RANCHO BERNARDO: Focus on 4S Ranch
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Leave A Comment »
4S Ranch is a Newland master planned community encompassing 2900 acres and located in North San Diego County in Rancho Bernardo. It is conveniently located two miles west of I-15, about 25 minutes from San Diego Airport and 20 minutes to the beaches of Del Mar. It was named “Best New Home Community” by the readers of the San Diego Union Readers for 2009. The community is family friendly with schools, parks and shopping all located within this lovely community. The tree lined streets , sidewalks, grassy median strips and front porches on many of the homes invite neighbors to visit one another. A fiber optic network ties the residents together on the Internet with their own website;4S Connect. Ten miles of trails are woven into the landscape for walking and biking.
There are wonderful parks within the various neighborhoods of 4S Ranch. They are filled with children playing and families picnicking and enjoying one another. 4S Community Park has a baseball and soccer field, basketball ,roller hockey and boccie ball. Heritage Park and Patriot Park each offer a tot lot and 1/2 basketball court. Pioneer Park (my favorite) offers a picnic area, swings, tot lot and a gazebo.
The Schools in 4S Ranch are within the Poway Unified School district which has an excellent reputation for parent participation and academic excellence. There are 2 elementary schools; Monterey Ridge and Stone Ranch. The Oak Valley middle school serves grades 6-8 and opened in 2005. It has @ 1025 students , 52 teachers and offers a block schedule of 4 classes per day. Del Norte , 4S Ranch’s new state of the art high school opened in 2008. The campus covers 62 acres and the curriculum is very comprehensive. Many students walk or ride their bikes to the schools as they are located within the various neighborhoods.
There is a Boys and Girls Club located within 4S Ranch which opened in 2004, encompassing 24,919 sq.ft. It is very popular and offers many after school programs; crafts, sports, camps, dance, art and a technology center. It is a hub for students and also has a Junior Olympic size pool, and a slide and plunge pool for less serious water sports. It is located adjacent to one of the elementary schools and next to a park.You don’t have to leave 4s to find great shopping. It’s all in there! The 4S Commons covers 266,000sqft and has 40 tenants. Bed, Bath and Beyond, Ralphs, CVS Pharmacy, Jimbo;s, Ace Hardware , World Market (my favorite), BBQ’s Galore and many other retail stores are home here. Restaurants; Capri Blu, Panterra, Zocalo, Los Primos and others (check it out!) There is a smaller center with a Chevron gas station and Starbucks as well as a great French Cafe in the Village Retail Center on the north side of Dove Canyon.
There is something for everyone in housing in 4S Ranch. There are town homes that appeal to empty nesters or young professional people. Many are multi-leveled to afford privacy in smaller living spaces. Many of the communities have their own pools for residents. Detached homes range from 1400-5600 sq.ft with various yard features and sizes. Many are on low traffic cul de sac streets. With the near perfect climate homeowners can use their patios, BBQ’s, pool and spas year round so they are popular additions to backyards. The architecture ranges from craftsman,Mission or Ranch styles. My favorite homes have back load garages and front porches. The downturn on the market has created many buying opportunities for people to purchase these wonderful properties. At the peak of the market the larger 5 bedroom, 3500+ sqft homes were selling for $1.1-1.2 and are now in the $800,00’s. Large 4 bedroom homes are currenyly available from $600,000 and because they are newer have many features buyers favor; granite, upgraded appliances, moldings, professional paint and window covernings and lovely patios.
FOR HOMES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CLICK HERE: http://www.gretchenpagnotta.com/Nav.aspx/Page=http://isistage-websql.istrategy.com%2fmlswizardnet%2fmlsredirect.aspx%3fuserid%3d27147%26providerid%3d0%26mode%3d2+
So now readers you may have an idea why 4S Ranch is so popular..what’s not to like? If you live in 4S please let me know your opinion(s) and if you want more information on 4S let me know that too!
Please watch for all my blogs and join in…I blog about Rancho Bernardo, Santaluz, San Marcos and will start on International Real Estate Hotspots!
Related Posts: Lifestyle, Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, Schools
Rancho Bernardo Realtor: My views when a buyer asks for a commission kickback…
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Currently 2 Comments »
I have been selling real estate for over 20 years. There are times when buyers have asked me to contribute to their purchase. This happened recently and I decided it would be a good blog topic. I would really appreciate feedback from both agents and clients. At the crux of the matter is the belief that real estate agents earn far more than they should. Because they earn a zillion dollars a year they should give some of it back to the client. This leads to the discussion of “what do real estate agents really do”? To expand this discussion we need to discuss “What is the VALUE of a real agent agent?”
The advent of the Internet and the ability for people to search homes has altered the perception of the need for an agent. When I started to sell real estate in San Diego we received books every Friday with new listings. It was a treasure and not to be shared with our clients. We were the keepers of the homes for sale.We had them under lock and key. Clients had to rely on our books and us! Now the general public can search many websites for current listings. So what is the VALUE of a real estate agent in today’s world besides unlocking the lock box and allowing a showing?
