Sleeping Under the Stars - 04/29/07 11:03 AM
…in the luxury of your own bed—and awakening to blue skies and scattered clouds.
Sounds like heaven to me.
And it might be a reality for a luxury camper, or someone clever enough to commission magical artwork from a talented artist such as Rip Read.
Sleeping under the stars is now a possibility because StarMurals Startist, Rip Read, has returned to Southern California from his sojourn in Cabo San Lucas. The only artist in the world creating these amazing effects, Rip has now introduced his new Day & Night murals that are an ideal enhancement  to the sleeping area(s) of the luxury home, yacht or one-of-a-kind luxury passenger jet. Or how about … (3 comments)

A Luxury Home for Jets and Toys - 04/29/07 10:36 AM
 
 Even private jet owners from Dubai might want to stop in Carlsbad, California for fuel, red carpet service and a concierge service second to none. Celebrities, business tycoons and savvy fliers already know about the Premier Jet facility at the McClellan-Palomar Airport-and the buzz is starting to spread.
With U.S. Customs opening an office at Palomar Airport in June, a $24 million facelift in the works, and the runway being lengthened to accommodate more traffic, international high flyers may make this Carlsbad airport a new must-stop.
I had the fun opportunity to interview Marc LaChance, developer of the Premier Jet facility, and find out a little more about the this … (10 comments)

9390 Chabola Drive, San Diego, CA 92129 - 04/29/07 12:14 AM
Terrific buy on this bright and open 4-bedroom, 3-bath, 3-car garage home overlooking canyon with no neighbors at front of home, Inside is an architectural dream full of lighted art niches, flowing circular lines and lots of well-placed windows. There is a bedroom and bath downstairs. Other features include dual zoned air conditioning, outdoor spa, well-equipped kitchen with large walk-in pantry and terrific storage.
The view, as pictured from the upstairs master deck, is breathtaking.
Located in a prime Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood, this home is vacant, freshly painted and awaiting a new owner. It has a variable range price of $789,000 to 820,000. For an appointment … (3 comments)

Pop the Cork for Sellsius! - 04/28/07 12:41 AM
Sellsius Real Estate (at 8:35 pm PST) is currently lounging around in Laguna Beach, CA sipping margaritas and Coronas with SoCal Rainers-and left me here in San Diego to break the news. (Can't blame them-I was in a class strugging to convert from PC-mentality to MAC). ((Ouch!!))
All drama aside, Rudy and Joe have unveiled a new site that  so caters to the real estate agent and the buyers who wants more precision in their property search results. BMW and Mercedes engineers couldn't have done a better job.
Want a niche search for that ski cabin in the mountains, or that duplex by the sea? Buyers will have to look no further-especially … (13 comments)

3401 Adam's Run, Encinitas, CA 92024 - 04/27/07 11:55 AM
How do you define serenity? Some believe it starts with where you plant your roots.
Looking for such a place? This Olivenhain lot in rural Encinitas might be a good place to start. Sitting on a knoll in a very small, exclusive gated community, this 2.59 acre lot commands views of the ocean and overlooks the famed Bridges Golf Course in Rancho Santa Fe. Surrounding you though is silence, save for the sound of birds.
The owner will include architectural plans for the property, which includes a 9,000+ square foot Tuscan-styled home along with a 2-bedroom guest cottage by the landscaped pool. The lot will also accomodate horses. Architectural plans … (0 comments)

3048 Camino Limero, Carlsbad, CA 92009 - 04/26/07 11:08 PM
This isn't an ordinary La Costa townhome being offered. This is an extraordinary and pampered home being offered by a bachelor who had little other to do with his time and money than to pour it into his fabulous La Costa home. The landscaping is lush and tropical, but not unusual for this prime Carlsbad, California location. But the quality upgrades only get better as one enters the property.
The $90,000 remodel is nothing short of WOW. The kitchen was a total renovation with granite surfaces, elegant cabinets, upgraded fixtures and newer appliances. It invites casual entertaining as well as intimate cooking for two.
Nothing … (3 comments)

Come Join the Carnival of Luxury! - 04/26/07 04:05 AM

In case you have never visited or participated in a blogging carnival, please allow me to extend a hand and introduce you to a dizzying world of fun, opinions and amazing information. I have participated several times in real estate blogging carnival--and look forward each week to reading the winning entries.
I know it takes huge effort on the part of the host and judge(s) to read through all the entries and select the winning articles. But the results for the blog readers are usually pretty rich. After reading them, I leave my desk somehow wiser and more appreciative of my fellow Realtors and blogging … (29 comments)

