So Ladies "WHAT" Does Your Footwear Say About You? - 05/31/11 10:23 AM
So Ladies What Does Your Footwear Say About You?

Yes, look down at your feet and check out those shoes that you are wearing. It has come to my attention that many-many women are woefully neglectful about the maintenance and care of their footwear.  Its a fact your feet are important, and so is the appearance of the shoes that you wear (I am not talking style). I was invited to a lovely afternoon tea which was being held by a community group. I was stunned at the the number of women that walked in and were nicely attired except … (4 comments)

Can San Diego School District "Revamp" Local School Campses Desirability? - 05/30/11 06:55 PM
Can San Diego School District "Revamp" Local School Campuses Desirability?

San Diego families have long looked beyond their own neighborhoods when it comes time to send their children to school with many forgoing convenience of proximity for the lure of better test  scores or specialty programs offered miles away.

More than 43 percent of student in the San Diego Unified School District rejected their neighborhood campus this year for one elsewhere in the city. That could change under an effort that seeks to reverse the trend or at least restore the appeal of the neighborhood campus especially in communities … (0 comments)

"Free" Gardening Classes being Offered By The City of Encinitas, California. - 05/29/11 09:29 AM
Free Gardening Classes Being Offered By The City of Encinitas, California.

Residents can now take "FREE" gardening lessons where they will learn to grow their own fruit and vegetables at the Solana Center in Encinitas, California. The environmental facility at 137 N. El Camino Real, is now one of the five county-sponsored Regional Garden Education Center. The others are in Spring Valley, National City, city Heights and south San Diego.

The education centers will offer hands-on gardening lessons for all skill levels. The centers are part of a county wide project called Healthy Works which aims to promote wellness … (0 comments)

Cardiff By The Sea, California Selects Name For Sports Park. - 05/29/11 09:13 AM
Cardiff By The Sea, California Selects Name For Sports Park.

A long awaited 44-acre sports park in Cardiff will be called Encinitas Community Park.  The park has been commonly referred to as the Hall property, named for its former owner, Robert Hall. The proposed park planned for more than a decade will consist of baseball and soccer fields, and aquatic center and a skating center. The property is just west of Interstate 5 and south of Santa Fe Drive.

The project has been challenged in court twice over the past 10 years, clearing both hurdles. A contest was … (0 comments)

ZipSmart-HomeScore- Lets Buyers Know About Properties Potential For Appreciation. - 05/29/11 08:27 AM
ZipSmart HomeScore Lets Buyers Know About Properties Potential For Future Appreciation.

New feature allows users to locate properties with best potential appreciation.
SmartZip Analytics and RealtyTrac have teamed up to add SmartZip’s Homescore to nearly 2 million foreclosure and for-sale properties on RealtyTrac’s website.  Homescore allows users to instantly locate properties that have the best potential for appreciation over time.
Visitors to the site who perform a property search will find a HomeScore rating for properties in their area of interest. The HomeScore rating is a measure of a property’s potential to have above-average appreciation and below-average costs. HomeScore indicates … (0 comments)

Is There A Light At the End Of The Tunnel? The Unvarnished Truth. - 05/28/11 08:00 PM
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? The Sad Unvarnished Truth.

Can anyone really predict the point in time when the real estate market is going to be in a full recovery mode? The local economist in the San Diego, California community are all hedging their bets by saying that we should be out of the woods by the latter part of 2014 the beginning of 2015. I heard predicts way back in 2005 when the real estate market started to slide that 2010 would be when the real estate market would right itself. (Oh, by the … (2 comments)

California State Attorney Establishes Mortgage Fraud Task Force-Subpoena-Goes Out. - 05/26/11 09:22 PM
California State Attorney Establishes Mortgage Fraud Task Force!

State Attorney Generals Office has formed a mortgage-fraud task force  as added protection for consumers throughout California.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris issued subpoenas to Lender Processing Services on Wednesday, her office said.
Harris is creating a new "mortgage fraud strike force," a state panel staffed with attorneys and investigators who will dig into "every step of the mortgage process," from origination to the sale of mortgage-backed securities.
"California homeowners have been exposed to fraud and crime at every step of the mortgage process." . "Justice demands we come to their aid, … (6 comments)

City of Encinitas, California To Celebrate Silver Anniversary! - 05/25/11 02:36 AM
The City of Encinitas is going to celebrate its 25th anniversary this fall 2011. Party plans are in the works. Upcoming celebration is to occur around October 1, 2011, when the city officially incorporated.

