Whether you are looking to dine in Coronado at Peohe’s, 1500 Ocean at the Hotel Del, or Coronado Boathouse 1887, George’s at the Cove or the Marine Room in La Jolla, or maybe Jake’s or Pacifica in Del Mar, the Chart House in Solana Beach, or Blue Fire Grill in La Costa, there are options for everyone!

Now, in its fifth year, San Diego Restaurant Week is an absolute hit. This was started in 2004 to bring patrons to restaurants for a week after the summer boom, when kids are back in school, and business is typically down. Popular, exclusive restaurants started offering three course prix fixe menus consisting of an appetizer, a main course, and dessert for either $20, $30, or $40.

If you look at many of the restaurants’ menus, you will find that many of them are offering the entire three course meal for less than just the main course on a typical night. For those of you who know me and Mike, you know, we love to do nice things on a budget. I guess it is that financial advisor in me! So, we look forward to San Diego Restaurant Week each year. We always use it as an opportunity to visit some old favorites – or take a new culinary adventure!

This year, due to the lagging economy, the restaurants added a second San Diego Restaurant Week. According the San Diego Restaurant Week published reports, the January 2009 week was the most successful ever – with over 180 participating restaurants and a 22% increase in diners over the 2008 event!

At the San Diego Restaurant Week’s website, you will find a comprehensive list of participating restaurants that can be sorted by price, type of cuisine, or location.  Have fun and happy dining!

If you have anything you would like to see covered in our blog, please let us know.  We are always here to answer questions and meet your San Diego real estate needs.

Carlsbad, CA - According to the Public Utilities Commission, the amount of numbers available in the 760 area code was about to run out. In order to combat this problem, they chose to adopt an area code overlay.

Effective October 24, 2009, Full Number Dialing Will Be Required For All Local and Long Distance Calls. This will apply to land lines AND cell phones.

New Dialing Rules Checklist
Update your contact information with security and alarm companies.

• Re-program speed dial, auto dial, modems and other telephone equipment with your ten-digit number.
• Update the contact information of friends, family, neighbors, family doctor, etc.
• Start providing your area code when you give out your phone number.
• Inform family and friends of the need to dial 10 digits.

The Carlsbad film festival is held in the Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park at 6200 Flying LC Lane.

Movies start at sunset.  Grounds open at 5 pm for picnics.

Friday, September 4, 2009
Leo Carrillo Film Festival – Hotel Haywire (1937) Run time: 67 minutes. When a practical joke backfires and a zany astrologer steps in to help, hilarity ensues

Friday, September, 11, 2009
Barnacle Bill (1941) Run Time: 90 minutes. A fisherman tries to avoid being captured by the snares of matrimony while contending with landlubbers who want to rob him of his seagoing livelihood

Friday, September, 18, 2009
Broken Wing (1932) Run time: 71 minutes. A beautiful Mexican girl is caught in a love triangle between the pilot she has fallen in love with, and the powerful rancher who will stop at nothing to eliminate his romantic rival.

Saturday, September 26, 2009
Phantom of the Opera

Friday, October 2, 2009
Four Frightened People (1934) Run time: 95 minutes. Four passengers escape their bubonic plague-infested ship and land on the coast of a wild jungle, where they face attacks by wild animals and primitive tribesmen

For more information, go to www.leocarilloranch.org.

Rent-to-own contracts, usually require buyers to pay a premium on each month’s rent and sometimes an up front fee/deposit of about 5% of the purchase price. The regular rent then goes in owner’s pocket (presumably to pay the mortgage), but the additional payments are used to buy down the price of the home.

If done properly, a rent to own (or lease option) may be a great way for a buyer to build up down payments and improve their credit scores, while living in that home they wanted to buy.

An example that we have seen was this – On a $600,000 Oceanside home, the buyers paid $3,300/mo – $1,000/mo more than market rent. After three years, there would be $36,000 accrued in an account for their down payment and closing costs. If the buyer could not perform at the end of 36 months, the contract was void.

The real risks are to Carlsbad real estate buyers. The contracts are typically written to protect the sellers. Some specific risks:

Loss of your payments to date – often if you fall behind or can not perform, you are not entitled to a refund of any previously paid fees, deposits, or rent premiums paid.

Lack of Financing - Most Carlsbad, Oceanside, and San Marcos buyers are entering into lease option contracts because they can’t get financing in the current market place. If you can’t get financing at the end of the lease option contract, you forfeit everything you have paid to date.

Falling home prices - Most lease options establish a set price at the time the contract is signed. As we have seen over the past couple of years, prices don’t always go up. If after signing the contract, Carlsbad home prices fall, the buyer may not want to continue with the purchase, but that still doesn’t mean that they get their money back.

The House Going Into Foreclosure – Some Carlsbad renters have paid their inflated rent payments on time, only to find out the seller hasn’t been paying the mortgage. Instead the house goes into foreclosure, with the buyer/renter being evicted, never benefiting from their inflated payments.

Although these rent to own options seem like a great solution when it is hard to make a deal, there are plenty of pitfalls to consider.

If you have any questions about Carlsbad, La Costa, Oceanside, or San Marcos real estate or mortgages – please contact us.   Talk to a professional and make sure that YOUR interests are represented!   We are always happy to answer any Carlsbad real estate or mortgage questions.

