An informational source for people who are relocating, with a particular focus on moving to the Carlsbad area of North County San Diego, 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.
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With the exponential increase in information on the Internet, so too have we seen the emergence of the transparent agent. Or perhaps I should say we have seen agents become more transparent as a result of being on the Internet.
Agents who are on the web, and especially those who blog, are now out of the closet, so to speak, and visible to all who wish to read about and view them. And that’s a good thing for consumers. No longer do you have to guess about who you might hire to help you in a home buying or selling transaction. Simply go to the Internet, read what agents are saying on their blog, and you will be amazed at what you can learn. Not just the information they are sharing (which they should be doing as standard procedure, by the way) but about them personally:
What they believe
What they know
How they work and how they play (perhaps)
How they behave
What they value
Their temperament and personality
Their likes and dislikes
You really can get to know someone from what they write, and how they write, and before long they almost become a friend without having met them.. or you decide to stop reading because you don't like what you see, or get bored.
So if you do decide to work with a particular person, you already will have achieved a comfort level when you first start working together. And it’s a good way to select the agent you want to assist you in such a critical decision as buying or selling a home worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more.
Transparency is a good thing for consumers. And it’s good for us too – we publicly get to share more of who we are, and can no longer hide behind the walls of offices, our voice mails and our static websites.
So, buyers and sellers - use the Internet to your advantage. Learn what you can about us…then make your decision.
As you surf the Internet you are likely with focusing on specific sites you are aware of for your real estate information, but probably also stumbling around as well. The more research you do, the more you will learn – about the buying and selling process, about the inventory, and about the person you feel comfortable enough with to ask them to help you in that process. The majority of buyers and sellers-to-be are spending significant time doing some sort of research – this makes them better at buying and selling.
Here are a few suggestions. Certainly, plugging in keywords, for topics of interest, into Google or other search engines will do the trick. And you will find numerous sites where you can obtain all kinds of information. But here are some specific sites I think are useful.
American Towns has a wealth of information about communities all over the country. This may be especially helpful if you are pondering relocation and want some general information about a particular town.
Property Shark is a good site for finding all sorts of details about individual properties – my guess is it does not have everything you might want to know, but it's a good start (they do not have data on ALL the states yet). You can also check out the property records for individual towns using the search engines (e.g., do a search for the assessor’s database in town X ).
Looking for demographics in a particular town? One place to gather information on national, regional and local demographics is the IRS – keep in mind these may be a few years old depending on when the census data were obtained.
Are schools important to you? You can research individual school districts on-line with ease. School Matters is one national directory with all sorts of details on schools. OnBoard Navigator is another site that provide national school information. You can conduct a search for each state's Department of Education on Google or other search engines. You might also simply do a search in the town(s) you are interested in for the local school district.
I’ll add to this list from time to time as I run across other useful sites.
I want to chat a bit about transparency on the Internet, especially with regard to real estate and us agents. That’s the topic for this post and the next one or two.
The emphasis NOW is on sharing as much information as possible, about the real estate business and what we do, but more importantly about ourselves – who we are and how we work. As agents, we are now transparent to consumers, and that’s a good thing.
For many years, agents were the guardians of real estate information – you couldn’t get the details of what houses were for sale, their prices, what HAD sold, or other information without talking with an agent. We had you trapped, so to speak. Any of you who have been around for a while, and perhaps bought in the past, may remember the big fat MLS books that contained all the listings in the area – but no lookie without an agent. Nothing existed on the Internet so you had no choice but to contact a real estate office.
Well, the Internet has changed all that, thank goodness. Consumers now have the ability to get most of the information they need about buying and selling before they even talk to an agent. They can pick the houses they like, get estimated values on a home they are selling (a caveat here –be cautious, as those estimates are often off quite a bit), and learn all kinds of things about agents before they even decide who they want to work with. Consumers are now in the driver’s seat and in control, exactly where they should be. Many agents don’t like that – but I think it’s great. Over 70% of buyers and sellers do their research on the ‘net before they even talk with a professional. This is good for them, and good for us, in my opinion.
I know some of you are doing your research as you think about buying or selling, and I would encourage you to do as much as you can, with all the resources that are at your disposal. I will share some thoughts on the research process and give you some tips in my next post.
Are you considering a relocation but are not sure where you want to move?
