There's not much that I like better than spending time at the beach. While it's only a short distance from my house, it seems I just don't get there often enough.
I was out on a long bike ride recently with my camera and stopped along the beach where the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon joins the ocean in Carlsbad California. The jetties there provide some interesting photo ops, but a video seemed even better, since the tide was coming in and the waves were a decent size. So, for those of who who cannot get to the ocean very often, or who just enjoy the sound of waves crashing against the rocks, enjoy! And while you're watching these waves, I'm watching the waves in Cancun. :)
Every now and then I like to share what I think is a great opportunity. It may be a terrific condo, a fixer with tremendous potential, or in this case in the Carlsbad real estate market an awesome ocean view new beach home directly across the coast road (Carlsbad Boulevard) from the beach and ocean in Carlsbad California by Carlsbad State Beach (north end).
This newly built home that is nearing completion is priced just under $4 million, which for 3 floors (1 below grade) with 6200 SF of living and entertaining space, a 1700 SF roof deck, a 1300 SF garage, 5 bedrooms, 5 full baths and 2 half baths, and some pretty incredible views, makes for a pretty sweet deal.
No it is not direct ocean front, but the land in front across the street belongs to the state and cannot be built on. You simply walk across the street and down the stairs to the sand. Perhaps 2 - 3 minutes if you have to wait at the light for traffic.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an interesting topic, no doubt, and rather a famous holiday for many, especially in Mexico where it is an ancient tradition (and I will get to celebrate and check out the festivities in person - yikes) to celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones - altars, music, favorite foods of the deceased, visits to the cemeter with flowers, and celebration are the hallmarks of this long tradition.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on November 1 and 2 and beyond, depending on where the festivities take place. November 1 is the Catholic holiday of All Saint's Day; November 2 is All Soul's Day.
There is a huge Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Mission San Luis Rey tomorrow, Sunday November 1, from 10 - 4. There will be numerous altars created, a parade, lots of music and food, dancers, and a chalk cemetery where folks (of Mexican heritage, or not) can participate and remember a loved one.
If I can provide more information about Oceanside real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
The Carlsbad real estate market has shifted quite a bit in the last several years, and buyers interested in homes at The Bay Collection near the beach in Carlsbad will find some favorable opportunities compared to when the community was first built, including an occasional short sale and REO..
The homes at The Bay Collection are next to the popular, upscale area of Aviara and within about 1 mile of the beach. A number of homes here have ocean views, as the community is built on the gradual hill overlooking the ocean and close to the 5 freeway which provides easy commuting north and south. Most homes are 2-story and. a few single story homes also available.
Currently there are 8 homes at The Bay Collection for sale, ranging in size from 2964 SF up to 3352 SF, with 4 to 6 bedrooms and 4 or 5 baths. Home prices start at $875,000 for a wonderful ocean view home)(former model) with a large back yard and casita that is now a short sale (this home was priced at around a million when it came on the market early last year) and go up to $1.649 million (average price of the current listings is $1,216,624 at $332/SF; average time on market is 95 days). The price range of homes now is quite a bit less than we saw back in 2007 at the time when many homes were brand new.
13 homes at The Bay Collection have sold in 2009 to date at an average price of $1,099,011 ($314/SF), which compares favorably to the $1.055 million average back in 2007 (resales, not builder homes). These homes were on the market for 104 days on average and ranged in price from $880K up to $1.75 million.
Buyers seeking higher end properties that are relatively new in the Carlsbad real estate market will find the homes at The Bay Collection offer an enticing opportunity to be near the beach. For more information or to arrange a personal tour, feel free to give me a call.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
The value of a blog is, of course, information. Whether you share that information directly, or guide readers to others sources of information that you have found and feel worthy, the gift to the reader is adding to their knowledge about a community, buying or selling real estate, or whatever the topic might be.
A blog enables you to establish relationships with your readers through regular postings, valuable information that they want and need, and through sharing who you are in your voice and your writings.
Another value of blogging, however, is to enhance existing relationships by sharing information needed by readers and answering their questions. Here are some things that I do.
MARKET REPORTS...
...are useful for providing potential buyers and sellers with updates on what is happening in particular markets. They help me stay in touch as well as provide feedback to clients about what has been happening in their market since they bought their homes. While the news is not always good, it's news they appreciate. And of course current buyers need this information as well so they understand the market they are searching in.
