Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 266
My husband Chris and I traveled to Dallas last weekend. What a town! We always stay near the centrally located Arts District so we can walk everywhere. The Arts District is like Balboa Park, with both visual and performing arts sharing the 68 acres and 19 contiguous blocks. The Dallas Arts District unifies culture and commerce with integrated and exemplary artistic, residential, cultural, educational, recreational, religious and commercial life. The art in public places unite...
For nearly as long as I’ve been writing my column, the topic of the shortage of affordable workforce housing has been a key issue in real estate. There are many programs that address affordable housing, so people at the lowest of income levels or those on state subsidies can secure housing. But affordable workforce housing is an even bigger problem within California. It doesn’t matter which region a person lives in, the housing available close to employment is generally not...
I am neither advocating for or against Measure A, but I would like clarity on the issue. In Mark Jackson’s letter to the editor criticizing Kim Murphy’s analysis of Measure A, he is only partially correct in that the ballot itself does not contain all of the language referenced by Ms. Murphy, specifically the issues of permanently prohibiting density transfers and the designation of new specific plan areas. If Mr. Jackson would read the full content of Measure A as presented on Page 30 of the sample ballot and voter inf...
Last week I had the opportunity to be part of a group to discuss signage in Fallbrook. It seems to be that whenever we’re in an election cycle, the proliferation of signs, seems to be overwhelming, almost to the point of annoying. Although Fallbrook has sign guidelines, political signs are exempt from those guidelines. This year, because of California’s early primary, we will probably be looking at the current signs, plus additional signage, up and through November. Tha...
I spent last week in Anaheim with the California Association of Realtors Board of Directors. Two topics dominated many of the committee meetings: Fair Housing and Housing Availability. They can be tied together, but that is the subject for another week. San Diego voters have an opportunity to alleviate one of the issues, that of housing availability, which directly affects affordability. I’m hoping that as a county, we make the right choice. We need housing. I can’t ima...
Last week I reported on a change of policy for all Realtors that will require them to input listing information within 24 hours of them posting any kind of public facing marketing on a property, as “Coming Soon.” This policy requires all Realtors to make the listing data on the property available to, in the case of Southern California, the more than 100,000 Realtors who access the California Regional MLS, and to the various syndicated real estate websites, so the property is...
While Ms. Murphy is entitled to her opinions, there are many factual ‘escapes’ in her article. Yes, I’m being polite. Ms. Murphy makes this statement early on: The current language approved by the county counsel stated: “Shall this initiative be adopted for the purpose of amending the county general plan to require voter approval through 2038 of any general plan amendments which increase residential density in all areas designated rural and semi-rural, subject to very limited exceptions, permanently prohibit density transfe...
Dear Ms. Voges, Since you do not know me, your accusations of my motives are based on absolutely nothing other than the fact that I am a licensed real estate broker. That would be akin to accusing a dentist of opposing a new law that prevented thousands of patients from receiving adequate dental care, as self-serving. The facts of Measure A were accurately spelled out in my article, so I will not reiterate them, except to restate that the people who will suffer the most if Measure A were to pass are middle class workforce...
Picture this. You’re driving along and you see a real estate sign on your neighbor’s home, or in a neighborhood, you want to move to. You pull to the side of the road, get on the internet on your phone to search for information about it, and you find nothing, nada, zilch. It makes no sense. There’s a sign up, with a topper that says, “Coming soon,” but you can’t find it on any of the real estate sites you normally search. Next, you call your Realtor and ask them about the h...
The peak selling season for Fallbrook is coming up. The buyers are abundant. Many are moving from much higher cost areas in search of an affordable home in a less congested place. Many are moving here in search of a friendlier place to live. Sellers in Fallbrook, on the other hand, are leaving to find more affordable places to live, which generally is outside of California. Many seniors are searching for a new place to call home, so they can stretch their retirement savings...
Fallbrook is a wonderful place to live. As a community, we have found ways to take care of our town and the people that live in it. As a community, we support our children through the Boys and Girls Club and the Child Development Center. We support our seniors through the Fallbrook Senior Center and the Foundation for Senior Care. We support the arts, our trails, our parks and the town through our commitment to Fallbrook Art's Inc., Fallbrook Land Conservancy, Fallbrook...
It’s a new year, and I want to start out with a column about a tool most real estate practitioners use on a very regular basis, to help streamline the process of selling or buying property: DocuSign. DocuSign was founded in 2003 and began selling the product in 2005 when zipForm, now zipLogix, integrated DocuSign into its virtual real estate forms. In 2010, DocuSign added support for iPhone, iPad and phone-based user authentication. By 2012, 90% of Fortune 500 companies s...
