This article was featured in today's San Diego Union Tribune and was penned by the Senior Pastor at my Church, Miles McPherson. I've decided to put it on the LeaseOldTown.net not because it has anything to do with energy efficiency or commercial office buildings in San Diego, but because it has everything to do with being a grateful American Citizen who honors those who give all to defend God's greatest nation.
JBL
Jeremy Henwood was the kind of guy who showed up early for work and maintained a positive attitude in the face of challenging circumstances and long hours.
He had an ideal disposition for a police officer, a “glass is half full” outlook on life, and he possessed a talent for diffusing potentially volatile situations.
His boss recalls one day when Officer Henwood was called to the home of a teenager suffering from mental illness who had refused to take his medication. The parents feared for their safety because of the boy’s violent behavior and had called the San Diego police for help.
The first two officers on the scene evaluated the situation and agreed with the parents’ assessment that the boy should be taken to a mental health facility.
Jeremy had other plans. He talked with the boy and convinced him to take his medication. Next, he waited patiently at the home, talking and joking with the teenager until the calming effects of the medication kicked in.
That story encapsulates the heart of Jeremy Henwood: happy in his work and dedicated to serving others.
On Saturday, 36-year-old Henwood was gunned down in his police cruiser, shot in the head by an apparent stranger in what seems to be a random act of violence.
Many people say the sacrifice of Jeremy’s life was senseless – and there is no arguing that the manner of his death is utterly inexplicable.
But senseless means meaningless. And it is up to us to bring meaning to the horrible events of last weekend by honoring Jeremy’s legacy of service.
The service that Jeremy provided to his community as a San Diego police officer and to our country as a Marine is full of significance and value. Jeremy’s death is only as senseless as we make it. His death will be senseless if we neglect to take action to commemorate his life.
While the manner of his death was cruel, each of us can honor the memory of Jeremy Henwood by emulating his spirit of sacrifice and service. Think how much safer our community would be if every person cared enough to serve.
Seek out someone in uniform today and say a simple, “Thank you.” Mentor a child, start a neighborhood watch, care for troubled neighbors or volunteer with a church or community organization. Each of us can play an active role in honoring the memory and the legacy of Jeremy Henwood.
In death, as in life, Jeremy has given us a valuable gift. He’s provided us with the opportunity to reflect and examine how each of us will shape and define our own individual legacy. His death should prompt each of us to ask, “When I die, what will be remembered and told as the story of my life?”
Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson in 1950 created the term “generativity” to describe a basic human desire or “concern for establishing and guiding the next generation.” Most of us have a yearning to leave a legacy that extends beyond the span of our fleeting lives.
Often, we see this desire reflected in the actions of people who generously contribute large sums of money to install their names or that of a loved one on schools, hospitals and museums.
Even though these much-needed financial gifts are one way to establish a legacy, Jeremy’s gift teaches us that there is another way – a way that is available to all of us: taking personal action.
The power of our legacy is inherently dependent upon the depth of our sacrifice. The bigger the sacrifice in life, the greater our legacy becomes in death.
Jeremy paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The uniforms worn by Jeremy Henwood symbolize his legacy of sacrifice. He is a man who found purpose and value in sacrificing his own safety for the residents of San Diego and protecting the freedom of all Americans through military service.
A captain in the Marine Reserves, Henwood had just returned from deployment in Afghanistan and he served four years on the San Diego police force.
Jeremy Henwood should be remembered as a man of the few, proud, loyal, fearless members of our community who suit up every day to keep us safe.
Was Jeremy’s death senseless? We have the power to shape the answer to that question through our own acts of service to others.
McPherson is the senior pastor of the Rock Church, where a memorial service for Officer Henwood will be held today. McPherson will deliver the opening prayer.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Pelican Hill Resort - WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE EVER!
We held my sisters wedding at Pelican Hill in October 2011. I don't know the exact final bill, but I know that with Pelican Hill alone, we spent over $100,000. The venue is beautiful to be sure, but for that type of money, I expect perfect customer service and Pelican Hill delivers anything but that. Here is the Cliffs Notes version of what happened:
1. Rehearsal Day: The Event Planner was supposed to have the Coach pick up the wedding party from our Villa to take us down to the Event Lawn. The Coach never came. Finally, after the Coach was already 20 minutes late, we decide to drive ourselves down to the Event Lawn in order to keep the Rehearsal somewhat on schedule. Because the Coach was already 20 minutes late, we had to park in the Fire Lane Turnaround/Valet area of the Event Center. A Manager immediately approaches me and tells me that I cannot park there and that I must move my vehicle "immediately." Rather than ask me what the situation is first to determine a proper solution (like sending a Valet), he recuses me first. Not exactly what I would expect of a Five Star Venue. In fact, he actually never offers to get a valet to park the car so I can go to the ceremony. I had to solve this by the Event Planner radioing to Security to NOT tow the car.
Maid service was not done one day because no one told us they would not come in with the dogs inside
2. Welcome Bags were not accepted by the guy at the main hotel reception and wanted to charge us (there were less than 5 bags). The contract for the wedding already took care of this issue for us at no charge, but again, the front desk clerk wasn't properly informed and didn't try to get proper information. Per Irvine Company Policy, he instead just tried to charge us even though we prepaid the entire wedding.
3. My elderly (85+) relatives were locked out of their villa and security took 20-30 minutes to come let them in (it was cold that night and they had to sit in their car in the garage to keep warm).
4. Maid of Honor had to send a package FedEx OverNight to the wedding b/c she couldn't make it (she was having her baby). The package never got delivered to my sister and her husband.