How about making the decision based on the best opportunity for jobs?
Forbes published a list of the best cities for jobs in 2007 (link is to a table) and an interesting article. I would not personally recommend a decision based only on that factor, but if some of these cities are on your possibles list, this is good information to have.
Then, while you're at it, why not check out Neighboroo.com to obtain detailed information on the cost of living, housing, schools, crime and more in the city or cities that appeal to you.
I'm wondering...what is important to you as a seller? What are your hot buttons regarding the sale of your home AND with respect to the agent you decide to hire to help you?
My guess is that getting a good price (top dollar) and selling quickly are at the top of the list. Since you are relocating (or even if you are not), getting the best price you can and selling quickly are usually the central issues.
But, do you need to get a certain dollar amount to make this all work or is there flexibility? And is it better to sell quickly so you can move along, even if you don't get exactly the price you would like? Or can you/will you wait to get YOUR price? There is no right or wrong answer, just what is right for you. But give it some serious thought as it can impact your pricing strategy.
And what is important to you as you think about the agent you need to hire?
A big name brokerage? Or does it not matter?
Someone who can show you a written marketing plan?
A person you feel comfortable with and trust, regardless of the brokerage?
The agent who quotes you the highest list price? Or the one who will be completely honest with you about the price?
Someone who knows and uses technology in their business and marketing?
An agent who respects your family schedule, privacy and security issues?
Someone who will communicate regularly with you and answer your questions?
The individual who can recommend staging ideas, and ways to best show off your house?
An agent with a personal website, Internet presence, and a clear idea of how to market your home
You may have some other thoughts, too. Each seller has ideas about what it most important to them. Keep these in mind as you begin your search for the right listing agent.
So you have decided to move. What are you afraid of? Nothing? Anything?
My bet is that although you have made a decision to move (or your company did), you have some fears about your pending move. That's perfectly normal. But it's important to consider them and determine what is real and what is not? Here are some things you may be fearful of:
Not selling your home quickly enough or for top dollar (pricing, condition, marketing and exposure are key)
Not finding a home you love in your new city (there is lots of inventory in most areas, so plenty to choose from)
Not knowing where to shop, dine, where to go for medical/dental care (the Internet is probably the best soure of information you can find, and it's cheap and available 24/7)
Not knowing anyone in my new city (you will get to know your agent right away, and pretty well, and new neighbors will welcome you...and they love sharing shopping and dining recommendations; friends, family and neighbors may already know folks there you can connect with)
Leaving friends, neighbors and possibly family behind (yep, that's tough, but they will visit, you will visit, there is the phone, and email is cheap - trust me, this all helps)
There are probably other things that concern you, but these seem to be the biggies for most people who are moving. Your best ammunition is information, and the Internet is one of the best sources. So start right away - the more you know the better you will feel. Look toward the move with the thrill and excitement of new discovery. And consider when you first moved to your current location - that was probably a new experience for you, too.
And if you have kids and they are old enough, get them involved in gathering information on the Web...or work on this as a family project. Tonight you can look into schools, then tomorrow shopping, then restaurants, then things to do. The more you know ahead of time, the better. I've been through it 4 times now, and believe it all helps. You can also take some time if you go on a houe hunting trip to do your exploring.
I wrote a post the other day for ActiveRain (a real estate network I blog on regularly) that really meant alot to me. And it touched a lot of people, too.
It was directed to some first time buyers I am working with, and all that I have learned from them during the process. We haven't reached our goal yet, but the journey has been a terrific learning experience, with some hurdles to overcome and others we could not get beyond. But that's part of the journey we all go through when buying and selling.
Listing Agent, Selling Agent, Dual Agent, Buyer Agent - What's It All Mean?
Are you confused by the terms you hear floating around the real estate business - listing agent, selling agent, dual agent, buyer agent? I'm not surprised. They can be confusing to us agents as well, and there are those in the industry who use them in different ways and to mean different things. And some, unfortunately, do not understand the nature, and importance, of the different roles these relationships should have for you, the consumer.
I want to clarify things a bit, but don't worry so much about the terms. What is important to understand are the relationships that you can have with a licensed agent since THAT impacts the transaction, and affects YOUR INTERESTS.
Listing Agent refers to the individual (through a brokerage) that has a signed contract with a seller to list and market that home. That person REPRESENTS THE SELLER.
