San Diego Real Estate News & Listings Presented By In Association with Keller Williams Realty

Historic Elegance from the Arts & Crafts Movement

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:45:27 GMT

Designed and built in 1916 by master builder David Owen Dryden, the historically designated John Carman Thurston House is located on one of North Park’s finest streets within the Dryden Historic District. Advantageous placement on a corner lot emphasizes the dramatic profile of this house. From the exposed stacked rafters and the layered alternating rooflines, to the asymmetrically balanced and generously placed casement windows, this beautifully maintained house remains a classic example of Dryden’s finest work. The long horizontal lines of the shiplap siding on the exterior of the first story contrast with the staggered, vertical lines of the split shingle siding on the second story. The brick-red trim on the wood windows harmonizes with the warm red brick used on the front veranda. This well-proportioned two-story house includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a library, a sunroom, and an office. The floor plan illustrates Dryden’s ability to create functional and logical flow while the extensive use of quarter-sawn oak on the moldings, paneling, mantle and built-ins with leaded glass, illustrates his use of architectural detail for ornamentation. Lush landscaping and a well-maintained garden make the quiet and secluded backyard ideal for relaxing.

• 4 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 2176 square feet.

• Mills Act contract in place, approx 80% tax reduction.

• New central heating and air installed in 2008.

• New tankless water heater installed in 2006.

• Foundation repaired, 13 new piers and posts installed.

• Fireplace fire box rebuilt ten years ago and the chimney was extended.

• Custom screen door made out of quarter sewn oak.

• Both bathrooms remodeled. All plumbing and electrical redone.

• Mud room remodeled. All plumbing under the floor redone.

• All the side walks, curbs and curtain replaced.

• Plaster and numerous ceilings redone and entire interior house, including trim, was painted 4 year ago.

• All window treatment replaced with custom fitted wood blinds and roll up shades.

• New front load washer and dryer in mud room to stay with sale.

• Commercial gas grill to stay with sale.

• Major work down to sprinkler system.

• Security and fire alarm system installed.

• Historic light fixtures installed.

• Sanded, repaired and refinished wood floors and stair case rebuilt.

• New fire place screen to stay with sale.

• Two car garage

3446 28th Street, North Park Open House

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Designed and built in 1916 by master builder David Owen Dryden, this historically designated John Carman Thurston House is located on one of North Park's most sought out streets within the Dryden Historic District.

Do not miss this rare opportunity to view a spectacular historic home at this awesome open house!

Saturday & Sunday, February 11th & 12th, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm

3446 28th Street, San Diego CA 92104

3036 Summit Dr, Escondido 92025

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:36:50 GMT

Scenic horse or vineyard property on 13.51 acres with a new custom home. The back portion of the property can also be subdivided into approx 8 lots. Serine country setting w/gated entry leading past small lake to this new, highly upgraded sgl story home. Includes a Studio/outbldg, storage shed and a new detached 3 car garage. A70 zoning allows horses. Kitchen has maple cabinetry, granite counters, center island, stainless appls, huge walk-in pantry & travertine flooring. Beautiful setting!

The property offers a serene country setting with privacy. The interior features travertine flooring & quality carpeting, granite counters, estate fireplace w/Herringbone fire bricks & Travestone mantel, high-end stainless appliances, a large kitchen, dining nook and family room, tankless water heater, computer & internet wiring, all walls insulated for sound, dual glazed low E windows & doors and copper plumbing. A high arched entry leads to the formal dining room with views to the front yard & lake. The formal living room opens to an outside terrace and the back yard patio. The master suite looks out to the beautiful countryside and features two walk-in closets and bath with walk-in travertine shower, jetted tub, separate sinks w/granite counters & travertine flooring.

There's a studio/outbuilding (approx 415 sf) with porch (included in the total sq ft. - permits unknown). New septic tank & leach lines were installed in 2011. Seller's engineer concluded that the back portion of the property can be subdivided into approx 8 additional lots while leaving the house on the front 4 +/- acres. Buyer to verify all information to their satisfaction and all measurements are approximate. Information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

5330 El Arbol Dr, Carlsbad 92008

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:14:15 GMT

Prime location only 2 blocks from the sand. This new custom Terramar Beach house with private beach access, is a rare find and won't last long. The home features high-end custom finishes throughout including custom cabinetry, granite counters, kitchen island, stainless appls, formal dining room, tankless water heater, hardwood and travertine flooring, and new landscaping.

The property has privileges to a private beach access for an annual fee of $100. Buyer to verify all information to their satisfaction and all measurements are approximate. Information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

Charming Bungalow

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:25:33 GMT

Must see!!! Charming Craftsman Bungalow with oak floors in living room, coved ceilings, updated kitchen and bathroom, built-ins, private garden with covered patio. Close to Hillcrest, Balboa Park, and Downtown.

4211 Alabama Street, North Park Open House

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do not miss this Awesome Open House!

