14 Comments

1. 

   W.C. Varones on April 24, 2010 at 6:07 am

   I’m a big fan of both Prescott, AZ and the Daily Double. DD has Cooper’s Pale, and cheap beer prices.

   The fact that Encinitas hasn’t re-developed all the places like the Daily Double and the La Paloma theatre is what makes Encinitas so cool.

   As for the last chance to grab government cheese, there’s a price chopper tyring to get in on the action today at 1645 Mackinnon. $679,000 for 1948 sqft, fully remodeled. West of freeway in Cardiff, peek ocean views. Only problem is you’re just west of the freeway.

2. 

   Sol on April 24, 2010 at 7:29 am

   Yup, the Palace is still there on Whiskey Row. I’ve always been more of a Jerome kind of person myself. Prescott (press kit) isn’t what it used to be, you’d be saddened and amazed. But then, nothing is. The locals blame it on the Californians. Thanks for that “Vibrant” drive-by of The Lofts.

3. 

   Surfer Steve on April 24, 2010 at 7:48 am

   JtR, Interesting comments as always — sounds like there may be some very disappointed sellers if their deal doesn’t get financed. Can you make a few comments on how the market will look post federal tax credit?

4. 

   W.C. Varones on April 24, 2010 at 8:22 am

   Wasn’t the original plan to sell the lofts as condos? Now they are renting them as apartments.

5. 

   Erica Douglass on April 24, 2010 at 9:21 am

   @W.C. Even with that price drop, renting is still a better deal. Now, at $440,000 (which is what it sold for in 2002), it’s a better deal than renting.

   It’s still better to wait.

   -Erica

6. 

   Anonymous on April 24, 2010 at 11:09 am

   I’m sure the 440k in 2002 was without upgrades which from the listing sound pretty significant.

7. 

   justme on April 24, 2010 at 2:46 pm

   Been coastal here 10 years and haven’t warmed to the charm of the “keep Leucadia funky” slogan. 10 years and it still seems more accurate to say, “keep Leucadia junky”.

   To each his own standards, or lack of….

8. 

   clearfund on April 24, 2010 at 4:58 pm

   Agree with justme – been here since ’87 and I just don’t get the appeal. For some odd reason, I like sidewalks in my neighborhood. Crazy, I know.

9. 

   W.C. Varones on April 24, 2010 at 8:02 pm

   Funky ain’t about sidewalks. Del Mar ain’t got no sidewalks either, but no one’s accusing Del Mar of being “funky.”

   Funky is about preserving some local character in the face of a-hole developers who want to tear down all the old beach cottages and build heinous condos.

   I’d like to think that in 50 years there will be some stretch of Southern California coast that doesn’t look like Manhattan Beach.

10. 

    Local Boy on April 25, 2010 at 6:38 am

    If I owned land there, I wouldn’t mind the developers “Manhattanizing” it–just don’t touch Panikin (truly historic). However, since I don’t opwn anything there I would love to see it remain, especially the trees. Growing up in So Cal, it is nice to see some of the old coast highway still reamining.

11. 

    Art Eclectic on April 25, 2010 at 8:25 am

    I agree with WC – funky is about local character. Interesting stores, not block after block of chain stores and fast food drive through. Eclectic housing, not tract McMansions and condo towers.

    Surf shops and hole-the-wall Mexican joints instead of CVS and Burger King….

12. 

    François Caron on April 25, 2010 at 10:07 am

    Local character is usually controlled by Mr. Money. And if Mr. Money says “condos”, then condos it is.

13. 

    CA renter on April 25, 2010 at 4:49 pm

    Hear, hear, W.C.!

    If people want the tract junk, they can find that all over the place — just go north or south, and you can find all sorts of stucco, tract monstrosities.

    Some of us appreciate modest, custom (not spec!) quality and character, and it’s good to know there are holdouts who refuse to let the powerful monied interests move in and destroy a truly lovely, “funky” town.

14. 

    CA renter on April 25, 2010 at 4:50 pm

    BTW, these end of these tax credits can’t come soon enough. Let’s just hope they don’t start it all over again when they see sales/prices fall.