Drought Plagued San Diego Considering “Toilet to Tap” Solution
August 10th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Local San Diego News You Can Use, Real Estate News for San Diego, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
Earlier this year San Diego in confirming its effort to move on it’s plan for indirect potable reuse ( toilet to tap), may require another rate increase of about 6.5% of the current rates to fund the pilot program.
San Diego in it’s effort to offset the diminishing supply of potable water, estimated what a toilet to tap supplementation pilot project to our our current water supply would cost using the reservoir augmentation method. This toilet to tap purifying of waste water has its share of opposition but the city council seems determined that with the drought and continually escalating costs of water ( 90% of San Diego’s water has to purchased), this is the method that seems to make the most sense to them.
This is said to be the first first system of its kind in the California. Another notable reclamation system is that of Orange County. Their system is different than what is proposed for San Diego in that it uses an aquifer system for recycling its waste water. The program San Diego is interested in is called Reservoir Augmentation.
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Desalination Plant in San Diego ( Carlsbad) Receives OK For Construction
August 7th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Real Estate News for San Diego, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
The California Coastal Commission has now approved the revised plan for Poseidon Resources to construct the long awaited Desalination plant to increase the water availability in San Diego County. I wrote a post on this last year “ Is Desalination In The Cards For San Diego “ and the obstacles have now been overcome, though there is always a chance of a late court action that could delay construction again.
Environmentalists are opposed to this plant for various reasons and the Poseidon Resources rendered numerous compromises that finally got approval yesterday, pleasing the proponents of the new facility for Carlsbad. Poseidon has in mind numerous other coastal sites for desalination plants and this new approval will give them a sort of track to run on of what will be expected in any other proposals that might be being contemplated.
The one of the two major stumbling blocks that was overcome with the new agreement is to reduce its carbon debt by subtracting the current amount of energy used to pump the equivalent amount of water that the desalination would produce by the Metropolitan Water Department . But the carbon debt would be reduced even further with it’s plan to add solar energy devises for it power and the 1 million dollar plan for re-forestation of areas burned in the 2007 wildfires. The plan also calls for the Poseidon plant to purchase about 15 tons of available carbon offsets from other sources. More »
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A “WOW” Idea For Making Solar Energy Actually Affordable For Homeowners
July 28th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Investing in San Diego Real Estate, Local San Diego News You Can Use, Real Estate News for San Diego, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
I was reading the editorial section of the Sunday newspaper that I do with religious regularity and someone wrote in about an idea that makes so much sense.
Some consumers out there just have so much to share when they express their ideas and it can really make quite a difference, especially if the idea makes good financial sense.
The idea actually for this editorial came from the city of Berkeley California that had set up a program that creates superb possibilities and answers two of the biggest problems for consumers to be able to afford solar energy at their own homes.
Problem #1 - High initial solar panel purchasing and installation costs
Problem #2 - Recovering the cost of providing solar when selling the home
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Bi-partisan Proposal For Water Bond Issue May be in Peril and A Negative Outcome is Feared in San Diego
July 12th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Legislative
The worsening water crisis in California brought forth a bipartisan effort for a $9.3 billion bond measure. There is some resistance building in the state capital as some of the legislatures feel that conservation alone can save California from the looming catastrophe .
The 9.3 Billion Dollar bond proposal includes $3 billion for reservoirs and other storage projects, with costs to be split between the state and local water providers; $2 billion for projects to use water more efficiently, protect its quality and reduce runoff; $1.9 billion to develop a Delta management plan; $1.3 billion for conservation programs along the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Klamath rivers and the Salton Sea; and more than $1 billion to improve ground water quality and recycle water.
The legislature must approve the proposal and put it forth for the voters to decide in November. But the resistance seems to be growing there and foot dragging and excuses are makes it seem that there is inaction on the water issues. San Diego , the 2nd largest city in the state is most affected as there was a judicial action that cuts the water supplies form the Sacramento River Delta due to the risk to some smelt if the Delta level continues to drop. The judicial decision called for a 50% cut back of water supplies to San Diego and since over 90 percent of our water is purchased, this is going to have a stunning effect on available water resources in our region. Thinking conservation will cure the shortfall is wishful thinking.
