La Jolla Real Estate - Oceanfront Homes and Condos

Southern California is the American Riviera making La Jolla it's crowning jewel.  A seaside resort community of San Diego California, La Jolla is known for beaches, fine dining, shopping and luxury living.  La Jolla is one of Southern California's most desirable communities with breathtaking views! 

 It is no wonder with all that La Jolla California has to offer that the likes of Gregory Peck, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) and Raquel Welch have all called La Jolla home.  Isn't it time you called La Jolla home too?

Home theatre systems are becoming a standard requirements with many Luxury La Jolla home buyers.  But we have a twist on this trend, take it outdoors instead of a room in your La Jolla Luxury home.  The whole concept of backyard entertainment all started with the Princess Cruise Lines: Movie Under the Stars when plasma televisions were placed on the outside of the ship for everyone to watch their favorite movie or TV show while enjoying their favorite cocktail or activity. 

This was a big hit, people loved it and the trend has expanded onto other ships as well.  Now you can take that idea and apply it to your La Jolla yard with your very own private outdoor theatre.  You can have a quiet evening at home and under stars with a few friends and watch a movie in the privacy of your backyard or a elegant private party for you and family members. 

Just think!  You will be the La Jolla Home everyone wants!

Cal Spas has just what you need!  The highlight is a complete home theater system with a 63-inch LCD flat panel HDTV, surround sound, iPod docking station, Sirius satellite radio, and hookups for gaming consoles.

Also on board for the party are:

• a five-burner BBQ grill
• a wet bar,
• weatherproof recliners with cup holders 
• two fire pits

On top of that, the theater system is built to marine grade specifications for protection from the elements.  All of your needs for your La Jolla backyard in one place.  No more  worrying about the kids not sitting down to eat dinner without being able to watch TV.  

 And while youre at it, why not add on one of Cal Spas hot tubs to round out your backyard paradise in La Jolla California?

Only you can make that determination.   

We understand as Buyers in the La Jolla area your need to know the answers to your questions! We are not trying to keep the information from you, but the Federal Fair Housing Act has our hands tied. 

That is why we have compiled some resources to answer your very important questions. The Internet is a wonderful resource and there are many great resources in addition to this list.

Because of the fair house rules, we suggest that before you decide to put an offer on home that you:

• Stop by the La Jolla Library and speak with the librarian, they will be full of resources for you to investigate your potential new La Jolla home!
• Visit the school district website, call the school that your children will attend and ask for a tour. Call the President of the PTA and introduce yourself and ask a few questions. Check out the Schools Accountability Report Card
• Cruise the neighborhood at night. You'll see the guy next door while he's at home (rather than at work).  Most people make the mistake of seeing a home during the day and looking again during the same time a few days later.
• Walk the neighborhood during rush hour. Not just block, but the four blocks surrounding yours.  Befriend a few neighbors along the way.
• Look for basketball hoops, skateboard ramps, and trampolines, all tell-tale signs kids in your potential new La Jolla neighborhood.
• Check the La Jolla Village News  and see if there are any local meetings, or a meeting of the PTO, those are great places to learn what is really going on in a neighborhood.
• Watch and listen for unleashed neighborhood dogs or excessive barking from dogs.  
• Stop by the Permitting Office to find out which neighbors have filed for home improvements like permits for building a house extension over the next 12 months, a noisy new tennis court, or a new pool.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new LaJolla California home!  Now that we have the contract signed and we have a closing date you have some important planning to do!  And we are not talking about your move...We are talking about your La Jolla House Warming Party! 

This is one of the best ways to introduce yourself to the neighbors!  What exactly makes for an exceptional House Warming Party?  Well there are some basic things you can do to ensure that your party will have your neighbors in La Jolla talking about your party for the years to come. 

Let's start with the what will set the tone for the party -- your party theme!  The most important thing you have to decide is the theme of your party, this will determine the food, drink, date and time for the party.  Here are a few ideas for your La Jolla House Warming Party:

• Try having a Martini Bar with trendy Sushi
• A classic Sunday Brunch with Mimosas, Bloody Mary's, Quiche, bagels and fresh fruit
• Try something different and invite your neighbors over for Dessert and Expresso
• Then there is the classic Wine Tasting, traditional BBQ or Mexican Fiesta
• Want to just meet the ladies of your La Jolla neighborhood?  How about an English Tea Party or is it close to Christmas -- how about a cookie exchange lunch?
• From another area of the world?  Think of the fun you could have if you are from Philadephia, New York City, Paris, Berlin, Chicago or Dallas!

