Located between Hillcrest and North Park, University Heights is a community of Craftsman and Spanish Revival homes interspersed with several apartments and businesses.

University Heights offers residents and visitors many recreational options with several coffee houses, restaurants, retail shops, and Trolley Barn Park, which is the perfect place for relaxing, enjoying a picnic, or even an impromptu yoga session under the trees.

Diversionary Theatre on Park Boulevard produces  plays with an LGBT focus.

History

The University in University Heights (and adjacent University Avenue) was so named because of a plan in the 1880s to build a university in the area. I to be located on a tract of land later used for the State Normal School (predecessor to San Diego State College). The headquarters of San Diego Unified School district currently occupies the site near the corner of El Cajon and Park Boulevards.

On the far northern edge of this mesa, at the scenic rim of Mission Valley, an ostrich farm and public garden spot was constructed near what is now the corner of Adams Avenue and Park Boulevard. The little neighborhood of homes subsequently built on the site is still called Mission Cliff Gardens and still sports the original garden boundary wall of rounded stones. The gardens were a popular tourist site (Source: Wikipedia).

I am dedicated to the University Heights neigborhood, my husband, Michael Borrelli owns and operates his business, Borrelli Design + Cabinetry, out of the Park Blvd. Art Works building. The building is home to several small creative and enterprising businesses and is located in the heart of University Heights at 4421 Park Blvd. Stop in and see Michael and the showroom, gallery, and artists lofts.

Let me help you find your next home in University Heights—I know you’ll love the neighborhood! Give me a call at 619-368-9373 and let’s discover University Heights together–your new home awaits!

Getting to University Heights:

Whether you are preparing your home for sale, or you just want to make some improvements to your landscaping for curb appeal and enjoyment, check out these tips from Lamps Plus:

Now that summer is fast approaching most of us tend to push thoughts of outdoor lighting to the back of our minds. After all, who needs much lighting when the days are long and the beautiful sunlight is plentiful? Most people would agree with the writer Henry James when he said, “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language,” and leave it at that.

But not so fast, says Lamps Plus blogger and designer Marcia Prentice. “There are actually a lot of summer outdoor lighting ideas that you can use to not only add style to your home, but also safety and energy savings.”

Start with Porch Lights
The longer days mean that family and guests will be out and about later into the evening. Because of this, porch lights are essential for welcoming guests in style and giving them adequate light to safely navigate walkways and steps. “Porch lights also add a touch of elegance and curb appeal to just about any home,” notes Marcia. “Just remember to size the light correctly for the size of your home. Most people buy fixtures that are too small for their porch space. I like to cut out a piece of paper that’s the size of the fixture, tape it into location and then stand at the curb or in the walkway to see how it will look. The same approach can be used to size backyard patio lights.”

Dark Sky Lighting
One option for outdoor lighting around your home is what is called Dark Sky outdoor lights. These types of lights aim light at the ground, not the sky, reducing light pollution. Many local communities have Dark Sky lighting regulations, which may specifically call for this type of lighting. “Even if you don’t need to install this type, it is still a great option for homeowners,” says Marcia. “With more light on the ground, they can actually improve visibility in walkways by reducing light glare and flares. This means you can reduce the wattage of the bulbs you use, saving energy over the long term.”

Security Lights
Security is always an issue with outdoor lighting, notes Marcia. “Aside from style, you’ll also want to make sure that your plan offers safety and security for your summer evenings outdoors. I love using dusk to dawn lights for seating areas, porches and garden pathways.” This type of lighting uses a built-in photocell to automatically turn the light on at dusk and then off again at dawn. “You don’t have to be home for the outdoor lighting to turn on and you don’t have to remember to turn lights off after a party or family gathering,” explains Marcia. “The built-in dusk to dawn feature takes care of everything for you, which is a great security feature as well as something that will save you energy and money.”

Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting
For those wanting to really save on their energy bills, energy efficient outdoor lights are the way to go. “Today there are more energy efficient outdoor lighting designs on the market than ever before,” says Marcia. “Many of these use new LED technology or other design features to make them as energy-miser as possible, and they come in all styles for your home, from traditional to really ultra-modern looks.”

