Posted by admin on August 19, 2010 | 
The city of San Marcos is dedicated to parks and community services. There are over 20 parks and Facilities in San Marcos from community pools, ball fields, picnic areas to wellness and senior centers. In addition there are 56 miles of trails, great for hiking, biking, running and equestrian use.
One of my favorite parks is Hollandia Park, located at 12 Mission Hills Court, because it has everything for your family outing, including a lighted skatepark, adventure playground, picnic area, off-leash dog park and more!
My favorite facility is the Wellness Center, located at the southeast corner of the Palomar College campus. They offer state-of-the-art exercise equipment and give discounts to San Marcos residents.
For more information and maps on the parks and facilities in San Marcos, please visit www.san-marcos.net. For all of the residents that currently live in beautiful San Marcos, I hope this is helpful information and you get out and explore a new park soon!
For all the rest of you, check out Rancho Santalina Homes in San Marcos, a wonderful New Home Community in Southern California that is conveniently located off the 78 Highway and Rancho Santa Fe Rd.
Come to San Marcos, the weather is great for a picnic!
Posted by Tod on August 10, 2010 |
Pets are more than just animals, they are part of the family. Our furry, feathered and finned friends require time, attention and a safe and comfortable home. Over half of all households have pets living with them, but animals are still an afterthought when it comes to buying a new home in Southern California. Here are some tips for designing and finding a pet friendly home:
- Pets need space of their own.
It’s important to have a designated spot just for them, for comfort, function and to feel safe. A great example of this is the mudroom included in the Vistas plan 3335 at Rancho Santalina. This provides space for a cozy bed, storage for food & treats and a place to wipe dirty paws before entering the main living area. You could also add a sink to the mudroom for quick clean-ups and to rinse out your pets’ food and water dishes separately from your own.
- Choose hard surface floors in your new home.
Hardwood floors are simple to mop or vacuum and add warmth to a room, but keep in mind that large dogs can scratch wood. The best floor for pets is ceramic tile because it’s easy to clean and resistant to stains, plus it gives furry animals a cool place to nap during the summer months. If you are a carpet person, that’s OK , just make sure it is stain resistant and vacuum regularly.
- Put washable fabrics on your bed.
If your dog or cat sleeps with you there will be hair and an occasional accident. Use cotton bed sheets, preferably in a matching color of your pet or a pattern that can hide the pet hair between washings. For bedspreads, duvet covers work well because you can take them off and wash them regularly.
- Bathe and groom your pet often.
Keeping your dog or cat clean will help your new home stay cleaner, longer. Regularly trimming their nails will help keep upholstery from snags and cut down on scratches on your floors. Brushing and bathing removes loose hair before it ends up on your floor, beds and pillows. Furniture and rugs will last longer if they don’t need to be washed as often. It’s easier and more fun to wash your best friend than your upholstery.
- Create a pet –friendly back yard.
Create a “potty” area for your pet and use gentle hardscapes (like pea gravel) for paths. If you’ll be planting beds, you might want to elevate them or add a border to dissuade dogs from running through your flowers. Also, be sure to check out www.aspca.com/toxicplants for a list of foliage to stay away from.
- Exercise your pet regularly.
Your pets love to be home with you but they also need exercise and to socialize with others like them. Cats enjoy playing indoors with you and fun toys they can chase and hunt for exercise, dogs on the other hand enjoy being outdoors, running and socializing with other dogs. San Marcos is a family-friendly city, and may be the dog-friendliest in the county. There are three dog parks within San Marcos, all providing safe places for our best friends to run and play off-leash. A fourth is under construction.
- Montiel Park – is on the east side of town
- San Elijo Park – in San Elijo Hills
- Hollandia Park – the newest
- There is a fourth park, scheduled to open in winter of 2010, called Sunset Park, on the west side at La Mirada Drive and Poinsettia Avenue.
Tags: bed, cats, ceramic tile, dishes, dogs, exercise, fabrics, floors, hair, hardscape, mop, mudroom, New Homes, paws, pets, potty, Rancho Santalina Homes, San Marcos, sink, southern california, storage, wash
Posted by Tod on August 2, 2010 |
Old California Restaurant Row
Old California Restaurant Row is a unique and convenient dining experience where you can enjoy great food from around the world in one location. Located just south of I-78 on San Marcos Blvd., just 5 minutes away from Rancho Santalina. From breakfast to dinner, Mexican food to Italian and coffee house to brewery, they have it all.
Amazingly so, Old California Restaurant Row started with only a fruit and vegetable stand. Jim and Vera Eubank had a vision and fell in love with San Marcos in North County San Diego. Jim was a Real Estate Developer and in the early 1970’s, him and his wife purchased a 20 acre parcel on what is now San Marcos Blvd. and Via Vera Cruz. They started the first “Farmer’s Market” and soon realized another opportunity that was lacking in the area – restaurants. This is where it all began.
Today, Old California Restaurant Row, charming village boutiques along with Edwards Stadium 18 Cineplex is the premier entertainment destination in San Marcos. For restaurant information and the full story on the history of Old California Restaurant Row, please visit www.oldcalrestaurantrow.com
Posted by Tod on July 21, 2010 |
Housing in San Marcos, California – Buy New!
