Country's Richest Zip Codes

The wealthiest zip codes in the United States, based on 2006 median price for real estate:

07620: Alpine, N.J., with a median sale price of $3.4 million
33109: Miami Beach, Fla., with a $3.4 million median price
92067: San Diego County's own Rancho Santa Fe, with a median price of $2.6 million
SOURCE: FORBES.COM

No More Free Parking in Pacific Beach?

First the ban on beach drinking, now this?

It's not just La Jolla that's considering charging for street parking. A nascent debate is brewing in Pacific Beach over whether to install meters to increase turnover in parking spaces near the surf and raise money for public improvement projects.

A citizens advisory committee is studying a consultant's report that recommends metered parking and parking permits for residents and employees of Pacific Beach businesses.
The $26,000 report was paid for by a business improvement council. Ever since it was released last month, it's been a hot topic of discussion, generating strong reactions from residents – most of them negative.

Click here for the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Why You Need a Buyer's Agent: 10 Desperate Lies Home Sellers Tell

Sellers can be ... let’s say, “flexible,” with the truth. A creative omission here, a slight exaggeration there, and before they know it, they’ve told more porkers than Pinocchio. The more desperate they are to sell, the more likely they are to gloss over the cracks.

This is why you need an experienced buyer's agent who can guide you through the process of home inspections, reports, and disclosures, so you know as much as possible about the home you are purchasing.

Click here for the list of 10 Desperate Lies that Home Sellers Tell.

Coronado's First Street Rests Easier without Big Trucks

It's quieter these days on First Street in Coronado, where for years residents put up with hundreds of big rigs rumbling toward North Island Naval Air Station starting at 4:30 a.m. most weekdays. Relief arrived with the opening last summer of a new main entrance to the base on Third Street, where many vehicles and all commercial trucks heading there have since been directed.

And in December, the city “de-designated” the two-laned First Street a truck route, officially ending what had become for many residents a nightmare.

Click here to read the rest of the article from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Slide Show: America's Most Expensive Homes

Holy cow! Check out Newsweek's slide show of America's most expensive homes.

Luxury Home Market Stays Strong

There sure isn't much positive news in the housing sector. So why are ultra high-end home prices still rising, with some prices reaching up to an astronomical $175 million? Newsweek addressed this oxymoron in its latest issue.

It's a simple matter of supply and demand, say brokers from hot markets like Manhattan, the Hamptons, Palm Beach and both ends of California. While there's a national glut of McMansions in the $500,000 and up range, there's a shortage of trophy properties on the market and an increasing number of wealthy foreign buyers from Asia and Europe looking to capitalize on the weak U.S. dollar.

Those struggling to pay their monthly mortgage or buy a first home may be envious or appalled, but according to market data from DataQuick, sales for homes costing $5 million and above climbed 31 percent in the first quarter of 2007 compared to the same quarter in 2006. Sales of Manhattan apartments costing $10 million or more tripled in 2007, according to the real-estate company Prudential Douglas Elliman. How rich are these buyers? The brokers NEWSWEEK spoke to say many of their high-end sales represent the purchase of a second, third or fourth home. The bottom line? The rich are even richer than ever before and the very wealthy are pouring more money into residential real estate.

Click here to check out the rest of this article from Newsweek.

The Time to Buy a Home

Remember not that long ago when home sellers were calling the shots – dictating prices and terms to multiple bidders who were knocking down their doors in many markets?

Well, today, with the slowdown and changes in San Diego's real estate market, all the market fundamentals show that buyers are now in the driver's seat. Consider the facts: Prices are competitive, interest rates are very affordable, there are plenty of homes in all price ranges to choose from and sellers are more likely to bargain.

Click here to read the rest of this article in the San Diego Union-Tribune.