The market is ‘slowing’ and pretty soon we will all just be standing around wondering what happened. The underlying reason is that the new rules discourage agents from wanting to work with buyers.
I just had one where my buyers offered $175,000 over the list price. The listing agent countered and reduced the seller-paid commission to me by a half-percent. I got penalized for having my buyers offer $175,000 OVER the list price, and it put me at odds with my own client.
The other parts of how the listing agent handled the negotiations were so repulsive that it made me embarrassed to be a part of our so-called profession. Why would I want to go through that again?
It was already hard enough trying to represent buyers.
After 12 years, the city of Carlsbad, San Diego Gas & Electric and NRG Energy, and its subsidiary Cabrillo Power LLC, have agreed on a land settlement for property on Agua Hedionda Lagoon and along Carlsbad Boulevard and Cannon Drive.
The city and two energy companies have been haggling since 2013 over the deal, now known as the Seaside Agreement, but the City Council approved the deal during Tuesday’s meeting.
The deal will see the city take ownership of more than 5 acres at the site of SDG&E’s North Central Service Center along Cannon Drive and Carlsbad Boulevard, Cannon Park, the middle and inner lagoons, 5.7 acres of land on the north shore of the lagoon and more, according to Carlsbad Deputy City Manager Gary Barberio, who has worked on the deal since 2013. SDG&E will move its operations center to the east side of the property in a land swap with Cabrillo, while a new trail system will be constructed just east of the Carlsbad Strawberry Fields property on what is known as Lot 11.
Should the deal fall through, Cabrillo will pay the city $10 million.
Robert Reffkin was in San Diego yesterday to talk Compass. He will be visting all the Compass regional offices to assure agents that we are on the right track.
We’re on the right track.
Private Exclusives are permitted in the Clear Cooperation Policy. Nobody disputes it, including Zillow who has already said that they won’t be blocking our Private Exclusives from their website.
Compass plays by the rules.
We hear a lot of noise from the ivory towers about Compass withholding properties in order to sell them off-market, but you saw in my recent blog post that we’re doing about the same number as we’ve always done (less than 1% of total sales) and other brokerages are doing about their same numbers too.
You won’t find any agents on the street who want to ban off-market sales. They are legal, within the rules, and we love them.
I have a new rule to fix it.
All off-market sales are forbidden to be on the MLS.
I’ve mentioned how it’s a badge of honor for agents to input their off-market sales after closing. They see other agents do it – many of them prominent – and their ego wants to join the party.
If the MLS police just stopped allowing off-market sales to be inputted, then the problem could solve itself. Agents who went a year or two without seeing off-market sales on the MLS would probably forget all about them.
Oh, you want to input for appraisal purposes? Appraisers have enough comps – and they will find yours on the tax rolls if they need it that badly. Oh, you want it on your sales count? Nobody cares about your sales count except you, and because we’re suspicious of anything off-market, sorry. No sale on the record for you.
It would help to eliminate the frivolous or shady off-market sales, which no one talks about or wants to change. People just use the topic to beat up on Compass because their knee-jerk reaction is that we’re up to something, when we’re not.
A month ago, Robert put this on his Insta account:
Corcoran, Douglas Elliman, Redfin, and eXp have now said publicly that they do exclusive listings. It’s rumored that every brokerage has them, and they should – they are legal and permitted.
If you don’t like it, then change the rule that permits them.
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Other tidbits from the meeting:
Of the real estate licensees nationally, 94% haven’t closed a sale this year.
Should Compass put up a big fight, or just go on our merry way? Robert is promoting our 3-Phase Marketing Plan that sounds really good to some home sellers. It’s within the existing rules, so let’s keep our head down and serve our clients the best we can. There’s nothing to fight about, really.
Lennar sold 800,000 homes last year, and HALF of them were off-market.
Several Compass agents agreed that they don’t use the MLS at all – everything they need is on our platform.
How about the people who aren’t used to being around other people these days? Today, there are people who get by without having a meaningful conversation with another human being – maybe they talk with their dogs and cats, but not much with other humans beyond the ‘how ya doing’ occasionally. We are cocooning as a society, and selling your home with minimal human interaction should be an option that many may prefer.
The market is softer and sellers might have a better chance to sell for their price off-market. Buyers are known for paying more for an exclusive offering, so it is a viable option for procuring a top-dollar sale. Sellers should at least have that choice available to them.