5. My iPhone and a pair of Oakley JUPITER sunglasses was stolen out of the Bridal Suite while it was being guarded by Pelican Hill staff. Oakley staff - NEVER GO TO PELICAN HILL, they could care less about the value of Oakley products. Value: $1000.
In the aftermath of all of this, Pelican Hill offered me a complimentary one night stay in a bungalow (worth about $500). After they promised this to me, they never actually mailed it out. I had to call the General Manager (Donald) to inform him of this and that this offer was inadequate given the totality of both what we spent and what was lost. He adamantly stated that it is Irvine Company and Pelican Hill's position that they would not be offering me any remedy for my stolen iPhone or Oakley sunglasses.
I will be sure to NEVER patron Pelican Hill ever again and I will ensure that nobody I know who is in the market for a Five Star resort patrons their venue either. The Customer Service and execution was THAT BAD. Try the St. Regis or the Four Seasons - they ALWAYS deliver. Grand Hyatt's are awesome too if they are available.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
President's socialist takeover must be stopped
By Jeffrey T. Kuhner The Washington Times
President Obama has engaged in numerous high crimes and misdemeanors. The Democratic majority in Congress is in peril as Americans reject his agenda. Yet more must be done: Mr. Obama should be impeached.
He is slowly - piece by painful piece - erecting a socialist dictatorship. We are not there - yet. But he is putting America on that dangerous path. He is undermining our constitutional system of checks and balances; subverting democratic procedures and the rule of law; presiding over a corrupt, gangster regime; and assaulting the very pillars of traditional capitalism. Like Venezuela 's leftist strongman, Hugo Chavez, Mr. Obama is bent on imposing a revolution from above - one that is polarizing America along racial, political and ideological lines. Mr. Obama is the most divisive president since Richard Nixon. His policies are Balkanizing the country. It's time for him to go.
He has abused his office and violated his oath to uphold the Constitution. His health care overhaul was rammed through Congress. It was - and remains - opposed by a majority of the people. It could only be passed through bribery and political intimidation. The Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback, the $5 billion Medicaid set-aside for Florida Sen. Bill Nelson - taxpayer money was used as a virtual slush fund to buy swing votes. Moreover, the law is blatantly unconstitutional: The federal government does not have the right to coerce every citizen to purchase a good or service. This is not in the Constitution, and it represents an unprecedented expansion of power.
Yet Obamacare's most pernicious aspect is its federal funding of abortion. Pro-lifers are now compelled to have their tax dollars used to subsidize insurance plans that allow for the murder of unborn children. This is more than state-sanctioned infanticide. It violates the conscience rights of religious citizens. Traditionalists - evangelicals, Catholics, Baptists, Muslims, Orthodox Jews - have been made complicit in an abomination that goes against their deepest religious values. As the law is implemented (as in Pennsylvania ) the consequences of the abortion provisions will become increasingly apparent. The result will be a cultural civil war. Pro-lifers will become deeply alienated from society; among many, a secession of the heart is taking place.
Mr. Obama is waging a frontal assault on property rights. The BP oil spill is a case in point. BP clearly is responsible for the spill and its massive economic and environmental damage to the Gulf. There is a legal process for claims to be adjudicated, but Mr. Obama has behaved more like Mr. Chavez or Russia 's Vladimir Putin: He has bullied BP into setting up a $20 billion compensation fund administered by an Obama appointee. In other words, the assets of a private company are to be raided to serve a political agenda. Billions will be dispensed arbitrarily in compensation to oil-spill victims - much of it to Democratic constituents. This is cronyism and creeping authoritarianism.
Mr. Obama's multicultural socialism seeks to eradicate traditional America . He has created a command-and-control health care system. He has essentially nationalized the big banks, the financial sector, the automakers and the student loan industry. He next wants to pass "cap-and-trade," which would bring industry and manufacturing under the heel of big government. The state is intervening in every aspect of American life - beyond its constitutionally delegated bounds. Under Mr. Obama, the Constitution has become a meaningless scrap of paper.
To provide the shock troops for his socialist takeover, Mr. Obama calls for "comprehensive immigration reform" - granting amnesty to 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens. This would forge a permanent Democratic electoral majority. It would sound the death knell for our national sovereignty. Amnesty rewards lawlessness and criminal behavior; it signifies the surrender of our porous southern border to a massive illegal invasion. It means the death of American nationhood. We will no longer be a country, but the colony of a global socialist empire.
Rather than defending our homeland, Mr. Obama's Justice Department has sued Arizona for its immigration law. He is siding with criminals against his fellow Americans. His actions desecrate his constitutional oath to protect U.S. citizens from enemies foreign and domestic. He is thus encouraging more illegal immigration as Washington refuses to protect our borders. Mr. Obama's decision on this case is treasonous.
As president, he is supposed to respect the rule of law. Instead, his administration has dropped charges of voter intimidation against members of the New Black Panther Party. This was done even though their menacing behavior was caught on tape: men in military garb brandishing clubs and threatening whites at a polling site. A Justice Department lawyer intimately involved in the case, J. Christian Adams, resigned in protest. Mr. Adams says that under Mr. Obama, there is a new policy: Cases involving black defendants and white victims - no matter how much they cry for justice - are not to be prosecuted. This is more than institutionalized racism. It is an abrogation of civil rights laws. The Justice Department's behavior is illegal. It poses a direct threat to the integrity of our democracy and the sanctity of our electoral process.
