Archive for May, 2008
Dean Karnazes is on a Mission
May 30th, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Community News, San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, San Diego County run routes, What to do in San Diego
SAN DIEGO– Last night the Triathlon Club of San Diego hosted the public premiere of the Dean Karnazes film UltraMarathon Man at the La Paloma theatre. As president of the club, Bob Babbitt of Competitor magazine, sent over the idea about a month ago. I knew this would be a special night about a great athlete and told Bob he had the club on board. The idea was then sent to Dean and Journey Film filmmaker JB Benna whom both jumped at the idea and the plan was set.
We were able to sell out the club’s first 100 tickets, the theatre holds about 390, in about a day so we purchased 150 more and in no time the theatre was sold out. As the planning went on through the normal process, Dean decided to throw in a twist. He was going to run from San Francisco to San Diego, culminating with doing the San Diego Rock N Roll marathon. 
During his introduction he dead panned that he did because with the of gas it was so much more cheaper and the only he could afford to get here!!!
The run Dean did though was to try out a vision of a race he has planned. The multi stage race that would raise awareness of, not only the importance of fitness, but also on the importance of California Missions to our state’s history and much needed revenue to help maintain these icons.
My hope is that this endeavor will evolve into an ongoing yearly event. My vision is that there would be a competitive
division, for those looking to race to each Mission Tour de France style, though most of the participants would run or walk between Missions as the challenge (and adventure) of a lifetime. Many of the Missions are in a state of disrepair and in dire need of restoration and refurbishing. This could be a way to help revitalize the Mission system, while simultaneously promoting health and physical wellbeing in a State where childhood obesity and adult inactivity are rampant. Participants wouldn’t have to run or walk between all twenty-one Missions. They could choose the ones that appealed to them the most, maybe two or three, and could spread it out over a number of rest days, if so desired.– Dean’s Blog May 16,2008
As a native Californian I think this would be a great idea. Right now most elementary schools study the missions as part of their curriculum. Would it not be special to also hold running events for these young minds and the community on the mission grounds and or the area?
To see more about Dean’s current events you can go here. Also, his book UltraMarathon Man is also a great read. How strong is Dean’s pull? We had
runners who flew down from Cananda to see the film and get to run with Dean as well a gentleman who flew in the day of the showing from Chicago to see the film and then run the marathon!!
If you would like to buy your own California Mission Bell, they are being cast from the original molds used to reline the El Camino Real from 1906 to 1913.
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The trouble with San Diego housing data and news
May 26th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego county Real Estate News
SAN DIEGO–While there is so much data and news out there about our housing markets, we are still short on answers.
Earlier this week I spoke about the latest news from DataQuick that March to April number of home sold were the largest month to month jump since the company starting collecting data. Additionally, the median county home price went up from $395,000 to $400,000. Certainly positive news.
Then Friday, the San Diego Union reported that the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight report stated that the first quarter of 2008 
had the worst national pricing decline in their 17 year history. The national decline was a paltry 3.1%, however a review of the report brought worse news locally. While San Diego specifically did not make any of the top 20 lists, California had the worst 1 year appreciation rate in the nation of negative 10.58%
Today, because like an accident I could not look away, I Googled for the latest and greatest about our housing market. As luck would have it, Sunday Zach Fox of the North County Times published his article entitled, “HOUSING: Foreclosure crisis to grow before it shrinks”.
A couple things I found of interest were that 60% of all north county homes that went back to the bank in the last 120 days have not been listed. This seems like a huge number and supports his headline. He later breaks this down as, “Of the 1,300 North County homes to be seized by banks over the last 120 days, 750 are still not on the market, according to an analysis of ForeclosureRadar 
data and listing, sales and pending data from Sandicor, a service real estate agents use to post homes for sale.”-North County Times, 5–25–2008
Now 750 may seem like a big number and to the people losing their homes this is a tragedy. However, in the same period, approximately 26,000 homes were listed in San Diego. These ‘shadow listings’ as they were referred to represent less than 3% of the total listing. Again, a tragedy, but not a number I believe will have a great impact on the overall market.
The other thing I found of interest, as I did have this happen to a client, pertained to a homeowner who was trying to workout a loan modification with her bank. It allows you to not refinance your home, but restructure it to terms that while still favorable to the bank, allow you a better shot of keeping your home. The catch in this instance, she was current on her payments, the bank did not want to review her situation.
