30 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
View More Interest Rates
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
Jim, what would it cost to build that size house on one of the milly lots across the street?
Chuck said the same builder would charge $200/sf to $225/sf to build the same quality house across the street. You could use one of their plans or design your own.
They include a $50,000 flooring allowance for these two that are already complete.
Jim – once you turn key the house with front/rear landscape you’re going to be in the $250/sf range.
The finishes were nice, however, there was nothing ‘custom’ in that house so i do think his quote of $200/psf or so is honest. Start adding in beams, and trick custom details (i.e. a textbook RSF starter custom job) then you get to $300/sf pretty fast.
From the inventory that I see, there are A LOT of choices at the $2mm level in the custom/semi custom arena….lots of choices….thus $2mm seems a bit stiff…$1,750k is getting closer to reality (still high from my perspective) but beginning to find a better spot relative to other higher end homes along the 56 area.
in summary, his improvent costs are on target, but his land component at $1mm is overpriced..IMHO.
There’s not much custom/semi-custom in the CV area under $2 million, but you’re thinking Santaluz, etc.?
For example, 7802 Sendero Angelica in Santaluz just closed for $1.7 million. Brand new 4,630sf one-story on a 34,000sf lot with views that sold $500,000 below builder’s cost, according to the MLS remarks.
Wow, nice quality. This is a nit but I’d have the builder replace the master bath surfaces though. The concrete look goes in a metro home and works for that look or someone with specific tastes. Enjoyed looking at custom for a change.
Apparently the English language has changed again while I wasn’t paying attention. My idea of a “custom home” is one built to my preferences – site layout, floor plan, fittings, finishes, etc. If the house is already a fait accompli before I ever see it, then it’s just another builder spec home. Whatever its quality might be, there’s nothing “custom” about it.
Not worth 2M but they will get 2M easily.
I agree about the inventory debate….you could get a lot better house for 2M (sluz etc)
Thanks Gene, and Happy Sunday to you.
I can easily imagine that house selling for a million (if it remains another 12 to 18 months on market).
I agree with GeneK – custom means built to my specifications, not the builders. I think the appropriate word for houses like this is “designer house.”
Then again, you don’t actually design your own when you get “custom wheels.”
How could anybody buy that house instead of that $1.8 million house in Leucadia on Sunset?
For $200k you can make the Leucadia house very nice and you will save $1500/month in property taxes for the rest of your life. Plus, you get a pool, a tennis court, and mature landscaping that you frankly just cannot buy.
Chris g….not following your math. Don’t you mean they’d save $2.5K additional property tax per year (200K x .0125)? I doubt people that buy 2M homes worry about such change.
Umm…I have seen that Leucadia house on Sunset.
Great potential, but $200k won’t even begin to address the issues with that place. I think you would need a budget closer to a mil to make that place “very nice”.
And that mature landscaping is a high maintenence view killer. Most of it needs to come down.
Nice place, beautiful details. To my ear, “custom” here means “architecturally interesting” as opposed to “tract house run of the mill”.
I do wonder about it being right next to that road though. The house diagonally across the street, with view, and one in from the road is going to be more appealing.
“Custom” means that the house was designed with the buyer’s input and that it contains unique features that reflect those specifications. I see no reason to think that that house was not “custom.” The fact that a third party doesn’t like some of those features doesn’t mean it’s not custom. It merely highlights the problem with custom design: tastes vary.
The house on Leucadia/Sunset is historical so it pays a lot less property tax (see listing).
I toured the house, too. It doesn’t need a million. Sure, you could spend a million but you could also make it breathtaking for $200k. That “Custom” house will never ever be breathtaking. It’s a cookie-cutter home with fancy trim. Blah. They’re going to build 10 more cookie’s from the same mold right next to it and block your ocean view. Meanwhile, you’ll be pay $2000 per month just for property taxes.
I’d take the Leucadia home for the same net price, save the taxes, play some tennis, swim, enjoy your 2 guest houses, 4 car garage and mature landscaping. It’s a much classier house for the same dime.
Also thinking of Fairbanks Highlands in 92130 as I’d expect it to break anyday now.
There have been 7 or so listings +/-$2mm and very few ever close. All homes are 4k-6k on 1 flat acre or so.
