If you are dreaming of a cottage at the beach, The Sands on the Coast Highway in Leucadia (Encinitas) may have just what you are looking for, especially if your budget is limited. Leucadia homes (cottages) at The Sands (hmm, is it named for being near the beach or after the famous Sands Hotel which used to be on The Strip in Las Vegas?) are fairly small, as are the lots, but consider this community is within a 5 minute WALK to some of the area’s nicest beaches (Grandview - see photo below; Beacon’s) where you can enjoy terrific surfing, walks, and great sunsets. A number of restaurants are within walking distance (my favorite is Le Papagayo) as is some shopping, small business services, a number of surf shops, and the well known Leucadia Donut Shop. Homes at The Sands do not come on th... 01/22/2008

The Encinitas home sales statistics for November 2007 from the MLS is below (private sales and new construction development sales that are not in the MLS are not included here). Homes for sale – 195 detached, 61 attached (down 5% from October)51 detached and 7 attached homes came on the market in November183 detached and 60 attached homes have sold in the last 6 months6 homes went under contract in November (1 attached, 5 detached)Absorption (inventory) is 6.4 months for detached (a slight increase from October) and 6.1 months for attached homes (same as October)Average marketing time YTD is 76days for attached and 62 days for detached (about the same as in October)Median sales price for detached - $870,000, the same as last monthMedian sales price for attached - $450,000, the same as ... 01/16/2008

Encinitas is going green and building a new nature center at the San Elijo Lagoon in South Encinitas (Cardiff), with construction on the $5.6 million project starting early 2008 and an expected completion date of 2009 (about 1 year). The new nature center is being built with the environment in mind, which is appropriate given its location at the San Elijo Lagoon. Solar panels will generate electricityFibers from old blue jeans will be used for the cotton insulationWaterproofing the roof will be accomplished through the use of recycled rubber from tiresIrrigation of roof-top plants will come from recycled waterOpen windows will serve as the cooling systemFloor-to-ceiling windows will provide natural light The current nature center, often missed by visitors to the 885-acre reserve, is es... 01/14/2008

It’s not what you might be thinking, especially given my recent series on local restaurants in Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff and Solana Beach. But I got gas in Encinitas, and I get it there all the time. Like most folks in the area, I gripe about the high price of gasoline, and what appears to be gouging by certain gas stations. It always amazes me how there can be such dramatic price differentials from one place to another for the same stuff. Not just 3 or 4 cents but often 20 – 30 cents per gallon. Don’t get me started on the oil industry and the recent profits of the largest US companies like EXXON. Since I drive a lot showing Carlsbad homes, I tend to try not overpaying for gas, relative to what I feel is a reasonable going rate at the time. So knowing the best gas stations to buy g... 01/14/2008

The arts are alive and well in North County, and with the new LUX Art Institute facility (the institute was founded in 1998) in Encinitas, things have reached a new pinnacle. Granted, the area is not known (yet) as a center for the arts, but we are seeing many strides made in the availability of high-quality art in communities like Encinitas, Carlsbad (a town with its own fine reputation as an art community) and Solana Beach’s Cedros District. LUX Art Institute is a treasure, AND a unique concept in our area. The unique structure of this new building (designed by architect Renzo Zecchetto) itself is a work of art that blends with the surrounding environment, and perhaps symbolizes the unique perspective of the institute…the relationship between artist and viewer that evolves from the “... 01/13/2008

The San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas is a gem. The San Dieguito Heritage Museum, founded in 1988, had its grand opening on October 20, 2007 at 450 Quail Gardens Drive, just a short distance north of Quail Botanical Gardens and Encinitas Boulevard. This place is loaded with history about the San Dieguito region, essentially the area covered by the San Dieguito School District (which encompasses Encinitas [including Leucadia and Olivenhain], Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, Solana Beach, and Cardiff). Artifacts, old photos, buildings, historical records and more provide an amazing pictorial overview of the colorful history of this region, back to the late 1800s. (Read more about the musuem’s journey to its current location here.) As a New Englander and recent transplant from Boston, I w... 01/12/2008

