San Diego Coastal Real Estate Blog

Your Home Used to be WHAT?

by Dee Marie Fisher on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

One-of-a-Kind Converted Homes

How interesting is this……. Warehouses, factories, barns, and churches are more commonly being re-purposed into residences, but for the adventurous buyer with a budget for renovation, no structure is off limits as a potential home. We don't see an abundance of re-purposed homes such as these on the west coast, however, Encinitas can lay claim to the famous "Boat Houses" on 3rd Street. 

Does anyone know of other unique homes in San Diego County?  Please let me know!

Have you thought about how "green" it is to convert a unused building into a residence?

I don't expect most people will all be moving into reclaimed trains, planes, and automobiles any time soon… however, I think these home designs are a lot of fun. They can show a buyer what's fun, comfortable, and unique outside the track home box and dream what's different.

You may not need to live in an airplane today but maybe you can reuse some lumber or furniture, or perhaps switch to paints that are better for your air quality. 

MSN Real Estate article has more on re-purposed homes and tips to saving energy in your current home.

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High-priced Homes are Selling in Del Mar

by Dee Marie Fisher on Monday, May 13, 2013

San Diego's Homes Golden Triangle – Del Mar, La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe

Already sales of homes that sold for $2 million or more rose 13% in San Diego County from a year ago. While that increase sounds promising for a depressed market, real estate and financial insiders say steep price cuts and expected tax hikes helped drive sales. Another factor that helped was home shoppers seeking bargains.  This seven-figure home market is about 47% off from its peak in 2005, which indicates the price range was crushed by the housing crash…. as many of us Realtors experienced.

The local million dollar home sub-market also is behind when compared with the overall housing market in San Diego County, where total sales are 24% higher than a year ago. A few months ago, potential buyers may have been able to afford the properties at the listing price levels – and even pay cash – but weren't willing to do so. The listing prices for the 10 most expensive homes sold last year were cut anywhere between 2.2% to 44%. 

Buyers have been increasing in the luxury, high-end real estate market in Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe and La Jolla this spring with many homes that have been sitting on the market already pending.  One factor that sellers need to take into consideration in 2013 is the capital gains tax increase…. determine your cost in selling.

The ten most expensive homes that sold in San Diego ranged from $16,250,000 – $7,425,000 and in the neighborhoods of Del Mar, La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, and Carlsbad. 

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Home Features Buyers Will Pay Extra For

by Dee Marie Fisher on Saturday, May 11, 2013

11 Features Home Buyers Like…

Many of the features homeowners desire involve the kitchen. These include stainless steel appliances and a kitchen island. The kitchen is a major focal point for the home buyers, acting as an informal gathering place.

The home buyers age will dictates what features are desirable….

  • More people age 35 to 54 found the internal features of a house to be very important in making a decision than any other age group.
  • Younger and first time home buyers want to build equity and features may not be as important.
  • Young families find certain amenities such as yards, child-friendly neighborhoods, and school districts are important.

The features described from this survey are not necessarily the most important deciding factors for potential home buyers. Most realistically, when looking at a house, the first things people consider are factors such as: neighborhood, school district, and the commute to jobs.

Using data from the survey, the following list are features that homeowners are willing to pay extra for:

  1. Central air conditioning
  2. New kitchen appliances
  3. Walk-in closet in master bedroom
  4. Granite countertops
  5. Hardwood floors
  6. Ensuite master bath
  7. Kitchen island
  8. Stainless steel appliances
  9. Home less than 5 years old
  10. Eat-in kitchen
  11. One or more fireplaces

After reading this article and seeing the list do you agree?   What would you pay extra for?

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Strategies to Be An Attractive Homebuyer

April 29, 2013

Home Buyers need to have an edge over other buyers The real estate market is HOT along the coast of San Diego.  With multiple offers becoming the norm, buyers need to start standing out more from the crowd.  Here are some strategies or hints and tips to being an "attractive" buyer: Plan Ahead – While [...]

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7 Tips on What Home Buyers Want

April 26, 2013

Buyers are looking for best deal for their family….   Also, buyers want to make sure they are buying a home that will maintain its market value while also meeting the three main market factors of: price, condition, and location. According to a recent study done by The National Association of Realtors, the typical buyer [...]

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Down Payments – Higher or Lower?

April 25, 2013

Down Payment Options on Buying a Home Finding the right balance between a down payment and a loan amount may not be as hard as some buyers think. Many first time home buyers need to save for this first step while others who are looking to buy for a second or third time might already [...]

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The 7 SIMPLE Steps of Escrow

April 22, 2013

What is Escrow? In order to obtain home financing and have a home loan funded, a buyer must go through a process called Escrow. In California, an escrow is "closed" on the day that the grant deed is recorded in the official records at the County Recorder's office. The moment the grant deed is date-stamped [...]

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Housing Market Rises and Market Heats Up

April 1, 2013

San Diego Real Estate Market is Soaring… As the summer season swiftly creeps up on us, the housing market is also showing signs of heating up. With the most recent data showing property values rising consistently now for over ten months, there is enough evidence to suggest the housing recovery is upon is now nationwide.  [...]

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Where Will Tomorrow’s Buyers Find Inventory?

March 14, 2013

San Diego's Hot Housing Market Since last January there has been a 40% increase in new buyers in the market. But with inventory at extreme lows, this has caused definite problems for the recovering market. So the question is: How did this happen and where will all the new inventory come from?  There are three [...]

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Del Mar Horse Racing Season Rental

March 12, 2013

House Rental for the Horse Racing Season in Del Mar Okay, it's March,  we are now on daylight savings time and the house hunting season is already in a frenzy.  What is upcoming in Del Mar?  The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's racing season with opening day on July 17th….. with all the beautiful and crazy [...]

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