[JJGittes]

API scores are easy to get at greatschools.net. Regarding La Costa, be careful, the northern part of it is in the San Marcos school district. Most of the new homes in La Costa Greens for instance are in the SM school district. I wouldn’t send my kid to high school in the SM district. The elementary schools close to the coast when you get north of del mar can also, interestingly, be a little sketchy. The ones a bit more inland, like El Camino Creek and others however are excellent. I am also not a fan of Carlsbad High. La Costa Canyon High and others in San Deguito school district I think are much better. Also, San Deguito School Dist. has full day kindergarten, as opposed to half day in Carlsbad. San Deguito is also on a modified year roud schedule which means a shorter summer, and a 2 week break just before Halloween (like now).

[JJGittes]

Nope, I’m not a mexican. And I don’t do business beyond vacations and fishing trips down to Cabo and San Quintin three times a year for the last 10. But I am also not blind, and hopefully not stupid.

Anyway, considering the closeness of the election that JUST took place, I guess your idea of “remote” possibilities and mine are different. To get a taste of the nonsense that goes on, get a recent copy of the Gringo Gazette newspaper. The stories in it are as chilling as they are funny. If you have a quarter mill to sink in mexican real estate, go for it. Not a place I want to park big money though, and I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend either.

[JJGittes]

The horror stories may be old news, but history has a way of repeating itself. Did you see the paper today with the story about how the leftists in Mexico City would not allow Fox to give his speech? Now, what do you think would happen if some hardcore US hating leftists took power down there? You think maybe they might just consider reappropriating some of the special seaside real estate that all the gringos have been buying up on the coast? Then what, you think the US military would swoop in to protect your mexican property ‘rights’ when the federalies come knocking? Don’t forget, Mexico is still basically a third world country (don’t believe me, just take a whiff next time you cross over into TJ). Be careful about making big $ bets on such places. For me, someone who goes there 3 times a year to fish and vacation,I’d rather rent/lease down there and keep my nest egg in a US bank.

[JJGittes]

Actually, to be fair, the elementary school in Rancho Carillo is excellent. (see greatschools.net) The middle school in San Elijo, which carrillo kids apparently go to, I bet will also be pretty good. Now, San Marcos High, that is a whole different story. But who knows, maybe the demographics will change in coming years/decades. Feel free to hold your breath on that and bet the farm…….

[JJGittes]

Coeur d A is almost a suburb of Spokane, so job prospects are somewhat possible, and decent med care is proximate. Bozeman is very small, has been discovered by the yuppies, and is extremely cold. Medical care could be also an issue for a retiree there, not to mention slipping on ice.

Regarding crime, I have heard that eastern Wash, and n. idaho have their share of meth labs. Don’t know where to go to escape it. Just pick a good neighborhood on the right side of town, I suppose.

In any event, I must stay in SD county for 14 more years till I can collect my retirment. Then, out of Cali we will go. Heck,I might relocate the family 10 -12 years from now and rent a studio for the last few years of work. Kind of depends on where the housing cycle is as I approach retirement. I plan on traveling and deciding exactly where we’ll go(and having fun doing it) between now and then.

[JJGittes]

How about Spokane, or even Coeur d Alene (sp?) in N. Idaho? No state income tax in Washington state. Go birthday and Xmas shopping down in Oregon and pay no sales tax.

Pretty country up there, nice lakes, cold winters though.

Austin seems like a nice town, could be too hot though.

[JJGittes]

There is also the bear’s argument from 3-4 years ago that prices can’t go any higher because they have never gotten so out of whack before…..but things I guess were different because they went a bunch higher in 2004-2005.

Nobody has a crystal ball.

[JJGittes]

If they put the effort into it, I’d bet that craigslist could come up with a replacement for the MLS pretty quickly. That, combined with the tax records currently accessible on-line already, could change the re industry. The average person would be armed with plenty of info to strike a reasonable deal. Regarding the paperwork, lawyers for a flat fee could handle the purchase agreement and disclusore, and then the escrow company takes over. Zone disclosure reports are mandatory.

Basically its a wal-martization of the re industry. I think it is inevitable…but it could take a few more years.

[JJGittes]

Actually, IMO, forking over $6k to a couple of agents on a $100k transaction would bug me just as much. Commissions ought to be about 1% to cover putting up a sign, MLS entry, and filling in the standard purchase agreement and disclousures. Heck, the escrow/title company (which also gets paid) seems to do most of the work. Maybe if a particular seller wants color pics in the sunday paper he could sign up for more, but 5-6% as the “standard” is ridiculous at all price levels. I suspect that outfits like zip and buyside, along with the internet, will be wal-martizing the industry sooner rather than later.

[JJGittes]

All things in moderation. Problem is, if you use the method outlined in the article for people in SD with monster mortgages, they will be increasing their withholding/dependants to 8 or 9 (even though they have a family of 3-4) without really doing a dry run tax calculation for the coming year. Not good.

[JJGittes]

I have to agree with sdrealtor on this. 300% is rhetoric. Maybe this happened an Santa Monica, but not here. I also bought in mid 1998 in n. county, and at the tip top peak (which I think was spring 2005), it was maybe a 140% gain, not accounting for improvements. Now, its less. Overstating things either way cheapens the debate.

[JJGittes]

Did you notice who the author was? He is an amusing guy.

[JJGittes]

I know that area. Are the taxes really 2%? Ouch. That makes San Elijo at 1.7% seem positively reasonable. Ha.

[JJGittes]

As a practitioner in SD, what do you consider low? For instance, say a house has been sitting for a couple of months and is listed at $800-850k. What would you offer these days, assuming your client could not be disuaded from buying right now? 5% lower? 10% lower? more?

[JJGittes]

How many $1.2m homes are on the market?….well, if one were to judge by the sunday U-T RE section with the pictures, there are quite a few. It simply amazes me the number of $1m+ homes in ALL areas in SD right now listed for sale. And, until you get up to near $2m, most are really no big deal. Just 3000+sf, in a good area, and they are priced in the seven figures. A lot of them sure seem to just be sitting though.

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