Not too long ago I had to go up in a helicopter to take some photos for one of our listings.  We buzzed around Encinitas and I took pictures of the listings, and I also had the opportunity to take some other pictures too.  Here are two of the images that I liked.The first one is a pic of Moonlight Beach with its lone palm tree.The other photo is a photo of the Leucadia Bluffs not far from Moonlight Beach.The original images were much higher resolution than this.  OK, just so I don't have to make phone calls.These photographs are Copyrighted with all rights reserved.  You can't use them without my permission.  If you have a use for them, then email to ask (no guarantees on permission).  Thanks.John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate   01/09/2008

Here's a snapshot of the current land and lots for sale in Encinitas.  We've got a cool new map to place the land parcels on the map even if we don't have a valid address.  The color of the pushpins is color-coded for price, and the numbers on the pushpins shows you the number of acres, rounded up/down.As you can see, there are a few lots for sale, including one that's around 4 acres and another in Olivenhain that looks to be five acres or more.  If you want to see the interactive map, click here for the Encinitas Land and Lot Real Estate Map.Call me if you have any questions.John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate 01/09/2008

After last year's shaky real estate purchase market, would-be buyers decided to rent instead of buy.  This was, of course, understandable given the wacky ride of the mortgage market and unsure economic conditions.  Here's a current long-term rental map of Encinitas:As you can see, there are many areas where there are simply no homes for rent.  ZERO.  The situation was worse last summer, and it started to improve last fall, but the rental inventory is still thin.  Of course, this is good news for landlords because rental values will be maintained (at the least) and we may see an increase this next year if the inventory does not grow.  If you are interested in rentals, you may click here to see an interactive Encinitas Rental Real Estate map.Note: I've tried to exclude vacation/seasonal r... 01/09/2008

Here's the current activity levels in Encinitas from our maps.  The pushpins are color-coded by price (see legend), and the numbers on the pushpins reflect bedrooms.  There is definitely some inventory, but it isn't crazy.  Some areas have more than one would expect like Encinitas Ranch.  Here's the condo/townhome map:As you can see, the inventory is a little thin as one would expect for this time of year.  Questions? Just give a call.John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate  01/08/2008

Popular Encinitas Neighborhoods: Village Park, Cambria, Cantebria, Encinitas Ranch.. Search MLS and Homes for Sale, Contact an Encinitas Realtor   Hey Encinitas Home Shoppers! Looking for Encinitas Real Estate and the best neighborhoods in Encinitas CA?  If you are not familiar with Encinitas Real Estate and are just browsing this is a great starting point. If you are a first time home buyer, currently looking to buy or sell a home in North County or  the surrounding areas like, Carlsbad Neighborhoods, Leucadia, Cardiff, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Poway, Escondido, Oceanside, Vista or anywhere in San Diego County, please contact me.Search For Encinitas Real Estate and Homes for sale HERE FROM SCRATCH Search by Popular Encinitas Neighborhoods and Subdivisions belowADAMS RUN ... 01/06/2008

Here is an example of an Encinitas home off of Cerro.  (Encinitas Estates, I think)  We sold the home in a couple of weeks due to the marketing mostly, I think, as many other homes sat on the market in 2007. The atrium picture would have been very difficult to photograph without the shift lens.  (I know - we shot the same atrium in a home down the street with just a point/shoot camera.)  Reason it is difficult to shoot with a point/shoot: when you move the camera, all the lines on those tiles go haywire and don't line up.  With the shift lens, the backplane stays steady and everything works great.John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate 01/01/2008

Here is another of our past brochures for those people interested in Encinitas homes.  This home is not currently on the market but instead was leased on a long-term basis.  It was completely updated by the owner, and I think the photographs show off the care that the owners spent in doing the updates. This home is in Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary and Digueno Middle School districts.  John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate  12/30/2007

Margaret created a new Encinitas Real Estate group within ActiveRain, and so I thought it would be useful to post some of our prior brochures so that people could see what properties in Encinitas looked like.  Here's the brochure (less the back page which discusses our team). This home is not currently on the market.This home is in Flora Vista Elementary school district and gets great breezes because it is perched up high.John Hokkanen, Encinitas Real Estate 12/30/2007

