Carlsbad

About Carlsbad

The city of Carlsbad is one of the most highly-desirable areas in the nation. Carlsbad is home to several major corporations in the fields of manufacturing and biotechnology, and along with high property values, award-winning school districts and low crime-rates, has earned one of the highest standard of living rates in the county.

The city is located along the Pacific Ocean between Oceanside and Encinitas. Its abundance of great restaurants, shopping, beautiful beaches and nature reserves and cultural attractions makes Carlsbad a wonderful place to live, as well as a popular tourist destinations due to its large number of resorts and high-end hotels.

Carlsbad Real Estate

Carlsbad has bountiful housing options to suit any need. The area features developments with newer construction single family homes and condominiums, as well as plenty of historic areas with more traditional residences.

Being so close to the ocean, nature reserves and undeveloped habitat, it makes sense that Carlsbad has so many homes with gorgeous ocean, lagoon and vista views. Many homes are short distance to the water and the downtown section on Carlsbad Village Drive, still known as Elm Street to locals.

Housing Inventories Way Down In North County

Eric Wolff of the North County Times wrote an interesting article about the shortage of housing inventory in North County San Diego that has forced local real estate agents to scramble for houses to show.

The shortage in inventory is attributed to an influx of buyers in recent months, along with a hesitance by many would-be sellers to list their homes for less than they paid for them. The result is a housing inventory of 2.8 months at the current pace of real estate transactions in the region. This is down a staggering amount from the high (or low) point of 15.4 months of inventory set in September 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Wolff points out, agents have begun a mad dash to find housing matches for their clients, oftentimes seeking out homes before they get their MLS listing. Still other agencies are refraining from adding homes to any databases, opting for what’s called a pocket listing.

For some perspective, housing inventories above 6 months indicate a market with low demand and falling home prices. Inventories between 3 and 6 months are typically normal or healthy housing markets. Inventories of 3 months or lower indicate high buyer demand and often signal impending price spikes.

Crescent del Sol in Carlsbad Met With Massive Enthusiasm

The residences at Crescent del Sol epitomize luxurious, ultra-comfortable California coastal living. Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac with white water views of the Pacific Ocean, this secluded enclave of eight homes is just a casual stroll from the nearby lagoon and beach.

 

“Reduced pricing makes these homes an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” notes Candi Grant of Real Estate Receivership, the firm that is facilitating the court-ordered sale.

 

Prices start from $1,340,000 and were previously for sale as high as $2,495,000.

 

The preview launch of the community has been met with overwhelming success, with five of the remaining seven homes currently in escrow or with serious offers. “There has been such pent up demand for this type of luxury product because it simply does not exist in Carlsbad,” says Tina West, principal of The West Group and the exclusive sales representative. “The exquisite design and finishes, coupled with a stellar coastal location makes Crescent del Sol a rare find.”

 

“This is the nicest and best executed new home community that I have seen in over 35 years in the real estate business,” adds Grant, who has sold over 200 homes on behalf of the court system in the last two years. “This truly will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for potential buyers of the remaining seven homes.”

 

“We priced the homes to sell but never anticipated a response quite like this,” Tina West continues. “We are thrilled with the momentum and look forward to a fast and successful sell out. Both the broker community and potential homeowners have been really impressed with the quality and value they see.”

 

These classic Mediterranean-style homes feature three to four bedrooms, three baths, dens, family rooms, one or two powder rooms and laundry areas. Homes range in size from 3,258 to 4,307 square feet. Each residence includes a private elevator that leads from each home’s private subterranean 3- or 4-car garage and private entry space. For added convenience, ample subterranean guest parking is available for visiting family and friends.

 

Interior features truly exceed expectations. All homes are punctuated with unique hand set tile floor inlays, numerous alcoves and art niches, high-quality hardwood doors, windows and moulding and dramatic volume ceilings. Elegant flooring is a combination of stone, classic hardwood plank and premium carpeting.

 

Kitchens feature premium appliance packages, numerous hardwood cabinets, spacious center islands and are accented with gorgeous tile, granite, travertine and marble. Many homes include spacious walk-in pantries. The bathrooms redefine luxury with highlights including see-through fireplaces to the master bedroom, oversized jetted soaking tubs, fabulous walk-in showers with multiple shower heads, rich cabinets and opulent surfaces.

 

At Crescent del Sol, attention was placed on creating an abundance of outdoor living space, which adds to the feel of the home’s size. All residences feature fully landscaped wrap-around walkways and rear patios, charming ground floor entrance patios, spacious outdoor terraces off the main living areas complete with an outdoor kitchen and travertine tile floors, and dramatic rooftop sky decks with panoramic views.

 

The homes wrap around a courtyard with a central fountain, serene water feature and cozy fire pit. In addition, the community is tastefully landscaped with fragrant and drought-resistant eco-zone friendly plants.

 

Crescent del Sol is located at 242 Date Avenue, Carlsbad. The sales center and models are open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.

Visit www.crescentdelsolcoastal.com to preview the community or call 760-730-3706 for more information.

