Are you of the age (40+) where you might move one more time? Here are my resources to assist you.
Reasons to move again:
Be closer to family (primarily to be near the grandkids).
Change from two-story to one-story home.
Better neighborhood for you.
Being closer to family, and especially to be near the grandkids, is high up the list of reasons for seniors to move. Not only will it be easier for you to get some help from them as you grow older, but they will appreciate the free babysitting and help around the house!
If that means you will be leaving San Diego County, then Donna is the best at finding a quality agent in your new neighborhood. We are part of two different agent networks, and she will screen agents from those and make a recommendation. Cut & paste her email: donna@klingerealty.com
Are you thinking about buying a single-level home around here?
I input the best one-story homes from the MLS into my public collection here – it might ask you to sign-in but I promise I won’t call you every day until you buy or die:
If you want to buy and wouldn’t mind getting a reverse mortgage with no monthly payments, then Dean Jones is your guy. There are other private lenders that can do larger amounts but they cost more and the lenders want a piece of the equity – Dean only does government-backed FHA reverse mortgages:
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You may already be in a terrific neighborhood, but it may not be the best for you at this age. There are several active communities for those who are 55 and older – both for sale and for rent. Some examples:
If time got away from you, and now a senior facility is needed, then one of the most popular websites to search for alternatives around the country is A Place For Mom.
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We just had a fantastic experience with seniormovemasters.com in San Marcos. They moved the belongings and set them up in the new home for $1,000!
If you need senior-moving help in other areas of the country, then check the website of the National Association of Senior Move Managers:
If you need to donate stuff to a good cause, rather than move it to your next home, then Rancho Coastal Humane Society is a good option because they take most everything.
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Hauling the remainder, including mattresses, can be done by Junk King in Carlsbad.
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One more thing – if you are thinking about giving your house to your kids, read this:
We’ve already had 312 closings this month, yet the total number of pendings is the same as it was at the beginning of August – which means we’ll have another big month of closings in September!
Yet we haven’t had a surge of new listings – homeowners are happy where they are…..for now. Next year should be the most exciting real estate market in the history of the world! If you are thinking about getting into the business – or if you are a realtor thinking about changing brokerages, do it now and be ready for 2021.
Nicely renovated one-story 3br home with attached guest house in very private setting located near everything – all for $999,000!
Hardwood floors, stainless kitchen, massive walk-in closets, two fireplaces, central A/C, and it’s tucked away in a culdesac-like spot off the beaten path. No HOA, & no power lines. On the map it looks close to El Camino Real, but it is remarkably quiet. Master br down, & master up (in guest house). Great for multi-gen, work-at-home, distance learning, etc.
Olga left for good yesterday, and was greatly assisted byseniormovemasters.com, who provided an invaluable service in helping set up the new home with all of her prized possessions.
The Rancho Coastal Humane Society was also very helpful today with clearing out the stuff not worth keeping, which ended up being a larger pile than when we first started – as it is for most sellers:
I have many pieces now for my seminar on seniors moving. Stay tuned!
Our San Diego Case-Shiller Index is 10% above the previous peak of November, 2005.
But that covers the whole county, so it made WC Varones speculate that the appreciation in NSDCC was higher – as much as 30% to 40% above peak.
Our peak was later, so I searched the 2006-2007 time frame for tract homes so the second sale probably wasn’t a result of a major remodel. The sellers may have added new carpet & paint, or maybe a pool. But for the most part, they were selling the same home that they bought.
Here are examples:
Address
Previous Sale Price/Date
Recent Sale Price/Date
% Diff
3303 Corte Del Cruce
$932,500 – 5/11/07
$1,210,000 – 10/21/19
+30%
3313 Avenida Anacapa
$955,000 – 7/11/07
$1,427,000 – 7/1/20
+49%
3638 Sage Canyon
$970,000 – 4/20/07
$1,342,000 – 2/6/18
+38%
3411 Camino Corte
$975,000 – 7/10/07
$1,215,000 – 7/29/20
+25%
1186 Quail Gardens
$995,000 – 6/7/06
$1,296,000 – 8/14/20
+30%
3210 Avenida La Cima
$1,100,000 – 5/29/07
$1,388,000 – 6/21/19
+26%
7574 Circulo Sequoia
$1,167,500 – 6/12/07
$1,475,000 – 6/14/19
+26%
511 Paloma
$1,200,000 – 5/11/07
$1,400,000 – 4/9/19
+17%
13056 Seagrove
$1,200,000 – 6/1/06
$1,662,000 – 4/1/20
+39%
5816 Blazing Star
$1,250,000 – 4/25/07
$1,650,000 – 9/11/18
+32%
2433 7th St
$1,350,000 – 4/23/07
$1,785,000 – 3/5/19
+32%
4475 Philbrook Sq
$1,440,000 – 6/28/06
$1,850,000 – 7/2/19
+28%
13689 Winstanley
$1,037,000 – 11/5/07
$1,380,000 – 6/3/20
+33%
The average is +31%!
The last entry on Winstanley is the home I sold in June, and I’ll never forget it.
