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13315 Ricks Ranch Rd,Valley Center,CA 92082

RING TAILED TOOTER OF THE WEEK

There are not many places left in this fast paced life of Southern California where you can come home and breath a sigh of relief, relax and feel like you have your own piece of paradise – Well, if you happen to be looking for a home to buy – Valley Center is one of these places.

Home prices here are more than appealing for any home buyer and with the changes  we are promised they will help to make your home investment even more attractive. The first phase of the new road is now finished making your commute  very easy and quicker than ever. We have a new grocery store coming in the near future. Various other business are beginning to spring up along the new road bringing a variety of local places to shop. The award winning high school is rated among the top 1500 high schools nationwide which is enough to toot the Valley Center horn !

Just as an example of the recent home sales  - check this one out:

13315 Ricks Ranch Rd, Valley Center,CA 92082

 This gorgeous Valley Center property JUST SOLD for $550,000. At the top of the market in May 2004 the Sales price was a mere $960,000

This home has real ocean views and breath taking sunsets.

Private and gated this lovely home is immaculate, the setting is pure privacy. Solar heated lap pool and parklike grounds make for your own private resort.  8.5 acres with 130 Avocado trees combined with tropical flowers – for the farmer in you! Panoramic views from every room. Come home to this paradise and you will never want to leave.

13315 Ricks Ranch, Valley Center, CA 92082

If you are considering buying a home and you have an interest in Valley Center, give us a call.

We live and work in this area and would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

Pam Parton 760-580-1615

Joanna Woolley 760-580-1630

Real Estate Outlook for San Diego County,CA

Improving Numbers for Real Estate

Balanced Real Estate Market

Positive figures on the real estate front, including new construction homes and resale properties continue to indicate a substantial recovery in the coming months.

Home builders are once again pulling permits and starting to put up new houses.  This segment of the real estate industry has been the most depressed in the last couple of years, this is great news for those in the construction industry.

The Commerce Department reports that single family starts last month were up nearly 2% over the prior month, while permits for future construction jumped by 6%

As for existing home sales, 5 of the hardest hit counties in Southern California showed July sales to be the fastest pace of recovery in the past 3 years according to MDA DataQuick researchers.

The 5 counties are San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Riverside-San Bernadino.  These areas have enjoyed consecutive increases for 13 months over the previous years’s level.  

The median prices are showing modest increases as we see a decrease of foreclosure properties as a percentage of the total sales.

Certain lenders, such as SunTrust Bank, a large national lender are recognizing this improvement in the markets and are beginning to revise their ‘declining area’ designations that restrict mortgage lending or make it more costly for buyers.  California has just been taken off of their “declining markets’ list.

This is all good news for both buyers and sellers.  Rates are still at a very comfortable 5.2% for a 30 year fixed and 15 year rates are around 4.5%.

If you are a home owner and have been waiting for the market to turn before putting your home on the market, this may be the time to talk to a Realtor.  Buyers are hungry for “a Standard” sale.   No bank involvement.

Your home could now quite possibly sell a lot faster and for much more than you thought.

If you have any questions on values of homes in your area, feel free to give us a call, We’re here to help and we answer our phones!

Pam and Joanna
760-580-1615 or 760-580-1630

Kenneth R. Harney of RealtyTimes contributed to this article

Home Owners – Safe,Natural Cleaners for Your Home

 GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK 

Most Furniture and cleaners are full of unhealthy chemicals, the containers they come in are also damaging to the atmosphere.

Cheap and Safe Furniture Cleaners for your Home

To get that great shine along with a good scent for the wood furniture in your home,try this very simple and cheap alternative to replace the store bought cleaners:

1/4/ cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

 2 tsp lemon juice

Just mix up these ingredients in a spray bottle shake it up and you have a cheap and healthy cleaner for all those cherished pieces of wood furniture. ( a bit like making a salad dressing!)

Carlsbad, CA Homes Sold July 2009

Current Market Trends for Carlsbad, CA July 2009

If you have been paying attention to the News lately you are beginning to hear more positive comments regarding the Real Estate Market. 

There is clear evidence of an upward trend in the Carlsbad Real Estate Market.

In our last report Homes Sold Carlsbad April 2009, which is typically a pretty active month for Real Estate, we saw there were a total of 61 homes sold in the 4 zip codes of Carlsbad for that month.

That figure increased to 82 for the month of July, with and average Sold price being $715,756 only slightly down from April which was $737,415.

