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Ask The Realtor, Rebecca the Realtor!
Q. We are hearing about a big shift in the market, what does this mean for sellers and buyers now?
A. In my opinion it is better for everyone.
1) We are simply coming back to a more balanced market. For the last few years it has been crazy in many ways. Now with a current interest rate of 4.25-5.625 as of today we are returning to normal. An average rate is 6%. When my mother was a realtor the rates were from 13%-16%!
2) We had buyers coming from Northern California and L.A. and Orange county, our local buyers were knocked out as they could not afford to waive the appraisal or pay $100,000 over ask price. Houses were receiving 25 offers and going pending in 2 days. Now we have normal time on market, a handful of offers and sellers willing to work with buyers. For the last few years it has been a fight. Buying a house should be a dance, all parties working together. Many sellers were afraid to sell because there was nothing to buy. Now it is better for buyers and sellers.
When you are working with the right agents there is always a way to make it work. Send in your questions!
Rebecca Monge
Realtor DRE #01961244
Tanksley Monge Team
Professional Realty Services International
760-912-4731/ rebeccamonge1965@gmail.com
Tanksleymongeteam.com
Carlsbad Firefighters Help Battle Wildfires
Fall is often a peak time for wildfires, and prevention and response go hand-in-hand in keeping the danger in check. The Carlsbad Fire Department works hard to protect our community, including through programs that ensure critical resources are deployed when and where they’re needed. Part of that involves helping other agencies when wildfires break out.
Since fire season began in May, Carlsbad Fire personnel have helped battle several wildfires that have threatened communities in Riverside County, San Diego County and Northern California.
The firefighters are deployed as part of California’s Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. The system allows agencies to share resources to combat fires and other emergencies that exceed the capabilities of a single jurisdiction.
The state-wide mutual aid assistance is made possible through negotiated terms and conditions outlined in the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA). Under this agreement, firefighting positions are backfilled at home, so there’s no change in coverage for the Carlsbad community.
Since May 3, a total of 36 Carlsbad Fire personnel have helped to combat 8 wildfires statewide, including the Fairview Fire near Hemet that broke out Sept. 5.
Firefighters are typically deployed in teams from 3 to 6 people and commit to being away from home for approximately 14 days, plus travel time. They work to protect life and property in extremely challenging conditions, often with little sleep.
Carlsbad benefits from mutual aid, knowing when or if we have a major incident, we can count on other agencies to reciprocate, like they did during the 2014 Poinsettia Fire. As the frequency and intensity of wildfires increases due to drought and climate change, the statewide mutual system has become more important than ever.
“Under the California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System, day and night, Carlsbad firefighters are responding with our San Diego County partner agencies to fires and other emergencies from the Oregon border to the Mexico border (and sometimes out of state), while maintaining full staffing here at home,” said Chief Michael Calderwood.
“They do so as part of their sworn duty to the City of Carlsbad and the state of California,” Calderwood said. “They miss important family moments and skip holidays, working in extreme conditions – sometimes up to 21 days straight, 24 hours a day – with minimal rest periods and sack lunches for food.”
Since the 2022 California fire season began, wildfires statewide have burned 365,140 acres, killed 9 civilians and destroyed 772 structures.
How to help prevent wildfires
Our region’s worst wildfires have typically occurred in September and October. Calderwood urged residents to remain alert, be safe and protect their homes from wildfires. Many wildfires can be prevented, or their spread limited, by taking a few simple precautions:
Monitor the weather report for red flag warnings and dry, windy conditions
During these weather condition, DO NOT do outdoor electrical work or engage in any activity that could cause a spark including:
Using power lawn mowers, edging equipment, chain saws and leaf blowers
Setting a piece of hot gardening equipment in the brush
Using outdoor grinding or cutting tools/saws
Pulling a car over on an unpaved shoulder (unless an emergency) or parking a car near where dry landscaping could ignite
Using chains or trailer hitches that could touch the road and cause a spark
Dr. Rivera-Lacey Joins National Community College Hispanic Council Board
SAN MARCOS, CA (September 21, 2022) — Palomar College’s Superintendent/President, Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey, joined the Board of Directors of the National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) during an installation ceremony on Friday, September 16, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.
The Council, which prepares Hispanic leaders for community and technical colleges across the U.S., invited Dr. Rivera-Lacey to join its board following a previous NCCHC fellowship and a successful first year at the helm of Palomar College.
“I am deeply honored to have been invited onto the NCCHC board, which has done so much to advance the cause of increasing Hispanic leadership throughout the country,” she said. “I hope to be able to give back to this organization that helped me prepare to lead such an incredible institution, and I hope to see many more strong and visionary leaders make an impact in the years to come.”
