FAQ's About Accessory Dwelling Units aka "ADU's" & Senate Bill 1069   For the benefit of those that don't have direct links regarding SB 1069 I have copied and pasted the legislation from their website in its original format. Albeit rather lengthy it answers just about every question that pertains to the Bill. If you have any more quiestions please feel free to ask.     Are Existing Ordinances Null and Void? Yes, any local ordinance adopted prior to January 1, 2017 that is not in compliance with the changes to ADU law will be null and void. Until an ordinance is adopted, local governments must apply “state standards” (See Attachment 4 for State Standards checklist). In the absence of a local ordinance complying with ADU law, local review must be limited to “state standards” and cannot ... 03/21/2017

  Summary of Recent Changes to [California Senate Bill 1069] ADU Laws   I will be posting frequently on this subject on several social media and business platforms as I've been getting feedback from several folks seeking more information on this new California mandate/law. Please feel free to repost or pass it on to folks you feel may benefit from it; especially homeowners.       Courtesy of Karen Chapple, UC Berkeley     The California legislature found and declared that, among other things, allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single family and multifamily zones provides additional rental housing and are an essential component in addressing housing needs in California. Over the years, ADU law has been revised to improve its effectiveness such as recent changes in 2003 to requir... 03/20/2017

  [Encinitas City] "Council discusses bill on [Accessory] housing units"   City of Encinitas taking a very proactive posture on   Senate Bill 1069.  Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear (Courtesy) By Brittany Woolsey "To create a housing shortage in a huge country, heavily wooded with a small population -- ah, that's proof of pure political genius."-- Richard J. Needham   Accessory dwelling units could be a more realistic option for Encinitas to reach its state-mandated housing requirements, following the draft of a locally-initiated bill regarding the units. The Encinitas City Council at its meeting on March 8 heard an update on the status of legislative relief, proposed in December, for accessory dwelling units. Such units have been favored by residents to help Encinitas reach its man... 03/19/2017

California Senate Bill 1069 How It May Impact Real Estate?  NOTE: If you are a stakeholder on this topic please be sure to log onto all the links as they are a blow by blow breakdown of this new law. I have recently been posting about the somewhat controversial and often  confusing Senate Bill 1069; The California State Mandate that went into effect on January 1, 2017.  SB 1069 is a new LAW, or in most instances the re-definition of ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADU's) aka GRANNY FLATS, GARAGE APARTMENTS and/or  GARAGE CONVERSIONS, CASITAS, 2ND UNITS, etc.  What is an ADU An "ADU" was originally defined as a secondary dwelling unit with complete independent living facilities for one or more persons and generally takes three forms:   Detached: The unit is separated from the primary structur... 03/15/2017

A home of style and comfort is waiting for you  here in Encinitas Style, space and comfort unite in this beautiful Encinitas home for sale.  If you are looking for a home that is spacious and stylish yet gives a cozy feel, your search is over. This Encinitas home for sale checks all three things off your list and more.  Located at the beginning of a cul-de-sac and with a living space of 2,175 square feet, it features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and a 3-car attached garage. This home is well-loved, beautifully-maintained and has all the amenities you need. Plus, it is in a great location. Bought brand new by its original owners and listed for the first time in 41 years, it was upgraded with meticulous attention to detail. With an asking price of between $445,000 to $465,000, this is a dre... 02/20/2017

YELP Review for San Diego Real Estate Agents - The Lewis Team San Diego Real Estate YELP Review - Encinitas Real Estate YELPSan Diego Real Estate Yelp Review for Real Estate AgentsYelp Review of The Lewis TeamThe Lewis team was nothing short of phenomenal.  I worked mostly with Mike, as he was the agent who helped me purchase a home.  Mike is professional, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable of the San Diego area.  Not only was he prompt in accommodating my requests to see properties and provide comps, he was generous with his time as he dedicated the entirety of a day more than once to seeing properties.  On numerous occasions, he made a special trip out to my property to either check on appliances or be there to help me show the property to my prospective roommates (for when the ... 02/08/2017

What’s the Value of my Encinitas Home? Buyers and sellers in the Encinitas real estate market need to understand local market conditions in order to make informed decisions about what to do with regard to Encinitas homes for sale.  Here’s what happened in the Encinitas housing market for January 2017 based on statistics from the MLS (private sales are not included nor are manufactured, mobile or multi-family homes). These data are deemed reliable at the time this was written, but are not guaranteed due to how data may be entered into the MLS system. READ MORE: Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside CommunityLeucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA In January 2017, there were 37 homes sold in Encinitas, down 31% from last month, the 2nd consecutive decline. Here’s the breakdown of ove... 02/06/2017

