Solar Eclipse

An exciting even is coming to the western part of the United States. This sunday there will be a partial solar eclipse visible from southern California where the moon will pass in front of the sun. In San Diego the event will begin at 5:27 and will reach the max at 6:39 when 83% of the sun will be covered. Enjoy this rare occurrence from your North County, Del Mar, or Rancho Santa Fe Home or neighborhood. For more info check out this LA Times article: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/solar-eclipse-2012-certain-areas-will-get-the-best-views.html

Don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

New Website for Santa Fe Irrigation District

The Santa Fe Irrigation District has launched a new website to stay better connected to the North County Community, and make it easier for customers to access critical web-based services. The District serves all Rancho Santa Fe homes, most of Fairbanks Ranch homes, and extends west into parts of Solana Beach and Del Mar.

Check out the new website here: http://www.sfidwater.org/index.aspx

 Don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

Expanding of Local Hospital

Scripps in Encinitas has recently announced the expansion of its hospital. This will be a great benefit to North County. Read more here: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/28/scripps-encinitas-breaks-ground-new-building/

Don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

Rancho Santa Fe Community Gala

The Rancho Santa Fe Community Gala, a great evening of celebration and community, will be held at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe this May 12. For more information check out the Rancho Santa Fe Community Center's website: www.rsfcc.org.

Don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

Rancho Santa Fe School wins another Award!!!

The Rancho Santa Fe school has been bestowed another award, part of the amazing education system in the Covenant. Check out the article below.

Rancho Santa Fe School to be honored by Kids Korps USA for ‘Acts of Kindness’

Don't forget to check out Katie's Rancho Santa Fe Real Estate Website! 

Holiday Events!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Katie Hawkes Group!

Please find the list of Holiday events.... complements of the Katie Hawkes Group....

please feel free to call for you Real Estate needs....

858.922.2226

~ www.KatieSells.com ~

Coronado Holiday Celebration - 3:20pm    Dec.2

December Nights in Balboa Park - 10-5pm    Dec. 2-3

North Park Toyland Parade & Holiday Fair - 11am-2pm    Dec. 3

Little Italy Tree Lighting & Christman Village - 5-7:30pm    Dec. 3

Holiday at the Rancho - Carlsbad - 5-8pm  Dec. 3

Christmas Comes to Imperial Beach - 10am-5pm    Dec. 3

Ocean Beach Holiday Parade - 5-7pm  Dec. 3

SoNo Park Holiday Fest - 11am-5pm    Dec. 4

La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival - 2:00-2:30   Dec. 4

Holiday Wonderland - Del Mar - 2-6pm   Dec. 4

Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk - Belboa Park - 7-11am    Dec. 10

Holiday in the Park - Old Town - 10am-8pm   Dec. 10-11

Gaslamp Quarter Holiday Pet Parade - 1-4:30pm    Dec. 11

A Christmas Tabernacle - Liberty Station - 6-10pm  Dec. 16-18

Short Sale Story!

Katie Hawkes brings the news.... for more information please contact her at 858.922.2226 or khawkes@prusd.com or http://www.katiesells.com/ ... Katie is always available to answer your questions!

We dealt with a new short sale issue this week that I thought I would share with you.  In this deal, we represented both buyer and seller and the seller had retained a Short Sale Negotiator (“SSN”) to handle the transaction.  The short sale, with B of A as the first lien holder, was approved and the approval letter provided that the second could receive a “maximum” of $3,000.  The approval letter also had the following language:  “Any additional fees that were not approved on September 6, 2011 will not be covered by Bank of America, N.A. and become the sole responsibility of the agent, the buyer or the seller to pay at closing.”  Based on that language, the SSN told our agent that he needed to credit over $50,000 to the second lien holder at close of escrow.  Both the SSN and escrow officer claimed that this language meant that an agreement to pay more to the second was allowed if it was made after September 6 and was not to be “covered” by B of A.  As a result, escrow prepared a new commission instruction memorializing the credit and asked us to sign it.

As you can imagine, we do not agree with the SSN’s interpretation of the above clause and refused to sign the escrow instruction.  The approval letter specifically says that the “maximum allowed to the Jr. Lien Holder…” was $3,000.  Whatever the term, “additional fees” means in the clause quoted above, it does not mean that you can ignore the “maximum” language and pay the junior lien holder whatever you want.  If any more money is to be paid to any other lien holder, it has to be approved by the first.  The language cited by the SSN and escrow, is not enough.  So please do not let anyone pressure you in to accepting this position.  It is just the latest way people have come up with to avoid the limitations of the short sale process.  As much as we want to close deals, we cannot succumb to this type of temptation.  We are closing deals every day, and doing so the right.  Let’s continue to do so.