Beautiful Single Story Home in Ocean Hills Country Club, A 55+ Golf Course Community in Oceanside California 

4686 Cordoba Way is a beautiful single story home in Ocean Hills Country Club, 55+ golf course community in Oceanside California.  This spacious 2-bedroom 2-bath home offers a gracious lifestyle on one floor very close to the 27,000 private Residents' Club House and 18-hole executive golf course (included in the HOA fees of $430/month). 

Ocean Hills Country Club is a gated community of 1632 homes with 24-hour security on rolling hills with beautiful landscaping, greenbelts, many trees, and sidewalks within about 1 mile of shopping, dining and other services. 

READ MORE:

Oceanside Real Estate - Seniors Housing At Ocean Hills Country Club in Oceanside California

Oceanside California - A Growing and Changing Coastal San Diego Community 

Take a Stroll on the Oceanside Pier

4686 Cordoba Way has been well-maintained; the owner added new pavers to the side yard and rear private patio, a wonderful place to dine and entertain with views of the lush landscaping and flowers. The AC system was placed in 2009, and all appliances are about 5 years old (all will convey). 

Features: 

1800 SF including interior atrium

Cathedral ceilings in living room, dining area, MBR

Fireplace in living room

Separate Laundry room with washer and dryer (included)

Professionally landscaped yard

Attached 2-car garage with storage

Family Room/Den with wet-bar 

The Ocean Hills Country Club community offers a wealth of social activities with several dozen clubs (e.g., sailing, Angles, Travel, Hiking, Bridge, Choral Society, Tai Chi, Ballroom Dancing), an auditorium, exercise facility, computer room, sewing room, wood working shop, library and more. Recreational activities at Ocean Hills Country Club include golf, bocce ball, tennis and paddle tennis, swimming in the heated Olympic-size pool.

For more information, photos and videos, visit 4686 Cordoba Way. 

Take a driving tour through Ocean Hills Country Club - see VIDEO below.

Search for Ocean Hills Country Club Homes for Sale

Nautilus Holistic Health and Community Acupuncture Center in Encinitas CA 

The Nautilus Holistic Health and Community Acupunture Center in Encinitas California specializes in community acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and offers a wide range of services on a sliding fee basis so that no one who needs and wants services is denied. 

The philosophy of Nautilus Holistic Health is encouraging individuals to be proactive and responsible for their own health, lifestyle and well-being. 

The Nautilus Holistic Health and Community Acupuncture Center is one of the few health centers in the San Diego area offering community acupuncture, the way it is commonly done in China, with treatment of more than one person at a time, rather than the traditional private acupuncturist/patient treatment practiced in the US. The Nautilus Holistic Health and Community Acupuncture Center can treat up to 4 individuals at one time, allowing them to charge less and offer treatment to those in need. 

Services include pain management and treatment for sleep disorders, addiction, headaches/migraines, hypertension, allergies, asthma, arthritis, fibromyalgia and more. Community acupuncture is offered by 5 acupuncturists for headache, lower back pain, stress, disc problems, arthritis and much more (while the focus is community-based, you may be in private sessions if no one else is there for treatment). 

Qi Dong ("chi dong") is offered with sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays or by appointment on Saturdays. 

See the flyers below for more details about the Nautilus Holistic Health Center and Acupuncture Clinic. The Center is on a quiet mixed used street 1 block away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Encinitas with ample parking on the street. 

Nautilus Holistic Health and Acupuncture Center

960 2^nd Street, Suite 103

Encinitas, CA

(760) 420-1904 or you may book appointments on-line on their website 

Walk-ins between 8 am and 8 pm welcome upon availability

I'm Sorry, But You Can't Have What You Want 

There are times this message has to be delivered. 

Certainly one might want to temper this a bit and be more diplomatic, but maybe bluntness has its place. 

But quite frankly there are times when buyers cannot have what they want, no matter how badly they want it. 

It might be due to unrealistic expectations, when there is a big gap between what they can afford and what they want costs. Sometimes lack of education about the realities of the local market leads to wishes that cannot be fulfilled. 

Some buyers simply do not know enough about the market to understand that what they want does not fit with their budget. Some are not realistic about budget. And there are some who simply do not know what their budget REALLY is because they haven't done the due diligence.

We can certainly help with that educational process. 

We have a responsibility to let buyers know when they can't have what they want, and to have a frank conversation about the realities of budget and market conditions. It may take a while to sink in, and they may not believe it or don't want to, but there is no point in allowing buyers to wander down the trail of wishful thinking when it's clear they can't have what they want. I know I would prefer to be set straight. 

If we aren't letting buyers know, aren't we doing them a disservice? 

Ethically aren't we bound to be honest with our clients, and let them know the truth. 

We all have ways of delivering that message, either directly or indirectly, diplomatically or not. 

And buyers vary in terms of their ability to "get it" and realize the reality...or not. 

