By Miriam Raftery

June 22, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – The city of San Diego ranked second worst in the nation for rent hikes on  a one-bedroom apartment in 2018, at 17% with an average rent of $2,300, according to Rent.com. By contrast, the national average rent increase nationwide was 2.69% and California averaged a 4.48% increase in rents on one bedroom apartments during the same time period.

Rents are also skyrocketing in East County, where some communities had double digit rent hikes from March 2018 through March 2019 for 1 BR units:

Lemon Grove +15.66%

La Mesa +10.63%

El Cajon + 5.04%

Santee, by contrast, had only a modest 1.25% increase.

Spring Valley, the only unincorporated community in San Diego County with enough inventory to provide statistically valid data, had a 9.6% increase.

East County News Service

June 14, 2019 (El Cajon) – Keller Williams Realty San Diego East Foothills in El Cajon, the largest residential real estate brokerages in San Diego’s East County region with more than 320 agents, has announced that Santee resident Ron Burner has joined the firm as a real estate sales agent.

By Maryanne Jackson, real estate broker, CNE. CPRES. DRE#01784021

Photo: Creative Commons image via Free Stock

June 4, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Dear Maryanne,

My fiancé and I purchased our first home in December. We were told there was a septic tank on the property. We had asked our agent on numerous occasions to find out the exact location of the septic tank, but he never followed through with our request; he only told us, “The septic tank had recently been pumped therefore we really had no need to worry about it right now, we just needed to focus on closing the deal.”

Upon moving in we attempted to use the showers and toilets and noticed the water started to back up. We called numerous plumbers and the prior owner- who informed us that the septic had been renovated when the investor bought the property from her and did the flip.

We now are paying $200 a month for a porta potty rental; it is our only way to have a bathroom on our property until this gets resolved.

How could this situation have been avoided? Was there something we should have done while in escrow?

K. W. Blossom Valley

East County News Service

May 29, 2019 (Chula Vista) – The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a real estate trade group for San Diego-area realtors with an office in El Cajon, will host its third annual Realtor Games from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, June 21 at Scobee Park, 2390 Boswell Road, Chula Vista.

By Matt Levin and Ben Christopher, CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

May 19, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Shock. Depression. Relief.

Those were just some of the reactions as the year’s most controversial state housing bill met its sudden demise. But very few people—supporters, opponents, and even the author himself—can claim to have seen this coming.

Update May 15, 2019: The San Diego City Council has voted to approve the new vehicle habitation ordinance.

By Miriam Raftery

May 13, 2019 (San Diego) – After a federal judge found San Diego’s vehicle habitation ordinance unconstitutional and issued an injunction to halt its enforcement of the ban on sleeping in vehicles, a new ordinance backed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer has been passed 3-1 by a committee and forwarded to the full city council, where a vote is expected on Tuesday, May 14 at 2 p.m.  

Ramona tops list with most homes sold

East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons

May 9, 2019 (San Diego) – Sales of existing homes in San Diego County continued to rise in April, according to housing statistics compiled through the San Diego Multiple Listing Service by the GreaterSan Diego Association of REALTORS®.

By Maryanne Jackson, Real Estate Broker, CNE. CPRES.

April 20, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -

Dear Maryanne,

My mother and I purchased a home in Lemon Grove last year and it has been very quiet until recently. There is a lot of construction going on lately and the cars are being diverted past our home. We are now interested in finding solutions to creating a quiet and peaceful environment without moving.

Thelma S. & Joy L.

Lemon Grove, CA

By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss, EarthTalk

Photo:  This small rooftop wind turbine from Netherlands-based start-up The Archimedes can generate 1,500 kilowatt-hours of energy each year, which would account for about 15% of the typical American household's annual energy needs

April 12, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Dear EarthTalk: Given all the advances in residential household efficiency, can you paint a picture of what the home of the future will look like?

—Jennifer C., Valmeyer, IL

By Maryanne Jackson, real estate broker

April 1, 2019 (San Diego’s East County)

Dear Maryanne,

My mother is living in another state now, but we need to start to explore the possibility of having her come live with us soon. We have a large lot and would like to find out  how to get a permit to build a smaller unit on our residential property.

Is this an easy process?

--JD. La Mesa

Upcoming spring events April 10 and May 19 reap harvest of community opportunities

By Elisabeth Handley

March 18, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Spring heralds all things new, so what better time to plan a new garden or landscape renovation? La Mesa Beautiful’s spring events are the perfect venues to get ideas, talk to experts and have a lot of fun in the process.

By Maryanne Jackson. Real Estate Broker CNE, CPRES.

March 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -

Dear Maryanne,

My spouse and I will be getting a substantial refund this year from our income taxes.

We both agree that the refund should go into improving our home. We really want to install a solar system. Is this an improvement that would get us a good return on our investment?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

--Jannine S. Crest, CA.

Source:  California Department of Justice

February 13, 2019 (San Diego) - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the sentencing of Prakashumar ("Kash") Bhakta for operating a mortgage fraud scheme throughout Southern California and the Inland Empire that preyed on homeowners facing foreclosure. Today, Mr. Bhakta was sentenced to seven years and eight months in state prison. Restitution will be ordered in the amount of $256,000. Co-defendants Jacob Orona, Aide Orona, John Contreras, Marcus Robinson, and David Boyd previously pled guilty. They were sentenced to state prison terms ranging from four years to seven years and four months.