Typical these days – lots of lookers, and about $4, will get you a cup of coffee. This 10,022sf house was foreclosed, and listed by Union Bank for $2,599,000, which was about half of the former owner’s previous list price. The dump on price created a stir, but how many buyers are there for a super-custom contemporary? The bank has requested cash offers only, and at least two have been submitted:
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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
It even had the space station hum, and the intruder alert going off every 30 seconds. That house is going to sell over list. I’d guess about $3M.
We keep our horses at that ranch behind the Space Station, Carmel Valley Ranch…which has been there for 70 years or so, maybe more. I watched when this was being built. Everyone thinks it is so ugly at “the ranch” and the contrast between that and the horse ranch behind it is quite shocking. My Mom & I were wondering why anyone would put up a 10,000 sqft home right next to a horse ranch. And I’m here to say that this horse place has quite a few horses.
It is so needlessly big. They should have done what the guy across the street did….one story, 4,000 sqft something…good looking. The interior on this one is kind of cool, but those bathrooms get a little old quickly. All that tile?
That freeway noise kills it though and that ocean view isn’t much to write home about.
I think the first of the two half baths is actually the laundry room, although I could be wrong. Also, I think that for most banks to loan money on a house, it has to be at least technically move in ready-which means it needs a stove, which is missing here.
It also seems a lot smaller than 10,000 square feet, unless there were some rooms you didn’t show.
I wouldn’t mind the place if I had two point whatever million burning a hole in my pocket. Very modern, but not ugly.
Jim, nice hustle up those stairs. Thanks for the space station tour. I think it looks sort of like a Nike outlet. Marvin the Martian’s house perhaps?
Nothing at all warm and inviting. Other than being “modern,” it lacked any architectural details that make most custom homes really stand out. It’s just **big,** and not much else.
Kinda reminded me of an Ikea store. Glad you made it out!
This space station is better than those all typical faux mediterranean taco crap we have here in OC.
I love those floors. I also like the multi-level bathroom counters for reasons I can’t pin down. I’ve reached the point in my life where I am dying for utterly maintenance free and those floors sure scream that.
Thanks for the tour, Jim!
I am a HUGE fan of modern, but this place does very little for me–it is much too cold. I did like the pool and the view–great location!
I don’t think I could get wife buy in on something like that. But if modern is what you’re looking for this is a nice solution. Everything you want in a house. Seems like the kind of place two guys would settle down in.
Did you ever find the other bedrooms? I counted 5 in the main house: 1 down and 4 up, probably 1 for the guest house, but that leaves 2 unaccounted for. I agree it sure doesn’t seem like 10,000 sq. ft.
not financiable because its not ‘move in ready’???
It’s been documented on this blog that lending/loans raised the value of the asset. Therefore, why would a bank with over $3mm invested in a note (now REO) not spend another $50k to make the place ‘move in ready/financiable’?
I dare say that if you can finance that place at even 50% LTV you’d get another $500k vs. all cash. (You can debate my $500k guess, yet that isn’t the point of the post.) The point is $50k spent will move it faster, open up bidding to more parties, and likely return a higher net return given the large $$$ on this particular asset.
On lower priced homes (i.e. JTR’s roach coach) you don’t get the opportunity for the large multiple return on the fix up costs/efforts. However, on assets like this, much more room on the upside.
The place has a pronounced industrial look, and I can’t stand it. Mostly grey, with very little green.
I imagine a potential buyer could be a VC guy down the road or a football player. Would have to be a single guy no doubt- party house and easy to hose off after the wild parties.
Or Roadrunner sports could move in there.
Jim I am no longer in SD, where is this house in relation to the road that they are going to build- it will lead from the 56 unfinished exit up the hill to the mesa- right? Will it run right next to this house? 4 laner?
Definitely got the decor! Someone will pony up the cash for this one. All you need are a few antenna on top for reception.
Too often `modern`is code for some architects` ego trip.
My 3 year old grandson would have a field day running through these rooms.
I too like modern homes. But not this one. They built a house but not a home.
My guess, law enforcement buys it to use as a safe house.
I think the unaccounted for bedrooms were at 4:07 in the video where I was about to walk down the hall but turned around.
spend another $50k to make the place ‘move in ready/financiable’?
$500 spent on a stove, and I think it would be financiable.
where is this house
It’s at the very beginning of Del Mar Mesa, just up the hill from Carmel Country Rd exit.
Very funny HAL, now open the door. HAL?
Sorry, but to me, this is an unstocked Old Navy store. It is not “Jetsons.”
This is Jetsons…
BTW, thank you very kindly for going to the trouble of letting us get a look around inside.
You are welcome.
Two offers are in already, which usually means they’ll get close to list, or over.
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Thanks for the tour Jim. To those that think the place is too modern/cold/ etc, don’t forget there’s no furniture to “soften” the overall feel of the place.
The contractor who built the house was contacted about repairing, and he quoted $300,000 to bring it back to it’s original glory.
Thanks for the tour. I’m quite surprised at how bland the interior architecture is. The outside brags, but the inside snores. If you’re going to spend that much why not MLS 100014000. I suppose because this one has 10,000 sq ft — the “Costco bulk discount” approach to housing.
The thing that really turned me off was the floors. Just…ew. Who thought it was a good idea to run that all the way through the house? Just one or two well placed circles would have set up a signature, no need to scrawl it all through the house until it looks messy and tired.
I thought I would die laughing when Jim showed the ranch across the street. Obviously there are a couple of buyers at least who love the house AND like the aroma of horses.
Looks like the space station is a perfect set-up for Heaven’s Gate Part Deux to occur.
I went to see this house – it was packed. Thought I saw someone writing an offer. Saw it was in contract, now see on web that it fell out of contract. Does anyone know what is going on and why it fell out of contract- what the status is? I smelled a musty smell in the house – wonder if it was the horses you mentioned? Also smelled something not right in the wine cellar? Possible roof leak indicators over the center island in the kitchen. Curious what the story is.