Another notable difference in the 2 reports are the number of active listings.  In April there were a total of 419.  In todays report there are only 355 combining the active and contingent listings.

One important factor that is not shown in this chart is the number of Short Sales and Foreclosures that are include this mix.  The Carlsbad area has fortunately been less affected by these distressed type properties as other areas of the San Diego North County such as their neighboring coastal city of Oceanside.

Of the 82 properties sold in July, only 7 of them were short sales, and of the 287 active properties, only 32 are short sales.  As for bank owned or REO properties in this area, there are only 20 that are currently active and 8 sold.

All in all it appears that this area has recovered rather nicely from the last couple of years down turn in the market.

As always, people will find the ways and the means to live near the beach, especially this desirable and well maintained community.

If you are curious about the value of your home or would like to know the values of homes in any area of San Diego County, feel free to give us a call or an email.  We are here to help and we answer our phones!

Pam and Joanna
760-580-1615 or 760-580-1630

Low Cost Ways to Update Your Home

Quick Cheap Tips to Update Your Home

Some quick and easy tips to improve your home without emptying the bank account are always useful, especially in this economy. Ideas which are simple and cost effective can make a huge difference. You don’t need to remodel your kitchen or add granite counters, just try something simple and you will be amazed at the effect.

 If you are thinking of putting your home on the market it will certainly help make your home more attractive to potential home buyers. The right touches can get a home buyer excited about your home, but a few poor decisions may lose their interest completely.

Make sure your landscape is well maintained to increase curb appeal. A more conservative yard is often a better showcase for your home, so be generous with your trimming and pruning. Pare down bushes and trees that block windows. Pull weeds out of flowerbeds, lawn and sidewalk cracks. Repair minor asphalt and walkway cracks if necessary. If your home has gutters on the roof, clean and clear them frequently.

Natural light is the best light to cast your home in. Replace faded and heavy curtains with sheer ones or install blinds.Opening the shades when showing your home will also make your house seem larger. Temporarily replace energy-efficient fluorescent lights with high-wattage incandescent bulbs to give your home a warmer glow. Make sure dark rooms are well lit.

Some Other Quick Tips to Update Your Home:

• Install a new mailbox
• Ugrade outdoor lighting
• Replace old doormats
• Plant annual flowers
• Buy new pillows for sofas
• Display lightly scented potpourri or candles
• Polish or replace your old address plaque
• Fix or replace leaky or outdated faucets
• Buy organizational systems to reduce clutter
• Re-caulk sinks and bathtubs
• Place centerpieces on large counters and tables

If you have any other ideas you would like to share we would be more than happy to hear from you.

Pam Parton 760-580-1615                  Joanna Woolley 760-580-1630

content by courtesy of Brian Buffini

15731 Pauma Valley Drive,Pauma Valley, CA 92016

15731 Pauma Valley Drive, Pauma Valley, CA 92061

This gorgeous 4,346 sq ft hacienda style home overlooks the Robert Trent Jones golf course, with beautiful traditional fairways, manicured to a dream.

Originally priced at $1599,000 and just SOLD for a mere $1,000,000 – can you believe that?

 Located on 1.5 acres of private grounds, this home offers exceptional quality construction and design. Granite and imported marble floors, 16 ft ceilings, wrap around patio and forever views of the stunning Pauma Valley are some of the features which make this home so appealing.

Luxurious Master Bedroom

 A private airport with a 3000′ runway is one the conveniences of this community along with a clubhouse and facilities with a recent $3+million in renovations. This exclusive estate is fully gated and furnished for the lucky buyer.

A stunning unique home  with privacy, luxury and convenience at a truly unbelievable price.

Stunning forever views of Pauma Valley

First Time Buyer $8000 Tax Credit Deadline

You might be thinking you still have plenty of time to find and purchase that first home to be eligible for the first time buyer $8000 Tax Credit, after all its only August. 

Well you better take a look at the calandar.  The deadline for this tax credit is Midnight November 30, 2009.  That means you need to CLOSE ESCROW by this date.

So lets start counting backwards from November 30th.  Lets assume your escrow period is 45 days,(maximum scenario).  Ususally you can get it done in 30 days or less, but unforseen situations do arise to increase that time, so lets play it safe and say 45 days.

That puts us at October 16th to open escrow.   Prior to that you can figure somewhere between 5-12 days between acceptance and fully executed contracts between buyer and seller.  So now we are at  October 4th.

