What's a bargain?

It's all relative, isn't it? For example, an Associated Press article was just published about a tiny 77 Square Foot (That’s not a Typo… it’s only 77 SqFt) apartment for sale in the exclusive neighborhood of Knightsbridge in London, England ~ for an asking price of $335,000 !!! That works out to be a whopping $4,350 per Square Foot. And get this, this tiny apartment does not have any heating or electricity… the Buyer has to add that for an additional estimated cost of $59,000…. Ouch! The kitchen is two hot plates and a small sink... The shower is the size of a coffin. The real estate agent for this property says “If you thought of this as the cabin on a boat, you’d say ‘It’s pretty spacious’ “.

Evidently they say Knightsbridge is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world. The article goes on to say that prices can reach $5,900 per square feet in some parts of London, $5,300 per Square Feet in parts of New York and $3,950 in Hong Kong.

Wow, let's go out and buy all the property we can find here in Valley Center ~ it's a bargain!

Design Trends 2007

What's new

Color

• Colors are “not so deep, not so muddy” as the Tuscan yellows, golds and reds that have been popular, Bryant said. Today’s colors are “cleaner. They’re crisper.” She pointed to turquoise, chocolate brown, Tiffany blue and shades of red as stylish choices.

• High-end whites, smokey blues and ginkgo will be popular next year, Richmond said. Colors are softer than in the past, but they’re not pastels.

• Raspberries and bright reds are out, Taylor and Davis said. Softer colors, like paprika, are in.

• Purple is supposed to be big in 2007, Davis said. Reds will be influenced by Central America, India and the 2008 Olympics, to be held in Beijing. “They’re leaning toward orange,” Davis said.

• Within the contemporary realm, you will find “all kinds of bright colors,” Marwin said. That includes lime greens, oranges, yellows and purples. She suggests keeping the walls of a room neutral and adding color with pillows, blankets and artwork.

Patterns

• The expected popularity of the global look will prompt “more mixing of patterns, of modern and traditional,” James said. Damask, a classic pattern, and polka dots will be popular. You’ll see fewer florals, more geometric shapes.

• Contemporary patterns with stripes and geometric shapes such as circles and squares will be popular, according to several local designers. The style is reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s.

Fabrics

• Natural fabrics are being combined with leather, Taylor said.

• Chenilles and silks are big, according to Marwin.

Read the whole thing

.......CNN money weighs in

Use bolder, deeper colors for trim.

Get engineered stone for your countertops.

Choose wrought iron over chain link.

Go glass with tile.

Get drawer-type refrigerator/freezers.

Research exotic and reclaimed woods.

Read the whole thing

Kids colors

Top furniture buys for 2007

SPRINTER update

How cool is this? (as my 13 year old son says...)

SPRINTER Construction News


SPRINTER Project Reaches Another Milestone

Full Testing of New Diesel Multiple Units to Begin Next Week

January 19, 2007

ESCONDIDO, SAN MARCOS, Calif. – After arrival to the NCTD vehicle maintenance facility of all 12 vehicles of the fleet, the new SPRINTER vehicles are ready to be fully tested. NCTD, Siemens, and Veolia Transportation, the operations contractor, will begin full testing of the new diesel multiple units next week. The testing will occur on various days from Monday through Friday primarily between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until revenue service begins. A crew will run a single train with one or more cars from the start of the track in Escondido to east of Woodland Parkway in San Marcos, possibly extending to the San Marcos Civic Center. The vehicles will pass through each crossing along this route, and normal crossing gate operation will occur.

This testing work will help break vehicles in as early as possible. A minimum number of hours of operation and miles traveled are contractually required, with specific tests done on acceleration, braking, passenger doors, air-conditioning, interior lights, engine operation, overall ride quality and other systems. The modern, efficient design of the DMUs is new to Southern California, and will provide swift and sure service with minimal community noise impacts.

Current road closures and detours can be seen on the SPRINTER Construction Updates Web page.

