An informational source for people who are relocating, with a particular focus on moving to the Carlsbad area of North County San Diego (and nearby coastal communities), with advice, guidance and true stories to help you on your way and make it a great journey, from a REALTOR� with plenty of personal (4 major moves, most recently from Boston to Carlsbad, California) and professional relocation experience. Are you running into problems selling your home? Need to find a new one quickly? Never moved before and haven't a clue? You'll find some great tips on how to solve your relocation issues here. Or ask me a question any time and I'll share some solutions or tell you where to get more information.
CA DRE License #01490977
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Some Great News - California Homebuyer Tax Credits
California just signed a new bill, AB183, giving California first time buyers and buyers of NEW construction homes a tax credit of up to $10,000, or 5% of the purchase price, whichever is less. There are restrictions, of course, and you should consult a tax professional to see what this may mean for you and your taxes.
This is great news if you are thinking about buying.
If you time it right (the new tax credit kicks in for home bought on or after May 1, 2010) you could get up to $18,000 if you qualify for the federal first time buyer tax credit or move-up buyer credit, AND buy a new home between May 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
First Time Buyer's Tax Credit Misconception AND Deadline
I wrote and article on my First Time Buyers Central blog about the tax credit and the fact that it is getting close to the deadline (true, also, for the move-up buyers' tax credit).
Also, there are some folks who think you get the whole shebang (i.e., $8000 or $6500). But, as always with these sorts of things there are limitations. I made a mistake when I first wrote the article, and thanks to a careful reader the information has been reposted.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
If you are relocating here to Southern California (Carlsbad, Encinitas or other nearby San Diego coastal communities) you may be considering if you should rent or if you should buy.
It's a tough question, and there are pros and cons to both sides.And I have done both
Getting the lay of the land before buying in a new community makes sense. And financially you may need some time to get things in order, especially if you are moving here from a less expensive area, or if your home has not yet sold and you do not qualify for a mortgage until that happens.
It can be a great time to buy, however, for some buyers. The prices are about where they were in 2004, give or take. Mortgage rates are terrific and still in the 5% range (but that is expected to shift upwards over the next few months so you will pay more each month for the same house). Given the general downward trend in inventory (some communities in my area have less than 5 months of inventory), there is a lot of competition, especially at the lower price points, and we are seeing some upticks in average prices of homes sold.
Will this continue?
Hard to say. Waiting a year to buy could mean you will pay more for your home, both in terms of price as well as in the interest rate.
We could also see more inventory, especially of short sales and Roes, but that can also mean more competition.
But the choice is personal and does depend on your personal situation. If I can help with more information about the market so you can make an informed choice, please let me know.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RENTAL:
Most of the area rentals will be found on sites like Craigslist and SignOnSanDiego. Landlords can list their properties for free and do not have to pay a fee to a real estate agent.
I can also send you rental listings from the MLS but there will be fewer options to choose from.
Know that if you have pets, especially dogs, that some rentals have restrictions, either due to the home owner's preference on in the case of the HOA or condo association.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Government sites can be a challenge to wade through all the "stuff." A friend of mine in Philadelphia, Jeff Belonger, is an FHA expert -his blog article about FHA loans makes these changes much easier to understand.
Some big changes:
An increase in the mortgage insurance premium amount
A decrease in the amount of concession a buyer can receive from a seller from 6% max to 3% max
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
One indicator that things may be improving in the Carlsbad real estate market (and in surrounding areas) is that they are building NEW homes in Carlsbad again.
Buyers in the Carlsbad real estate market who want new construction once again have a number of options. This is a big change from last year when things sorta dried up. AND these new homes are selling, and quickly...some are sold and they are not even built yet.
Foks who are relocating to this area, or pondering it, and who want to know more, here are someupdates on the new construction in town. Feel free to check with me for more details adn updates, but most of this information is pretty recent.
