There have been other projects in Carlsbad that faced an uproar. This time the complaints have ranged from gnatcatchers, to Indian remains, to increased traffic, to competition for mom-and-pop store owners.
Whatever the gripe, those who oppose had better get to a city council member or two by Tuesday, or it’s going to be over. The city council has been mum about their votes, but they have been cushy with the developer for three years.
Jim Klinge
Klinge Realty Group
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CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
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
The Carlsbad City Council on Tuesday will decide whether to approve a Los Angeles developer’s plan to build a 27-acre retail, dining and entertainment complex near the Agua Hedionda lagoon or put it to a public vote next June.
Under state law, the only other option would be to postpone any action until mid-September, but even then the deadline is getting close for deciding on a proposal that has been three years in the making.
Since 2012, developer Rick Caruso — best known for The Grove retail complex near L.A.’s Farmers Market — has been working to craft a plan that would allow him to create a Nordstrom-anchored, coastal-themed retail center on a 203-acre spread of land on the southern side of the lagoon while abiding by a voter-enacted requirement that at least 155 acres be preserved as open space.
Caruso’s 85-15 plan would use only 15 percent of the land for his complex, while preserving 85 percent for open space, including 60 acres for Carlsbad’s landmark strawberry fields and 116 acres for a grass-and-woodland park.
Since January, Caruso’s firm has spent $2.75 million on a grassroots petitioning campaign aimed at collecting enough signatures to put the idea onto the ballot.
After county election officials confirmed last week that enough valid signatures had been turned in, the city council has to decide next week on whether to actually put the measure on the ballot or to simply adopt the measure on their own, in order to save the costs involved in an election.
Opponents of the project, who fear it will bring too much traffic to the area, are hoping for a ballot initiative, since that will give them a better chance to get their message across.
In the meantime, city staffers at next week’s meeting will present their own analysis of the plan, including its impact on traffic.
Living in Carlsbad I run into the Nimbys all the time. The most recent was at the sidelines of a youth soccer game. One lady was trying her best to stump on the traffic issue. (Found out later she lives in South Carlsbad.) I wanted to confront her on some of the “facts” she was bringing up but thought better about it and walked away 30 feet. About 5 minutes later 3 other parents did the same thing and sat by me.
I just don’t get what they’re having problems with. Do these people like driving to Southcoast or UTC to buy things? Do they like shopping at stabby Mcwestfield mall?
In my neighborhood it seems like the crappiest houses always have huge signs complaining about a possible Nordstroms. Why do these people even care they’re obviously not going to shop there. If you don’t like progress take the money you’ve made sitting on your property and move somewhere that better fits with your beliefs and ideals.
Jim, you’ve been crushing it lately. Really good posts.
“Caruso’s firm has spent $2.75 million on a grassroots petitioning campaign…” Funny use of “grass roots.”
Anyway, I’ve been exposed (don’t worry innoculated) to enough city councils to know an in the bag vote. I imagine that the only thing left is a tedious early morning public rant and whether there will be cover votes traded and still pass.
My view; traffic and parking. Everything else is fine. I’d testify that I’d approve as long as Caruso puts up a bond that is forfiet if local intersections drop below LOS “C” as a result of the development.
Thanks – I’ll predict that the crowd on Tuesday at City Hall will be all boomer-age, and the speakers lamenting about how it used to be.
Young people want breweries, coffee huts, and convenience. They will pay more for the crap-shacks around town that boomers haven’t touched in 20-30 years once this project is done. Isn’t that what boomers want?
Those who have a gripe about Caruso dodging the public vote and going straight to the city council can take up their beef with the California Supreme Court.
Contact info here:
The Supreme Court of California is the court of last resort in the courts of the State of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Decisions are appealed to: Supreme Court of the United States.
Address: 350 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 865-7000
I left out the Carlsbad Company Stores too, the upscale discount mall that was supposed to undercut and devastate all the mom-and-pop stores. It faced as much opposition as Legoland, yet, once established, it has been a fine addition to Carlsbad.
thanks for the shout out, JtR. Took the family on a much needed vacation and I haven’t been checking the blog.
The Mrs is counting the days until Nordstroms opens their doors. Shadash……”Stabby McWestfield”…..priceless. You should print t-shirts with that phrase.
The NIMBYS don’t get it. Preserving open space doesn’t pay the bills. The city of Carlsbad needs new sources of revenues in order to handle all the new housing from both Robertson Ranch and the future development of Cantarini Ranch. All these new residents will require new infrastructure which includes new Fire and Police. Do the NIMBYs want higher taxes instead?
High end retail fits perfectly into that plan to pay for new growth.
If you think the NIMBYs are loony tunes about Agua Hedionda, just wait until they come out against whatever development plan is proposed for the acreage that will be given back to Carlsbad around the power plant.
I wonder how many people know what the word “Hedionda” means in Spanish!?
Hedionda = stinking, filthy, repulsive
LOL!