There are several important rules to negotiating a Del Mar real estate sale effectively. First, do your homework and learn as much about the the home, local market, and seller as you can. Second, is to play your cards close to your vest and not reveal too much information to the other party or their agent. Do not allow the seller to rush you into any decision, no matter how tempting it may be. Finally, if you have doubts about your ability to negotiate the best price for the Del Mar home of your dreams, hire someone to help.

The home's value can be determined by researching the Internet. A number of Web sites offer an actual estimate of value based on acceptable software appraisal standards.  Remember that these are not official appraisals and that they don't factor in market nuances or other issues a certified appraiser or real estate professional might in assessing the value of your home. These are, however, a great way to get a general idea of what your home is worth.  Information about the seller and the property can be gathered through conversations with neighbors. With this information in hand you will be able to decide if the seller is willing to accept a reasonable offer on the Del Mar property of your dreams.

Del Mar is situated on the Pacific coast just north of La Jolla.  Del Mar means "By the Sea" and is well known for its gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. Del Mar is two square miles land best known for its beaches, fairgrounds and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club "Where the turf meets the surf." With beautiful sandstone canyons interspersed with hillsides of custom homes, and astonishing sunsets, the romantic village of Del Mar is a global destination point for visitors, vacationers and residents alike.The real estate in this area are also grand and luxurious, taking full advantage of those incredible views! And making Del Mar one of the most beautiful and romantic beach resort destinations in the world.  Imagine a romantic vacation getaway to a quiet, relaxing and scenic village on the beautiful Pacific Ocean, with charming hotels and excellent restaurants. Better yet, imagine owning your own peice of this paradise.  Every property in Del Mar is another of the many hidden facets that make up the gem that is Del Mar.

Del Mar has a colorful history filled with excitement, pleasure and even has a song recorded by Bing Crosby. Bing, Pat O'Brien and their friends, such as Jimmy Durante, turned the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club into one of the most beautiful and prestigious organizations in the entire racing world. Even Brad Pitt is rumored to have moved here recently, buying an $18 million dollar beachfront home, and 'Brad Pitt Sightings' are the talk of the town. 

Del Mar residents get to witness the annual Gray Whale migration from a spectacular San Diego shoreline. Del Mar is an excellent place to see them and Seagrove Park, at the foot of 15th Street, maybe the best place.  The only member of the family Eschrichtiidae, the gray whale is a mysticete, or baleen whale. As a "coastal" whale  the gray whale migrates along the North American Pacific Coast between northern arctic seas and the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. Frequently visible from shore, gray whales provide a unique opportunity for land and boat observation, and commercial whale watching has become a major industry along its migration route. Visitors to the calving and breeding lagoons sometimes encounter the phenomenon of the "friendlies"; gray whales that closely approach small boats and allow themselves to be touched by humans.  In the fall Del Mar residents can watch the whales as they move south to Baja and then in the spring as they move back north towards the Bering Sea.  

The gray whale is named for the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin.  The gray whale has no dorsal (top) fin but about 2/3 of the way back on its body is a prominent dorsal hump. The flippers of the Gray whale are paddle shaped and pointed at the tips. Its fluke, or tail fin, is about 10-12 feet across, pointed at the tips, and deeply notched in the center. An adult male can grow to 46 feet and adult females measure slightly more. Both sexes weigh 30-40 tons.

The gray whale has historically been one of the most hunted whales. At one time there were three gray whale populations; a north Atlantic population,  a Korean or western north Pacific, and the eastern north Pacific population.  The Eastern north pacific population is the largest surviving group of gray whales. The gray whale was almost hunted to extinction in the 1850's after the discovery of the calving lagoons, and again in the early 1900's with the introduction of floating factories.  In 1947 the gray whale was given full hunting protection by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Since then, the eastern north Pacific gray whale population has made a remarkable recovery and now the population is estimated to be between 19,000 and 23,000, probably close to their original population size.