5th Annual 5K Paw Walk in the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas for 2017 The San Diego Botanic Garden, along with the Rancho Coastal Human Society, will host their 5th Annual 5K Paw Walk in Encinitas. This fun, and non-competitive, event takes place on Saturday February 18, 2017 from 8 until 12 noon, rain or shine.  After the walk everyone has access to the gardens until 2 PM. And having a dog is not required!!  By all reports dogs and their humans love the Paw Walk at the San Diego Botanic Garden, whose mission is to introduce, or re-introduce, area residents to the beauty and the wonderful resources at the 37-acre San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. At the 5K Paw Walk you’ll find plenty of products for your pooch, and food for you, dog treats, lots of information and displays f... 02/01/2017

2016 Year-End Market Report for Encinitas CA Here is the 2016 year-end market update for single family homes in Encinitas, a coastal community located just south of Carlsbad. READ MORE: Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside CommunityLeucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA  Encinitas offers a broad mix of single family detached homes, from bungalows in the funky Leucadia area, to multi-million dollar ocean-front homes along Neptune, to golf course frontage homes in Encinitas Ranch, to expansive homes and equestrian properties in Olivenhain. There are also several communities of new construction homes that are still building, as well as 55+ homes, and several mobile and manufactured home communities!   2016 HOUSING MARKET FOR ENCINITAS490 detached single family homes sold in 2016, wh... 01/24/2017

Is there a formula that calculates the viability for granny flats?  I'm trying to find a formula that can calculate the viability of adding Accessory Dwelling Unis, i.e. room additions, granny flats, garage apartments, etc. to a property that meets the zoning, building codes, neighborhood HOA, POA, CC&R's, etc.    01/24/2017

What’s the Value of my Encinitas Home? Buyers and sellers in the Encinitas real estate market need to understand local market conditions in order to make informed decisions about what to do with regard to Encinitas homes for sale.  Here’s what happened in the Encinitas housing market for December 2016 based on statistics from the MLS (private sales are not included nor are manufactured, mobile or multi-family homes). These data are deemed reliable at the time this was written, but are not guaranteed due to how data may be entered into the MLS system. READ MORE: Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside CommunityLeucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA In December 2016, there were 54 homes sold in Encinitas, down 10% from last month, following 2 months of increases. Here’s the breakdown ... 01/04/2017

Single Family Homes for Sale in Encinitas CA December 2016 Update There are plenty of buyers in Encinitas, just south of Carlsbad, who are looking for single family detached homes, typically 3 and 4 bedrooms, to suit many needs including: Room for all Members of the Immediate Household Additional Room for Guests1 or more Home OfficesExtended Family Members/Multigenerational The inventory is still tight in Encinitas and favors sellers (read the November 2016 Encinitas Real Estate Market Report for more details) with plenty of competition.   Currently Encinitas home buyers can choose from 65 single family detached homes for sale in a range of prices and sizes, from $739,900 (with 1,596 SF, and 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths) up to $9,900,000 - $11,400,000 for a stunning oceanfront 5290 SF home ... 12/29/2016

Zillow Real Estate Reviews in San Diego  - Encinitas Zillow Agent - The Lewis Team San DiegoZillow Real Estate Review in EncinitasZillow San Diego Real Estate AgentHighly likely to recommend12/21/2016 - user3462777Bought a Townhouse home in 2016 for approximately $500K in Encinitas, CA.Review for Lewis Team Member: Mike LewisMike Lewis and his team were nothing short of phenomenal.  Mike is professional, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable of the San Diego area.  Not only was he prompt in accommodating my requests to see properties and provide comps, he was generous with his time as he dedicated the entirety of a   day more than once to seeing properties.  My property was particularly challenging in getting the financing squared away and Mike and his team did everything they could ... 12/27/2016

What’s the Value of my Encinitas Home? Buyers and sellers in the Encinitas real estate market need to understand local market conditions in order to make informed decisions about what to do with regard to Encinitas homes for sale.  Here’s what happened in the Encinitas housing market for November 2016 based on statistics from the MLS (private sales are not included nor are manufactured, mobile or multi-family homes). These data are deemed reliable at the time this was written, but are not guaranteed due to how data may be entered into the MLS system. READ MORE:  Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside CommunityLeucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA In November 2016, there were 60 homes sold in Encinitas, up 13% from last month, the second monthly increase in sales. Here’s the breakd... 12/07/2016

