Living in a big city has it's advantages including attending a variety of events all over San Diego County.

15 Events in San Diego County to Enjoy

1. Taste of North Park - Oct. 8, 2022
2. Ocean Beach Octoberfest - Oct. 7 to Oct. 8, 2022
3. Taste of Coronado - Oct. 12, 2022
4. Escondido Grand Avenue Festival - Oct. 16, 2022
5. San Diego International Film Festival - Oct. 19 to Oct. 23, 2022
6. Trick-or-Treat on India Street - Oct. 28, 2022
7. San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival - Nov 9 to Nov. 13, 2022
8. Fleet Week San Diego 2022 - Nov. 1 to Nov. 13, 2022
9. San Diego Beer Week - Nov. 4 to Nov. 13, 2022
10. Carlsbad Fall Village Faire - Nov. 6, 2022
11. Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival - Nov. 18 to Nov. 20, 2022
12. Encinitas Holiday Street Fair - Nov. 20, 2022
13. Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K Run & Walk - Nov. 24, 2022
14. Little Italy Tree Lighting & Christmas Village - Dec. 3, 2022
15. La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival - Dec. 4, 2022

To find dates, times, and websites associated with these events visit SanDiego.org.

FHA Reverse Mortgages for seniors (HECM) allows borrowers to pay off their mortgages, access their equity, and never have another mortgage payment.

A reverse mortgage will eliminate a mortgage payment to provide more cash for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. Homeowners who take advantage of the Reverse Mortgage for Purchase Program can purchase a home in San Diego with a 40%-50% cash down payment.

Many people view reverse mortgages in a negative light, but financial advisors today see the benefit of a reverse. HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) loans are FHA loans backed by the government. Guaranteed approval as long as the homeowner can verify income to support tax and insurance payments.

The home must be owner-occupied. The owners can live in the house mortgage-free for the rest of their lives even if the value is less than the mortgage. Many are concerned about not leaving an inheritance for children or loved ones, but real estate has always gone up substantially over the long term so one must remember although the balance of the loan may go up, it is offset by real estate appreciation.

Getting a reverse mortgage can significantly enhance the lives of retired seniors. For example, our long-time neighbor lost her husband several years ago. She eventually met a new love, who moved in and made great improvements to the home. They enjoyed staycations and exotic trips all over the world including Greece. A reverse mortgage allowed them to enjoy their retirement. When she passed the home value had increased so much that she was able to leave her children and grandchildren a decent size inheritance.

We are all busy living our lives but here's a sobering eye-opener… According to the social security administration, 1 out of 4 people over 65 will live past 90 and 1 out of 10 will live past 95. Our past generation had pension plans but today’s retirement depends on often limited or self-directed 401 plans.

Here are some great benefits to the reverse mortgage:

1. Eliminate mortgage payment (either on a current first or on a purchase loan) 
2. Postpone social security so homeowners can wait until age 70 to receive more 
3. Help defray healthcare costs 
4. Access equity TAX-FREE money 
5. No qualifying such as traditional mortgages 
6. Seniors can help grandchildren go to college now vs waiting until they pass away to give the inheritance

A strategy for the right person...

Clients with limited income, who are struggling to pay for living expenses can utilize their backyard to build another unit. Pay off the mortgage, cash out to build a rental in the backyard, or build another unit above the current home. A reverse mortgage will not only eliminate a mortgage payment, but can create income by adding another rental unit to the property. This is an exciting option. Keep in mind homeowners must be over the age of 62 and live in the home. Note: Max loan amounts are based on the youngest spouse.

Call Today! 619-339-7334 or visit our mortgage site to request a quote.

There are many different styles of mid-century homes in San Diego. One of the most popular searches on our site is mid-century homes. Buyers can educate themselves on certain attributes and styles before going into the home search process.

7 Styles of Mid-Century Houses:

1. Traditional - Two traditional styles are Minimal and Revival. Minimal traditional houses are unassuming and may include traditional style shutters or multi-pane windows. Examples of The Revival styles are Tudor, Cape Cod, and Colonial.

2. Usonian - Think prairie style or ranch home. This style of house blends into the landscape with wood and stone accents.

3. Lustron - This style of home was created with a specific purpose and came in two and three-bedroom models. It came in four colors and could be shipped across the United States to be assembled.

4. The Ranches - These ranch-style homes have open floor plans. Examples of Ramblers (The Ranches) include raised ranch, split-level ranch, tri-level ranch, and storybook ranch.

5. Modern - This is the most well-known style of mid-century homes. Examples include Minimal Modern, Eichler, and Alexander.

6. A-frame - The shape is similar to the letter "A" and is often times used as a second home or a vacation home.

7. Populuxe - This mid-century style home is known for it's unique and futuristic shapes. Examples include Googlie, Space Age, and Geodesic.