It’s a new day. Many, and probably most, listings aren’t getting any showings, let alone offers. The way it’s going, selling off-market will sound better and better.
Brain May from Queen joined Benson Boone for Bohemian Rhapsody
Benson’s guitarist is Sus Vasquez who toured with Natalie last year with Karol G.
Missy Elliott
Many influencers were active and this guy had an entourage – I stood up and got on camera in one of these.
Charli xcx
Green Day played their explosive set without one word in between about Trump or anything political. Because Billie Joe has given 45-minute political sermons between songs, I thought there would be something that might change the world but because they did the music for Bill Maher’s show and he came out as a Trumpster this week, maybe BJ was speechless? Hard to believe, but it was so!
If you prefer the polished version with close-ups, watch theirs:
The unsolds are rising quickly with +96 since mid-February.
In 2024, we didn’t have 462 active listings until the middle of June!
But South Carlsbad and Carmel Valley are cruising along nicely with their actives-to-pendings ratios within the 2:1 standard we use to gauge a healthy market.
The number of actives is +23% above last April, and the number of pendings is 17% lower – the result that we’ve been talking about since October. It’s mostly a higher-end problem and it won’t work itself out.
Sellers will just be content to wait and see, cancel their listing for the holidays, and be back again next year….at the same price.
Wouldn’t you love to find a renovated home on a big lot that is move-in ready? Here you go! Upgraded this year with new flooring & paint, windows, sliding-door, kitchen (with walk-in pantry), baths, lighting, and landscape – wow! Huge 15,224sf lot, central A/C, 3-car garage, and no HOA! Secluded location with minimal impact from neighbors. The last sale in Pacific Views was $1,250,000 on Feb 27th for a house that was 75sf bigger. Close to Carlsbad, beach, freeway and all the modern conveniences – check this out!
Amid growing economic uncertainty, recession fears, and continuing tariff turmoil, there’s a glimmer of hope among homeowners who say that they are still feeling very optimistic about getting top dollar for their properties—with many going as far as to predict that they will sell their dwellings for more than the asking price.
A new survey conducted by Realtor.com® economists has found that 81% of potential home sellers think they will achieve their asking price or secure a higher offer as the market moves into its best time to sell.
Only 13% of the more than 800 would-be home sellers interviewed as part of the study said they expect to get less than their asking price. A further 5% responded that they do not know what will happen.
Redfin has joined Zillow in the dogpile on Compass, which is such a joke because they sell their listings off-market too. Zillow has already said that their coming ban of off-market listings doesn’t include the Compass Private Exclusives (via Rob Hahn) because they are in the MLS and comply with the current NAR rules.
It’s grandstanding, which both have a long history of doing. They say and do things to be in the spotlight – not to change the world of real estate sales. If you want to do that, then change the rules.
The tariff tirade may be dissipating, but the effect on mortgage rates will probably last for months. Higher rates add more sluggishness to an generally-overpriced market but sellers are committed to exploring their price discovery in April. We’ll see if loosens up in May or June (doubtful).
Here is the distribution of NSDCC active listings:
Almost $1 billion worth of active listings in Rancho Santa Fe with an average list price over $10 million – wow! La Jolla and Del Mar’s averages are over $9 million!
Home sellers may have noticed a tally of saves, shares and views on their listings on Zillow and wondered how these metrics compare to other homes on the market. A new Zillow analysis reveals the ideal benchmarks that enhance the chances of selling a property faster and at a higher price and ways sellers can help their chances of standing out.
When listings go live on Zillow, home shoppers can interact with properties by viewing the listing to learn more about the home, saving the listing to view again later, or sharing the listing. Each interaction indicates buyer interest in that home, and listings with higher engagement levels tend to sell faster and at or above the list price.
How do the number of views, saves and shares measure up against other listings? Let’s dive into the numbers.
The benchmarks
Since Spring 2023, the median home listing on Zillow, went pending after 15 days, and sold at 98% of the initial listing price.
When it comes to views, 250 per day typically means a home will move to pending status in a week, with 75% of those homes sold in two weeks. Listings that initially attract more than 500 daily views are often sold for more than the list price.
Five is the magic number for daily saves. Home sellers who see their listing saved by at least five potential buyers per day typically accept an offer in a week. Listings with 10 or more saves per day tend to sell for more than the list price.
