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
Jim,
When you are out and about as much as you are, sifting through all the RE crap in this market, you can see some funny stuff like Mr. Strap on!
Jim, you would know better than me but those prices didn’t sound like fraud to me. Firstly, buyers deserve a discount on a distressed house that won’t move for 3-6 months due to bank backlog. Secondly, isn’t the bank responsible to reject the packages? They have the $750K comps don’t they?
I understand what you’re saying. You’re basing your prices on the reality of the moment. But all those houses waiting in the wings is a black cloud on the pricing horizon.
Those first houses on Capuchina are in the shadows of power lines. $600’s sound about right to me (not that I’d ever buy a power line house.) Even if they are fraud, if Jenae’s sales count as comps, then so should these. Can’t have it both ways.
Speaking of LCO, this house was bought in ’06 for $1.33M, and now they’re asking $2M! What bubble?
http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-100029574-7689_Sitio_Algodon_Carlsbad_CA_92009
Here’s the latest comp, which apparently means nothing:
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Carlsbad/7699-Sitio-Algodon-92009/home/7488825
Like you say, Jim, BUYER BEWARE.
Jim,
I heard a story in the OC of a guy who bought a home through a ‘moderator’. The moderator marketed the property as a short sale, before the bank was approached and before it agreed to the short sale, After obtaining a buyer who agreed to commission terms, the ‘moderator’ approached the bank with an offer (at or below the buyers offer price, can’t be sure). Anyway, I’m sure we’ll here more about ‘moderators’ in the future.
My friends and I call Corte Romero COLD alley, for Coldesac Of Lost Dreams. Lots of young families bought in that hood during the bubble and lived the highlife off of HELOCS for a few years. Many of the primary income earners were mortgage brokers or real estate agents.
The bubble burst woke them up, however. I expect a good number of additional distressed sales on that street.
The Blur,
That first listing has 5 pictures and none of them really show the house! LMAO!!!
Haha, tj! You’re right. When there are no actual pictures of the house, that just can’t be good.
Idiot realtors…..
What is exactly is the fraud? And how exactly was the same day sale at $750g not recorded? Or was it recorded at the wrong price and that is the fraud?
What you are seeing is nothing more than a symptom of a weak market!
I would be scared to buy into that neighborhood because of all the weak hands. That is just too much turnover.
Jims vid shows how a REAL realtor earns their commission. If you were buying in that hood I bet not even 3% of the realtors out there could give you a brief 10 min summary on the situation just like Jim did.
LM – not even if you asked them to, not that we should have to ask.
#9 Eric.
A few weeks ago Jim put up a video about that deal. A/an investor/s lined up a buyer before they bought the house themself. Then they bought the house from the bank for 675 and sold it the same day to the buyer for 750 which Jim referred to as a “double escrow” that is explicitly against the rules. That video has a great comment stream if you go back and dig it up.
The explanation of the double escrow starts at 3:58 of this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO9osAQ4D4Y
The sale stands out because they recorded it twice in the same day – first for $675,000, then for $750,000. The doc numbers are one apart, which means they were recorded together, and implicates the escrow company as having knowledge of the double escrow (which is illegal if not disclosed to all parties).
The buyer who paid the $750,000 spoke about the deal, and the first word out of her mouth was “shady”, because she could never get the facts, just vague ideas from the agent.
Her closing was delayed because the flipper’s short sale wasn’t ready to close yet. Undoubtably there were many shenanigans involved.
The Blur and tj
I have seen that house on Algodon inside and out and it’s amazing… every detail of it. I will agree about the idiot realtor. Why post any pics at all? It’s a shame they messed this one up coming out of the gate. La Costa Oaks could use a “pick me up”. Get the darn thing priced right and at the very least, a home being marketed at over 2 million should have some decent photos.
Jim, the headset strap on was a hoot. I got my chuckle of the day!
shadash has a good point about the discount for PITA (Pain In The Arse) transactions (short sales, REOs, dealing w/ the bank) deserving a discount. The 750 were “full retail” while the others were not. Still, 80K seems a pretty big difference.
Having bought a REO from the bank, with a fair amount of PitA factor, yeah, the bank left $50K-100K on the table through incompetence.
But at the same time, a double escrow without telling the bank is fraudulent, and the bank would say “F-you” to that without a question, since the point of a short-sale is to sell at market price, and if it was approved at $650K, the bank would trivially approve it at $750K.
Jim: Additional question which might be worth looking at, was the listing agent also the buyer’s agent in this? And did the agent effectively get a DOUBLE commission, one for the bank sale and one for the flip sale?
Because only one sale was recorded in the MLS, we don’t know for sure, but it appears that Henry double-dipped on the first sale, (he marked the buyer’s agent as “out-of-town agent”) and represented the seller on the flip – making it three “sides”.
The short-sale bank paid him either 5-6% on the $675,000, or at least $33,750, and then he might have discounted his listing side on the flip? Let’s call it 1.5% of the $750,000, or $11,250.
Total of $45,000.
Does the record show who the flipper is? Is the flipper related to the agent?
When I was working with my realtor, I told her that I’m a big DIYer, with information at my fingertips.
But it’s this kind of research (in the video) that separates the n00bs from the big boys. If I were in that neighborhood and paid $650k with a guy like Jim by my side when others were paying almost $100k more, it would be worth every penny in commissions.