In today’s highly competitive market there is a vast array of choices to be made when deciding between purchasing a new home or used home, which is called re-sale. One of the primary advantages of buying a new home is the ability to personalize and decorate your home from the beginning exactly the way you want. In a new home, you can pick your own exterior elevation, color scheme, kitchen cabinets, appliances, flooring, custom wiring for TV’s and computers as well as have more upgrade options. Modern features like media rooms, lofts, extra-large closets, large bathrooms and tubs are also more attainable in new construction.
Often, new homes in Southern California will have more modern conveniences, better insulation and can be more energy efficient. Insulation in ceilings, walls and floors is often substandard or nonexistent in an old home and old-style widows waste heat almost as badly as if they were open. New home builders use modern materials such as dual-glazed (Low E2) windows, energy-star appliances, radiant barrier roof sheathing, thicker insulation and other technology that will lower future energy costs for the owner.
New homes bring safety and piece of mind to your family. Builders have to follow very strict guidelines in new homes, especially in California, where earthquake safety standards must be observed. New construction also comes with a builders’ warranty.
Affordability and appreciation are also concerns for buyers today. There can be investment advantages in purchasing a new home. It is simply a function of supply and demand, and the economic realities of the real estate market. The short-term savings you may see in a used home are lost over time when repairs, renovations, pest control and lower appreciation are taken into account. These issues are much less likely to concern new home buyers.
Posted by Tod on July 13, 2010 |
Rancho Santalina, a new home community in San Marcos has a very unique program for their buyers called Pick-a-Lot. Not only can you choose a great home that fits perfectly for your family’s lifestyle from the six floor plans offered, but also choose the home site you prefer from the current phase.
Here’s how it works….
You are looking for a new home, you have been through many models and nothing is quite right, until you reach Rancho Santalina. After touring the beautiful modern and spacious models, you feel, “this one is perfect”! The Sales Counselor shows you which home sites are available and you get to pick the lot you would like Fieldstone to build your new home on. You also get to choose the exterior elevation from Spanish style, California Ranch or Italiante style and also choose the matching exterior color scheme from six different color boards in each style.
Now that is choice!
There isn’t any pre-selected anything at Rancho Santalina.
Posted by Tod on July 8, 2010 |
When buying a newly constructed home in a development or community, sign on the dotted line as soon as possible. Purchasing a new home in Southern California early allows you more choices, not only in the room configurations but also cabinets, counter-tops, appliances, lighting, fixtures and color selections.
This expands your decorating options and eliminates the expense of replacing those materials later; you know, the ones you would have never chosen. Buyers don’t like pre-selected options. Decorating the interior of a new home can be a daunting task, but also fun to get the whole family involved while watching your new home being constructed.
The challenge of decorating what effectively is a blank canvas in the easiest and most cost-effective way can be met with a few simple steps.
- First choose the theme or style you want your home to portray. Select paint colors for the interior walls. Painting the rooms of your new home is the quickest and least expensive way to give it personality and style. The color scheme throughout your home should be consistent with your visual aesthetic and compliment your possessions. A general rule of thumb is the lighter the shade of color, the more open and airy the room will feel; the darker the shade, the cozier it will seem. It’s a good idea to plan a couple days between your escrow closing and moving in to your new home to paint. It’s much easier to paint before your furniture is in place.
- Define your family’s lifestyle. Build on furniture you already own. When purchasing upholstered furniture for your new home, the simplest yet most forward-thinking thing you can do is to choose timeless pieces that fit into your color scheme. By doing this, you will ensure that the furniture will not become outdated quickly.
- Last, don’t forget the accessories! Unlike furniture, they do not have to be user friendly. Rugs, artwork, vases, draperies and the like are objects with which you may be your most creative. If you love it, use it. The most important principal of decorating a new home is to reflect the true you.
Posted by Tod on July 6, 2010 |
When purchasing a new home, most builders such as Rancho Santalina Homes, include front yard landscaping, but what about your back yard. Designing your rear yard can become time consuming and expensive. Here are some tips to help you with your landscape designing;
Drive around your neighborhood and take pictures of yards and plants you like.
Decide your budget and how much hardscape, planters and grass you want. It’s important to think of how you are going to be using your yard space. Do you do a lot of entertaining? Do you have children, pets?
Trees & Shrubs
The biggest and most important things added to your landscape are trees and shrubs. It’s important to do your research to see what trees grow best in your area and also see if there are any restrictions in the community CC&R’s from the homeowners association if there is one. Pick out trees you like and that you will enjoy watching grow over the years. Keep in mind how big the trees will get and make sure not to plant them too close to your home. The roots can travel and damage your foundation if planted to close to the house.
Perennials are great to plant in your flower garden. You can have plants that bloom every season if you plan it just right. Bulbs are also easy, low maintenance and attractive for your flower beds.
Finally, seek help from someone you know that has experience in landscaping or that has done their own yard or an avid gardener. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or call your local garden shop, they are usually glad to help. You will be surprised at some of the great ideas you will get from them.