Sooner than later someone will go at $1.7 and down it will tumble…same for Santaluz…
Just too much inventory in the $1.7mm-$2.9mm for the market to absorb.
I also have to agree with GeneK. This is not a custom built home. The house is already built. There has been no feedback whatsoever from the future homeowner. The only way it can be customized at this stage is if a section is torn down or an add-on is built.
GeneK, Francois: Seems like a debate of semantics on the ‘custom’ home definition.
Being a seasoned custom home community developer
I call this a custom built home. Just because the buyer didn’t design it doesn’t make it a ‘production home’ which is what a tract home is.
If I build a custom home for myself then sell it, by by your definition it would no longer be a custom home????
The use of the word ‘spec’ when describing a home is simply whether it is being built without a buyer. Spec can be a production home or a custom home and has no bearing whether it is a custom home, semi-custom, or production home.
Thus, this is a custom home, albeit it won’t suit my needs, or most people needs. All the builder cares about is that it suits 1 family’s needs…and fast!!
Agree with clearfund — a “custom” has always been a non-tract home.
Thanks – in an ocean of CV tract homes, it doesn’t take much to be a custom, just non-tract.
If a custom house costs $200/sq ft (plus land and legal fees), what does a tract house cost to build these days?
Geotpf – Hard cost on a ‘typical’ tract home can range from $35/sf for a low level Riverside quality home to $65/sf for a ‘higher end’ coastal north county san diego master plan.
These numbers come directly from the President of a public top 3 national builder who lives by me. I was shocked they could build for so little, but it really makes a lot of sense when you think it through.
Yeah, well, it’s a shock because people realize how little actually goes into the house itself here in California.
I have a friend who is currently having a 6000 sq ft custom house built (with architectural plans and everything all inclusive) for about $200 sq ft. in Newport Beach. A true one-off house with bells and whistles.
Clearfund can comment with more authority, so if he says it, I believe it. Same with Larry Roberts. I know that even during the bubble, hard costs were less than $100 sq ft for mid to upper-level tract homes. With all of the slack in construction work, you can get excellent pricing from generals and subs. It’s a good time to build if you have land with a low cost basis.
I like that house. But, I wouldn’t pay 2M for it. That dirt seems too pricey. You can today get better deals in more pricey locales than CV. But, for Nouveau Riche idiots, it might fit the bill. If I were going to spend that much, there are some nicer digs in Newport Coast that I’d rather have (even if they are tract built).
“Custom” does not mean better.
Chuck
At $35/sq ft, even depressed areas (such as Riverside) should be profitable, since they should be able to get at least $115/sq ft when they sell them (again, in Riverside), maybe $150/sq ft or more. Even at $65/sq ft, it seems profitable to me.
Sorry, even if I had the money, I’m not feeling it for this house. The house itself is nice, but not the price for the location, view, etc.
Chuck – When you get into the ‘custom’ building its really 100% subjective on pricing. The question is for $200/sf what am I really getting?
Items to factor into a custom price are wall thickness, using 2×4 or 2×6 studs, custom blend clay tile roof vs. concrete 2-tile, custom sized windows vs standard, special doors/sliders, and the level of interior finishes can take a house from $200psf to $300psf in about 5 min.
Many people tend to try to save money in areas they think they will not notice it just because the line item is so big, and easy to cut, but the end product suffers.
My counsel, if you cannot afford to get what you really want in a custom, wait and buy a high end semi custom home nearby. Otherwise you’ll get an inferior product for your $$$ and the market will penalize you for it big time…
PS: Labor has come down, but the actual inputs (wood, copper, etc) have not dropped much in reality. Check your builders, and subs, insurance policies and be sure they are CURRENT and don’t rely on a paper certificate as proof, and monitor it during construction so you don’t end up with claims coming back to you…
If someone was selling a home they had had custom-built for them after living in it for some length of time, I’d accept that as a “custom home.” Likewise, if the builder told me he’d change anything I wanted changed within the contracted price (within reason, of course, not tearing the whole thing down and starting over), I’d accept that. But otherwise, no. It might have been “custom built” for somebody else, but not for me. And if I ever was in a position to drop $2M on a home, it would have to have been “custom built” for me.