If you have a possibility of foreclosure coming down on you, you have a couple options. I posted here earlier about a lender I work with that is helping clients get these loan modifications. Her service is free if she can not secure a modifications and any fees are based on a sliding scale. Additionally, get it on the market as a ‘short sale’ and see what happens. Now I am not a fan of short sales for a few solid reasons, but I am closing on a short sale this week where the bank holding the second note is eating about $110,000 of a $125,000 second trust deed. This has saved the family from foreclosure and all that damage that comes with it. Lastly and most importantly, try to make changes in your lifestyle that will help you afford your home. This should be the goal, but I do realize it will not always happen. 
So, what’s a person to do?
If you have to sale, be aggressive and take advantage of the late spring early summer. Do not hold out for a few thousand dollars as the later the year gets the more likely negative trends with foreclosures, fuel prices and food prices may have more effect than they do now.
If you are considering buying, team up with a realtor, me, and know that the old adage that someone makes money in every market is true. Just be realistic in your expectations and your finances. Interest rates are still so very low and with the increase in what is considered a conforming loan, it really is a great long term opportunity. Flippers need not apply.
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Options to help homeowners save money
May 23rd, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego County Fixer of the Week, San Diego county Real Estate News
SAN DIEGO– Time is running out to file with the county assessor the necessary forms to lower your property taxes. I have a blog post about it here that contains all the information and link to the form you will need.
Also, one of the lenders I work with, Meghan Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Capital has had some success in getting existing loans restructured for clients. If you have a high ARM or a loan that is going to be adjusting soon and you can not refinance because you should give her a call and discuss your situation. There a fee involved, IF SHE GETS A POSITIVE RESULT, but I have used Meghan personally and am confident in her ethics and honesty.
If you have a lender you already have a relationship and are uncomfortable reaching out to someone new, call them and discuss the possibilities. Interest rates are still very low and the groundwork should be free.
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San Diego regional school rankings announced
May 22nd, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Community News, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports
SAN DIEGO– Testing scores were released last night and for all of North County(I could not find a source for the compilation of the other areas yet)the Encinitas School District just edged out Poway Unified by 3 points, 867 to 864!!*
If you follow the link above it reports Encinitas’s score as 881, but you need to combine that with the San Dieguito District. See the district is divided into elementary and then middle and high school. Carlsbad came in third with a score of 829. The three districts had exact rankings in the remaining categories.
So to Triathlon Club of San Diego member and Poway Unified teacher Lisa Rehberg and to all of her fellow teachers that take care of our students, good on’ya!!!
* I gave Cardiff a pass as there are only two elementary schools that make up that district.
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San Diego sees largest jump in March to April home sales
May 19th, 2008 Categories: Client Testimonials, Real Estate News, San Diego county Real Estate News
SAN DIEGO– DataQuick reported today that the number of homes sold in San Diego jumped over 33% from March to April. This is the largest month to month jump in the 20 years that DataQuick has been keeping records.
Additionally, April’s median home price for the county was up to $400,000 from $395,000 in March.
In working with my clients on purchases we felt these changes first hand. With different clients, we were in multiple offer situations in Clairemont, North Park and Encinitas*. It was quite the surprise to these buyers, and to me initialy, when the real estate market news is always so negative. 
So what does this mean? Well it doesn’t so much signify the ‘bottom’ of the market, but we are certainly getting closer to that point. As long as interest rates stay at these very low rates, I think this summer could see a lot of activity.
If you are considering buying, I would start really thinking about becoming more serious. If you are considering selling your home, I would certainly get it on the market while there is this competition.
*These searches do not represent all the homes available
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Double amputee cleared to compete in Beijing
May 16th, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, San Diego County run routes, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports
OLYMPICS– I just love asking my friends if they brought their legs. It always seem to get a inquisitive look from bystanders. The best ones occur at the airport when I am picking up athletes competing in the Challenged Athletes Foundation triathlon, a charity a support and love. I’ll go to pick up a bag and want to know just how many legs I am lugging around because a bag full of walking, swimming, running and biking legs can be quite cumbersome. Invariably the stares shift from the athlete to the bag.
When I first read the article about Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee South African sprinter who was hoping to compete in the Beijing Olympics, who was denied participation, I could understand, not necessarily agreeing with, the fear and reasoning. The International Association of Athletics Federations’s has a ban on technological aids like springs and wheels and I could see other athletes not understanding the impact, positive of negative, of not using ‘legs’.
