Team Rosental | McMillin Realty

2012 Real Estate Market Outlook

Fanny Rosental — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:53:39 +0000

On February 17th I had the privilege of attending a seminar hosted by the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors. Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist for the California Association of Realtors, discussed the Real Estate Market Update and Forecast for 2012. The seminar was extremely informative and I encourage you to view the full real estate market update. Below are some takeaways I found particularly helpful.

Mardi Gras in San Diego’s Gaslamp 2012

Fanny Rosental — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:55:49 +0000

Buy Tickets

Mardi Gras is coming to the Gaslamp 2012 Don’t miss it!

Location

Gaslamp District
5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101

Phone

619-233-5227

Website

Official Website

When

February 21, 2012

Time

6 p.m. – midnight

Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp 2012 Information:

Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp returns on Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6:00 PM to Midnight and will transform over 16 blocks of the Gaslamp Quarter into the biggest Mardi Gras celebration on the west coast! The streets will come alive with the hottest DJs, four stages, six elaborate areas, outlandish performances, masquerade parade and more. Come join over 35,000 revelers as they party in the streets and partake in all of this Mardi Gras merriment!

Hang tight to your friends as you wander down “E” Street into the Voodoo Grounds, where you will be surrounded by voodoo dancers and music coming from every direction as Mardi Gras’ favorite dance crew creates an interactive Mardi Gras Flash Mob dance experience. The Gaslamp Quarter will pay homage to its roots as it changes back into the days of Madame Cora with an enticing Red Light District along “F” Street. The streets will come alive with splashes of red color and intrigue guests to enter with its impressive DJ line-up and alluring entertainment. Outrageous and interactive entertainers reminiscent of good ol’ New Orleans will take over “G” Street to activate the Cirque Noir area. Club Rio at the intersection at Market Street and 5th Avenue will light up the night sky with its aerial lighting projections and dynamic staging. Watch your step as you enter The Sideshow area on Island Avenue as you will be greeted by outrageous stilt walkers roaming the streets morphed into crazy circus characters and animals that will interact with the crowd. With all of these exciting and tantalizing blocks of entertainment, make sure to travel all the way down Fifth Avenue to “K” Street to the popular Electric City area with some of the biggest names in electronic music performing. The DJ stage will put you into a trance with its display of LED screens projecting vibrant images pulsating to the beat of the music.

Don’t miss out on the revelry and debauchery brought on by the highlight of Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp. Fifth Avenue will transform into Bourbon Street with one outrageous masquerade parade at 9:30 PM with the biggest floats, most outrageous entertainment, celebrity guests and unbelievable surprises. Spectators will flood the streets to collect as many beads as they can from dozens of lively parade entries and energetic costumed revelers traveling down the parade route!

Tickets to this Mardi Gras madness are only $20 dollars in advance and $25 at the door; attendees must be 21 years or older and have a valid photo ID to enter. Club VIP tickets, hotel and dinner packages are also available. Proceeds will go to the Gaslamp Quarter Association, which markets the Gaslamp Quarter all year round.

You want a date? Buy a Home!

Fanny Rosental — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:00:48 +0000

Want a date? Buy a home!

When it comes to dating, home ownership can be the ultimate aphrodisiac.

In a recent article by CNNMoney– “When it comes to dating, home-ownership can be the ultimate aphrodisiac.In a survey of 1,000 single people, more than a third of women and 18% of men said they would much rather date a homeowner than a renter”. Home ownership has always represented a symbol of financial stability, so if you are going to start dating someone, can you ask: Do you own a house? Is it appropriate ? Isn’t it like asking about their credit report?. Now young people are more selective and know much better what are their priorities! Love is important, but being financialy stable is even more important.

Only 2% of women said they preferred to date a man who rents, while only 3% of men said they would choose a woman who rents over one that owns her home, according to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive for real estate site Trulia.

Both sexes also clearly prefer it when there’s no roommate in the picture; 62% of survey respondents, men and women, prefer to date singles who live alone.

Big Change, Can you believe it? This days Adult Children are Moving Back with their Parents!

And there was bad news for the growing number of boomerang kids — the young adults who went off to college, graduated and then wound up back in their old bedrooms. It’s going to be hard to find love, except (perhaps) from your parents. Less than 5% of all singles surveyed said they would date someone living in their childhood homes.

“That’s a real deal-breaker,” said Michael Corbett, a spokesman for Trulia. “If you’re still living with your folks, you’re dead-on-arrival for dating.”

The home they could love

Trulia also asked which home features are the biggest turn-ons. Number one turned out to be a master bath. Men (64%) love that private sanctum almost as much as women (75%) do.

