Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
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I spent last week in Anaheim with the California Association of Realtors Board of Directors. Two topics dominated many of the committee meetings: Fair Housing and Housing Availability. They can be tied together, but that is the subject for another week. San Diego voters have an opportunity to alleviate one of the issues, that of housing availability, which directly affects affordability. I’m hoping that as a county, we make the right choice. We need housing. I can’t ima... Full story
Last week I reported on a change of policy for all Realtors that will require them to input listing information within 24 hours of them posting any kind of public facing marketing on a property, as “Coming Soon.” This policy requires all Realtors to make the listing data on the property available to, in the case of Southern California, the more than 100,000 Realtors who access the California Regional MLS, and to the various syndicated real estate websites, so the property is... Full story
Picture this. You’re driving along and you see a real estate sign on your neighbor’s home, or in a neighborhood, you want to move to. You pull to the side of the road, get on the internet on your phone to search for information about it, and you find nothing, nada, zilch. It makes no sense. There’s a sign up, with a topper that says, “Coming soon,” but you can’t find it on any of the real estate sites you normally search. Next, you call your Realtor and ask them about the h... Full story
The peak selling season for Fallbrook is coming up. The buyers are abundant. Many are moving from much higher cost areas in search of an affordable home in a less congested place. Many are moving here in search of a friendlier place to live. Sellers in Fallbrook, on the other hand, are leaving to find more affordable places to live, which generally is outside of California. Many seniors are searching for a new place to call home, so they can stretch their retirement savings... Full story
Fallbrook is a wonderful place to live. As a community, we have found ways to take care of our town and the people that live in it. As a community, we support our children through the Boys and Girls Club and the Child Development Center. We support our seniors through the Fallbrook Senior Center and the Foundation for Senior Care. We support the arts, our trails, our parks and the town through our commitment to Fallbrook Art's Inc., Fallbrook Land Conservancy, Fallbrook... Full story
It’s a new year, and I want to start out with a column about a tool most real estate practitioners use on a very regular basis, to help streamline the process of selling or buying property: DocuSign. DocuSign was founded in 2003 and began selling the product in 2005 when zipForm, now zipLogix, integrated DocuSign into its virtual real estate forms. In 2010, DocuSign added support for iPhone, iPad and phone-based user authentication. By 2012, 90% of Fortune 500 companies s... Full story
California lawmakers introduced more than $20.4 billion in new taxes and fees in the 2019-2020 legislative session, and $4.4 billion of those taxes and fees were signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. During this time of economic prosperity, the state approved a budget of $214.8 billion, which is a $13.4 billion increase over last year. California has a projected reserve of $20.59 billion and an operating surplus of $22 billion. In former Gov. Jerry Brown’s last year in o... Full story
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors had their monthly meeting, Dec. 17. One of the topics on the agenda was to change the wording of Measure A, also known as SOS or Safeguard Our San Diego. The 5th District supervisor, Jim Desmond, proposed language that would provide specific language to the title and summary of the measure, so that voters understood what they are voting for or against. Unfortunately, the item was removed from the agenda, so the summary and title in... Full story
I just spent two days in Los Angeles, with the California Association of Realtors, Strategic Planning and Finance Committee. I am one of 18 directors across the state that gets read in on upcoming issues and challenges for real estate in California. I wish I could say that it was an exhilarating two days, but quite honestly, if you are a property owner or a “hope to be some day” property owner, there is not much to be excited about. California has a $250 billion unfunded emp... Full story
This week’s article has absolutely nothing to do with real estate and yet it has everything to do with the intrinsic value of real estate in Fallbrook. I’m sure you would agree that Fallbrook is a special place. There are certain times of the year that our friendly town seems to sparkle even brighter. Right now, is one of those times. There is so much going on throughout Fallbrook that you won’t want to miss. Join in and fall in love with Fallbrook one more time. From now unti... Full story
Two years in a row, California is losing more residents than it is gaining. In 2018, 38,000 more people left the Golden State than entered, according to the U.S. census. A recent Edelman Trust Barometer survey found 53% of residents and 63% of millennials were considering leaving because of the high cost of living. California used to be a middle-class paradise, with affordable education, a dynamic economy and known as a technological and medical leader. Home prices and... Full story
When I was a child, my parents took care of everything for me. They not only fed me, but they made sure I had new clothes for school, took me to the doctor and dentist and even supported dance and piano lessons. As I got older, they continued to support me. They paid for college tuition, my room and board and continued to pay for my clothing, trips to the doctor and dentist and my participation in my sorority and intramural sports. When I graduated college, that life all came... Full story