This proposal though could go a long way in getting new storage facilities built to provide needed reserves. The 1.9 million for the Delta Management plan would help getting the judicial decision to either be reconsidered or set aside.
The water agencies through out the state all see this as a vital issue and they are in praise of the bi-partisan proposal. Next step, get the legislature to take action ASAP and get this measure approved so that people around the state can be made aware of how important it is and get approved come the fall elections.
If this doesn’t get done San Diego stands to hurt to most and the potential for job loss and many other ill effects will be felt in every household. San Diego has seen one water plan after another at the state level having the life sucked out it and it must be realized by everyone that a controlling part of the legislature believes that dams and storage projects are harmful to the environment.
We of course can be hopeful for rain showers but the weather man says the forecast is for more drought. So good luck with that. Desalination is opposed, recycling plan not ready, importing more water seems to off the table. So if this proposal doesn’t get done, we best hope someone has some connections with the rain gods and start praying.
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The Poseidon Desalination Plant For Carlsbad Still Not Fully Approved
June 29th, 2008 categories: Local San Diego News You Can Use, Real Estate News for San Diego, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
Back in the fall of 2007 I wrote a piece about the Poseidon Resources proposed desalination plan in Carlsbad. Poseidon - Is Desalination in the Cards for San Diego? As an update on this article, Poseidon Resources are back in the news as they try to get the final approval from th State Coastal Commission to move forward with construction of the Desalination plant.
There are some that see this as a poor remedy for whatever shortages here might be in water resources and others that see desalination as a best hope. Since this debate affects so many in Southern California and the outcome so important to the future available water supplies, I thought what I might do here is to present the arguments for and the arguments against this particular project and you can decide which one of the arguments is best and actually holds “water”.
Proponents for the current proposal by Poseidon Resources
The San Diego regional Water Quality Control Board which had approved this proposal twice in the last 2 years feels that the the project can move forward without harming the coastal resources.
Those supporting this proposal feel that the desalination project is environmentally benign than is actually critical to the preservation and enhancement of the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon.
This Lagoon the site for the desalination project was man-made by the private operators of the power plant is the source of cooling water a healthy ecosystem that has existed in the Lagoon has to be credited to the good stewardship by the private power company and local government.
This ecosystem has continuously and currently still supports recreation industry and research.
Ironically the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon is the home of the Hubbs-Seaworld fish hatchery and the Carlsbad Aquafarm and the YMCA camp and education center. These were all possible because of the way the ecosystem was designed and maintained by the power company.
In the proposal, the desalination Plant will operate using the same system and provide continuous care of the lagoon.
Argument Against the Current Proposal
Those opposes say that sucking seawater directly from the lagoon is a devastating practice of catching marine life in the intake of this water. Other power plants are phasing out this practice of using water to cool the plant and now are using air cooling instead.
Those that oppose acknowledge that even this Encina Power plant will be converting over to air cooling and it would be not in the best interests of the marine life to allow the practice with the Poseidon Desalination Plant.
They propose that that instead of using water from the Lagoon , the Poseidon should use water drawn from the below the ocean floor. They do acknowledge that that technology is available , albeit more expensive. They feel that perhaps when imported water reaches a higher price, it might make desalination economically feasible. In the interim, those that oppose the Poseidon resources feel that other means of supplying water such as toilet to tap, recycled water, conservation of current supplies would be more environmentally friendly.
Their argument also suggests that it might make sense to to construct smaller plants that environmentally friendly rather than this proposal that puts the plant next to a phased out power plant just so it can utilize the antiquated intake structure.
The other reasons for opposing was that San Diego has not enough to utilize the the other more readily available water resources. San Diego and the communities waste too water and with conservation, we could well meet the needs of the demand on the areas. In the interim, those that oppose the Poseidon resources feel that other means of supplying water such as toilet to tap, recycled water, conservation of current supplies would be more environmentally friendly. Recycling water would also be even less expensive than desalination process.
Those opposed feel that that until these alternatives are exhausted, desalination is premature anyway. They fault the politicians for not wanting to take the difficult course of mandating conservation practices and feel they are choosing the easier course of approving desalination as a supply line and in the process bidding the health of the of ocean goodbye.