Cool and Unusual Homes for Sale

Walk-in closets were cited by 55% of men and 72% of women and gourmet kitchens got 51% of the male vote and 62% of the female. Hardwood floors, outdoor decks and home theaters also came in high on the list.

Interestingly enough, hot tubs got a lot less love from respondents. Only 26% of men and 22% of women cited the old standby in the science of seduction as an amenity they would truly want.

For more information about cool homes and your “dream home’. call fanny at 619-254-2445

The 10 must Weird Theme Amusement Parks in the Word

Fanny Rosental — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:28:16 +0000

The 10 must Weird Theme Amusement Parks in the Word

I was looking at TIME Magazine when I came across this article that I thought because of its uniqueness was worth to be shared with you, here is the full list of the top 10:

Full List

Click on each one for more information

AMUSING AMUSEMENT PARKS

I guess there must be people that enjoy “different” ways of having fun. But, for sure, this tourist attractions are not my style of having fun!!

Please let me have your valuable comments!

700 W E Dr. 2701, San Diego

Fanny Rosental — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:48:45 +0000

Mardi Gras in Hillcrest, San Diego,CA

Fanny Rosental — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:28:21 +0000

When? Fat Tues Feb 21 2112, At what time? From 6:00 pm till 11:00 pm Where? : University Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Information Phone: 619 299 3330 .

Hillcrest’s wildest and festive street party is around the corner. Hillcrest Mardi Gras is on Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6 PM – 11 p.m on University Ave. at Fourth Ave. Hillcrest Mardi Gras is featuring live entertainment, special guest performers, and an exclusive V.I.P. area. Food and drink will be available for purchase from participating vendors and venues. Cocktails will be served along with an array of other surprises, plenty of beads, actually… MORE THAN PLENTY and outrageous party favors. Hillcrest Mardi Gras is a 21 and up age event. In addition to taking home your signature 2012 beads, you can take home that warm Hillcrest feeling knowing that All proceeds from the event benefit LGBT youth scholarships and neighborhood improvements. This event is run by the Hillcrest Business Association and the GSDBA Charitable Foundation. The festival will take place rain or shine. For more information on the event visit HillcrestMardiGras.com .

When you are in Hillcrest come and visit Urban Live Work Lofts at 4046 Centre Street, between Park Blvd. and Lincoln Avenue. This new complex of 6 contemporary designed units with aprox. 1200 sq. feet, two bedrooms and two bathrooms from the low 400′s.Model is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m or any other time by appointment with Fanny 619-254-2445

San Diego Homes for Sale: 700 W E St. 2701

Fanny Rosental — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:14:02 +0000

This two bedroom, two bathroom condo is located in Electra, San Diego’s tallest residential tower. Located in Downtown San Diego, in the bayside Columbia neighborhood, this condo is within walking distance of the downtown business district and many residents are able to walk or take public transportation to work.

This downtown San Diego condo boasts stunning views from every room and the open balcony.

The San Diego condo has been upgraded with wood floors in every room plus a Gourmet kitchen with Bosch and Thermador Appliances & granite counters. Extra room is used as an office. Electra offers vacation lifestyle within the Urban setting. Some of the amenities include 24 hrs.concierge,pool,sauna,exercise room,spa,sauna & a beautiful lobby and elegant party room.Best location Downtown.

700 W E St 2701, San Diego, CA 92101 (MLS # 120007030)

(all data current as of 2/23/2012)

Price	$1,190,000
Beds	2
Baths	2 full
Home size	1,465 sq ft
Lot Size	n/a
Days on Market	16

Top of the world living in this luxury condo in Electra.Stunning & best views from every room & from the open balcony.Nicely upgraded with wood floors in every room plus a Gourmet kitchen with Bosch and Thermador Appliances & granite counters. Extra room is used as an office.Electra offers vacation lifestyle within the Urban setting.Some of the amenities include 24 hrs.concierge,pool,sauna,exercise room,spa,sauna & a beautiful lobby and elegant party room.Best location Downtown.

