Beach Life in the San Diego Area

Here's my pictorial perspective on beach life in the Carlsbad area of San Diego.

The San Diego Beat - A Blog

The San Diego Beat is another blog about the finest city in the world.

Carole Lane, the author, loves writing about the San Diego area, and once a month there is a special edition where other blog writers in the area area included in the special edition.

Here's the January 2008 Special Edition of the San Diego Beat (One of my recent articles on the LUX Art Institute was featured along with some other great information).

Take a look at the posts about the art, attractions, the housing market and much more.

Visit the San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas

If you have an interest in history, especially if you live in North County San Diego, why not visit the San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas (you can read more here)?

The San Dieguito Heritage Museum has new digs, located near Encinitas Boulevard on Quail Gardens Road and has a fascinating display of artifacts, photos and information about the area (San Dieguito encompasses Encinitas (Leucadia), Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff and Rancho Santa Fe). There are also several historic buildings on site, an old fire engine, and early 1900s far equipment.

The photo is of a Native American grinding rock.

Lost in the Horton Plaza Garage

Have you ever been lost in the Horton Plaza Garage? I have.

Well, not really lost, but I couldn't find the way back to my car after attending the San Diego Rep Theater.

We've been to the theater about 15 times now, so I have finally figured it all out. But it sure took a while, and I still have to pay close attention so I know where I entered the mall (say, Lady Footlocker, and can find my way BACK to the same doorway). I think it is one of the most confusing complexes I have been in (and coming from Boston, which is famous for parking garages, that is quite a feat).

I need a handheld GPS just for getting to and from my car. And for finding the right car exit so I am heading in the right direction to leave town.

When I saw there were FRUITS or VEGETABLES, I figured it would be easy. HAH! And actually it is not the garage itself but getting TO and FROM Horton Plaza that makes no sense. I suppose when it was built it was quite the thing. But their signage is terrible, and all the nooks and crannies, small stairwells, slow elevators, multiple floors, and twists and turns in the mall itself drive me nuts. I'm not a big shopper so I don't pay much attention to the stores - perhaps that's my problem.

In any case, if you have not been there...beware. And if you have, I suspect some of you know exactly what I mean.

San Diego Ranks 302nd out of 379

Ouch. Doesn't sound like good news, does it?

Actually, it is good news, relatively speaking. There has been lots of press recently about all the short sales, foreclosures and fraud in the mortgage industry, not to mention the subprime issues we have been hearing so much about (sorry - I'm a REALTOR so this stuff interests me, although these issues can impact our overall economy here in SD, so it affects you too).

The good news is San Diego ranks 302nd out of 379 markets in terms of mortgage fraud. Which means there are 301 markets that are worse. Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic Systems (a Sacramento firm that measures lending risks) goes on to say that we also are 85th on the list of the 100 largest markets. Certainly there is concern about the rate of short sales and foreclosures that we are seeing, with a dramatic increase since 2006, but the news, at least for now, indicates that we are not suffering to the extent that many areas are.

But there is concern that we will see the rates of mortgage fraud rise with the changes that have occurred in housing prices and the increase in foreclosures. Folks that may be in danger of losing their homes through foreclosure are, unfortunately easy prey for criminals who are out to make a quick buck through fraudulent loans and other means.

To read more on this issue, take a look at the article that was in Sunday's Home section by Emmet Pierce.

Construction Everywhere

I have been amazed at the amount of construction going on here in the San Diego area, since arriving here less than 2 years ago. now that may seem somewhat surprising, coming from someone who lived in Boston and put up with the BIG DIG for 16 years, beginning in 1991. Granted, the Big Dig was a monumental project of unprecedented proportion and budget (yep, they overran the budget by, I believe, $50 billion), and Bostonians and visitors have been putting up with the aggravation, traffic jams, detours and overall mess for an incredibly long time. And there have been a myriad of delays and recent defects have been discovered. Oh, and yes, the lawsuit. But I digress.