Corruption in the administration is rampant. Washington no longer has a government; rather, it has a gangster regime. The Chicago way has become the Washington way. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a political hit man.. He is an amoral, ruthless operator. It was Mr. Emanuel who reached out to Rep. Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania Democrat, offering a high-ranking job in the hopes of persuading Mr. Sestak to pull out of the primary against Sen. Arlen Specter. It was Mr. Emanuel who offered another government position to Andrew Romanoff to do the same in the Colorado Democratic Senate primary. And it was Mr. Emanuel - as the trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has revealed - who acted as the go-between to try to have Valerie Jarrett parachuted into Mr. Obama's former Senate seat. The only question was: What did Mr. Blagojevich want in exchange?
This is not simply sleazy Chicago machine politics. It is the systematic breaking of the law - bribery, attempt to interfere (and manipulate) elections using taxpayer-funded jobs, influence peddling and abuse of power.
The common misperception on the right is that Mr. Obama is another Jimmy Carter: an incompetent liberal whose presidency is being reduced to rubble under the onslaught of repeated failures. The very opposite, however, is true. He is the most consequential president in our lifetime, transforming America into something our Founding Fathers would find not only unrecognizable, but repugnant. Like all radical revolutionaries, he is consumed by the pursuit of power - attaining it, wielding it and maximizing it. Mr.. Obama's fledgling thug state must be stopped.
If Republicans win back Congress in November, they should - and likely will - launch formal investigations into this criminal, scandal-ridden administration. Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican and ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has promised as much. Mr. Obama has betrayed the American people. Impeachment is the only answer. This usurper must fall.
Jeffrey T. Kuhner is a columnist at The Washington Times and president of the Edmund Burke Institute, a Washington think tank. He is the host of "The Kuhner Show" on WTNT 570-AM (from 5 to 7 p.m.
SOURCE: KUHNER: President's socialist takeover must be stopped - Washington Times
"In God ONLY We Trust"
President Obama has engaged in numerous high crimes and misdemeanors. The Democratic majority in Congress is in peril as Americans reject his agenda. Yet more must be done: Mr. Obama should be impeached.
He is slowly - piece by painful piece - erecting a socialist dictatorship. We are not there - yet. But he is putting America on that dangerous path. He is undermining our constitutional system of checks and balances; subverting democratic procedures and the rule of law; presiding over a corrupt, gangster regime; and assaulting the very pillars of traditional capitalism. Like Venezuela 's leftist strongman, Hugo Chavez, Mr. Obama is bent on imposing a revolution from above - one that is polarizing America along racial, political and ideological lines. Mr. Obama is the most divisive president since Richard Nixon. His policies are Balkanizing the country. It's time for him to go.
He has abused his office and violated his oath to uphold the Constitution. His health care overhaul was rammed through Congress. It was - and remains - opposed by a majority of the people. It could only be passed through bribery and political intimidation. The Louisiana Purchase, the Cornhusker Kickback, the $5 billion Medicaid set-aside for Florida Sen. Bill Nelson - taxpayer money was used as a virtual slush fund to buy swing votes. Moreover, the law is blatantly unconstitutional: The federal government does not have the right to coerce every citizen to purchase a good or service. This is not in the Constitution, and it represents an unprecedented expansion of power.
Yet Obamacare's most pernicious aspect is its federal funding of abortion. Pro-lifers are now compelled to have their tax dollars used to subsidize insurance plans that allow for the murder of unborn children. This is more than state-sanctioned infanticide. It violates the conscience rights of religious citizens. Traditionalists - evangelicals, Catholics, Baptists, Muslims, Orthodox Jews - have been made complicit in an abomination that goes against their deepest religious values. As the law is implemented (as in Pennsylvania ) the consequences of the abortion provisions will become increasingly apparent. The result will be a cultural civil war. Pro-lifers will become deeply alienated from society; among many, a secession of the heart is taking place.
Mr. Obama is waging a frontal assault on property rights. The BP oil spill is a case in point. BP clearly is responsible for the spill and its massive economic and environmental damage to the Gulf. There is a legal process for claims to be adjudicated, but Mr. Obama has behaved more like Mr. Chavez or Russia 's Vladimir Putin: He has bullied BP into setting up a $20 billion compensation fund administered by an Obama appointee. In other words, the assets of a private company are to be raided to serve a political agenda. Billions will be dispensed arbitrarily in compensation to oil-spill victims - much of it to Democratic constituents. This is cronyism and creeping authoritarianism.
Mr. Obama's multicultural socialism seeks to eradicate traditional America . He has created a command-and-control health care system. He has essentially nationalized the big banks, the financial sector, the automakers and the student loan industry. He next wants to pass "cap-and-trade," which would bring industry and manufacturing under the heel of big government. The state is intervening in every aspect of American life - beyond its constitutionally delegated bounds. Under Mr. Obama, the Constitution has become a meaningless scrap of paper.
To provide the shock troops for his socialist takeover, Mr. Obama calls for "comprehensive immigration reform" - granting amnesty to 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens. This would forge a permanent Democratic electoral majority. It would sound the death knell for our national sovereignty. Amnesty rewards lawlessness and criminal behavior; it signifies the surrender of our porous southern border to a massive illegal invasion. It means the death of American nationhood. We will no longer be a country, but the colony of a global socialist empire.
Rather than defending our homeland, Mr. Obama's Justice Department has sued Arizona for its immigration law. He is siding with criminals against his fellow Americans. His actions desecrate his constitutional oath to protect U.S. citizens from enemies foreign and domestic. He is thus encouraging more illegal immigration as Washington refuses to protect our borders. Mr. Obama's decision on this case is treasonous.