Property Type(s): Residential / All Other Attached, Residential / All

Last Updated	2/7/2012	Tract	Columbia District
Year Built	2007	Community	Downtown
Garage Spaces	2.0	County	San Diego
Total Parking	2	Walk Score ®	88

Additional Details

CDR/Mello Roos	0.0	Units in Complex	248
Units in Building	248	Home Owner Fees	807.0
Optional Bedrooms	1	Complex/Park	Electra
Total CDR/Mello-Roos	0	Unit #/Space#	2701
Family Room Dimensions	0	Bedroom 2 Dimensions	13x11
Master Bedroom Dimensions	17x14	Living Room Dimensions	19x18
Kitchen Dimensions	10x9	Dining Room Dimensions	Combo
Extra Room 1 Dimensions	9x5	Fireplaces(s)	1
Parking Garage Spaces	2	Parking Non-Garaged Spaces	0
Parking Spaces Total	2	Stories in Building	43
Total Other Fees	0

Features

Attached Style	High Rise (5+ Stories)
Complex Features	BBQ, Clubhouse/Rec Room, Concierge, Exercise Room, Gated Community, On-Site Guard, Pool, Recreation Area, Sauna, Spa/Hot Tub
Construction	Built on Site
Cooling	Central Forced Air
Elevator	Yes
Entry: 3+Stair/Steps to Entry	No
Equipment Available	Dishwasher, Disposal, Dryer, Fire Sprinklers, Garage Door Opener, Microwave, Range/Oven, Refrigerator, Washer
Exclusive Use Yard	No
Exterior	Other/Remarks
Fencing	Full
Fireplace Location	FP in Living Room
Floor Coverings	Wood
Heat Equipment	Forced Air Unit
Heat Source	Natural Gas
Home Owner Fee Reflects	Month
Home Owners Fee Includes	Common Area Maintenance, Exterior (Landscaping), Exterior Bldg Maintenance, Gas, Gated Community, Hot Water, Limited Insurance, Roof Maintenance, Trash Pickup, Water
Home Owners Payment Frequency	Monthly
Laundry Location	Closet Full Sized
Laundry Utilities	Gas
List Status	Active
Market Area	Metro Central
Ownership	Condominium
Parking Garage Description	Underground
Patio	Balcony
Pets	Allowed w/Restrictions
Pool	Community/Common
Prop Type	Residential
Property Restrictions Known	CC&R's
Residential Styles	All Other Attached
Residential Unit Location	End Unit
Roof	Other/Remarks
Searchable Rooms	Office
Security	Gated Community, On Site Guard
Sewer/Septic	Sewer Connected
Spa	Community/Common
Stories	1 Story
Subject to Court/Lender Approv	No
Topography	Level
View	Bay, City, Evening Lights, Ocean, Panoramic
Water	Meter on Property

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with McMillin Realty

(view all details for MLS #120007030)

Find a Job in San Diego’s Tourism Industry

Fanny Rosental — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:31:01 +0000

Employment opportunity is usually the number one thing people look for when deciding where to live. From South Bay to Downtown, Carlsbad to Santee, there are a plethora of jobs across different industry sectors in San Diego County. Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing each sector in detail, telling you what companies are in San Diego, how to find jobs, etc. This week, we’ll be discussing the Visitor Industry.

The Visitor Industry is the third largest industry in San Diego County. It includes theme parks, historical attractions, hotels and travel. Here’s a snapshot of San Diego tourism by the numbers

$7.1 billion- amount of money spent by visitors in 2010
154,600- approximate amount of San Diegans working in the tourism industry
464- approximate number of hotels in San Diego
8,433,446- amount of air passengers who arrived in Lindbergh Field in 2010.
64- amount of conventions held at the San Diego Convention Center

San Diego Convention Center

The San Diego Convention Center’s beautiful ocean front location has helped it earn the ranking of best Southern California convention center for 2009, 2010 and 2011. In the fiscal year of 2011, the Center hosted 221 events that generated $1.4 billion in regional economic impact and $20.6 million in hotel room and sales tax revenues. The Convention Center supports about 12, 500 jobs countywide.

Jobs for the convention center include director of facility services, director of event services, administrative assistants, servers, carpenters, plumbers, janitors, accountants, human resources, etc. The Center also work with many local business to act as vendors and contractors. On an ongoing, as-needed basis the San Diego Convention Center contracts for a variety of consulting services, goods and construction. To see what jobs are currently available, visit the San Diego Convention Center website.

Hotels and Lodging

The airport, cruise ships docks, and convention center bring in millions of people every year who need a place to stay. The city of San Diego has approximately 464 hotel and motel properties with over 55,965 rooms as well as 96 bed and breakfasts, casinos and health spa resorts. Hotels in San Diego range from ultra luxurious rooms at the Hotel Del Coronado, The US Grant and the Hilton, to more affordable options like the Holiday Inn, The DoubleTree and Travelodge.

Jobs for the hospitality industry include service jobs like valet, guest services, housekeeping, maintenance and security. Other jobs include administrative assistants, IT technicians, chefs, restaurant manager, gaming commissioner, beauty specialists, supervisors and attendants. One great place to look for hospitality careers is on the San Diego Hotel-Motel Association website.

