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 126 - 150 of 266
Another week, another proposed tax, thanks to the state’s largest public labor unions and civil rights groups, who don’t feel that residents pay enough taxes. Astonishing. California is one of the highest taxed states in the nation. California has the highest state income tax at 13.3%, the highest state sales tax at 7.25%, the highest gasoline prices because of the taxes added on, the sixth highest vehicle registration fees because of the tax added on and the 16th highest pro...
FALLBROOK – The first Encore Club coffee meeting of the new season was like a family reunion while also welcoming many new members to the Encore family. As always, there was an opportunity for attendees to sign up for upcoming activities that may capture their interest. One popular activity, billed as a Mystery Adventure, drew a large group. Karen Feyler has planned and led this event for 20 years, and she never reveals the destination in advance nor repeats the same a...
Fallbrook leaders and community members met Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Fallbrook Public Utility District building for a meeting of the Fallbrook Revitalization Committee – the second meeting since the committee was established earlier this year. The committee, which consists of subcommittees that focus on more specialized issues, was spearheaded by San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, whose 5th District covers Fallbrook and most of the rest of North County. The board of supervisors voted unanimously in March to a...
If a homeowner is contemplating selling their home, is it better to find a replacement home and then list and sell their home, or sell their home first and then hope to find a replacement property? It is a question Realtors often hear. In a perfect world, where inventory was plentiful, and sales occurred quickly, it would not have a serious impact on the outcome, no matter which way a homeowner chose to go. But in today's market, where inventory is lean and selling could take...
Earlier this week, I had lunch with a colleague. During lunch, he shared with me the concerns over a movement that would dominate the future development of San Diego County. As he shared with me the most recent news about SOS, I recalled an article I wrote months ago about a similar movement in Ventura County called SOAR that has had a grave economic impact on that region. SOS is an acronym for the Safeguard Our San Diego Countryside Initiative. Just like SOAR, Save...
I published a similar article to this one a few weeks ago. After receiving interesting questions and comments, I decided to elaborate. You’re probably thinking that I’m fresh out of ideas and, with the long holiday weekend, wanted to find an easy way to be in print this week. I can assure you, I am never out of information to share, and the holiday comes after my deadline. Why then am I writing on this topic again? I want to make sure you understand the urgency at hand. Rig...
Living in an unincorporated area has its challenges. Mostly these challenges come in the form of financial support to maintain or improve the basic infrastructure that is taken care of by a city government. Without a city government, unincorporated areas, like Fallbrook, could potentially fall into disrepair or simply a stagnant state, with no improvements or updates to the ambiance or activities of the town. Fortunately for Fallbrook, the town has some very invested...
In addition to their duties assisting the Sheriff's department, Senior Volunteer Patrol members added a downtown patrol, May 20. According to SVP co-administrator Ray Beatificato, this new service came about from his attendance at the Community Forum meetings sponsored by the Fallbrook Village Association. At one of those meetings, business owners communicated their concerns that the presence of the homeless keeping customers from coming into the shops on Main Avenue....
What if someone told you that the perfect time to travel to one of your favorite vacation spots was the next eight months, because prices are low and may even go lower during that time period and, after that, the price to travel would most likely be going up and the weather historically will be inclement. Would you go now, or would you delay and plan your trip for later next year? Most of us, if we could take advantage of this perfect situation would go, right? Right now,...
Last week I spent two days in Los Angeles at the California Association of Realtors corporate office. I am one of 18 members out of the 209,000 licensed Realtors in California that was appointed to sit on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee. This committee is tasked with staying informed of industry and professional changes that may have an impact on real estate across the state and coming up with responses to those changes. Those changes come in the form of new real...
Now and again, it's fun for me to share a real-life Fallbrook real estate story. It's a nice break from the serious topics that affect real estate, like lack of supply, affordability, legislation directed at housing or rent control, and the additional requirements on home builders or homeowners that impede and impact all the above. So, join me is a story that will bring a smile to your face and even perhaps a chuckle. In the spring, we were contacted by a local family who were...
Unfortunately, wire fraud is alive and well in real estate. There are not many transactions that involve a larger financial investment than purchasing real estate. All buyers are required to deliver earnest money funds within three days of acceptance on an offer. In Fallbrook, with the median price being $610,000, that deposit will be somewhere between $6,100 and $18,300. Two to three days prior to the close of escrow, buyers are required to bring in the balance of their...