The seller – who had been reading the blog – had told me when he bought it in late-2007 that he expected to lose $100,000 but he wanted to make his wife happy. I told him to hang in there, and let’s see how it goes!
We kind of assumed they would have to keep rates low, but now it’s official:
The Federal Reserve announced a major policy shift Thursday, saying that it is willing to allow inflation to run hotter than normal in order to support the labor market and broader economy.
In a move that Chairman Jerome Powell called a “robust updating” of Fed policy, the central bank formally agreed to a policy of “average inflation targeting.” That means it will allow inflation to run “moderately” above the Fed’s 2% goal “for some time” following periods when it has run below that objective.
The changes were codified in a policy blueprint called the “Statement on Longer-Run Goals and Monetary Policy Strategy,” first adopted in 2012, that has informed the Fed’s approach to interest rates and general economic growth.
“Many find it counterintuitive that the Fed would want to push up inflation,” Powell said in prepared remarks. “However, inflation that is persistently too low can pose serious risks to the economy.”
We still have four days to go this month, so it looks like we’ll be setting new monthly sales records again, just like last month (even with a covid asterisk):
Town or Area
Zip Code
# of Sales, 2019
Median SP
# of Sales, 2020 (so far)
Median SP
Cardiff
92007
11
$1,375,000
13
$1,625,000
NW Carlsbad
92008
23
$985,000
20
$1,094,500
SE Carlsbad
92009
37
$1,107,000
47
$1,165,000
NE Carlsbad
92010
6
$807,500
7
$955,000
SW Carlsbad
92011
19
$1,100,000
20
$1,072,500
Carmel Valley
92130
47
$1,310,000
29
$1,362,500
Del Mar
92014
15
$2,100,000
11
$1,720,000
Encinitas
92024
46
$1,492,500
37
$1,545,000
La Jolla
92037
36
$2,474,000
33
$2,015,000
RSF
67+91
19
$3,100,000
30
$2,762,500
Solana Beach
92075
9
$1,900,000
5
$2,275,000
NSDCC
All Above
264
$1,354,500
247
$1,400,000
I don’t have too much concern about changes to the median sales prices due to the smaller sample sizes, and I doubt there are any buyers out there who would say prices are down.
Last year we had 56 sales over the last four business days of August, so we’ll probably see 300+ this month when it’s all done. Will sales slow a bit towards election day? Only if the supply winds down?
Nicely renovated one-story 3br home with attached guest house in very private setting located near everything – all for $999,000!
Hardwood floors, stainless kitchen, massive walk-in closets, two fireplaces, central A/C, and it’s tucked away in a culdesac-like spot off the beaten path. No HOA, & no power lines. On the map it looks close to El Camino Real, but it is remarkably quiet. Master br down, & master up (in guest house). Great for multi-gen, work-at-home, distance learning, etc.
I ran into Keith at the Carlsbad Company Stores and wondered if he is more famous than Robbie Krieger or Michael McDonald as the two other most famous people I've met?
Jim the Realtor is legit - I interviewed three brokers; he said list price should be $100,000 higher than the other two brokers; listed it with him and had all cash (no financing) offer in two days, five day contingency period, closing in two weeks - and it closed at his recommended list price. I could not recommend anyone more than I recommend Jim the Realtor.
drp2drp
2020-12-30
When we moved to San Diego in 2005 we rented a big house on Mt. Soledad (La Jolla) with 180 degree ocean views for the same payment as a mortgage on a dump in Chula Vista. Clearly something was wrong. Yet, the media was full of the usual happy-talk nonsense, so I was glad to find Jim's blog. I've followed his honest assessments and data since.
We decided to sell and move to AZ at Thanksgiving. Dec. 1st we met with Jim to sell our home. We closed today (29 days later). Jim orchestrated a feeding frenzy -- we had 25 showings in 2-1/2 days, multiple offers, and sold for well over asking price. I'd say he earned his commission! We have owned and sold homes in 5 different States always using experienced, productive, full-time realtors. Jim outshines them all.
You don't decide to sell and close 29 days later over Christmas (with COVID lockdown) without some miracles. Donna was amazing at performing lots of those miracles and ensuring that everything was done right and on time. They are a terrific team with a very responsive and professional network.
AmberleePiercy
2020-10-21
Where do we begin..2020 has been a year for everyone. When COVID hit and shut down both my husband and my businesses, we were left with a mortgage and very little income coming in. We were stressed, scared and felt stuck. We made the hard decision to sell our home and move out of state. We contacted the Klinges' and spent a good hour going over what we hoped we could accomplish. Jim and Donna came over with comps in hand and suggestions on improvements to get our house ready for the market. It was overwhelming to think about, but Donna was there and one step ahead in every scenario. Basically we just approved what they suggested and Donna handled literally everything. We placed our house on the market and within the first day we had multiple offers well above asking price! We couldn't believe it. We were overjoyed! Jim countered the offers to weed through them, and everyone came back with way more. It was amazing, and we are ?? sure it was because of the staging and repairs the Klinges suggested we do.
