Thursday, July 25, 2013

LIFESTYLE The Rise of the Young Luxury Home Buyer


LIFESTYLE 

The Rise of the Young Luxury Home Buyer
A new generation is skipping the "starter home" and betting heavily on high-end real estate. Lauren Schuker Blum reports on Lunch Break. Photo: Alexia Fodere for The Wall Street Journal.

Click the link for video
http://live.wsj.com/video/the-rise-of-the-young-luxury-home-buyer/8963D457-5CA3-4C7D-A276-9B6E12698EF1.html#!8963D457-5CA3-4C7D-A276-9B6E12698EF1
For more details....
Courtesy of wsj.com

2 New Hotels Planned in Carlsbad

2 New Hotels Planned in Carlsbad


The Carlsbad Planning Commission has approved plans for two hotels, with a total of 239 rooms, planned for a site near McClellan-Palomar Airport.

Planning Commission Approves 2 New Hotels Near Carlsbad Airport

By SDBJ Staff
|  Thursday, Jul 25, 2013  |  Updated 7:24 AM PDT

2 New Hotels Planned in Carlsbad
Getty Images


The Carlsbad Planning Commission has approved plans for two hotels, with a total of 239 rooms, planned for a site near McClellan-Palomar Airport.
According to a commission staff report, Alps Innovation LLC of Solana Beach plans to develop a 106-room Staybridge Suites and a 133-room Holiday Inn on a 9.19-acre site. The property is located south of Palomar Airport Road, east of Innovation Way, and west of Colt Place, within the larger Bressi Ranch master plan.
At their recent meeting, planners approved two conditional use permits allowing for construction. Timetables for construction of the three-story hotels have not been announced. 


The Business Journal is the premier business publication in San Diego. Every day online and each Monday in print, the Business Journal reports on how local business operate and why businesses leaders make the decisions they do. Every story is a dose of insight into how to run a better, more efficient, more profitable business.

Friday, June 14, 2013

The history of flag day

It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post...reason being, I am not sure people are still reading blogs versus watching videos...
What's your take on that?

Meanwhile, since today is flag day, let's check on the history of this "flag day" from Wikipedia.

Flag Day (United States)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
U.S. Flag Day
U.S. Flag Day
Poster commemorating the 140th Flag Day on June 14, 1917
Observed byUnited States
DateJune 14
In the United StatesFlag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.[1] The United States Army also celebrates the Army Birthday on this date; Congress adopted "the American continental army" after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775.[2][3]
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official federal holidayTitle 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1, § 110[4] is the official statute on Flag Day; however, it is at the President's discretion to officially proclaim the observance. On June 14, 1937, Pennsylvaniabecame the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, beginning in the town of Rennerdale.[1] New York Statutesdesignate the second Sunday in June as Flag Day, a state holiday. [5]
Perhaps the oldest continuing Flag Day parade is at Fairfield, Washington.[6] Beginning in 1909 or 1910, Fairfield has held a parade every year since, with the possible exception of 1918, and celebrated the "Centennial" parade in 2010, along with some other commemorative events.
One of the longest-running Flag Day parades is held annually in Quincy, Massachusetts, which began in 1952, celebrating its 59th year in 2010.[7] The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws 50,000 spectators.[1][8]

There you have it, for more info go to the full story on Wikipedia.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Accuracy of Zillow, Trulia listing data under fire again


Here is the eternal question from my clients: "I saw this home on Trulia and..." then they email it to me and I cross referrence it on the MLS (Multiple listing system) aka our agent accurate data base and guess what...?! It's already pending, sold or worst, not even on the market at all! 

My clients are always stunned when I try to explain to them that those sites are too good to be true. Basically they take their info to sell it for beaucoup $ to agent, like me. It's business...and now more people are getting their eyes opened....read below:


