SoCal Living

Orange County Craft Fairs & OC Holiday Boutiques for 2009

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:52:10 -0600

Holiday Happenings ~ It's that time of year again, Orange County craft shows and holiday boutiques are here.

I've compiled a list of local holiday craft fair events and boutiques, in and around SoCal. So here's your opportunity to get a head start (if you haven't already) on your holiday shopping and enjoy yourself at the same time, these are always fun events!

Brea ~ Nutcracker Craft Boutique, Friday Nov. 21, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm & Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Location: Brea Community Center, 695 E. Madison Wy, Brea (center is behind the Brea Post Office)

Brea ~ Brea-Glenbrook Holiday Bazaar, Rain or shine, Sat. Dec. 5th 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Location Glenbrook Clubhouse, 1821 E. Greenbrier, Brea 92821. Click here for more info on Brea Glenbrook Club.

Costa Mesa ~ Annual Holiday Boutique, Friday Nov. 13th. 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Location: Orange County Dept. of Education, 200 Kalmus Dr., Board Rm., Costa Mesa, 92626.

Huntington Beach ~ Annual Craft Fair, Saturday Nov. 14^th.Location: St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, 714-842-3956.

Irvine ~ Holiday Faire Boutique, Friday Nov. 6th, 5:00-9:00 pm, Saturday Nov. 7^th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Location: Irvine Fine Arts Center, 14321 Yale Ave. Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 624-1901

La Habra ~ Craft Fair & Chili Cook-Off, Saturday Nov. 14^th,10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Location: United Church, 631 N. Euclid Ave. , La Habra, CA 90631 (562) 691-1797.

La Habra ~ Walnut House of Treasures Home Boutique, Friday Nov. 20, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Sat., Nov. 21, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Location: 521 N. Walnut St. La Habra, 90631. (Between Whittier Blvd. and La Habra Blvd).

Lake Forest ~ 15th Annual Santiago de Competela Church Holiday Boutique, Week-end of Nov. 13th 4:40 pm to 9:00 pm, Nov. 14th 9:00 am to 6:30 pm, Nov. 15th 8:00 am to to 2:00 pm. Location: 21682 Lake Forest Dr. & Trabuco Rd. Lake Forest.

Mission Viejo ~ Annual Holiday Gifts & Goodies Boutique, Rain or Shine, Indoors! Saturday Nov. 21st, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Location: Norman Murray Community & Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Vieho, for more info visit click here.

Santa Ana ~ Ebell Holiday Boutique, Friday Dec. 4th, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Location: Historic Ebell Facility, 625 French St. , Santa Ana, CA.

Tustin ~ Holiday Boutique, Saturday Nov. 7^th,9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Location: Tustin Area Senior Center, 200 S. "C" Street, Tustin, 92780 (714) 544-5341.

Tustin ~ Jamestown Village Vintage Flea Market,Nov. 22, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Location: 474 El camino Real, Tustin, CA.

Yorba Linda ~ Annual Craft Fair, Saturday Nov. 7^th,9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Location: Yorba Linda Community Center, 4501 Casa Loma, Yorba Linda, 92886.

For a list of neighboring county boutiques visit LivingInSoCal.com for a more detailed list including L.A., San Bernardino & San Diego Counties.

It's important to note that some of these events are charity fundraisers and may charge for admission.

Have fun and happy shopping!

If you have a craft show or event coming up you would like to add to the list, send me an email, I'd be happy to help out.

If you're looking for help with So Cal real estate, let me know, text or direct714 595-1494, Lynda Eisenmann, Broker/Owner, Preferred Home Brokers, Brea, CA. Broker's License #00402040. Serving home owners and home buyers for more than 30 years in Southern California.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Local Color in the Mountains of So Cal

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:37:00 -0500

Beautiful Idyllwild, CA, I took this shot a few days ago while hiking in our local mountains. Who says we don't have color here?

La Mirada Home Buying ~ Living in La Mirada CA

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:27:05 -0500

La Mirada, CA is one of those cities in So Cal I love working in for many reasons. The location is just one, La Mirada is very well located in the suburbs of in Eastern Los Angeles County. Orange County is nearby just to the east.