Saturday & Sunday, February 4th & 5th, 1 to 3 pm

4211 Alabama Street, San Diego CA 92104

Beautiful Spanish Style Home

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:34:56 GMT

Beautiful Spanish Style home boasts lots of charm. Beautiful new period door as you enter the home into a small foyer, archways separating the living room from the dining room with a fireplace in the living room as well as a new large picture window, cove ceilings and restored hardwood floors throughout. The bedrooms are a good size with wood trim and crown molding. The kitchen is a Chef’s delight featuring granite counters, stainless steel appliances and a large skylight up above bringing in a tremendous amount of natural light. Newer remodeled guest bathroom as well as the newer bathroom in the very large master suite. The master suite includes a cozy fireplace, new hardwood floors, a large walk-in closet and a sliding glass door leading out to the backyard with nice tall trees recently planted for privacy. The garage was converted by the previous owner but has recently been updated by current owner with new bathroom cabinetry, fixtures, carpet, trim and a French Door that also leads to the backyard.

3221 Gregory Street, North Park Open House

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do not miss this Awesome Open House!

Saturday & Sunday, January 28th & 29th, 1 to 3 pm

3221 Gregory Street, San Diego CA 92104

Charming Spanish Home

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:06:27 GMT

Traditional Sale!!! Charming Spanish home sits back on a quiet, well-maintained street in Normal Heights. Light, bright, and airy. Very functionable living space, coved ceiling, hardwood floors, fireplace in living room. New appliances in the kitchen, upgraded wall heater and upgraded plumbing in the garage. Great curb appeal with newly relandscaped front yard and nicely landscaped private backyard.

This home is just darling!

4433 Bancroft Street, Normal Heights Open House

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do not miss this Awesome Open House!

Saturday & Sunday, January 14th & 15th, 1 to 3 pm

4433 Bancroft Street, San Diego CA 92116

Townhome in The Heart of Hillcrest

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:17:16 GMT

Charming, bright and airy townhome in the heart of Hillcrest - don’t miss this unique opportunity! Features include: impressive 16’ ceilings, a gated front porch and large back patio, fireplace in living room, well maintained flooring (light berber carpet in bedrooms, tile in kitchen & bathrooms, laminate in living room), loft space in master bedroom and two parking spaces.

1221 Essex Street #9, Hillcrest Open House

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Do not miss this Awesome Open House!

Saturday January 14th, 1 to 3 pm

1221 Essex Street #9, San Diego CA 92103

Buying a home in San Diego!

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A few things to know before buying a home in San Diego

Find a great realtor( preferably referred).
Find a great Mortgage Broker (preferably referred)
Find the home that suits you best (location, amenities,location).
Write down your must haves and your wants.
Don't try to be such a hardball negotiator upfront. Be negotiable with the seller, otherwise they my want to go with another offer.
Factor in repairs and maintenance cost.

Buying a Short Sale in San Diego

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Helpful hints when buying a Short Sale in San Diego

1-Get pre-approved first (Make sure you speak with a lender and go through the full pre-approval process before going out and seeing homes. If you are paying cash, then all you will need to submit with your offer is your bank statement showing proof of funds)

2-Find a buyers agent that understands the short sale process ( some agents do not understand them or do not want to show them because they can take anywhere from 3-5 months to get approved in some cases. In reality, you could pass up on a great deal if you end up working with an agent that does not want to show you the best deals in town, some of which are Short Sales).

3-Qualify the listing agent. (There are ways that your agent can check and see if the listing agent is experienced with Short Sales. If they are not, you could very well be wasting your time by putting an offer on one of these Short Sales. After many months of waiting around on a Short Sale that is being negotiated by an inexperienced listing agent, the bank will not approve it and you will have lost many other opportunities by waiting on the wrong one).

4-Be prepared to pay for items that the bank will not pay for ( Banks typically will not pay for termite work, other type of repairs, home warranty or hoa fees on a condo. If termite work needs to be done on the property and you don't have the money to do that and have funds to pay for your closing costs, there are other strategies that can be used to pay for it).

5- Give the seller the choice of services such as Escrow and Title.( The listing agent will typically have their group of people in place that they work with it will avoid a counter back from the listing agent if you just go ahead and agree to using their services).

6-Be ready to put a deposit into escrow( The listing agent will typically require this. This is showing that you as a buyer are committed to this property and are willing to wait 90-120 days for it)

7-Closing cost- Banks will typically credit buyers for closing cost. Your buyers agent must include this in the offer and know that the bank may negotiate a smaller amount.

8-Be prepared to get a counter offer back from the bank (Although the seller has accepted your offer, the bank will do their own appraisal and sometimes will counter back with a price that is higher then the price that has already been accepted. If this happens, your buyer agent and yourself must do a comparable analysis, you will then have to figure out if you believe the price that the bank countered at is still market value or something that you feel is still a good price)

9- Be ready to do inspection within 10 days of seller acceptance. (Experienced Short Sale listing agents will typically have put in their counter that buyers must do inspections up front and not wait until the bank approves the short sale to do so).

10-If you have any questions regarding the Short Sale process or would like to work with someone from our team, feel free to shoot us over an email or give us a call so that we can set up an appointment.