Del Mar Racing

Whether you live in San Diego, Del Mar, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad, or La Costa - this is a San Diego summer must. 

General admission is $6 for Stretch Run and $10 for Clubhouse.  Additional fees apply for reserved seating.  Opening day pricing is $10 for Stretch Run and $20 for Clubhouse.

Visit Del Mar Thoroughbred Club  for maps, directions, and daily race information.  Have a fabulous day at the races.

I think one of the things that agents are seeing is that San Elijo sellers are being more realistic in pricing their homes.  They are actually using the recent solds to determine an appropriate price for THEIR San Elijo real estate.  Using this strategy, they are seeing better sales – more quickly and closer to (and sometimes above) asking price due to generating a lot of interest on their first days on the market!

If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in San Elijo, La Costa, Carlsbad, or any other local areas, please contact us.  We would love to answer any of your real estate questions. 

June 2009 – San Elijo Real Estate – San Elijo Homes For Sale
San Elijo Real Estate Trends 92078

 May 2009 – San Elijo Real Estate – San Elijo Homes For Sale
San Elijo Real Estate Trends 92078

Carlsbad Fireworks – Saturday July 4th

Legoland – Carlsbad, CA
“Red, White, and Boom” – Fireworks start about 8:30 pm

Coronado Fireworks – Saturday, July 4
10am Parade
Free 4:30 pm Coronado Community Band Concert (Spreckles Park)
Fireworks along Glorietta Bay 9:00 pm
www.coronado.ca.us

Del Mar Fireworks – Saturday July 4th
San Diego County Fair Fireworks
Start about 9:30 pm
www.sdfair.com
(858) 793-5555

Encinitas July 4th Celebration
Quail Botanical Gardens
230 Quail Gardens Drive
No Fireworks
Parade begins at 10:00 am sharp.
Children’s parade through the gardens. Come dressed up in Red, White, and Blue.
(760) 436-3063

La Costa July 4th Fireworks
La Costa Resort and Spa for hotel guests only

La Jolla July 4th Fireworks
Lights Over the Cove
Best seen from La Jolla Cove, Scripps Park, & La Jolla Shores Beach
www.lajolla.com

San Marcos – July 4th Fireworks
Entertainment and Fireworks – Activities at 5 pm. Fireworks at 9 pm
Bradley Park - Rancho Santa Fe Road and Linda Vista

Escondido July 4th Fireworks
Fireworks, Live Concert, Food, All Day Entertainment
Grape Day Park & CA Center For the Arts
Fireworks begin about 9:00 pm
www.ci.escondido.ca.us/events/fireworks

Ocean Beach July 4th Fireworks
Ocean Beach Pier at 9:00pm
www.oceanbeach.com

Oceanside July 4th Fireworks
O’Fest at the pier – Fireworks begin at 9:00pm
www.msoceanside.com

Oceanside – Camp Pendleton
July 4th Beach Bash and Fireworks
Vendors and Live Entertainment All Day

San Diego Bay July 4th Fireworks
KYXY 96.5 Fireworks at 9:00 pm
www.portofsandiego.org

Poway July 4th Fireworks
Old Fashioned Fourth at Old Poway Park about 9:00 pm
www.poway.org/oldpowaypark

Rancho Bernardo July 4th Fireworks
Spirit of the Fourth at Webb Park 9:00 pm

San Diego Embarcadero July 4th Fireworks
Summer Pops – Star Spangled Pops
July 3-5 – Fireworks at 9:00 pm
www.sandiegosymphony.com

Vista July 4th Fireworks
Rew, White, & Boom at 9:00pm
Brengle Terrace Park
1200 Vale Terrace Drive

As a La Costa, Carlsbad, or Oceanside buyer, it is wise to be cautious when considering a San Diego foreclosure. Carlsbad foreclosures (and any other foreclosures) are normally sold as is.  As a Carlsbad home buyer, it is important to have the house thoroughly inspected and to be sure that any liens, undisclosed mortgages or court judgments are cleared or at least disclosed.

There are some amazing prices on short sales and foreclosures right now in La Costa Oaks, La Costa Ridge, La Costa Greens, and San Elijo.  You can search for Carlsbad, Oceanside or San Marcos foreclosures for sale from our Foreclosure Search button below this post.

When you are ready to make an investment into a La Costa, Carlsbad, Oceanside, or San Marcos foreclosure property, we can put our expert knowledge to work for you. Give us a call today!

Mahogany New Construction

If you are looking for a large, luxury home with more amenities than you can imagine at prices that you wouldn’t believe, look no further than Mahogany in San Marcos. Mahogany is right off San Elijo Road, really at the entrance to San Elijo. It is also less than 1/4 mile from the very desirable homes of La Costa Oaks.

The homes range from almost 3100 square feet to almost 3900 square feet – with prices starting AS LOW AS $618,900!  That is UNHEARD of for new homes in the La Costa, Carlsbad, and San Marcos areas!

These homes come with air conditioning (often not standard in San Diego homes) maple cabinet, stainless appliances, family room fireplace, granite countertops, and front yard landscaping. If you are looking for an AMAZING Carlsbad or La Costa home, consider Mahogany. It has a San Marcos address, but you can’t beat the value!