Keep the party time scheduled short, if people stay longer that is great, but there is nothing more awkward than dead spots in your party.  Set your tone of your party with the invitation to your La Jolla neighbors.  Once you have your theme remember to keep your La Jolla House Warming Party simple and easy for yourself.  Do as much of the prep work ahead of time.  Relax and have a wonderful time getting to know your La Jolla neighbors.

Is there something wrong with my La Jolla Home?

Common knowledge dictates that if Luxury La Jolla Real Estate doesnt sell, there must be something wrong with them. That's a true statement. In a market that is moving, there is something wrong with Luxury La Jolla Real Estate that doesn't sell. But contrary to popular belief, it's not always location or condition. Usually , its hidden in the price of the Luxury La Jolla Real Estate.

Read Also:   How Can I Increase My Chances of Selling my La Jolla Home?

 The number one reason why an otherwise attractive home does not sell is price.

Homes that are grossly overpriced often never sell at all. Why? Because home buyers don't make offers on them. Why Don't Home Buyers Make Offers on Overpriced Listings? They don't want to offend the seller. It goes against human nature to offer substantially less than asking price to a seller. It's insulting to the seller and embarrassing for the buyer. Buyers erroneously believe that the seller knows the home is overpriced They believe that if a seller would be willing to sell for less, the seller would simply lower her price.

Buyers also assume that the seller must have turned down low-ball offers from other buyers because surely someone, somewhere along the line, had offered a reasonable price to the seller. But many times, there are no offers at all. 

How Do You Find an Overpriced Listing?

The easiest way is to ask your Realtor about the average days on market (DOM) for your area. Multiple listing systems are designed so it's fairly easy to compute the DOM. Then ask your Realtor to sort through the listings and give you a print-out of every home that has been on the market longer than the average DOM. If your Realtor is a neighborhood specialist, it is likely she has toured these homes and has intimate knowledge of condition and layout of these homes. Ask her to share this information with you. You can also ask your Realtor which of the homes she thinks are overpriced as well. You will be amazed to learn that often agents don't tell listing agents whether their listings are overpriced because agents don't want to offend anyone either! But listing agents aren't infallible. Sometimes they make mistakes when estimating market value prices for a seller. Ultimately, however, remember that it is always the seller's responsibility to select the sales price.

Read Also: How To Buy Luxury La Jolla Real Estate and Homes

Why Would a Seller Lower the Price?

A couple who bought the house you see pictured on this page at first wondered the same thing. That home sat on the market at an asking price of almost $950,000 for three months. In a hot market seller's market, it probably could have sold for about $800,000, but the market was softening and demand was decreasing. Moreover, the sellers had moved out of the area, leaving the home vacant. The listing agent was unaware that the home was overpriced. The sellers were motivated. Pointing out market conditions to the seller, this couple was able to negotiate a deal to buy the home for about $400,000 less than list price. Their contract was the only offer on the table while the sellers' clock was ticking. To make the offer more attractive to the sellers, the buyers did not include the sale of their existing home as a contingency. They offered the seller a sizable earnest money deposit to show that they meant business. And they also showed the seller a list of homes that sold in the neighborhood at more reasonable prices.

Read Also:  SOLD In La Jolla!

Now, not every home that is overpriced will ultimately sell for less than market value. But many homes that are listed at unrealistic prices are owned by sellers who are motivated and who are willing to listen to reasons why they should sell at a reduced price to you. If you find out that a seller has turned down multiple offers for less money, it might mean that it's just a matter of timing.

Eventually the light bulb will go on and a seller will say yes. There are overpriced gems hiding among the inventory of homes for sale every day. Don't just pass them by. You could be passing up an opportunity to buy your dream home.

Interesting Side Note: After this transaction closed and the final sales price was published, an irate buyer who had previously seen this home called the listing agent. She was upset and complained, saying if she had known the seller was willing to go that low, she would have bought the house and offered $100,000 more. Well, why didn't she?