REAL ESTATE AND COMMUNITY UPDATES...
...provide an excellent means for staying in touch with past clients, and enhancing relationships with current buyers and sellers (and prospects) is easy because the information is of value. These can cover a diverse set of issues, for example:
Sharing information about changes in the utility rates (water and sewer rates have gone up recently in a number of towns)
details on the drought and the mandatory water conservation requirements that were implemented
how to apply for a temporary property tax reassessment
products and services in the community
These are just a few of the types of posts I have shared that show I am aware of the issues that impact homeowners, and that I have local knowledge about community resources. Not only do these posts show I care, it's also important stuff for folks to know.
COMMUNITY PROFILES...
...are an excellent way to enhance a developing relationship with clients who are relocating, or just moving locally. While that is often how they find their way to me, continuing to share information on the communities of interest, including local events and things to do, shopping, restaurants and much more further solidify the relationship, provide information they need to made an informed decision about where they want to live.
HOW DO I SHARE THIS INFORMATION? Well, there are several ways.
Emailing folks individually and sharing the links, which allows me to be more personal.
Group emails depending on the topics of interest and who I am writing to
Links to different articles in my email drip campaigns through my IDX
Reference certain articles in the snail mail (and email) newsletters that I do
Share blog posts on postcards although those tend to be to a farm area and not necessarily to folks with whom I have an existing relationship
Blogs are part of my email signatures on everything I send out, including custom email responses to inquiries, requests for mortgage information and so on
Some marketing pieces I include in my Buyer Packet and Sellers'Pre-listing Kits are actual hard copies of blog posts
Include some posts in my Buyer Handbook and my First Time Seller's Handbook (available in PDF form by email or on Google Docs)
And naturally we cannot discuss using blog posts to enhance relationships without mentioning tweeting about them, or including links to them in our Facebook updates.
How are YOU using your blog to enhance your existing relationships?
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
I'm sorry, but I don't mean to question your lifestyle, but I must.
Really, I have to in order to be helpful. It's not that I disapprove of your lifestyle and how you want to live your life - you certainly have the right to live the way you want - but since you are moving here to the Carlsbad area (or elsewhere in North San Diego County on or near the coast where I work) it's important that I know certain things about how you live.
Hopefully you will understand my nosiness and be comfortable sharing the way you like to live, and perhaps more importantly the lifestyle you desire once you relocate here to Southern California.
In case you are concerned about where this may be leading, don't be.
Southern California offers a different lifestyle for many because of the great weather we have, and much of what folks in SoCal really like about being here is the fact that they can enjoy the outdoors most if not all the year - sports, recreation, dining and much more. So that's a big piece of what folks are looking for when they move here. And perhaps many of you are not even aware how different your lifestyle might be after leaving the upper Midwest or New England, for example.
I work with a lot of folks who are relocating a significant distance, and in many cases from areas where the weather and other components of how they live are rather different than in SoCal. So finding out not only how you live but what you are seeking when you move here is essential so I can guide you in the right direction. Here are a few examples.
Some neighborhoods will not work for you if you want to be within walking distance to the beach, or directly on the beach
If you want to live along a golf course, that eliminates many neighborhoods and narrows the search to certain areas and price ranges
Do you want to be able to walk to the beach and amenities or is a car drive OK
Pools and spas are more prevalent here (it's a weather thing!) so if that's important your search criteria should include that, or perhaps a willingness to install a pool or spa.
I created a questionnaire to target buyer's home search criteria they are seeking and ask buyers to complete this, or at least to look at it to help sort through what's really important. You can download this questionnaire on the Savvy Buyers page of my real estate website.
My new questionnaire focuses on Buyer's Lifestyles, since I have found many buyers have fairly specific expectations of what they are seeking in their move to Southern California and they vary quite a bit from person to person.
These expectations can impact the type of home, location, neighborhood, access to amenities and many other factors that we need to sort through to find the right property.
Even if you don't complete the questionnaire, it will help you sort through the issues that matter to you most, and we can talk further about your desired lifestyle as part of the home searching process.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
The City of Carlsbad California has a new website. And it's pretty impressive.
As part of their modernization program in information technology, in order to save money (by reducing the amount of mail, for one thing), to reduce the amount of paper used, and increase efficiency for the City, the City of Carlsbad's new website holds a wealth of information for residents and visitors, and allows folks to performs a number of on-line functions that previously were handled via mail.
