As a person deeply involved in the visuals of life, not only as a photographer myself, but art collector, seamstress and former art gallery owner (and cook!), this place was for made for me (you’ll feel the same about yourself). It’s a glorious collection of beautiful images and though provoking things to see, set out for us to claim in a pin, to show the world we approve/like/appreciate. The site is put together beautifully, I might add.

So far, I have created a few boards that appeal to me and they’ve garnered very sweet followers. What I am NOT doing over there is promoting real estate or vomiting all over Pinterest with talk of houses, dream houses, my listings or Hire Me As Your Broker nonsense. It’s going to be a purely organic place for me to look, pin, follow and re-pin. I love the girly girl aspect to it and, yes, I am a real estate broker for hire but honestly, I am a lot more than that and it’s refreshing to work on another side of life for a while. Business comes from where it comes from. I am not worried about how to scheme at Pinterest to find clients.

What is social media anyway? I was thinking about this today, after being interviewed by the California Association of REALTORS yesterday about using SM in business (article coming out in their statewide magazine soon). It’s really the social side of your resume, your life laid bare to validate who you are as a person. In my opinion and this is evolving, social media is NOT for business. Ask yourself: how much business do you get from your social media interactions? None? Almost none? It’s not for business. It’s about you as a social creature.  Are you one sided in your social media world, yammering on about yourself and your business and your agenda? Or do you like recipes, repurposed furniture, beautiful dresses, newsworthy items and things of beauty? That’s Pinterest. Men are hugely welcome there! They like cool things, too.

So real estate agents, please do not clutter up Pinterest with your “new” bright idea to sell houses at the site. Sheesh, keep that to yourselves! If you do bring that to Pinterest, I promise you won’t find clients. We don’t want your agenda smutting up the place. Don’t sell us anything. We’re not buying. But for goodness sake, do join and let us get to know you as a person. Let us see your other side of life.  And if you need an invitation to join, please ask me! All comers welcome, but keep the house selling off our playground. Not every thing is made for selling real estate.

(By the way, what’s the point of my photo, above? It’s to illustrate what I consider a quirky, interesting image like those that get my attention at Pinterest. This was taken by me at a private garden party in Coronado at a lovely estate. It’s a private harp player, hired to play for the guests in a separate garden building.)

My second favorite is House Hunters International, only because it’s so baffling! Why is everyone dying to get out of this country to buy in another country? And why do they all want it furnished? I have seen the furniture that goes with the purchases and it seems a bit, ahem, unsavory. So I watch this show to wonder how these buyers got enough money to burn on an international vacation home.

The show Million Dollar Listing (Los Angeles version; the New York version starts in March and I will watch) sort of misses the point for me, since it focuses on the agents a bit more than the houses. All I need to see are the houses, thanks. I work in real estate and watching people “act” while they “sell real estate” at the same time is hard to take, especially when the agents warrant throttling. Does arrogance make good television? Apparently.

My favorite San Diego houses for sale at the price point of $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 are below.  My original post was going to be about houses for sale in San Diego that I love priced at exactly $1 million, but I actually thought the final list was weak. Not good enough for you to see!

One thing that came to mind very quickly is how little “super duper WOW” you really get for a million dollars in San Diego (compared to where everyone else lives who may read this), so I upped the budget.

Then added on some new criteria:

• the home can’t be a short sale.
• you have to be able to own the land — no detached home with condominium title ownership.
• no super fixers regardless of the other good factors.
• not too far “out there” geographically – we are 4,000 square miles in San Diego County after all!
• must be owner occupied or vacant.

Then I went through the 171 results to get to the final 17. Mind you, these are not my favorite photographed or decorated homes. Please look beyond some of the photos and occasional funk!

These properties are truly worth a second look if I or a client were in the market for a $1,000,000 or higher home, up to $1.5M.  The winning list is here.

To that, each of these properties is undoubtedly very negotiable. San Diego is in a very strong buyer’s market: more buyers than sellers. Sellers negotiate to get a buyer’s business. Some of the winners need a tiny bit of work to make them truly special.

The most impressive for me? One that I would buy? A no brainer. Love at first sight: 4366 Altamirano Way in Mission Hills (San Diego, CA 92103). Oh my! That courtyard! It probably needs a new kitchen since the agent didn’t bother to photograph the kitchen, but this house is my favorite.

As your dedicated San Diego real estate professional, I am prepared to put my discerning eye on your wish list of homes. Let me know if I can help you buy or sell a house.

Thanks!

~Kimberly