Energy Star rated outdoor lights are a popular option, though designs without the rating can be just as energy efficient. Energy Star is a government program tests fixtures based on guidelines set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. “Look for the tags on products to see if they are Energy Star,” says Marcia, She also advises that consumers look at the wattage of the bulbs used by the fixture and, also very important, the lumens, or light level output, the bulbs produce. “This will really help you determine how much light a design will produce and at what cost. Outdoor lights are on a lot, so it’s important to know what your energy costs will be before you buy.”

Add the Party Lights
What’s a summer season without a BBQ or pool party? String lights, often called party lights, are an inexpensive way to add a fun look to your summer entertaining. Many times you can string together multiple strands of lights, so you can use them to cover large decks or garden areas. They are found in a wide range of themes, from paper lanterns to flowers, with a number of child-themed options as well. “I love that you can just string them up for a party to transform the look of your space, plug them in, and then quickly take them down the next day after the party is over,” says Marcia. “And you don’t even have to hang them up. You can just bunch them together and put them in tall glass jars or wrap them around tree trunks to create really interesting effects.”

Source: Lamps Plus

Mortgage rates hit an all-time low today. While this is mixed news for some sectors, this is great news for home buyers and those looking to refinance. The Bloomberg article below spells out the details.

I would be happy to help you find not only the house of your dreams, but the mortgage to fit your lifestyle and budget. Call me at 619.368.9373 and let’s make your dream a reality!

Mortgage Rates in U.S. for 30-Year Loans Fall to Record Low

By Prashant Gopal – May 3, 2012 for Bloomberg

photo credit: shanna trenholm

Spring and summer signal the onset of the outdoor season across much of the country. In San Diego, we spend much of our time in the garden and outdoors nearly year ’round.

One of the benefits of our amazing climate is the wealth of fresh produce at farmers markets and small farms across the county. And now, organic fruits and vegetables are finding their way into mainstream markets.

No longer just for the upscale markets such as Whole Foods, but even Target and Wal-Mart are getting into the act. If you live in San Diego, or want to, growing your own organic produce is easy with a little preparation. And almost anyone can enjoy the satisfaction of a fresh sun-warmed tomato or herbs for salad, even those with only a condominium balcony or townhouse patio.

Here are a few Organic Gardening Basics from OhMyGarden.com:

Everyone has heard of organic gardening, but do you know what is organic gardening ?  In the most basic terms organic gardening is when a gardener doesn’t use any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers  on their plants.  In addition organic gardeners usually try to work in harmony with the environment and try to minimize the use of the world’s resources.  Kitchen waste, grass clippings, and leaves are all items that the organic gardener will reuse by adding these items to their compost pile, and then adding the nutrient rich compost to the garden.  Organic gardeners must be selective and choose the proper species that are best suited to their local environment.  Each species has a preferred climate that they will perform to their peak.   They will also have the natural ability to defend  themselves against local insects that may be present.

Perhaps you have heard of the phrase “feed the soil”.  This is a term organic gardeners are very familiar with, as they feed the soil naturally, not synthetically.  Organic gardeners do fertilize their gardens; however they use natural fertilizers like manure, compost, compost tea, and fish fertilizers.  Adding organic matter to the soil has several benefits. It improves the condition and structure of the soil, as well as improving the soils ability to hold water.  It allows for nutrients to be released slowly as well as supporting the soils microbiological activity.

Additionally many organic gardeners like to use natural mulches such as lawn clippings, to suppress weeds, as well as maintain moisture and heat near their plants. Many people fail to realize that weeds are a major source of insects that will attract disease and insects. Therefore gardeners must keep their gardens as weed free as possible.

It is a good practice to stay out of your garden when it is wet. This will prevent the spreading of diseases, which take place much easier when plants are wet.  Organic gardeners do use copper sulfate sprays, which comes from naturally occurring minerals, to fight off certain plant diseases.  By rotating your crops every year you can decrease the likely hood of diseases that may have overwintered in your gardens soil.