Attractions

San Diego has a variety of attractions to entertain visitors and residents alike. The San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park and SeaWorld San Diego provide great opportunities for visitors to see, learn about and interact with various types of animals. Balboa Park is a favorite tourist destination and houses the San Diego Natural History Museum, Old Globe Theatre, and several botanical gardens.

Jobs in for these attractions vary dramatically. Service jobs like food vendors, maintenance, janitorial, customer service and retail make up a bulk of job opportunities. There is also demand for professional business services. These attractions need marketing directors, accountants, human resource representatives, project managers and department heads. There may also be opportunities for specialized jobs like zoologists, botanists, docents, and curators.

Cruise Ships

Although the poor economy has taken a toll on the cruise industry, the city is preparing for a turnaround this year. In September 2011 Bob Nelson, a port commissioner, announced plans to upgrade the B Street terminal to accommodate larger ships for when the industry bounces back. As of right now, industry experts estimate that when a ship docks in San Diego for 1 day it brings in $1 million in revenue. When it leaves and returns to San Diego, it generates an estimated $2 million in revenue, making it the second largest cruise ship industry in the state.

Jobs in the cruise industry can be found on the ships as well as on land. Ship jobs include captains, crewmembers, chefs, entertainers, housekeeping, tour guides, childcare providers, massage therapists, beauty technicians, etc. Land jobs include service people to fix and maintain ports and ship, as well as business jobs for various cruise lines and the Port of San Diego.

Find A San Diego Home

As you’re looking for a job, you should be looking for a house as well. There are many wonderful places to live in San Diego including Chula Vista, Downtown, La Jolla, and Point Loma. We are experts in San Diego real estate and would love to find a house that is close to your work, close to San Diego’s best attractions and the perfect size for your family. Call us Team Rosental at 619-254-2445 or email fanny@teamrosental.com

I’m in love with my Nook e-reader!

Fanny Rosental — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:38:27 +0000

I’m in love with my Nook e-reader!

I’m an avid reader! Since my childhood I have always found reading as my favorite hobby.My first job was at a Book Store where I spent all my salary buying books at a discounted price for employees!

For over two years my husband Ruben wanted to get for me an electronic book reader and I just didn’t even wanted to hear about it, I couldn’t understand the reason to make a change from a good traditional psychical book that I could hold in my hands, (and according to Ruben collect dust in our bookcase after finished reading and never ever use it again) to an electronic device.

It was last November on ” Black Friday” when we went to a Barnes and Noble Bookstore and not only they had the Nook on sale, they also had someone demonstrating all the amazing features . I have to confess that when I walked out of the store with my new e-reader, I almost had an anxiety attack. How could I ever not have a book in my hands???.

But then, I started reading a book that I had wanted to read for quite a while and was not easily available at a regular bookstore that I became enchanted and addicted to this new device, which is small, convenient and light. I can put it inside my purse and take it everywhere. It takes minutes to buy any book that I want , from Best Sellers to even books in Spanish.

I still like to go to a Book Store or library, but now I rather read using my device. I now finally feel that I’m living in the XXI Century with my Tablet, my Blackberry and now my Nook!!!

If You Walk Away From Your Home, What Are The Consequences?

Fanny Rosental — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:39 +0000

If You Walk Away From Your Home, What Are The Consequences?

Just last summer,like thousands of Homeowners, Mary Beth my long time client made the hardest decision of her life as she and her husband Henry were another victim of the housing bubble.

Wanting to downsize their lives as they headed toward retirement, they bought a new house in Mesa, Arizona, before they sold the old one in San Diego. Their previous home had been appraised at nearly $400,000 at the height of the market, but as the housing crisis ravaged Chula Vista, they were told they’d be lucky to get $200,000 for it.

They were carrying a loan of $260,000 on their original home alone, meaning they were well ‘underwater,’ owing much more than it was worth. Combined with the mortgage on the new house, their housing payments had become an “anchor around our necks,” she says, threatening to gobble up all their retirement savings and leave them with nothing.

The couple made a difficult call: They would do a ‘strategic default,’ and simply stop paying the old mortgage. “We really had to wrestle with it,” said Mary, 60. “We had worked all of our lives to build good strong credit, and we’re proud people. But it came down to, ‘Can we keep doing this?’ We had to say ‘No.’”

As the housing bust drags on, many homeowners are thinking like Mary and Henry. Almost 11 million homes are now underwater, says financial information provider CoreLogic. Around 3.5 million homeowners are behind in their payments and another 1.5 million homes are already in the foreclosure process, according to online marketplace RealtyTrac.

As banks start to work through their backlog of distressed properties, the New York Federal Reserve estimates that 3.6 million foreclosures will take place during the next couple of years.