If you lived in La Mirada you would be one of approximately 50,000 residents living here. If you commuted to work you would have easy access to the 5 and 91 freeways to the south. The 605 freeway is to the west and 57 to the east. La Mirada is also home to the well known Biola College, a private Christian University.

Little known fact, (something I love to share, you know something not easily Googled, one of those things you know if you're a local) a very small portion of La Mirada is actually located in the County of Orange!

Single Family Home Activity for September:

58 up slightly from 53 re-sale homes currently for sale compared to 53 last month and 42 previously.
23 pending sales, slightly more than 21 last month and down from 37 July.
38 homes closed escrow, up from 29 last month and down slighly from the peak last month at 40, compared 35,39,35,35,19,19 in 2009.
$396,000 was the median sales price for a single family home with an average of 1600 square feet.

I sold and closed the home pictured upper right, closing in Sept. for $440,000, 3 bedrooms & 2 baths, beautifully updated. This home was near Biola College and is very typical for the construction of homes in La Mirada.

Condominium activity for September:

24 condos are currently for sale, about the same as the past few months.

3 pending sales, (in escrow) slightly more than the past few months.

8 properties closed escrow, compared to 6,9,3,1,2,0,5,8 since the first of the year.
$220,000 was the median condo sales price with an average of 945 square feet, with an average days on the market of 49.

Photo upper left is an example of a condo I sold and closed in September at just under $200,000. It's located in the La Mirada Landmarks, a beautiful 55+ community.

Like the theater? La Mirada is home to the La Mirada Performing Arts Center showcasing talented performers in exciting productions.

If you're like me and love the outdoors you will definitely appreciate the beauty of the city in the La Mirada Regional Park.

There are so many things to love about this place,definitely something for everyone, from frisbee golf, local fishing, tennis, swimming, to one of the most inovative child playgrounds I've enjoyed in a very long time. You can tell I took the photo above left on a beautiful fall day.

If you love this park, it gets even better, parking and admisssion is FREE.

Need more reasons to consider La Mirada, check it out, why to live in La Mirada here.

If you lived in beautiful La Mirada, California you would be approximately:

27 miles east of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport ~ Los Angeles, CA
23 miles north/west of John Wayne Airport ~ Santa Ana, CA
36 miles west of Ontario International Airport ~ Ontario, CA
10.5 miles north/west of the "Happiest Place on Earth" Disneyland ~ Anaheim, CA

If you're considering buying a La Mirada home contact me, Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com . See more at my Living In La Mirada and see why La Mirada was also named 'One of the best places to live" by Money Magazine.

Text or direct: (714) 595-1494 Preferred Home Brokers, successfully serving home buyers and sellers for over thirty years. ~ CA DRE License #00402040.

-Data source, SoCal Multiple Listing Service 2009

8 Years Old & in Remission ~ Chemo FREE ~ Sharing the Great News!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:03:03 -0500

Over the past 2 ½ years I've empathized and agonized when I've read the heart wrenching stories from others in the Rain when it comes to an illness of an individual Rainer, family member or dear friend. I remember the feeling of loss shared by so many of us here with the passing of a youthful Karen George from cancer far too early in life.

We all know cancer knows no boundaries and all of those stories hit too close too home for me personally as some of you may know. After joining Active Rain in Jan. 2007 a few months later Katie G. my little granddaughter was diagnosed at age 5 with Leukemia, yet our family has lots to be thankful for. Katie's type of Leukemia with today's medicine was/is very survivable in young children. We we know that's not true for everyone, we lost another sweet friend also from Leukemia six weeks ago. She was a young Mom in her early 30's who also left two small daughters of her own behind.

Yet today I can after after 2 ½ years of in and out hospital stays, blood tests, spinal taps, cat scans, more tests and chemo, today is a milestone and a great day for our family! Katie had somewhat minor surgery today to remove her chemo port implanted just under her skin in her chest area. It looked like the size of the lifesaver for the past few years. Her doctor said it came out as easily and it went in.

She's now back home and more importantly KATIE is in REMISSION and the CHEMO FREE! Her prognosis is good and we expect her to live a very long life!

The photo (left) is Katie and her Daddy at the "CHOC Walk" for Children's Hospital of Orange Co., Oct. 2007. Her bloating cheeks, thinning hair and fatigue were visible signs of the impact of chemo.