Good luck and happy gardening!
Posted by Tod on June 26, 2010 |
Families are starting to buy homes again after the slow down in the local Real Estate market. Home buyers are carefully evaluating what their needs are, being conservative in their choices and selecting new homes and features that best fit their family’s lifestyle. Today’s New Home buyer is looking for cost-effective smaller homes with floor plans that focus on space, storage and energy efficiency. It’s all about family togetherness and casual living, entertaining and flexible usable spaces not rooms.
Here are the most popular features Buyers are looking for in today’s New Homes:
- Large Kitchens that open up to the family room. An island in the kitchen is also a popular item.
- Bedroom and Bathroom downstairs for visiting relatives and guests.
- Home office/Study or Loft for flexible extra space.
- Energy-Efficient Homes and Appliances. High-Efficiency Insulation and High Window Efficiency are what buyers value most.
- Two-Car Garages are the new requirement for buyers today where not to long ago three-car were the request. The third bay is more often used for storage than a third vehicle.
- Walk-In closets, not only in the master suite but in the secondary bedrooms.
- Open Space, Walking Trails and Recreation Areas for the children. Forget about golf courses, swimming pools and clubhouses, buyers prefer space around them, hiking trails and areas their children can play.
- Exterior Elevations, brick and stone are the request from buyers, and if they have a choice, that would be a bonus.
The key for New Home Builders is finding the balance between what buyers want and the price point. Rancho Santalina Homes in San Marcos seems to have found this balance. Make sure you check out other Southern California New Homes from Fieldstone Homes.
Posted by Tod on June 21, 2010 |
Hello, I’m Tod from Rancho Santalina Homes standing here at Rancho Santalina. I would like to invite you on the 26th of June, Saturday from 12:30 to 2:30 pm to come out and join Radio Disney. Lots of excitement with our re-grand opening of all the models. There are 6 models to choose from at Rancho Santalina between the Haciendas and Vistas. There will be lots of fun, music, and giveaways.
So, come on down 12:30 to 2:30 on Saturday, June 26 to see the new Rancho Santalina re-decorated models. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.
- North County Location
- Cool Ocean Breezes
- Beautiful Open Spaces
- New Single Family Homes
- 3 – 6 Bedrooms
- 2.5 – 4 Bathrooms
See ya there!
Rancho Santalina Homes are built new award winning new home builder, Fieldstone Homes. Fieldstone has been building new homes in Southern California since 1981 and has built more than 25,000 new homes.
Posted by Tod on June 18, 2010 |
Green is the popular color today, its everywhere. Everyone is talking about going green, in the news, on the internet, home builders, businesses, food, fashion
…your head will spin! What is green and how can I help, you ask?
The fact is, every single thing we do every day has an impact on the planet. The good news is that as an individual you have the power to control most of your choices. Ease into being green, start small and change just a few things in your life and you will have a global impact.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
- EAT FRESHER
Eat seasonal, local, organic foods. Shop at your local farmer’s markets. Buying local means supporting the local economy and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions required to get food from its origin to your plate.
Sprouts Farmers Market-San Marcos, 149 S. Las Posas Rd., San Marcos, Ca 92078 (760) 208-6041
- ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION
Anytime you choose to walk, ride a bike or take public transportation, you reduce the carbon dioxide and particulate emissions created by driving a car. Not to mention the health benefits to you with the exercise.
Sprinter – www.GoNCTD.com
- RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE
Make proper use of your recycle bin, reduce the amount of stuff you consume and find constructive uses for waste materials. Nothing is ever just thrown away; it all has to go somewhere. By recycling and reusing, we reduce the amount of waste that sits in landfills. Recycling materials also saves energy compared to using virgin materials to create new products.
EDCO – Waste Collection & Recycling
- PLANT BASED SKIN PRODUCTS
Your skin is the bodys largest organ and absorbs up to 60 percent of the products you put on it every day, from soaps to shampoos to sunscreens. Choosing green personal care products often means using plant-based ingredients in place of petrochemicals.
- WATER IS NOT A RENEWABLE RESOURCE
Clean water is perhaps the planet’s most precious resource. Being water conscious helps reduce strain on municipal treatment systems and ensures there’s enough H2O to go around. By shifting away from bottled water, we can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions (from shipping), the energy required to produce (petroleum-derived) plastic, and the volume of waste trucked to our landfills (from empty bottles).
- BUY A NEW HOME
Part of going green is being energy efficient. Southern California New Homes today are built much more energy efficient than older homes. For instance, the new community of Rancho Santalina in San Marcos includes many energy efficient features such as energy-star appliances, dual-glazed (low E2) windows, radiant barrier roof sheathing, energy-efficient water heaters with insulated lining, water-saving toilets and shower heads, just to name a few.
So let’s make an effort and start today to save our beautiful planet together. Going Green is cool!
The city of San Marcos is dedicated to parks and community services. There are over 20 parks and Facilities in San Marcos from community pools, ball fields, picnic areas to wellness and senior centers. In addition there are 56 miles of trails, great for hiking, biking, running and equestrian use.
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