Garden of Lights at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas The popular, annual Garden of Lights will open this coming Saturday, December 3rd at the beautiful San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, CA. The San Diego Botanic Garden is a beautiful place to enjoy any time of the year, but it’s particularly magical at the holidays when brightened by around 125,000 sparkling lights for this annual Garden of Lights event. You can view the garden and lights from December 3rd until the 23rd, and then again from the 26th to the 30th, from 5 – 9 PM daily (the San Diego Botanic Garden opens at 9 am).  We were there several years ago and I can tell you that it was truly a special place to visit over the holidays! And if the beauty of these lighted gardens is not enough, you can also enjoy horse d... 11/29/2016

  When is it time to turn off the spigot to a great long time tenant?    I have a great 5 year tenant who always pays on time, is very quiet and neat and seems to be taking pretty good care of my rental from what I can see. But here's my dilemma. When she moved in we had painted the entire home inside and out, replaced the washer and dryer, dish washer and water heater before she moved in.  Subsequently we have replaced the stove, microwave, refrigerator and garbage disposal. We've always provided her with a Gardner because everyone knows that tenants have no incentive or vested interest in taking care of a property they merely rent and that's understandable (albeit when I was a renter while attending college and working to save for my first RE investment I always did the yard maintenan... 11/14/2016

What’s the Value of my Encinitas Home? Buyers and sellers in the Encinitas real estate market need to understand local market conditions in order to make informed decisions about what to do with regard to Encinitas homes for sale.  Here’s what happened in the Encinitas housing market for October 2016 based on statistics from the MLS (private sales are not included nor are manufactured, mobile or multi-family homes). These data are deemed reliable at the time this was written, but are not guaranteed due to how data may be entered into the MLS system. READ MORE: Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside CommunityLeucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA In October 2016, there were 53 homes sold in Encinitas, up 6% from last month. Here’s the breakdown of overall activity. TOTAL HOMES SOLD5... 11/04/2016

  Difference Between A "HUD MANUFACTURED HOME"& "MODULAR HOME"  NOTE: All the information in this post is relative to California and the HUD Manufactured Home mandate. They do vary from State to State so please feel free to share your knowledge on this platform as it will help many of us better understand the many nuances that vary from State to State, County to County and City to City.  This is a "HUD MANUFACTURED HOME"       This is a "MODULAR HOME"   No, your eyes are not deceiving you. What you see in these two photos is exactly what you could see on a private lot or parcel in Anywhere, USA. Contrary to popular belief both a HUD Manufactured and Modular Home could very well go down the same assembly line in any factory and often times do.  Both are available in one and two story flo... 10/17/2016

2016 Surfing Madonna Beach Run is Saturday Oct. 15 in Encinitas CA Come one come all to the world famous Surfing Madonna Beach Run that takes place at low tide tomorrow, Saturday October 15, in the 4th ranked “Best Surfing Town in the World” (per National Geographic), Encinitas California.  Runners, joggers, walkers, crawlers, and everyone else are welcome to popular Moonlight Beach for the 4th Annual Surfing Madonna Beach Run 5K/10K/15K, reportedly the largest beach run in the US! Surfing Madonna MosaicOrignally installed under the train trestle at Encinitas Boulevardby Mark Patterson  And if you aren’t up to a run on the beach there are plenty of ways to volunteer. This beach run is organized by the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project non-profit and more than $200,000 have been donated to ... 10/14/2016

What’s the Value of my Encinitas Home? Buyers and sellers in the Encinitas real estate market need to understand local market conditions in order to make informed decisions about what to do with regard to Encinitas homes for sale.  Here’s what happened in the Encinitas housing market for September 2016 based on statistics from the MLS (private sales are not included nor are manufactured, mobile or multi-family homes). These data are deemed reliable at the time this was written, but are not guaranteed due to how data may be entered into the MLS system. READ MORE:  Encinitas – An Eclectic Seaside Community Leucadia- Surfers' Beach Community in Encinitas CA In September 2016, there were 50 homes sold in Encinitas, down 12% from last month. Here’s the breakdown of overall activity. TOTAL HO... 10/05/2016