First, there is the housing construction. Since I am a real estate professional I take more notice of these things, I suppose. The hills near my house in La Costa (which used to be almost bare and that I can see from my yard) are now mostly covered with houses at La Costa Greens. And La Costa Ridge is now being built atop the highest hill in La Costa. Bressi Ranch is nearby and the hundreds of homes there have changed the California landscape forever (and not, IMHO, in a good way). Should I mention San Elijo Hills (yes, I think it offers alot for buyers, but wow what a change to the area. And the on-going obliteration of the terrain along Rancho Santa Fe Road. Incredible. I have to acknowledge that I am more used to seasonal construction (for the most part) in Boston due to the weather, but here it is all year long.

There is also all the new housing that has been built at Santaluz, and at The Bridges and The Crosby in Rancho Santa Fe. And the new luxury condos in La Jolla. You can't help but notice the pages of new construction information in the Sunday Union-Tribune.

So what else? Well, Oceanside is seeing dramatic changes to the downtown area and in the redevelopment zone (6 projects, I believe, in the works or planned). The pic to the left was taken during one of my picture-taking journeys around the Oceanside area - the view is from The Strand right along the ocean.

Then there are the massive changes going on with the widening of the freeways, especially the 805/5 junction - at that point in Sorrento Valley I believe there are 21 lanes (new lanes to open in a few days I believe). Amazing.

Some other construction...we have a new racetrack surface being installed at the Del Mar Racetrack, that will supposedly be safer and help avoid the tragedies of this most recent racing season (28 horses had to be euthanized - so sad). And Del Mar voters will get to vote on the proposed median to be installed on Del Mar Heights Road - now that should be a fun construction project. Imagine the traffic at rush hour! And then there is the new public golf course, The Crossings, being built in Carlsbad and due to open in July of this year.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the numerous condo/high rise and commercial projects in San Diego - completed, in progress, or planned - with hundreds of new homes in the financial area, near the marina, in the Gaslamp District, etc.

I could go on...and this is just in the areas I normally travel to. But it's amazing to see especially when you see old photos of the area, even just a few years ago. I guess it's progress.

Market Update (Guest Blog)

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Here is a great update on the housing market in San Diego with a focus on the issues we have all heard about in the sub-prime lending area. If you have any questions, be sure to contact Chris at Pacific Mortgage. Rather than try to paraphrase, I included it here verbatim.

To All,

What a crazy time for lenders. As you may have heard, subprime lenders are going under by the day and the repercussions are being felt throughout the entire mortgage industry. We're finding more and more buyers who were qualified are now not. This whole shakeup has cause all lenders to revamp their lending standards in order to generate mortgage loans that are marketable on the secondary mortgage market. From what we're experiencing here at PCM, the biggest changes are with 100% financing, increasing minimum credit score standards for qualifying, and more scrutiny with Alt-A lending (stated income, no ratio, no doc, stated income/stated assets, etc.) For now, the days of free flowing money from lenders has ceased. If you'd like to discuss this further, please give me a call.

Now on to the good news. Inflation in check, easing job market, slowing GDP, mortgage market issues, slowing national housing market, and an overbought stock market has helped push the 10 year bond yield to 4.49%. The bond yield briefly hit this level earlier this year and last December but we haven't seen it hold at this level since January 2006. Should bond yields hold or move lower, we can expect mortgage rates to do the same. We're still in that narrow band of 5.75% to 6.25% for all programs but rates are moving to the lower end of that range and I'm optimistic they'll remain there for the short term. There is still talk of if and when the FED will start to lower rates but that's all it is, 'talk'. Until the market data is continuously bearish for say 2-4 months, it's unlikely the FED will make a move.

Right now it's not a bad idea for borrowers to float their rate. As long as their loan officer has a handle on bond market tendencies, then that loan officer should be able to shield their client from market increases and possibly get them a lower rate if the market moves lower. Keep in mind too, with many sellers offering incentives, 5 year and 7 year ARMs can be bought down to the low to mid 5% range.

For more daily market updates, please visit my website at Ask Comer.

As always, I'll keep you posted.

Best Regards,
Chris Comer
Pacific Capital Mortgage
760-533-5174

Cardiff, CA - Take a Tour of this Great Beach Town

I love living in Carlsbad, and chose to live here for a number of reasons.

