Just another reason California's in the crapper: Darrell Steinberg - 04/28/11 09:41 PM
The amazing thing about California is not that we're swirling inexorably into the crapper but that we've managed to avoid it for so long with clowns like this running the show. The only good thing you can say about Californian's Democratic leader pro-tem of the Senate Darrell Steinberg is that he will soon be termed out. This us it. Finito. He'll have to find another public teat to suckle. After all, he has milked our state for the past 13 years so next year he'll become just another illustrious footnote to our vainglorious history.

(WTF am I thinking?)
So today … (3 comments)

The right of property is the guardian of every other right. - 04/28/11 06:17 PM
Briefing Report: The Value of Property Rights  
"The Right of property is the guardian of every other Right, and to deprive the people of this, is to deprive them of their Liberty." - Arthur Lee The Bedrock of a Free & Prosperous Society The institution of the right to private property is perhaps the single most important condition for a society in which freedom and prosperity is to flourish. This notion of private property can seem fairly straightforward, especially for people living in a free-market society such as the United States. As noted in the book Unleashing Capitalism:
One reason … (4 comments)

Just another reason California's in the crapper: Tom Ammiano - 04/26/11 08:32 PM
Every once in awhile a legislator comes along who is just so horrendously, laughably bad that even by California's low bar, they are exemplary. If you're involved at all, you start to recognize the same names popping up time and again over the years to the point where any bill that has their name attached you just automatically assume is going to be bad - and it usually is. Too bad because sometimes they do have a cogent thought but not often enough to disregard the voluminous reeking detritus that daily disgorges from their oral orifice. 
The newest Drum Major for … (3 comments)

Jesus Christ Superstar Enters Final Weekend Run - 04/19/11 11:38 PM
The Temecula Valley Players production of Jesus Christ Superstar enters the final weekend of it's 3 week run this Thursday, April 21 at the Old Town Temecula Theater. Some of you old Hippies will not doubt remember the debut of this exciting piece of musical theater from your halcyon days. For the rest of you, JCS was first staged on Broadway in 1971 as the first rock opera. Staged  by Andrew Lloyd Weber with lyrics by Tim Rice,  the piece roughly follows the last week of Jesus' life - provided of course that Jesus had a good voice and was surrounded … (0 comments)

1st Quarter Housing Update for Southwest California - 04/19/11 06:36 PM
March Realtor Report
This report has all the information you need to sound like you know the market in Southwest California. You'll find the latest monthly and quarterly unit sales for our 6 city area, median price trends, peak-to-trough revenue numbers, demand charts, foreclosure data and market demographics.
This months report also includes information on President Obama's proposal to eliminate 60% of our secondary financing market by doing away with Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. The hearing process has just begun in DC so it will be months, if not years before anything is decided. Hopefully by then we will have … (0 comments)

My What A Difference 5 Years Makes. Murrieta/Temecula condo prices 2006-2011. - 04/13/11 09:26 PM
Inspired by a post of Mirela Monte's showing what a difference the past 5 years have made to ocean front condos in Myrtle Beach SC, I decided to see what had transpired locally. I mean, we were the foreclosure capitol of the country for awhile back in 2008 & 2009 and our prices dropped about 45% - 55% throughout the region for single family homes. They're still down but have been stable to slightly higher the past two years and properties are selling well the past 3 years. But I hadn't really taken a look specifically at condo's for awhile. I probably … (0 comments)

My, What a Difference Five Years Can Make! What Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Condos Sold for in 2010 vs. 2005: - 04/13/11 07:54 PM
You SoCal whiners that think we've taken a drubbing, look at what you can pick up over on the right coast in ocean front property.
Via Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection:
 
Everyone knows about our depressed market, but does anyone know just how much our prices have fallen?  Here are some examples of the plummet on Oceanfront condos in the Myrtle Beach area, the Real Estate product which drives our market.   My, what a difference five years can make!                                                                                                                                           2005                                                 2010 1BR Avista                                                                           $ 400,000                                             $ 135,000 2BR Avista                                                                           $ 560,000                                             $ 205,900 3BR Avista                                                                           $ … (1 comments)

Real Time Monitoring of Earth's Events: - 04/13/11 07:47 PM
Some great links here to sites around the world - if you can't sleep tonight, get up and spend a few hours seeing events unfold all around us. Thanks Mirela.
Via Mirela Monte, Your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Connection:
For those of you who want to monitor the World situation in these precarious times: RSOE Edis AlertMap – Global map  Current World Emergencies Global Incident Map  Everything from Earthquakes to Forest Fires, Amber alerts, Hazmat & Disease Outbreaks USGS – Real time earthquakes  Latest Earthquakes in the World Idealist.WS   Very comprehensive discussion of fallout at this site. USGS – National Geomagnetism Program … (0 comments)

What a Government Shutdown Means for REALTORS® - 04/08/11 01:07 PM
Re-posted from NAR - impact to Realtors® if our legislators don't get it together by this afternoon.
The current continuing resolution (CR) providing funding for government operations is set to expire on April 8, 2011. If legislation providing for funding is not signed into law to extend funding after April 8, the federal government could shut down. This means many, but not all, government programs, including some that impact federal housing and mortgage programs, could grind to a halt as early as April 9, 2011. While the true impact of a shutdown is unclear until it actually begins below is … (1 comments)

Update on the Keep Your Home California Program - 04/06/11 02:32 PM
Update on the 'Keep Your Home California' program.
This $2 Billion program, announced a few months ago to great fanfare but little result, has determined it's time to expand the programs due to it's thus far limited reach. The program is designed for low and moderate income borrowers who refinanced their home, took out a home equity line of credit (HELOC), or are underwater on their loans and now find themselves in trouble (duh). The program features four separate sections to help these borrowers including one to get caught up on their loan, another to reduce their principle, one to provide … (1 comments)

The Building Industry says more taxes on homes will help the market. Really? - 04/05/11 06:30 PM
'It has come to our attention that the California Building Industry Association (CBIA) has issued a Call to Action urging its members to tell the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to reject a proposed rule that would prohibit private transfer fees.  The California Association of Realtors strongly supports the prohibition and urges you to ignore the Call to Action from the CBIA if you or any of your members receive it.  C.A.R. is currently drafting a letter outlining its position on the issue for the FHFA.'
You may recall a couple years back when CAR tried to get our legislature to … (3 comments)