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.
Nice tour. The owner looks like he’d be a story. While design is subjective, I love seeing someone with the vision and chops to really make a place “his.” I like your Wright reference: so much of the modernism on display today feels merely bought: “Dwell Magazine memorial park.” This guy’s work is inventive and craft-heavy.
I don’t know the ‘hood, but if you can get to the beach within 20 minutes, that price seems to stack up really well.
Great kick-down reset house for empty nesters. With a design-ey pool/water sculpture in that bare yard and a little live bamboo screening, you’d be inclined to just hang out.
Agree with all points – and one of the few houses that could fit the Prop 60 for downsizers. The big complaint about Vista is the school quality but seniors don’t care and appreciate the lower cost instead.
Neat house. It would be even more appealing if items reminding buyers of the frailty of age were removed— e.g. the grab bars and adaptive toilet seat. While admiring the creativity, I felt a little sad thinking about the owner and my own elderly relatives that are struggling to age in place. I guess this is a delicate topic between agent and seller.
Jim, I’d be very interested to see you do a piece about stylish solutions to universal design for aging in place— good looking grab bars, roll-in showers, aftermarket elevators. Just a suggestion.
Unfortunately, the owner is no longer with us. I tried removing one of the
towel rackselder assists but he had them so well installed that it was going to be a major undertaking to get rid of all of them.I saw a new-construction home a few months ago in an upscale subdivision. It was a builder’s house plan that had changes. The owners were in their 60’s and in good health. Yet they chose to make changes “in case anything happened” health-wise in years to come.
Although it wouldn’t be handicapped-accessible bureaucratic-wise in every aspect it was amazing. All the door ways were wider for wheelchairs. Door handles were wide and long for easier access. They even had a smooth transition from the garage into the home with no step-up.
The only sad part, I realized, was that the house was 90% complete and one of notoriously-bad builders here had just gobbled up a huge farmer’s field which bordered the home. This was a very upscale home and now their backyard view was going to be taken up with cheap and infamous housing here for first-time homeowners.The only gap between their backyard and the new development was a short irrigation ditch.
PS – Get good help!