Buyers should interview real estate agents in the same way that a seller interviews prospective listing agents. Some of the questions they need to ask will reveal if an agent has a value to them. Just like other professions there are skilled and professional agents as well as those that should be seeking other avenues of employment! The education and background of an agent is critical. In addition it is imperative that the agent is a member of the National Association of Realtors as well as a local Board that sets standards and upholds ethical practices for agents. Various designations are a sign of continued training and expertise in particular areas of practice. For example, I am a CRS (Certified Realtor Specialist) which required me to take extensive training and selling a considerable number of homes to qualify. It is the elite designation for serious agents who want to stay on the cutting edge of real estate. In addition I hold 5 other designations including the new NAR Green Certified agent. This year I plan to complete an International Realtor designation. When interviewing an agent a buyer needs to explore these areas to determine if their agent is qualified to guide them in making one of the largest financial decisions in their life.
Why is education and experience so critical and of value to a buyer? Contracts are complex and negotiation is a skill and an art refined by experience, intelligence and training. A buyer wants to pay the least for a home. After a Home Inspection a buyer wants everything fixed at the expense of a seller. A buyer does not want any confrontation with the seller. So, how does one determine the market price they should offer on a home ? It is imperative the agent be familiar with the neighborhoods they serve so their knowledge of comparative sales is more comprehensive than merely looking at a list of homes that have closed escrow. Since the general public has access to sales figures many people are “walking real estate experts.” However the lists need clarification and research. Many times the homes, especially the short sales or bank owned that sell are in distressed conditions; missing appliances, yards needing re landscaping, light fixtures missing, etc.. If the agent had not seen the home a call to the former listing agent would help in determining the condition which influences the sale price. A “good” agent limits their sales to a particular area so they have “ intimate knowledge” of the communities. I review hot sheets on a daily basis to note new listings, pending sales and closings in the areas I work most often (92127,92128,92064, 92131, 92130). If I have a client looking in additional areas such as Carlsbad, San Marcos, Encinitas, downtown San Diego (condos) or Escondido I search those areas and in addition spend at least one day previewing properties and talking with listing agents. Many discount brokers state they work the entire county. It would be impossible to be a specialist in all of San Diego County! Once a fair price is determined and a contract is carefully constructed the art of negotiating begins.
Agents like to network with their office and with agents they have done business with in the past. There is a comfort zone for agents who have a history together; they trust one another. Therefore when offers are submitted agents can be selective as to who they prefer to work with and communicate this to their sellers. This is espcially true with multiple offers. In addition it has been my experience when working with several discount brokers they expect me to do their work! They are not present for inspections and getting required paperwork takes supreme effort. So if a listing agent has the choice of working with various agents they may tip the scales to the agent they have had a previous “good” experience with. In my opinion it is part of an agents commitment and responsibility to their client to be present at every inspection and walk through. How can an agent clearly communicate a defect that is discovered in a Physical Inspection if they are not present to view it, discuss the importance with the inspector and council the buyer? Also how can you advise the client if they need further inspections? The other significant point when discussing inspections is who an agent recommends and what trades people they encourage the buyer to consider. We routinely recommend roof, termite,septic, soil, pool, geological, mold, HVAC, electrical and plumbing inspections depending on certain factors we identify in the property. We also prepare for an try to meet the appraiser whenever possible.
Once a home is inspected a second round of negotiation begins. Remember the buyer who want the best price and wants the seller to fix any issues found in the inspection? If a contract is carefully drafted some of these issues may have already been addressed. One of the homes I sold this year had extensive termite damage to the fences. The fences were not falling down but during my visual inspection while showing the home I noticed some telltale signs there might be termite issues. I stipulated fences as part of my termite request in my contract and the seller was obligated to correct over $2500 worth of damage. We had another home that was on septic but failed the septic inspection despite not having a noticble issues while occupied. The recommendation was to connect to the city sewer system. This process involved multiple bids, many trips to the city and supervision of the work. It closed in 30 days and the fees were split between parties; happy buyer and seller! My husband spent part of each day working with the contractors and the city until it closed. A solid working relationship with an experienced agent and the buyer can make the “Request for Repairs” a positive and successful negotiation. Many times a cash credit to the buyer in lieu of the seller making repairs especially in a short escrow is a great way to solve various issues.
This topic would not be complete without an explation of how agents get paid. Most homes are listed with a commission of 5-6% Let’s use the 5% figure; 2.5 to the listing agent and 2.5% to the selling agent (person who brings the buyer). Commissions are negotiable and I am using this figure simply to explain the breakdown. A portion of what the selling agent earns of the 2.5% goes to their employing broker. In our case a portion we earn on every transaction goes to my broker, Windermere. If we wanted to receive the entire amount we would be” Pagnotta and Associates” and work under my husband’s brokers license. We elect to work for another broker as we want to spend all our time and energy selling and not running an office! The other expenses we have include a licensed assistant to handle transaction paperwork so our files meet legal requirements. This is especially important if there is ever future litigation involving the client. Not only is this critical to us it is to our clients! In addition our expenses include auto, insurance, gas, meals, supplies, dues, lockbox keys, internet and web and our t-i-m-e! ’
We also find many buyers wanting to work with the lisiting agents as they feel they will get a “better deal.” Many listing agents discount a commission to the seller if they bring the buyer. The savings is normally only 1-2%. Instead of charging the seller 5-6% they offer 4–5% if they bring the buyer. The agents acts in what is termed a “Dual Agency.” This brings a great burden to the agent. In simple terms how can an agent represent the best interests (getting the best price and terms) for the seller as well as the buyer? A buyer will save far more than 1-2% of the sales price by using a regular buyers agent. Also with short sales or bank owned the agent (and lender) are looking for one thing; price and terms..there is no preference for dual agency!