Everyone who knows me knows that I love Fallbrook. I love the charming downtown, with its unique shops, delicious restaurants, top rate art galleries, and historic theater. I love driving our country roads with the amazing variety of landscaping. I love the diversity of residences and neighborhoods. I love the hiking trails and the natural wildlife discovered on those walks. But most of all, I love the people. To be honest, not all the people, but as a group, we’re s...
Here we are, once again, in the dog days of summer. For many of us, this means a time to relax and reconnect with our families and friends, maybe travel or take on a new project. I always thought the term referred to the way my two dogs get to spend all their days, relaxing in the sun and simply chilling, waiting for Chris or me to come home and play with them. The term, however, refers to the period when our Sun occupies the same region as Sirius, the brightest star in the...
When we think about “green” initiatives or environmentally friendly approaches, we generally think about clean air, water and land. Recently, the state’s legislative branch has passed laws that focus, to a greater extent, on property owners. Many of the initiatives, at first glance, appear to be burdensome, but over the long haul, will improve and/or sustain the quality of life we all enjoy in California. As we modify and adapt our homes, to meet the revised standards, we ar...
All aspects of people’s lives are changing more rapidly than many people can fathom. Just the other day, when I started my car, the onboard computer informed me that my left rear tire was low, 7 pounds low, to be precise and that all my other tires were slightly lower than the factory recommended 33 pounds of pressure. I was impressed and thankful for the information because, by sight, the tire looked exactly like the others. On top of that, by that evening I received an e...
The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, is a well-intentioned platform to protect the environment. The California Environmental Quality Act was passed in 1970, shortly after the United States government passed the National Environmental Policy Act. It was created to have a statewide policy of environmental protection. CEQA requires state and local agencies to follow specific analysis and provide public disclosure of environmental impacts of proposed projects and...
An ADU is an accessory dwelling unit that real estate professionals commonly refer to as granny flats or mother-in-law units. In the wake of California’s severe housing crisis, they have become a highly desirable entity which has earned them the official name, ADU. They are additional living spaces on single-family lots that have a separate kitchen, bathroom and exterior access independent of the primary residence. These spaces can either be attached to, or detached from, t...
One thing everyone knows is if two people experience the exact same incident, each person will have a slightly different perspective or analysis of the incident. Everyone comes packaged with their past experiences and knowledge. It happens in the political arena and filters down to how stakeholders view the outcomes of legislation that is passed and eventually becomes law. Two days before the May 31 legislative deadline in Sacramento, the Assembly voted 42-29 to approve Assemb...
Yes, we have a housing shortage. Are you tired of hearing me say that, again and again? I am. But sadly, it is true. On the horizon, we have a massive group of buyers that are finally coming of age, who will want to buy their first home, but will this be possible? Let’s start with a little background. There are approximately 37.9 million people between the ages of 35 and 44. There are approximately 41.1 million people between the ages of 25 and 34. These two groups form the mi...
Assembly Bill 1568, written by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, is on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature. It is the first bill with a “stick” to promote housing development across the state. The bill prohibits a city or county, on or before Jan. 1, 2025, from applying for state grants, except for specified transportation funding, if the city or county is found to be in violation of state housing law. If the Department of Housing and Community Development deter...
I’m writing to you from Sacramento. Each year, approximately 2,500 Realtors gather there with the specific goal of meeting with our legislative representatives. Realtors meet with the legislators to speak in favor of protecting private property rights and defending home ownership. Currently, home ownership is at a crisis point. California is comprised of only 55% homeowners and 45% renters. We are also the home of nearly 20% of the nation’s homeless population, with over 50%...
Recently I had to purchase a new automobile. Since I knew that I wanted an SUV but wasn’t sure what make and model I wanted, I visited a few dealerships to test drive the vehicles. At the first dealership, I met a nice salesperson who showed me the various models that might work for me and even had me test drive a few of the cars. They were great. New vehicles are always nice. They smell good, and they generally handle well. Being a car person, I always like driving new m...
Housing is either the recipient of, or stimulus to, a community’s vibrancy. In other words, housing, in one way or another, has an impact or is impacted by everything that happens in a region. When the economy of a region slows down, housing follows suit. When school performance declines, housing prices fall. When homelessness increases, businesses suffer, and housing prices fall. On the other hand, when communities find solutions to these issues, those communities improve a...
There has been a failure to launch in the Fallbrook housing market. Since the Great Recession of 2006, housing has not rebounded to fully recover from the losses that occurred. Housing serves as a propellant for expansion for the local economy, so when housing stalls, so does the economy. So, what’s the problem? Interest rates did creep up in 2018 but have recently declined. The Fed said that they do not anticipate any interest rate increases and that possibly, future r...
