The real estate market is always moving in a direction and for the last 7 years (can you believe it has been that long already since 2005!) it has been in a downward direction. Savvy investors kept waiting for the Bottom of the Market. Well folks, we've seen the bottom. Inventory is at a major low and has been for some time this year. I went on a listing presentation in Solana Beach a few weeks ago and there were only 69 properties, condos and detached homes, on the market for sale! There usually are 80+ condos only for sale in Solana Beach. Properties are seeing multiple offers in many areas. Interest rates are UNDER 4%! Can you believe how inexpensive money is today? So if you have been thinking about buying now is the time to get serious. Call your realtor. Better yet call me, as your realtor, and find out what the best deals are out there right now. There continues to be sellers who need and want to sell. Get out there and get active. Make offers, you never know what a property owner might be willing to sell a property for! Give me a call or email me to find out about different areas you might be interested in. For example, I have a town home in a beautiful upper end gated community that the seller is motivated to sell so the price was just reduced to $799,000! This town home is beautifully remodeled with over $300,000 being spent on the remodel! This property is luxurious and it will wow you when you see it!

Foreclosure filings and past due mortgages have been trending downward over the last year, inventory is decreasing, interest rates are lower than ever before, and I see the home prices stablizing. My expertise comes mainly on the coast and I definitely see all this happening here. Also, the Obama Administration came up with the HARP program which helps distressed homeowners refinance so they may keep their property. With this program  if the home owner has a reasonable ability to pay their mortgage and even if the home's value has been lost in the downturn, the homw owner is allowed to refinance and stay in their home. These are government backed loans by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This also sets a good example for other banks to follow.

In other cases where the homeowner cannot make the mortgage payment because of lack of employment, illness or other challenges, a short sale should be considered. What is most important in doing a short sale is hiring an agent who has been trained to do them properly. That agent can advise you on what paperwork you may need to gather to so all the necessary information for your agent to represent you and contact your banks, explain the situation and start the proceeding.

It may be the most difficult thing for the homeowner to do, pack up and move out of their home once it is sold, but it also frees them up from the burden of a heafty mortgage payment, the responsiblities of taking care of a home and making it's repairs, and the weight and burden of it all can be lifted off their back allowing them to move forard in their life. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert and can help you or your friends with their needs regarding saving their home or selling and doing a short sale. Please contact me at MarlaZanelli.com. Thank you!

The Beach Colony in Del Mar is one of the most sought after places to live, especially in the summer time! Rentals range from $2500 to $10,000 per week, depending on size and location of the property! The ocean front has commanded some of the highest prices ever in real estate when an ocean front home was purchased by Madeline  Pickens for $43,000,000! Yes that was the price! Today's prices are much more reasonable and I would say from my 22 years of selling the area that now is the time to step up and buy something in the Beach Colony if that is where you want to end up owning. I just listed a  town home in the quaint complex of Coast Del Mar Condominiums for $1,369,000! What you get for that price is an amazing location across the street from the sand and restaurants like Jakes and the Posiedon, just next door to L'Auberge Hotel and the Village of Del Mar! The condo has 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, fireplace, 3 private patios, secured parking for 2 cars, community pool and spa and this condo has been remodeled and updated! Granite counters, tile floors, oil rubbed bronze hardware and just some of the materials used in the remodel. Another bonus with the project is that it was remodeled a few years ago and the exteriors of all the units were redone along with new windows, new roofs, paint, etc. That is something that is great to not worry about because it has been done! This property makes a super location to live in full time or a great second home that can be rented when you are not using it. Call me for photos or if you want to view the property! Thanks and Happy Holidays!

They are slowly disappearing.....those vacant lots in our coastal communities....but we do have a few and I have kept track of that market in Solana Beach because I have one such lot for sale! My listing is at 511 S Rios in Solana Beach and what is so unique and special about this lot is it's location at the end of a culdesac street. The feeling of privacy you get when you drive onto that section of Rios is really special. 511 S Rios is over 18,000 square feet which makes it just under a half an acre! What can be built there is a single family home with the possiblity of an accessory unit. It's always best to talk to the City of Solana Beach about details on that. The home can be 4,915 square feet plus a garage. Garages are usually 400 square feet, so that is a good size home to have at the coast! What is also unique is the walkability of this lot. You are right next door to the Cedros Design District which has really hip shops, wonderful gourmet restaurants, live music at the Belly Up, farmers market on Sundays, easy walk to the beach and the train station! How fun is all that! Speaking of the Belly Up...they are getting some top musicains there like Chris Iasack and Boz Skaggs! Another feature of this lot is it has an ocean view. I was there yesterday as the sun was setting and it was a pretty sight! All that for only $979,000....in a neighborhood where homes have sold for over $3,000,000. Email me if you would like to make an appointment to learn more about vacant land in Solana Beach....I have all the scoop on the latest closings. realestate@delmarla.com is my email address. Thank you!

Del Mar captured my heart in the early 1980's when I came to the summer race meet at Del Mar! It was so magical with our beautiful pristine beaches, galloping horses on a historical racetrack, dining at Bully's, dancing at the Belly Up! There were many fun times, exciting times with my horses winning races, and such magical days with exercising in the morning, napping in the sand in the afternoon and out on the town with friends in the evenings! Del Mar continues to hold those magical moments for me, only now I am blessed with selling some of the most desirable real estate in the world, owning horses in partnership with wonderful friends and neighbors and continuing to enjoy our gourmet restaurants, world class hotels and of course top musicians at the Belly Up! It has been an interesting and learned experience to go through the different economical times here. I remember when there were only a few homes in Del Mar for sale for over $1,000,000. And the values that real estate jumped too! Our most expensive ocean front sale being $43,000,000. Yes, there is no mistake on that number! Now you can buy a short sale on the ocean front for $4,000,000. Speaking of the ocean front....I have a new listing coming on the market - an ocean front condo in Solana Beach in the dynamic complex of Seascape Sur! I also have a pocket listing on a gorgeous, one of a kind, newly remodeled home on the ocean front in Solana Beach (with a pool)....call me with any questions if you are interested in either of these properties! I currently also have a beautifully furnished condo on the ocean front in Surfsong...top floor 2 bedroom 2 bath condo offered at only $3,900 per month. Call me or email me for photos. It will be available January 1, 2012. Have a Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

I recently had a client suggest there is another foreclosure wave coming. I then realized how misinformed our general public is and they do not have a real understanding of our current market. First I want you to know this year has been a much better year than the previous two years. Properties are selling, buyers are buying and many of them are using all cash! On top of that the interest rates have been the lowest we have EVER seen! The interest rates have been in the 3-4%!!!!!!!! With interest rates so low, when an interest rate is due to adjust the payment will go DOWN!!!! This is not going to cause a wave of foreclosures. Talk to your lender. Talk to my lender. Interest rates are at give away money levels, which makes buying real estate the smartest thing you can do. I have seen many deals sell this year. I also see the bottom market disappearing in some areas. If you want a  good buy in real estate now is the time to find it. In Solana Beach I was showing Coastal Real Estate and I couldn't believe some of the values! Completely remodeled with great ocean view for $525,000 in an ocean front community. In Del Mar I saw a Coastal Duplex with ocean views....sold within 2 weeks for $1.1.....walk to the Village.....great buy! I specialize in Coastal Del Mar and Coastal Solana Beach......check out my website at www.CoastalSolanaBeach.com. Give me a call if you want to know what is available to purchase or you are ready to buy your coastal dream home! Thanks and have a great weekend!