Dr. Rivera-Lacey participated in the NCCHC as a Fellow in 2018, an experience that helped prepare for her tenure as Superintendent/President at Palomar: “It was very helpful for me to recognize some of the challenges that presidents encounter, and to explore successful leadership models,” she recalled.
She also spent time at the Aspen Institute, where she received further training, mentorship and networking opportunities with leaders nationwide.
Since its founding in 1985, NCCHC has provided mentorship and professional development opportunities, including an annual Leadership Symposium and a Leadership Fellows Program. It is affiliated with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).
“As a student, community college was extremely important to me—the support I received set the foundation for going on to earn my doctorate degree. I will always believe in the power of the community college system to improve individuals lives and communities,” said Dr. Rivera-Lacey.
From the NCCHC website: “Our charge has never been more important than it is today. As college leaders across the nation, we need to prepare to meet the dynamic needs of the expanding Hispanic population and create clear pathways to completion,” writes NCCHC Board President Dr. Jose Fierro of Cerritos College in Norwalk. “This organization is dedicated to delivering high-quality leadership development opportunities so that our members have the skills and experience necessary to lead this important work.”
County Grant Helps Pave Way for New Homeless Navigation Center in Oceanside
By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office
A $3.25 million grant from the County is paving the way for a new homeless navigation Center in Oceanside. The 50-bed shelter, operated by the San Diego Rescue Mission, is set to open early next year, and will provide people needed services including counseling, medical and mental health care, job training and more.
Today, County leaders highlighted the collaboration between the County and the City of Oceanside that is making the project possible.
The money awarded to Oceanside is part of a $10 million County grant program which also awarded funds to the City of San Diego and Vista for safe parking programs. More than $5 million is still available to cities to help initiate new and permanent shelter solutions.
Fernanda Lopez Halvorson is a group communications officer with the County of San Diego Communications Office.
4 Interesting Insurance Policies in Sports
Protecting your valuable assets is nothing new in the world of insurance. Homeowners have policies to protect their property and families. Car owners have policies to protect their vehicles and passengers. Professional athletes with promising professional careers have taken out policies to protect body parts that will help to define their careers.
“When your career depends on unique skills and abilities, it’s important that you’re insured in case of accident or injury,” said Brandt Minnich, Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Mercury Insurance. “We might not all be professional athletes, but we all have assets worth protecting. Protecting your assets starts with having the right insurance to help you when you need it.”
Below are four athletes with multi-million dollar insurance policies to protect their careers:
Trevor Lawrence, quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence purchased a $5 million disability insurance policy in 2019 ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft that would protect him in the event of injury while playing for his alma mater, Clemson University, and impacting his chances of playing in the NFL. Lawrence had his sights set on playing in the NFL following his junior year at Clemson, and his insurance policy would help provide for his economic future.
Zion Williamson, forward, New Orleans Pelicans
Williamson made sure to protect his future as a professional NBA player when he was playing for Duke University by having an $8 million loss-of-value insurance policy. This policy was intended to protect Williamson in case he was injured prior to the 2019 NBA Draft. As it turns out, he did sustain a knee injury following a Duke vs. North Carolina game during the 2018-2019 season, but it didn’t impact his chances of being drafted into the NBA. In fact, Williamson was the first overall pick for the 2019 NBA Draft.
Enes Kanter, center, New York Knicks (retired)
Kanter purchased a $20 million insurance policy in 2018 to supplement signing a one-year contract for the following season. The lack of security that comes with a one-year contract was enough for Kanter to consider the future of his career. The insurance policy would pay out if he were to suffer a career-threatening injury.
Leonard Fournette, running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While at Louisiana State University, Fournette insured himself with two policies worth $10 million each. One of the policies would cover him in the event of an injury that could potentially end his career in professional football. The other policy would protect him from circumstances that might impact his first-round spot in the 2017 NFL Draft.
You can purchase an insurance policy for just about anything, and each policy helps to protect you and your assets.
This article was originally published here by our partner Mercury Insurance. To learn more about home and auto insurance contact Tague Insurance Agency.
Tague Insurance Agency is an independently owned and locally operated insurance agency in Vista, California. We help people across the state find affordable and reliable insurance products from a variety of trusted carriers. As an independent agency, we can help you find the perfect combination of coverage and price to fit your unique needs.
What Does Independent Mean?
