Cielo, a gated community at the edge of Rancho Santa Fe, has struggled to build sales momentum.
There are 26 active listings (this house is number 13th on the list), ranging from $1.595 to $7.999, and five contingent/pending listings currently, but only seven have closed over the last six months, averaging $301/sf:
The nine lots at the end were listed for $4+ million, but the listing expired.
Jim Klinge
Klinge Realty Group
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CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We sold a home with Jim and Donna and from beginning to end they were consummate professionals. Their initial walk through the property resulted in a list of items to be repaired or updated. They supplied a list of vendors and job quotes to do the repairs and updates. We originally wanted to sell ‘as is’ and just get it over with. They gave us a selling price for ‘as is’ and options for doing a few updates/repairs to doing it all with the selling price for each option. We agreed to do all they suggested and we sold for the exact price they predicted. For every dollar spent we got back more than $2 back in the selling price. And they got that price in a rising interest rate environment! Donna and Jim are extremely detailed and guide you through ever aspect of the sale. There were no surprises thanks to their guidance. We couldn’t be more pleased with their representation. Thank you Donna and Jim, Jerry and MaryTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We have known Jim & Donna Klinge for over a dozen years, having met them in Carlsbad where our children went to the same school. As long time North County residents, it was a no- brainer for us to have the Klinges be our eyes and ears for San Diego real estate in general and North County in particular. As my military career caused our family to move all over the country and overseas to Asia, Europe and the Pacific, we trusted Jim and Donna to help keep our house in Carlsbad rented with reliable and respectful tenants for over 10 years. Naturally, when the time came to sell our beloved Carlsbad home to pursue a rural lifestyle in retirement out of California, we could think of no better team to represent us than Jim and Donna. They immediately went to work to update our house built in 2004 to current-day standards and trends — in 2 short months they transformed it into a literal modern-day masterpiece. We trusted their judgement implicitly and followed 100% of their recommended changes. When our house finally came on the market, there was a blizzard of serious interest, we had multiple offers by the third day and it sold in just 5 days after a frenzied bidding war for 20% above our asking price! The investment we made in upgrades recommended by Jim and Donna yielded a 4-fold return, in the process setting a new high water mark for a house sold in our community. In our view, there are no better real estate professionals in all of San Diego than Jim and Donna Klinge. Buying or selling, you must run and beg Jim and Donna Klinge to represent you! Our family will never forget Jim, Donna, and their whole team at Compass — we are forever grateful to them.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. WeI had the pleasure of working with Klinge Realty Group to sell our home in Carmel Valley, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! Jim and Donna demonstrated exceptional professionalism, offering expert guidance on market conditions and pricing strategy, which resulted in a quick and successful sale. Communication was prompt and we were well-informed throughout the entire process. For anyone looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable real estate team, look no further! ---Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim Klinge of Klinge Realty Group have our highest possible recommendation. From Donna and Jim’s first visit to our house through closing their advice and counsel was candid and honest in all dealings. They kept us fully informed throughout the process. The house sold less than three days after listing with a two-week closing. My wife and I have sold several houses during our lives. This was by far the best experience. Klinge Reality is a premium service realtor. You can’t make a better choice for someone to sell your home fast and for top dollar.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim provided exceptional support and professionalism throughout the entire process. We couldn't have been happier with their efforts. They made our house shine, and thanks to their expertise, it sold above the listing price in the very first weekend! Truly a fantastic experience from start to finish.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This year has been difficult on our family, mainly due to having to sell our home. Thankfully we knew God had a plan for us and working with the Klinge team was a key part of it. It was an obvious decision to work with them again after such an amazing experience when purchasing the same home we needed to sell. The challenge was, how will we do this in so little time with so much going on? Jim and Donna held our hand every step of the way. Whenever an unexpected issue arose they found and provided a solution. Never once did we feel pressured to make a decision and the Klinges were always reassuring after providing the information that the decision was ours to make. Despite the curve balls, they never panicked and exemplified the “can do” attitude, making us feel optimistic and taken care of. Their expertise and professionalism was superb. But of all the reasons to work with the Klinges, the most impactful and valuable is their compassion and genuine care for their clients. We pray that we can one day purchase our forever home and you better believe that Jim and Donna will be representing us - as long as they will have us of course. Thank you again Klinge team! Your execution, experience, and care are unmatched.