Organic gardeners make use of companion planting. Generally there are two types of companion planting that gardeners do.  One where plants will complement each other by the nutrient uptake that each plant variety needs.   The other where certain plants will repel insects from other crops. You can plant onions, garlic, and marigolds among your vegetables to repel insects and even some animals. In future articles we will explore each component of organic gardening in more detail.

It’s no secret that many Americans are struggling to pay their mortgages. Every day new programs are springing up to, ostensibly, help these homeowners.

Recently in the San Diego U-T, writer Lily Leung exposed two new loan modification scams. Here is her report.

Since the recession, authorities have cracked down hard on scammers who prey on people trying to save their homes. Now, the U.S. government is turning its attention to companies who prey on borrowers trying to save their automobiles.

Officials with the Federal Trade Commission, which protects consumers, have sued two separate business enterprises in the state, one based in San Diego, for falsely promising struggling borrowers to reduce monthly car payments and fend off repossession after taking up-front fees.

The two cases, in federal court in California, are the first of their kind for the government agency.

“Now that the FTC and its partners have stopped hundreds of mortgage loan modification scams, fraud artists are moving to another loan modification scam, preying on consumers who are behind on their auto loan payments and facing repossession,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a media statement.

The defendants named in the case with a San Diego tie are Naythem Nafso and Michael Kamfiroozie; and their companies Nafso VLM, Inc., (also known as Vehicle Loan;) and Kore Services, LLC, (also known as Auto Debt Consulting and Car Loans Modification.)

The complaint, filed in late March, says the defendants through the web and other telemarketing promised to cut car-loan payments by 25 percent to 40 percent and would refund any up-front fees if the loan modification didn’t happen. People were charged $399 up-front fee, court records show.

The result in several cases, according to FTC investigators?

…Defendants fail to obtain the promised vehicle loan modifications that will make consumers’ monthly loan payments more affordable. In numerous instances, consumers learn from their lenders that Defendants have not even contacted the lender or that Defendants have made only minimal, non-substantive contacts with the lender. In numerous instances, when Defendants fail to obtain a vehicle loan modification as promised, Defendants deny refund requests from consumers.

The second loan-mod case filed by the FTC is against Hope for Car Owners, LLC, based in Folsom and Roseville. The federal government also alleges the company tricked people with car notes into thinking their monthly payments would be lowered.

If you think you’ve encountered an unethical company, file a complaint with the FTC by calling (877) 382-4357.

photo credit: rm999 Creative Commons license

Hillcrest, one San Diego’s most popular neighborhoods is at the heart of the Uptown District and by much opinion the center of the cultural core. Hillcrest is adjacent to 1,200-acres of lush Balboa Park, home to several museums, theaters, open green spaces and parks; playgrounds and the famous of San Diego Zoo.

A very walkable neighborhood of restaurants, cafés, shops, and theaters, Hillcrest just demands to be explored on foot. Stroll the tree-lined streets that feature lovingly restored Craftsman and Spanish-Revival homes, with several other eclectic architectural styles, too. Hillcrest has the feel of a neighborhood, with the amenities of a village.

The most popular dining and shopping hotspots in Hillcrest are concentrated in “The Village” area bounded by Washington and University, between Fourth and Fifth Avenue, but some of the most rewarding are out-of-the-way surprises scattered throughout the neighborhood.

Enthusiastic supporters of the arts, Hillcrest’s gay community has helped launch and patronize a number of excellent restaurants, cafes, art galleries, bookshops, boutiques, and furniture stores. Landmark Cinemas offers eccentric films, both classic and obscure. (source: http://www.sandiego.org/article_set/Visitors/8/116)

Getting to Hillcrest

From the North: Take the 163 freeway south to University Avenue, which places you in the heart of Hillcrest. If you are heading to Balboa Park, continue south on 163 to Park Boulevard. Exit and left onto Park and follow signs.

From the South: Head north on INTERSTATE 5 to the B Street/Pershing exit and exit onto Pershing. Turn left at Florida Drive, left on Zoo Place, and right onto Park Boulevard. Balboa Park will be on your left. To explore Hillcrest, continue on Park and turn left onto University.

I would love to help you explore Hillcrest or any of the other beautiful communities in San Diego—please contact me if you’d like to check out the neighborhood: 619.368.9373.