The SPRINTER is a new passenger rail system that will extend 22 miles along the Highway 78 corridor, spanning the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido. A total of 15 stations will be constructed with parking, access to other NCTD public transportation and passenger amenities. The total project budget of $440 million includes right-of-way acquisition, engineering, design, construction, vehicles, the 1.7 mile loop to serve Cal State San Marcos, vehicle maintenance facility, contingency and finance costs. The anticipated start date for SPRINTER passenger service is December 2007.

For more information call the project information line at 760-599-8332.

Perspective, please. How's the real estate market?

Here's a letter to the editor of the San Diego Union/Tribune from Coldwell Banker's San Diego President and Chief Operating Officer. It puts things in a little different light, and keeps the facts front and center.

January 21, 2007
Putting real estate numbers in perspective
Regarding “2006 housing decline paints uneven picture” (A1, Jan. 16):

The story reports that “housing prices turned negative last year for the first time since 1995.” But read a little further, and you learn that the magnitude of the drop was 0.8 percent, or less than 1 percent. And the story reports that resale prices of single-family homes, which are 50 percent of the market, actually rose an equally tiny 0.9 of 1 percent.

If it is the newspaper's job to examine facts and put them in context for readers, this story is disappointing. To put these numbers in perspective, according to data from the California Association of Realtors, the last time the median price of a California home declined was 1996, and that was a minuscule 0.5 of 1 percent. In the ensuing 10 years, the price of the median home has more than tripled, from $177,270 in 1996 to $540,000 at the end of 2006, an appreciation of 305 percent. More than 200 percent of the gain has come in the last five years, with double-digit increases in home values almost every year. This has been a phenomenal, decade-long appreciation in home values in California, the backdrop against which to understand the median price dropping in 2006 by less than 1 percent.

This is not to deny there are changes going on in the market. It has been well reported that in addition to overall prices being flat, the number of sales has decreased and the average time a home is on the market has increased.

Overbuilding of condominium conversions and some categories of new homes in 2006 have put downward pressure on some sectors of the market. Market forces are now re-balancing, and the adjustments need to work through the system. This is a process that will take months and not years. Headlines that trumpet a decrease in prices and imply a declining market do not reflect the reality of a market in the process of turning around.

Buried at the end of your story is the fact that people in our industry reported a pickup in buying activity in December and January. We will soon be entering the all-important spring buying season. Some national economists believe the data show the home sales market bottomed in the fourth quarter. Mortgage rates remain historically low.

As president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage for San Diego and the Inland Empire, I urge your readers to take a closer look at what is really going on in the housing market, and to explore their options if they are considering buying or selling.

RICK HOFFMAN
Del Mar

What is the SPRINTER rail line?

The SPRINTER diesel multiple units (also known as DMUs) will run on a 22-mile rail line that connects the cities of Escondido, San Marcos, Vista and Oceanside. Set to begin operations in December 2007, the SPRINTER train will service 15 stations every half hour along North County ’s heavily congested Highway 78 corridor.

Here's a link to the FACT sheet...

IS IT "ON TRACK"???? (pun intended)

The track construction reached the halfway point in May.

In June, $55 million additional dollars were approved to complete the project.

The first vehicles were delivered to the maintenance facility in August, 2006.

Wow~! I didn't know it was so far along!

Here's a link to the Chronology of the rail line...

Where is it? (link to map)

Latest Road updates 1/19

The County's latest information on the roads.

Valley Center Road Improvements, Phase 2
Banbury Drive to Cole Grade Road
Update # 22
January 8th-19th, 2007

In December 2005, the County of San Diego Department of Public Works started Phase 2 of this project.

Phase 2 involves the following improvements from 1 mile south of Banbury Drive to Cole Grade Road:

• Widening and realigning the road
• Adding either a landscaped or striped median, bike lanes, graded parkways, and an enhanced pathway
• Adding a concrete sidewalk along portions of the road through town
• Undergrounding overhead utilities
• Installing a new water line
• Installing a new gas line

As the lowest qualified bidder, Archer Western Contractors, Ltd. is the contractor for this $34.1 million project. Phase 2 is anticipated for completion in 2008.

Temporary Traffic Control:
Please observe the posted speed limits to avoid double penalty traffic fines and allow extra time to travel through the construction zone.

One lane traffic control with a flagging operation will be in place periodically from 9am - 3pm M-F. Traffic delays can be expected during these hours.

