SAN DIEGO MAR, 2013 EVENTS

IVAN SOLIS, JR. Title Consultant Lawyers Title619.804.9000mailto:isolis@ltic.com?subject=ivansolis.lticsd.com Office: 800.464.8444 March 2 65th Annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival This is a fun day of festivities including a crafts fair, food and entertainment along with kite making, decorating, demonstrations, and a flying contest. This is a free event. Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pmLocation: Dusty Rhodes Park, Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/v50okb March 8 Taste of Navajo A one of a kind event celebrating the great eateries, wineries, and breweries in the Navajo community (Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, Grantville, San Carlos) and surrounding areas. An event to benefit Green Elementary. Formerly The Taste of San Carlos. Sample sumptuous bites from local restaurants & caterers or get great restaurant ideas for visitors or date night! In addition to the many opportunities to sample local fare, guests can purchase a drink at the bar, bid on silent auction items, listen to music, and learn about the night sky from an on-site astronomer and about the park itself from a volunteer ranger. Time: 6:00 am – 9:00 pmLocation: Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center For more information visit TasteofNavajo.com March 9 8th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival The cherry trees are blooming and the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park is hosting a festival to celebrate the season. Get a taste of Japan by visiting gorgeous outdoor gardens and watching a traditional tea ceremony. Enjoy delicious food, arts, crafts, and cultural demonstrations. Refer to website for admission information. Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pmLocation: Balboa Park Japanese Friendship Garden, 2125 Pan American Rd., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/rq2okb March 9 – 10 86th Annual Thursday Club Rummage Sale The granddaddy of all rummage sales! Thousands of new and gently used items such as furniture, clothing, sporting equipment, appliances, electronics, and more will be sold to benefit Balboa Park and local charities. Time: Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Sun: 10:00 am – 2:00 pmLocation: Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/7i3okb March 10 San Diego Half Marathon & 5K The Second Annual San Diego Half Marathon is a scenic 13.1-mile course that will start at Petco Park and finish at 5th Avenue and K St. The 5K is a fast and scenic 3.1-mile race into downtown San Diego, designed for all ages and abilities. The event benefits several local charities. After the finish, “Celebrate San Diego” at the Gaslamp Block Party! Refer to website for admission information. Time: 7:30 am – 12:00 pmLocation: Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/nb4okb March 10 18th Annual Del Mar Kiwanis’ Ugly Dog Contest Big dogs, little dogs, long dogs, short dogs, shaggy dogs, curly dogs and not a pretty one in the bunch! With this event there’s more to it than just “ugly” with 10 categories of winners. See website for admission information. Proceeds benefit several charities. Time: 11:00 am – 3:00 pmLocation: Bates Nut Farm, 15954 Woods Valley Rd., Valley Center For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/334okb March 15 – 16 Epic Beer Festival This festival features over 80 craft breweries with more than 200 beers to sample. The Epic Beer Festival benefits Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, a non-profit organization that transforms lives through the gift of reconstructive surgery and related medical care. Refer to website for admission information. Time: Refer to website for specific timesLocation: Convention Center, 111 West Harbor Dr., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/jw5okb March 16 33rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival & Parade Wear something green while you enjoy the festivities in a Celtic Village filled with Irish culture, music, dancing, food, and beer; plus a Kid’s Zone with rides and activities. Time: Festival: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm, Parade: 10:30 am – 12:30 pmLocation: Balboa Park, West side of park along 6th Ave., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/zo6okb March 16 Annual St. Patrick’s 10K & 2/4-Mile Run/Walk This is an athletic event celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. This run/walk benefits Rady Children’s Hospital. There will be drawings, awards, and a special Irish award for the best “Irish Theme” running costume. Time: 7:00 am – 10:00 am Location: Mission Bay Park, San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/fh7okb March 16 North County St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival There will be a wonderful parade with three possible prizes for participants. After the parade The Village scavenger hunt for gold lets you search for clues that could lead you to be the winner of a gold coin! There will also be limerick readings at Art Beat, games and contests, a beer garden, and live entertainment. Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pmLocation: Main St., Downtown Vista For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/v97okb March 17 ShamROCK 2013 This is the 18th Annual Outdoor Musical Block Party celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on the green streets of the Historic Gaslamp Quarter. Featuring live entertainment, DJs, Irish food, green beer, Jameson Irish Whiskey, and much more! Refer to website for admission information. Time: 2:00 pm – 12:00 amLocation: Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/b28okb March 23 Fight for Air: Climb & Festival This is a most unusual athletic event where the challenge is a climb up the stairwell of the One America Plaza Building, the tallest in downtown San Diego with 657 stairs to the 32nd floor. Then celebrate your amazing feat at the outdoor festival with music, vendors, food, and drink. Refer to website for participation and admission information. Time: 8:00 am – 2:00 pmLocation: One America Plaza Building, San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/ru9okb March 23 South Park Spring Walkabout Browse, shop, and explore the neighborhood of South Park. This is a fun-filled evening festival where the shops are open late, plus entertainment, specials and surprises. This is a free event. Time: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pmLocation: South Park neighborhood, 30th St. and Fern St., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/7mapkb March 23 – 24 Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival The only Busker Festival in Southern California takes place in Seaport Village. Professionals from across the country will perform their bizarre talents from sword swallowing to knife throwing to pogo stick tricks and juggling on unicycles. Even escape artists and comedic stunt men will be there. This is a free event. Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pmLocation: Seaport Village, San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/nfbpkb March 24 Paws in the Park 2013 Celebrate the bond between people and their pets! Raise funds and awareness for animals in need. Proceeds go to the Escondido Humane Society. Registration is free. Fun contests, costume parades, entertainment, shopping, giveaways, games for people and pets, opportunity drawing and more! Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pmLocation: Kit Carson Park, 3333 Bear Valley Pkwy., Escondido For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/37bpkb March 30 2013 Cruise Into Easter This is a free family event! There will be a visit from the Easter Bunny, face painting, bounce houses, a live band and a chuck wagon lunch. Sponsored by San Diego Harley Davidson and helps support Give Clean Water, a local non-profit focused on giving clean water to the world.  Time: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, egg hunts at 11:30 am and 1:30 pmLocation: San Diego Harley Davidson, 5600 Kearny Mesa Rd., San Diego For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/j0cpkb March 31 Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt Celebrate Easter at the Hotel del Coronado with food, entertainment and fun for the whole family. The Del will feature their Easter Champagne Brunch Buffet, Easter-egg hunts, holiday crafts and visits with the Easter Bunny! There will also be a fun zone with crafts for all ages. Refer to website for admission information. Time: 9:30 am – 1:30 pmLocation: Hotel del Coronado, 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/zsdpkb March 31 Kiwanis Easter Pancake Breakfast Enjoy a full delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice, milk and coffee prepared and served by members of the Alpine Kiwanis. Proceeds help support youth programs and community projects in Alpine. Refer to website for admission and additional information. Time: 7:00 am – 12:00 pmLocation: Alpine Elementary School Auditorium, 1850 Alpine Blvd., Alpine For more information visit http://e2.ma/click/33g2e/rqa77/flepkb   Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Though every effort is made to verify the information provided, schedules are subject to change without notice. Please verify information if necessary by calling or visiting the event website provided. ©2013 Lawyers Title 5898 Copley Dr. Suite 300 | San Diego, CA 92111 US