Some Encinitas, California History.
Encinitas got its name from Encina Canada, Spanish for "hills of live oaks," which describes what Gaspar de Portola saw in 1769 when he led an expedition through the region. The Spanish Governor of Baja California hoped to create a stronghold in California and did so until Mexico laid claim on the land in the 1800s. That reign was short … (0 comments)

Carlsbad, California Kiwanis Club Features Free Social Networking! - 05/24/11 06:42 PM
Carlsbad, California Kiwanis Features Free Social Networking:

The Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad is offering a free social media marketing & networking opportunity at 7:15 AM on May 31, 2011 at the Canyons Restaurant at the Crossings Golf Course,  5800 The Crossings Drive., in Carlsbad, California.

Guest speaker Mr. John Kennedy, owner of Nature Designs & Landscapes for Life, is an expert on using Facebook, Linkedin and other social media sites and tools. An optional buffet breakfast is available for $13.00.

Free Blood Glucose  & Blood Pressure Screening at Palomar Pomerado Health from noon to 2 PM, on … (0 comments)

Local San Diego, California School Districts Offering Students A Fifth Year To Graduate. - 05/23/11 05:14 PM
Local San Diego,California School Districts Offering Students a Fifth Year to Earn Their Diplomas.

Coming to the end of the senior year doesn't always mean the completion of a high school education. Each year hundreds of students in the Grossmont Union High School District return for a fifth year of high school to make up missing credits and fulfill requirement toward their high school diploma. The fifth year senior program is part of a dropout prevention approach that has been nationally recognized. this year, 388 fifth year seniors are enrolled in the East County district up from 289 a year ago. … (0 comments)

City of Carlsbad, California Seeks Street Maintenance Using Lasers. - 05/22/11 06:08 PM
City of Carlsbad, California Seeks Street Maintenance With Lasers.

The city of Carlsbad recently used laser for road analysis to stay one step ahead in its street maintenance efforts. It gained a foothold in using a new software technology to pinpoint and address potential trouble spots. This was the first time the city used the laser camera array to collect cracking, rutting and roughness date.

Previous city wide pavement condition assessment occurred in 2001 prior to the availability of this technology --at that time all the pavement distress date was collected by trained technicians doing windshield survey.
… (0 comments)

Encinitas, California Surfing Madonna Is to Be Removed. - 05/21/11 06:13 PM
Encinitas, California Surfing Madonna Is To Be Removed! Encinitas, Surfing Madonna is to be removed from its present location which is off Encinitas Boulevard and east of Cost Highway 101. The artwork which depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe on a surfboard with the words "Save the Ocean" was mysteriously put up on April 22, 2011. A group of artists, reportedly dressed as construction workers, installed the piece during the day at an intersection where 18,000 cars pass daily, under a train bridge . The art work did not get the blessing of the Encinitas city council  and is considered graffiti under municipal … (3 comments)

HomeStep (Freddie Mac) Program Offering Summer Sales Incentives. - 05/20/11 11:06 AM
Freddie Mac (HomeStep) program  Offering Summer Sales Incentives.
HomeSteps, the real estate sales unit of Freddie Mac this week launched a nationwide sales promotion for its inventory of foreclosed homes.

The HomeSteps Summer Sales Promotion offers up to 3.5 percent of a buyer's closing cost and a $1,200 selling agent bonus for initial offers received May 16, 2011 - July 31, 2011, which result in escrows closed on or before Sept. 30, 2011. The offer is valid only on HomeSteps homes sold to owner-occupant buyers.

Some of the HomeSteps homes also may include a two-year Home Protect® limited … (6 comments)

Broker Caravan Etiquette & Tips! - 05/19/11 12:01 PM
Broker Caravan Etiquette & Tips!

I recently attended a local board caravan that had 12 homes that were to be caravaned.The standard procedures  for this particular board is that everyone that has a listing on caravan  must attend, or have a representative that going to attend to open up the home. This is a Friday caravan and  it starts with the usual pitch session, where each listing is taunted by the listing agents, giving insights as to motivation, any unusual aspects of the home etc. Some agents include food and offer prizes. On this particular Friday there were at least … (3 comments)

City of Escondido, California Will Be Hosting Upcoming "Show Your Car At The Park" - 05/18/11 10:34 AM
Escondido, California will be hosting the upcoming American Heritage Car Show from 9AM, to 3PM, May 28th, 2011. Grape Day park located at 321 N. Broadway, Escondido, California.