We can't MAKE them understand the reality and act more realistically in terms of their budget and the market. 

But we can make the personal decision to move along when reality and fantasy-land are different worlds and there is no bridging the gap. 

I don't like delivering the message that buyers can't have what they want. But I will, and I do. I don't want to waste their time, mine, or the sellers who are out there. 

Sometimes you can't have what you want, no matter HOW badly you want it.

And that's true in life, NOT just real estate.

What's in Your Buyer's Real Estate Information Kit? 

Buyers need lots of information when they are preparing for, or are in, the home search process. Much of this information can be gleaned from the Internet these days, and certainly many snare tidbits from friends, family and neighbors. 

An important role we play when working as a Buyer Agent in education, and helping our buyers be as prepared as possible for the transaction, and closing.

Much of that education and information sharing is verbal - in our initial meeting, out on home tours, and when responding to emails and phone calls. 

We have a terrific opportunity to provide a wealth of information to our buyer clients to ensure they have what they need to make the right decisions and to be responsible homeowners. 

Here are some ideas of information that can be provided in your buyers' information kit - what a great way to keep them thinking of you, and the added value you provide. 

• Information on the purchase process - I use a schematic that outlines the process from A to Z
• Maps of the area -perhaps specific to the buyers' area(s) of interest
• Buyer Agency (what is it, responsibilities) - we have a state required form
• A list of FAQs - PITI, title insurance, etc
• A Checklist of questions to ask your lender
• A list of information websites (including your own blogs, etc)
• Property Tax information - payment schedule, assessments, supplemental taxes (I use a brochure I got off the county website)
• Home Search Checklist - I created one to help buyers sort through what they really want and need in a home
• Lifestyle Questionnaire - my own creation
• REO and Short Sale Checklists - my own
• Sample Offer to Purchase Agreement - mine is watermarked with "sample"
• Market statistics (perhaps your market report from your blog?)
• Escrow and Title Information - I use a flowchart for escrow and info sheets I have received from my favorite escrow and title company
• Home Warranty Information- I use a brochure from the vendor I use 

This is just some of what you can, and probably should provide.

What other things do YOU think would be useful or do YOU share with your buyer clients?

SeaCountry at Arrowood in Oceanside Offers New Homes for Sale in Oceanside CA 

Buyers in the Oceanside real estate market seeking new construction will be pleasantly surprised with the new homes at SeaCountry at Arrowood in the northeast corner of Oceanside near Bonsall.

READ MORE:  

Oceanside California - A Growing and Changing Coastal San Diego Community

SeaCountry at Arrowood currently has several homes for sale in Phase 3, with a total of 10 phases to be built on the hills in the San Luis Rey Valley. SeaCountry at Arrowood will consist of a total of 66 2-story detached single family homes on 540 acres, with nearby wetlands, a wildlife habitat area, the 18-hole Arrowood Golf Course, and a Sports Park. 

The Village Center will offer a swimming pool, park, barbecues, playground, picnic area, activity center for residents, and hiking trails. Some of these homes will have terrific views because of the rolling hills.

SeaCountry at Arrowood Home details: 

• 3 floor plans ranging in size from 2446 to 3080 SF
• 3 - 5 bedrooms and 2.5 - 4.5 baths with 2 - 3 car garage
• Lots ranging from approx. 4500 - 9232 SF
• 1^st floor master (hard to find) in one floor plan 

Children in SeaCountry at Arrowood will attend the Bonsall Union School District and the Fallbrook Union High School District. 

To arrange YOUR personal tour or to learn more about the Oceanside real estate market, please give me a call at 760-840-1360 or email me at JeffDowlerSolutions@gmail.com.  

READ MORE:  

Oceanside Homes for Sale - Oceanside Real Estate Market Report for December 2010  

North San Diego County Real Estate Market Trends for 2010

Everything's NEW! - A New Brokerage, New Presidency, New Website, New Year 

I am pumped!! 

I made a significant decision shortly after the advent of 2011, and things are now falling into place. 

I am pleased to announce I've joined SOLUTIONS REAL ESTATE, with David Dion (one of the 3 owners/founders) and Mark Schultz (broker) in their new Carlsbad office. Things are off and running. Now! Today!! 

New Signage - New Business Cards - New Branding 

Despite feeling more than overwhelmed with ALL the stuff that has to be changed as a result of moving from RE/MAX Moonlight Beach to Solutions Real Estate (plus starting up a new blog and IDX, and becoming President of the Southern California Chapter of CRS for 2011 to boot), I am very excited about the move and 2011. It's something I have been considering for a while, but the advent of the New Year brought things to a head as I thought intensely about what I really wanted to do...and the timing was right. 

