The American dream.  Those of us fortunate enough to be born in the U. S..all grew up with it.  Millions more from around the world move here in search of it.  So what does the dream include?  A fulfilling job, a happy and healthy family and perhaps the most universal dream of all -- owning a home.  The most tangible part of the American dream is the Lund Real Estate Team’s specialty.  In fact, their motto is "making dreams come true since 1982." 

Carlton and Sandy Lund began their husband-and-wife real estate do oh some 25 years ago here in Carlsbad.  Over the years, the duo has expanded to become a team at Prudential California Realty that includes five more expert associates, including two of their four sons, Garrett and Tyson, and there adopted son Jeff Pashby. The result is that today their success has become truly legendary in the world of real estate.  Their commitment to excellence let the Lund team to win the total excellent and management award from the San Diego business Journal.  In addition to numerous other honors and awards, they have been the six time national Prudential value range marketing champions.  Today, Carlton Lund travels the country as the foremost authority on the real estate pricing strategy called value range marketing.  He is credited as the pioneer who brought this unique strategy to North America.  Over a decade ago, Lund attended a presentation about listing properties with a price range rather than a fixed-price.  The concept had already proved itself successful in Australia, but was new to the US market.

"Initially I was apprehensive of the concept," Lund recalled.  "But as slow as the market was, I decided to test it."  He is the price range listing method on a condo that had been on the market for 93 days, and has an offer pain in within 48 hours.  He stated that with the initial success came and empathy: "value range marketing is the most significant change in real estate since the Internet."  The results of using the pricing strategy in 2006 have been remarkable.  Currently about 60% of sales in San Diego County are VRM transactions.

This simple strip pricing strategy is designed to bridge the gap between sellers high opinion of their properties value in the buyer's lowball mentality.  Value range marketing actually opens a line of communication earlier than traditional fixed-price listings.  Because home sellers and buyers alike typically have a price range in mind when entering the real estate market, this pricing strategy allows both to match homes by entering a minimum and maximum price.  According to Lund, using this range for pricing opens up a wider audience for a home.  "It's the bigger net theory of fishing.  It opens the marketplace to more people looking at property," he stated.

Using this unique marketing tool here in North County, Lund has developed a list of 99 suggested ranges that sellers can choose from to market their homes.  He also emphasizes that these can be customized for specific sellers.  The price range system doesn't require sellers to accept an offer within the range.  Instead, an offer on the lower side of the range can be viewed as it a springboard for negotiations between the seller and potential buyer.  Plus, getting the two parties at the table to talk is a big part of the battle.  The Lund team views this strategy as great for the buyer (they usually get to see more homes with traditional pricing) and great for the seller because the more potential buyers see their own, the greater the chances of selling.

For the Lund team, successes and measured by home sold.  It's measured in lives touched.  In 2005, Carlton Lund received a Masters meet community leadership Citizen of the year a word for his untiring service to the people and the city of Carlsbad.  Recognized by the North County Times and 2500 bounded realtors, the Lund team also took top billing as first in customer service and community service.

"The reason for our successes that we generally care about people and enjoy being able to contribute to the community," Lund stated.

And it shows -- sometimes in the most unusual ways.

The team's commitment to the community extends far beyond the boundaries of real estate.  In the mid-19 90s, cropland helped launch the campaign to bring Legoland to the city.  At that time Carlsbad's job growth in housing markets were doing billing, and he saw the theme parks potential for both children's enjoyment and the city's economy.  In fact, he donated the first hundred dollars towards the project.  And the parks opening day, Lund sponsored 25 children with cancer through the sunshine kids foundation to be part of the special facilities.  His memories of this unforgettable day -- "that was my Bill Gates day."

City Lund has also had incredible opportunities to meet special needs in the community.  One occasion came on a day in 1992 when she was taking client out to look at homes in a rural area of this debt.  Suddenly the car in front of them began to swerve and pulled to the side of the road.  Out jumped a distraught young woman screaming something about a baby not breathing.  Lund, a registered nurse, immediately sprang into action.  Dialing 911 as she -- from her car, she pulled the child out of the car seat and began performing infant CPR.  Praying as she worked, Lund stated the baby's skin slowly began to turn from blue to paint, and finally his little toes and hands began to move, just as the paramedics arrive to transport the child to the hospital.  This happy ending resulted in Sandy Lund receiving a presidential, nation from the President George Bush Senior.

Because the Lund team as a kind of expanded family business, clients are able to see personal attention from the professionals who truly care about more than just selling a house.  Proper Lund confided that he has counseled buyers not to consider homes that were "above their heads" financially.  To him, their financial well-being is one of far greater importance than a commission.  Carlton in Sandy Lund, along with their team of professionals, have developed a proven track record of putting people first.  His track record is resulted in their unprecedented success, both as real estate professionals and is caring community members.