Archive for June, 2008
The Poseidon Desalination Plant For Carlsbad Still Not Fully Approved
June 29th, 2008 categories: Local San Diego News You Can Use, San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Real Estate News, 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, San Diego Real Estate, San Diego Relocation, 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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