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Average Sales Prices, Number of Transactions

Posted Under: Market Conditions in Cardiff  |  November 17, 2009 6:31 PM  |  74 views  |  No comments

Here are statistics for 'average sales price' and 'number of transactions' for the areas that include: Solana Beach, Cardiff By The Sea, & Encinitas [92075, 92007, 92024]...

Market Imbalance

Posted Under: Market Conditions in Cardiff  |  October 15, 2009 8:10 PM  |  162 views  |  No comments

Impossible SeeSaw
Originally uploaded by R_Thull

Check this out... to keep abreast of local sales trends, I activley monitor MLS inventory in the territory that includes: Solana Beach, Cardiff, and Encinitas.

This year 78% of sales in this territory closed below $1 million... while the current asking price for 63% of homes that are actively listed for sale are above $1 million.

I thought this was interesting, so I checked the stats for the entire San Diego MLS... 80% of sales closed below $500k... while the asking price of 58% of homes actively listed for sale are above $500k.

On 12/12/2008 I went on record in an article published on Seeking Alpha, called "Market Prices: The Great Chasm" calling for a significant "Prime market" correction. Here is an excerpt.

“Prime” homes will also decline in value. My call is 35%-40% off peak prices. Only this time, the real drivers of economic stimulus, the small business class, will cut back spending for real. And lay people off. And cash out investments. And sell assets below value.

Major banks who have just received unprecedented amounts of cash infusions to plug up cartoon-like, bullet-ridden lending ratios will have to address the fact that depreciation of portfolios to date only reflects subprime default-related losses.

Maybe I should have entitled this article, “Market Prices: Which Chasm is Greatest?"

It was the adjusting of prime loans from "interest/only" to "principal and interest" that I predicted would stress the system. These loans are starting to adjust now. Houston, stand by.

Hot Listing Alert

Posted Under: Home Buying in Cardiff  |  October 4, 2009 11:33 AM  |  84 views  |  No comments

Hey, I posted this on 10/4... predicting it would go pending within a week.  It went pending the next day!  I guess I do know my shizzle.
   
Bet this listing goes pending within a week:

Cardiff Town Centre- where Seaside Market is located, as well as my Pacific Coast Homes office. Located in the heart of Cardiff, we get foot-traffic of 17,000 people per week! And I bet 16,000 of them wear flip-flops. You will also find here the best pizza place and dry-cleaner in North County. There’s also a surf art gallery, Starbucks, and several shopping boutiques. A new sushi restaurant is being built in the former location of Yogi’s (see below).


cardiff town centre

Seaside Market- the best gourmet food source in North County. Everything you (not so much need as) want at high (but not obnoxiously) high prices. The freshest meat and fish around, albeit sold in cuts so huge, you can’t eat again for days. Hey, maybe that’s how people can afford to shop here! Great produce. Staples you need at convenience store prices. Good wine collection managed by a great guy. In fact all the people who work there are friendly... sort of like “In-and-Out” style only sans the funny hats.


inside town centre: seaside market and my pacific coast homes office

Patagonia- a high-end surf store, out of which you’d love to buy many artful, enviro-friendly things if you didn’t have to also budget for food and diapers.


chlorine free merino wool lined wetsuit anyone?

Cardiff Lagoon- aka San Elijo Lagoon, contains 1,000 acres, 8 trail heads, 7.5 miles of trails&700 species of plants and animals. Run by this conservatory.


cardiff lagoon


view from solana beach side


overlook

Glen Park- clean, safe, and beautiful ocean view park with picnic tables, and tennis and basketball courts.


glen park

Train tracks- used by North County Transit District's Coaster and Sprinter lines.


even our trains have killer views

More features and attractions:


classic hwy 101


driving down birmingham


ancient structure on school grounds likely involving juicy history i don't know about


can still park on dirt in some places


rare plot of land west of crest drive


standard issue surf van

Restaurants

• Trattoria Positano- Quiet, cozy, romantic. Good bottle-of-wine-have-dinner-get-lucky-later-type place.
  
  
  date night
  
  
• Las Olas- the best sit-down style Mexican restaurant in North County. Located on famous Hwy 101, on the strand that connects Cardiff with Solana Beach. Semi ocean views... total beach vibe... better than average food... great margaritas, bloody maries, and bottled beer. And chips and salsa good enough that you never seem to be as hungry as you thought when the burrito comes.
  
  
  tacos meet surf
  
  
• East Coast Pizza- the best pizza in Cardiff. I like the sausage, meatball, pepperoni slices best.
  
  
  hits the spot
  
  
• Pipes Café- not sure what all the hubbub’s about… but its super popular with the surf crowd. When I first moved here I was excited to not only surf, but do all things surf related… and this includes Pipes for sure. Only the eggs came out steamed, I got, like one slice of bacon, the lines were long, and I don’t think I've ever been back since. Note: my opinion here does not reflect consensus.
  
  
  steamed eggs, brah!
  
  
• Chart House- you pay more for the ambiance and ocean view than the food. But the food is very good, and view is in fact, killer, so the next time you feel like valet parking your car to enjoy an artfully presented scoop of ahi…
  
  
• Cicciotti’s- formerly the Cardiff location of Vigilucci’s. While its just not the same as when it was Vigiliucci’s, and I honestly can’t put my finger on why… it serves up a diverse and yummy family style meal at “we’re not on a date” prices.
  
  
• VG's- when you're in the mood to add back calories burned during exercise, drop by VG's for the absolute, hands down, best chocolate-glazed donut you ever did scarf.
  
  
  best donuts this side of anywhere
  

Nightlife

• Yogi’s Sports Bar Restaurant- has sort of a monopoly on Cardiff nightlife. I think it has something to do with it being hard to get a liquor license here. I haven’t been to the new location which is next to Las Olas on the 101 strand that connects Cardiff with Solana Beach, but I imagine it’s pretty much the same.
  
  
  your next old stomping grounds
  
  
• The Office- one of those bars you visit a few times when you first come to town and decide whether you’re going to make it a hobby. One of the funniest quotes I can remember hearing about, was said in this bar, by a guy who resembles Cliff Clavin straight out of Cheers, after being asked… “why do you even bother coming in here?” He replied, “because it feels so good when I leave”.
  
  
  "honey, i was at the office"
  
  
• The Shanty- even more of a commitment than The Office.
  
  
  still here
  

• Cardiff Lodge- a place I recommend to my people… buy my people tend to stay where they want to stay... and give me my opinion when they ask for it. $185-ish.
  
  
  cardiff lodge
  
  
• Holiday Inn Express- an inexpensive alternative… recently remodeled and nicer than you think. $135-ish.

Surf Breaks

• Pipes- north of the campground… a fun peaky break, south of Swami’s.
• Campgrounds- the beach in front of the campground that shows why California is better than wherever you come from.
• Cardiff Reef- south end of the campground, by the river mouth, where grommets and oldie-but-goodies pretend they don’t irritate one another. Mostly long-boardable but can get epically epic.
  
  
  cardiff reef
  
  
• George's- is the stretch of coast in front of the Lagoon, aka “Restaurant Row”… ranges from frustratingly fat tide mush to fast micro-barrels.

Houses for Sale

• View listings here.
• Request listings by email here.