san diego: What Do Baby Boomers Really Want? - 11/05/12 12:23 PM
Baby Boomers have never been the silent sort, and more and more we are hearing their wishes in unison.
Disclaimer: The San Diego real estate market is not like Las Vegas, or Tucson or Asheville or Biloxi and our home prices, though far more reasonable than they were a few years ago, are still quite high because of ongoing demand.
Blame that on our incomparable balmy climate, stunningly beautiful ocean and mountain views, great golf courses that can be played year round, a vibrant San Diego downtown area and a series of unique seaside villages across the San Diego Bay and up the San … (2 comments)

san diego: Chinese Drywall Gassing Your Home? - 12/16/09 11:03 AM
Carlsbad, CA–It appears owners of San Diego real estate–and those who remodeled their homes in 2003-2005, may have been spared the corrosive and noxious results that can stem from certain Chinese drywall products.
Most of the sulphur-laden Chinese drywall was shipped in 2004-2005 to Hurricane Katrina-ravaged states that were trying to repair and rebuild their storm damaged homes.
Florida, Louisiana and other states battered by Hurricane Katrina are facing a secondary assault– this time from poisonous  Chinese drywall that was imported to help bolster supplies needed for repair and construction of homes damaged by the hurricane. It was also apparently used … (6 comments)

san diego: The Latest San Diego Remodel: Staircases - 11/02/09 03:45 AM


Carlsbad, CA–Over the past decade, there has been a flurry of home remodeling in San Diego County–particularly in coastal areas, where building activity first blossomed. That means there are lots of vintage homes showing their age.
During the last ten years, tile and formica surfaces in kitchens and baths have been replaced with natural stone products, while stainless steel appliances dominate kitchens. Popcorn has been scraped from ceilings and energy efficient dual-paned windows are replacing their single-paned predecessors.
Now, the staircases in 1970’s and 1980’s homes are being replaced.Being torn down are enclosed staircases, along with those stem walls … (5 comments)

san diego: Real Estate Consumers: Trick or Treats? - 11/02/09 03:01 AM

Carlsbad, CA–This past year has been tough for both San Diego real estate sellers–and buyers–and both sides of the fence have had to wonder if they are being tricked or treated by market conditions.
On one hand, home sellers hear that we are in the toughest market for San Diego home sales in years. Prices have dropped off the cliff and these home sellers have heard of neighbors who finally took their home off the market after trying to sell for a year or more.
On the other hand, we have buyers who have made multiple offers on multiple properties … (3 comments)

san diego: Dreaming of a Better IDX for All - 08/30/08 10:46 AM
I awoke this morning feeling grouchy, of all things, about the IDX system on my San Diego real estate site. I am tired of being charged exorbitant "set-up" and monthly fees for every improvement they offer. They is not an exotic custom programmer, but a large company that provides IDX search solutions for a large number of agents here on Active Rain. You see, I had called this IDX provider a week or so ago wanting to know how I could create a specialized property search. With my former IDX provider, I could create a search link for about anything I … (41 comments)

san diego: San Diego Nude Beach Threatened - 06/06/08 05:17 PM
I’ve never really given much thought to San Diego County’s two nude beaches: Black’s Beach in La Jolla and San Onofre State Beach at the northern tip of San Diego County. Both are pretty remote-- and it appears the nudists are a pretty peaceable lot.
At least until this morning.
It was reported in this morning’s San Diego Union Tribune that San Onofre park rangers will start enforcing a ban on nudity September, 1, 2008. It seems there have been public complaints, and some park employees objected to working in a place where not everyone is clothed–which specifically targets the Trail … (14 comments)

san diego: Should I Pull the Trigger? - 05/18/08 05:06 AM
A Zillow questioner asks if he or she should wait to buy a home in San Diego--or until the market levels out.
It is a question that seemed to beg an answer from me, if only because we are personally struggling with that very issue as I write this post.
We have an opportunity to buy an Oceanside property that should yield a mildly positive cash flow with a 20 percent down payment. It is new construction, close to Oceanside beaches, and the only hurdle is finding financing that is reasonably acceptable for our circumstances.
(But that is another story.)
This … (12 comments)