Photo (right) was taken of a sweet little friend and Katie on the right.Both girls(also born on the same day/year) were team members of "Katie's Krew" and both finished the 5K "CHOC Walk" fundraiser at Disneyland one week ago.

Gone are the chemo days for this little girl!

CHOC, Children's Hospital of Orange County is an amazing place of dedicated caring professionals that treats all children irrespective of the ability to pay.

Photo left is from the playroom at the hospital, the kids were visited by the "Angel Ball Girls" that day.

Thanks go the self-less dedication other others, Katie is just one of the many examples of the progress made in today's cancer treatment.

THANK YOU CHILDREN'S HOSPTIAL OF ORANGE COUNTY!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Citizen Commentary

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:57:42 -0500

Brea Homes For Sale ~ Brea Real Estate Report

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:34:44 -0500

Brea, CA Real Estate Sales Report ~ Brea housing inventory continues to decline, September 2009 was low for the year!

Brea Single Family Homes for September 2009:

50 re-sale homes were for sale, compared to 59/56/67/81/65/94/ respectively for the past few months.
28 pending sales & back-ups, down from 42/33/20/23/18/15/24/20/16/36/30/27 in prior months.
23 homes closed in Sept. as compared to 20/22/15/24/29/12/13/20/11/28/30/24
respectively in the prior 12 months.
Average selling price for Sept. was $541,400 down slightly from last month at $559,500, for just over 2,000 sq. ft.
The average days on the market for Sept. 56 compared to 78 in August.

Brea Condo Sales Activity for September 2009:

Only 10 condos were for sale, compared to 10/14/16/14/6/12/9/13 in the past few months.
8 pending sales/back-ups went into escrow, compared to4/6/3/3/1/4/3/1/5/7/2/1/1/ in prior months.
7 condos closed escrow in Sept. compared to 3/6/2/1/2/6/0/5/3/4/2 respectively in preceding months.

Brea is a City is well known for excellence in education. The schools have been definite attraction for residents in our community. We often say Brea enjoys some of the bigger city benefits, yet maintains a small town feeling. Many of us who live here feel we have the best of both worlds.

If you lived in Brea-California you would be approximately:

30 Miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
39 Miles west of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport,
16 Miles north/west of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA.
10 Miles north of Disneyland the "Happiest Place on Earth" ~ Anaheim, CA.

If you're interested in learning more about Brea see why Sunset Magazine named it one of the best places in the west, or check out Living In Dowtown Brea, or Downtown Brea Nights, Visit Brea Family Fun, Brea's Curtis Theatre or Downtown Brea Dining. Here's more on the new Sports Park, check it out. Looking for low/no cost fun in our city, take a look at Brea Fun On A Budget.

Planning on spending a day or two here? Check out, Brea ~ CA as Featured in Westways Magazine for day tripping around town. If you're want more on Brea real estate contract me, Lynda Eisenmann at Preferred Home Brokers for Real Estate Help, we're one of longest established real estate companies in Orange County under the same ownership.

For real estate, contact me, Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com, we're one of the longest established independent brokerages in Orange County under the same ownership, check us out Preferred Home Brokers.

To reach me: Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com, text or direct (714) 595-1494.

~CA Real Estate License #402040

Wordless Wednesday ~ Top to Bottom, The Beauty of the Australian Rain Forest

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:18:10 -0500

Wordless Wednesday ~ Spectacular Scenery, Recognize This Place?

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:43:01 -0500

La Mirada Homes for Sale ~ La Mirada Real Estate House Sales 2009

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:02:46 -0500

La Mirada, CA is located in the "burbs" of Eastern Los Angeles County, with nearby Orange County bordering on the east side of the city. If you lived in La Mirada you would be one of approximately 50,000 residents who lives in this beautiful Southern CA community.

Single Family Home Activity for August:

53 re-sale homes currently for sale compared to 42 last month.
21 pending sales, down from 37 last month.
29 homes closed escrow, down from the peak last month at 40, compared 35,39,35,35,19,19 in 2009.
Average selling price was $423,800 (up from 418,800 last month).
Average price per square foot was $232.50, for 3.6 bedrooms, at 1,692 square feet.
Average days on market 27.