Accuracy of Zillow, Trulia listing data under fire again

Touting IDX data, ZipRealty invites consumers to use new 'Listing Check' tool

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from Zillow and Trulia, and additional details on ZipRealty's study of listings accuracy.
Following in the footsteps of Redfin, ZipRealty Inc. is emphasizing the timeliness and accuracy of the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) listing data it serves up on its website in comparison to the sometimes dated and incomplete information on third-party listing portals like Zillow and Trulia.
ZipRealty is offering a "Listing Check" tool that it says will allow consumers to use its website to double-check whether a home they've seen listed for sale on another site is actually for sale.
The Listing Check tool is available in 34 markets where ZipRealty has access to IDX listings. The company operates as a brokerage in 19 markets, and is also able to display IDX listings in 15 other "Powered by Zip" markets where it provides leads and customer relationship management tools to other brokerages.
Websites operated by real estate brokerages and agents receive listings directly from multiple listing services, which provide IDX listing feeds to members. The feeds include all listings represented by participating brokerages in a given market.
Thanks to its ties to the National Association of Realtors, Realtor.com gets listings directly from most of the nation's more than 900 MLSs.
Other third-party listing portals, like Zillow and Trulia, receive some of their listings directly from MLSs. But brokers have the right to withhold listings they represent from the portals, and in many markets, portals must rely on individual brokerages, agents and third-party syndicators for listing data. Difficulties in managing feeds from multiple sources means that portals sometimes have incomplete or inaccurate listing data.
Brokerages in "Powered by Zip" markets can withhold listings from third-party websites like Zillow and Trulia, but cannot prevent their listings from appearing on ZipRealty.com without withdrawing entirely from IDX agreements.
To emphasize the accuracy of the IDX listing data displayed on ZipRealty.com, the company says it analyzed listings published by Zillow and Trulia in 50 ZIP codes across the following 13 major metropolitan areas: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
In the areas studied, ZipRealty claims that more than 15 percent of homes shown for sale on Zillow and Trulia weren't actually on the market, and up to 30 percent of homes that were listed for sale in an MLS were not identified by the portals as being on the market.
"Finding that perfect home online and then discovering that it's already been sold presents an extremely frustrating scenario to homebuyers," said ZipRealty CEO Lanny Baker in a statement. "Other major online real estate websites continue to show homes listed as 'for sale' for several days -- even weeks -- after they have sold, and no homebuyer wants to waste time chasing after properties that are already off the market."
Summary of ZipRealty study findings
Site% of listings on the site versus the MLS% of listings on the site listed as for sale while not listed for sale in the MLS
Zillow73%16%
Trulia78%17%
ZipRealty99%1%
Source: ZipRealty
ZipRealty looked at a control set of 2,981 homes actively listed for sale in the 16 MLSs in the markets above on Oct. 28, 2012. That set of homes was then cross-referenced, using both the properties' addresses and MLS listing identification numbers, with the homes listed for sale on Zillow, Trulia and ZipRealty in those markets.
If an MLS-listed home was not found on one of the three sites, ZipRealty manually double-checked for incorrect information and updated its results as needed.
For homes listed for sale on the three sites that were not listed for sale in the MLS, the properties' historical information in the MLS was looked at.
"In many cases," the report noted, "these 'extra' homes shown within the portals' home listings results reflected listings that had previously expired, sold or otherwise been deactivated within the MLS database while still shown as 'for sale.'"
Last fall, technology-based brokerage Redfin hired a consulting firm, WAV Group, to compare the accuracy of listing data published by Zillow and Trulia in 11 major markets with IDX listing data displayed by Redfin and two other brokerages.
The WAV Group study found that about 36 percent of the listings shown as active on Zillow and Trulia were no longer for sale in the local MLS, while brokerage websites had few or no such errors.
Trulia and Zillow, which have both instituted programs to improve listings accuracy, said the WAV Group study did not tell the whole story.
Both companies said they offer tools that are often now found on broker and MLS sites that allow consumers to research market conditions. Some homes -- such as those being sold by owners, and newly constructed homes -- are not listed in the MLS because they are not represented by a real estate broker.
Trulia spokesman Ken Shuman said ZipRealty didn't detail which ZIP codes were looked at in its report, or why the markets that were studied were chosen.
"I raise an eyebrow at this," Shuman said. "Did they look at all 15 ZIP codes in San Francisco. or just the four where Trulia had the most discordant match with the MLS?"
Shuman said Trulia has "invested heavily in delivering quality data to consumers," pointing out the firm's Trulia Broker Program, which gives brokers incentives for providing a direct listing feed to the portal, and new continuously updated protocol for data it gets directly from MLSs.
Zillow has also been focused on improving listing coverage and accuracy. Itannounced its 49th broker in the Zillow Pro for Brokers program last month and in July it started ramping up its efforts at getting listing feeds directly from MLSs.
"What's more important to understand about a study like this is that there is no gold standard for real estate listings," said Zillow spokeswoman Cynthia Nowak.
Nowak said Zillow has information on many listings -- like for-sale-by-owner, pre-market and new construction homes -- that aren't in MLSs because they aren't represented by real estate brokers.
Nowak also pointed out that home shoppers use Zillow for reasons beyond looking for for-sale homes, but also for "deep information on all homes, the Zestimate, price cuts, communities, rental listings and historical home information."
"If (Zillow and Trulia) are saying this isn't right, God bless them. Let's see the data," ZipRealty CEO Lanny Baker told Inman News. The study looked at the prime ZIP codes in the markets covered, he said.
Baker says he's aware that consumers use real estate sites for different reason. The new ZipRealty tool and study, he said, is an effort to point out where he thinks ZipRealty excels -- providing search for MLS-listed homes.
Baker said many consumers aren't aware that popular portals like Zillow and Trulia don't have all the for-sale listings in some markets. Studies like ZipRealty's are meant to bring the issue to light, he said.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Special Valentine's day: Common Myths about Marriage and Credit

Common Myths about Marriage and Credit

FICO Score
While you might not want to discuss FICO Scores with your fiancée or spouse over a candle light dinner on Valentine's Day, understanding how marriage impacts your credit will strengthen your relationship in the long run. Read Common Myths about Marriage and Credit to learn the facts about what happens to your FICO® Score after you say "I do."
Are these fact or fiction?
-Your credit report is merged with your spouse's when you get married.
-Your spouse's credit will affect your credit rating.
-You are required to apply for new credit as a couple once you are married.
-If you divorce, you are no longer responsible for any joint credit obligations.




