Prices - Up Or Down? By Bill RobertsThere is a lot of talk these days on pricing of real estate. Most of it is wrong.There is no "magic number" for what a property is worth. That number is arrived at by a meeting of the minds of the buyer and seller, maybe with a little help from his real estate agent.When prices were going up double-digit percentages each year it wasn't because they were necessarily correct, but rather because a buyer was willing to pay that price. Now it seems that buyers aren't even willing to pay as much as they did last year.So what is the right price? Maybe a little historical perspective is called for. In the mid nineties a nice house in Bay Park (San Diego) with a view of Mission Bay could be had for less than $200,000.00. San Diego is a growing area. The two ma... 02/08/2008

A few months back I wrote a post about the Poseidon Resources in Carlsbad and their new technology to provide a Desalination plant where the old power plant is located at the  Aqua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, California.Desalination plants, though an expensive alternative for supplying water in areas of California where the supply has been stretched thin, has a bit of history that I learned today reading an editorial post in the local paper.Get this, way back in the 60's under the Johnson administration there was additional rift between Cuba and the US well after the Bay of Pigs conflict and Cuba decided to cut of the water supply to the Guantanamo base in Cuba. Johnson  was informed about a Desalination demonstration plant in Point Loma California under the authority of the Interior's... 02/07/2008

Condos Carmel Valley South WestIf you are considering buying or selling a condo in South West Carmel Valley you have come to the home of Carmel Valley Condos. There are 19 condominium communities in Carmel Valley South West with single family attached homes. These Carmel Valley condominium communities with single family attached homes are; Crest Del Mar, Carmel Pointe, Pell Place, Elysian, Palermo, Coral Cove, Windwood, Pelagos, Andalucia, The Heights, Montemar, Lakes, Groves, Camino Villas, Arborlake, Del Mar Villas, Chateau Village, Sunstream, and Halcyon. As you can see there are plenty of condo choices in this part of Carmel Valley. Nestled within these communities are 4 Carmel Valley schools; Carmel Creek Elementary, Solana Pacific Elementary, Carmel Valley Middle School, and Carme... 02/05/2008

1031 Exchange Seminar in San DiegoSee all of our 1031 exchange seminar programs.Basic to Intermediate Level 1031 Exchange Seminar  This is a basic to intermediate level workshop on forward, reverse and improvement (build-to-suit or construction) 1031 exchange transactions pursuant to Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 1.1031 of the Treasury Regulations. Educational Workshop Content The educational workshop will begin with an introduction to various tax-deferral and tax-exclusion strategies, including combining Section 1031 with Section 121.  The discussions will focus on the requirements, structures, processes, strategies, and compliance issues necessary to successfully complete a tax-deferred, like-kind exchange transaction.  We will finish with an explanation of the... 02/04/2008

Carmel Valley Real Estate South WestIf you are considering buying or selling real estate in South West Carmel Valley in North County Coastal San Diego you will have many different communities to look in. There are 27 communities in Carmel Valley South West. These Carmel Valley communities are are; Crest Del Mar, Carmel Pointe, Windwood, Pelagos, Creek Park, Lakes, Groves, Camino Villas, Arborlake, Del Mar Villas, Chateau Village, Sunstream, Pines, San Remo, Antares, Halcyon, Del Mar Bluffs, Pell Place, Elysian, Palermo, Granada, Andalucia, The Heights, Montemar, Bayshore, Seabridge, and Coral Cove. Southwest Carmel Valley is east of Route 5 and El Camino Real, north of route 56, south of Del Mar Heights Road, and west of Southeast Carmel Valley. The two major roads that dissect South We... 02/03/2008

Sorrento Valley Homes for sale in San Diego CALooking for a home in the Sorrento Valley, San Diego, Tech Center vicinity? Relocating to the area to work for Qualcomm , Sony Online Entertainment ,Websense or another big Tech Company? Or perhaps you are a local and  are fed up with sitting in hours of traffic going to and from work everday and are thinking of moving, (Or just take the Coaster). Sorrento Valley is located 15 miles north of Downtown San Diego, where the 5 and 805 freeways merge  nearby some great communities and neighborhoods to consider if you are purchasing real estate in San Diego, including Mira Mesa, La Jolla, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Carmel Mountain, Rancho Penasquitos, Sabre Springs, Poway and more.      Currently there are only 4 homes for sale in Sorrento Valley: 2 ... 02/03/2008

