North County and San Diego County Events – June 2016

North County and San Diego County Events - June 2016North County and San Diego County Events – June 2016 run the gamut from gold rushes and Highland games to fairy fests and powwows.


Hedda GablerNorth Coast Rep Hedda Gabler
June 1 – June 26
Location: Solana Beach, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr, Suite D

A world premiere adaptation created by the company at North Coast Rep. Arguably one of the most complex and intriguing female characters ever written, Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Anne-Charlotte Harvey, weaves a mesmerizing tale of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage and driven by a need for power and freedom. It is a spellbinding drama of revenge, manipulation, sexual repression, deceit and despair, climaxing in an ending that never fails to shock and surprise. Discerning theatre lovers will not want to miss this freshly translated classic.


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May 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

May 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportIt’s a great time to sell, and may be your last chance to buy. San Diego County home prices continue to rise; inventory keeps dropping, and interest rates are near historic lows.

With increasing prices, low inventory and short market times, the second quarter of 2016 looks very promising for San Diego County home sellers. But those rising prices are pushing buyers out of the market. If interest rates increase, this will squeeze many buyers out of an already tight market.

Real Estate Report

Here’s the three minute skinny for North County’s first quarter report with a forecast of what the second quarter will bring.

See below for today’s interest rates.

Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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North County and San Diego County Events – May 2016

North County and San Diego County Events - May 2016North County and San Diego County Events – May 2016 is sure to entertain with rodeos, festivals, fun beach events, movies, music and art.


Carlsbad Village FaireCarlsbad Village Faire
May 1
Location: Carlsbad, Grand Ave from Carlsbad Blvd to Jefferson St

North County’s favorite street fair is returning to The Village the first Sunday in May. The streets will come alive with the sights and smells of fair-time as 800 vendors set up unique booths, fairgoers search for handmade gifts, try mouthwatering foods, and have some fun in the sun.

The Carlsbad Village Faire – the largest one-day street fair in the nation – will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1.The fair stretches 14 blocks. Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street, and all of the cross streets in between, would be close for the event. Each year, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosts the fair in May and November. Now in its 43rd year, the free event has grown to be so popular that it not only continually attracts people from all over Southern California, but also from other states.

The fair draws over 100,000 visitors with its 800 unique vendor booths offering handcrafted arts and gifts, art, antiques, jewelry, unique clothing, home décor, plants and more. The international food court will once again feature more than 50 booths serving everything from Thai to Hawaiian cuisine. The children’s area will entertain youngsters with games, a super slide, a bounce house, a rock climbing wall, and face painting.

The Rotary Club of Carlsbad’s beer garden will entertain fairgoers with a large screen TV and live bands. The Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad will continue its more than 25-year tradition of hosting a pancake breakfast at the Carlsbad railroad depot. The meal, which includes pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice, will be served between 7:00 a.m. and noon.

To make parking more convenient, complimentary shuttles will run to and from the fair. Shuttles will pick up and drop off passengers at the Poinsettia Coaster Station and the west corner of Sears at The Shoppes at Carlsbad.


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April 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

April 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportSan Diego County home prices continue to recover, but still have not reached their 2005 peaks according to CoreLogic and reported in the Union-Tribune.

Real Estate Report

March brought more listing and sales activity compared to February, but the continued low inventory and rising prices are keeping the total number of sales low for what is normally a busy time of year.

San Diego County saw a year-over median price increase of 6 percent with prices reaching $485,000. In North County the median price was $537,000 with a year-over increase of 4.1 percent

See below for today’s interest rates. Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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North County and San Diego County Events – April 2016

North County and San Diego County Events - AprilNorth County and San Diego County Events – April will keep you entertained with everything from the IRONMAN triathlon to horse and cars shows, festivals, plays, music, art and artists.


