Southwest California 2009 Housing Recap - 01/30/10 03:06 PM

Welcome to the Realtor Report for January 2010. The attached charts summarize Southwest California housing activity for the year just past and provide some perspective on where we've been and where we are today. It's going to take somebody far sharper than me to figure out where we're going. 
The first chart is always interesting in that it gives us a six year window on the market. One of the first thing you'll notice is that sales were off 2008 levels - about 20% in Temecula, Murrieta and Lake Elsinore, 40% in Wildomar and Menifee and just 7% in Canyon … (2 comments)

CA Assemblyman Jeffries Introduces Reform Package - 01/29/10 05:17 PM
66th District Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries has introduced a series of bills and constitutional amendments that seek to reform some of what's wrong in  Sacramento. Until we replace about 2/3 of the legislature with honest citizen legislators on a part-time basis we won't be able to resolve all the issues but this package is a good start. 
Yesterday I wrote about AB 1672 which seeks to make the powerful and unaccountable Air Resources Board an elected body instead of the current patronage appointee body. Jeffries has five others in the hopper which, unfortunately, make too much sense to gain much traction in … (3 comments)

Get Into Politics or Get out of the Business - 01/29/10 01:39 PM
I just read an excellent post from Nestor & Katerina (do they write any other kind) entitled: Active Rain Should NOT Ban Political Posts - Real Estate Is Political.
In my travels I'm always amazed by Realtors® who are unaware of the political nature of our business. Even worse are those who proudly proclaim they 'are above that' or 'we have no interest in that'. To them I say - Good Luck Making a Living, Schmuck. You can work 20 hours a day to make a living but if somebody in Sacramento or Washington DC decides to reach into your … (5 comments)

CA Senate Illustrates Ongoing Egregious Cluelessness - No More Free Parking - 01/29/10 12:34 PM
Just when you think our Legislature might get a clue as to what's going on in the world they are quick to remind us - they are so far out of touch it's almost comical. Two items from today's news:
#1 - Our illustrious State Senate passed a bill yesterday cracking down on... FREE PARKING. Yeah, you read that right, FREE PARKING. They don't have enough to do figuring out how to make up a $20+ Billion budget deficit or how to get water to 70% of the state - they've got to stick their nose into yet another local issue. … (4 comments)

Jeffries AB 1672 - Good Medicine for an Ailing State - 01/28/10 01:35 PM
When asked if she was concerned about the adverse impact her committees recommendations would have on jobs in the state, California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols responded that 'if I had to worry about running for election I would, but I don't.'  SWEET!
If 66th Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries has anything to say about it,  Ms. Nichols might soon be trying to figure out how to get a job of her own. Jeffries has authored AB 1672 in an effort to reign in the powerful, yet completely unaccountable California Air Resources Board changing it from an appointed board to an elected … (6 comments)

California Could Use A Good High Colonic. So could the rest of the country. - 01/27/10 09:58 PM
I got into a little political chat with fellow California Rainer Gene Riemenschneider about the idea of California having a part-time legislature like so many other states. Since 1966 our legislature has done nothing so much as act to convince us we're too big to be governed part-time. We need the chuckleheads around for a full year every year for our own good. Meanwhile the state's in worse shape that the Federal Gov't. Our deficits are bigger than most states entire budget. We lead the nation in taxes yet we lag the nation in education; we excel at unemployment and foreclosures but can't provide … (5 comments)

Murrieta Business Rountable - Helping Your Business Grow. - 01/27/10 06:09 PM
The City of Murrieta has launched a new group called the Murrieta Business Roundtable. The forum is sponsored by the Murrieta Economic Development Department in cooperation with SCORE, counselors for America's small business. The group plans to meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 am in the Murrieta Public Library in the Town Square. 
The meetings are open to all businesses and offer an opportunity to ask questions, discover resources and share experiences with other business owners throughout the Valley. For example, at the first meeting the founder of a custom bridal shop asked about the best way to do … (0 comments)

Dropping Real Cash In A Virtual World - 01/27/10 05:35 PM

A couple years ago I tried Second Life but didn't devote the time necessary to figure out what was going on. Too busy blogging on ActiveRain I guess. It was kinda interesting but, ehhhh - Not too realistic. Everybody was beautiful, the weather was beautiful, buildings were beautiful. My life's OK just the way it is but it would have been nice to have ripped AB's and long wavy hair again (yeah, like I ever did). 
But I remember big name campanies like IBM, Coldwell Banker & Microsoft spending real money to promote products both real and virtual in the … (0 comments)

Flush Twice - The Flowers Need Water. - 01/22/10 03:27 PM
The California Building Standards Commission has released new standards for 'gray water' usage for California homeowners effective January 12. The commission had been expected to release new standards sometime next year but recently adopted the regulations on an 'emergency' basis due to the ongoing drought. (That was before this weeks rains).
According to the Commission, the average home generates about 160 gallons of gray water a day, 60,000 gallons a year, mostly from shower run-off, washing machines, bath tubs and bathroom sinks. If even 1/3 of that water could be diverted to watering lawns and trees it could have a significant … (3 comments)

Realtors® Can Help Haiti. - 01/22/10 02:05 PM
 
This is a re-post of a news release from NAR.
I’ve received numerous calls during the past week, asking how REALTORS® can support the relief efforts in Haiti. Later today, I will be sending an e-mail to all members with information on our efforts, but I thought it was also worth posting here, in case you miss my e-mail.
First, NAR has partnered with Lowe’s to make two sizable donations related to the relief efforts. For more information on that, please read our news release. http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2010/01/donate_relief Additionally, we have once again opened the REALTORS® Relief Foundation to accept donations … (5 comments)

Property Rights - The Newest Endangered Species in California. - 01/14/10 09:31 PM
'Property rights are rapidly becoming the newest endangered species in Ventura County', according to a recent article in the Pacific Coast Business Times. A new fight is brewing for builders at a time when our decimated building industry can scarcely afford the battle. This one is being waged in LA and Ventura County over new storm water regulations.  According to  another article in the PCBT, while 'the new regulations were approved last May, officials are just now trying to figure out how to implement them.' 
Well how California is that? Let's pass this mother and then figure out what we did … (8 comments)

California - Jail Time for Under-Inflated Tires? More Air Resource Board Lunacy. - 01/14/10 08:04 PM
This state has completely lost it's freakin' mind. I know that probably doesn't come as a shock to many of you, which is pretty telling in and of itself, but there's some wacky shit going on in Sacramento. And it's going to impact EACH & EVERY one of US..
Let me start with what's currently coming out of the State Air Resources Board. You know these folks - they're another of those appointed boards (like the renowned Water Resource Board - more on them later) that apparently don't answer to anybody and operate without oversight or accountability and exist to, well, … (10 comments)

Help Re-elect Riverside County Assessor/Recorder Larry Ward - 01/05/10 02:37 PM
Riverside County Assessor/Recorder Larry Ward has been a good friend to Realtors®. His door is always open to Realtor® concerns, he has visited our Association and answered questions for our Broker/Owner Group and he regularly speaks at HELP meetings throughout the county answering questions for home owners about property taxes, Proposition 8 and how to avoid foreclosure. 
Larry is running for re-election this year and will be holding a luncheon next week at the Riverside Marriott. The Southwest Riverside County Association of Realtors® is supporting Larry's campaign and we would encourage any of you who are interested or have benefited from … (0 comments)