La Costa Chateaus: A Tale of Two Sisters - 04/25/07 11:17 PM
It was a developer's mistake that should have never happened.
Sometime around 1970, the developers of the original La Costa Resort and Spa allowed for the construction and sale of two 48-unit condominium buildings inside what would eventually come to be known as "the gates of La Costa."  These two buildings are the first to be seen by anyone approaching the resort from its main entrance. When built, the 791-square foot studios made a perfect pied a terre for out of area golf and tennis members who wanted a luxurious alternative to hotel rooms for short or extended stays-and still wanted the benefits of resort locale … (3 comments)

La Jolla, California: The Coastal Jewel - 04/24/07 05:50 PM
La Jolla, California is a paradise for both the traveller and the resident. Sitting on the prime northern edge of San Diego, La Jolla offers a spectacular coastline with heart-stopping views. Add to the natural beauty a charming village, top-tier shopping, dining and lodging, a top-ranked university (UCSD) and medical school-along with a climate that is arguably the best on earth-and you have The Jewel, or La Jolla, as the Spaniards call it.
No doubt, La Jolla real estate is expensive--and luxury buyers from all over the world would like to own here and many do.  With a population hovering around 35,000, there is a strong sense of … (3 comments)

Welcome to the Blingdex - 04/23/07 03:37 AM
Luxury is booming and Wall Street is keeping a keen eye on how the rich are spending their wealth. And what better way to measure that hedonism than by creating a variety of indexes that track the shopping of the ultra-rich?  The demand for four-figure handbags, five-figure baubles, six-figure cars, seven and eight-figure homes, luxury resorts and travel,  insurable art and heady wines has created a new and trackable economy for the very wealthy.
What intrigues many investors is how well the carriage trade merchants are faring. This is mostly due to the fact that the rich are getting richer and their numbers on a global basis are growing-along with their … (14 comments)

How Big is Your Carbon Footprint? - 04/21/07 06:38 PM
There is little we can do to stop global warming, the melting of icebergs, rising sea levels and the inevitability of dandelions. But here are some big and small things we can all do to lessen the impact of our carbon footprint on this planet.
1. The biggy for me? I traded in a Mercedes 420 for a cool Camry Hybrid. I enjoy the car's size, client curiosity, long pauses between fill-ups and the nice tax credit that accompanied the purchase. Also fun are the included iPod  dock, blue tooth for phone, reliable navigation system, air filtration and having a car that inspires … (12 comments)

Warner Springs Ranch, California - 04/19/07 11:13 PM
Warner Springs is a tiny community in eastern San Diego County with a full time population under 300. The small public school educates kids from kindergarten through high school and the economic and employment center is the historic Warner Springs Ranch, which spans 2500 acres and boasts an 18-hole golf course,extensive equestrian facilities, rustic cabins, and an Olympic-sized curative hot mineral pool-as well as two other cooler pools.
Our family has been visiting Warner Springs for years. That it is a privately-owned, 2500-acre  resort is nothing short of amazing. It should be a national monument. The 3000+ elevation near the Palomar Mountains allows for … (0 comments)

And You Thought Zillow Caused a Ruckus??? - 04/19/07 09:28 PM
It seems nobody is immune from the power of the internet—or the inevitability of progress.
Now it's time for Realtors and Active Rainer's to enjoy a turn of the tables. I am chuckling--sorta....
Zillow rattled the real estate industry (and many homeowners) with last year’s unveiling of its near-instant online real estate valuations.The complaints came primarily from Realtors who feared the public would come to rely on Zillow Zestimates for home valuations—and from homeowners whose property values were decimated by the Zestimates. After all, Zillow has no way of knowing about property upgrades or negatives. It bases its valuation on comparative sales in the neighborhood.
Now attorneys may … (22 comments)

San Diego Home Losses Hit New High - 04/17/07 02:52 PM
by Roberta Murphy
According to the latest release from Dataquick, a record number of default notices have been sent to California homeowners during this last quarter, setting a new ten-year record. Why? Dataquick reports that "flat appreciation, slow sales, and post teaser-rate mortgage resets" have contributed to these financial casualties.
The San Diego Union Tribune   reports that San Diego County endured 1,182 foreclosures from January through March, 2007--or almost eight times the 153 logged for the same period last year. The prior record was set in the third quarter of 1996, when the housing market was in a deep slump. Under any circumstances, these are not good … (4 comments)

The Bigger the Home the Bigger the Tumble? - 04/15/07 10:06 PM
A recent study of publicly-traded CEO homes found a correlation between the size of the CEO's home and the company's stock price. It may come as a surprise to some, but the larger and more luxurious the CEO's home is, the poorer the company's stock tends to fare.
Many market-beaten dot com survivors will easily recall failed WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebber's luxurious Mississippi manse, the ultra-luxe home and furnishings of Tyco's Dennis Kozlowski, and the excesses of Houston-based Enron execs Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling. All were living very high just prior to the fall of their companies and stock prices. It … (10 comments)

