Perhaps unsurprisingly, it also confirmed that one generation is investing more money than any other in home renovations, considering their plans don’t include moving anytime soon.
With 54% of boomers who own homes having pledged never to sell their property, it makes sense that they’d want to make the investment.
Additionally, the news comes after Charles Schwab revealed that most folks of the booming generation are hanging on to their assets, including real estate, for the long haul.
When asked, almost half of boomers surveyed for the report (45%) confessed they wanted “to enjoy my money for myself while I’m still alive.”
Evidently, enjoying their money includes making home improvements.
Baby boomers spent 16.8% more on projects than millennials, who spent an average of $12,101 last year. Gen X wasn’t that far behind, spending an average of $11,781, and Gen Z, which primarily rents their living spaces, spent $9,592 last year.
Given the state of the market and the struggle to create more inventory, it makes sense that the report added that 67% of homeowners prefer putting the work into renovating their current home to better meet their needs rather than moving (It should be noted that 55% of homeowners surveyed cited high interest rates as the primary reason for staying put, rather than the lack of available homes).
The local market isn’t at the frenzy level, but can we at least call it stable?
Last month there were 18% of the sales that closed over their list price. There were 41% of the sales that closed for at least $100,000 under their list price. If roughly 60% of the sales are getting close to their list price or over, then I think that feels like a fairly balanced market.
For the last five months in a row, the year-over-year monthly sales have been higher! The average and median pricing look stable too.
NSDCC Average and Median Prices
Once we get past the Super Bowl, the market should really get cooking! Last February, the over-list percentage was 30%, and then March was the high point for 2024 with 44%. I doubt we will hit either one of those again this year, and I’ll just settle for more YoY sales for the sixth month in a row.
I’ve suggested that there are two different markets. One-story homes, and everything else.
It’s because older buyers don’t want stairs. Simple enough.
Baby boomers control the destiny of the real estate market, and specifically, the supply of homes for sale. They (we) got here first, and they are sticking around longer than ever before. Thus, the supply of one-story homes for sale is tight, and when they do hit the market, they tend to sell for a premium.
It would be nice to identify the premium so all participants can recognize and implement different standards when valuating a home.
This is a dramatic example, but worthy of discussion.
Look at the similarities of these two homes in NE Carlsbad:
Same street.
Same year built (1984).
Same week found their buyer.
Same week closed escrow.
Both had views.
Both were on a culdesac.
Both sold over their list price.
Both listings started their remarks with the universal, “Nestled”
The two-story home was 2,335sf, and sold for $1,618,000, or $692/sf.
The one-story home was 1,863sf and sold for $1,912,000, or $1,026/sf.
A difference of almost $300,000, on the same street, same week!
Yes, the one-story was a flip so it had the standard lipstick, and its view included a peek of the ocean but it was through the powerlines, plus their towers were in clear sight:
There was an 18% difference in price! And 48% difference in price-per-sf!
In this case, I’ll concede a lipstick bonus, and suggest a standard 10% premium for one-story vs. two-story homes. It could be rising too – it’s not going down, that’s for sure!
I’m a big admirer of Iris Apfel, the American Businesswoman and interior designer.
This Queens native was known for her bold style, chunky bangles, and oversized sunglasses. Although she sadly passed away last year, Christie’s in Midtown NYC will present “Unapologetically Iris: The Collection of Iris Apfel” starting this Saturday, February 8th through February 12th. The exhibition will feature over 200 items of fashion, accessories, and design from Ms. Apfel’s personal collection. While the online auction is open for bidding, you can also view the items in person at 20 Rockefeller Center.
The sale offers decorative art pieces and items from Apfel’s homes in Palm Beach and New York, including a carved“Gussy” ostrich-form bar from Italy, circa 1975, estimated to go for $6,000-8,000.
These are my personal favorites from her collection:
We started signing new listings in October in anticipation of the market getting off to a fast start early, just like last year. So far, so good:
NSDCC January Action
The previous years are sold listings that went pending in January. In 2025, most of the 126 are still pending and some will fall out. But more will be added too, so we’ll call it even for now.
But tracking about the same as last year is a good sign – last year was red hot in the first quarter.
How are we doing with the six listings in a row?
506 S. Freeman – Sold to cash buyer and closed in two weeks.
11463 Nantucket– Multiple offers and in escrow after first weekend. All contingencies released yesterday.
29482 Vista Valley – Active listing, 12 days on market. A real specialty property. It should sell.
The fourth listing was tenant-occupied, and they just vacated – we’re getting access today.
So instead we plugged in this RB condo for launch last weekend:
15283 Maturin #57 – Three offers, all over the list price. Will go pending today.
We decided to pause this week and launch the next listing on Thursday the 13th. Not because I fear going up against the Super Bowl because it doesn’t start until 3:30pm on Sunday – we’re doing a touch more tune-up to the house. Our next two listings are real trophy properties, stay tuned!
I think we can say that the market is fine, and isn’t showing signs of stalling due to a surge in listings.
In the post-settlement world where agents are expected to prove their value, Compass will soon unveil a new client-facing portal that it says will streamline the transaction process for buyers and sellers while also helping its agents build more business.
The new portal is being introduced as Compass continues to pushagents and consumers toward its private listings channel — betting on a future where the hotly contested Clear Cooperation Policy is repealed.
