costa Greens offers a number of amenities that residents attracted to these types of neighborhoods have come to expect.  There is a tennis center, tot lots, and a wonderful private residents' facility, The Presidio (photo on right), which offers swimming, an expa... 03/22/2007

What if there were a wood treatment that not only disgusted termites, but repelled mold and fungus as well? This dream is now a reality-at least for those fortunate custom home builders and remodelers who are able to demand their choice in wood. Though it makes for colorful  framing, Bluwood has captured the interest of homeowners who wish to avoid the hazards of mold and the hassles of termites.  Manufactured by WoodSmart Solutions, the BluWood product is the result of natural wood being treated with a proprietary blue chemical solution that offers a lifetime limited and transferable warranty against "contaminated or structural damage caused by mold fungus growth on the cured surface of the film, rot fungi or wood ingesting insects (including subterranean or Famosan termites) or carpen... 03/12/2007

This article is primarily oriented toward first time buyers. However, for those of you who are experienced, I suspect some or all of these concerns have crossed your mind at one point or another as you go about your business of finding a new home in Carlsbad or anywhere else, for that matter.So, what ARE you afraid of? What are the concerns that you have? Are these realistic or not? And how can you address them?Fear of buying in the first place - if this is your first home you may be scared of making that big decision, and take on a huge mortgage for the next 30 years. Let's face it, that can be a scary proposition - spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more. But consider the value of owning your own place - adding to your wealth, creating equity, building your credit, having s... 03/10/2007

Here are the summary MLS statistics for February 2007 for Carlsbad(all 4 zip codes).An important caveat - these data are based on only 2 months of information (YTD), so with a limited sample the statistics (e.g., median, average time on market, etc.) can shift. It is best to watch the market over longer periods of time to gain a good idea of what is happening.There are some trends that are worth noting here, and the next few months will likely reveal the direction that the market is taking.First, the inventory in Carlsbad has dropped a little from the previous month (and has shown a decline since November 2007), about 4%, and fewer homes came on teh market in February than in January. The median price of homes has remained stable for detached homes since last month, and rose moderately ... 03/09/2007

Are you relocating here to Carlsbad, or elsewhere, and need to find a great agent to help you? It is well worth the effort to spend time finding someone to help you find a new home in an area you do not know. I have some thoughts on how to find that person AND what to look for, based on some significant personal moving experience, and having helped a few folks relocate around the country. Let's talk about how to find the right REALTOR®.HOW TO FIND AN AGENT1. I think it makes sense to use an agent who is a REALTOR® (a real estate professional who is a member in good standing of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and adheres to a specific Code of Ethics). Not ALL agents are REALTORS®. NAR maintains a database of agents. We're not here to debate whether being a REALTOR® makes a di... 02/21/2007

Rancho Carrillo - Master Planned Community in Carlsbad, CA  Rancho Carrillo is a master planned community located in Carlsbad, CA, about 30 miles north of San Diego and about 4 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Bordered on the south by Alga Road, and on the north by Palomar Airport Road, the Rancho Carrillo master planned community straddles the hills along both sides of Melrose and consists of 18 villages (about 1550 detached homes and town homes, as well as some apartments) with a variety of housing styles, prices, and amenities typical of master planned neighborhoods. Rancho Carrillo is a residential community that includes a swim center, a Kindercare (childcare) Center, the Carrillo Elementary School, lots of open space with a nature preserve, and walking trails, and which surrou... 02/18/2007

Here are the summary statistics for January 2007 from the MLS.There are some important things to consider here. First, keep in mind that with this being the first month of the year, the data are based on only 1 month of information - a limited number of sales (31 for attached homes and 43 for detached homes) as compared to December, which is a summary of the data year-to-date. Such a small sample is dramatically affected by the prices of the homes that have sold, both at the high end and the low end. The absorption rate is about the same as in December...about 6 months of inventory based on the current rate of sales.The inventory is essentially the same as December, rising only 1 % overall.The median home prices for detached homes is the same as compared to 1 year ago; for attached home... 02/10/2007

CARLSBAD - VILLAGE BY THE SEA~ Southern California ~ What an apt name for this charming seaside town located about 35 miles north of San Diego in Southern California. But a sleepy coastal village Carlsbad is not - there is lots going on in this growing community of 105,000.                                                                                                                                               HOUSING MARKET The housing market in Carlsbad is pretty robust, although like elsewhere in San Diego's North County, the community has experienced a slowing of appreciation, an increase in inventory from a year ago, and an overall shift from fast-moving seller's market to a more buyer-friendly one at different times as the economy shift. Despite these changes,  Carlsbad home pr... 02/05/2007

                                             Though I live in palmy, balmy coastal San Diego County, my south-facing office windows at the Carlsbad Forum occasionally melt candles and ignite otherwise cool tempers. These floor-to-ceiling shaded and plant-screened windows were just tinted—in a last-ditch effort to avoid black-out draperies and one very grumpy Realtor and writer.That may explain an unusual and abiding interest in window technology. And there must be a Murphy’s Law somewhere about the best solution to a problem arriving two days after implementation of an inferior one.In this case, I just discovered “switchable” mirror windows that make regular-looking windows disappear by turning into mirrors. It appeared to be a dream-come-true for energy conservation, privacy and those ... 01/30/2007