The majority of for-sale listings shared 10 or more times per day reach pending status in a week. Exceeding 20 shares per day typically means a home will sell above its list price. Savvy sellers — with the help of their agent — can aim to boost these numbers and achieve better results.
How home sellers can help maximize sales impact
Home sellers and their agents can help their listings stand out by highlighting the most desired features. Highlighting the most sought-after amenities in listings signals to buyers that a home is appealing and modern, helping it sell faster and for more money.
Zillow research has shown calling attention to features such as outdoor TVs, soapstone countertops and outdoor showers can help home sellers command premium sale prices, while calling out attributes such as plant ledges, frameless showers and terrazzo flooring contribute to faster-than-expected sales.
This week Zillow Executive Errol Samuelson announced that homes not listed on the MLS within 24 hours of public marketing—won’t be published on Zillow “for the life of the listing.” Simply put, if your listing is not on Zillow within 24 hours, Zillow will retaliate against you and your homeowner by turning off your ability to list on Zillow. It is an incredible move of audacity and a pure power play of epic proportion.
Delayed IDX syndication is allowed under NAR rules. But Zillow is asserting that they, not NAR, not your brokerage, not you the listing agent—and not even the homeowner whose house it is and is paying the commission—should decide how a listing is marketed. This isn’t about protecting consumers. It’s about protecting Zillow’s ability to profit from your listings by selling your leads to competing agents.
Whether or not you support the Clear Cooperation Policy, it is never acceptable for a real estate portal to threaten agents this way. Real estate portals must remain neutral. Whether you’re a buyer’s agent, a listing agent, or both, we support all agents and believe you deserve better. And we believe every real estate professional deserves to be treated with fairness and respect—never bullied by a tech platform looking to control an industry.
Zillow’s lead-diversion model is anti-consumer and anti-agent. Just last week, I listened to focus groups with home sellers who believed that when a buyer clicks the “Contact Agent” button on their listings in Zillow, they’re contacting their listing agent. When they found out that wasn’t true—and that their home was being used as bait to funnel buyers to competing agents—they were outraged. One seller exclaimed, “Holy hell!” Another said, “What the…?”
Zillow’s lead diversion model hijacks your hard-earned listings to generate commission splits for them and grow their brand at your expense. As the listing agent you deserve clear, undisputed credit for your listings. When a buyer believes they are contacting the listing agent, that’s exactly who they should reach.
Homes.com is agent-friendly. We always show the listing agent—and only the listing agent—on listings. We follow the principle of Your Listing, Your Lead. That means we only display your name, your photo, your brokerage, and connect potential buyers only to you. We never take a commission split or sell leads to competing agents. Instead, we earn revenue by promoting your listing to thousands of additional buyers across the internet.
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Jim & Donna Klinge helped us sell our home of 30 years in Ocean Hills. We were very happy with their service and would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for an Honest, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Informed Efficient realty team. Both Jim & Donna were so helpful in different ways and complemented each others skills. Please refer to a more detailed review that we wrote on YELP. Thank You Both for all your help!!!
Jesse O'Hara
June 12, 2025
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A+ thank you
Lisa Tuomi
June 11, 2025
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Many years ago, we purchased a home in Carlsbad, using a realtor that was recommended to us - Jim Klinge. Fast forward to 2025, we recently had the privilege of selling 2 homes in Carlsbad, CA and didn't hesitate to reach out to Jim and Donna Klinge of Klinge Realty Group to guide us through the sales. The transactions were very different, each with its own unique situation, opportunities and challenges. From start to finish, Donna and Jim helped navigate the pre-sale preparation, the listing, showing of the house, buyer negotiations, the final close and all of the paperwork and decisions in between. What stands out with both transactions is the professionalism of Jim and Donna (and their team), wonderful communication (timely, relevant, concise), their deep understanding of market dynamics (setting realistic expectations), their access to top-notch contractors, and last, their ability to guide us across the finish line successfully. We wouldn't hesitate to use Jim and Donna in the future and highly recommend them for anyone looking to buy or sell a property in North San Diego County.
Jerry Meyer
March 28, 2025
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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 Quejada
March 27, 2025
Trustindex 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 F
March 27, 2025
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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!
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William Sams
March 25, 2025
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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 Hernandez
December 29, 2024
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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 Sahagun
November 11, 2024
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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 PASHA
July 23, 2024
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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!