As president, he is supposed to respect the rule of law. Instead, his administration has dropped charges of voter intimidation against members of the New Black Panther Party. This was done even though their menacing behavior was caught on tape: men in military garb brandishing clubs and threatening whites at a polling site. A Justice Department lawyer intimately involved in the case, J. Christian Adams, resigned in protest. Mr. Adams says that under Mr. Obama, there is a new policy: Cases involving black defendants and white victims - no matter how much they cry for justice - are not to be prosecuted. This is more than institutionalized racism. It is an abrogation of civil rights laws. The Justice Department's behavior is illegal. It poses a direct threat to the integrity of our democracy and the sanctity of our electoral process.
Corruption in the administration is rampant. Washington no longer has a government; rather, it has a gangster regime. The Chicago way has become the Washington way. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is a political hit man.. He is an amoral, ruthless operator. It was Mr. Emanuel who reached out to Rep. Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania Democrat, offering a high-ranking job in the hopes of persuading Mr. Sestak to pull out of the primary against Sen. Arlen Specter. It was Mr. Emanuel who offered another government position to Andrew Romanoff to do the same in the Colorado Democratic Senate primary. And it was Mr. Emanuel - as the trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has revealed - who acted as the go-between to try to have Valerie Jarrett parachuted into Mr. Obama's former Senate seat. The only question was: What did Mr. Blagojevich want in exchange?
This is not simply sleazy Chicago machine politics. It is the systematic breaking of the law - bribery, attempt to interfere (and manipulate) elections using taxpayer-funded jobs, influence peddling and abuse of power.
The common misperception on the right is that Mr. Obama is another Jimmy Carter: an incompetent liberal whose presidency is being reduced to rubble under the onslaught of repeated failures. The very opposite, however, is true. He is the most consequential president in our lifetime, transforming America into something our Founding Fathers would find not only unrecognizable, but repugnant. Like all radical revolutionaries, he is consumed by the pursuit of power - attaining it, wielding it and maximizing it. Mr.. Obama's fledgling thug state must be stopped.
If Republicans win back Congress in November, they should - and likely will - launch formal investigations into this criminal, scandal-ridden administration. Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican and ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has promised as much. Mr. Obama has betrayed the American people. Impeachment is the only answer. This usurper must fall.
Jeffrey T. Kuhner is a columnist at The Washington Times and president of the Edmund Burke Institute, a Washington think tank. He is the host of "The Kuhner Show" on WTNT 570-AM (from 5 to 7 p.m.
SOURCE: KUHNER: President's socialist takeover must be stopped - Washington Times
"In God ONLY We Trust"
Monday, June 13, 2011
Old Town Plaza's HUGE Office Supply and Furniture Sale! Everything must go!
While it might be a little late for a spring cleaning, we decided to have one anyway! We are clearing out our storage units to make room for future tenants, so everything must go!
- Desks
- chairs
- round tables
- power strips
- lamps
- wheel displays
- 2004 Honda Accord Coupe V6 6sp Manual Stock Spring Set (yes, really, we have a set)
- wheels
- phone systems
- individual corded and cordless phones
- vertical file cabinets
- horizontal/lateral file cabinets
- lamps
- cork boards
- whiteboards
- keyboards
- computers
- maps
Here is a video of some of the things we have:
All items marked to move now! We must get rid of everything to make room for new, incoming tenants!
If you have any questions, please call our office by visiting www.LeaseOldTown.com
(sorry, if we put our phone number here, we get all sorts of soliciting calls)
- Desks
- chairs
- round tables
- power strips
- lamps
- wheel displays
- 2004 Honda Accord Coupe V6 6sp Manual Stock Spring Set (yes, really, we have a set)
- wheels
- phone systems
- individual corded and cordless phones
- vertical file cabinets
- horizontal/lateral file cabinets
- lamps
- cork boards
- whiteboards
- keyboards
- computers
- maps
Here is a video of some of the things we have:
All items marked to move now! We must get rid of everything to make room for new, incoming tenants!
If you have any questions, please call our office by visiting www.LeaseOldTown.com
(sorry, if we put our phone number here, we get all sorts of soliciting calls)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Breathtaking Beach House at 680 Neptune Avenue for Sale!
Intermarket Investment Group, LLC (based at Old Town Plaza in San Diego, CA) is proud to announce the launch of the all new www.NeptuneBeachHouse.com website for its ocean-front dream home in Encinitas, CA - 680 Neptune Avenue and 682 Neptune Avenue.
Featuring a state-of-the-art, permitted and California Coastal Commission-approved sea wall which cost nearly $2,000,000 to build, all new renovations inside and out and absolutely spectacular 180 degree Pacific ocean-views, the Neptune Beach House is the perfect choice for a variety of buyers. Here are some of its unique features which are so hard to find in beach front properties.
1. Modern, Permitted Sea Wall COMPLETE - With approximately 50 linear feet of fully-permitted and approved modern sea wall frontage, 680-682 Neptune Avenue simply cannot be beat from an investor or owner-user perspective for ocean-front residential investment properties. The issue of modern, up-to-code, permitted sea-walls is a major concern in today's world and no easy commodity to come by. The Neptune Beach House has a fully-permitted, CCC-approved sea wall built to modern specifications under an Emergency Development Permit from 2003-2004. With an estimated engineering life of 75 years, the wall still has 68 years of usable service life remaining - far exceeding anything else on the market today. The cost of acquiring a fully-permitted, new construction sea wall is absolutely stratospheric today. It is also a well-known fact that CCC is no friend to sea wall projects, making this asset all the more valuable.