Daytime Work Hours:
Mon-Fri: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

During the weeks of January 8th and January 15th, the contractor will perform the daytime operations outlined below:

Segment 1: Valley Center Grade to Woods Valley Road

• Continue earthwork
• Clear and prepare area for fill near Ridge Ranch Road

Segment 2: Woods Valley Road to Old Road

• Continue installing underground utility conduits
• Continue storm drain improvements
• Continue installation and testing of water lines
• Continue permanent roadway construction
• Continue earthwork

Segment 3: Old Road to Miller Road

• Continue to cut and build slopes
• Relocate fence
• Continue clearing and grubbing

Segment 4: Miller Road to Cole Grade Road

• Continue installation of irrigation meters
• Continue roadway fill and backfill of structures
• Continue storm drain improvements

Erosion control devices will be continually installed and maintained in each segment.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we work to improve your community. If you have any questions, please contact:

Destree Lazo or Leslie Emmanuel

Email: DestreeL@CollaborativeServices.biz
Email: LeslieE@CollaborativeServices.biz

1 Upcoming Construction Activity
3 For More Information
2 Project Description

Questions? Call 1-619-232-2640
✻ Happy New Year ✻

Here's the link....

What's going on with the Guejito?

Here's one columnist's opinion...........but I have to say, I think he's not far off, if at all. Developments on this scale are VERY slow beasts.

In September 2005, the Guejito emerged from its splendid isolation to create headlines. After Coates' death, an agent had begun exploring the ranch's development potential with the county. Environmentalists caught wind and prepared for battle to preserve the virgin land.
Perhaps to stamp out rampant speculation, Nancy Coates, Benjamin Coates' widow, last year invited a group up to the hacienda for a catered lunch. She promised the guests, including county Supervisor Bill Horn, that it was her intention to preserve the Guejito as a cattle ranch forever.

The environmental work with the county, we were told, was nothing more than a prudent means of protecting the land's value.

Oh, well.

Last week, Escondido was jolted with the news that the Rodney Corp., the legal owner of the Guejito, wants the city to annex the ranch for the purpose of developing a new community, the centerpiece of which might be a medical research campus.

As trial balloons go, this was the Hindenburg.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Returning to the Guejito, the issues to be resolved are terribly complex, reminded Michael Ott, local LAFCO director. The annexation would compare with Otay Ranch's, Ott forecast, especially if the county is not a willing partner in the exchange.

“The county has considerable leverage,” he said. For example, the county would have to be compensated for any future financial losses. There's plenty of opportunity for lengthy legal dispute on this and any number of fronts, he said.

As for Escondido, it must consider a host of challenges, not the least of which would be the delivery of water and sewer service to the Guejito. If it's ever to happen, Escondido will have to venture a ton of resources into the monumental undertaking, from beginning to end. It's a significant risk.

Read the whole thing.

Valley Center trails, part deux

Here's what the County has on file for Valley Center

Valley Center Community Trails and Pathways Plan

Trails: The Community Connection

The Community Trails Master Plan will be utilized to develop a system of interconnected regional and community trails and pathways. These trails and pathways are intended to address an established public need for recreation and transportation, but will also provide health and quality of life benefits associated with hiking, biking, and horseback riding throughout the County’s biologically diverse environments.

Community trails serve a different function than regional trails, which are focused on the provision of long linear distances. Instead, community trails are “local public facilities” in close proximity to residents that provide transportation, recreation, access, infrastructure, linkages and safe routes throughout a community. The Community Trails Master Plan (CTMP) involves both trail development and management on public, semi-public and private lands. The CTMP has established two forms of non-motorized facilities called “Trails” and “Pathways” that provide passive recreational, and alternative modes of transportation.

Trails are typically away from vehicular roads that are primarily recreational in nature but can also serve as an alternative mode of transportation. They are soft-surface facilities for single or multiple uses by pedestrians, equestrians, and mountain bicyclists.

Pathways are a non-motorized transportation facility located within a parkway or road right of way. A riding and hiking trail located in the road right of way is considered a pathway. They are soft-surfaced facilities intended to serve both circulation and recreation purposes. Pathways help make critical connections and are an integral part of a functional trail system.