So, the question is: Does it make sense to keep paying a massive mortgage, knowing that it might be decades before a home regains its prior value? Or is that akin to – as columnist James Surowiecki recently wrote in the New Yorker – “setting a pile of money on fire every month”?

“I constantly get the saddest e-mails from people saying, ‘I’ve exhausted all my life savings, my retirement is gone, and now I have to default,’” said Jon Maddux, CEO of YouWalkAway.com,

a foreclosure agency that helps clients with strategic default (and charges a fee for it). “But if they had seen the writing on the wall a couple of years earlier, stopped paying the mortgage and stayed in the home throughout the whole process, they would be in a much better financial position.”

Moral Quandary

There’s a moral component to that decision, of course. People like Mary and Henry, naturally feel embarrassed about breaking a contract and not paying their bills; no one wants to be branded a deadbeat. But remember that companies default on their obligations when it makes financial sense for them to do so, via the bankruptcy process. Even the Mortgage Bankers Association itself, in a flourish of irony, arranged for a short sale of its Washington headquarters.

It’s not personal; it’s business. So think of strategic default as a business decision, and do a cold-eyed cost-benefit analysis of whether it makes sense for you, advises Carl Archer, an attorney with Maselli Warren in Princeton, New Jersey.

[Also see: Small Money Missteps That Can Cost You Big]

“People think it reflects on their integrity, and say ‘I wasn’t raised this way,’” said Archer. “But the more businesslike attitude is to say that there’s a contract, there are penalties for violating that contract, and sometimes it just makes financial sense to break it.”

The penalties largely revolve around your credit record, which admittedly gets blown up in the near-term. For a few years you can likely forget about qualifying for a mortgage or a car loan. When lenders are ready to take a chance on you again, you’ll have to pay for the privilege, with stiff interest rates due to your default history.

What Happens to Scores

Mary and Henry watched her credit score go from a pristine 800 to 685, dropping every time she missed a payment. Credit-scoring firm FICO estimates that someone with a 680 score would see that number sink between 85-100 points after a strategic default, and someone with 780 could crater 140-160 points.

Not desirable, of course, but not the end of the world either. For them, for instance, she already had a loan on her Honda Accord, and the mortgage on her new house, before she even started the default process. She hasn’t seen any changes on her credit cards since, in terms of limits or interest rates.

Now that the previous home was auctioned off in December, she can start slowly rebuilding her credit, a process that should take about seven years.

Strategic default isn’t a decision to be taken lightly, of course. If everyone did it, the housing market — and the banks — would be in much worse shape than they already are.

The following are some of the issues to keep in mind:

1. Look to it as a last resort, not a first option. Your financial troubles could be alleviated with a simple refinancing, especially since 30-year mortgage rates are near record lows of below 4 percent. If the banks are hesitant to rework your loan, look into the number of government programs designed to keep you in your home, which can be researched at MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

2. Location, location, location. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding foreclosures, which affect both the length of the process and what you could be liable for in the end. In so-called ‘non-recourse’ states like Arizona, California and Texas, a lender cannot come after you for any deficiency (for instance, if your mortgage was $300,000 and they’re only able to sell the property for $200,000). In other states they can pursue the difference, in theory – which is why some homeowners opt to file for bankruptcy, to free themselves from those potential obligations as well.

3. Use the interim to save like a demon. If you’re in a state like New York or Florida, which require a judicial review of every foreclosure, it might be a couple of years before you actually have to pack up. In the meantime, be extremely disciplined about stockpiling cash. That will help you with a down payment for a rental, to pay for a car in cash if you need to, or to clear up other debts you might have. “Save money as if you were still paying the mortgage,” says Archer. “If you don’t, then you’ll run out of both time and money, and then you’ll be in a real tough spot.”

4. Know the tax implications. Historically, if you have a debt that’s forgiven, the canceled amount is considered taxable by the IRS. In the wake of the housing bust, though, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act was drafted to spare you those taxes. That legislation expires at the end of 2012, though – so if it’s not extended, you could potentially face a tax bill for the difference.

5. Talk to a professional. A bankruptcy or real-estate attorney can help you through a very tricky process. The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, for instance, has a searchable database of lawyers at www.nacba.org.

“Strategic default is not an easy decision, and there’s a cost either way,” said Gerri Detweiler, director of consumer education for Credit.com. “Would you rather be $200,000 underwater, or would you rather have seven years of damage to your credit report? It depends whether you’re finally at the point where enough is enough.”

If you have questions or need help, please call me. I’m certified by the National Association of Realtor as a Short sale and Foreclosure Resource and you can count that your call will be confidential. Fanny 619-254-2445