But I also like Cardiff (formally, Cardiff-By-The-Sea), a charming coastal community just south of Encinitas (and 20 miles north of San Diego), and can see myself living there as well, provided I could afford to buy an ocean view home...not likely. In any case, I like showing and selling homes there, and just completed a marketing piece about the area for folks who are interested in the town and pondering a move there, or who are just curious about the area. And perhaps some of you live there, or know the town, already.

Here's the link to the Cardiff tour. If you have any feedback, or there are some other exceptional things we should all know that I did not mention, please let me know.

Take a Tour of Rancho Carrillo in Carlsbad, CA

Here is a tour I put together for Rancho Carrillo, a master planned community in Carlsbad in Southern California. It's not an area I know especially well, but it offers a well-planned neighborhood with a range of housing and prices, a neat historical park, a swim center, and some gorgeous views despite being inland by a few miles.

If any one reading this has comments about this community, I'm sure there are some readers who would like to hear. Or perhaps someone who is planning a relocation, is considering moving to the San Diego area, and is looking at Carlsbad homes for sale.

If you have any feedback on the tour, let's hear it!

Have a great weekend. Need something to do - check out the local entertainment in San Diego.

Jeff

The Best Cities for Jobs in 2007

The list of the best cities for jobs in 2007 was recently published by Forbes, along with an accompanying article.

San Digeo dropped down, from #16 last year, to #30. Not sure of the details why, although with the low unemployment and the cost of living, and the slow job growth that the media has reported, I guess this is no big surprise. The city still ranks well in the list of the top 100.

Take a Tour of Leucadia in Encinitas, CA

I really like Leucadia, about 30 miles north of San Diego. The beaches are beautiful, the community has a rustic beach-town charm to it, and it is a short drive from my home in the La Costa area of Carlsbad. Grandview Beach is a favorite for walks and enjoying the sunsets.

I just did a write-up on Leucadia, with some photos and a virtual tour, so stop by and take a look. You might fall in love too!.

Jeff

Wow, It's Been Cold

Is it my imagination, or has it been really cold? I hate to complain, since it's nothing compared to what some parts of the country are having, but it seems unusual to me.

I escaped the Boston winters in 2005 and moved here in April. My first San Diego winter was great. It was such a pleasure to be outside every day, with most days in the low 60s (in Boston during the winter months that a veritable heat wave). I enjoyed not having to use the heat but a few times (we always had it on in the winter in Boston, and the utility bills were horrendous).

This winter seems quite different. Or maybe I am spoiled. But the heat has been on a lot more, and there are many more cooler days, and more nights in the 30s and low 40s than I remember from last year. So, is it my imagination or not? I don't think so.

However, despite the chillier weather, we don't have the multiple snow storms that have plagued the Pacific Northwest and Denver, and the ice storm hitting New England today. When I do watch the weather it seems I am always reminded of how much warmer it is here - and there's no snow, except in the mountains. So, I'm still thrilled to not be in New England at this time of year. Even if I complain more about the cooler weather.

Nutritional Drinks

Perhaps this sounds like an odd topic, but bear with me.

The reason for the post is two-fold. One, the nutritional supplements industry had boomed, along with the overall increased awareness and concerns about health, wellness and anti-aging. I am a pretty avid health club type so this resonates with me pretty well. And it interests me.

Secondly, in living here for a year I have gotten to know quite a number of entrepreneurial people who have their own businesses, work at home, and are involved in the network marketing industry (Google "network marketing" - you'll be amazed at what you get). Maybe you are as well...or have an interest in it. This industry can be a terrific way to either supplement your income OR provide you with a stay-at-home busines with long-term residual income.

There are several of the products in the nutritional drink category that I have tried and which were rather appealing. The first is Frutaiga (Contact Lee Stegall if interested). The second is Tunguska Blast, a Cyberwize product (the person I know here is Erika Stephens). Another is Tahitian Noni, offered through Josephine Wright. And, finally, Betty Potter is actively involved with a product called FrequenSea, from ForeverGreen.

So, I am passing this along, not because I am necessarily recommending you try these, but because it is part of living here in San Diego. And you never know - it might pique YOUR interest in some way.