Carmel Valley Home for Sale3786 Torrey Hill Lane Carmel Valley San Diego CaliforniaYour Carmel Valley Realtor Dawn Lewis presents this gorgeous home in Mayfield in Carmel Valley. This home has wonderful ocean views and is located on a large corner lot. Dramatic high ceilings, upgraded gourmet kitchen w/granite counters, built-in china cabinet, stainless steel appliances, black marble fireplace, extensive use of wood floors up & downstairs, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom down, beautiful large extra room set up as library/office/den with built in oak cabinets, bookcases, file cabinets and x-large 2 sided desk, large bonus bedroom with 2 closets can be converted back to two separate bedrooms, all bathrooms completely remodeled with travertine counters and floors, new mirrors and all next fixture... 02/02/2008

Here's the story directly from one of my agents last weekend....the story is a bit long, but I think the punch line is amazing....And we'd like your input on what our next step should be....==========Statement as given by my real estate agent =========================On Saturday January 26th, around 4:20 pm, I completed my open house at 10575 Corte Jardin Del Mar in Carmel Valley.  I left this property heading North on E. Ocean Air Drive toward the intersection of E. Ocean Air Drive and Carmel Mountain Road.  Upon pulling up to the stop light at the intersection of E. Ocean Air Drive and Carmel Mountain Road, I witnessed a man pull over to the right heading East on Carmel Mountain Road maybe 30 feet before he crossed E. Ocean Air Drive.  I saw him get out of his car, walk up to my sign,... 01/31/2008

1. Selection, selection, selection. Regardless of price range, there are plenty of houses from which to choose. There's a great selection of attached homes, condos and townhouses. You can find large lots, small lots, and a lot that will accommodate your boat or RV. You have many options. When resale inventories are low, buyers are forced to make compromises. Not today. 2. No bidding wars. In 2005, we knew one family who made offers on 10 homes. They lost the first nine to the feeding frenzy that existed in the market - other buyers bid the properties up substantially from the original listing prices. There were even escalation clauses where buyers authorized their agents to outbid other offers by thousands of dollars. There's no competitive bidding in the buyer's market of today. 3. Yo... 01/29/2008

The real estate auctions that have taken place in San Diego appear to get a lot of media coverage, attention and hype but I don't see many deals coming out of them. These auctions are comprised of bank owned homes that have been on the market with local real estate agents. For whatever reason, the property goes some time and does not sell and the bank turns it over to the auction house to sell. At the last 3 auctions I have attended I have tracked approximately 70% of these homes selling at sales prices that are above what you could have purchased them for when they were on the market. What kind of deal is that? The auction house is very good at marketing these properties, advertising great opening bid prices and getting the general public in the door to compete against each other to pu... 01/28/2008

There's a delicious new reason to come to Escondido.  Tango Restaurant & Wine Bar is now open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Tango is located on beautiful Grand Avenue in the heart of historic Escondido.    Executive Chef Russell Hawkins provides his guests with an exceptional culinary experience. You will not be disappointed.  This talented chef is enthusiastic and innovative.  His cuisine originates from the highest quality and freshest ingredients. Clever pairings and delicious ingredients delight the palate. The food and ambiance is elegant without being pretentious.Tango's menu changes daily and features naturally raised meat and game, line-caught seafood, and organic produce. Whether you choose to begin your meal with an elegant caviar appetizer or end it with a whimsical root... 01/25/2008

Carmel Valley Real Estate: Homes for sale in Sorrento Valley, Del Mar Heights, Carmel Valley, San Diego CA Looking for Homes around Del Mar, Solana Beach, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, and Poway? Real Estate around Carmel Valley in San Diego consists of some of the best  and newest neighborhoods including single family homes, condos and townhomes for sale. If you are a commuter to the Sorrento Valley area, Del Mar Heights and Carmel Valley is a great place to purchase real estate. These communities are surrounded by some of the most expensive real estate in San Diego County, including areas such as Rancho Santa Fe, Santaluz and La Jolla.  If you are just browsing homes in these areas, START YOUR SAN DIEGO REAL ESTATE SEARCH HERE.       If you are seeking real estate in one of the areas above, su... 01/25/2008

Condos and Lofts in Downtown San Diego: Gaslamp, Marina, Little Italy, Columbia, Ballpark, Cortez Hill, Horton Plaza Looking for Condos, Lofts, Penthouses and Homes in the Downtown San Diego area? Just browsing San Diego Real Estate? Not Familiar with how much a condo or home would run you in the Downtown San Diego Area? Start Your San Diego Real Estate Search Here.           If you are looking for specific communities and neighborhoods such as:Gaslamp, Marina, Little Italy, Columbia, Ballpark, Cortez Hill, Horton Plaza, you can access these listings by choosing from the list alphabetically below.           Refine your SearchSelect a subdivision in SAN DIEGO, CAA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X YView  all Condos, Lofts and Penthouses  for sale in the Gaslamp QuarterGAS LAM... 01/24/2008

