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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February 2016 San Diego County Real Estate Report and Interest Rates

February 2016 San Diego County Real Estate ReportSan Diego County real estate looked strong in January with 10.5 percent year over median price increases for North County and 7.5 percent increases countywide. Interest rates continue to remain below 4 percent for many types of loans.

Real Estate Report

San Diego was ranked number five on the list of realtor.com’s® 20 Hottest U.S. Real Estate Markets in January 2016. It doesn’t look like this is going to change in the near future. January saw increases in the number of pending sales compared to both the previous month and to January 2015.

Where’s the Inventory?

Although there were many new listings in January, inventory supply is still under two months in both North County and in San Diego County as a whole. Most experts say four to six months of supply is needed for a balanced market.

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

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Check Your Credit

Check Your CreditYou are probably aware that federal law entitles you to a free copy of your credit report annually by each of the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.

Why bother to check your credit? Because by regularly looking at each of these reports, you can determine if there are any errors on them and be aware of your credit worthiness.

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North County and San Diego County Events – February 2016

North County and San Diego County Events - FebruaryNorth County and San Diego County Events – February include great music, wonderful art, fun sporting events and terrific museum discounts!


Museum MonthMuseum Month: Half-Off Admission
February 1 – 29
Location: Multiple Locations

Arts, entertainment and culture collide for Macy’s Museum Month in San Diego. This February the San Diego Museum Council and Macy’s have teamed up again for Museum Month, giving patrons a chance to discover what’s new at more than 40 area museums with savings only seen once a year.


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National Real Estate Market Primed for Expansion in 2016

Strengthening Economy

National Real Estate Market  Primed for ExpansionDespite existing-home sales dropping last November, the national real estate market is primed for expansion in 2016. Here’s why. Better weather in many parts of the country resulted in an increase in single-family and multifamily home construction. Also, the population of millennial homebuyers is expected to grow in 2016. This means increased demand to help the housing market see positive gains. With unemployment steadily decreasing, orders for new durable goods increasing 3 percent, inflation staying level, and income beginning to grow, the Fed decided to raise interest rates. The rate increase signals that our economy is getting stronger. So, don’t let the drop in existing-home sales in November fool you. With a stronger economy, home sellers can expect eager home buyers in 2016.

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