This event will feature music, awards, a raffle, vendors and a pancake breakfast. The event is open to all domestic and imported cars before 1974 including vintage, classic, muscle and hot rod cars. The entry fee is $25.00 at the gate. Vehicles registered by May 20, will receive a T-shirt and dashboard plaque.   rets … (0 comments)

"Top Gun" Home In Oceanside, California --Celebrates 25th Anniversary! - 05/18/11 10:11 AM
"Top Gun" Home In Oceanside, California-- Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

With the passage of time and neglect the once pristine setting for the home in the "Top Gun" movie has met with  indifference and disregard. The sign of aging are showing with the front porch sagging with its doors and windows boarded-this once tourist attraction is now forlorn and not sought after tourist site it once was. How times fly's, 25 years later, the city of Oceanside, California  will be celebrating the launch of the movie "Top Gun" with Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise.  Due to the popularity of the movie, … (1 comments)

Home Ownership In San Diego, California-April 2011 Information. - 05/17/11 06:28 PM
Home ownership In San Diego, California  Information for April 2011.


The median days-on-market for North San Diego County SFD homes sold
decreased from 58 in March 2011 to 50 days in April 2011; the average number
of days-on-market decreased from 85 in March 2011 to 79 days in April 2011.

• The SFD median price-per-square foot fell from $217 in March 2011 back to
$212 in April 2011 and decreased 7.43 percent year-over from April 2010;
median price-per-square foot has declined in four of the last five months, April
2011 being the largest such decline since summer 2009.
… (0 comments)

Celebrate National Trails Day & Beach Fest In Carlsbad, California. - 05/16/11 11:07 AM
Celebrate National Trails Day- Beach Fest @ Carlsbad, California
On the first Saturday in June (June 4, 2011) the City of Carlsbad trail volunteers and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation will partner to sponsor a cleanup of invasive plants along the trail at the north shore of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon located between Carlsbad Blvd. and the coastal rail line. (Work will not occur in or near the railroad right of way).
Participants should wear a hat, sunscreen, long pants and hiking shoes. Tools and supplies will be provided along with water, granola bars and fresh fruit.

Note volunteers … (1 comments)

City of Oceanside, California-Sends Layoff Notices! - 05/16/11 09:07 AM
City of Oceanside, California Sends Layoff Notices!

Thirty-three Oceanside city employees received layoff f notices on Monday as the city prepares to finalize its proposed budget cuts on June 1, 2011. The city is required to give 30 day notices to employees who are to be let got. Among those who received notices were employees from the parks and recreation, library, finance and City Manager's office.

The plan calls for reduced hours at libraries, community centers, senior center sand recreation center, the closure of the Marshall Street Pool and San Luis Rey Valley Police and Resource Center and the … (0 comments)

Aging-In-Place Suggest/Soultions For Seniors. - 05/14/11 09:25 AM
Aging- in- Place Suggest/Solutions For Seniors.
Many senior American's are wanting to making the adjustment necessary to stay in their long time homes--but face the challenge of getting required/helpful home improvements.

A growing number of "universal design" and assititive technology features are available for aging homeowners . Demand is expected to skyrocket as the over-65 population booms.
.
There are so many little things that can be done, New assistive devices that are being created to help people sty in their home. The secret is having the knowledge about what is available.

For most seniors fancy technology takes a back … (0 comments)

How To Size Up & Select A Webmaster Who Can Keep Your Site One Step Ahead. - 05/13/11 07:53 PM

In the web's early days knowledge of HTML and an eye for graphics were all a webmaster needed to succeed. Now, a top-notch webmaster must be a jack-of-all-trades, excelling in server and application programming, graphics design, e-mail, marketing, media development, site security, social media integration and more.

Here is what you should be looking for in an outstanding webmaster:
A diverse portfolio demonstrating knowledge and skills in visual design web graphics and programming. Knowledge of standards, technologies and tools. The ideal webmaster knows what is possible and required to implement certain features, but also knows that the latest and … (0 comments)

Emergency Preparedness--Be Ready! - 05/12/11 03:13 AM
Get Ready, the best time to get prepared is before a disaster threatens your home or safety. Use these steps as a guide for getting ready.