The last 8+ years with RE/MAX has been tremendous, both here in California and back in Boston with RE/MAX Destiny. But moving to Solutions Real Estate, a smaller, but fast-growing company with a keen eye on truly being state of the art, with lots of technology training, is so cool. The office here in Carlsbad is only a few months old, but there are more than 200 agents in the 3 Solutions Real Estate offices in Arizona, and things are really taking off.

I have a new website (still work in progress), too, but will keep the old one for now.

Apart from all this, I am still the same person - same service, same dedication and committment, and focussed on the same service areas. Stay tuned for more updates, though.

OK, I decided NOT to Say Shame on You, Carlsbad 

I was going to title this "Shame on You, Carlsbad." 

I changed my mind. 

I was at brunch along the Coast Highway/Route 101 today and noticed water on the street nearby. What was disturbing, in this time of Stage 2 Drought Mandatory Water Conservation, is that water had started gushing from the sprinkler system in the median. 

No, the sprinklers weren't on (you aren't supposed to irrigate on Sundays)...there was clearly a significant leak in the irrigation pipe. I would estimate the water was leaking about 1 gallon every 1-2 minutes. And it went on for a while. You can see in the photo that this was not a small drip.

The Carlsbad Marathon was about over along that stretch of road, and one of the local police came by on his motorcycle. He stopped at the water, pulled out his phone, and made a call. 

I was pleased to see someone from the City of Carlsbad pull up in a truck about 20 minutes later. You would sure hate to see that water continue all night until someone came in to the office on Monday. Hopefully he got it taken care of before the City costs us taxpayers a ton of money. LOL

Fun at the 3rd Annual Brasil Jazz Festa in Encinitas on January 22, 2010 

We had a great time at the 3^rd Annual Brasil Jazz Festa that took place yesterday at the Encinitas Public Library, our 3^rd year in a row. And it keeps getting better. 

Interestingly, the Brasil (yes, that is the correct spelling for this event) Jazz Festa has not gotten very large, with perhaps 100 people or so attending. It's a very intimate place to have the vent with the musicians just a few feet away, and with ocean views out the window on a spectacular spring-like day, what could be better. 

The music was outstanding, featuring music by some of Brazil's most famous jazz composers (Jobim, Pineiro), but with a few original Brazil-inspired compositions by the Danny Green Quartet - Green is an extraordinary keyboardist and a talented composer. 

Allison Adams Tucker was terrific as always (in the first video), with two vocalists I've not heard before, Leonard Patton and Coral McFarland (in the 2^nd video below). 

Louisa West is a marvelous flutist, showcasing her talents in the 3^rd video - she makes me tired!

North San Diego County Coastal Real Estate Market trends for 2010 - The Year End Real Estate Market Report

The San Diego real estate market has seen some interesting trends over the last year in the North San Diego Coastal communities.

If nothing else, a look at these data show that real estate IS local, with improvements in some communities and declines in others with regard got sales volume and avergae sales prices.

Here we look at the statistics for DETACHED single family homes for selected communities including Carlsbad and Encinitas.

If you click on the individual towns you can view the December 2010 real estate market reports with link to the prior 6 months to see more specific data for each community.

                                            2010                                            2009

In general there was a decline in average prices for the most expensive communities, from 2009 to 2010; at the same time those communities saw increased sales, with the exception of Del Mar.

In contrast, some communities, notably Carlsbad and Encinitas, saw growth in both sales volume and average prices from 2009 to 2010. 

The good news is the overall increase in sales prices seen county-wide in San Diego from 2009 to 2010.

I need to Submit a Bank Statement for My Pre-Approval to Buy an REO 

A recent buyer asked:  I need to Submit a Bank Statement for My Pre-Approval to Buy an REO. Can I download a copy of my bank statement from the Internet? 

You likely have come across MLS listings where you must provide a pre-approval from the REO lender's requested provider to include with your offer. No surprise that it is someone from the bank who is the REO lender. 

Never fear, this is often easy, and fairly quick to do over the phone or via email, even if you have another written pre-approval from YOUR preferred lender. 

The REO bank wants to feel comfortable, based on their particular criteria, that you are qualified. So, first of all, don't be offended. This is more common than not. It doesn't mean you are not a qualified buyer. They just want to do their own due diligence. And heaven knows we have seen some pretty bogus pre-approvals in the last few years. 

My advice? Even if the listing does not specify a proof of funds (POF), I always include it on behalf of my buyer clients. That may be the bank statement or some other savings or investment account. It makes your offer stronger if the bank can see that you HAVE the money needed. 

One thing to note. Many times when you go to print out your bank statement from your on-line account the printout will not show your names on the statement. While this is pretty common, this is a BIG problem, and in all likelihood the bank will not accept it. They need to have something in hand that documents the name of the bank, the buyer names, along with the amount of money in the account. 

You may have to resort to making a copy of the statement you receive in the mail, or asking your bank to provide that to you. In my experience getting something from the bank can take a day or so if you are one of many who no longer get printed bank statements. So plan ahead.