I am not just a Carlsbad real estate agent. I am a Carlsbad real estate advisor. I will help you make informed choices about San Diego County real estate ownership.
Two months into 2026, we are still waiting for the market to warm up. Usually, inventory rises consistently during the first few months of the year. I was surprised to see that inventory of North County has decreased, albeit very slightly, between late January and late February. During the month of January, no new sales records were set. Listings are taking longer to sell: the number of Days on Market for sales is higher than
I am super happy to be a sponsor of the 2026 CNPS Native Garden Tour! Have you thought about ditching your lawn for a more waterwise garden? If you’re looking for inspiration, come check out this year’s California Native Plant Society (CNPS) San Diego Native Garden Tour. Why Native Plants? Here are some reasons I love native plant gardening, and I want more native gardens in my community: As a real estate broker, I love
Effective January 1, 2026, California landlords need to provide a stove and refrigerator for their tenants.(Link to the text of the Assembly Bill here.) Here’s everything you need to know about this new California law, AB 628: Who Has to Follow AB 628? Any landlord who amends or extends a residential lease after January 1, 2026, is subject to AB 628. If you currently have a tenant on a month-to-month lease, and you haven’t amended
I had the pleasure of working with Mylene during an Estate Sale of my father’s house. The sale presented many challenges as conflicting parties could never come to an agreement; however, throughout the entire process, Mylene was extremely patient, responsive and very communicative. I have worked with many agents buying and selling multiple properties, and I can say she was one, if not, the best I have worked with. On top of it all, she
Here’s some great news for San Diego home buyers! New for 2026, there is down payment assistance available to those with moderate incomes. The County of San Diego’s Housing and Community Services provides the funding for this Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance (DCCA) program. The San Diego Housing Commission administers this program on behalf of the County. This article will cover: Program Details Moderate income, first-time home buyers may qualify for a low-interest, deferred
🎉 Happy New Year! 🥳 As we head into 2026, we see the usual market slowdown. As of late January, inventory has dropped 5% since late December. During the month of December, no new sales records were set. You can see in the graphs below that prices have slightly declined during the second half of 2025. How much inventory is left? At the end of July, the number of homes available on the market peaked.
Do you want to sell investment property, and then defer capital gains tax through a 1031 Exchange? Thanks to Internal Revenue Code Section 1031, you are allowed to postpone capital gains taxes, if you reinvest the proceeds in investment property. Here’s what you need to know about 1031 Exchanges: Qualifying Property The replacement property must be like-kind: if you sell investment real estate, you will need to acquire investment real estate. Like-kind property is defined as any real property used
In a perfect world, every house is held in a trust. This is because inheritance through a trust is a simpler process. In many cases, when you inherit property that is held in a trust, the courts don’t need to be involved. (Click here to read my article about how to sell an inherited property that is held in a trust.) So what happens if there is no trust in place? What happens if there
Are you thinking about setting up a trust, or how to sell a trust inheritance? This article covers how to set up and how to sell real estate as a trust inheritance: How to Set Up a Trust Inheritance A property owner can set up a plan to leave their real estate as a trust inheritance. Here’s how it works: Named Successor Trustee vs. Beneficiary The distinction between a beneficiary and a successor trustee is
Do you want to take out a reverse mortgage? First, consider how much it’s going to cost. Here are the basics, and costs, of reverse mortgages. This article covers: Reverse Mortgage Basics – loan requirements, how much you can borrow, and when to pay it back. Loan Options – there are different Reverse Mortgage programs to choose from. Reverse Mortgage Costs – fees, interest, insurance. Example of a reverse mortgage, and the costs associated with
☃️ Happy Holidays! 🎄 It’s hard to believe that we only have two weeks before the new year…! As we head into 2026, we see the usual market slowdown. During the month of November, no new sales records were set. You can see in the graphs below that prices have slightly declined during the second half of 2025. How much inventory is left? At the end of July, the number of homes available on the
I can’t imagine buying a home without Mimi! She made our first home buying experience a breeze. No matter what step of the process we were on, she was always there to answer our questions and explain what was next. She is responsive, organized, and a genuinely kind person. I am looking forward to working with Mimi again, whenever we are ready to purchase our next home. Thank you, Mimi, for everything!h! Savannah M.Vista, CA