An all-in-one interface for buyers and sellers
According to Rory Golod, Compass’ president of growth and communications, the portal — dubbed Compass One — is “the first of its kind” in the industry, allowing an agent and client to work together through the entire transaction. The brokerage has also called the product, which it developed fully in-house, “the #1 most requested piece of technology” for agents and clients. Compass built it out in phases, Golod said, starting with the agent tools and then creating Compass One.
“It’s interesting that in other advisory businesses — whether it’s banking, accounting or other businesses — you log into a portal,” he explained to Real Estate News. “If you work with a private wealth manager, you go to their portal, you see all your assets, your communications, and your documents.”
The platform offers a detailed timeline of the buying and selling process along with the expected timing for each step. Service providers such as mortgage brokers or inspectors “live in here too,” Golod said.
But bringing the client, agent and other professionals together isn’t the only thing the new platform does. It also integrates the company’s “3-phase marketing strategy” where agents are encouraged to pitch sellers on the Compass Private Exclusives channel first and the Compass Coming Soon channel second before going to the open market. The company formally launched this strategy last November.
“Taking a listing and just throwing it on the MLS and aggregators on the first day you launch it without getting any feedback from the market, understanding if you’re priced right, understanding what the demand is and building up interest — you’re not serving your clients’ best interests,” Golod explained.
Currently, Compass has about 5,500 Private Exclusive listings, a spokesperson said.
One of the first tasks for sellers and their agents in the One Compass portal is to discuss the Compass Private Exclusives channel. Golod said the push toward private listings puts regular home sellers on the same footing as “homebuilders, celebrities and ultra-high-net worth clients” who often sell their homes off the MLS, and it helps sellers avoid “negative insights that hurt their value” such as days on market and price reductions.
All of the listings mentioned above were listed in the MLS and available for buyer-agents to sell. But where are they? Realtors will tolerate the current policy for a while longer, but we don’t like it either – and though the MLS used to be the ideal solution for all involved, those days are behind us now. For many agents, representing buyers is more trouble than its worth.
Remember a couple of years ago when I started predicting that buyer-agents will go away?
This is it – it’s happening right in front of us, and nothing will stop it.
With a strong foundation built on agent expertise, innovative technology, and a customer-first approach, Compass is well-positioned to overtake Zillow as the most influential real estate platform. As Zillow continues to struggle with profitability and data limitations, Compass is thriving by embracing the reality that real estate is not just about listings—it’s about relationships and local market knowledge.
As Zillow continues to struggle with profitability—marking its twelfth straight year without earning a profit—Compass is poised for continued growth. Real estate is inherently a local business, and Reffkin’s strategy of leveraging a strong network of agents gives Compass a significant edge over data-driven platforms that lack a personal touch.
With Robert Reffkin at the helm, Compass is not just competing with Zillow; it is redefining the real estate experience and paving the way for a more efficient, agent-focused industry future.
As the industry continues to evolve, buyers and sellers will increasingly seek platforms that offer not just data, but also real, tangible support from experienced professionals. With its unique model, Compass is set to lead the future of real estate, leaving Zillow struggling to keep up.
My predicted surge in inventory is underway – look at the navy-blue line above. There are 363 active listings between La Jolla and Carlsbad today, and once the Super Bowl is out of the way, we should really get rocking. It should easily reach 400 before the end of the month.
It’s not a bad thing for the sellers who are willing to price attractively – there is still plenty of action. There will just be more this year that don’t sell at all.
NSDCC New Listings In The Last Week: 72 (+8%)
NSDCC New Pendings In The Last Week: 28 (+9%)
Buyers love the additional choices and will continue to be very picky, especially on price.
How did last month measure up?
NSDCC January Sales: 117 (102 last January)
NSDCC January Listings: 243 (242 last January)
Both of those categories should swell by roughly 10% as the late-reporters log in.
The final guesses on the number of NSDCC January listings:
211 – Eddie89
213 – Shadash
216 – regina
246 – Anne M
267 – Surfrider
280 – doughboy
293 – Joe
296 – Tim DeRoche
303 – Tom
307 – Jun
311 – SN
317 – CB Mark
318 – Nick
328 – Majeed
337 – natalie
353 – Derek
355 – Skip
365 – Leo
401 – Dr k
417 – Susie
421 – Giving Cat
Giving Cat (Rob Dawg) will probably endure the same fate as with the Coffee Bet – being correct, just early.
In April, 2009, real estate bloggers did a panel discussion on when the bottom would be, and I guessed December, 2011. Instead, the bottom happened during the very month of our discussion – April, 2009! https://www.bubbleinfo.com/2009/04/24/coffee-bet-2/
This guy suggests that the listing agent should skip the highest-and-best round, and instead, select the offer written by the buyer-agent that they think is most likely to close the deal – after trying to bump them another $5,000 or $10,000.
I like to do the highest-and-best round first to establish a new floor, and then go around to each buyer-agent and give them the number to beat in my slow-motion auction. Selecting an offer written by a buyer-agent who you think can get to the finish line is a critical part of the equation, but not as important as being the highest price.
Why? Because my contest is very specific – the buyer who submits the highest price wins the home. We vet the buyers and agents initially to ensure they are real contenders, and I will take my chances that Donna can get anyone to the finish line.
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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
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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
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.
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!
Anu Koberg
July 13, 2024
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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 Isachsen
July 10, 2024
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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 Shea
June 21, 2024
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.
