Watercolor graphic that reads

Builders are set to break ground later this year on three new townhomes with very old and cultured architectural inspirations. La Jolla Light reported that several new townhomes will be built along Coast Boulevard right where the Green Dragon cottages of yesteryear once stood.

The Green Dragon Art Colony is delicately woven into La Jolla’s history. Founded by Anna Held in the late 1800’s, the artist colony consisted of a collection of cottages designed by famed San Diego architect Irving Gill. 

Art historian Jean Stern wrote that the cottages were a hub for traveling musicians and artists, who often stayed on the property in La Jolla while working at Hotel del Coronado. La Jolla’s art community flourished under the patronage of heiress Ellen…

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Graphic of homes that reads "Silver Street Village Homes is one step closer to becoming a reality"

The Silver Street townhome project received some good news this month. La Jolla Light reported that the San Diego Planning Commission voted to deviate from the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance that requires retail space to occupy a percentage of the ground floor.

The area where Silver Street Village Homes would be constructed is in a zone designated for community serving offices and retail establishments with no residential uses within the front 50 percent of the lot. The La Jolla Planned District Ordinance intended for this space to provide a transition zone to the multi-family residential areas in the west.

The requirement to have 50 percent retail storefront space in the zone has been raising issues for businesses in the area as retail…

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Image of a skyscraper that reads

New business centers in La Jolla are incorporating streamlined designs and leisure areas that aim to improve the experience of coming to work every day. In the process, developers are creating innovative workplace designs that help La Jolla businesses thrive and meet the needs of clientele before they even step inside.

Thoughtful and practical infrastructure is only going to become more common in future designs. Work center experience may have been on the back burner  before, but it’s getting executive attention in today’s business sector because it’s proving to be a viable method to boost productivity and revenues.

One La Jolla Center opened this month and is following suit. Distinctive marks of the innovative workspace trend infused with…

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Image of a home with a sold sign and graphic that reads

Newspapers across the country published stories this week about the median age of first-time buyers rising. The New York Post and numerous other media outlets reported that the millennial generation, which includes adults ages 18-34, are renting for six years on average prior to purchasing their first homes. This is an increase of 2.6 years since the 1970’s. 

Many cite rising housing costs as the reason for this trend in delayed homeownership. San Diego home prices and median rental rates are rising, but according to The San Diego Union-Tribune , this is due in part to an increase in high wage job growth. Housing costs play a role, but they may not be the only factor at work.

Millennials are delaying not only homeownership, but also marriage…

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Graphic of door with keys in it that reads "When the Fed Raises the Interest Rate: DeSouza Select Properties""

To date, the Federal Reserve hasn’t publicly announced plans to increase the interest rate in September.

Nevertheless, there will come a day when the interest rate is increased. The Federal Reserve hasn’t raised the rate in 9 years, which has resulted in historic lows. Mortgage rates on 30-year fixed loans have been under 4 percent for the better part of this year. They won’t remain there indefinitely.

An increase in the federal funds rate will lead to higher dividends on savings and higher interest rates on new mortgages. The former is good news for many, while the latter isn’t quite as well received. 

The San Diego Union-Tribune quoted local economists who believe the interest rate increases will be gradual and that low supply and high…

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Dennis DeSouza represented the buyers on the sale this past week of Golf Legend Phil Mickelson's Ocean Front home located at Windansea beach in La Jolla. Here is the link to the San Diego Union Tribune: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jun/08/mickelson-sells-beach-home-27-million/   The buyers are long time clients and they are thrilled to be moving to one of the most famous beaches in the US! The home needs some updating but the new buyers have great vision, as evidenced by their current home, and will turn the new beach house into a show place!

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Dennis DeSouza has been involved in yet another high profile sale in San Diego County. Drew Brees' home was recently sold by DeSouza and is located in the Santa Luz Area. This significant home that was sold to a high ranking Qualcomm executive. Here is the article from the San Diego Union Tribune:http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jun/07/nfl-qb-brees-sells-home-24-million/ DeSouza recently commented "This home has one of the most spectacular pools I have seen in any luxury home. The quality and setting are unmatched" The new home owners will be enjoying this estate for years to come!

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Dennis represented both buyer and seller in this transaction on La Jolla's "Street of Dreams" Camino de La Costa. Over the past 24 months there have been 7 sales of over 10 Million Dollars in San Diego County and 4 of the 7 were on Camino de La Costa! Quite an impressive statistic.

Here is the article from the UT San Diego:

 

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jan/09/former-screenwriter-home-sells/

 

A La Jolla home once owned by one of the most influential writers of the 20th century has been sold for $6 million, public records show.

photoRaymond Chandler. AP photo. 

The property, on Camino de la Costa near Avenida Cresta, at one point belonged to noted mystery writer Raymond Chandler, known mainly for creating the iconic private-eye…

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Recently Dennis DeSouza Sold an Ocean Front home in La Jolla for a record setting 12 Million Dollars. This is the highest sales price recorded in San Diego County for 2013. The stunning home consisted of over 6,500 square feet and was situated on one of La Jolla's most important lots. The home features many terraced view decks along with stunning architecture and upscale finishes. The quality of this home was one of a kind and was truly a special find. 

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DeSouza recently finalized an agreement to co-author a new book with Tom Hopkins. Tom is the author of fourteen books, including “How to Master the Art of Selling™,” which has sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide. DeSouza was asked to write a section relating to Real Estate Sales and specialized techniques that he has have developed over the years. DeSouza commented "Tom has been a friend, coach and mentor of mine for many years and I am excited at the opportunity to work with Tom on this upcoming project" The preliminary book title is, "In it to Win It". Both DeSouza and Hopkins expect this to be on the best seller list in 2012.

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