With spring and summer just around the corner, travel season and outdoor activities that keep us away from our homes is upon us.

Be Forewarned
Every home should have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors, but they require some minor maintenance and don’t last forever. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a home fire.

• Make sure you have smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, including the basement. The USFA recommends installing them inside and outside of sleeping areas.
• Replace your batteries regularly. While having a working smoke detector more than doubles your chance of survival, it’s estimated that one third of smoke alarms are not working, often due to worn out batteries. Many people use the time change each spring and fall as a reminder to change batteries.
• Replace old smoke alarms. According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. It is also recommended that homes have both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms, or dual sensor smoke alarms which have both types of sensors. (Ionization alarms sound more quickly in a flaming, fast-moving fire. Photoelectric alarms are faster at sensing smoldering, smoky fires.) When the time comes to replace your detectors, consider a First Alert product. You can find affordable options with both types of sensors.

Seeking Security?
Taking precautions to protect your home extend to home security, as well. According to the Bureau of Justice, many home burglaries occur simply by a thief walking through the front door.

• Protect yourself and your family through the use of deadbolts on doors and locks on windows.
• Installing motion-sensor lights on walkways or driveways can potentially deter a thief.
• Many home security kits are available in a “do it yourself” complete package, allowing you to customize sirens, entry points and more.
• If installing an entire security system seems too much, something simple like a keyless entry system provides peace of mind and easy installation. A garage door keyless entry using fingerprint identity ensures that only the right people gain access to your home.

Weather the Storm
Protecting your home from inclement weather is an essential part of ensuring your family’s safety.

• The first step is having a family discussion about safe rooms in the house and a plan in case of dangerous weather.
• According to FEMA, a weather radio with NOAA technology allows as much as eight minutes lead time before public alarms sound to move family and pets to a safe room or secure location.
• Make sure you have a weather safety kit that contains a flashlight, portable power for your electronics, an emergency radio, walkie talkies, bottled water and dry goods. Let each child choose 1 to 2 items to put in the weather prep toolkit, such as a toy, game or personal item to help keep them occupied and calm in the case you have to take shelter for a long period of time. Additional alkaline batteries are always good to have on hand in case of emergency.

Source: www.radioshack.com.

With the arrival of spring, homeowners and gardeners are beginning the task of cleaning up their yards and gardens to prepare for the growing season.

More than 450 non-native forest insects and diseases are now established in the United States. While most can’t move far on their own, many pests can hitchhike undetected on firewood and brush, starting new infestations in locations hundreds of miles away.

These infestations can destroy forests, lower property values, and cost huge sums of money to control. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, estimates for damage costs in urban areas for just one invasive pest, the Asian longhorned beetle, range from $1.7 billion for nine selected cities to $669 billion for the entire United States.

“Even experts can’t always detect a couple of pin-head size insect eggs or a few microscopic fungus spores hidden in wood; however, these tiny threats are enough to destroy an entire forest,” says Leigh Greenwood, Don’t Move Firewood campaign manager, The Nature Conservancy. “Disposing of tree debris, brush, and other yard waste either on site or through municipal composting are the best ways that homeowners can prevent spreading tree-killing pests as they clean up their yards and gardens this spring.”

Pest infestations can take years to be recognized by the authorities because sometimes trees appear healthy despite harboring harmful organisms. Many states have either regulations or quarantines relating to the movement of raw logs, unprocessed wood, or firewood. Depending on the types of problems present in a given state, these regulations might include cut firewood, raw logs under a certain length, high-risk species of trees or brush, or other woody materials. Some of the invasive pests that have prompted both federal and state quarantines include the emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, gypsy moth, pine shoot beetle, sudden oak death, sirex wood wasp, and the hemlock woolly adelgid.

“During the spring, people also can be on the lookout for signs of invasive pests as they work in their yards and gardens,” says Greenwood. “Although these insects and diseases can sometimes be difficult to detect, observant, concerned citizens are usually the ones who discover new infestations.” 