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jim and Donna were fantastic! Jim understanding my needs, recommending potential places, pointing out the pros and cons of each property was invaluable. Then when the offer was accepted Donna’s organized guidance through the inspections, paperwork etc made the whole process seem effortless. So grateful that I had them on my side!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We first found Jim through his blog at bubbleinfo.com, which really showcased his knowledge of SoCal real estate. Since then we've done three transactions with Jim and Donna, and they are an incredible full service agency, with Jim's deep market insight and Donna's deft contract and project management. We trust them implicitly in their analysis and strategy, which is based on years of experience. They're always available and on top of things, and we strongly recommend them to anyone.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The Good The Klinge Realty Group operates like a finely tuned machine, with a very personal touch. We contacted them on a Sunday and they were talking to us about our family and our needs on our living room couch the following day. They carefully listened to us and worked with us to identify the best and quickest path to listing within 2 weeks to take advantage of the low inventory conditions in our South Carlsbad neighborhood. They knew our tract specifically and had many previous sales there over the years - they came prepared with a thorough analysis of comparative sales and recommended a pricing strategy that they felt confident would yield offers the first weekend on the market. The Great Over the next two weeks Donna coordinated a range of vendors who she knew from experience could get the preparation to list work we needed done on time and with high quality. Our light tune-up involved excellent experiences with their stagers, landscapers, contractors, electricians, and plumbers. Throughout this period Donna's daily communication was clear, concise, and responsive. Any time we had questions Donna picked up the phone or texted immediately - but almost always, she answered our questions before we even knew we had them. The Outstanding We had a tricky situation with a shared fence that could have delayed our escrow. Donna used superb mediation skills to negotiate the terms of replacement and was personally on site with the fence contractor to make sure everything went smoothly. The fence looks great and escrow closed on time. The Truly Exceptional Our house came on the market on a Wednesday and between then and Monday morning Jim was personally at all three open houses. He was in constant communication explaining potential buyer reaction and strength. As he predicted offers began to come in on Saturday and each one was incrementally higher than the last. At the end we had 5 offers, 4 of which were over list, and the final accepted offer was $100,000 over list. In addition to being over list it included rent back terms that met our needs. The Recommendation For all of these reasons we would strongly recommend The Klinge Team to anyone wanting to sell in North County Coastal San Diego. I had been reading Jim's bubbleinfo.com blog for 15 years and knew when the time came to sell that he would be our first call. Jim Klinge is not your standard realtor. He is keenly aware of market conditions and sales strategies. And, works his tail off - though not as hard as Donna . At this point he's gone from realtor to friend and I plan to have him over to grill and chill at our new place to talk real estate, but also just about life and raising kids in San Diego. He's more interested in relationships than his sales numbers - and that's why his sales numbers are so high. We have already recommended the Klinge's to some close friends and another successful sale is on deck right around the corner...Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We recently had the pleasure of working with Jim and Donna from Klinge Realty Group to sell our house, and we couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. From the initial meeting, they listened attentively to our needs and provided invaluable guidance on specific improvements to get our home market ready. Their responsiveness throughout the entire process was truly impressive. Anytime we had questions or concerns, they were quick to address them, ensuring we felt comfortable and informed every step of the way. What stood out the most was their team and extensive network of tradespeople, which made addressing any necessary repairs or updates seamless and stress-free. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, our house sold quickly and at a great price. We highly recommend Jim and Donna to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. They are a fantastic team who truly care about their clients and deliver exceptional results.Load more
Insert comment about stripper shoes here.
Wow… Whiny, Complainy, and Stripper Shoes.
2004 just called and it wants it’s Realtor back.
More problems fo the cali budget:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget-deficit18-2009nov18,0,7647152.story
The unions are going to bring this state to its knees.
Have any of you watched million dollar listing?
Jim – Report by Zillow showing homeowner’s view of real estate prices relative to reality….interesting take on the psychology of the market vs the usual focus on the data.