Make a Plan:
Designate a relative or friend as an out of area contact with whom family members can relay information. Long distance phone systems often work even if local communication systems are overloaded. If you have children involve then in the planning-let them be part of the process. Review and update your emergency supply kit and "important stuff" list periodically. Learn alternate ways out of your neighborhood, in case the usual way becomes … (6 comments)

Fewer Day Camps to Be Offered By the City of Vista, California This Summer! - 05/11/11 10:10 AM
City of Vista, California This Summer to Offer Fewer Day Camps.

The city of Vista, California is now accepting registration for its summer day camp programs but families will have fewer options to choose from this year because of city budget cuts.

There were 99 week long camps last summer but only 41 camps are planned this year. Vista will no longer offer its allstar sports camp, discovery camp, superstars camp and specialty week long camps for tennis, gymnastics, culinary skills, music and sculpting officials said.

Choices that remain on the schedule include the adventure camp, two … (0 comments)

Name Your Worms Contest, Being Held By La Jollla, California Birch Aquarium! - 05/10/11 09:24 AM
For wannabe scientist and witty residents, it's the chance of a lifetime. Name two new species of "beautiful" deep-sea worms.
The Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography is giving the public that opportunity
through May 25, 2011 in an effort to drum up support for the world's oceans.

Just think of the many possibilities. Let your imagination run free; Scripps scientists in association with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, discovered the worms living upon whale carcasses on the ocean floor near Monterey.

The new worms are tiny--just a few centimeters long and part … (1 comments)

"Free" Concerts Events @ Pala Casino Spa & Resort, In Pala-California! - 05/09/11 02:18 PM
Pala Casino Spa & Resort located in Pala, California is hosting its "FREE" events series in May featuring Video Dance Parties on Fridays and  tribute bands on Saturdays. The opening of its new Infinity showroom May 6 will increase the number of events offered to guests.

New event offered for the first time in May will include the 60+ club each Turesday: Service Industry Nights each Thursday and the Infinity Sports Experience each Sunday.
At 7PM,, May 14, Pala will hold its first free outdoor tibute concert at the Starligh Theater. The Joshua Tree  a tribute U-2 and Queen … (0 comments)

Eight Things You Should Not Cheap Out On! - 05/09/11 06:58 AM
Hey, we all like a bargain and how many of us are not avid coupon collectors, Well here are eight items that you should not be frugal about...
1. Paint.. Even though you can find a gallon of paint for as little as $11 dollars-- cheaper paint will take several costs to cover a single wall and its likely won't hold up for an extended period of time.
2. Gas Grills. Look for features such as premium quality burners, stainless steel grates and heavy duty construction. You should realistically expect to spend at least $150.00 for a quality product.
3. Big Screen … (1 comments)

For Sale By Owner Thinks Real Estate Agents Stink! - 05/07/11 03:47 PM
For Sale By Owner Thinks Real Estate Agents Stink!


On Thursday I found a For Sale By Owner in the Local San Diego paper, after showing property in the afternoon I was going to stop by and introduce myself. Before I go out to see a For Sale by Owner I always do my homework – I check to see if the home had been listed before and get an idea of what the past history may have been like. Sure enough this home had been on the market by three other listings brokers. One for eight days, another … (0 comments)

Absolutely Stunning Hillcrest Home In San Diego, California For Sale! - 05/06/11 10:27 PM
For anyone looking for a stunning and absolutely, marvelously designed home that is anything but your cookie cutter motif –this home has panache (yes a fancy word) that provides a feast for you eyes and other senses.
Loving attention has been give to every detail in this very special home- located in one of the most desirable sections of San Diego, this home has the “wow” factor.
Three bedrooms with two complete bathrooms, the interior has been completely updated and has one of the most spacious back yard you could possibly find. Seller's have poured a lot of love into this … (2 comments)

Coming To Downtown Encinitas, California "Undergound" Alterntive Transport Show! - 05/06/11 09:01 PM
Hybrid vehicle owners need not apply for participation in the first-ever "underground" alternative transport show hosted by the Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association.
For this May 26 event, organizers say they just want to showcase vehicles that go gasoline-free, not ones that use both gas and electricity.
"It's not just about the electric cars, we want the bikes and the alternative vehicles too," association program assistant Carris Rhodes said Thursday as she described plans for the rapidly expanding special event.
Set for 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 26, the free celebration of alternative transportation will include everything from BMW officials talking about … (0 comments)