Last week I reported on five legislative bills that have been signed by the Gov. Gavin Newsom that will potentially have a huge impact on housing in California, specifically, Assembly Bill 68, Assembly Bill 881 and Senate Bill 13 which all provide incentives and reduce restrictions for accessory dwelling units. On the face of it, considering the shortage of housing, they seem an appropriate next step to get additional units for people who need homes. But, and the big but, is t... Full story
I have written numerous articles about the housing shortage in California. Over the past four years, the California legislature has proposed bills meant to provide a "fix" to the shortage of housing. Many have gone down in defeat, either as a result of pressure from cities and counties or at the hands of the Appropriations Committee. Recently, five bills, when bundled together, have been passed and were signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. These bills will dramatically change the... Full story
Our lives have become so automatic. We can order almost anything online from food, to clothing, business and household supplies to furniture and electronics. The list is inexhaustible. Most items ship for free and arrive in a day or two. It's like magic. Amazon even has an app that will allow the item to be left inside your home. One major component that is missing in the automatic age we live in is personal customer service. It's not essential when you're purchasing a... Full story
I promised you last week that I would have some good news to report from my week at the California Association of Realtors meetings in Los Angeles. First is a little history lesson. In 2017, CAR embarked on a project designed to expand the Proposition 13 protections that exist for seniors when they sell their primary residence and purchase a replacement property in California. CAR's goal was to provide an opportunity for every homeowner to be able to sell their primary... Full story
Last week, I traveled to Los Angeles for a California Association of Realtors state meeting. Traveling to Los Angeles is always an experience. It reflects the image of the state as a whole, in many ways. Upon arriving to Union Station, yes, I took the train, keeping in mind the smaller carbon footprint and the avoidance of stress being tied up on the freeways for hours, I was immediately impacted by the thousands of homeless encampments that now make up Los Angeles. People... Full story
Another week, another proposed tax, thanks to the state’s largest public labor unions and civil rights groups, who don’t feel that residents pay enough taxes. Astonishing. California is one of the highest taxed states in the nation. California has the highest state income tax at 13.3%, the highest state sales tax at 7.25%, the highest gasoline prices because of the taxes added on, the sixth highest vehicle registration fees because of the tax added on and the 16th highest pro... Full story
If a homeowner is contemplating selling their home, is it better to find a replacement home and then list and sell their home, or sell their home first and then hope to find a replacement property? It is a question Realtors often hear. In a perfect world, where inventory was plentiful, and sales occurred quickly, it would not have a serious impact on the outcome, no matter which way a homeowner chose to go. But in today's market, where inventory is lean and selling could take... Full story
Earlier this week, I had lunch with a colleague. During lunch, he shared with me the concerns over a movement that would dominate the future development of San Diego County. As he shared with me the most recent news about SOS, I recalled an article I wrote months ago about a similar movement in Ventura County called SOAR that has had a grave economic impact on that region. SOS is an acronym for the Safeguard Our San Diego Countryside Initiative. Just like SOAR, Save...
I published a similar article to this one a few weeks ago. After receiving interesting questions and comments, I decided to elaborate. You’re probably thinking that I’m fresh out of ideas and, with the long holiday weekend, wanted to find an easy way to be in print this week. I can assure you, I am never out of information to share, and the holiday comes after my deadline. Why then am I writing on this topic again? I want to make sure you understand the urgency at hand. Rig... Full story
Living in an unincorporated area has its challenges. Mostly these challenges come in the form of financial support to maintain or improve the basic infrastructure that is taken care of by a city government. Without a city government, unincorporated areas, like Fallbrook, could potentially fall into disrepair or simply a stagnant state, with no improvements or updates to the ambiance or activities of the town. Fortunately for Fallbrook, the town has some very invested... Full story
What if someone told you that the perfect time to travel to one of your favorite vacation spots was the next eight months, because prices are low and may even go lower during that time period and, after that, the price to travel would most likely be going up and the weather historically will be inclement. Would you go now, or would you delay and plan your trip for later next year? Most of us, if we could take advantage of this perfect situation would go, right? Right now,... Full story
Last week I spent two days in Los Angeles at the California Association of Realtors corporate office. I am one of 18 members out of the 209,000 licensed Realtors in California that was appointed to sit on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee. This committee is tasked with staying informed of industry and professional changes that may have an impact on real estate across the state and coming up with responses to those changes. Those changes come in the form of new real... Full story
Now and again, it's fun for me to share a real-life Fallbrook real estate story. It's a nice break from the serious topics that affect real estate, like lack of supply, affordability, legislation directed at housing or rent control, and the additional requirements on home builders or homeowners that impede and impact all the above. So, join me is a story that will bring a smile to your face and even perhaps a chuckle. In the spring, we were contacted by a local family who were...