We’ve all heard the adage that “opposites attract” and most of us know some couples who fit this description.

The good news: there are many happy and functional couples who fall into this category, but it can take extra effort to maintain a successful relationship when there are serious differences in attitudes and behaviors between two people.  This is especially true when it comes to managing finances and credit, and doubly so when you enter the legally binding contract of marriage   In fact, financial incompatibility is frequently identified as a top reason for divorce by relationship experts.

Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time for celebrating love and romance through gifts of flowers or chocolate.  While the offer to obtain and discuss each other’s FICO Score over candle light doesn’t seem very romantic, it does surface an opportunity to highlight some commonly misunderstood information regarding marriage and credit. Whether you’re thinking of proposing this Valentine’s Day, or you’ve already taken the plunge, it’s important to understand exactly how marriage will impact your credit, both in the short term and long term.

Here are some of the most common myths about marriage and credit:


Your credit report is merged with your spouse’s when you get married
This is not true.  A person’s credit report is stored, updated and accessed by lenders on an individual basis. Any credit you have in your name only (whether opened before or after your marriage) and the associated credit performance will only show up on your credit report.  Joint credit, when you apply with your spouse, will be reported and updated on both of your credit reports.


Your spouse’s bad credit will hurt your credit rating
Many people incorrectly assume that negative information on your spouse’s credit report, such as a previous bankruptcy, will affect your credit and FICO score.  This is a fallacy.  Negative credit information should only surface on a person’s credit report when s/he is legally responsible for the debt.

Important to understand, if you are a co-applicant or co-signer on a loan with your spouse (or anyone else for that matter) and there are missed payments on the credit obligation, that information will surface on your credit report when reported by the lender and will likely have a negative impact on your FICO Score.  The same can hold true when placing a spouse as an authorized user on a credit card – if your spouse forgets to make a payment, you’ll both feel an impact on your individual FICO Scores

Be sure to read the fine print on the application form to understand if you are legally responsible for the loan.


Lenders require you to apply for new credit as a couple once you are married
I have never heard of a lender requiring this.  Lenders will accept your individual application for credit even when you are married.

There are situations where the application for a loan (such as for a mortgage) can be viewed as more robust if both spouses are included – especially when considering household income vs a single applicant’s income used to calculate a debt to income ratio.  Note, however, that this requires both parties to be on the application and that means a credit report and score will be accessed on both applicants and you will both be legally contracted for the loan if approved.


If you divorce, you are no longer responsible for joint credit accounts
Unfortunately, this is all too often assumed to be true.  If you’ve entered into a joint credit agreement, you’re both on the hook. A divorce 

does not dissolve a joint credit contract, and all parties remain responsible to make payments as agreed or face the consequences of having negative information being reported to their credit bureau report.  The most prudent advice when it comes to divorce is for all joint credit obligations to be paid in full and officially closed as part of the divorce process.

I interact with a lot of people regarding their credit and many half-jokingly wished they had known their spouse’s FICO score before saying “I do.”  While that may not be practical, open communication regarding finances, credit and wealth management is an important factor in building a strong relationship and should take place before and after heading down the aisle.


Tom Quinn is the Vice President of Business Development for myFICO, and has over 20 years of experience working with consumers, regulators and lenders and regarding credit related questions and initiatives. 

from: http://blog.myfico.com/2013/02/common-myths-about-marriage-credit/?sourceid=Email_MarriageMythsFeb2013_W&cm_mmc=exacttarget-_-Email_MarriageMythsFeb2013_W-_-FICOOPTIN-_-GetFacts

Friday, January 4, 2013

Happy new year 2013 to you! Video real estate update


☆ ★。\|/。★ ☆ Happy new year 2013 to you! ☆ ★。\|/。★ ☆
Thank you so much for watching and following my real estate updates :)! It is truly and greatly appreciated!

Weekly real estate update for San Diego and Orange County
It's a great Friday and time for the 1st 2013 real estate updates for you, right now!




San Diego Real Estate news update for the week of January 1st 2013 hosted by your local Realtor®, Angelique Kenney at Prudential California Realty and SportStar Relocation San Diego.

North County San Diego,CA and South Orange County,CA. All the info you need about our local + national real estate market. Selling real estate with Prudential California Realty in Carlsbad CA. Call anytime for help or info 760.282.4663! Efficient, direct, discreet and caring. I hold your hand on short sales, while providing all you need to help you succeed in the maze of homeownership and build you back strong after difficult transitions. * Agent for professional athletes with Sport Star Relocation San Diego,CA.*
Go Chargers!

Shot from my iPhone5.

Here below is my version of an artistic New year card wish...enjoy!




Sincerely,
Angélique Kenney
Realtor® for Professional AthletesCRS, GRI, e-Pro, SFR, ILHM member, SSR.


Prudential California Realty & SportStar Relocation San Diego
7030 Avenida Encinas | Suite 100 | Carlsbad, CA, 92011 | USA

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