The City of Carlsbad's new website provides access to all City of Carlsbad departments and a wealth of subcategories with more information that you probably want or need. I'm still discovering all that the City of Carlsbad new web site offers me and other residents.
In the Building Department, for example, you can research permits, access building codes, search for applications, and learn more about the process for getting a building permit for either residential or commercial construction
Under Street and Traffic Services if you want information about street lights, the street sweeping schedule in your neighborhood, or storm drain maintenance, among other traffic and street related issues, you got it.
The Parks and Recreation Department has a wealth of information on events and activities, trails, parking, recreation, classes and camps, youth sports league, activities for adult and seniors, and much more
In the event of a disaster, or potential, and perhaps more importantly just to know, the City of Carlsbad's Emergency Preparedness Office provides details about the procedures they can implement when needed, as well as a wealth of resources for area residents in the event of a disaster such as fires
Need maps or directions? You can research the locations of the police, fire, the two library, admin offices and more, with printable directions. And the ezoning mapping provides details about zoning and other information on parcels in Carlsbad
I could go on and on, but why not check out the City of Carlsbad's new website for yourself. With so many folks on-line, having a new website for Carlsbad is an efficient way to disseminate information to residents and visitors.
This is a terrific resource for residents, but I find it useful for sharing with folks who are considering a relocation to Carlsbad as part of my relocation services. You can even read about Carlsbad's history and obtain updates on Carlsbad demographics.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Out on a long bike ride over the weekend, I was riding on one of Carlsbad side streets a block from the ocean and saw a sign that immediately conjured up thoughts of some recent homes for sale I had seen.
BEWARE OF DOG
NO SOLICITING
These were plastered on the mail box, obviously in hopes of keep away folks trying to sell stuff, and letting them know, honestly or perhaps it was a lie, that there was a dog in residence who perhaps did not take kindly to visitors, especially of the sales ilk. The message was loud and clear - you are not welcome.
There are, unfortunately, sellers who seem to put up these same roadblocks to selling their homes, discouraging agents and their buyers who might wish to make a purchase by:
•· lousy curb appeal
•· unreasonable showing schedules
•· lots of obvious deferred maintenance
•· mounds of clutter
•· front door keys that don't work
•· other signs that say, loudly, "Stay Away."
Pets, especially dogs, provide another source of disruption and make it difficult to show homes to interested buyers, the worst situation being a lack of forewarning that one or more canine sentries is lying in wait for unsuspecting agents and their clients to trespass. The dog, of course doesn't know, or care, that you may want to buy the home. They are simply taking their job seriously - keeping interlopers away by whatever means possible.
Or maybe, like some sellers, they do not want to sell and are simply using every means at their disposal to discourage a sale.
Fortunately, some sellers are pretty good about putting their canine guards elsewhere, but using the garage, a bedroom, or the backyard still makes showings difficult. Knowing in advance that Fido is there, from the MLS listing warning, is always appreciated, but some descriptions (cute but not friendly; barks a lot and may bite; do NOT go into backyard) do not inspire excitement about seeing the home and set up yet another barrier to those of us soliciting a sale. Perhaps a BEWARE OF DOG sign at the door as well is not so ill-advised.
I have yet to have my legs connect with Fido's teeth, nor have any clients, but I know folks who have had the misfortune to incur the wrath of the homeowners's pooch who was more than just a bit cranky about their entry into the home.
Some sellers don't want to sell but have no choice, I understand that.
The ones that I don't get are those homeowner's who, presumably, DO wish to sell, but have figurative "Beware of dog" and "No Soliciting" signs everywhere. (photo courtesy of Allison Gurney on Flickr).
I always encourage buyers to try and look beyond all this stuff, if they can, and they like the home and the area. The maintenance issues, of course, are NOT to be ignored, but cosmetics and clutter are, well, fixable. Not being able to see a room, the yard, or the garage because of Fido IS a problem. Some just say forget it. Bad news for sellers.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
It's that time again, for the town of Carlsbad to host one of the largest outdoor one-day street fairs in the country, on Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Blvd. (the Coast Road) to Jefferson in the heart of downtown just a few blocks from the beach.
The Carlsbad Street Faire (there is also one held annually in May) generally attracts about 90,000+ visitors, practically the entire Carlsbad population, to 850+ vendors that are expected, many of whom return year after year.