2. Large Footprint - 680-682 Neptune Avenue has a sizable footprint and this is not replaceable by today's standards for new construction.
3. Rent-ready - For an investor who is looking for a great place to park money, have a turn-key and flexible vacation rental asset, Neptune Beach House is perfect. With renovations completed in June 2010, the Neptune Beach House is ready to roll.
4. Live on the water for less! The Owner-user Rental Option - for the owner looking to live in an asset on the water in turnkey condition, Neptune Beach House presents a unique opportunity to do so while lowering costs. A buyer can acquire the Neptune Beach House from Intermarket Investment Group, LLC and live in 682 Neptune Avenue while renting out 680 Neptune Avenue simultaneously (or vice versa). At the asking rental rate, this presents at opportunity to reduce an owner's monthly mortgage overhead by $3150.00.
Example: if we assume an acquisition of Neptune Beach House at a purchase price of $2,200,000 with a 25% down payment and a 30-year fixed rate of 4.95%, then we get a monthly mortgage payment of $8,807.20. We would then assume that this owner wants to live in the larger, upstairs unit, 682 Neptune Avenue, leaving the downstairs unit (680 Neptune Avenue), available for lease. If we then subtract the income generated by 680 Neptune Avenue (680 Neptune Avenue currently generates $3150.00 in rent per month plus utilities) from the monthly mortgage payment, we are left with a monthly mortgage carry cost of $5,657.20 or roughly a 36% reduction in monthly mortgage overhead! This is achieved by simply leasing out the turnkey, rent-ready bottom unit of 680 Neptune Avenue.
5. Turnkey Online Marketing - www.NeptuneBeachHouse.com comes with the title to the property in the sale, giving any prospective buyer an immediate and turnkey marketing solution to the newly acquired rental asset. The Neptune Beach House website comes with it's domain, website files, professional photographs in high definition format, PDF flyers, Craigslist-ready ads and a slide show with search engine optimization protocols already underway. The Search Engine Optimization is incredibly valuable because not only does this take a tremendous amount of work, but it also requires a significant amount of time to pass so that Google and determine the validity of the site and rank it accordingly. This is a huge time and money saver for any serious investor.
The Neptune Beach House by Intermarket Investment Group, LLC is the residential real estate version of a Swiss Army Knife: Flexible. Versatile. Beautiful.
Featuring a state-of-the-art, permitted and California Coastal Commission-approved sea wall which cost nearly $2,000,000 to build, all new renovations inside and out and absolutely spectacular 180 degree Pacific ocean-views, the Neptune Beach House is the perfect choice for a variety of buyers. Here are some of its unique features which are so hard to find in beach front properties.
1. Modern, Permitted Sea Wall COMPLETE - With approximately 50 linear feet of fully-permitted and approved modern sea wall frontage, 680-682 Neptune Avenue simply cannot be beat from an investor or owner-user perspective for ocean-front residential investment properties. The issue of modern, up-to-code, permitted sea-walls is a major concern in today's world and no easy commodity to come by. The Neptune Beach House has a fully-permitted, CCC-approved sea wall built to modern specifications under an Emergency Development Permit from 2003-2004. With an estimated engineering life of 75 years, the wall still has 68 years of usable service life remaining - far exceeding anything else on the market today. The cost of acquiring a fully-permitted, new construction sea wall is absolutely stratospheric today. It is also a well-known fact that CCC is no friend to sea wall projects, making this asset all the more valuable.
2. Large Footprint - 680-682 Neptune Avenue has a sizable footprint and this is not replaceable by today's standards for new construction.
3. Rent-ready - For an investor who is looking for a great place to park money, have a turn-key and flexible vacation rental asset, Neptune Beach House is perfect. With renovations completed in June 2010, the Neptune Beach House is ready to roll.
4. Live on the water for less! The Owner-user Rental Option - for the owner looking to live in an asset on the water in turnkey condition, Neptune Beach House presents a unique opportunity to do so while lowering costs. A buyer can acquire the Neptune Beach House from Intermarket Investment Group, LLC and live in 682 Neptune Avenue while renting out 680 Neptune Avenue simultaneously (or vice versa). At the asking rental rate, this presents at opportunity to reduce an owner's monthly mortgage overhead by $3150.00.
Example: if we assume an acquisition of Neptune Beach House at a purchase price of $2,200,000 with a 25% down payment and a 30-year fixed rate of 4.95%, then we get a monthly mortgage payment of $8,807.20. We would then assume that this owner wants to live in the larger, upstairs unit, 682 Neptune Avenue, leaving the downstairs unit (680 Neptune Avenue), available for lease. If we then subtract the income generated by 680 Neptune Avenue (680 Neptune Avenue currently generates $3150.00 in rent per month plus utilities) from the monthly mortgage payment, we are left with a monthly mortgage carry cost of $5,657.20 or roughly a 36% reduction in monthly mortgage overhead! This is achieved by simply leasing out the turnkey, rent-ready bottom unit of 680 Neptune Avenue.
5. Turnkey Online Marketing - www.NeptuneBeachHouse.com comes with the title to the property in the sale, giving any prospective buyer an immediate and turnkey marketing solution to the newly acquired rental asset. The Neptune Beach House website comes with it's domain, website files, professional photographs in high definition format, PDF flyers, Craigslist-ready ads and a slide show with search engine optimization protocols already underway. The Search Engine Optimization is incredibly valuable because not only does this take a tremendous amount of work, but it also requires a significant amount of time to pass so that Google and determine the validity of the site and rank it accordingly. This is a huge time and money saver for any serious investor.
