San Diego Coastal Homes Blog

I had a very inteersting experience on a new construction track  in Carmel Valleywhich I am putting out there to the UNIVERSE in case some of you are looking at new homes.  I took a  buyer who was very interested in NEW as many clients are – it’s always a great feeling to move into a house that NO ONE has TOUCHED.  Personally we have had three homes together and there has not been ONE that we haven’t remodeled the kitchen and put in new flooring and some window coverings.  It’s like a boy dog raising his leg on a fire hydrant – gotta make it MINE.  So I can understand buyers wanting their own fire hydrants.

We took this nice man into the sales office and there literally was one home available in his price range.  The sales agent took a long time explaining incentives, upgrades, details etc.  We were running late as we had other appointments and asked if there was anything else we needed to know— nope not a thing.  We said we’d be back at days end to “walk the lot”!  Okay dookey…no problem its a fabulous house – fabulous price.  Our buyers was practically in tears of happiness. 

Finally Ron and I looked at each other and said to the “bursting with happiness client” – does that house sound like its too good to be true?  But being the good happy agents we are we went on our merry way and looked at the homes we had left to visit.  Exhausted yet exilerated about the new home we returned to the Sales Office.  We were outfited with hard hats, signed waivers and given a map.  Upon getting closer to the home something started to LOOM into the horizon and the closer we came the closer it LOOMED until we were faced with the LARGEST MOST IMPOSSING San Diego Gas and Electric TOWER that I have ever seen – sitting just outside of the property boundary for the “amazing house”!  Needless to say there was a bit of a shock value and the poor client almost in TEARS- now of dissapointment.   NOW….I am all about selling and spinning and marketing but DON’T YOU THINK A SALES ASSOCIATED SHOULD AT LEAST MENTION THERE IS A FLIPPING ELECTRIC TOWER IN THE BACK YARD!     We headed back to the office where the sales associate acted like it was PERFECTLY NORMAL TO HAVE A TOWER IN THE YARD!  “Oh” she says, “there are a lot of doctors buying on that street”!  WHO RADIOLOGISTS?   O.K. enough venting—

 I just believe in putting out the pros and cons OF a property and a house were you wouldn’t need to LIGHT the BBQ  to turn it on should at l least be mentioned!

Well its been a very interesting few days as today it started with MY WEB SITE completely GONE into cyberspace!  That was FUN… fortunately after a few hysterical hours it got resolved!  Is Thursday the new Monday?  Of course in real estate it really doesn’t matter WHAT day it is!!!

Well, for all those who live in the area Easter afternoon brought an unexpected “jolt” of surprise.  Changing from my Easter Clothes and getting ready to relax all of a sudden the house started to SHAKE!  I know THEY say it was less than a minute but is seem to last for a llllloooong time!  Growing up close to Mexicali I virtually have experiences earthquakes all my life – but this one “got my attention”!  Yes, we have earthquake insurance – but the thought of sleeping in a trailer while my house was rebuilt- no such a great thought!

So – let me give you a few earthquake tips that I received from a friend.  It seems like “ducking” under the covers while a building collapses is NOT such a good idea.  I have always heard you should go under objects like desks, tables, obviously not according to this info.  Curl up in a fetal position next to a sofa, or any large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void.  Guess a couch would count.  They seem to think that laying on the floor, next to bottom of the bed is a great spot.

When I was young they told us to stand in a doorway.  According to this report most everyone who gets under a doorway when a building collapses is killed.  How?  If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamp falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above.

Get off the stairs…pretty much self explanatory!

Go near the outer walls of buildings or outside of them.  Much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior.   If you are in a car – GET out…flying objects will crush the car – lay next to it for that “void thingee” again.

Anyway – just thought some of this was interesting…hopefully we will never have to use it…or we will be in a nice restaurant having cocktails and not notice the next shake!