Goodguys Meguiar's 16th Del Mar NationalsGoodguys Meguiar’s 16th Del Mar Nationals
April 1 – 3
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd

Hot Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks thru ’72, Goodguys AutoCross, Indoor Car Show, Vendors, Swap Meet, Cars 4 Sale Corral and All American Sunday. The show features:

  • Over 2,500 Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks thru ’72
  • Special indoor Car show exhibit
  • K&N Filters All American Sunday welcoming American made or powered vehicles of all years
  • Goodguys AutoCross
  • Nitro Thunderfest Dragster Exhibition
  • Vendor & Manufacturer Exhibits
  • Swap Meet
  • Cars 4 Sale Corral
  • Live music entertainment by Blu Gruv and Soul Diego
  • Goodgals Arts & Crafts Gallery
  • Model & Pedal Car Show
  • AutoCross for Kids benefitting the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer
  • Kids Zone – Free Arts and crafts, games, prizes & more!
  • Kids Free Model Car Make-N-Take – Get your kids involved in model building. Sponsored by Revell
  • Complimentary Guest Shuttles provided from spectator parking
  • Featured Club – C/10 club

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March 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

March 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportAlthough North County saw a drop in the median sales price compared to January, and San Diego County as a whole was mostly flat, the San Diego County real estate market continued moving upward with healthy year-over price increases.

Real Estate Report

As is typical this time of year, there were more new listings on the market in February, but the number of homes going under contract, or pending, also increased. This is keeping the inventory hovering at a painfully low two months’ supply. Most experts expect to see six months’ supply in a healthy market.

The continuing low interest rates, low resale inventory, and lack of new homes being built in San Diego County has created a housing shortage. This lack of available housing is keeping upward pressure on home prices and rents. We’ve seen an increase in the number of homes being built in the county, 25 new projects this year according to the Union-Tribune. It’s still not enough to meet demand, and many of those homes are in a price range that most buyers can’t afford.

See below for today’s interest rates. Click on the links to read the full housing statistics reports.

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How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders

How to Buy a HomeNo matter if you’re in a buyer’s or seller’s market, there are a few critical steps you can take to make a smarter purchase. Since buying a home is likely the biggest single investment you will ever make, being prepared will help you make a better purchase. Here are 7 tips and tricks to buying a home.

Know Your Buying Power

What is your buying power? It is your ability to borrow plus the cash you have available for a down payment and closing costs. Your credit-worthiness and income will affect how much you can realistically borrow for a home.

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Three Negotiating Mistakes Sellers Make

Three Negotiating Mistakes Sellers MakeWhen you list your home for sale, you may think you’ve priced it right, staged it beautifully, and timed the market for a quick sale.

The reality is that buyers are full of surprises, nearly all of them predictable. They rarely pay list price; they discount or dismiss improvements you’ve made; their inspections usually turn up something for you to fix, and they may have terms that you weren’t counting on — like needing to sell their home before they buy yours.

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North County and San Diego County Events – March 2016

North County and San Diego County Events - MarchNorth County and San Diego County Events – March include everything from mountain bike racing to garden shows, Easter egg hunts and music festivals.


MiraCosta Collage Eva Struble Exhibit MiraCosta College Exhibit Features Art By Eva Struble
March 1 – 3
Location: Oceanside, MiraCosta College Kruglak Art Gallery, Bldg 3400, 1 Barnard Dr

MiraCosta College presents an exhibit featuring the paintings of artist Eva Struble. The show opens Feb. 9 and continues through March 3 in the college’s Kruglak Gallery.

The exhibit will feature a series of paintings that deviate from Struble’s recent work to explore a makeover of her domestic and everyday spaces in lush transformation. With influences including post-impressionist Nabis painters, Japanese uki-e prints and a variety of textiles, these large oil paintings on canvas also bring focus to material and surface with saturated color and icing-thick paint application. Indefinite figures haunt the mundane and familiar institutional spaces as they morph into overgrown, unknown landscapes and structures.

Eva Struble is a San Diego and New York-based artist. She teaches painting at San Diego State University and received her MFA in painting from Yale University School of Art in 2006.


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Top Homeowner Tax Deductions That Decrease Your Tax Burden

Top Homeowner Tax DeductionsYou can’t avoid paying taxes, and we all need to pay our fair share. However, paying your fair share shouldn’t place an unjust burden on you. As a homeowner, your tax burden is doubled because you pay both income and property taxes. To decrease that burden and boost your tax savings, take advantage of these homeowner tax deductions. As a result, you can use your tax savings to go on a vacation, increase your child’s college fund, build upon your retirement fund, or complete another home improvement project.

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