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.
Stand by for upcoming questionable sale at $999k.
I drive by those houses every day on the way to work. I always wondered what was going on with them. I agree with you Jim the road noise would be aggravating during the day. But after 8pm it dies down dramatically. You *might* even be able to hear the ocean at night.
Here’s info another pair of vacant houses that I always wondered about in La Jolla.
http://sohosandiego.org/endangered/mel2009/redrest.htm
http://sohosandiego.org/reflections/2002april/redroost.htm
Jim… what street are those homes on?
Wouldn’t take those for free….the liability down the road is huge. There are too many ways to make money in this market which are much easier than fixing someone else’s disaster…
I have to agree with clearfund on this… Who knows what was left by the previous builder… if there were deficiencies/mistakes made. It’ll be hard for anyone to find a builder willing to pick up the project. I know this from personal experience – we had a contractor abandon a job – and most contractors wouldn’t touch our project. Whoever ends up with these properties may very well have to demo and start over.
Fantastic post heading. I think we have our first quadruple entendre from Jim. The gambling reference, the fact that both properties are down in value, the likelihood of them needing to be torn down lest they end up down the hill on Torrey Pines Rd. Well done Jim.
Where’s Mike Holmes when you need him?
“Some Assembly Required.”
Why are people talking about a tear-down? Are we that certain the work done so far is crud or unusable? If they were sinking 70-foot I-beams into the ground for foundation, that kind of limits your ability to re-design the site.
Shadash, I know everyone digs those cottages, but I think they are too far gone.
Street is Costebelle.
Thanks dacounselor! Always working those title entendres!
Thanks for posting this. I also drive by those houses at least once a week and had wondered about them. For the price, I don’t understand the appeal. Give up the view and you can get something walking distance to the same beaches you can only see from Costabelle.
Thanks for posting this Jim. I live right below those woodpiles from the apartment complex where you took the underneath shot. They aren’t looking any prettier after the nice rainy season we’ve been having.
This may be the best blog entry ever. Really cool houses…I can imagine all sorts of ways to make those shine.
Lots of risk though. It’s going to take a brave soul.