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.
As a north county transplant from LA I know what Caruso is all about. He’s a class-act and I think we’re lucky he is the one developing this land. Yes it would have been fantastic if the city of Carlsbad had purchased the land as open space (cue the “they overpaid” pundits). But the city didn’t, and it’s 50 prime acres to develop and so obviously someone is going to develop it. I am grateful Carlsbad is getting a first-class high-end mall anchored by Nordstrom instead of another car dealership or whatever other stupid project the corrupt local yokel developers could graft/jam through the city council. The Westfield Carlsbad is a joke, nothing but low-grade stores overrun by hooligans. This is the best possible use of the land.
I think you’re right, and it will make Carlsbad a true destination.
We’ll have Legoland, Nordstrom, and (desal) water, all on the same street!
Carlsbad is going to be quite a city going forward IMO
The numbers below are just getting started, if even a few of these companies takes off …
North county is just getting started..
http://carlsbadlifeinaction.com/work/key-industries/technology/
Carlsbad’s technology cluster has nearly 300 companies and provides more than 10,000 jobs.
The average annual salary is over $120,000.
North County is to San Diego what OC is to LA, 25 years ago and smaller scale. Tract houses are in, now comes the retail; extend the airport runway and there you go. Carlsbad = Newport Sur. O-side is Huntington. Traffic will increase on par, and the value of having the Coaster (something coastal OC does not have) will be big. The locals can’t stop it. They can slow it down, but better course would be to shape it to the best end result possible.
I’m pretty excited for Carlsbad’s future. I still can’t believe Stabby-McPotpipe Mall aka Westfield Carlsbad can’t get it together and realize what’s going on around them.
I also find it interesting that Nordstroms is willing to be at a retail location so close to an outlet mall.
I am a Santa Barbara transplant and Caruso will be re-building the ol’ Miramar resort in Montecito. The old resort was allowed to fall into disrepair and all the billionaires in Montecito and San Ysidro were suing Caruso left and right to keep him from building on that site.
There is nothing more fun to watch than groups of billionaires fighting over each other over more money.
Anyway, I agree with Bode….Caruso is a good developer. My wife is from Ventura county; therefore, I have seen his other projects like The Commmons, The Promenade, and the Lakes. He has a great track record of developing shopping/dining areas that people actually enjoy.
More here:
https://thecoastnews.com/blog/2015/06/nordstrom-signs-on-to-strawberry-fields-shopping-center/
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-re-nordstrom-carlsbad-20150609-story.html