North County Foreclosures Decline for 12th Straight Month

North County’s real estate market is starting to get on a roll. For the twelfth straight month, the region saw its year-over-year foreclosure rate drop. The streak has industry experts hopeful that the consistent decline may signal the emergence of a strengthening market.

While the news is good, experts are still quick to caution that foreclosure rates are still above a healthy level. Still, the numbers are encouraging.

“We’re a long way off from fully recovered; things are definitely moving in the right direction,” says Jordan Levine from LA-based Beacon Economics.

Foreclosures and notices of default were up in January from the December figures, but experts attribute the increase to a typical two-week layoff of proceedings around the holidays.

Meanwhile, financial institutions seem to have perfected the foreclosure process since the robo-signing scandal of 2010. Foreclosures are being processed at their fastest rate since the third quarter of 2009. With any luck, the decline totals and quicker processing will allow North County to flush the real estate market clear of distressed properties in a shorter period of time that previously expected. A removal of a significant number of these properties will help to solidify the market.

Vista: St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the Works

Residents of Vista will get their first ever taste of a St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival this March. The event is being organized by the Vista Village Business Association, and will be North County’s only St. Patty’s parade.

The festival will be held in the city’s historic downtown and will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. It will include contests, activities for children and live music.

The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at South Citrus Avenue and East Broadway Street, winding through the city’s historic downtown and ending at the Village Cafe on Main Street. It is expected to last one hour. Awards will be given for best 30-second performance, best Irish theme and best dog costume.

“We thought it was a great opportunity for the downtown association to create an event that can bring more people to our downtown,” said Gumaro Escarcega, executive director of the business association.

More information is available at www.northcountystpatricksdayparade.com.

Foreclosures and Defaults Way Down in North County

To update a previous item, foreclosures and default notices stayed steady in 2011 across San Diego County, but new numbers suggest that those figures dropped dramatically in North County, as well as South Riverside County.

According to a study released by ForeclosureRadar, notices of default were down in every ZIP code in North County. Actual foreclosure numbers were more uneven. Many coastal ZIP codes witnessed an increase in foreclosures due to high-end markets tumbling in value faster than the rest of the market. However, most of the rest of the county saw sizable decrease in foreclosures, partially due to lenders allowing sellers to sell properties for less than the amount owed on the loan.

“More servicers and banks are willing to consider a short sale,” said Mark Goldman, an instructor at San Diego State University. “They’re coming to realize they’ll have more income on a short sale than they will on the expense of a foreclosure.”

Last year, lenders send 22.6 notices of default per 1,000 households, compared to the high-water mark of 43.1 notices per 1,000 achieved in 2009. Defaults were down 12 percent when compared to 2010.

Foreclosures occurred at a rate of 11 houses per 1,000 in 2011, down from a peak of 21.1 foreclosures per 1,000 recorded in 2008. Foreclosure auctions were down 14 percent from 2010.

Housing experts still warn that foreclosure rates are still higher than average. A healthy real estate market should see a rate of 4 foreclosures per 1,000 households. Still, the real estate market in North County seems to be on the right track towards a healthy market.

Countywide Coastal Cleanup Day Seeks Volunteers

On September 17, the Coastal Cleanup Day will once again tidy up beaches, bays, rivers, parks and roadsides across San Diego County. The annual event is sponsored by San Diego Coastkeeper and I Love a Clean San Diego.

People interested in volunteering can visit www.cleanupday.org for more information.

The cleanup will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and organizers are hoping to recruit 10,000 volunteers to help at 90 sites around the county. The Coastal Cleanup is part of a larger statewide effort to remove trash throughout California. Even the U.S. Navy will be getting in on the act, contributing divers to help clear underwater debris in the region’s ocean and bays.

Organizers estimate that volunteers will remove around 200,000 pounds, or 100 tons, of debris on Saturday. A large portion of the trash, around 82-percent, is made up of non-biodegradable plastics, such as plastic shopping bags and food wrappers that have a negative impact on wildlife. In 2009, volunteers collected 74,000 plastic shopping bags.

A clean San Diego County is beneficial to all residents. Aside from creating a clean and safe environment for beach and park goers, clean coasts help boost real estate and property values for those living near the ocean, bays, lagoons and rivers.

Carlsbad: National Night Out Brings Residents Together

The 28th annual National Night Out is once again being observed in Carlsbad. The yearly event encourages residents to mingle within their neighborhoods, learning new names and faces, sharing information, and discussing ways to deter criminal activity.

Carlsbad is nationally known for its very low crime rate and high quality of living standards, making it one of the most desirable areas in the state to live. The friendly and safe atmosphere of Carlsbad attracts tourists and new residents alike. Real estate property values in Carlsbad reflect the importance of the family-friendly community.

Jodee Sasway, a crime prevention specialist for the Carlsbad Police Department said in a news release that the city’s low crime rate is due in large part to its strong commitment to crime prevention.

“National Night Out is an opportunity for us to partner with the community and raise awareness of how to prevent crime,” says Sasway. “Carlsbad is a safe community, and events like this help us stay that way all year long.”

Participation in National Night Out is mostly organized within neighborhoods, but Sasway is making her services available to those who wish to register their event. She can be contacted at jodee.sasway@carlsbadca.gov.

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