Due to unforeseen dishonesty from the buyers lender, we hit a big hurdle when trying to close. We had already moved out of state and were shocked when three days before closing the lender dropped a bombshell on the buyers and us. However, Jim and Donna handled it like veterans, not afraid to play hard ball and represent their clients. After a few phone calls with us, and several between Donna and the lender, they had a plan B-Z to make sure we were taken care of. In the end we closed with even more money than we ever thought possible and with very little work from us. The Klinges handled this entire "2020" worthy event with the utmost professionalism and did everything in their power to not only make this as smooth as possible for us, but we also walked away with more money from the sale of the house than we ever hoped for. After working with Jim and Donna, you don't ever use anyone else. They are hands down the best team to represent you in any scenario.
Cecilia Acevedo
2020-10-01
Working with Klinge Realty Group was a great experience! They are very responsive, professional and knowledgable about the real estate market! I would definitely recommend Klinge Realty Group.
WAH08
2020-10-01
Jim and Donna Klinge made the sale of our condo extraordinarily easy. They know the market and gave us sound advice backed by details and very considerable experience, reflected both in the initial pricing and subsequent negotiations. They work together as a team and are always available to talk. We had a few challenges with our property and they were able to coordinate the resolution to everything, including items that I would not think would ordinarily be their responsibility to handle. They made the whole process effortless on our part. They are folks with high integrity and we cannot recommend them highly enough.
bethamunce
2019-09-26
Review for Member: Donna Klinge
I cannot believe there are no reviews of Donna yet, ugh!! She is the secret sauce of the Jim Klinge/Donna Klinge combo! I will touch on Jim here, but Donna is why I'm so totally loyal to these two (no offense to Jim :)).
I consider myself a rather savvy buyer/seller. I've bought/sold 7 times in about 15 years. On the buy side, Jim is the PERFECT combo of: completely digitally savvy (he will pull data all day long until you feel comfortable with your chosen house, area, school district, anticipated appreciation rate...anything!), he's super well respected and known in the area by other agents, an amazingly cool but strategic negotiator, is totally devoid of desperation for a sale/commission, and more.
Then once you get into contract phase, Donna literally handles every last and final detail in a concierge-like manner -- totally shielding you from the daily back and forth, noodling and annoyances of the buyer's requests. She solves it ALL; it's miraculous what that woman accomplishes over and above what is even expected in a buy/sell transaction.
On the sell side, Jim and Donna do the same, but even moreso. Donna in particular truly takes everything off your plate: she'll manage getting the house painted, the carpets replaced, she'll go on site (as she Jim both did for me when selling our rental properties) to work with the renters and make sure the house is ready to show -- freeing me to have to take time off of work to do so. They work with A+ integrity, too, so you know you are serving all parties fairly and lawfully throughout.
A home purchase/sale is the most considered you'll ever make. HIRE A SAVVY AGENT, not a friend!, and get what you need out of the transaction. Jim and Donna are our agents for life.
Ann Romanello
2019-04-06
Jim and Donna Klinge are by far the most professional, personable and responsive realtors I have ever worked with. They provide VIP concierge level service in every area of the process of selling your home. My home was marketed so successfully that we received an offer the day after our first and only open house. Thanks to Jim's pricing and negotiating, our house is now the highest sold in our community. Jim's vast experience means he has worked with several realtors and knows the market all over north county. Donna is AMAZING in processing everything in the transaction. She scheduled trades people to work on the house in preparation for the sale as well as the repairs needed before closing. She communicated clearly every step of the way about what would be happening. She took the weight off my shoulders for the whole process. I will always use Jim and Donna for my future real estate needs and I whole heartedly recommend them to anyone buying or selling a home.
zuser20160915180743456
2018-07-03
Jim and the team at Klinge Reality are without a doubt the best in the business! Not only was Jim helpful and extremely knowledgeable, he was patient and determined to help me find my first home. Jim and his team have been in the business for many years, and it shows. Jim is a wealth of knowledge and was my biggest proponent despite the temperature of the competitive market. I ended up getting the perfect property in my dream neighborhood all thanks to Jim. From the day my offer was accepted, Donna was a real lifesaver. She was extremely helpful, responsive, and knowledgeable when it came to every minute detail, and held my hand through the process. As a first time home buyer I had no idea what the process would entail, but Donna curtailed every concern I came across and made the escrow process feel seamless. Jim and Donna provided me the best home buying experience, and I am very grateful for all they did for me. It was truly a pleasure to work with Jim and Donna and I am already looking forward to the next time we work together!
melanielogue
2018-04-30
Review for Member: Richard Morgan
Richard is an amazing realtor! He has high integrity and genuinely cares about his clients and their needs. Richard paid close attention to what I was seeking in a home and was very patient in our search to find it. I would highly recommend Richard and will use him for future transactions. Truly a different kind of realtor experience!
shaunccornell
2018-03-28
Could not be happier with my experience with Jim and his team. He helped me sell a very unique and challenging property. Throughout the entire process he was always available, honest, transparent, trustworthy, and always put my interests as a seller first. A (rare) true professional! During close of escrow Jim went above and beyond to complete the deal. It would not have been possible without his experience, fantastic team, and pure dedication. Highly recommended!
Thanks Jim and Donna Klinge!