COMMUNITY TRAIL STATEMENT

A primary goal of the community is to establish a comprehensive community trail and pathway system for non-motorized, multi-modal travel and recreation within the Valley Center Community Planning Area that provides connectivity to the Village Core, to public facilities such as schools and parks, to adjacent communities, and to regional trails.

Within Hellhole Canyon Open Space Preserve, there are approximately fourteen miles of trails currently in use. Hellhole Canyon is not in the Valley Center Community Park and Recreation District boundaries. Outside of Hellhole Canyon, there are no existing trails in Valley Center; however, there are numerous offers of dedication and I.O.D.s (Irrevocable Offers of Dedication) for trail easements at various locations throughout the planning area. These IODs are not connected and are short pieces of trail dedications all over Valley Center with no continuity and are generally not useable.

The Valley Center Trails Association (VCTA) is an independent non-profit organization that works in coordination with the Valley Center Parks and Recreation District (VCPRD) to promote the provision of trails in the planning area. In May 2000, the Valley Center Community Planning Group approved a draft trail plan, based on public rights-of-way that are intended to be incorporated into the Community Trails Master Plan. Refer to the Valley Center Community Trails map for specific details.

Current plans for Valley Center trails include:

􀂃 Valley Center Road improvement Phases I and II will include pathways.

􀂃 A 1.3-mile “Demonstration Trail” around the Valley Center Community Services District (VCCSD) property located at the intersection of Lilac Road and Valley Center Road, near the Community Hall. This “Demonstration Trail” is intended to function as a prototype for future trails in Valley Center. The construction of this trail is pending appropriate funding.

􀂃 An important aspect of the Community trail plan is developing a connection to Daley Ranch in the City of Escondido.

THE NEED FOR TRAILS

The community trail needs are based on an equation established by the Trails System Assessment (TSA) in 2001, which identified a minimum baseline level of service for each community by population. The Baseline Level of Service or Trail Need is 0.8 miles of trail per 1,000 people.

The “Trail Need” is the minimum length of trail miles (baseline level of service) for each Community and Subregional Plan Area. The TSA calculations for community trail needs are as follows:

􀂃 Trail Need = (Community Population /1,000 residents x 0.8 miles of trails)

􀂃 2000 Trail Need = (2000 population /1,000 residents x 0.8 miles of trails)

􀂃 2020 Trail Need = (2020 population /1,000 residents x 0.8 miles of trails)

Link to plan

Did you know Valley Center had TRAILS?

Valley Center Trails Association (VCTA)

The Valley Center Trails Association (VCTA) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that was formed to develop and maintain a system of multi-use trails and pathways in Valley Center for recreation and non-motorized travel.

Background: In May 1999, at the request of community residents, the Valley Center Community Planning Group formed an ad hoc Non-Motorized Trails Subcommittee. The Subcommittee was tasked with putting together a proposal for a system of multi-use, non-motorized trails for Valley Center. The goal of the subcommittee was to produce a plan acceptable to the community. In March 2000, the Planning Group approved the Subcommittee's proposal for a trail system based primarily on public land, public right-of-way and voluntary trail easements. That goal having been accomplished, the VCTA was formed to work under the Valley Center Parks and Recreation District (formerly known as the Community Services District) to bring the trail system to reality.

The VCTA has been busy working on various projects. We have been involved in the Valley Center Community Plan update process, also known as GP 2020, to make sure trails and pathways are in our Community Plan, as well as the County's Community Trails Master Plan. We worked on the County Trails Program Goals and Policies, which was approvied by the Bard of Supervisors on January 9, 2002. We made a presentation to the Escondido City Council and gailed support for a Valley Center entrance to Daley Ranch. We are also pursuing grant money to help pay for trail fencing, sinage, surfacing material, etc. Our plans for the near future include starting work on a trail at the Valley Center Community Hall and the surrounding Parks and Recreation District property.

The VCTA is committed to working with the community of Valley Center, other communities and San Diego County to develop a multi-use, non-motorized trail and pathway system that connects public schools, public parks, neighboring communities and regional trails.