IT'S LIKE A MEGA SIDEWALK SALE or GARAGE SALE!!
This year's Carlsbad Village Street Faire, in the 35th season,is once again hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce on Sunday November 1, from 8 am until 4 pm. The array of things to buy is hard to describe - clothing and accessories, household products, jewelry, art work, antiques, gifts, and so much more.
Downtown Carlsbad Village - the scene of the Carlsbad Street Faire Sunday November 1
As always there will be a beer and wine garden, sponsored by the Rotary Club, with entertainment by live bands and a large screen TV. The food court, with more than 50 different booths, will offer an almost endless variety of edibles. Or enjoy the famous pancake breakfast that the Kiwanis Club serves every year (25 now) at the Carlsbad railroad depot nearby.
Children will be able to enjoy the children's area, with rides, games, a super slide, a bounce house, arts and crafts, a rock climbing wall, face painting and much more.
Parking, as one would expect, can be a challenge, so getting there early is a good idea. Shuttles will be provided every 20 minutes from two locations - the Poinsettia Coaster Station (on Avenida Encinas just off Poinsettia to the south), and the NW corner of Sears at the Westfield Plaza to the east, near Route 78 and Jefferson.
If you enjoy outdoor fairs, the Carlsbad Street Faire is a biggie, this coming Sunday November 1 from 8 until 5. Shop until you drop...or run out of money. Keep in mind, the holidays are coming!!
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Buyers and sellers in the North San Diego County area frequently look to market data to better understand their local market conditions and the particular communities where they now live or wish to buy.
The market reports I share are compiled monthly for a number of North San Diego County communities using data from the MLS. Samples of these reports are presented here in summary format to simplify your search for market data.
The most recent report for each community is listed below
Each market report has one or more links to prior reports on that community so you can see any trends
If you have an interest in other communities, or in specific market segments (e.g., high end homes), a custom report can be developed for you. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions if more information is needed.
With home prices in August up 4th straight month, reviewing data for your community may be of particular interest (keep in mind that market conditions are very local, and even the report noted here indicates that prices did not fare so well in all cities nationally).
Just to put things in perspective, here are the stats for San Diego County YTD (end of September) 2009 from the MLS compared to the same period for 2008. These numbers are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed; they do not include private sales or mobile/manufactured housing.
If I can provide more information about San Diego real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
DISCLAIMER: I must disclaim liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect, that may result from use of, or reliance on, any information contained in this blog, or for the accuracy of comments or opinions expressed by visitors to my blog. The information contained in the articles is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed, and the opinions expressed in these articles are mine.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
The Carlsbad real estate market has shifted quite a bit in the last several years, and buyers interested in homes at The Bay Collection near the beach in Carlsbad will find some favorable opportunities compared to when the community was first built, including an occasional short sale and REO..
Currently there are 8 homes at The Bay Collection for sale, ranging in size from 2964 SF up to 3352 SF, with 4 to 6 bedrooms and 4 or 5 baths. Home prices start at $875,000 for a wonderful ocean view home)(former model) with a large back yard and casita that is now a short sale (this home was priced at around a million when it came on the market early last year) and go up to $1.649 million (average price of the current listings is $1,216,624 at $332/SF; average time on market is 95 days). The price range of homes now is quite a bit less than we saw back in 2007 at the time when many homes were brand new. 
The value of a blog is, of course, information. Whether you share that information directly, or guide readers to others sources of information that you have found and feel worthy, the gift to the reader is adding to their knowledge about a community, buying or selling real estate, or whatever the topic might be. 
HOW DO I SHARE THIS INFORMATION? Well, there are several ways. 
Really, I have to in order to be helpful. It's not that I disapprove of your lifestyle and how you want to live your life - you certainly have the right to live the way you want - but since you are moving here to the Carlsbad area (or elsewhere in North San Diego County on or near the coast where I work) it's important that I know certain things about how you live. 
I work with a lot of folks who are relocating a significant distance, and in many cases from areas where the weather and other components of how they live are rather different than in SoCal. So finding out not only how you live but what you are seeking when you move here is essential so I can guide you in the right direction. Here are a few examples. 
I created a questionnaire to target buyer's home search criteria they are seeking and ask buyers to complete this, or at least to look at it to help sort through what's really important. You can download this questionnaire on the 
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