Wow. The April issue of DREAM HOMES SAN DIEGO was barely off the press today when we started hearing the buzz from San Diego County real estate circles about this article that is in the issue:

Doom and Gloom

The article makes these key points:

• All real estate is local…and not just by city but by neighborhood.
• Buying real estate in an upscale community is still your best investment.

But please read the entire article. It’s short but chockfull of interesting quotes and statistics and our opinions, some of which you may find controversial. Then post your comments about the piece in this blog. We are also interested in hearing stories about your personal real estate experiences in this market no matter what you do for a living. Thanks.

   We’d like to know what’s happening in your neighborhood. How many houses are for sale? Do you and your neighbors talk about the real estate market? If so, what are people saying? Are you and they optimistic or pessimistic about the San Diego market? Are you planning to buy or sell this year? If you’re buying, what areas are you looking at? If you’re selling, where will you buy your next home? What do you think will happen to the San Diego market over the next couple of years?

   You don’t have to answer all of these questions. Just share your thoughts and experiences. Thanks!

   We have just half a staff on this horrible day. So many of our staff members have had to leave in order to evacuate their homes in San Diego County. There is a palpable sense of anxiety among those of us who remain at the office. Eight wildfires continue to rage. As early as 6:30 this morning these events were dubbed “worse” than the Cedar Fire of 2003. That disaster still remains so fresh in our minds. There is some good news. Apparently, the reverse 9-1-1 system has been working well today. We can’t do anything about Santa Ana winds. But there are so many troubling human aspects to these regular fire catastrophes.

• Why aren’t brush abatement laws enforced?
• When people are told to evacuate, why on earth don’t they leave? The efforts of firefighters were hampered this morning because, instead of fighting fire, they were forced to rescue people who had been ordered to evacuate and did not.
• Why do people still have wood shake shingle roofs in a county that is for all purposes a desert? We heard reports this morning of fires igniting such roofs in North County while the homes of neighbors with less-flammable roofing material were spared.

   Our thoughts are with all of you who have been affected in this disaster. Please take a minute to share your stories with us. And please read about fireproofing your home at http://www.firesafecouncil.org/homeowner/index.cfm