California lawmakers introduced more than $20.4 billion in new taxes and fees in the 2019-2020 legislative session, and $4.4 billion of those taxes and fees were signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. During this time of economic prosperity, the state approved a budget of $214.8 billion, which is a $13.4 billion increase over last year. California has a projected reserve of $20.59 billion and an operating surplus of $22 billion. In former Gov. Jerry Brown’s last year in o...
Apparently, Ms. Murphy does not believe that the voters of San Diego County are worthy of deciding the fate of future development in rural areas. Why is Kim Murphy, a Realtor, against Measure A? Why is she against voter approval of stacked-housing developments in rural fire-prone areas where there is no infrastructure? Who else is against Measure A? North San Diego County Association of Realtors; Greater San Diego Association of Realtors and Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors as well as the Building Industry...
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors had their monthly meeting, Dec. 17. One of the topics on the agenda was to change the wording of Measure A, also known as SOS or Safeguard Our San Diego. The 5th District supervisor, Jim Desmond, proposed language that would provide specific language to the title and summary of the measure, so that voters understood what they are voting for or against. Unfortunately, the item was removed from the agenda, so the summary and title in...
I just spent two days in Los Angeles, with the California Association of Realtors, Strategic Planning and Finance Committee. I am one of 18 directors across the state that gets read in on upcoming issues and challenges for real estate in California. I wish I could say that it was an exhilarating two days, but quite honestly, if you are a property owner or a “hope to be some day” property owner, there is not much to be excited about. California has a $250 billion unfunded emp...
This week’s article has absolutely nothing to do with real estate and yet it has everything to do with the intrinsic value of real estate in Fallbrook. I’m sure you would agree that Fallbrook is a special place. There are certain times of the year that our friendly town seems to sparkle even brighter. Right now, is one of those times. There is so much going on throughout Fallbrook that you won’t want to miss. Join in and fall in love with Fallbrook one more time. From now unti...
Two years in a row, California is losing more residents than it is gaining. In 2018, 38,000 more people left the Golden State than entered, according to the U.S. census. A recent Edelman Trust Barometer survey found 53% of residents and 63% of millennials were considering leaving because of the high cost of living. California used to be a middle-class paradise, with affordable education, a dynamic economy and known as a technological and medical leader. Home prices and...
The Fallbrook Public Utility District Board of Directors voted Friday to move forward with a proposal to form a Community Benefit Program that would promote, coordinate and oversee funding for community projects in town. Because Fallbrook is unincorporated, local nonprofit organizations are currently responsible for many local projects and facilities. The nonprofit Fallbrook Village Association and other organizations like the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, Fallbrook Historical Society and others have been in talks with the...
When I was a child, my parents took care of everything for me. They not only fed me, but they made sure I had new clothes for school, took me to the doctor and dentist and even supported dance and piano lessons. As I got older, they continued to support me. They paid for college tuition, my room and board and continued to pay for my clothing, trips to the doctor and dentist and my participation in my sorority and intramural sports. When I graduated college, that life all came...
Last week I reported on five legislative bills that have been signed by the Gov. Gavin Newsom that will potentially have a huge impact on housing in California, specifically, Assembly Bill 68, Assembly Bill 881 and Senate Bill 13 which all provide incentives and reduce restrictions for accessory dwelling units. On the face of it, considering the shortage of housing, they seem an appropriate next step to get additional units for people who need homes. But, and the big but, is t...
I have written numerous articles about the housing shortage in California. Over the past four years, the California legislature has proposed bills meant to provide a "fix" to the shortage of housing. Many have gone down in defeat, either as a result of pressure from cities and counties or at the hands of the Appropriations Committee. Recently, five bills, when bundled together, have been passed and were signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. These bills will dramatically change the...
Our lives have become so automatic. We can order almost anything online from food, to clothing, business and household supplies to furniture and electronics. The list is inexhaustible. Most items ship for free and arrive in a day or two. It's like magic. Amazon even has an app that will allow the item to be left inside your home. One major component that is missing in the automatic age we live in is personal customer service. It's not essential when you're purchasing a...
I promised you last week that I would have some good news to report from my week at the California Association of Realtors meetings in Los Angeles. First is a little history lesson. In 2017, CAR embarked on a project designed to expand the Proposition 13 protections that exist for seniors when they sell their primary residence and purchase a replacement property in California. CAR's goal was to provide an opportunity for every homeowner to be able to sell their primary...
Last week, I traveled to Los Angeles for a California Association of Realtors state meeting. Traveling to Los Angeles is always an experience. It reflects the image of the state as a whole, in many ways. Upon arriving to Union Station, yes, I took the train, keeping in mind the smaller carbon footprint and the avoidance of stress being tied up on the freeways for hours, I was immediately impacted by the thousands of homeless encampments that now make up Los Angeles. People...