The question became, without all the muscle, bone and connective tissue to build, strengthen and maintain through training and competition, do the
carbon fiber blades give him an unfair advantage and act as a spring. While the governing body look into this question, the dilemma was summed up by one council, Robert Hersch, as “an extension of our general principles that competition should be between athletes and not manufacturers,” he said in a telephone interview. “For example, we’ve specified what you can or cannot do with the javelin. We haven’t yet looked at prosthetics, but we are looking now. We’re looking for fairness. We haven’t prejudged.”-New York Times, July 11, 2007.
In January of this year, the IAAF, ruled that the carbon legs did give Oscar an unfair advantage saying, ‘An athlete using his prosthetic blade has a demonstrable mechanical advantage (more than 30 per cent) when compared to someone not using the blade.’ – Daily Mail January 14,2008
Well today it was reported that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has given Oscar their blessing;
“The panel was not persuaded that there was sufficient evidence of any metabolic advantage in favor of a double-amputee using the Cheetah
Flex-Foot,” CAS said. “Furthermore, the CAS panel has considered that the IAAF did not prove that the biomechanical effects of using this particular prosthetic device gives Oscar Pistorius an advantage over other athletes not using the device.”
This now gives Oscar the chance to compete as long as he meets the qualifying times he can compete. He has posted a time of 45.46 for the 400 meter sprint, but needs a 45.55. The exception to this, is that the South African team can place him on the relay team without him having to meet a qualifying time.
Look for the movie soon.
Oscar winning actor Tom Hanks is reportedly interested in bidding for the rights to a movie documenting Pistorius’s career, desire to compete in Beijing and extraordinary life story.
The film draws similarities from Hanks’s Forrest Gump role, where Hanks was a runner while his best friend struggled after losing his legs in Vietnam.
Although Pistorius is yet to hear from Hanks, his sole focus at present is his career and “my move to Hollywood can wait”.
However, Pistorius is quick to point out that he’d like to see the “rugged, good looking Colin Farrell” play him in the movie, while “the most beautiful woman in the world”, Rachel McAdams would be the prefect choice as his leading lady.-News24.com, May 15, 2007
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How do you move a lifeguard tower
May 12th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News
CARLSBAD– Today as I was on my way to Encinitas we 
hit some trafflc as the Encinitas lifeguards were moving a tower down the coast highway. The tractor is actually going backwards.
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Local developer offers two for one new home sale
May 11th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego County Community News, San Diego county Real Estate News, What to do in San Diego
SAN DIEGO– Just how desperate have new home builders become to get cash back into their coffers? How’s a 2’fer?!
Local developer Michael Crews Development is now employing this strategy of the coupon industry. If you purchase a home for $1.59 million from them in San Pasqual Valley they will throw in a new attached home in downtown Escondido valued at $400,000.
In Sunday’s Business section the North County Times(5/11/2008) reported 
the offer combined a 4,000 square foot, 6 car garage home with a pool with the 2,000 square foot condo. Mark Connal who is the sales director stated that the free home deal is not subsidized by raising the price of the high end homes in San Pasqual. The San Diego MLS has one home listed in San Pasqual by Michael Crews that is just over 3700 square feet, has a 4+ car garage and no pool. The listed price is only $1,099,900. Now I have never paid to have a pool put in and I am sure 
Mark Connal was being truthful, but $500,000 more for 800 square feet of garage space and a pool?
If you happen to be in the market for two homes, give me a call. I’ll rebate the commission on the condo back to you(principles only).
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State Assembly backs away from tax credit for defensible space
May 1st, 2008 Categories: Real Estate News, San Diego County Community News, San Diego county Real Estate News
SAN DIEGO– With the recent memories of the wildfires and the talk of a possible early fire season this struck me as pertinent to our area.
The state assembly is seemingly backing away from a proposed tax credit that would have been given to homeowners who cleared defensible space around their homes.
The critics of this bill wondered why we should be rewarding homeowners 
for ‘following the law and common sense’. I think another good reason maybe the reported $16 billion budget deficit, that prompted the Govenator to declare a ‘fiscal emergency’. I will admit that the estimated cost to the state of $4 million a year is not much compared to $16 billion, but there are some teachers, parents and students that would argue the importance of this savings.
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