Looking for Village Park Homes for sale and Real Estate? Are you considering buying or selling in Encinitas CA and want to buy or sell in Village Park? Let Dusty Brazil help you with all of your real estate needs in Encinitas. If you are not sure where you want to live, please check out http://www.encinitasneighborhoods.com/ where you can see all the neighborhoods in Encinitas and other nearby areas of North County San Diego.    View all Village Park Homes for sale, Condos, Townhomes and Real Estate in Encinitas here NOW CLICK HERE  12/30/2007

Encinitas HomesWhen you're ready to buy a home in Encinitas you will have to contact Dawn Lewis. Dawn Lewis is a San Diego Real Estate agent with over 18 years experience right here in San Diego. Encinitas is a wonderful area of San Diego and has many great things to do. Encinitas Real Estate starts on the Beach at the Pacific Ocean and Encinitas is made up of 5 communities. Encinitas has a wonderful town with an old San Diego beach feel and it takes and Encinitas Real Estate expert to show you around. Please contact me to find out more about Encinitas Real Estate and Encinitas Homes and Condos. Encinitas is made up of 5 communities, Olivenhain or "olive grove" in German, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, New Encinitas and Historic Encinitas. All of the communities in Encinitas are beautifu... 12/26/2007

Margaret took the kids out of town for the holidays, but I had to stay to photograph an Encinitas listing that is coming online soon.  I took some extra time to take some pictures of me taking pictures and the setup that I used to get the photo.  First, let me show you the brochure cover as it finally ended up.  I apologize for the address removal, but the listing isn't live yet.I want to point a few key lighting issues.  The room was heavily dominated by the slider with the outside light pouring in, so I had to have good, balanced lighting between the outside and inside, which meant a lot of light power.I wanted to have a well-lit porch.I wanted a fire in the fireplace, but I had no logs or matches. I wanted to accent the fruit on the table in the porch area.To accomplish these objecti... 12/25/2007

I have been printing stuff for 30 years, but it was only in the past five years that I finally spent the money for a more expensive paper cutter.  They're not cheap, but they sure are good.  Here's my review in case you are looking for a good paper cutter.For small volume, super high precision, or photos, I use a Rotatrim Professional, 18 inch base.  I thought about buying one of their bigger ones, but it gets more expensive and is harder to store.  As it is, we store the Rotatrim standing up in the closet.  As the name implies, the Rotatrim is a rotary cutter.  It has a very hard and very share razor disc (You have GOT to be careful when putting a new one on).  I've cut paper and car magnets.  It is so sharp that it cuts easily.  There's a plastic slat that also helps to hold the paper... 12/24/2007

For our new rental listings, I had to print up some giant photos (18x22) and mount them on some foam core poster to put in our model home.  I printed out the photos on the big paper, but then had to attach the photos to the foam core.  I decided that I was going to see what new technologies were available in the glue department, and I am really glad that I checked.There is a new product called "Glue Dots."  These are flattened pancakes os thin adhesive stuck between some waxed paper and a piece of clear plastic.  Peel off the waxed paper and you have a clear plastic with the dot so that you can easily see where you are going to attach it.  (These dots are around 3/8 of an inch.  You can even cut them in half with a razorknife.)  Once you attach the glue dot to the paper, then press it o... 12/24/2007

We just took on a set of rental listings and we did not have interior dimensions for any of them.  Consequently, I was going to have to measure dozens of rooms, and the idea of taking the tape measure to do it brought up visions of hours and hours measuring the rooms.  So, I went to Home Depot and looked at their laser products.  The vast majority of product were laser levels which held no interest.There were two laser range finders.  There was a really cheap one (under $20), and I avoided that.  They had one other one, the Stanley Fax Max, which cost about $99.  This works GREAT for interiors.  I measured all 5 units in less than an hour, including hallways, entries, etc.Just push the button to turn on the laser, point it, push the button again, and you get the reading.  The label says... 12/24/2007