       Gossip: It is a loaded word that alternately intrigues and informs, delights and dismays. Last week’s blog on real estate gossip, for example, raised the hackles of a few agents—and the interest (and some concurrence) of others. As for me, I’ve enjoyed the diversion and have paid much closer attention to the frequency with which it occurs in my own professional life as a San Diego real estate broker.The results are interesting. In the last few days, I have heard whispers of:1) A pocket listing for a prime rental. It won’t hit the San Diego MLS for several months.2) Several murmers about what sellers of certain properties will really accept (but won’t allow in the MLS).3) What a particular lender will likely accept on a particular prime short sale in Carlsbad, Ca (yikes!).4) Who r... 01/30/2007

Aviara - A Resort Residential Communityin Carlsbad CA  Aviara is perhaps the most upscale area of Carlsbad (link is to a short virtual tour of Carlsbad, with music, so turn up the sound), anchored by the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort (formerly the Four Seasons Aviara Resort). Don't miss the AVIARA slideshow at bottom of page. SEARCH FOR HOMES FOR SALE IN THE AVIARA AREA With many beautiful views of the ocean, the Batiquitos Lagoon and the inland hills and panorama, this community attracts many first-home and second-home buyers to the rolling hills dotted with gated condo and detached home subdivisions, many of which rim the Aviara golf course or overlook the hills to the ocean.  Aviara is an affluent and resort-like residential community (in other areas of the country it would likely be desc... 01/24/2007

The La Costa area of Carlsbad (see lifestyle tour of La Costa BELOW), in zip code 92009, is one of the better known residential areas along the North San Diego County coast, and a popular Carlsbad neighborhood. La Costa began growing in 1965 when several thousand acres of land were purchased and turned into a golf course (now part of the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa), homes were constructed, and the Rancho La Costa Inn was  built for visitors.  The original resort has had several owners and was later renamed La Costa, thus giving the surrounding residential area its name. Formerly a separate "town" La Costa was later annexed and became part of Carlsbad, but most people refer to it by its original name. Check out the La Costa lifestyle in this slideshow:  In the early days La Costa and t... 01/23/2007

As a Carlsbad home buyer, getting from "home search" to the closing table means you have a number of hoops to jump through. And, as a result, there is always the possibility of a glitch somewhere along the way. Ask any agent, or any buyer or seller - no matter how smoothly a transaction may be going, before you know it something pops up to burst the bubble. Be prepared for this. While it might not happen, chances are it will, so being prepared mentally will help keep you sane when things don't go as planned. Here are some hoops and some things to watch out for: PRE-APPROVAL - get this done right away so you can be in control. Knowledge is power. Don't let anyone tell you not to worry. Bad credit? Not enough income? This can limit you. You might not be able to change your income or your ... 01/15/2007

No, I don't mean people you go out with, silly. I'm referring to dates in the purchase contract. CARLSBAD BUYERS AND SELLERS - THIS IS IMPORTANT! Knowing your dates is critical for everyone - buyers, sellers, agents - so that the transaction can proceed as smoothly as possible and doesn't fall apart because one party or the other doesn't do their job. As an agent, you need to help your clients here, and make sure they know the relevant dates. And help them understand the implications of those dates (e.g., time frame for offer expiration, inspections, contingency removal, application for a loan, the loan commitment, closing...the list goes on) - it's part of your fiduciary responsibility. Depending on your state, your contract may be riddled with enough dates to fill your calendar for th... 01/08/2007

Here is a summary of the housing market, based on statistics from the MLS, for Carlsbad, CA for the month of December. This is a standard report I provide past, current and prospective clients each month.The statistics show a drop in the inventory since the end of November of 15%. The median prices are holding steady, as compared to the previous month, however they have dropped by about 6% for detached homes. Overall inventory is about a 6-month supply of homes at the current rate of sales, which is a drop from the previous month. It is likely that the holiday season has contributed to the overall drop in inventory. The next month or two should provide a good look as to the direction the market is going as we enter the spring market.AS OF DEC. 31, 2006ATTACHED HOMESDETACHED HOMESActive2... 01/05/2007

Thinking of buying a well-located $1 million luxury flat in London, Paris or Tokyo? Think again: 1. In London, you’ll get 328 square feet. 2. In Paris, you’ll do better with  522 square feet. 3. In Tokyo, you can really spread out with 594 square feet. These are averages reported by the most recent issue of Forbes magazine. The weakened dollar against the Sterling, Euro and other currencies has contributed much to a real estate situation where, for example, the U.S. dollar purchases 25 percent less in London than it did just five years ago. But if the tables are turned, premier areas of the United States are relative bargains for many international real estate buyers. We have a client who recently retired in Belgium, moved to the San Diego suburbs, and puchased a lovely coastal Carlsbad... 12/27/2006

For those of your who are looking for a new Carlsbad home, searching on-line is probably the most efficient strategy you can employ. Recent studies by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in 2005 found that about 79% of buyers were using the Internet to search for a home, and many do this even before they contact any agent. It is likely that this percentage has grown since that study was done. (While my focus here is on Carlsbad, the strategy is the same no matter what area you are looking in).The advantages to searching on-line are many. Most properties that are for sale are on-line somewhere - individual MLS sites, agent or brokerage sites, for sale by owner sites, Realtor.com - so your chances of finding homes that meet your criteria are pretty darn good. Keep in mind that once... 12/10/2006