Multifamily Property – Buy with only 5% down payment! Did you know that you can buy a multifamily property with only 5% down payment? If you live in one unit, and rent out the other units, you can use an owner occupied loan to purchase! Loan Limits for Multifamily Properties For properties that include more than one single-family residence, the 2026 San Diego loan limit is higher: Duplex (a home divided into two residences): $1,599,375Triplex
SOLD in 16 Days – $945,000 Welcome to Santa Fe Hills!Proudly offered by its original owner, this beautifully maintained home is ready for you to make it your own. The inviting floor plan features an open-concept main level and three spacious bedrooms upstairs. The kitchen shines with upgraded cabinetry and granite countertops. A separate laundry room, with washer and dryer included, adds convenience. Upstairs, enjoy brand-new carpet and plank flooring, and a well-appointed primary suite
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 We only have ONE months of 2025 left (!!), and as we go into December, we see the usual market slowdown. During the month of November, no new sales records were set. You can see in the graphs below that prices have remained steady throughout 2024 and 2025. So what about inventory? At the end of July, the number of homes available on the market peaked. Between late October and late November,
2026 Mortgage Loan Limits Mortgage loan limits will increase on January 1, 2026. In San Diego, the jumbo loan limit for a single family home will be $1,104,000. Here is a current list of the limits for all counties in the United States. San Diego County Effective January 1, 2026, here are the three tiers of mortgages for properties in San Diego County: When lenders talk about mortgage loan limits, they’re referring to conforming loan limits.
Proposition 19 – Property Tax Reassessment Exemption UPDATE: This article now includes SB 539 information. SB 539, signed into law on September 29, 2021, helps to clarify the implementation of Proposition 19. Proposition 19 changes tax basis portability for certain California homeowners. These changes were made effective April 1, 2021. Certain homeowners may transfer the taxable value of their primary residence to a replacement primary residence. This can happen anywhere in California (no County restrictions),
Conventional home loan programs are the most common loan programs used to buy a home. They make up around 60% of all mortgages. NOTE: You can also check your eligibility for two other popular loan programs, FHA Loan Programs and VA Loan Programs. FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and down payment starts at 3.5%. VA loans are insured by the Veteran’s Administration and offer no down payment, and no monthly mortgage insurance.
What Is the FHA? FHA Loan Programs are a type of federal assistance to make home buying possible for those who may not be able to qualify for a conventional loan. The FHA, or Federal Housing Administration, is not a direct lender. It is a government agency that insures loans from private lending institutions. The FHA has insured home loans since 1934. The FHA is the only government agency that operates entirely from its self-generated income (in the
UPDATE: After only 6 days on the market and multiple offers, 15027 Caminito Ladera SOLD with an all-cash offer! Congratulations to the Buyers and Sellers! Welcome to 15027 Caminito Ladera! This single story detached home is located within the gated community of Las Vistas in Del Mar, near Solana Beach. Here is a rare single-story opportunity in one of Del Mar’s most desirable gated communities. This turnkey Plan 1 has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths,
Turf replacement programs are available for San Diego County residents . Yes, you can get paid to kill your lawn! With the news coverage of our catastrophic drought and water shortage, you may have already heard of turf replacement programs in San Diego County. These programs essentially pay you to kill your lawn and install a water-wise landscape, including trees. This is an environmentally responsible move for many reasons. I am a long-standing proponent of killing lawns and
Happy Halloween! 🎃 We only have two months of 2025 left (!), and as we go into the holiday season, we see the usual market slowdown. During the month of October, no new sales records were set. You can see in the graphs below that prices have remained steady throughout 2024 and 2025. So what about inventory? At the end of July, the number of homes available on the market peaked. Three months later, the
Now that we have dispelled some myths about wildfire, here’s how to reduce your risk. The first step is to fireproof your house. Houses are your first target, because they are highly flammable. As a result, when houses burn, they burn at hotter temperatures than vegetation. UPDATE: Please click the link below to read Greg Rubin’s response to the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires – Response to 2025 LA Wildfires by Greg Rubin Fireproof Your House:
Believe it or not, summer is over, and fall is here. It has been a hot, dry summer, so I’m waiting for temperatures to drop, so I can spend more time in the garden. Over the summer, Escondido set an all-time high for July sales. Detached homes had a median sales price of $1,044,000, which beat the previous record of $1,040,000, set in June 2024. During the month of August, no new sales records were