Prior to putting that offer in, you will probably visit anywhere from 10-50 properties before finding that perfect one, and possibly put in 3-7 offers before finding one that will actually get accepted.

The competition is fierce right now.  Well priced properties are receiving multiple offers, and usually well over asking price.  

You need to put in your highest and best offer right off the bat.  There will not likely be negotiations until the seller decides which offer to accept, and then they will lay out the terms of the contract, and you will need to accept them or they will move on to the next offer.

If you look at 5 properties everyday for 10 days in a row, (and that is not realistic) and put in at least 5 offers  with a wait time of 2 days between each of them, you are looking at about 20 days. 

That now puts us at September 14th as the latest possible day to get started shopping for your dream home to be able to close that escrow in time to be eligible for the $8000 tax credit.

This is just an average scenario of current time frames for purchasing a home, it could take more or less time than this to aquire that first home.

The point you need to understand, is that you have a little less than a months time to get on the ball and start shopping for that first home for yourself.

If you havent already started and arent sure what to do first, give us a call and we will take you by the hand and guide you every step of the way. 

We specialize in First Time Homebuyers and know how important this is to you and how tedius the whole process may can be.  

We are here to help, we make the process painless and worry free, and we answer our phones, give us a call.

Pam and Joanna
760-580-1615 or 760-580-1630

Thinking of Selling Your Home – Well it Might Just Become a Sellers Market!

Are we Heading Towards a Sellers Market?

If you are thinking of selling your home sometime in the near future a selllers market might just be on the horizen -some great statistics from the California Association of Realtors support this theory:

In June sales grew 20.1 percent from one year ago to an adjusted rate of 514,110 according to the California Association of Realtors. The  existing single family homes on the market in California dropped to a 4.1 months supply.

A six months supply of housing inventory for sale reflects a healthy balance between buyers and sellers – anything less is considered a seller’s market! At the end of June 2008 California’s Association of Realtors unsold inventory was 7.6 months.

This is great news if you are thinking of selling your home. Perhaps the time has finally come and a sellers market is about to begin!

If you are thinking about buying a home, don’t wait –  now is the time-  interest rates are great and home prices are incredible, so why would you miss this buyers market?

CALL Pam and Joanna for more information on some GREAT deals in San Diego North County – we would be happy to set you up on our customized home search for your individual needs.

Or CALL us if you are thinking of selling your home – we would be happy to share our marketing plan with you.

PAM   760-580-1615          JOANNA   760-580-1630

content from C.A.R statistics

New Loan Protection Rules for Homebuyers

New Loan Rules for Home Buyers

Are you one of the many who are in the process of applying for a home loan or planning to refinance your home ? If so you should be aware of a new set of federal consumer protection rules that take effect July 30th 2009.

The new Federal Reserve guidelines require lenders to provide you with initial disclosures of your mortgage costs within 3 days of your application – if you don’t get them you can RUN……

The rule also prohibits lenders from collecting any fees, except of course a reasonable charge for checking your credit – until you have recieved your loan cost disclosures.

What does this mean to to you?-  It means no more out-of pocket up front applications charges until you’ve recieved the truth-in-lending disclosures and an annual percentage rate (APR) calculation of these loan costs.

Many mortgage brokers and lenders traditionally have collected fees to cover appraisal fees, credit and various other charges at the time of application – this can amount to hundreds of dollars, so this will be a significant change in procedure for the lending industry.

Another rule also prevents quick closings on loans by requiring a seven day waiting period after applicants are given their early mail disclosures or the disclosures are mailed. You will now have up to a week to think about the transaction. Final truth-in-lending disclosures are due three business days before closing.

Here’s another new change – the new rules require lenders to deliver a copy of the real estate appraisal to you three business days before sceduled closing on the loan.  In the past, consumers could request and obtain a copy of the appraisal, buyers often ignored that right – or had no knowledge of this right as no one in the home purchase department had ever told them about this option.

Another important change: if the APR on the early truth- in- lending disclosure increases by more than one-eighth of a percentage point (0.125), the lender will now be required to redisclose to you a corrected version and allow you an additional seven business days to consider the transaction before settlement.

For more information call Pam and Joanna, we are always available and WE ANSWER OUR PHONES!

Pam Parton 760-580-1615

Joanna Woolley 760-580-1630

Information by courtesy of Ken Harney, real estate columnist with Washington Post Writers Group.