CopperWood at La Costa Oaks - detached homes, some with canyon and distant ocean views, in the Encinitas Schools
Stay tuned for my articles on two other developments - 53 Melrose in Carlsbad near La Costa Ridge, and The Foothills (Rock Rose) near Calavera Hills to the north.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
San Diego Real Estate Market Reports for Area Communities YTD 2009
If you are moving to the San Diego area, or are considering making the move, you are likely interested in what is going on with prices.
As you are likely aware, the San Diego real estate market has been in the news quite a bit in the past for the huge pricing upswing, as well as for the changes in our market over the last 4 years.
Here is a SUMMARY REPORT of the San Diego real estate market conditions for some North San Diego County communities that I service for the year-to-date 2009.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
I work with lots of relocation buyers, and often the lifestyle they are seeking with their move to Southern California is different than what they currently enjoy. I know mine changed when I moved here from the Boston area...at least some aspects of it did.
But sometimes buyers really want to preserve their current lifestyle, to the extent that's possible, when moving to this area.
I created this new LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE to help folks who are relocating focus a bit more on what their lifestyle is like and those aspects that are important to them. I find that the more I know about what buyers want in a home and neighborhood, including the aspects of their lifestyle that are really important, the better I can be helpful.
The questionnaire does not, of course, include everything, but I think it will help you focus on what is really important. I wold love to have your feedback.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Carlsbad Relocation Tips - Finding the Right Comunity and Your New Home
Relocating presents many challenges, especially if you are moving a long distance say from the right coast to the left coast as I did.
Finding the right community adn the right home are usually at the top of the relocating buyer's list. And while that can be a chore, with today's technolgoy adn a few tips, you can conduct a search for where you want to live without too much trouble other than some time and some good questions.
Since reprinting word for word can creat a problem for the search engines, here are the links to those articles that I believe will help in your search and answer some of your questions.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
If you are selling your home as part of your RELOCATION, and planning to buy a new one in your new location, you really need to understand about INVENTORY and how it can impact the decisions you need to make.
Inventory will affect the price you will determine for listing your home so it is positioned well in YOUR particular market.
Bbut inventory will also impact the options you will have in your new location. A well-informed agent WILL understand this and be able to provide you with the information you need most so you can be an informed consumer.
If you need help in finding a qualified agent in your area, please feel free to let me know. I have a huge network of agents I know around the country becuase of my substantial Internet marketing plus my professional certifications (Certified Residential Specialist or CRS for one).
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Stay tuned for Parts 3, 4 and 5 where I will help you find the right home, get through the house hunting process, and navigate the transaction from a distance so you can move to your new home in your new location.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
In the current market in some areas, at the lower price points, it is NOT a buyer's market. That is certainly true here in Southern California in communities like Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido where there are a lot of short sales and REOs (bank owned foreclosures) under $300,000.
And buyers are finding they need to make quick decisions or they will lose out on properties they like. It is particularly difficult if you are relocating and are not here physically to see properties as soon as they come on the market.
The question becomes - "Buyers, How Fast Can You Move?". Read more to understand how this may affect you.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
Considering a Short Sale or REO in Your Relocation Plans?
Lots of folks want to buy a short sale or an REO...or think they do.
This is fairly common for folks who are relocating here to Southern California because of the perception that these may be great deals given what they have heard about California foreclosures, and major price adjustments in the last several years. While it is true that prices have come down, substantially in some areas, the belief that you can get a home for 50 cents on the dollar is just not realistic, nor is buying a waterfront home in Carlsbad on the ocean for $500,000 a possibility.
That does not mean that you should not consider short sale and REO (foreclosure, bank-owned) homes, along with traditional resales so you get the full picture of your options. Indeed, you should. But being aware of some of the issues is important so you make an informed decision.
One thing you will often find is that things you normally would find in a resale are missing in a short sale, and even more commonly in an REO.
If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.
RSS Blog Feed
.jpg)