Buyer Agent is an agent who has agreed to REPRESENT THE BUYER - his or her interests, with fiduciary responsibilities, honesty, loyalty and more. DO NOT assume that the agent you decide to work with is representing YOU, the BUYER unless you ask. While that person is helping you, they may be working on behalf of the seller. Any good agent will explain the differences to you without you asking. But if not, ASK THEM! Don't make assumptions - they can bite you.
A Dual Agent is one who REPRESENTS THE BUYER AND THE SELLER, ostensibly. ALL parties MUST agree to this. However, it is impossible to truly represent BOTH PARTIES. It can't be done. How can an agent truly represent your best interests as the buyer when they are in conflict (e.g., price, concessions, repairs) with those of the seller?Consider this role very carefully. Are you really comfortable being in that type of relationship? You DO have a choice.
A selling agent is generally considered to be the person who brings in the buyer (i.e., they "sell" the home). This person could be the listing agent, a buyer agent, or a sub-agent (an agent who is representing the seller but working with the buyer - it could be a person in the same brokerage or someone else).
If you are buying AND selling, your listing agent can also act as a buyer agent for you in your purchase transaction. However, since they know alot about you as your listing agent, you would NOT want them to act on behalf of the sellers in your purchase - they need to represent YOU.
Knowing the relationships you have with a particular agent is what is important, not the title. And many states have disclosure forms you must review and acknowledge so you understand the possible relationships.
And know that state laws may define these differently. Some areas do not allow dual agency, and so on.
What Do You Know About Credit Scores and Reporting?
My guess is that some of you know alot about credit scores, how they are calculated, what affects them, and how they are used. Others, I suspect, do not. Perhaps you have some misconceptions about them as well.
A colleague of mine in the mortgage industry writes on ActiveRain regularly as I do. He recently wrote an excellent article on credit scores, and I wanted to share it, rather than trying to paraphrase it for you.
I am often asked by buyers if this is a good time to buy. My answer is - it depends.
Certainly there are come factors now that would encourage you to buy depending on your personal and financial situation. There is alot of inventory, and our prices are remaining stable in most areas, with some small drops in median prices in other communities. The rates are very favorable, and because of the market buyers are finding they are in a better position to negotiate with sellers, and to obtain some concessions.
So if you need to buy, or want to move up or down in size, now is probably a good time for you. One issue that holds some buyers back is the question of where the market is going, and we just don't have a crystal ball. It appears that things will remain fairly strong and prices are not going to plunge. So if rates go up you could end up spending more for the same house down the road. That is a risk you will have to decide on for yourself. If you are not sure the time is right, then I would wait it out.
So sellers, is this a good time for you? Well, again, it depends on your situation. If you have to relocate, or move due to a change in family circumstances, etc. then it's a good time. Just price your place very competitively due to the competition and don't be greedy. And if you are in a short sale or pre-foreclosure situation you don't really have a choice.
If you NEED to get a certain amount of money, or want to break even based on what you paid for a couple of years ago it may not, in many communities, be prudent for you to sell. With appreciation being fairly flat in the last 1-2 years, after paying a commission you will not come out ahead.
The worst thing is to encourage someone to buy or sell when the time is not right for them, for whatever reason. And that is something I simply will not do.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss your options.
If the La Costa area appeals to you, from what you have heard and perhaps read here, there are a number of complexes offering a variety of homes, with varying prices, styles, and size. There are a number of gated communities, although not so much as in Aviara, as well as homes along a number of streets that don't belong to a particular "complex" or subdivision. This is only a partial list. Some complexes are quite small with only a dozen or so homes while others number in the hundreds.