The Neptune Beach House by Intermarket Investment Group, LLC is the residential real estate version of a Swiss Army Knife: Flexible. Versatile. Beautiful.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
House For Charity Trade - a GREAT Cause for Homeless Teens
I was recently introduced to this fantastic charity by a friend of mine in the Sheriff's Reserves. Have a look and contact them if you or anyone you know might be able to help!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Start-Up Office in San Diego
A professional and impressive office space is an invaluable asset to any business. Start-ups and small businesses however often find their dream office to be too expensive. Old Town Plaza has the solution, Suite A-247, the perfect balance between price and performance. This compact space, 390 rentable square feet, proivdes sufficient space for three desks, a generous meeting area, and a large storage & server room. Old Town Plaza is owned an operated by a team of entrepreneurs who understand the economics of new businesses. We offer flexible lease terms and creative pricing solutions to tailor the deal to the needs of your business. This space is even available fully furnished! No moving costs or expensive furniture purchases needed to get to work in A-247. Wired with CAT5 to a central server location, A-247 defines plug-and-play office space.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Old Town Parking for Cinco de Mayo Parking at Old Town Plaza - Open to Public!
Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and that means a great trip down to Old Town for to celebrate with some fantastic food and drinks. Save time and headache this year by parking at Old Town Plaza's ultra-convenient public parking. That's right, we will be opening our gates to the public again this year for super easy, hassle-free public parking. Look for our signs right as you exit the freeway!
Click here to for location details or see the Google Map below:
View Larger Map
Click here to for location details or see the Google Map below:
View Larger Map
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Cox Business brings Optical Internet Fiber to Old Town Plaza
In conjunction with Cox Business, Intermarket Investment Group, LLC is pleased to announce the commencement of Optical Internet Fiber Service to Old Town Plaza. Old Town Plaza is now at the absolute cutting edge of data capabilities in the Old Town/5th Avenue sub-market for office space and stands head and shoulders above the competition. A BIG thanks to Ron and Anthony at Cox Business Services for helping to make this a reality.
Cox Optical Internet Fiber is the absolute top of the line when it comes to mission-critical data connections at guaranteed speeds for your business. For more information, visit the Cox Optical Internet page or contact our Cox Business Managers and tell them Justin and Matt and Intermarket sent you - they will take great care of you!
Ron Teschler
Sales Manager
Cox Business Services
Ron.Teschler@cox.com
D 619-269-2403
Anthony Perez
Business Development
Cox Business Services
D 619-269-2408
anthony.perez@cox.com
Energy Efficiency | Convenience | SPAWAR | Optical Internet Fiber
Advantage: Old Town Plaza
Cox Optical Internet Fiber is the absolute top of the line when it comes to mission-critical data connections at guaranteed speeds for your business. For more information, visit the Cox Optical Internet page or contact our Cox Business Managers and tell them Justin and Matt and Intermarket sent you - they will take great care of you!
Ron Teschler
Sales Manager
Cox Business Services
Ron.Teschler@cox.com
D 619-269-2403
Anthony Perez
Business Development
Cox Business Services
D 619-269-2408
anthony.perez@cox.com
Energy Efficiency | Convenience | SPAWAR | Optical Internet Fiber
Advantage: Old Town Plaza
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Old Town Plaza Advantage Part I - Owner/Operator
The commercial real estate industry follows a relatively standard script to describe office buildings: location, parking, interior finishes, recent renovations, signage opportunity, et alia. While these items are certainly critical, it is important to consider some of the more intangible advantages, features that have a tremendous impact on the tenant experience throughout the life of a lease. This four-part series will highlight some of these overlooked features that make Old Town Plaza the undisputed leader in the Old Town / SPAWAR submarket.
On-site Owner/Operator
Most office buildings are managed by a third-party management company, a structure that shields an owner from tenant interaction. Many of these property managers demonstrate their value by driving up profits for the owner at the expense of investing in the property and enhancing the tenant experience. This results in the building and tenants being treated as a passive investment rather than an active business dedicated to retaining its customers.
Since 2007 Old Town Plaza has been managed by its owners and strives to earn its customers business every day. To that end, Intermarket Investment Group has invested over $500,000 over the last five years to dramatically improve the building. Additionally, the on-site office gives customers immediate, direct access to a manager who has the authority to address any situation or concern. From re-stocking restrooms to developing creative strategies to accommodate a customer's future growth, on-site ownership is ready to accommodate.
A healthy and accommodating relationship between owner and customer not only makes for an enjoyable tenant experience but also often results in easy renewals, saving the customer time and money.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Old Town Plaza's Marketing Engine: Akula Kreative
Eco-Friendly Graphic and Web Design in San Diego
As you know, Intermarket Investment Group, LLC continually makes every effort to create a comfortable, convenient, and energy-efficient environment for its tenants at Old Town Plaza. Graphic and electronic communication is no exception.
Shortly after Intermarket Investment Group, LLC took over operations, we made it a priority to re-vamp the branding of Old Town Plaza from the ground up. We needed a fresh look to represent a new generation of environmentally responsible building management. To do that, we hired Akula Kreative.
