I saw Bob Dylan at Pechanga in 2008 – one of the best shows ever. He mumbled through the night in his gravely voice while the band rocked the joint. Here he is closing down Letterman – an instant classic:
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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
Pechanga set list: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bob-dylan/2008/pechanga-theatre-temecula-ca-63d7a21b.html
Here is a song from the same tour – Bob wore the same hat all tour:
https://youtu.be/BhLKFLnbXUg
*Spoiler Alert* Dave Letterman’s Late Show spanned 33 years and over 6,000 shows. Heard that Presidents Obama, Clinton and both Bushes echoed what President Gerald Ford said as he took office after the Watergate Scandal in the 1970’s: “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over” with President Obama adding at the end: “Letterman is retiring”.
Seriously, that is just brilliant comedy. Can’t wait to also see Dave’s signature and last “Top Ten List” where famous folks showed up to share “Top Ten Things I’ve Wanted to Say to Dave”.
Here’s your chance, Jim! Begin a new bubbleinfo feature: “Top Ten Real Estate Questions I’ve Wanted to Ask JtR” and let us chime in… 🙂
Here’s your chance, Jim! Begin a new bubbleinfo feature: “Top Ten Real Estate Questions I’ve Wanted to Ask JtR” and let us chime in… 🙂
Fire away!
Number 10:
Does the spunky motorcycle girl come with the house?
Number 9:
Could that glass floor be redesigned to showcase my Koi’s?
Number 8:
Kayla, have you ever heard of the saying, “coffee is for CLOSERS?!”
10. Yes
9. Yes
8. Yes!
What’s the longest duration real-estate transaction you’ve been involved with?
7. In 2009, an LA Times article called you, the “Hunter S. Thompson of Real Estate” Any comment, JtR?
Number 6:
Which will come first, Jim: The “Tan Man” losing his tan or him going to jail for the rest of his life for his “Countryfried” adventures?
A great Letterman bit:
https://youtu.be/tRKSYnku8rw
7. In 2009, an LA Times article called you, the “Hunter S. Thompson of Real Estate” Any comment, JtR?
I did not encourage, but did not fight the comparison to HST. I’ve always been a big fan, and align with his sense of humor and disdain.
I did attempt a Fear and Loathing run to Vegas about ten years ago. (aka Vegey by Kayla)
Back when I was driving caddys, I took my buddy Gerry and his dad Bubba plus Charlie (who were in from Boston) up the I-15.
Bubba and Charlie were both 80-plus years old and were drinking Easy Jesus the whole trip. We all told stories about the good old days, including the time that Bubba got pulled over one night on his way home from the bar and ended up stuffing the cop into the trunk of the patrol car and closing the lid on him to teach him a lesson. (Bubba was 6′ 6″).
You have to live like Hunter to appreciate stories like that.
6. Which will come first, Jim: The “Tan Man” losing his tan or him going to jail for the rest of his life for his “Countryfried” adventures?
No chance of him going to jail.
I never understood why the corporate chiefs of BofA gave him a free pass. I know they were focused on getting the additional checking accounts, but everyone knew Angelo was was fleecing Countrywide on his way out (he cashed out $17 million in stock every week of the summer of 2008).
Wiki:
Bank of America Home Loans is the mortgage unit of Bank of America. In 2008, Bank of America purchased the failing Countrywide Financial for $4.1 billion. In 2006 Countrywide financed 20% of all mortgages in the United States, at a value of about 3.5% of United States GDP, a proportion greater than any other single mortgage lender.
5. What’s the longest duration real-estate transaction you’ve been involved with?
I did two lease-options back in the day that lasted 12 months and 14 months. The first turned into a purchase and was the beginning of 10 transactions with the client. The second was a case in which I was a principal, and flipped the house without ever actually owning it.
Today I’m nervous going past 30 days. Buyers have to sign off all contingencies after 17 or 21 days, and will lose their deposit if they cancel after that.
But I can’t control Mother Nature, terrorist attacks, or job stability. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but it has to be happening regularly that buyers sign off then don’t close and lose their deposit.
Jim Said:
“You have to live like Hunter to appreciate stories like that.”
Maybe, but on a day to day basis, who do you more resemble? Hunter, or…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqgCog3fRoo
If you couldn’t live in San Diego, where would you live?
4. Maybe, but on a day to day basis, who do you more resemble? Hunter, or…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqgCog3fRoo
I resemble Jake, but can no longer speak my mind like he did there. Nobody wants to hear it, nobody wants to change it, and instead of realtors cleaning up their act and leading the way, we will be subject to market forces. Guys like this keep coming out of the woodwork and think they are going to rule the real estate world with their new whiz-bang gadget:
https://vimeo.com/127102224
But in the end realtors will be the root of their own self-destruction.
3. If you couldn’t live in San Diego, where would you live?
Probably in a small town like Payson or Prescott. I’ve only been to each one time years ago, but they seemed cool. I’ve never lived in a small town before.
Jim Said:
“Guys like this keep coming out of the woodwork and think they are going to rule the real estate world with their new whiz-bang gadget:
https://vimeo.com/127102224
But in the end realtors will be the root of their own self-destruction.”
I watched the video. Those are strange looking boys. Normally, you’d see a larger, normal-looking boy behind them, initiating a doulble-headlock. As well he should.
This seems like another example of the socially retarded, self-declared boy king technocrats trying to establish social norms. They would strongly disagree with me, but I still maintain, people aren’t math problems. You can’t “solve” people.
In any case, my shorthand response to these boys
is it’s never going to work out as planned, because,
well… you guys are assholes.
Agreed – they all roll out their previous successes with other start-ups as if that’s all you need.
Instant showings aren’t going to work with occupied properties plus the listing agents restrict or prohibit showings the first few days.
Agents who are willing to pay him a 35% referral fee are your desperate unsuccessful realtors who can’t get business any other way. Plug that dynamic into the algorithm.
Any new technique will be copied by zillow so little chance of beating the big boys, unless they are banking on a buyout.
He thinks having a common bond called ‘frustration’ means buyers will use the system. But nothing he said will chanel the low-inventory problem.
Aspergy, socially awkward geeks are the new rock stars.
Booty Juice:
“Aspergy, socially awkward geeks are the new rock stars.”
This “get to know us” video plays like an SNL sketch.
Best line:
“…AND we’re multitime homebuyers!”
https://vimeo.com/120442139