The area we know today as Del Mar was populated by native Americans possibly dating back 50,000 years. The San Dieguito Indians were the most ancient inhabitants. At some point around 7,500 years ago the La Jolla Indians arrived,  first joining and then replacing the San Dieguitans. Around 1,500 years ago, the Diegueno Indians arrived from the desert lands to the east and were the inhabitants Christianized by the Franciscan Fathers.  They then moved to the San Diego Mission area when it was founded in 1769. Following the Mission era, the main part of Del Mar was granted to Don Juan Maria Osuna in 1840-1841 as part of the San Dieguito Ranch. In 1882 a New Yorker named Theodore Loop came to southern California to build a railroad connecting Los Angeles and San Diego. The original train tracks were laid down in the middle of what is known today as Del Mar. The completion of the railroads brought several pioneer farming families to the area. William Weed was one of them. Mr. Weed ended up purchasing most of the land that we now know as Del Mar. Mr. Loop liked the area so much he told people that he had "found the most attractive place on the entire coast". In the same year Loop met a very successful rancher from New Mexico, Mr. Jacob Shell Taylor. Taylor and Loop were both captivated by the beauty of the area and recognized a development opportunity. Taylor purchased 338 acres of Mr. Weed's land in 1885 and began construction on his dream resort. Mr. Taylor built as many as 40 small houses, a two story Victorian schoolhouse, an observation tower, a train depot and a water system. But the main construction project was "Casa Del Mar", the area's first resort. The resort had a dance pavilion on the beach and a large swimming pool that went out into the ocean called a Natatorium. With the natural beauty of the area and the close proximity to Los Angeles, Del Mar became a popular vacation destination.

Ask any dog owner in Southern California where Dog Beach is, and they will know exactly where it is. At the border of the south end of Solana Beach and the north end of Del Mar, or North Beach is doggy heaven from September 6th through June 14th when dogs are allowed to run free off-leash.  This beach is perfect for the dogs because it has a natural boundary at the south end of dog beach in the San Dieguito Rivermouth which is usually it is anywhere from 25 to 50 feet across making it easy to control the movement of the dogs. There aren't too many places in Southern California where your dog can frolic at the beach with other dogs, so this is particularly a great place to take your dog for a "date". Pet owners looking for parking at Dog Beach Parking can park on the street, but remember that Del Mar likes its parking revenues -- and parking ticket revenues especially. Pay your meter diligently, or buy a $4 all-day pass from the little pay-and-display-your-ticket box at the top of Camino del Mar. The rules at Dog Beach are:

1. Out-of-control doggie behavior is prohibited. Del Mar lifeguards enforce the rules and will write you a ticket.

The crowd at Dog Beach is a very respectable pet-owning group and the beach is low-key with few incidents.  Most owners use the city-supplied clean-up mitts, but it's still a good idea to watch your step. Del Mar is a great community for dog owners and Del Mar real estate is a great purchase for their owners. 

For many owners of Del Mar real estate, swimming is the best way to beat the heat. Especially in winter when the Pacific Ocean is to cold for fun without a wet suit.  But during Southern California's sunny winters and summers your pool's water could still be a bit nippy.  Pool owners can choose to heat the water with propane or electric heaters but they will find these systems expensive to install, costly to run, and a unnecessary consumers of non-renewable energy and emitters of greenhouse gases.  The intelligent way for Del Mar home owners to heat their pools is to turn to Southern California limitless supply of free energy - the SUN.  Solar pool heaters are a very inexpensive way to warm the waters and put a chill on your energy bills.

The basic components of solar pool heating system are your pool pump, PVC piping, and plastic solar panels.  The solar panels are comprised of a series of small tubes that carry the water through the panel, the PVC piping carries the water from the pump to the panels and from the panels to the filter. The panels are installed on the roof in a location that provides maximum exposure to the sun.  By running the pool pump only during sunlight hours you will be able to gain 5 to 10 plus degrees of heat to your pool water without spending hundreds of dollars on burning greenhouse gas emitting fuels.  So be smart, go green, and use Solar Energy to heat your Del Mar home's swimming pool.

The experts say a house should have curb appeal. You hear it all the time, and they even have a television show devoted to it - but what exactly does curb appeal mean?  Curb appeal means that when a prospective buyer drives by a Del Mar home for a look the home looks enticing enough for them to stop the car for a closer look and collect the homes real estate agent information to set up a visit to the property.  The National Association of Realtors says curb appeal sells 49 percent of all houses.  So, how do you achieve curb appeal? The following are a few quick and easy ways to create curb appeal.

First, touch up the front of the house. This may include power washing the walkways, driveway, and siding.  This would including washing the mildew from porch columns and rails. Put a new coat of paint wood siding and patch and paint worn or faded stucco , keep the hedges trimmed neatly, plant plenty of flowers (use bright colors), and use lots of dark mulch that you should water regularly. Repaint faded fixtures, Replace and paint the stairs to the porch. Make sure the lawn is mowed once a week and watered regularly. Dead-head the flowers. Pick up trash not only in front of your house but in front of your neighbors' houses, and definitely wash the windows. The results of this will be seen clearly in the number of prospective buyers visiting your Del Mar home.