Highway 76 In Oceanside, California, Expansion Is On Schedule Despite Rains! - 05/05/11 03:22 PM
Residents of Fallbrook and Oceanside, California are rejoicing over the much needed bridge work expansion and road widening of Highway 76 --- that is due to be completed in 2012.
200 Million dollars has been allocated to widening Highway 76 and bridge Work-- which has been started  between Melrose Drive in Oceanside and South Mission Road in Fallbrook a 5.5 mile stretch of the highway where traffic has dramatically increased over the past decade because of the pre-reccsion housing boom in North San Diego County and Southwest Riverside County.
Per Caltrans the project is still on schedule to be completed in … (1 comments)

Encinitas, California "Lady Madonna" Mural Has Opposing Views. - 05/04/11 09:52 AM
Encinitas, California "Lady Madonna" Mural Has Opposing Views!
It inserts a religious theme on public property and it depicts a sacred image, Our Lady of Guadalupe in an an unconventional pose. Visitors seem mostly fascinated by the artists workmanship.
What is impressive is how the artists completed the project without calling attention to themselves. Many visitors are in favor of keeping the mural up, and a petition is underway on Facebook to keep it up. Varying sizes of glass pieces and how they were used tiny bits make up the details found in Mary's face and hands and larger more jagged … (0 comments)

San Diego Padres Honor Military With Free Baseball Tickets. - 05/03/11 08:57 AM
San Diego Padres Honor Military With Free Baseball Tickets.

Last nights game against the Pirates @ Petco Park, was played to a crowd of over 20,000.  To honor the military the San Diego Padres wore camouflage uniforms. The team usually invites all active duty and veterans in the crowd to stand and be recognized prior to the start of every game, and did so again tonight; but the cheers from over 20,000 in attendance were a little louder than normal.  The MLB 9-11 logo was also displayed on monitors throughout the ballpark during the introductions.
Recap:

Lets just … (0 comments)

Guest House-Mansion Plus 4 Car Garage In Poway, California! - 05/02/11 09:57 AM
Guest House - Mansion Plus 4 Car Garage In Poway, Ca. I betcha you had to read that heading twice, this home is in one of the most desirable school districts, in San Diego County, yes this mansion is everything you could imagine.
Let's talk about Poway, California Conveniently located in the center of San Diego County, Poway enjoys a sunny climate, clean air, a pristine lake and ecological reserves. Poway has carefully planned for balancing growth with the good life, offering an ideal place in which to prosper. Just minutes away from San Diego. Los Angeles is very nearby.
It's … (0 comments)

National Assocition of REALTORS® Opposes High Down Payment Requirements. - 05/02/11 09:11 AM
As the leading advocate for home ownership NAR supports a reasonable and affordable cash investment requirement coupled with quality credit standard, strong documentation and sound underwriting.
With the high down payment requirements being proposed by federal regulatory agencies as part of the upcoming rule-making under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act will unnecessarily burden home buyers an significantly impede the economic and housing recovery according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
We need to strike a balance between reducing investor risk and providing affordable mortgage credit. Saving the necessary down payment has always been the principal obstacle … (2 comments)

50% Off List Price For HUD Homes In San Diego, Ca-- Qualified Candidates Read More! - 05/01/11 05:06 PM
Yes, HUD is offering 50% off some of the homes that they have in their inventory for those candidates that qualified. So are you possibly one of the lucky ones. Here is the list of professionals that can look at getting a home which is reduced in price of about 50%.--Good Neighbor Next Door Program. Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians and Pre-Kindergarten -12 Grade Teachers can participate in HUD’s Good Neighbor Next Door Program.
This program offers 50% discount off the list price of qualified HUD Homes in certain revitalization areas. Which means this $250,000 listed home would … (0 comments)

California Assoication of Realtors Launches Short Sale Website! - 05/01/11 09:58 AM
With fewer than three of five short sales closing in California, C.A.R. is well aware of the complexity and difficulty of navigating lenders' and servicers' short-sale procedures. To assist both Realtors and consumers, C.A.R.  has launched shorsalescalifornia.org a website specifically focused on short sales. This website helps members and consumers stay on top of all the latest news and insider tips on the ever changing short sale process.

Visitors to the site will find information ranging from short sale news, foreclosure time lines and red flags to watch for. to legal Q&As a short sale glossary and much more.
 
… (2 comments)

 
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Lorraine or Loretta Kratz-Certified Negotiation Consultants

San Marcos, CA

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Crescent Moon Realty, Inc. & Land N Sea Auctions.

Office Phone: (760) 650-2157

Cell Phone: (760) 650-2157

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