Archive | December, 2011

San Diego Neighborhood Restaurants to Spice Up Winter

By on December 29, 2011 in Around San Diego

Looking for some new flavors to warm up your holiday season? Here’s a quick overview of some fun San Diego neighborhood restaurants to check out!

Craft and Commerce is located right about where Little Italy meets Downtown San Diego. A short walk a short walk down the street and you’re immersed in skyscrapers while a short walk up the street will leave you lost in a romantic village. In many ways the interior of Craft and Commerce embraces its conflicting location by creating a hip urban environment that is touched by archaic elements such as a library of books and other classic décor. The food too takes some classics and recombines them in exciting new ways such as their specialty mini corn-dogs or buttermilk biscuits.

Don’t expect ketchup or ranch dressing.

Do expect to see bartenders in funny uniforms.

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The Mission has several locations in San Diego including Downtown, Northpark and Mission Beach. While the Northpark location has a classic corner cafe location I will focus on the ever-crowded Mission Beach location. Your best bet is to hit this location in the tourist off-season, which is a small window for Mission Beach. Try one of their burritos, but don’t expect your classic Mexican style flavor profile. Another favorite is the French toast. The cinnamon bread that is the base for the french toast is an delicious treat on its own. The Mission is open for breakfast and lunch only, so don’t set your heart on having dinner here.

Don’t expect substitutions on menu items.

Do expect San-Diego-Good Mexican dishes with well thought out twists.

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Looking for lunch in Point Loma? Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe is a place you can’t miss. Amazing fresh baked breads and high quality meats. This restaurant is always lively but keep in mind that the emphasis is on the food not the atmosphere. That being said, on a nice day the patio is a great place to enjoy your meal. The bakery is located within Historic Liberty Station be sure to take a short tour if you haven’t been here before.

Don’t expect to be able to see the menu from the line.

Do expect a simple and effective menu that speaks for itself.

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Ever been in the mood for Moroccan food? I certainly hadn’t until I tried Kous Kous Restaurant in Hillcrest! The food comes beautifully plated here and has flavor to match! For a unique dining experience that won’t break the bank make sure you keep this gem on your list of places to try. Kous Kous is a treat especially if you’re in the mood for a flavorful vegetable dish like vegie berber tangine.

Don’t expect generic food trying to pass as Moroccan.

Do expect fun ambience and equally tasty plates.

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When I think of La Jolla Seafood comes to mind for obvious reasons. The next time you’re craving grilled octopus salad consider the Prep Kitchen in La Jolla. This location serves brunch, lunch and dinner, and don’t worry there are plenty of dishes on the menu without tentacles. Try the charred Bone Marrow for dinner, or the fresh baked scones if you’re in for brunch. Note, Prep Kitchen also has locations in Little Italy and Del Mar.

Don’t expect the cheapest eats in San Diego.

Do expect the daily specials to be worth every penny.

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Do you have a favorite San Diego Neighborhood Restaurant? Visit Red House Property Management’s Facebook and tell us more!

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Turn-key investment

Turn-Key Investment Tips

By on December 21, 2011 in Investment

You’ve probably noticed the hype surrounding turn-key investment. The popularity of this brand of investing in real estate has surged in recent years and it seems you can’t click anywhere on the web without being reminded of it. Even more impressive are the companies dedicated to turn-key which are popping up in many cities across the nation. Their ads are inescapable in just about any real estate periodical you pick up. A large percent of the turn-key operations you will come across offer to do everything for the investor. Red House want’s to share the following information to help investors sort through the emerging turn-key jungle by setting a few criteria that everyone who’s getting involved should ask themselves before preceding.

Turn-Key Investment Definition: A turn-key investment is a property which is cash-flowing at the time of purchase (already overseen by a residential property manager).

turn key investments

To get started, situate yourself by researching markets. The difference between success and failure might translate to a geographical distance of only a few miles or blocks. Researching your markets will allow you to find one which works for your plan, and remember what worked for another plan may not work at all for yours. One useful tool is US Census data, but be weary of parties which may obscure or manipulate data to sell their point. Always dig to the hard numbers behind colorful charts, no matter how good they may look. If you already are working with a turn-key vendor, compare your notes with theirs.

Armed with knowledge of where you want to execute your plan and a solid team you’re well on your way to executing a turn-key investment. However, I’ve skipped over a terribly important step, choosing a team. When searching for a turn-key vendor to work with be sure to be very up-front about what you are looking for. Some businesses may be great at getting you one thing, but you have to make sure that the service that you choose is prepared to give you exactly what you are asking for. By evaluating this right off the bat you can save yourself time and effort before you get into later steps of the investment process.

No matter what vendor you choose you will be paying for it. Try not to worry too much about comparing the expenses you will incur but instead focus on finding the best vendor for your investment plan. In the end it will be far more important to have the right investment under your belt than to have shaved some of the cost off a poor investment. Also note that turn-key property investment will not be lucrative for everyone despite what a provider may advertise. By doing your homework and having a clear agenda you will be able to find out if adding turn-key investments is right for your portfolio!

For More on the investment services provided by Red House please visit our Investment page.

 

 

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