Alga Hills - large hilly neighborhood, mix of housing, ungated
The Fairways - gated, detached, many homes fronting the hill above the golf course
The Jockey Club - upscale, gated, attached town homes on the golf course (high $800s and $900s)
La Costa Greens - large new construction subdivision by 5 builders, many homes with views of the ocean and La Costa, ungated ($700s to over a million)
La Costa Ridge - still under construction, atop the hill above La Costa, most homes start around $1 million
Brookfield - good sized neighborhood of detached homes, with community pools, tot lots, ungated (under $700K for the most part with some under $600K)
La Costa Estates - larger, hilltop homes of varying styles, most $1 million or more
La Costa Oaks - another recently built subdivision, ungated
Sea Pointe Tennis Club - ungated, attached homes with tennis (most under $500K)
Plaza Bonita - small gated complex of town homes, some with golf course views
Plaza de las Flores - another small gated complex of attached town homes along the golf course
Some of the well-known streets are Almaden, Alicante, El Fuerte, Estrella de Mar, Luciernaga, Corintia, Argonauta, and Alga
In follow-up to my recent tour of AVIARA, in Carlsbad, here is a list of some of the complexes available to you. This is NOT the complete list but you will recognize some of these names from the MLS. They vary quite a bit in price, size, and views (ocean, golf course, hills, greenbelt, lagoon)
Aviara Point - probably the most exclusive and expensive ($1.5 million to over $2 million) - gated
Bella Lago - gated, along the lagoon, views, in the mid to high $1 millions
Isla Mar - gated, some views, under $1 million and above
Encinitas Ranch, An Upscale Encinitas Neighborhood
Here's a link to another part of my neighborhood series.
I just completed a review of Encinitas Ranch, which is an upscale Encinitas neighborhood. Are you looking for homes for sale in Encinitas? Consider Encinitas Ranch.
Encinitas, CA, a town of approximately 60,000, is located about 25 miles north of San Diego and just south of Carlsbad. Encinitas Ranch offers a wonderful residential lifestyle in a community with its own public golf course, and is near to all the fine amenities and beaches of Encinitas and other coastal communities such as Cardiff-by-the-Sea and Carlsbad.
The area itself is purely residential, with many homes offering views of the ocean, the hills, the golf course, or the back country. There is lots of open space and miles of walking trails, and a range of home prices, styles and sizes to choose from.
This review includes lots of information about Encinitas Ranch as well as a virtual tour of the area.
If I can provide more information about the area, or other nearby communities that interest you, please let me know.
Are you a first time buyer. Stop by my blog to learn more about the buying process.
So what the heck is Zillow? What is it for? And do I want to use it? Should I use it?
Good questions. And since many of you have heard about Zillow, and perhaps have even gone to their site, let me add my words of caution. I won't tell you NOT to use it since you will anyway. But as the educated consumers I know you are, I assume you will want to know if there are any issues to be concerned about. And I believe there are.
First, Zillow is a real estate website that provides consumers information about the estimated value of your home based on property information that have gleaned from various sources. That information is public but often hard to find. This estimate is called a Zestimate (read more about it). They wisely point out that this Zestimate is just a starting point for determining the value of your home. I suggest you CAREFULLY read all their cautions so you understand what you are getting, or not getting.
Zillow now also allows homeowners who are selling to list their homes (and agents can as well, to find leads), and buyers around the country can search for homes. Given the number of properties in their database, this functionality right now is pretty limited and may not be very helpful. But there will be some homes that may interest you, depending on where you look, just like any other site that lists homes. But I wouldn't rely on it as your sole source of homes in your search.
But there are some interesting features on Zillow, such as their mapping, and it appeals to consumers for that reason.
There has been much interest in Zillow because it is new and different (it is now over 1 year old) . Lots of homeowners (including buyers and sellers) have used it, as well as a huge number of agents checking out the information on the homes they list, and on their own properties.
So here are my concerns.
The estimates provided by Zillow seem to be wrong far more often than close to being right. This is based on anecdotal data from agents and owners around the country over many months. Yes, I suspect there are times it is close to reality, but so often it is not...and the differences are substantial (to the tune of low, or high, by as much as $100K for example). The problem is that property data and other information that Zillow has access to is just a PART of what determines value.
If you were planning to sell would you want to list your home at $100K more than than the actual value? Of course not - it would never sell. But the danger is that unrepresented sellers will use this information instead of getting a CMA (as Zillow recommends) from a real estate professional. No agent in their right mind would use this information and assume it is reliable.
Or, as a buyer, if you used the Zestimate to determine what you should offer, you could be very low and never get the seller to agree. But I have seen this done and the buyers didn't get the house they wanted because the estimated value was so far off from the market value.
It should be noted that the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit that promotes equal access to credit and capital for underserved communities, filed an extensive complaint against the site because of the purported misleading data for consumers. The complaint has not yet been resolved.