san diego: MOVING UP in Downtown Oceanside - 05/15/08 05:31 AM
Earlier this month at a Carlsbad Cinco de Mayo fest, I met two wonderful ladies who had spent the last 20 years  with their families living in downtown Oceanside.
Their kids went to school in Oceanside–and for the umpteenth time, I heard rave reviews about the downtown Oceanside community spirit, and the friendliness and caring of its residents.
“People here don’t just come home from work and pull down their garage doors. We truly connect and socialize with our neighbors,” one explained.
Oceanside, CA is a great place to spend a weekend, a two-week vacation, or even a lifetime (say local … (6 comments)

san diego: Are You Dealing with Phantom Agents? - 05/12/08 01:00 PM
I’ll never understand the process by which lenders choose to list their San Diego REO’s and foreclosures.
Many are represented by professional real estate agents; but more and more, it seems these REO’s (bank-owned properties) are administered by  absentee agents who rarely respond to phone calls or emails.
Should we be looking for some logic in the lender’s decisions to list with these phantoms?
There again, these may be the same investors who lent mortgage funds to ghosts in the first place. They loaned million$ to phantom borrowers who said they earned $20,000 a week  as a gardner or insurance salesman– … (90 comments)

san diego: A San Diego Short Sale Solution - 04/27/08 09:25 AM
More and more, San Diego real estate bargain hunters are making specific requests:
Show me foreclosures, show me great deals, but forget short sales.
Why?
They have learned that about the cost of lost opportunity while they wait an interminably long time for banks to respond. Banks and loan servicers are absolutely overwhelmed with paperwork and pleading phone calls and it can literally take months for a short sale to close.
During that time, vacant homes may be subjected to vandalism, neglect and the elements. Increasingly, real estate agents also avoid showing short sales because of uncertain pricing, uncertain compensation, and … (12 comments)

san diego: San Diego Wi-Fi Hot Spots - 04/23/08 09:08 AM
As a North County San Diego real estate broker, I often carry a laptop when when showing San Diego homes to clients. And so do many of our real estate clients.
These days, we avoid Starbucks because they charge for their wifi service–and instead head to the closest Panera Bread, almost any public library, or other resting points where we can easily hop online.
I believe that someday this will be a useless list, because wifi will be ubiquitous.
But until that day, here’s a starter list of free San Diego hot spots. Some may require that you ask for a … (8 comments)

san diego: San Diego Incomes--and a Few Surprises - 03/01/08 12:42 AM

As a San Diego Realtor, I am frequently asked about income demographics in San Diego County–and find it handy to have a chart (or at least a cheat sheet) for reference.
The one below provides more than a few surprises, courtesy of the San Diego Business Journal (one of my favorite local reads), which provided this data last summer.
We found it surprising, for example, that Carlsbad outranks Encinitas and that Poway beat out Coronado. Would you have guessed that Oceanside would best San Diego? And few should be surprised that tiny Del Mar beat out them all.
Of course, Rancho … (9 comments)

san diego: Are You the High Bidder for Your San Diego Listing? - 02/19/08 12:43 AM
The San Diego real estate market is abuzz with talk about real estate auctions and the enormous turnouts they are generating.
Inventory is being quickly absorbed by competing and hungry investors, who bid against one another hoping to buy a San Diego home below market value.
All of this leads us to wonder about overpriced listings–and sellers who are unsuccessfully holding out for unrealistic prices.
I recall years ago when my sister was in escrow with a very generous offer on her home. She began to have second thoughts about selling, and worried endlessly that she had made a mistake in … (4 comments)

san diego: What Do Baby Boomers Want? - 02/07/08 10:43 AM
Baby Boomers have never been the silent sort, and more and more we are hearing their wishes in unison.
Disclaimer: The San Diego real estate market is not like Las Vegas, or Tucson or Asheville or Biloxi and our home prices, though far more reasonable than a couple of years ago, are still quite high–because of ongoing demand. Blame that on our incomparable balmy climate, stunningly beautiful ocean and mountain views, great golf courses that can be played year round, a vibrant San Diego downtown area and a series of unique seaside villages across the San Diego Bay and up the … (0 comments)