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Buyer’s Guide on How to Read a Preliminary Title Report
June 13th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
Escrow has been opened on your home purchase and then it arrives . A big package from escrow with lots of papers in to to sign. Along with those initial papers is usually a Preliminary Title Report or it may be sent separately but it will arrive usually with 5 days of opening escrow. This report is called in the trade, a Prelim. Along with the CC&R’s, Statement of Identity , copy of the escrow instructions, it instructs you read the Preliminary Title report and sign for receipt of it. Now what?
In your California purchase agreement, there was a checkbox for either the seller or the buyer to pay for title . It also provides a space for the Buyer to specify in the offer who would issue that insurance policy. If you look at the top of the Prelim, it will state who the Insurer will be when the insurance policy is issued and this escrow closes. It will also have a person’s name designated as the Title officer.
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US Opens Comes to San Diego at Torrey Pines
June 11th, 2008 categories: Investing in San Diego Real Estate, Local San Diego News You Can Use, Relocation to San Diego, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
The excitement begins this Thursday June 12th. San Diego is all dressed up and waiting the many many thousands that are descending in our wonderful community. Torrey Pines, a public course in La Jolla over looking the ocean, will host this marvelous event and the players to watch are 2 of the worlds best players , Tiger Woods, currently ranked number one in the world and his playing partner, the player ranked number 2 in the world, Phil Michelson.
As play begins early Thursday morning,the 3 day event will expose San Diego to an International audience and it would surprise no one if we saw a real surge in people migrating here from all parts to take up residency here in America’s Finest City.
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7 Tips for A New Buyer in the San Diego Real Estate Market
June 6th, 2008 categories: San Diego Real Estate
1. Check your credit rating with the 3 credit reporting agencies and determine if there is anything that might need to be corrected before submitting for a loan. The best way to do that would be to run your own credit report and verify all the entries. If there are errors, address these right away with the reporting agency and the company that submitted the error.
2. Establish the amount down payment that you can make and make sure the source of that can be demonstrated when need be. It is a requirement in the offer to purchase to prove the source of the down payment.
3. Establish a relationship with your REALTOR ( Hopefully that will be me) and then hire me with an exclusive Buyer Representative Agreement. Then I work for you. I have written several articles on Buyers Brokerage and will be glad to forward them to you.
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Market Update for San Diego County Jan1, 2008 through may 30th, 2008
June 6th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
These are the current market statistics for all of San Diego County from January 1, 2008 through May 30th,2008.
This report includes all residential property, Active, Pending, Sold, Expired and Off Market in all price ranges in all zip codes of San Diego County.
In each category is shown the total number of units, the average price and the total dollar volume.
Category # 0f Properties Average Price Total Dollar Volume
Active 65,821 $642,907,000 $42,316,810,000
Pending 4,583 $514,858,000 $2,359,596,000
Sold 2,836 $518,836,000 $1,472,457,000
Expired 4,977 $684,376,000 $3,40,6140,000
Off Market 2,309 $622,648,000 $1,437,695,000
Courtesy William Johnson GRI CRS e-PRO author of The San Diego Real Estate Text Book , The Voice of San Diego Real Estate
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It is Late Spring 2008, Is it the time to Buy Real Estate In San Diego ?
June 4th, 2008 categories: Buying San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate, Selling San Diego Real Estate
When a consumer asks that question about the San Diego real estate market, the professional knee jerk reaction is “Of course it is the right time to buy”, “It always is”. Then again, if that were case, how come there is so much much unsold inventory, right?. OK, that is a bit cynical but the point is , the answer to that question is not an easy one to make in such general ways.
There are some great opportunities to buy property that is at or below our present market values. The caveat is, will our market values improve from here or not? And what determines if the price is at or below the current market value, prior to an appraisers opinion? The last one sold? And since no one I know has a reliable crystal ball on value in a declining market, the judgment about if this is the right time, depends on who is asking and what the longer term goals are.
Investors and speculators, this article does not address you , it is for Buyer(s) of single family homes and condominiums.
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