So, please be cautious. Check it out if you wish. See what it says. And let me know what you think. But I urge you to not place so much emphasis on their information that you ignore other data that are out there including details from a knowledgeable agent who knows your market.
It's your choice as to which house or condo you buy, right? Well, of course. While you may be in a quandary because you're not sure, it's still your choice.
Why do I mention this?
Well, some agents take the approach that they should decide which homes to show their buyers, especially first timers. So, although you will make the final decision, it may be with some prodding from the agent to "buy that house." And the homes you saw were THEIR choices not yours. Nope, that's wrong, so don't let it happen.
I don't work that way, and I believe it is totally inappropriate for me to make that decision. I want you to see the homes YOU want to see, and not what I think you should see. Make sense?
Now don't get me wrong - if you are in the exploratory phase and need assistance in seeing a range of homes, I can lead you in that direction,and provide suggestions. Plus, once I really know what you want and like, if there is something you have missed in your searching that I think you should see, I will let you know. And, while the choice as to which home you buy is YOURS, I will share my opinion of the pros and cons, based on my knowledge of the market, and understanding of what you have shared with me about what you want.
But it's your choice, so please don't put me in the position of making the decision. But you can expect me to help you with that decision in any way I can.
Quite often I'm asked, "What's the best way to build my credit score?" Many people who have moved here from another country or who are rebounding from financial difficulty have options that should help improve their credit score almost immediately.
Go to your local bank and request a secured credit card and use it and pay it off monthly. It doesn't have to be a huge purchase. Something as small as buying a bottle of shampoo reflects the same as if you put $300 worth of groceries on it. From the credit bureau's point of view, or rather their credit score calculation, you are perceived as a responsible adult who can use your credit card and pay it off each month.
Now there are no guarantees as to just how much your score will improve, but coming from the bureaus themselves, it will work. What you don't want to do is max it out and leave an outstanding balance on it. Again, it's the fact that you use it responsibly and NOT how much you charge on it.
For more great mortgage related information, please visit Ask Comer. Please feel free to email me too, with any questions, and I'll post the answers.
I am going out today to take my buyers to 13 homes as they try to decide on the one they want to buy - one offer already fell through - but they are taking it all in stride. Good for them!
But this is about the poor quality of many MLS listings. Preparing for our tour today prompted me to rant a bit - lousy photos, major typos, lack of information. After putting the list of homes together for our tour it was clear there were some really bad listings (on paper).
Since I think the topic is so relevant to buyers, I decided to post my rant on my other blog. But it's relevant for sellers too - if your MLS listing looks bad, it might not attract buyers who will want to see it, so what good is that? Don't you want to sell your home? If you haven't seen your actual listing, I would request to see it.
Anyhow, take a look if you feel like hearing me gripe.
And let me know YOUR thoughts. What do YOU think about the quality of MLS listings?
Are you selling? Is your listing in the MLS a compliment to your home or an embarrassment? I really want to know!
I have another guest blogger and friend, Kathryn Holt, who has joined me.
Kathryn will be sharing her knowledge and expertise on Feng Shui. Since her writing is of a more general nature, and not just specific to buyers and sellers, she will be contributing on my Fans of Coastal San Diego blog. But look for the links here, too.
Are you thinking about moving to Southern California?
Here's a marketing piece on Carlsbad (where I live) to help you learn more about the area's housing, restaurants, shppoing, beaches and more. I hope you will enjoy it. Just click on the surfboard and surf away.
And if you have some feedback, I would love to hear it.
BTW - If you are interested in other areas of San Diego, let me know and I will share more information about them and even provide some pics.
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As you surf the Internet you are likely with focusing on specific sites you are aware of for your real estate information, but probably also stumbling around as well. The more research you do, the more you will learn – about the buying and selling process, about the inventory, and about the person you feel comfortable enough with to ask them to help you in that process. The majority of buyers and sellers-to-be are spending significant time doing some sort of research – this makes them better at buying and selling..gif)
Are schools important to you? You can research individual school districts on-line with ease. 
Are you considering a relocation but are not sure where you want to move?
Here's a link to another part of my neighborhood series. 
Quite often I'm asked, "What's the best way to build my credit score?" Many people who have moved here from another country or who are rebounding from financial difficulty have options that should help improve their credit score almost immediately. 