Akula Kreative is a graphic and web design firm specializing in creating (or re-working) branding identities for small businesses in San Diego. The advantages of hiring a local designer are endless, but we will name just a few:
1) Personalized Attention
2) Faster Turnaround
3) Honesty and Accountability
4) Quality Work for a Fair Price
5) Flexible Terms
Akula Kreative is not about “churning out” cookie-cutter designs; they will take the time and make the effort to listen to your needs and deliver exactly what you need, regardless of the size of your project. Our needs, for example, required that our graphic communication pack a punch without putting a strain on the environment. Here are a few ways in which Akula Kreative has made our campaign a little more “green”:
• Our website and blog are predominantly black. If you’ve ever used Blackle (http://www.blackle.com/about/), then you know where we’re headed with this. A black (or dark) computer screen uses less energy than a white (or light) one. It’s as simple as that. Though it is argued that reading white letters on a black background is hard on the eyes, so is staring at a bright computer screen all day.
• All of our printed materials use recycled paper from certified sustainable production systems and soy-based inks. These inks not only emit lower traces of “volatile organic compounds,” but they can also more easily be removed from paper during the recycling process. This means that more paper will be fit for reuse, and no threatening waste is produced.
• Instead of ordering thousands of sheets of pre-printed letterhead, Akula Kreative gave us a branded Microsoft Word document so we can print our letters on demand. This not only saves trees, it saves us tons of money as well!
We use Akula Kreative for just about everything that requires both creativity and technical expertise: websites, blogs, business cards, postcards, flyers, posters, forms, etc. It’s our one-stop, eco-friendly design shop.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
San Diego Office Space for Lease at Old Town Plaza - Suite B-150
Intermarket Investment Group, LLC is pleased to present Suite B-150 now available for lease at Old Town Plaza - Old Town's Greenest Office Space. Old Town Plaza features "Owner-Direct Pricing" which leads to faster, smoother deals and more value for today's competitive marketplace.
Formerly occupied by the Meg Whitman Campaign for Governor, Suite B-150 features a double-door entrance right off the elevator lobby and seven private, window-line offices. Suite B-150 is 2507 rentable square feet and is available for immediate occupancy. Call to schedule your tour today!
Formerly occupied by the Meg Whitman Campaign for Governor, Suite B-150 features a double-door entrance right off the elevator lobby and seven private, window-line offices. Suite B-150 is 2507 rentable square feet and is available for immediate occupancy. Call to schedule your tour today!
Friday, January 14, 2011
HUBZone: What is it and what does it mean in San Diego Commercial Office Space?
Some of our customers may not know that Old Town Plaza is located in a San Diego HUBZone. For many of our current tenants (and some prospective tenants), this is a big deal. Not every commercial office building for lease in San Diego is located in a HUBZone. This is yet another advantage to leasing commercial office space in San Diego at Old Town Plaza.
While I could sit here and attempt to summarize the program for our readers, it is probably more efficient and effective if I just paste the information about HUBZones from the SBA.gov website. Click HERE to visit the SBA website on HUBZone:
From SBA.gov:
"The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. These preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification in part by employing staff who live in a HUBZone. The company must also maintain a "principal office" in one of these specially designated areas.
While I could sit here and attempt to summarize the program for our readers, it is probably more efficient and effective if I just paste the information about HUBZones from the SBA.gov website. Click HERE to visit the SBA website on HUBZone:
From SBA.gov:
"The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. These preferences go to small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification in part by employing staff who live in a HUBZone. The company must also maintain a "principal office" in one of these specially designated areas.
- The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Empowerment Contracting program was enacted into law as part of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997. The program falls under the auspices of the U.S. Small Business...
- Before you can apply for the HUBZone program, you must first qualify. To qualify for the program, a business (except tribally-owned concerns) must meet the following criteria: It must be a small business by SBA standards...
- If your business is HUBZone certified and there are no changes during your certification, you have no reporting obligations to SBA. However, you must report all “material changes” to SBA because they may affect your...
- On this page, you will find the latest news related to HUBZones. Be sure to check back often to stay up to date on the HUBZone program and topics which may be useful for you and your business. Visit our other HUBZone pages to learn...
- In order to qualify for the HUBZone program, your business must be located in an area designated as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zones. Additional information about the basics of HUBZone requirements can be found on..."
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Scooters - The Ultimate Alternative Transportation
Tenants at Old Town Plaza are increasingly using alternative vehicles for their daily commute. These days the garage is dotted with many bicycles, scooters and one highly enviable Tesla. While bicycles are certainly the most environmentally responsible choice, using them in San Diego County, with its challenging topography and average commute of ten miles, is often impractical. The Tesla, an electric version of the Lotus Elise, is downright sexy and doesn't use a drop of fuel. Such extraordinary styling and technology however is attached to a premium price, placing it beyond the means of most people. The dark horse, in what now appears to be a run-off for best commuting vehicle in San Diego, is unquestionably the scooter.
In the spirit of full disclosure I am the owner of the black Vespa S150, yes, the good looking one, parked on P1. Having used it as my daily commuting vehicle for one year, I find the results of this experiment conclusive. Scooters offer unparalleled economics and convenience.
In the spirit of full disclosure I am the owner of the black Vespa S150, yes, the good looking one, parked on P1. Having used it as my daily commuting vehicle for one year, I find the results of this experiment conclusive. Scooters offer unparalleled economics and convenience.
Economics
Scooters are an order of magnitude cheaper to purchase and operate than any normal car. A new scooter can cost as little as $1,000, and top end models rarely exceed $6,000 unless one indulges in a seal skin saddle.
Depending on engine size, scooters get extraordinary gas mileage; over eighty miles per gallon of fuel in most cases. Using the average commuting distance assumption above, and driving this distance twenty days per month in a standard car averaging twenty miles per gallon of gasoline (a generous assumption), would cost approximately $100.00 per month in fuel. Driving that same route with a Scooter would cost a mere $22.00, a 78% reduction in fuel costs.