Zillow Ordered to Cease and Desist - 04/14/07 04:11 PM
According to the Arizona Board of Appraisal, Zillow.com will need an appraiser license for offering its zestimates in Arizona. "It's the board's feeling that (Zillow) is providing an appraisal," said Deborah Pearson, Arizona's Board of Appraisal Executive Director.
It would seem a simple matter for Zillow to hire a licensed Arizona appraiser to overzee the Arizona zestimates, but it might also set a dangerous precedent for them. If they concede to Arizona, the door might open to all other states.
It is a minefield for Zillow, and their response is a cautious one. Amy Bohutinsky, Zillow's Director of Communications, said, "We have responded … (93 comments)

Disruptive Technology Alert: Home Values via Cell Phone - 04/13/07 12:36 PM
Disruptive technologies are a special favorite on Active Rain, and HouseFront is the newest to hit my desk.  And it happened about thirty minutes ago, when I opened an email from James Eberhard, CEO of Housefront explaining this new approach to home valuation.
The premise is simple. Want to know the value of a home? Follow these simple steps with your cell phone:
1.  Text any address to 46873.
2. Open your results a few seconds later.
The valuation I tried came back very close to market value, with a tighter range than that offered by Zillow's Zestimates. The message comes back in two parts, with the first … (0 comments)

Real Estate Bloggers in the News - 04/10/07 01:42 PM
"Blogging has become a key marketing tool for real estate agents."
Michelle Mowad, a talented writer for the San Diego Business Journal, called last week inquiring about real estate blogging and the impact it is having on our San Diego real estate business and life. We talked about Web 2.0 social networking sites like MySpace and how blogging is such a natural communications platform for real estate agents and potential clients. We had a great discussion, and covered a broad range of topics including long tail searches, how Google loves blogs and how a busy Realtor finds time to blog (I arise earlier and have pretty … (6 comments)

IpayOne Out of the Listing Business: RIP - 04/07/07 01:24 PM

 
High-profile real estate discounter ipayOne has posted a notice on its website that they are no longer accepting new listings. 
Their website bears the following message:
To Our Community:
ipayOne will no longer be accepting new listings. If you are an existing client, please contact Alana Yardley@ipayOne.com
If you are contacting us regarding buying any other property using our Buyers Reward Program please contact us at info@ipayOne.com
If you are contacting us regarding financing a new or existing home, please contact us at info@ipayOne.com 
The ipayOne employees, real estate agents and management team want to thank you for all your support over the past three years.
Michael Jackman
CEO 
ipayOne … (16 comments)

The Mortgage Graveyard - 04/05/07 08:11 AM
Want to know which mortgage lenders are dead, struggling or being acquired? The Mortgage Daily has created a new online destination:
The Mortgage Graveyard
Here we can honor the fallen, the failing and the digested-going all the way back to 1999--and also see the inevitable glimmers of hope with a column of mortgage success stories. Each failed lender is a clickable link, which leads one to a list of news stories presented chronologically for that company. Many of those stories would have been written over the years by MortgageDaily publisher Sam Garcia and his crew of reporters. The Mortgage Graveyard is Garcia's latest creation.
"We've seen the secondary … (2 comments)

A Home That Heals Itself? - 04/04/07 03:49 PM
Nano technology to repair homes damaged by an earthquake?
It's amazing, but Knauf, a German building manufacturer, is working with several universities on that very technology.  They are building a high-end tech villa in the mountains of Greece with special walls containing nano polymer particles that liquefy when placed under pressure. This liquid then flows into the building cracks, where it hardens into solid material.
(For those of us who struggle with the concept of nanotechnology, consider all the useful products that might be made using the tiniest particles currently imaginable- something smaller than one-hundred thousandth the width of a human hair. Think ultra, ultra-small....)
The walls of this prototype villa will be constructed with load bearing steel beams and … (2 comments)

7001 Almaden, Carlsbad, CA 92009 - 04/02/07 09:40 PM
Sitting just off La Costa Resort and Spa's famous golf course, this 3972 square-foot home offers private serenity and an incomparable San Diego coastal location. Visitors to this custom La Costa golf home will marvel at the vaulted ceilings, enormous living areas--and the gracious pool and lawn beyond.
Potential buyers will appreciate the dual master suites. The one downstairs has its own slider door leading to the pool and spa. The luxurious upstairs master bedroom suite is ultra-spacious and offers a built in library separated by a dual-sided fireplace. There is an exit door up here as well that leads to a viewing deck … (9 comments)

 
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Roberta Murphy -- Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes

San Diego, CA

More about me…

San Diego Previews * Previews Luxury Real Estate

Office Phone: (877) 818-8197

Cell Phone: (760) 402-9101

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