The VCTA needs volunteers to help with mapping, trail construction, community outreach, fundraising, grant pursuit, etc. Please join us at our meetings! Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Valley Center Community Hall. You can reach the Valley Center Trails Association for questions or membership information at: VCTA, PO Box 754, Valley Center, CA 92082, or by calling (760)751-2103.

2006 housing decline paints uneven picture

2006 housing decline paints uneven picture

County prices fall for first year in over a decade, but not all areas or types of housing feel pinch

By Roger Showley,Emmet Pierceand Lori Weisberg

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS
January 16, 2007

Areas with largest increases, declines


Home prices for 2006 (PDF)

San Diego County housing prices turned negative last year for the first time since 1995, DataQuick Information Systems reported yesterday.

Industry analysts said, however, that a further decline this year may not occur if interest rates stabilize, the local economy remains strong and buyers regain their confidence.

The overall median price of a home in the county last year slipped 0.8 percent, to $490,000, down from 2005's $494,000. The annual decline was the first since a 1.8 percent drop from 1994 to 1995, when the median stood at $166,000.

read the whole thing

It's hard to see, but there really IS a silver lining in that story. The reality is, we're in a REAL real estate market. Small gains, some areas "hotter" than others, and no "frenzy" to buy or sell.

What is needed now, is a little information. Call us, and we'll help you find out what is selling, and maybe some ideas for simple projects with big change.

Sales figures mixed, inland remains steady

San Diego County Home Sales

A look at recent home sales in the San Diego
County real estate market. Market at a Glance figures are county-wide figures.
Median prices for the current month and one year ago for single family homes,
condominiums and new homes.

This chart is compiled from official county
records and reflects nearly all home transactions. The median is the midpoint of
home values, with half being above and half being below the stated number.
Community designations in this chart are determined by ZIP codes, which in some
cases vary from community boundaries. Sales in Mission Hills are listed with
Hillcrest; Kensington with Normal Heights. Southeast is made up of more than 20
neighborhoods, including Logan Heights, Chollas View and Mountain View.

SOURCE: DataQuick Information Systems * Please note: Sales data for this
page is updated around the 15th day of each month.

For
past months Click Here

December 2006

Resale Single Family
Homes

Zone
Median (05)
Median (06)
% Change

Central San Diego
$540,000
$527,500
-2.3%

East County
$490,000
$477,750
-2.5%

North County Inland
$554,500
$559,000
0.8%

North County Coastal
$620,000
$650,000
4.8%

South County
$590,000
$537,000
-9.0%

Read the whole thing

How to make your home worth more in 2007

How to make your home worth more in 2007

Amid soft demand, improvements require focus and a bit of elbow grease.

By Maya Roney

Boosting the value of your home is never an easy task. It takes time, money, and — when your kitchen's covered in plastic tarp — weeks of pizza delivery. And with home prices still sliding in many parts of the country, getting a return on your investment is now tougher than ever. Luckily, there is a secret to smart remodeling in a buyer's market: Do as much as you can with as little as possible.

Homeowners may have learned this lesson last year, when big spending on home improvement did not lead to big profits. According to Remodeling Magazine's 2006 "Cost vs. Value" report, prices for most remodeling projects increased last year while their resale value decreased. Major, mid-range kitchen remodels, at an average cost of $54,000, returned just 80.4% in 2006 vs. a 91% return on $43,862 in 2005. Even the most profitable project in 2006 — upscale fiber-cement siding replacement — recouped just 88% of its total cost.

Americans spent $155 billion on home improvements and repairs in 2006, a 2.8% increase over 2005's total, according to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. The Center estimates that we will spend over $160 billion in 2007, but if resale prices continue to lag behind remodeling costs, the pricey projects won't pay off.

Read the whole thing

What to do......

What to do and where to go... a partial list.



Deer Park Winery, north of Escondido. World's largest auto museum of convertibles and Americana. Gift shop, gourmet deli, open daily 10-5.

Lawrence Welk Resort, north of Escondido. Rated in top 10 of timeshare resorts by a timeshare users group in Florida, beating several in Hawaii.

The Green House Herb Farm, Oceanside

Guajome Park, Oceanside

Mission San Antonio de Pala, in Pala. Founded on June 13, 1816. Has the only free-standing bell tower among California missions.