San Diego Short Sale ExpertWe are the San Diego Short Sale Experts. When you need to find out about short selling a San Diego home we're the ones to call. We have helped countless San Diego homeowners short sell their homes and get them out of a tough, stressful situation. Banks and lenders have more than ever been willing to accept short sale offers rather then foreclose on homes in San Diego. Since we are experts in the San Diego Short Sale Market we can help you work with your mortgage holder to see if this is a good option for you and your family.More at .. Dawn Sells San DiegoIf you need to find out more about short sales and what your options are we can answer all of your questions and the call and meeting are confidential. Knowing what your options are puts all of the information... 01/23/2008

The California Association of Realtors short sale addendum poses some interesting questions for San Diego Realtors and California Realtors.I thought I might address a few of those issues in a series of real estate posts.Today we will discuss the first line.   While this may seem elementary - I thought I should review it anyway.    Interestingly - the very first check box poses some issues. I have seen Realtors deal with the checkbox in an inconsistent manner. Is the California Association of Realtors "short sale addendum"  and addendum to the California Residential Purchase Agreement - a Counter offer - or other.It would seem clear that if the buyer includes the addendum his broker should check the "California Purchase and Sale Agreement" box.    I have seen counters which still checked... 01/23/2008

Short Sale Real Estate Services in San DiegoWe offer real estate short sale services in San Diego County. We have years of experience dealing with banks and know how to get a real estate short sale completed. It can be a very difficult process and sometimes make you feel like you are pulling your hair out the get some of thee deals done but it can be very rewarding to help someone eliminate their biggest monthly expense and walk away not having a foreclosure on their credit. We offer real estate short sale services in these city's below and just about any other city in San Diego County. Please feel free to visit our online short sale forum section to get answers to any of your short sale questions.Alpine Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Cardiff By The Sea Carmel Valley Carlsbad ... 01/22/2008

San Diego is experiencing a large rise in real estate short sales. A short sale is when the home is sold for less then what the balance of the mortgage is. Typically short sales do not become popular unless you are in a declining real estate market. For the past few years real estate short sales were never common because homes were experiencing large gains in value and the owner was always able to sell the home for more then what they owed against it. Now that the real estate market is leveling off the short sale is starting to increase in popularity. The common problem that a homeowner needs to be aware of is the scams that become popular whenever a homeowner is in a desperate situation and needs to sell their home. Short Sale Scams, Foreclosure Scams are always increasing in popularit... 01/22/2008

This article can also be viewed at http://www.discoversd.com/mag/sd-real-estate/356.htmlFind Your Dream San Diego Home in a Down MarketPublished : 01/21/2008 by Tim HolstenWhat if you could find your dream San Diego home in a down real estate market?  I'm going to withhold the answer to this tough question until the very end of my comments. Imagine you are driving around one Sunday afternoon just after leaving your favorite lunch restaurant in your San Diego neighborhood when you stop in at an Open House you saw on my Encinitas real estate website. You are in awe as you tour the home because it meets every item on the 'dream home checklist' that you have dreamt of, but never thought you could afford. Next, you do what any reasonable person would do and ask what the price is. You ask the... 01/22/2008

Park terrace Condos in Downtown San Diego competing with the neighbor across the street ICON! Both condominium projects have told me they have sold 75% of their units as of the date of this article. If there were 2 projects in the Downtown area of San Diego that I find to be very attractive and good buys it would be these 2 projects. When you take into consideration the HOA fee is fairly reasonable compared to other projects it makes these 2 buildings much more attractive. Both projects are very unique in their own individual way and depending on your style and needs you may find one project better then the other. If you are looking to purchase a nice condo in the ballpark district of Downtown San Diego then these 2 buildings need to be something you take into consideration. They are ri... 01/16/2008

This may not be the best market and we may be headed for a recession but do we really need the media to help? Every where I turn and everything I read about is that we are heading towards one of the biggest economic declines we have ever experienced. I really feel like the media is scaring everyone into a recession. I can't turn on the TV or Newspaper and read anything positive about the market. Why can't the report about how this market is creating opportunities for 1st time home buyers that weren't able to afford a home in the previous market? I am working with more 1sttime home buyers in the San Diego area then I have ever worked with in the past and it's been very satisfying to help these family's buy their first home that they wouldn't be able to afford a couple years ago. How come... 01/16/2008