Maintenance is cheaper - there simply isn't much to maintain. Insurance is laughably less expensive than car insurance. Together, all of these reductions yield thousands of dollars of savings per year.
Convenience
There are many tired jokes about scooters and their owners, most of them surrounding the theme of "why don't you get a real motorcycle." Indeed, motorcycles are far more exciting and do take real driving skill to properly handle. This however is hardly the point. The complete lack of skill and power found in scooters is exactly what makes them so exceptionally convenient for daily use. Only with a scooter can you take whatever you are wearing, add a helmet and be ready to go.
Searching for a parking space can often take more time than it takes to drive to the destination. With a scooter, every tiny space in the lot is a new parking opportunity. Parking obscenely close to entrances within seconds of arrival while all the cars crawl about the lot battling one another for a space also delivers an immense amout of satisfaction. I also have been able to save time in unexpected ways. I no longer need to invent excuses to avoid shuttling friends to the airport. Neighbors no longer ask for help with their haul from Home Depot.
I had high expectations for the scooter and it has undoubtedly exceeded all of them. Stop by our office to arrange a test drive - of Justin's scooter, naturally.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Special Offer For Tenants of Liberty Station in Pt. Loma
Attention commercial office space tenants of Liberty Station in Pt. Loma: keep an eye on your mail next week for a special offer from Old Town Plaza. If you bring the card in for a tour, you will be eligible for a special offer available only for Liberty Station office tenants during the month of January 2011.
Visit our website at www.LeaseOldTown.com, call or email us today to schedule your tour and get in on this amazing deal before it's too late!
Visit our website at www.LeaseOldTown.com, call or email us today to schedule your tour and get in on this amazing deal before it's too late!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
By The Numbers: Old Town Plaza's Energy Use Reduced 61% Between 2007 and 2010
Four years ago, Intermarket Investment Group, LLC took over day-to-day operations at Old Town Plaza as I moved us away from our traditional practice of using third-party property managers. My first order of business was to research, design, develop and implement an aggressive energy efficiency program for the property to reduce our carbon footprint, improve property performance and enhance tenant value/comfort.
In the first year of this project, I started small. We were in the process of remodeling our bathrooms already, so we installed occupancy sensors instead of traditional light switches to reduce the amount of wasted electricity that comes from leaving lights on when the bathrooms are not in use.
Next, I began to research Old Town Plaza's HVAC system and how we could make it more efficient. One year and nearly $300,000 later, we commissioned a full compliment of new HVAC technologies and retrofits which helped us to achieve a level of energy efficiency we had never seen before. After addressing the buildings HVAC, I moved on to address the building envelope. This phase mostly entailed working on windows and doors and improving their ability to insulate the building.
In the Summer of 2010, the City of San Diego imposed a Level II Drought Restriction which involved a mandatory order to discontinue operation of water features which "projected water into the air" much like the fountain in our Courtyard. So, Matthew and I worked with Brickman Ladscaping Ltd. to design a planter for the fountain area which featured all indigenous plants and no irrigation. This would not only allow us to comply with the City of San Diego's Level II Drought Restriction, but it also reduced our water consumption by over 30%!
Most recently, we worked with SDG&E to retrofit our Parking Garage Lighting System in November 2010. By converting our T12 fixtures to more modern linear T8 fixtures, we not only improved the lumen output of each fixture to make for a far brighter environment, but we also did it using less power. This netted a 15% reduction in electricity consumption in the first month alone and made the garage brighter!
In the first year of this project, I started small. We were in the process of remodeling our bathrooms already, so we installed occupancy sensors instead of traditional light switches to reduce the amount of wasted electricity that comes from leaving lights on when the bathrooms are not in use.
Next, I began to research Old Town Plaza's HVAC system and how we could make it more efficient. One year and nearly $300,000 later, we commissioned a full compliment of new HVAC technologies and retrofits which helped us to achieve a level of energy efficiency we had never seen before. After addressing the buildings HVAC, I moved on to address the building envelope. This phase mostly entailed working on windows and doors and improving their ability to insulate the building.
In the Summer of 2010, the City of San Diego imposed a Level II Drought Restriction which involved a mandatory order to discontinue operation of water features which "projected water into the air" much like the fountain in our Courtyard. So, Matthew and I worked with Brickman Ladscaping Ltd. to design a planter for the fountain area which featured all indigenous plants and no irrigation. This would not only allow us to comply with the City of San Diego's Level II Drought Restriction, but it also reduced our water consumption by over 30%!
Most recently, we worked with SDG&E to retrofit our Parking Garage Lighting System in November 2010. By converting our T12 fixtures to more modern linear T8 fixtures, we not only improved the lumen output of each fixture to make for a far brighter environment, but we also did it using less power. This netted a 15% reduction in electricity consumption in the first month alone and made the garage brighter!
All of these improvements have reduced property-wide power consumption by 61% from 2007 to 2010 (average of each of the three utility bills for gas and electric, for both Building A and Building B)! In 2007, Old Town Plaza used 1,164,384 kWh of electricity and 32,282 Therms of Natural Gas. By 2010, we used 595,045 kWh of electricity and just 4360 Therms. An astonishing feat.
No other commercial real estate office building in our Old Town/5th Avenue sub-market can compete with these numbers. Old Town Plaza is the sub-market leader in energy efficiency.
No other commercial real estate office building in our Old Town/5th Avenue sub-market can compete with these numbers. Old Town Plaza is the sub-market leader in energy efficiency.
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