Source: Mid-Century House Styles Guide

Mid-Century Homes >>

An important step in owning real estate is creating a living trust because this avoids any issues among relatives after death. Too many families are dealing with strife and division because a living trust was never set up. Many people skip this important step in life because it can be scary, expensive, and time-consuming. However, there are options for homeowners. Transfer-on-Death deeds allow property owners to transfer real estate without going through the probate process. This deed provides an inexpensive and simple way to transfer real property to a beneficiary.

Important factors when deciding to record a revocable Transfer-on-Death deed:

The real property must fall under one of these criteria: a condominium or single-family home, a single-family residence on less than 40 acres of agricultural land, or a multiple residence of less than four residential dwelling units.

A transferor must use the services of a notary public to sign and date a revocable TOD deed.

The TOD deed must be recorded within 60 days from the date it was signed.

The transferor has the right to revoke the TOD deed at any time.

The beneficiary needs to know that the property is subject to involuntary liens recorded by the owner's creditors. Upon the owner's death, the liens transfer with the property to the beneficiary.

Speak to a lawyer about your estate plan before you take advantage of a TOD deed. New laws took effect in 2022 to avoid issues with the process.

If you find yourself in need of a TOD deed, talk to a lawyer about your estate plan first.

However, it is best to spend the time and money to set up a living trust.

Top 3 Reasons a Living Trust is Best:

1. Avoid Probate - A living trust means no probate is necessary to pass your property on to your beneficiaries if you die or become incompetent.
2. Control - You decide what will happen to your property after you die. A trust also allows you to control how your beneficiaries spend the inheritance.
3. Tax Planning - A living trust can help reduce and sometimes avoid taxes. Talk to an attorney that specializes in living trusts for more information.

If you are interested in a TOD deed or Living Trust, contact an attorney who specializes in estate planning.

This one-page report for July 2022 includes the most recent snapshot as well as a two-year trend line for indicators like sales, median prices, inventory and median time on market in San Diego. Knowing your local housing market is a standard first step in buying a home you'll love — and within budget — without overpaying or missing out on an opportunity. This is even more important if you are moving to San Diego and need assistance in learning the lay of the land.

Are you a local business in San Diego? Have you been struggling to get organic traffic to your website? We have been in operation for many years and recognize how important it is to support other small businesses. We are in this together! We know how many hours and resources go into a quality website. The website at www.listingagentsandiego.com has been actively bringing in organic traffic, loyal clients, and quality leads since 2013. One of the most important factors in search engine optimization is quality backlinks.

Supporting another person’s success won’t ever damper yours. We hope to support local San Diego businesses through our Link Back Program. Backlinks from local businesses and individuals are extremely valuable for SEO because they represent a "vote of confidence" from one website to another.

You may be wondering, who is Alexander Pfleger Real Estate. This is a valid question. Alexander has been in the real estate business since 1989. He and his wife, Amy Pfleger, work closely with clients and prospects. Our reviews speak for themselves. Testimonials can be found on Google and on our "Meet the team" page.

Many people may think backlinks are an outdated way of getting organic traffic, but this is far from the truth. Let's support each other. To participate in this program, please email homes@listingagentsandiego.com. We can't wait to hear about your services, products, and business.

The link back program is simple. We will write a brief blog post linking back to our site for you to add to your website. In return, you can write a brief and effective blog post for us to post on our website. Below you will see the benefits of this program as well as the factors to qualify. Join our Facebook group!

Benefits from Google include:

• Improved Site Authority
• Faster Indexing
• Improved Organic Ranking
• Increased Link Juice (votes from other websites)
• Referral Traffic
• Stronger Network
• Bonus: We may even give you a shoutout on our newsletter

Before adding your blog post to our website, we will determine several factors:

• Root Domain (no subdomains)
• Domain Rating
• Spam Scores
• Organic Traffic
• Anchor Text
• The blog post must be relevant to your business and services.
• Not a real estate or mortgage website
• Reputable business in San Diego
• Family-friendly business

No pressure. If we are not a good fit, that's completely ok.

Joke of the day: “What room in your house are zombies most afraid of? The living room.” —Ryan Fitzgerald

This is a picture of us from a school Halloween festival a couple years back. The Pfleger family thanks you for visiting our website.

Will home prices continue to rise in San Diego? This is an important question to consider when deciding to purchase now versus waiting for prices to decrease or stabilize. According to CoreLogic, home prices will increase on a year-over-year basis by 5.6% from April 2022 to April 2023. To put this in perspective, an $800,000 home would increase by almost $48,000 in a year.