san diego: WCR to Unveil California Real Estate Blog Network - 01/07/08 02:47 AM

It’s fun to peer into the crystal ball and try to divine what fortunes lie ahead. It also helps when you have a visionary providing some tips and guidance.
Pat Kitano and Kevin Boer are two visionaries worth following, and they are convinced that 2008 will be the Year of the (Authoritative) Blog Network. Kitano’s linked article is a great read that provides good information and understanding of what blogging networks are–and how they can benefit both the consumer and the blogger.
An authoritative real estate blog is what the California Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors plans to … (6 comments)

san diego: WOW! San Diego Beat Las Vegas as New Year's Eve Destination - 01/04/08 06:15 AM
The news media loves to pound the San Diego real estate market, but glosses over our healthy economy and the fact that San Diego has become a world class destination (remember Golf’s U.S. Open plays San Diego’s Torrey Pines in 2008?)
For its fourth straight year, Hotwire.com has listed the Top 10 Destinations for New Year’s Eve–and for the first time, San Diego makes that list with the #6 spot, pushing Las Vegas to #9.
Other newcomers to the Top 10 Destinations include Dallas-Fort Worth (#7), Newark (#8) and Toronto (#10). The complete list, with prior year’s ranking in parentheses, is … (0 comments)

san diego: Want to Ice Skate in San Diego? - 12/30/07 02:40 PM

Many San Diego locals--and most visitors--are not aware of the opportunities available for bruising one's buns on local ice
It might seem unseemly that balmy and sunny San Diego would have much to offer in the way of ice skating, but it’s an active place and there are several places you may wish to give a twirl.
In fact, there are many cities in Northern climates that might envy San Diego’s offerings for ice skaters.
Included in the lists below are also some San Diego area roller rinks that may appeal to those who prefer the stability of four wheels.
Ice Chalet Ice … (0 comments)

san diego: San Diego Trumps New York and Las Vegas for New Year's Eve - 12/30/07 02:24 PM
Sometimes, random news deserves bigger play.
Our local news media loves to pound the San Diego real estate market, but all to often glosses over our healthy economy and the fact that San Diego has become a world class destination (remember Golf’s U.S. Open plays San Diego’s Torrey Pines in 2008?)
For the fourth straight year, Hotwire.com has listed the Top 10 Destinations for New Year’s Eve–and for the first time, San Diego makes that list with the #6 spot, pushing Las Vegas to #9.
Other newcomers to the Top 10 Destinations include Dallas-Fort Worth (#7), Newark (#8) and Toronto (#10).
Oddly … (4 comments)

san diego: Up to Your Ashes in Fire Debris? - 10/24/07 03:18 PM
I live in San Diego County and my home has not been consumed by fire.
For that I am grateful.
But we also live in a home that is covered by a powdery coating of ash. Our youngest son, as he sweeps the patio, wonders about the origin of the ashes. Did they come from a tree? From someone's house? From a burned animal?
I ask him to stop--and think of other possibilities. What about toxic chemicals? Asbestos? Plastic toxins? And a host of other poisons.
I run inside and pull out one of the masks I retrieved from Scripps Encinitas Hospital, where my … (27 comments)

san diego: San Diego Fire Update - 10/24/07 03:09 AM
It has been so hard to post blogs these last few days. Communications have been very personal: Telephone calls (friends, family and clients) and emails have dominated free time.
Active Rain's Sharon Filbig of Escondido was evacuated and is staying in Orange County. She emailed this morning, wondering what is going on. I responded with an update--which I will share with you here. These are more random notes than any kind of blog. We still don't have an accurate picture of the total disaster--or a tally of losses. (Sorry for lack of photos. I am on the Mac and have trouble uploading. … (8 comments)

 
Roberta Murphy, Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes (San Diego Previews Real Estate)

Roberta Murphy

Carlsbad Real Estate and Homes

Carlsbad, CA

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San Diego Previews Real Estate

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