Temecula gorge, Temecula Great for hiking and scenery buffs.

Wilderness Gardens Preserve, Pauma Valley. Closed for most of the 1990s, it is now finally open again on the weekends.

Heritage Park Village and Museum, behind the San Luis Rey Mission, Oceanside. A recreation of Oceanside circa 1900 with many historic buildings moved to this site, including 4 of Oceanside's original buildings and a number of shops styled after turn of the century businesses.

Wave Water Park, Vista

La Jolla Indian Water Park, Pauma Valley, also known as Sengme Oaks Family Water Park.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Lake Hodges, Escondido

Oceanside Beach and Pier

Buena Vista Nature Center, Lagoon, Laguna State Park, Oceanside/Carlsbad

Carlsbad Village Fair held on the first Sunday in May and November.

Eastside Reservoir Project, near Hemet (The Californian 4-part Article)

Stewart Mine Gems of Pala Store. Learn to mine for gems out of 5 gallon buckets of material from the mine for $50. Store hours vary, call 760-742-1356.

Agua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad

Leslie Farms, Carlsbad (pick your own strawberries)
Lake Skinner, Riverside County. (Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival held there in late April in previous years, on June 9-11, 2000.)

Carlsbad Mineral Water Spa in the Alt Karlsbad building, Carlsbad

Legoland, an amusement park designed for kids age 2-13.

Ranunculus Flower Fields, aka "The Flower Fields", Carlsbad. These are the ones you see as a blaze of color driving by them on I-5 in Carlsbad, framed by the windmill of Andersen's Pea Soup Restaurant & Hotel, just north of Palomar Airport Road.

Palomar Airport, Carlsbad ~ fun to eat at the restaurant and watch planes land

Lake Elsinore Outlet Center Mall, Lake Elsinore

Perris Railroad Museum, Perris. East on S74 (4th St.) from I-215 in Perris to depot next to tracks. Then continue to A St., turn left to main museum area "where all the trains are". 909-657-2605.

Santa Rosa Plateau, near Murrieta. Also see half-acre "fire-safe" garden on northern side of Bear Creek Fire station No. 75 on Clinton Keith Road.

Stubb's Fuchsia Nursery, a wonderland of fuchsias in hanging baskets. SW of I-5 Leucadia exit at 737 Orpheus Avenue in Leucadia.

Weidner's Flower Gardens. "Dig your own" tuberous begonias in a beautiful place. NE of I-5 Leucadia exit at Paraeus & Normandy. 760-436-2194. 9:30 - 5:00 daily except Tuesdays.

Samia Rose Topiary. The place to go for topiary.

Hell Hole Canyon State Park, Valley Center.

Blue Sky Ecological Reserve in Poway

Quail Botanical Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas. $3 adults; $1.50 ages 5-12; free parking. 760-436-3036. Exit I-5 at Encinitas Blvd, go east two blocks on left, turn left at Quail Gardens Drive.

Tom's Farms, Corona. Great fresh French bread, baked every few hours, wine & cheese shop, fruit & vegetable stand, hamburgers and milkshakes. An "oasis" with a pond, fountain in the middle of the pond, and swans. Topiary: life-size Tom with pitchfork, deer, 2 small elephants, etc. Free live music on weekends and holidays.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs Resort

The San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido. Also see this site.

Los Penasquitos Canyon, San Diego, between Del Mar and Poway.

San Dieguito Regional Park, Escondido.

San Diego County Fair, Del Mar. June 17-July 4, 1997. 760-793-5555.

Torrey Pines State Reserve, La Jolla

Dos Picos Park, between Ramona and Poway

Birch Aquarium, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla. 9-5 daily. 619-534-7336.

Balboa Park in San Diego.

