Green Real Estate Appraiser

San Diego – Live in Bay Ho or Bay Park? New plan to add dense housing near new trolley stations along Moreno Blvd

Posted on January 2, 2019 | Leave a comment

trolley

San Diego officials are proposing major zoning changes near new trolley stations along Morena Boulevard that would allow 10-story housing projects and revamp much of the street grid between Interstate 5 and the University of San Diego.

The goal is helping solve the city’s severe lack of housing with dense projects along a new trolley line connecting Old Town and the University of California San Diego that’s expected to begin operations in 2021.

The proposal, called the Morena Corridor Specific Plan, also includes new protected paths for bicyclists and pedestrians, an artisan district, a linear park along Tecolote Road, wider sidewalks, public plazas and urban greens.

The plan covers a 280-acre area that follows the path of the new trolley line in Clairemont and Linda Vista, then extends east to include the existing Linda Vista/Moreno trolley station on the green line.

The two new trolley stations included in the plan will be located where Morena Boulevard crosses Clairemont Drive and where Morena Boulevard crosses Tecolote.

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What’s trending in home remodels/upgrades for 2019

Posted on December 31, 2018 | Leave a comment

Master bathroom trends

“Some of the trending features we are seeing in master bath layouts are steam shower, spa/rain-shower head, freestanding tubs, wet/dry areas (shower/tub combinations), huge showers and lots of light in bathrooms,” says Pardee’s Finstad. “At some price points, tubs in master bathrooms are becoming less of a priority. We do expect these trends to continue into 2019.” The steam showers, spa shower heads and well-lit bathrooms all signify a major trend in home building toward wellness.

Machado-Rosas is seeing similar trends in her projects at Jackson Design and Remodeling. “The home wellness features we’ve seen increasing in popularity are steam and digital showers and bidet toilet seats. Human-centric lighting is also trending for us, with a focus on thoughtfully planned layers of lighting that adapt to the body’s natural cycles. Baby boomers and millennial parents are equally interested in these features, which we see connected in part to an overall trend toward comfort and coziness at home.”

Kitchen trends

The wellness trend is showing up in kitchens, too. “The steam oven has captured the imagination of homeowners,” says Graham. “They can effortlessly transition from a conventional oven to a convection steam oven and immediately see the benefits. It is an attractive option for the health-conscious consumer.”

Connected appliances that let you see inside from the supermarket are another trend, as are dishwashers that do more with less: less water, less energy and less noise, but more capacity with third racks. “On the horizon, I think we’ll see manufacturers continue to focus on how they can create a dishwasher with maximum cleaning power using the least amount of water and energy possible.”

Living space trends

Socialization is key, with kitchens opening up to indoor and outdoor living areas. “Today’s buyers are looking for homes with open spaces, particularly downstairs, with open entryways and inviting kitchens that open to the family room. I would recommend sellers with older homes remove a wall or reconfigure their living areas in order to entice more buyers, which, in turn, will demand a higher price,” La Mattery suggests. “I also find that many buyers would rather have an additional guest room downstairs, as opposed to a living room that gets very limited use.”

“We have increased our output of health/wellness spaces, both indoor and outdoor,” Pardee’s Finstad says. “The modern homebuyer prioritizes health and wellness far more than ever before. We’ve staged yoga decks as well as more traditional indoor fitness rooms to illustrate the opportunities buyers have to create a healthy environment within their own home.”

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! Veterans Pay high price as Lenders push cash-out home loans !

Posted on December 28, 2018 | Leave a comment

Vets is you have any questions or concerns contact the VA: https://www.va.gov/ 844-698-2311

Eric Kandell is making his pitch to veterans. Wearing a red T-shirt, with the words “Low VA Rates” emblazoned across his chest, he looks fit and muscular, as if he had stepped off an Army base himself. In a Youtube he tells current and former service members how they can take tens of thousands of dollars in cash out of their homes. They can pay off credit cards, remodel a kitchen, install a swimming pool, or travel to Las Vegas. “Do whatever you want,” he tells them. “Imagine your home is like an ATM.”

Kandell is targeting borrowers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage program. He’s the 43-year-old president of a company whose very name is a come-on: Low VA Rates LLC. It’s among the lesser-known financial outfits dominating the business of selling cash-out VA mortgage refinancing, which totaled $41 billion worth of new loans over the past year.

This boom is alarming federal regulators. Lenders, who can charge thousands of dollars in fees, are encouraging veterans to extract as much as 100 percent of their home equity. Many of the borrowers have poor credit and low incomes, and they could soon find themselves deep underwater. Multiple refinancings helped spark the 2008 financial collapse. In a recent Federal Register notice, the VA itself says financial companies are reviving “subprime lending under a new name.”

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