Tips for spring cleanup:

• If you don’t want to keep your firewood until next winter, don’t be tempted to take it with you when camping, and don’t bring it along on any road trips. Instead, you can give it to your next-door neighbor, burn or chip it on site, or dispose of it locally.
• Hire a tree service or rent a tree chipper to shred fallen trees and branches and brush into mulch for your own garden beds and landscaping projects.
• Many areas now offer a yard waste recycling program. Contact your municipal solid waste management department for information specific to your area.
• If a yard waste recycling or composting program is not available, and you cannot keep it on site, brush, logs, and branches should be disposed of in a local landfill.
• Take care to respect all state and local regulations on the movement of firewood and other unprocessed wood – some areas are subject to serious fines for violations.
• During your spring cleanup, if you notice an insect or tree disease you don’t recognize, take a photo or obtain a specimen of it, and compare it to Web site photos of the suspected pest.
• If you believe you have found a new outbreak of an invasive insect or disease, contact your state department of agriculture: http://www.rma.usda.gov/other/stateag.html.

Source: www.dontmovefirewood.org, www.nature.org.

Setting the stage for a successful open house doesn’t have to be a daunting task.

I can help to put you at ease and make your open house run smoothly and stress-free. Let’s discuss ways to get your home sold, for the right price and at the right time. I am here to help–just call me for a non-obligation consultation at: 619.368.9373.

(This is an excerpt from an article called 8 Tips for a Successful Open House originally published on Bankrate.com by Dana Dratch. For the full article, click here.)

Save paper, save money

High-tech can save you and the buyers money and time, too. Before technology, real estate agents prepared hefty brochures with materials about the house for prospective sellers. These days, many agents put all of that information online, says Pat Vredevoogd Combs, past-president of the National Association of Realtors and vice president of Coldwell Banker AJS Schmidt in Grand Rapids, Mich. People are more likely to read the material online, she says. And she finds that most of her attendees have reviewed it before they come to the open house. Realtor.com has a free real estate app for consumers. It finds and lists all of the open houses within a certain radius, with maps and directions to each. It includes salient features, such as asking price and number of bedrooms. Still, Combs sometimes keeps a limited number of printed brochures, just for folks who might not have access to or interest in the Internet.

Use low-tech, too

How’d you like to increase foot traffic with serious buyers for about $7? Update that “for sale” sign with an “open house” sign exactly one week before your big event. Called “riders” because they ride on top of your “for sale” sign, the attachments are available from home improvement stores and you can usually get them preprinted with “Open house Saturday” or “Open house Sunday.” So for just a few dollars, “anyone driving by will know that they can come back Sunday and it will be open,” Pratt says.

Enlist the neighbors

The last thing you want when you throw open the doors for an open house is your neighbors nosing through your closets. But that’s actually not such a bad thing, according to some real estate agents. “The neighborhood people are the most important sales people for the house,” Combs says. “So I want them to come in. They’re the people who want their friends to come move into the neighborhood. They’re my scouts.” If you want to make the most of it, consider sending invitations or fliers (print them out cheaply from your computer) to invite the neighbors. You can also use email or Evites, if that’s more your style.

Create a neutral environment

If you have anything that could be considered the least bit controversial (like an animal head on the wall, or a photo of you with a polarizing politico), take it down for the duration. Some real estate agents recommend going as far as getting rid of anything personal (family photos, drawings on the fridge), feeling that a blank slate helps potential buyers picture themselves in the house.

Other agents take an opposite view. “People are buying a house, and they want to live in it and they want to know that human beings have lived in it,” Combs says. “I think it connects with them.” Either way, close all the toilet lids and get rid of those fuzzy (or carpeted) lid covers, Pratt says. The covers are dated and “no one ever wants to look in your toilet bowl,” she says. Also consider removing area rugs in favor of bare floors, Pratt says. “You want buyers to see the floors. It gives them a feeling of space that’s not chopped up.”

Be absent

If you have an agent, there’s no reason for you to attend your own open house. So grab the pets and get out of the way. Buyers need to picture themselves in the house. That’s more difficult if you’re around. “Very rarely does it work out for the buyers and sellers to meet in advance,” Pratt says. And from a practical standpoint, “when buyers are walking through an open house, they want some anonymity. And with the homeowners there, they can’t speak freely. And they can’t speak to each other.”