Will this continue? No one has a crystal ball but there are a few things to consider:

1. According to SDAR, in February 2021 San Diego home inventory decreased 60.0 percent for Detached homes and 52.1 percent for Attached homes.
2. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis revealed that San Diegans' real personal income increased by 2.8 percent annually in 2019.
3. On February 24, 2021, the average 30-year mortgage came in at 3.38% (the second-lowest 30-year rate in history). See more historical data at themortgagereports.com.

These three key factors provide buyers with valuable data to make an informed decision. Research is vital because buyers do not have the privilege of going back in time to take advantage of low rates and possibly lower prices. There will always be unknowns when it comes to purchasing a home.

Questions to consider before making a decision:

1. Will San Diegans' real personal income decrease?
2. Will the number of cash buyers in San Diego decrease?
3. Will the interest rates rise enough to allow for increased inventory?
4. Will San Diego become a less attractive place to live for people with the means to live here?
5. Will millennials continue to make up the largest share of buyers?

If buyers wait to purchase a home, they risk paying more down the road. On the other hand, if buyers purchase now, they risk overpaying in an unpredictable market. I cannot stress enough how important it is for homebuyers to do their research. This may sound cliché, but the world is made up of research. You may be asking yourself, isn't my realtor supposed to research for me? The answer to this question is yes. Alexander Pfleger works full-time as a real estate broker to assist his clients in making the best decision possible, however, there is immense power in making an informed decision based on your own research. This could include historical data, surveys, economic forecasts, and so on. Whether buyers choose to wait or purchase now, thorough tangible research will give them confidence in their final decision.

Review the below charts to begin the process:

Receive the Latest Local Market Stats

Curious about local real estate? So are we! Every month we review trends in our real estate market and consider the number of homes on the market in each price tier, the amount of time particular homes have been listed for sale, specific neighborhood trends, the median price and square footage of each home sold and so much more. We’d love to invite you to do the same!

Get Local Market Reports Sent Directly to You

You can sign up here to receive your own market report, delivered as often as you like! It contains current information on pending, active and just sold properties so you can see actual homes in your neighborhood. You can review your area on a larger scale, as well, by refining your search to include properties across the city or county. As you notice price and size trends, please contact us for clarification or to have any questions answered.

We can definitely fill you in on details that are not listed on the report and help you determine the best home for you. If you are wondering if now is the time to sell, please try out our INSTANT home value tool. You’ll get an estimate on the value of your property in today’s market. Either way, we hope to hear from you soon as you get to know our neighborhoods and local real estate market better.

Staying at the Crystal Pier Hotel was worth every penny. May is always a big month of celebrating a birthday, wedding anniversary, and Mother's Day. We called the Crystal Pier Hotel to see if they had any openings. We were able to book three weekday nights before Memorial Day weekend. It can be difficult to reserve a cottage because they are usually booked for loyal visitors who rebook every year.

​We arrived on Wednesday night and stayed through Friday night. The pier was closed to the public to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This made it easy to park and guests had the pier all to themselves. Parking spots are right in front of the cottages. We were pleased to find a full-sized refrigerator, stove, and plenty of dishes. The housekeepers were not allowed to come inside the cottages because of COVID-19, but they were always available to give extra towels and coffee. The bedroom had a full-sized bed, white shutters on the windows, and a small closet. They provided extra blankets and sheets for the pull-out bed. We loved listening to the waves crashing underneath us.​

The best part of our stay was the expansive deck complete with lounge chairs, dining table with umbrella, and a charcoal barbeque. We enjoyed our meals on the deck while taking in the beautiful ocean view. We stayed in cottage #5 which is where the water meets the sand. It was perfect for people watching and enjoying the waves.​

Guests fished off the pier all day catching a variety of fish including stingrays and bat rays. The little bait shop was closed because of the worldwide health crisis, but the woman who runs the shop gladly delivered shrimp when requested. Checking out was easy and as we were leaving the owner gave us a beautiful magnet of the Crystal Pier Hotel. This was a truly amazing staycation because we felt far from home even though we were only 8 minutes away. To book a reservation or for more information visit their website at crystalpier.com.

11 Reasons Why Crystal Pier Hotel makes for the Best Staycation in San Diego

1. Sleep above the ocean
2. Let the waves rock you to sleep
3. Full kitchen with stove, microwave, and refrigerator
4. Deck with lounge chairs, charcoal barbeque, and table
5. Views, views, and more views
6. Cottage options include studios, one bedroom, and two bedrooms
7. Within walking distance to bars, stores, coffee shops, and restaurants
8. Fish right off the pier
9. Daily housekeeping
10. Parking in front of the cottage
11. Watch the dolphins, surfers, and beachgoers

View homes for sale in Pacific Beach.