Historically, when prices start reaching new peaks, we see more homes come to market. This time around though, sellers have been reluctant for a variety of reasons, and inventory has been tight.
These are the total number of detached-home listings that hit the MLS between June 1 and September 30th.
NSDCC Summer Inventory (June 1 – Sept 30)
Year
# of Listings
Median LP
Average LP
2012
1,546
$977,000
$1,536,521
2013
1,779
$1,159,000
$1,609,073
2014
1,687
$1,199,000
$1,733,545
2015
1,806
$1,276,000
$1,814,817
It’s not a big increase (7% higher than last year), but could it be a precursor to what we might see next spring?
A somewhat awkward opening with the two biggest rock stars of the era leads into an all-star jam with Clapton, Richards, and Lennon all playing guitar:
From time to time we judge the current ‘health’ of the market by dividing the active listings by the pending listings. For the record, it was Peter B. who agreed with me years ago that the healthy balance is around two actives to one pending. The ‘months of inventory’ is derived from dividing the actives by the September solds.
Area
Zip Code
ACT
PEND
Ratio
Mo. of Inv
Median LP of ACT
Cardiff
92007
13
15
0.86
1.9
$1,580,000
Carlsbad NW
92008
36
21
1.71
2.1
$1,024,500
Carlsbad SE
92009
107
52
2.06
1.8
$1,075,000
Carlsbad NE
92010
15
21
0.71
1.4
$753,000
Carlsbad SW
92011
52
21
2.48
2.5
$972,000
Del Mar
92014
59
23
2.57
4.5
$2,975,000
Encinitas
92024
100
68
1.47
2.8
$1,595,000
La Jolla
92037
190
44
4.32
8.3
$2,995,000
RSF
92067
232
29
8.00
12.9
$3,354,000
Solana Bch
92075
33
6
5.50
5.5
$1,745,000
Carmel Vly
92130
133
58
2.29
4.0
$1,299,000
All Above
All
970
358
2.71
4.0
$1,989,500
The 8-to-1 actives-to-pendings ratio and the 13 months of inventory in Rancho Santa Fe can probably classify it as a buyer’s market. But even with our substantially higher prices, the other areas look fairly healthy.
Common sense should dictate here. Listing a home on a Thursday with professional photos and video gives buyers a chance to schedule a showing between Friday and Sunday – probably the most flexible days on their calendar. Open houses conducted by professional sales people add maximum convenience, and then having a good listing agent handle the results (good or bad) ensures a successful outcome.
From HW:
Selling a home is part art and part science, and any information that gives sellers and their Realtors a leg up is welcome news. Terrace 24 just revealed new data that shows that the best day to list a home is actually Thursday — not Friday, which is most Realtors’ choice.
“Currently, more agents are listing homes on Friday than any other day of the week, but homes listed on Thursday sell faster and for higher prices,” said Mike Minihan, managing broker of Terrace 24.
The company’s data came from sales research in six Atlanta metro counties from Sept. 2014 through Sept. 2015.
From the firm’s analysis:
Of the homes that sold without a price reduction, the homes that listed on Thursday sold for the fewest days on market at a median of 19 days. Homes listed on Sunday were on the market the longest.
Again, of the homes that sold without a price reduction, the median percentage of the list price that the Thursday sellers got was 97.78%. That is higher than any other day of the week.
Homes listed on Thursday were more likely to receive an offer of more than 100%, suggesting there was a bidding war.
The previous Case Shiller reading (for July) turned out to be an anomaly, and today’s +0.34% increase month-over-month is probably what we can expect through the off-season.
Here are the San Diego NSA changes for 2015:
Month
CSI-SD
M-o-M chg
Y-o-Y chg
January
204.69
+0.6%
+5.0%
February
205.97
+0.6%
+4.6%
March
208.53
+1.2%
+4.6%
April
209.82
+0.6%
+4.5%
May
211.71
+0.9%
+4.8%
June
212.40
+0.3%
+4.6%
July
214.68
+1.1%
+5.4%
August
215.40
+0.3%
+5.9%
The Case-Shiller reading for San Diego was 86.02 in July, 1990. On average, it has gone up 6% per year since, or a half-point per month.
Here’s a specialty item seen in many homes built in the 1970s and 1980s – the pre-cast concrete fireplace and chimney built by Rampart General.
There is plenty of conflicting data online (no surprise) so we had our fireplace specialist, Jim Slaton of North County Fireplaces, inspect this one today and give us the scoop:
These guys say we need a more robust economy to support growth in the housing market, and Mr. Pulte says that the happy news in housing is due more to inventory shortages than demand recovery.
The national talking heads will probably be using the word ‘plateau’ until winter when they can blame the weather for something:
If you think San Diego’s housing market is strained and pricey now, what will it be like in 20 years? Yes, feel free to shudder. No one, of course, can accurately predict that far in advance. There are too many variables at play. But there is one aspect of the current housing market that would seem tough to reverse.
And that’s the ability to build.
For one thing, we have finite developable land, particularly in the city of San Diego. Secondly, a portion of our population appears unwilling to embrace density — at least in their own neighborhoods — which makes it tough on planners and builders to increase supply.
“We’ll be the Bay Area in no time,” said Borre Winckel, president and CEO of the Building Industry Association of San Diego. “We can offer very few product lines for the middle-class buyer.”
San Francisco was once a quirky, counter-cultural city that was home to a bevy of activists, artists and writers. But that city is vanishing because of sky-high housing costs. Now, only the elite can afford to live in the city and, like in Manhattan, low- and middle-income workers are forced to live further afield and make long commutes to their jobs.
San Diego is not far behind. It is already the nation’s fifth most expensive housing market, according to the National Association of Realtors. Only an estimated 25 percent of households can afford the median home price.
Even more troubling, most of the apartment units under construction are higher end, catering to wealthier millennials.
“My lament is that we’re royally screwing the housing opportunity for the middle class and young people,” Winckel said.
San Diego’s population grew by 159,000 people from 2010 to 2014, but the region added only 22,000 housing units in that time, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
If that trend continues, experts predict housing prices will continue to rise.
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 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
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!
---
William Sams
March 25, 2025
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.
Emily Hernandez
December 29, 2024
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.
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
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!
Anu Koberg
July 13, 2024
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.
Bjorn Isachsen
July 10, 2024
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...
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.
