Guess what? Carlsbad is one of the best places to retire!

I saw this article from Yahoo! Finance. 

10 Great Places to Retire in the U.S.

Carlsbad, Calif.

Price: $639,900
Area median price: $672,500

Features
• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
• 2,352 square feet
• Granite countertops
• Attached garage
• Lagoon water views

For $639,900, you could get this three-bedroom, 2.5 baths 2,352-square-foot townhome, with granite counters, a security system, Bose speakers and attached garage. On a lagoon, the home affords a water view from most rooms, and it's in a community with walking trails near a beach.

Homes at the median price in Carlsbad are typically larger and more expensive than retirees are looking for, says broker Tony Cannon of Keller Williams Realty. For substantially less -- $374,000 -- you could get a home more suitable for empty nesters: a two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,100-square-foot home with a patio, garage and a low-maintenance yard in a community with a pool and spa, on about one-eighth of an acre, Cannon says.

The weather and the beach are the main draws for retirees in Carlsbad, which ranks among the "top 10 beach towns."

"East Coast people come out here because the weather is nicer," Cannon says. "It's mild all year long. We get people from Canada, other parts of California, even Arizona and New Mexico. If you live within 5 miles of the beach, you don't need air conditioning."

For other cities that make the list, continue reading here

I proudly serve the North San Diego County real estate market. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property in Carlsbad, San Marcos, Oceanside, Vista, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, Rancho Bernardo, etc areas, feel free to contact San-San Wardojo at 760-933-8886 or email sansan2@gmail.com

The Laurel at Old Creek Ranch San Marcos, CA

The Laurel is located in San Marcos, CA. Builder is Cornerstone Communities. This community has 98 homes with a starting price of high $300Ks. The Laurel is about 5 miles from the beach and just across the street from Carlsbad.

The Laurel has two floor plans:
Plan 1 has 3 bedrooms, loft, and 1650 sq feet.
Plan 2 has up to 4 bedrooms and 1775 sq feet.

I proudly serve the North San Diego County real estate market. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property in Carlsbad, San Marcos, Oceanside, Vista, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, Rancho Bernardo, etc areas, feel free to contact San-San Wardojo at 760-933-8886 or email sansan2@gmail.com

Despite low interest rate, home sales drop again....

With interest rates are at historic low, apparently it's not enough to persuade buyers to get into real estate.

According to DQNews.com, a total of 18,091 new and resale homes were sold in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties in September. That was down 2.4 percent from 18,541 in August, and down 16.0 percent from 21,539 for September 2009, according to MDA DataQuick of San Diego.


Read the rest of the article here. 

photo courtesy of Renjith Krishnan

I proudly serve the North San Diego County real estate market. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property in Carlsbad, San Marcos, Oceanside, Vista, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, Rancho Bernardo, etc areas, feel free to contact San-San Wardojo at 760-933-8886 or email sansan2@gmail.com

With the interest rate at a historic low as well as lower home prices, many potential buyers that are renting are wondering if they should jump in the boat of being a homeowner. I have always believe in homeownership if:

1. they have stable jobs (I know it's hard to determine, there are no guaranty of jobs at this age and time)
2. at least six months of liquid savings (meaning, not tied in stock market, 401Ks)
3. little or no consumer debt.

Good credit rating also will guarantee you with a lower interest rate. So, make your payments on time, and do not accumulate too much debt.

Here is an article and calculator from CNN about how much home you can afford.


I proudly serve the North San Diego County real estate market. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property in Carlsbad, San Marcos, Oceanside, Vista, Carmel Valley, Solana Beach, Rancho Bernardo, etc areas, feel free to contact San-San Wardojo at 760-933-8886 or email sansan2@gmail.com