The prize for the most unrealisic is…THE WEST.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/34010851
Seems telling of the prior bubble, the current frenzy, and the possible next leg down…
Jim – “Why is there no view…” Answer: $$$ they went cheap on their construction and squeezed every penny out of the budget as possible.
Have seen scene countless times: They sat with the builder to review budgets before construction while looking at plans and got an $80k window package bid…and fell on the floor.
After the paramedics left, they asked how to cut the costs on every line item…easiest/first place to get big hits is windows…remove custom sizes (i.e. big view windows) and pocket door systems at $1k/lineal foot…bamm, $25k+ savings (errr I mean extra profit in my excel spreadsheet)
Result of this mindset is an inferior product. The only way to sell high end homes is to buy a great lot (1st mistake they made), and don’t be afraid to spend real good money on quality work (doors, windows, view, wood work, thick granite edges, sinks, custom designed tile/backsplash, custom framed mirrors, quality carpet, large stain grade base/crown,etc.
Once you go cheap, the price falls faster than your savings. Called this the moment you drove up to that plain ‘loaf of bread’ house. No detail, ginerbred, architectural thought, iron, varying chimney caps, and basic entry curb appeal…btw, cannot even see the front of the house from the road…my compliments to the chef/architect.
MY PRICE: $1.4MM (Below $300/sf since their const costs to duplicate are likely in the mid $200/sf including pool landscape). A quality RSF home begins at $300/sf for this size (and bigger), not below.
ps: by “A quality RSF home begins at $300/sf for this size (and bigger), not below.” I meant CONSTRUCTION COSTS begin at $300/sf, not home price (although they are about to become one in the same very soon…free lot with the purchase of a structure).
Well, they clearly cheaped out with the lack of a cabinet (exposed plumbing) on that sink/wet bar/whatever it is upstairs.
That was supposed to be “Da Bomb” out there along with the Crosby when they were started. I had a friend in the concrete biz who did all the curbs out here. 10’s of million in infrastructure to get to those lots and their own fire station right at the gate. The developer of Cielo was a wealthy japanese guy. Times have changed!
Love the new format. Potential buyers are going to be so dissapointed with those places. Love the view though.
I met daughter of the wealthy Japanese Cielo developer a few years back…knockout.
Can you get fire insurance on a property like that?
Two priceless JTR lines:
“they are just trying to go with the momentum … which there is none”
“just because you’re cheaper than other listings … doesn’t mean you’re cheap”
Seriously dude, do you work on these classics ahead of time?
Nope, they just spew.
I’m with clearfund, I thought $1.499 should have been the list price. Made me think “Over a half-million higher than the opening bid? How bad do I want a REO flood if the banks/servicers start getting cocky?”
Jim, I love the way you get Lucy’s goat! Hike all the way out to Desolation-ville for an hour and a half, and then tell her it’s a drive-by for a friggin’ picture! I’m laughing so hard I can barely type. Love the shoes. Do they light up on stage?
That lot on Camino Sin Puente might be one and a half acres, but it’s long and narrow and the backyard is practically falling off the cliff. Besides, is anyone really fooled into thinking Cielo is in Rancho Santa Fe? It’s more like “The Hillside Village Practically in Escondido.”
Looks like they’re planning a future development next to Olivenhain Dam. That’ll be a nice view.
Now Jim, don’t be hatin’ on Esco school district. I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I was shellin’ out $2 mil for a house, I’d probably expect at least Poway school district, but still, some of those Cielo homes are probably in Bernardo or LR Green elementary, which are among the best in SD county. San Pasqual HS is good too. But regardless, from Cielo to any of those schools is 20-30 minutes by car minimum.
Cielo is aptly named. You drive up there and you feel like you’re literally on top of the world. Love riding my bike up there. No traffic (because more than half the houses are EMPTY), insane ups and downs, and some of the best views in all of SD county. There’s one undeveloped plateau on the far eastern end which literally looks straight down at Lake Hodges. Breathtakingly beautiful, but also breathtakingly remote and isolated.
Would I live there? Maybe if I could find a $500K house, but sure as hell not for $2 mil. At those prices, those homes are destined for failure. And those bulk lots will sell eventually, but for pennies on the dollar.
KP
Loved those shoes, but even more loved the voice of she who weareth them…Very intriguing…thanks…