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San Diego Home Prices Close Out 2012 Strong

Home Prices Close Out 2012 Strong.pdf Download this file

Mary "Peg" Heying

REALTOR® - CA DRE License # 01726709

Windermere Real Estate SoCal

265 W Washington St.

San Diego, CA 92103

Cell:  (619) 301-8589

Email:  realtorpeg@yahoo.com 

Website:  http://www.realtorpeg.com/

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Stunning Sunsets

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Eight Tax Breaks for Homeowners

Taxes are due April 15, which means it’s time to start gathering your W2s, 1099s, child care receipts and bank statements.

But before you sit down with your accountant, it’s important for you to know that merely owning a home could mean you qualify for tax breaks. In most cases, you need to itemize your taxes in order to take advantage of these deductions. Yes, it makes the tax-filing process seem impenetrable, but the benefits may outweigh the complications.

Here are a few of the tax breaks you’ll want to investigate:

Mortgage interest paid at settlement

Take a look at your closing statement; one item that’s generally listed there is home mortgage interest. On a mortgage of up to $1 million, you can deduct the interest that you pay at settlement if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). This amount should be included in the mortgage interest statement provided by your lender.

Points

Did you pay points in order to obtain your home mortgage? These fees are included on the income tax deductions list and can be deducted as long as they are associated with the purchase of a home. If you refinanced your home, these points are still deductible, but it must be done over the life of the mortgage.

