19 Comments

Jim Klinge
Klinge Realty Group
Are you looking for an experienced agent to help you buy or sell a home?
Contact Jim the Realtor!
- 682 S. Coast Hwy 101, Suite #110
Encinitas, CA 92024 - (858) 997-3801 call or text
- klingerealty@gmail.com
CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
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Jerry MeyerMarch 28, 2025Trustindex 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 Mary Heather QuejadaMarch 27, 2025Trustindex 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. Lou FMarch 27, 2025Trustindex 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! --- William SamsMarch 25, 2025Trustindex 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. Emily HernandezDecember 29, 2024Trustindex 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. Jesus Adrian SahagunNovember 11, 2024Trustindex 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. SABIHA PASHAJuly 23, 2024Trustindex 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! Anu KobergJuly 13, 2024Trustindex 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. Bjorn IsachsenJuly 10, 2024Trustindex 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... Chris SheaJune 21, 2024Trustindex 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
Wow, for a smaller older place… that is very tastefully upgraded, and it’s a great lot. I’d love to know what this one eventually goes for.
My kitchen (70 year old house) is in serious need of remodeling, and that set-up is exactly what I would like to have in mine. That third “bedroom” is iffy, but the lot looks great.
And if you can’t live in 1300 sq ft, there is something wrong with you, especially if you have a half acre in San Diego County. If you have a choice that’s another thing.
I cant live in 1300 sq ft.That is like a glorified apartment.2000 sq ft is more comfortable 4 sure.Life me be rough for tiger woods and all his ladies.His place must be 10000 sq ft at least.A room 4 each night of the week.
Are you guys going to be happy when your taxes go up next year to pay for the new real estate party?
Beautiful house and tastefully done! Is this a REO?
-Erica
I found it on the MLS. Looks like a flipper purchased it in October and re-did it. You’re paying about $100K over what they paid, although I’m sure they’ve made many of the improvements.
-Erica
What a great house.
(Would be thrilled with 1300 sf. I’d turn that awkward little room into the laundry room since it leads in off the garage and turn the laundry room into a 2nd bathroom.
Looks like a great place to retire.
Amazing house and fantastic presentation idea!
It sure does seem like a good time to buy. Low interest rates, low prices, tax incentives, buyer’s market, etc. But one thing you don’t hear anyone talking about is the future of home prices.
We used to always say everyday is a great day to buy real estate because we knew it was going up. We were wrong and prices have fallen big time.
Historically speaking, these conditions represent an excellent entry point for anyone looking to buy a home. Even if prices are flat for the next 5 years, with short and long-term tax incentives and the pay-down of principle, it still makes a whole lot of financial sense for anyone currently renting out there.
So there, I said it. Yes, prices might be flat for a while. Especially if HVCC sticks around and the Government essentially forces prices to stay down with significant over-regulation in the mortgage industry. Even still… doesn’t matter. Now is a good time to buy.
Derrick Evens
http://sandiegocreditguy.com/
Hey Jim,
Very nice videos and good work. I don’t live in SD but it gives us a glimpse of the ludicrousness of the market out there (I’m actually talking about other videos).
One thing I’d like to ask is please don’t help flippers. These people are less than dirt.
Very nice house and lot! Art has some good ideas WRT the laundry room and bathroom.
The pricing in Vista is looking more and more rational, from my perspective at least. I don’t know the area very well, other than the part that borders Carlsbad, but I assume there’s some sort of catch. Regardless, it would be really nice to own half an acre. One of the more tasteful interior remodels I’ve seen as well.
If I were in the area, I’d be making a cash offer of $400K on the place. Not only is it tastefully redone and reasonably priced, it also has a big wall for my HT screen.
I’d turn the third bedroom either into an office with its own private entrance, or the older child’s bedroom if I have more than one child and they’re getting old enough to require their own bedroom.
The place is definitely big enough for a family of three. In fact, it might help keep the family together. No one can isolate themselves from one another for too long.
I’ll hire someone to maintain the landscape though. That’s a pretty big yard.
Noz wants to buy but he can’t get approved over 130k.
One thing I’d like to ask is please don’t help flippers. These people are less than dirt.
It’s comments like these that have caused Jim to turn off the comments before. I think that there are bad flippers, but whoever did this house did a good job. As its been shown in a lot of videos, flippers in today’s market are taking huge risks with their own cash on the line not a banks. Sometimes they take houses that nobody would buy and turn them from blights in the neighborhood into a nice house. Let’s judge each flipper on an individual basis.
Anyways, that’s a nicely re-done house and a stunning yard. If I could handle the commute from Vista, I’d try to snatch up a house just like that. I could already see myself idly wasting time just being in that backyard with a cool drink.
As its been shown in a lot of videos, flippers in today’s market are taking huge risks with their own cash on the line not a banks.
I’m not sure being opposed to flipping (speculative flipping being one of the causes of our “financial crisis”) is somehow politically incorrect. Not sure if that’s what caused Jim to turn off the comments, either.
That being said, flippers are using their cash positions (oftentimes cash invested by speculative investors in funds, not “their own” cash) and making the spread between the better pricing at the courthouse steps and the higher pricing on the open market. The lower pricing is a result of a much smaller buyer pool that has to have access to cash for the TS purchases.
The higher pricing received when the flippers sell — which is where they get their profits from — is often the result of loose lending: 3.5% FHA and some zero-down (VA and USDA loans, possibly others?) made available to buyers in the open/non-cash market. Essentially, the flippers’ profits were made possible by taxpayers, yet again.
If the govt truly wanted to help families own their own homes, while at the same time reducing the risk of future foreclosures, they would provide bridge loans to families, concurrent with the rehab loans through FHA. If regular buyers were able to buy at the courthouse steps, they would squeeze the flippers margins to such an extent that the flippers would exit the market.
Flippers do not provide a service by buying these homes at the courthouse steps. If they didn’t buy at the auctions, the banks would take them back and market them on the MLS, with all the same “benefits” provided flippers WRT title and lien issues. The banks (read: taxpayers) would recoup more of their money because regular buyers with access to mortgages could buy them, and the prices would be more affordable (less risk!) as long as speculators weren’t taking inventory from the fininte pool of available homes.
I see this home as a “good” flipper experience. Who knows the state the home was in when the flipper bought it. But now, not only does it almost looks like a brand new home, it also feels like a home. Not just another box.
The flippers deserve the money they earn on this project. They didn’t just dust off the cobwebs and added a coat of paint here and there. They’ve redid everything (including replacing the pipes) and added real value to the place!
Give these flippers their profit! They deserve it!
That house is plenty big enough for a childless couple, or even one with one kid. Two children might be pushing it, considering the third bedroom is a bit iffy-I think that ideally each kid should have their own bedroom. However, the large backyard is great for kids.
Wow! If I were looking for a house in Vista that size, I would really consider it. They did a good job in such a small kitchen putting in the pantry and little side cupboard storage. Laundry room is pretty good size too.
We have 4 kiddos though, too small for us!
@ SCOTT:
Well…I have over $350K sitting in the bank saved up so I think $130k shouldn’t be a problem.
@ JORDAN T:
I don’t think anything I said was improper…I think flippers have had a big part in ruining this market so I don’t consider a flip a “good” flip.