Relocation Services
THE DECISION TO RELOCATE
Making the decision to move to a new house is tough! Moving to an area you are unfamiliar with, like Carlsbad, whether for a job or other personal reasons, is tougher. There are a myriad of choices to be made, and obtaining the information you need to make those choices can be difficult and time consuming.
Even when you make the decision to relocate, there is fear and anxiety associated with being in an area where you don't know anyone, and having to find a new doctor and dentist, and learning where to shop - and if there are other family members, especially children, to consider these concerns may be magnified.
And finding the right house in a great neighborhood where you can start your new life, without being nearby so you can easily check out the area, is stressful.
Check out my BLOG Carlsbad Relocation A to Z for more information on the relocation process (both buying and selling), from both a personal and a professional perspective. Feel free to add your 2 cents and to ask questions.
I try to update this blog regularly with helpful hints, suggestions, do's and don'ts, and other information, and I will post answers to questions from buyers and sellers. It doesn't matter whether you want to move to Carlsbad or some other community - you will find loads of helpful information and insights.
And if you are also buying for the first time, visit my blog, First Time Buyer Central. You will find even more information there dedicated to those buying for the first time (but there's lots for the experienced buyer to read, too).
I HAVE RELOCATED TOO!
The thrill of discovery and acquiring information about where you are going to live can be exciting! Having relocated a significant distance 4 times myself with my family for jobs and personal choice (most recently from Boston to Carlsbad, California), I know the practical and emotional issues of relocation, and can help you make that transition, and avoid some of the pitfalls because I HAVE LIVED IT. And most of my clients ARE moving here from other areas of California and from other states.
You may be just starting to think about making a move. Or you may already be in the process and working with a relocation company or your new employer. Perhaps you have decided you want to escape the long cold winters of the Northeast (remember the blizzard on January 23, 2005...33 inches of snow in many areas - see photo at top left of page; or how about the ice storm the Northeast had on January 15, 2007?), but are not sure where in the San Diego area you wish to be. No matter where you are in your thinking, or what questions you have, I will help you!
And for more first-hand perspectives on life here in "paradise," check out my blog for Fans of Coastal San Diego.
Or for photos and videos only, stop by my Carlsbad Area Photobloggery .
SERVICES FOR RELOCATING BUYERS
If you are moving here to Carlsbad or any of the other coastal communities in North County San Diego, I offer a number of services that will benefit you, facilitate your transition, and make the home-buying process easier.
Keep in mind that with today's technology, just about everything associated with the buying process can be accomplished via email, scanning documents, faxing, and the phone (including TEXT MESSAGING). Once you have found the house you want, you don't need to physically be here until you move in...I will handle everything for you, and keep you informed along the way! And perhaps you will buy without physically seeing the house, using virtual tours, photos, videos, my "guided tour on the phone" with you, and community information.
- PHOTOS - I will preview Carlsbad or other homes that interest you and provide digital photos for you to view (more than the MLS listing) and VIDEOS of the home and neighborhood
- HOME TOUR - When you come to town to look at property, I will coordinate a full schedule of listings to view, based on our discussion of what you WANT and NEED. You will know the full itinerary before you arrive, but we can always modify the schedule as needed.
- COMMUNITY INFORMATION - I will provide as much community information as I can for the areas that interest you, and will include a Customized Relocation Package.
- TRANSACTION COORDINATION - After a purchase contract is signed, I will handle all the details that you cannot while out of town, until close of escrow.
- FOLLOW-UP - After close of escrow, if you are not moving right away, I will check on your property regularly, and will be available to let in contractors if estimates are needed or work is to be done before you move in.
- AREA TOUR - I will provide a guided area tour for you once you have arrived and are settled so you will get to know the area - where to shop, beaches, restaurants, etc.
CUSTOMIZED NEIGHBORHOOD REPORTS
No matter what area(s) you are interested in and around Carlsbad, I can provide neighborhood information (demographics, weather, schools, housing costs, crime, income, employment), as well as tell you where to go to research the questions you have if you prefer.
Each report is tailored to the zip code where you are thinking of moving, or may encompass a broader area (all of Carlsbad, for example). I can include more or less information in the report, depending on what interests you.
Are you interested in several towns and want to compare them? These reports can help give you the information you need to choose one over the other.
If your customized report is too large to email, I will mail it directly to your home or office. Just let me know what you need!
FINDING A COMMUNITY AND A HOME
The BEST way to learn about housing in a new locale is to work with a local REALTOR® who KNOWS the Carlsbad area and nearby towns, AND to spend time reviewing the housing market to learn as much as you can - available properties, housing trends, comparative values, and recent sales.
Most importantly, you need to know what you can afford, and want to spend, so you don't waste time looking at listings that are beyond your financial means, or in communities where the type of housing you want in your price range does not exist. The more you can tell me about the type of neighborhood that appeals to YOU, the more helpful I can be.
NEED FINANCING HELP?
If you need a mortgage broker to help you with getting pre-approved (unless you are paying cash) and finding the right loan, feel free to contact BRIAN BRADY (Worldwide Credit Corporation) at (858) 777-9751 or JENNY DIBBLE (Bank of America) at (909) 815-1299. And please let Brian or Jenny know I sent you! Need other suggestions? I know several other brokers I can refer you to. Just ask!
BUYER RESEARCH
Doing your own research is the most effective way to become educated about a new area so you can make the right decisions. You can search the entire MLS for CARLSBAD REAL ESTATE and the San Diego area on my website, and sign up to receive daily emailed listings that meet YOUR criteria (town, type of housing, price range, number of bedrooms, etc).
Since the daily emailed listings are somewhat limited in information, I can provide the FULL MLS listing at a moment's notice so you have the same information that I do.
And if you want statistics on housing trends, appreciation, affordability, sale price/list price ratios or other details, I can provide that to you for Carlsbad or any town(s) you wish. I can customize a report for any town you wish.
Finally, be sure to check out my CARLSBAD AREA PHOTO TOUR page which also includes links to community profiles and Virtual Tours of Carlsbad and nearby towns to get a feel for the region, if you are not already familiar with it. And if you want to see photos of other areas, just let me know and I will provide them to you.
I also have a NEW Carlsbad Area Video and Photo Bloggery where I post area pictures and videos
I also write a series of community profiles on area towns (Carlsbad [La Costa, Aviara, Rancho Carrillo, Calavera Hills], Encinitas, Cardiff [Walking and Composer Districts], with others being added all the time) on a national real estate network as well as many articles about buying and selling.
CHECK OUT "Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits >> the California Relocation Dude Talks". Here I talk about everything real estate, and much more - community information in and around Carlsbad and coastal San Diego, things to do, restaurants, tourist attractions, and so on.