Property taxes

As long as they are based on the assessed value of the real property, you can deduct your state and local property taxes. However, if your money is being held in escrow for the purpose of paying property taxes, you cannot claim this deduction until the money is actually taken out of escrow and paid. If you do this, check your Form 1098 for the amount you may deduct. Be aware that if you receive a partial refund of your property tax, the amount of the deduction you can claim will be reduced.

Selling costs

If you sold a home in the past year, you may be able to reduce your income tax by the amount of your selling costs. These costs can include things such as repairs, title insurance, advertising expenses and broker’s fees. The IRS only allows the deduction of repair costs associated with selling if the repairs were made within 90 days of the sale. It’s also crucial that the repairs were made with the intent of improving your home’s marketability. Selling costs are deducted from your gain on the sale.

Home office

If you use a portion of your home exclusively for the purpose of an office for your small business, you may be able to claim a deduction on your taxes for costs related to insurance, repairs and depreciation. You may only claim this deduction if the space within your home is used exclusively and regularly as either your principal place of business or a place where you meet and deal with customers or patients. You may also be able to take advantage of this deduction if a portion of your home routinely is used for storing items (product samples, inventory, etc.) used in your business.

In tax year 2010 (the most recent year for which figures are available) nearly 3.4 million taxpayers claimed the home office deduction.

Mortgage insurance premiums

You may be able to deduct the premiums paid for private mortgage insurance for your principal residence and for a non-rental second home.

The deduction begins to phase out once your adjusted gross income reaches $100,000 ($50,000 for married filing separately). In general, you can deduct the premiums paid for the current tax year only. A qualified tax adviser can provide information about rules for mortgage insurance provided by the Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and Rural Housing Service.

Home improvement loan interest

If you’ve taken out a loan to make improvements on your home, you may be able to deduct the interest on this loan. Qualifying loans are those taken out to add “capital improvements” to your home, meaning the improvement must increase your home’s value, adapt it to new uses or extend its life. New carpeting or painting are not considered capital improvements, while adding a garage, installing a water heater or building a deck are all examples of capital improvements.

Construction loan interest

If you take out a construction loan to build a home, you may qualify to deduct the interest. The IRS only allows a deduction for mortgage interest if the loan relates to a “qualified” home, which means it must either be your principal residence or a vacation home that you will use for personal purposes. You can only use this deduction for the first 24 months of the loan, even if the actual construction takes longer.
Tax codes can be confusing. You may want to consult the IRS website for information concerning deductions and credits. Additionally, consider meeting with a professional to ensure you’re not missing any deductions for which you’re eligible.

Courtesy of: http://www.foxbusiness.com/

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Mortgage Rates Hold Steady

Fixed-rate mortgages stayed mostly flat this week, remaining near their record lows and continuing to support housing demand and “translating into a pick-up in home prices in most markets,” says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. 

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Feb. 14: 

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.53 percent, with an average 0.8 point, holding the same average as last week. A year ago, 30-year rates averaged 3.87 percent. 
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 2.77 percent, with an average 0.8 point, also holding the same as last week. Last year at this time, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.16 percent.
• 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage: averaged 2.64 percent, with an average 0.6 point, rising slightly from last week’s 2.63 percent average. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 2.82 percent. 
• 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.61 percent, with an average 0.3 point, rising from last week’s 2.53 percent average. A year ago at this time, 1-year ARMs averaged 2.84 percent. 

courtesy of:  http://realtormag.realtor.org/

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NEW FORECLOSURE REGS AS OF 1/1/2013

It is called the California Foreclosure Reduction Act that is part of the Homeowners Bill of Rights.  There are 4 main points.

1. No more dual tracking – lenders can’t be considering a loan modification and continue with a Foreclosure.
2. Borrower must be given a single point of contact – no being shuffled around hither and yon.
3. No robo-signing – lender’s staff must ensure that reliable evidence has been verified before they can proceed on “foreclosure procedures.”
4. Private right of action for “material violations.”  This means that a homeowner can take a lender to court for disregarding the new law.  A borrower can seek $50,000 or triple actual damages and reasonable attorney fees for a violation.  This makes it easier on an individual homeowner since they won’t have to deal with class action cases.

By the way, latest statistics show that Short Sales are increasing and Foreclosure Sales are down.  This to me is a good fact for homeowners, lenders and neighborhoods. Not as many deserted houses and normally this means higher comp prices.

courtesy of:  www.DuaneGomer.info

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What Am I?

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