Palomar State Park and Palomar Mountain

Doris Wood Cottage Garden, Ramona

Hotel del Coronado, Coronado

Palomar Mountain Observatory

Route 78 from Route 79 near Santa Ysabel to Route 86 passing near Julian . The big attraction here is the San Diego Wild Animal Park about three miles east of Route 15. San Pasqual Battlefield is also conveniently located two more miles east of the park. Next is the Mission of Santa Isabel at Route 79. The adjacent town of Santa Ysabel also hadtwo wineries: Menghini and Witch Creek, and don't forget Dudley's Bread! Finally, the Eagle & High Peak Mines are located at Route 79 (the southern portion) in Julian. If you want to rest for a while, you can go to the Ocotillo Wells Recreation Area. The little"facility" has a camping site. Nearby is a ranger station for the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.Anza Borrego is one of the largest state parks in the country, nailing it at 600,000 acres, and serves asone of the premier desert parks in the southwest. (The "borrego" is Spanish for bighorn sheep.) The parkprovides 144 developed campsites (52 of which have hook-ups), primitive campsites, horse campsites,open camp areas, picnic sites, a visitors' center, numerous and rather popular hiking trails, jeeptrails, and water in some developed areas. For more information, call (619)767-5311..

Cabrillo National Monument

California Wolf Center four miles south of Julian. An education and conservation center focusing on the North American Gray Wolf, home to several captive packs. Visits allowed only for the 2 pm Saturday program with advance reservations. Fee: $7 Adults; $3 Kids.

Roads!

WHAT is going on with the roads?

Well, the short answer is ~ a LOT. Here's a link to the county's site with a map of what the roads are PLANNED to look like.

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/cntydepts/landuse/planning/GP2020/pubs/pc_jul06/c_valleyctr.pdf

There are a few minor changes not reflected on this map. For example, Bettsworth is not going to be a through street, and it shows that it is. According to my county contact, the yellow numbers on the map are approved by the planning group and the county. If there's a black line around the number, it's in question by the planning group, and if it's a black circle with white numbers, it's opposed by the planning group. Nice to know they're paying attention.

If you have any questions, we'd be happy to go over what we have with you.

See you on the roads!

Current Rates

For a 30 year fixed conforming full doc loan with decent ficos we are in the low 6's.

6.00%-6.25%.

Don't lose out on these rates, call Nancy and Amelia today.

Thank you,

David J Banks

Coldwell Banker Home Loans

cell: 619-985-5815

david.banks@mortgagefamily.com

How to sell your home.

Call us.
.
.
.
.
.
.

That's it, thanks.



OK, maybe it's a LITTLE more involved than that.

Most agents have their tried and true "tricks" to prepare a home for sale. It's almost a cliche' to walk up the walk to a newly listed home and see newly planted "color" on the walkway. It's not a bad thing, just effective, so it gets used.

What you want to do, as a homeowner, is position your property in an increasingly crowded marketplace. How do you do that? Accentuate the positives. What attracted you to your home in the first place? We've got a whole list of tips and suggestions to help you attract the perfect buyer for your home......and the ability to target that buyer.

NOW you can call us. We'd love to help.

Reassessed?

Has your property been reassessed?

We can help you document your home's market value in order to apply to adjust the valuation.

Just drop a line and we can help!

GP 2020 Information, please.

According to the County of San Diego,

The Valley Center Community Plan Area is comprised of approximately 94 square miles in the unincorporated area of northern San Diego County. The boundaries of the Valley Center Community Plan Area are contiguous to the Fallbrook and Bonsall Community Plan Areas as well as the Pala-Pauma Subregioinal and North County Metropolitan Subregional Planning Areas located to the northeast and southeast, respectively. The primary access in to the community of Valley Center is via Valley Center Road (S-6), which serves as the main linkage between the city of Escondido and Valley Center. Interstate 15 borders the western portion of the Plan Area; however, the freeway does not lie within its boundaries.

The Valley Center Community Plan Area is characterized by its unique topographic features, its agricultural activities and its predominance of estate residential development. The rural character of the community results from the low population density and the prevalence of large areas of open space provided by agriculture.

- Valley Center Community Plan,San Diego County General Plan

The question is, while that sounds nice, what, exactly, does it mean to the average homeowner? Most don't know. We want to change that.

If you'd like to know what the GP 2020 "general plan" says about your property, ask us and we'll find out and get a report to you.

Simply email us, or call Our main office (760) 233.6442 and request a GP2020 report on your property (don't forget your address and contact number). We'll get the information out to you as soon as possible.