A lot of ugly houses during the recent hot market, but you can't assume that your ugly house will. And in today's market you can never take that risk, but don't go overboard trying to pretty up. Remember, at first contact, it is not how good the house feels but how good it looks. You are trying to get them into the house and once you get them through the door, you better make sure that whats inside looks as good as whats outside.  A good looking Del Mar Real Estate property will almost sell it's self but you always want to get as many prospective buyers to see it - and as many offers as possible.  A house with great curb appeal will do just that.

After you have your prospective Del Mar real estate property inspected, what do you do with the information? If you've selected a good home inspector, you will be furnished with too much information. Your inspection report may be a dozen pages or more and will catalog all sorts of deficiencies with window screens, cabinet doors, and so forth. Most of these are common to homes of any age and will have no bearing on your home transaction.  In rare cases, your home inspector may find something that is a deal-breaker for you— such as significant foundation cracks, structural defects or serious water damage. More commonly, you should be looking expensive repairs that will alter what you're willing to pay for the home or simply give you negotiating leverage. There are no rules for which party, the seller or the buyer, is responsible for repairs. In a buyer's market with lots of home available, the seller may have to eat the cost of a new roof. In a hot market with many willing buyers, a seller is unlikely to make such a concession. A home inspection is generally well worth the money for negotiation leverage, financial planning, or peace of mind. 

If you are asking yourself if you should get a home inspection before buying the Del Mar real estate you are looking at the answer is a definite - Yes. If you're going to spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to by your dream home in Del Mar, you should spend the $250-$500 for a licensed professional to conduct a thorough inspection of the property. Most buyers will make their purchase offer contingent on the home inspection report. In the event that the home inspector finds any significant problems, you can either re-negotiate your offer price or request the seller make certain repairs before closing. Even if you intend to buy a home "as is" the home inspection may help you prepare for the additional expense of repairs. So what can you expect from a home inspector and the inspection? Each state has their own requirements for licensing a home inspector and unfortunately there is no infallible way to select a good inspector. The best way to find a good inspector is to ask your realtor since they have worked personally with local inspectors. But in almost all cases, you won't know if you have chosen your inspector well until you see him (or her) in action. In observing your inspector work you should see a painstaking, thorough inspection of the property. Typically an inspector will have the following tools and supplies with him:

1. Flashlight

2. Outlet tester or volt meter

3. Screwdriver (to look behind a sampling of switch or outlet covers)

4. Thermometer (to check air-conditioner register temperature)

5. Step ladder for interior

6. Extension ladder for exterior

7. Knee pads (for crawl space inspection)

You don't have to follow the inspector around, but you should be aware of what he's doing and how long he's spending in each area of the house. He should test all appliances that convey with the house, cycling the dishwasher, oven, stove burners, disposer and so forth.  Your inspector should move methodically through the house, open and close every single window and door, check every single electrical switch, outlet and plumbing fixture, and inspect every closet and cabinet. The inspection should also check other major systems— such as water heater, heating system, air conditioner, and attic ventilation.  Outside the inspection should cover the condition of brick and siding, paint, storm windows, caulk and sealant, soffits and gutters, hose faucets, etc, as well as roof shingles and flashing. The importance of the inspection is to locate any major structural problems or history of water damage.  If your inspector just pokes a flashlight into the attic or spends half a minute in the crawl space, you are not getting your money's worth and you should specifically request that he look for any potential problems in the far corners of the crawl space.

Are you a golfer looking to purchase one of Del Mars outstanding homes? If so you should know about the Grand Del Mar Golf Club. The Grand Del Mar Golf Club was designed by nationally acclaimed golf course architect Tom Fazio, who is known for his keen ability to marry environmental design with challenging but fair courses. This luxury golf resort and residential enclave is the only Fazio creation in San Diego. The 7,160-yard par-72 golf course winds through the beautiful Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve and spreads over more than 380 lush acres. The course incorporates dramatic elevation changes and challenges you further with 78 strategically placed bunkers making for an exciting and challenging golf experience. When not on the course, members can be found using the locker rooms, an upscale golf shop, a 25-station driving range, an over-sized practice putting green and golf lessons or instruction provided by PGA Instructors. In addition to world class golf the Grand Del Mar Golf Club features one of San Diegos most elegant and well-appointed Clubhouses and the fine-dinning restaurant Addison which provides exceptional cuisine, both indoor and outdoor dining, an extensive wine list, Chef's Table, and a Private Dining Room for seating up to 60 guests.