Collect all your pets’ ancillary items, such as food bowls and litter boxes. And if you can’t take the items with you, make sure they are pristine, Pratt says. While showing a 6,000-square-foot house, a soiled litter box in an out-of-the-way corner of a distant spare room caused one pair of potential buyers to write off an otherwise spotless house because it “smelled like cat pee,” she recalls.

Be security conscious

You’re letting total strangers walk through your home. You’re allowed to set a few ground rules before the big day. A few to consider:

• Everyone signs in and shows a driver’s license, says Patricia Szot, president of the MetroTex Association of Realtors and owner of Keller Williams Realty/Lake Cities at Firewheel. Skip the ID and you run the risk of a fake name and identification number.
• No one uses the bathrooms. It’s an open house, not a gas station, says Szot. With an open house, you never want a closed door between you and a stranger in your home, she says.
• There’s nothing in the medicine cabinets worth taking. One hot crime for some open houses: pharmaceutical theft, Combs says. Dispose of anything you’re not using and either take the rest with you or lock it up.
• Valuables are secured. Lock up anything that might tempt sticky fingers: cash, jewelry, credit cards, bills, liquor, valuable tchotchkes and personal electronics.
• Guests always have a chaperone. Have whoever is manning the tour work in pairs or as a team to be certain that guests will have an escort as they view the house, Szot says.

Choose an ‘off’ hour

Most open houses are Saturday, or more often Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. or from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Szot says. “I highly recommend doing it from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.,” she says. Not only do you have less open-house competition at that time, but you draw attention to your house. Chances are buyers will hit several open houses the same day. At the beginning, “they are excited about all the houses they’re going to tour, says Szot. “They fly through them eager to see the next one.” But at the end of the day if they’re still looking, she says, you’ll get serious consideration.

photo by Luci Dumas

No, this is not the South Park of the popular television series; it’s one of the hottest and hippest neighborhoods in San Diego.

There are many homes available in South Park: Spanish, Craftsman, and Bungalows, among others. Contact me if you’d like to check out the neighborhood: 619.368.9373.

Located east of Balboa Park, and adjacent to Golden Hill, its neighbor to the south, South Park also includes the historic Burlingame district. South Park is north of Grant Hill and south of North Park, a neighborhood that I featured last month. South Park is a quaint and classic neighborhood that is home to many restaurants, pubs, coffeehouses, and unique retail stores.

Don’t miss the quarterly South Park Walkabout, a neighborhood-wide celebration. Shops are open late, live music and refreshments are provided, and a free trolley carries attendees from Beech Street to Grape Street to Juniper Street. The next one is March 24, 2012 at 6 p.m.

History

Serious development in the South Park neighborhood started around 1905 with the extension of streetcar service by the Bartlett Webster developing company. In the 1910s, Golden Hill and the area now referred to as South Park became one of the many San Diego neighborhoods connected by the Class 1 streetcars and an extensive San Diego public transit system that was spurred by the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 and built by John D. Spreckels. These streetcars became a fixture of this neighborhood until their retirement in 1939.

South Park stands out in San Diego for its tree-lined streets, compact blocks, and walkable business district. Predominantly a single-family residence area with some small apartment buildings and bungalow courts, it is noteworthy for its fine and varied collection of Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival style homes built between 1905 and 1930. These include works by Irving Gill, William S. Hebbard, and Richard Requa. Many of the houses are historically designated and an official historic district has been in the pipeline for a number of years.

The southern portion of South Park shares the 92102 zip code with Golden Hill and other areas and the northern portion shares the 92104 zip code with North Park. South Park is home to the Albert Einstein Academy Charter School for German language immersion.

South Park has a reputation as a dog-friendly area, supported by one of the few designated dog parks adjacent to a residential area (located at Grape Street).

The Old House Fair

The Old House Fair is an annual community event in South Park, centered on the intersection of 30th Street and Beech Street. It occurs on a Saturday in the middle of June. Vendors are primarily local businesses selling home furnishings and other items of interest for owners of vintage homes. Musical groups also perform on a stage on Beech Street.

 [source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park,_San_Diego]