Hopefully this blog has stimulated some thinking. Do we ever discount our commission? Yes, on multiple sales, repeat business, luxury sales and in other situations we work with our clients on a per situation transaction. When a buyer initiates this as part of their first contact we us we set up a meeting with them and review what our commitment will be and do a full assessment of their needs. We are actually using Buyer Broker Contracts as a routine practice. We are hoping the standard practice in the future will be a buyer interviewing an agent just as sellers have done and establishing working commitments between both parties. A professional agent will save a buyer far more in the sale of a home with a correctly written and comprehensive contract than any commssion rebate!
Readers..share your ideas with me..respond to my email!!!
Watch for my future blog on The Importance of a Buyer-Broker Agreement!
Related Posts: San Diego
Rancho Bernardo – Sabre Springs: Year To Date Sales
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Currently 3 Comments »
SABRE SPRINGS is nestled in foothills north of Scripps Ranch and south of Carmel Mountain Ranch in North San Diego County. Sabre Springs is known for quiet neighborhoods and rolling hills. SABRE SPRINGS is located on the eastern edge of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and north of Miramar Lake. It is approximately 25 minutes to San Diego and close to major shopping, medical facilities and businesses. You are sure to enjoy the many recreational opportunities SABRE SPRINGS offers.
Sabre Springs Park is located east of the intersection of Sabre Springs Pkwy and Evening Creek Dr South. It features two tot-lots and two Little League fields.
North of Ted Williams Parkway is the Carmel Mountain Ranch / Sabre Springs Recreation Center. This park is technically entirely within Carmel Mountain, despite sharing its name between both communities. It contains basketball courts, two baseball diamonds, and a playground. The area is serviced by Poway Unified Schools District.
Year to Date Sales: SABRE SPRINGS taken from SANDICOR and representing various broker participation
There are many attached homes available in this area. The sales of 2009 reflected many short sales and bank owned attached homes that had been built in purchased at the height of the market. This allowed many first time buyers the opportunity to enter the market. The attached properties range from $149,900 for a 561 sqft condo and $200-300,000 for @950 sqft condo. The detached homes range from under $500,000 for a 1360 sqft home t $850,000 for a 3000 sqft property.
I had the property below listed and it sold to a first time buyer. It sold for $295,000 and was 1185 sqft.
If you live in the SABRE SPRINGS community, I would love to hear what you like about it. Please email me at GBPagnotta@gmail.com.
Watch for upcoming blogs on SABRE SPRINGS!!!
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Rancho Bernardo – High Country West: Year to Date Sales
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Leave A Comment »
HIGH COUNTRY WEST is a very small, popular community in Rancho Bernardo. High Country West is a planned development within the planned community of Rancho Bernardo and is located in the northern most portion of the City of San Diego, California. The Association consists of 138 duplexes, 109 “zero lot line” houses and 434 standard houses for a total of 681 single family houses. HIGH COUNTRY WEST is within walking distance of Turtleback Elementary School, which serves this neighborhood.
Year to Date Sales: HIGH COUNTRY WEST
Stats taken from Sandicor and represent various broker participation.
HIGH COUNTRY WEST CLUB is a private club with:
- Pool
- Baby Pool
- Spa
- Three Lighted Tennis Courts
- Two Indoor Racquet Ball Courts
- Sand Volleyball
- Outdoor Basketball Court
- Children’s Play Area
- Three Picnic Areas
- Soccer Pitch
- Meeting/Table Games Room
Picture taken from www.highcountrywest.com.
HIGH COUNTRY WEST CLUB is also walking distance from the Turtleback Elementary School.
If you live in HIGH COUNTRY WEST, I would love to hear what you like about the community. Please email me at GBPagnotta@gmail.com.
Watch for upcoming blogs on HIGH COUNTRY WEST!!!
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Rancho Bernardo – Eastview: Year to Date Sales
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Leave A Comment »
Pictures taken from www.rbstc.com.
- Tennis (4 courts)
- Library
- Swimming Pool with lap lanes and play area
- Spa
- Community Room for Parties/Meetings (Kitchen)
If you live in EASTVIEW, I would love to hear what you like about the community. Please email me at GBPagnotta@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for upcoming blogs about other Rancho Benrado, Del Sur, 4S Ranch and Santaluz Communities!
Related Posts: San Diego