The Cost of Living in San Diego

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The cost of living in San Diego can be a huge concern for people thinking of moving to this beautiful city. Let's say you are thinking of relocating from Phoenix Arizona. You are looking at on overall increase of approximately 27.7% more to live in San Diego. What about if moving from Houston (30.7% more), Miami (17.2% more), Indianapolis (32.4 more), Charleston (25.3 more), Atlanta (24.5 more). So why do so many people still continue to relocate to Americas Finest City, the City of San Diego?

Maybe because San Diego is known for its mild year-round climate, characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters with most of the annual precipitation falling between December and March. The city has mild, mostly dry weather, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F.

So although on paper it seems as if though it is rather expensive to live in this beautiful city, it really isn't if you consider all of the things that there are to do outdoors that do not cost anything. Unlike in other parts of the Country, you can do things outdoors here year round that do not require you to wear heavy coats, sweaters, gloves and hats.

1-Consider a walk down La Jolla Cove, considered the most spectacular natural setting in the world.

2-Get on your Roller-blades , skateboard or bicycle along the Mission Beach Boardwalk, a beautiful three mile boardwalk along picturesque Mission and Pacific Beaches.

3-If you are into scuba diving or snorkeling, then you just hit jackpot. Some of the clearest waters lie on La Jolla Cove coast , with miles of protected underwater preserves to explore.

4-Visit Museums around town that offer free days. On the third Thursday of each month from 5-7pm, both the downtown and La Jolla locations of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego are free.

5-Free daily park tours, public concerts (Sundays), and beautiful gardens (seven are free daily) can be enjoyed while you stroll through Balboa Park and take in the beauty of it's spectacular Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.

6-One of the largest attractions in San Diego is considered to be "The Big Bay". Take a nice walk along 27 miles of waterfront featuring a multitude of shops, restaurants, bayside parks, marinas and miles of promenades and bikeways.

7-Free organ concerts at 2:00 pm on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park. A San Diego landmark since 1914, where organists play traditional favorites, waltzes and show tunes on enormous 32-foot pipes are featured at the Organ Pavillion.

These are just a few things that San Diego has to offer year round. So if you are someone who loves the outdoors, then price per square minute, the cost of living is pretty low because you truly get to enjoy the city year round. It is very rare that you have to stay indoors because the weather is bad.

If San Diego is a city that you are considering to relocating to, go through our website and and do a little research. If you find a home or a neighborhood of interest, shoot us an email and we will gladly send you more information

Buying a Home in San Diego

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I know, I know; when have you heard a Real Estate agent say that it was not a good time to buy a home? Not too often I'm sure. Here are some interesting facts though.

The interest rates are pretty amazing right now, if you can qualify for a loan.

Conventional loans:
3.875% on 30 year fixed
3.25% on 15 year fixed
4.125% loans $417,000 - $546,750

Or 3.875% FHA loans with just 3.5% down on loans up to $697,500

5/1 ARMs are at 2.625% but should only be taken by the borrower who expects to be out of that house in less than 5 years. This loan can go to 7.265% in year six and all the savings of the first 5 years will be wiped out, so this one is not my favorite and in my opinion should not even be considered based what has happened with our market in the last 5-7 years.

So, if you are renting right now because you are scared of all the media about the housing market, just look at what is happening in the rental market right now. Prices are high and getting higher. Landlords are happy that renters are helping them pay off their mortgage.

If you would like to find out how you can buy your first home or an investment property for the price of a rental, shoot us an email or a call. Let us know that you are interested in knowing more and we will be able to help you with that.

4383 Swift Avenue

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:34:16 GMT

Meticulously remodeled Craftsman Home sits on a large lot with alley access and a large 2 car garage. Updated kitchen with honed granite counter tops, beautiful cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Excellent floor plan, lovely archways, coved ceilings, built-ins, picture rail, gleaming restored hardwood floors and restored windows. Entire plumbing was replaced w/copper + abs. All new electrical from panel to interior of home. New heating furnace and new ducts through-out. Bonus family room with French doors that lead out to the new deck overlooking the spacious backyard. New Irrigation system in the front and backyard as well as fresh sod and beautiful palm trees that were planted for privacy

4383 Swift Avenue, North Park Open House

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Do not miss this Awesome Open House!

Sat & Sun, December 3rd & 4th, 1 to 3 pm

4383 Swift Avenue, San Diego CA 92104

3736 Arizona St

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:48:47 GMT

"Diamond in the rough." Short Sale - Cash only.

Craftsman fixer w/lot's of potential in Morley Field... Cash only! As-is (foundation needs $44k in repair work). easement on neighbor's driveway allows for entryway to basement and backyard..

Updated North Park Spanish Bungalow

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:56:24 GMT

Beautiful home recently renovated. New Foundation, Heating, Plumbing and newer Electrical. Balance of the existing portions of home have been renovated as well. Many homes in this area have original foundations, wall heaters and existing electrical and plumbing.

The efficiency and energy cost savings alone is significant, but the livability of the house with efficient heating, plumbing and electrical is a huge bonus. The cabinets are real wood with no particle board used and the countertops are real stone. Restored Hardwood floors throughout w/ new wood floors added to the kitchen and back bedroom. Very large backyard with alley access and new wood gate doors that open up for parking. There should be real pride of ownership with this home.