“Independent” means we’re not tied to any one insurance carrier. In other words, we can research rates and coverage options from several top insurance companies to find the best policies for you. We do the shopping and comparing to save you time and money!
How to Get in Touch
We invite you to submit a free online quote request or call us at 760-509-4667 to review coverage options for auto, home, life, health, business, and more. We provide free, no hassle and no obligation insurance quotes to help you make an informed decision.
Free Trees in Escondido Pick your Tree
Last weekend, Urban Corps of San Diego canvassed neighborhoods in Escondido letting residents know about the City’s Free Tree Program. Councilmember Martinez joined their efforts in distributing materials.
The free tree program provides a tree to residents if they qualify, at no cost. Urban Corps is partnering with the City on educating the public on this benefit, and they will be out in neighborhoods on Saturdays, through November 5.
Vista School Board Reinstates School Resource Officers
The Vista Unified School Board of Trustees voted on June 23, 2022 to reinstate the School Resource Officer (SRO) positions to the school district. This move was the culmination of the School Board’s promise just a few years ago to reinstate the SRO positions as soon as the district was able to stabilize the budget. The SRO positions were one of many positions temporarily reduced in the fall of 2019 in order to close nearly a $19 million budget deficit. The School Board worked carefully over the course of multiple meetings to review all aspects of the budget, listen to members of the community, and, ultimately, make difficult budget adjustments in order to balance the budget. The budget challenges were caused by a combination of declining enrollment and a dramatic escalation in the required contribution to employee pensions. This budget impact was felt by districts across the county and state. As a result of the careful work of the School Board, Vista Unified has maintained a positive certification on the budget for three years. Members of the school board voted to reinstate the SRO positions as one of many components of the districtwide health and safety plan.
It makes me proud to announce that we were able to work as a board to build a very strong budget that positioned us to reinstating our School Resource Officers to campuses in Vista. The SRO positions will work closely with expanded campus security staff to implement a comprehensive school health and safety plan on every campus in the district.
Cipriano Vargas, Board President
The school district is now finalizing the SRO agreements with both the Vista Sheriff and Oceanside Police. Both departments are in the hiring process for the SRO positions. Vista Unified will have four SRO positions, one stationed at each high school and one to support middle schools. In the meantime, Vista Unified is working closely with both law enforcement agencies to ensure that all our schools have the support they need to keep students and staff safe.
Tomatoes As Sweet As Candy
Early Girl, Grape, Heirloom . . . the list goes on. All delicious, all fresh, all local, and all tastier than anything you can buy in a grocery store. Count on the State Street Farmers’ Market every week for farm fresh tomatoes and so much more. From the farm to your table in just a day, the tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market cannot be beat.
Join us every Wednesday, stating at 2:30pm in the heart of downtown Carlsbad on State Street. See you there!
For today’s list of vendors and more, visit Market Info »
In Case You Missed It
By Assemblymember Marie Waldron
Legislation in Sacramento often flies under the radar. Here are a few bills you may have missed that made it through, along with some that didn’t:
Bills forwarded to the Governor that remain unsigned as of this writing include AB 2188, prohibiting employers from terminating or refusing to hire persons using cannabis if impaired work performance is unproven; SB 70, requiring children to complete a year of kindergarten before entering the first grade; and SB 1157, phasing in additional water conservation targets by reducing indoor use from 52.5 gallons per person/day (gpcd) to 42 gpcd by 2030.
Bills that have been signed include AB 2608, requiring elections officials to provide a duplicate vote-by-mail ballot to a voter’s “representative” upon receipt of a written request; AB 257, establishing a Fast Food Sector Council that will unilaterally set higher minimum wages and create more state regulations and mandates in the fast food industry; and SB 1338, establishing CARE Courts for the mentally ill, allowing family members to petition courts requesting treatment for those suffering from addiction or severe mental illness.
Rejected bills include AB 937, prohibiting law enforcement from notifying immigration authorities when violent felons are released; AB 2133, requiring a reduction of statewide greenhouse gas emissions to at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030; SB 57, allowing certain communities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area to operate “safe injection sites” for people using illegal drugs (passed, but vetoed); and SB 930, establishing a pilot program permitting some California cities to extend alcohol sales to 4 a.m. on weekends/holidays, and 3 a.m. on all other days.
For more information about all legislation, click here.
To ask Governor Newsom to sign or veto any bill click here. The Governor has until September 30 to make his decisions.
Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R – Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the communities of Bonsall, Escondido, Fallbrook, Hidden Meadows, Pala, Palomar Mountain, Pauma Valley, Rainbow, San Marcos, Temecula, Valley Center and Vista.
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