Condominium activity for August:

24 condos are currently for sale, about the same as the past few months.
6 pending sales, (in escrow) slightly more than the past few months.
6 properties closed escrow, compared to 9,3,1,2,0,5,8 since the first of the year.
$228,100 average sales price for August, @$240.50 a square foot.
Average days on market 196.

If you lived in beautiful La Mirada, California you would be approximately:

27 miles east of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport ~ Los Angeles, CA
23 miles north/west of John Wayne Airport ~ Santa Ana, CA
36 miles west of Ontario International Airport ~ Ontario, CA
10.5 miles north/west of the "Happiest Place on Earth" Disneyland ~ Anaheim, CA

La Mirada has been a favorite since very early in my early days in real estate. The city is also home to Biola College and the famous La Mirada Theater, home to outstanding theatrical productions.

To learn more about buying or selling a La Mirada homes, contact me, text or direct 714 595-1494 or Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com . See more at my Living In La Mirada and see why La Mirada was also named 'One of the best places to live" by Money Magazine.

Preferred Home Brokers, successfully serving home buyers and sellers for more than thirty years. ~ CA DRE License #00402040.

-Data source, SoCal Multiple 2009

It's Time for All That Jazz in Down Town Brea ~ Jazz Fest Fri. & Sat. Night

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:14 -0500

It's that time again, time for "dancin in the street" in down town Brea! Down town Brea's Birch Street Jazz Festival is the place to be Friday and Saturday nights in Orange County.

Photos are from the event that began last week-end, it was a happening place to be. Locals spent the time in the warm air evening listening to the cool sounds of Jazz.

In addition to the jazz, the event includes a fine arts and craft show beginning Fridays at 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays at noon.

Entertainment begins at 6:00 p.m. with the headliners performing at 7:30. Come early, the place will be packed!

The event is FREE to all attending, including parking, however reserved seating is available:

Tickets are $40.00 each and include seating at tables by the stage,including a $25 Yard House Gift Certificate, a Complimentary Chocolate Fondue Dessert from The Melting Pot, free souvenir Brea Jazz Festival T-shirt and other coupons and gifts from the Downtown Merchants.

~CA Real Estate License #402040

Wordless Wednesday ~ 26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina Island

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:24:22 -0500

La Habra Homes For Sale ~ La Habra Real Estate Report

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:11:44 -0500

Living in La Habra ~ Orange County CA La Habra Home Sales Report August 2009 ~

So what's happening in the La Habra real estate market today? A whopping 81% of all closings for the month were identified at *distressed sales.

This report will provide you an overview of La Habra homes sales activity as compared to prior months in La Habra for both single family homes and condo sales for August 2009.

Single Family Home Sales Activity for August:

71 homes were for sale, up from 66 last month, and compared to 2/90/120/136/128/153/180/129/149/153/182 previously
41 pending sales in escrow during the month, and compared to 40/43/41/26/30/36/20/19/34/24/18/25/34/37 pending sales.
23 homes closed in August down slightly from 28 last month and compared to 39/28/41/30/42/14/25/26 in prior months.
$407,000 was the average closed sales price, up slightly from the last two months, average size of 3 bedrooms 2 baths and 1,628 square feet, with an average 56 days on the market.
74% of the closings were identified as single family distressed sales, either short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos, up from 48% & 58% for the past two months.
Final sales price was 100% of the original asking price, and 101% of the final asking price.

**********************

Condo Sales:

33 condo/townhomes were for sale, slightly more than last month (which was the lowest number for 2009) and compared to 40/36/50/56/65/63/65/71/72/63/82 previously.
23 pending sales (in escrow) in August and compared in 20/20/9/7/18/7/6/12/23/11/6/5 for prior months.
14 closed, compared to 19/15/11/18/8/11/10/3/8in prior months.
$183,000 was the average closed price.
ALL but one the condo sold in August was identified as a distressed sales, i.e. short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos, compared to 78% last month.
The average condo size was 2 bedrooms and 2 baths at 963 square feet, with an average of 108 days on the market.

***************************

If you're a home buyer or a home seller it's essential you have an understanding of today's real estate market when it comes to market conditions in pricing and inventory.

For Home Buyers: It's important to begin the loan process in advanceof your home search. Once approved you normally have greater strength in negotiating prices. With declining inventory we've been seeing multiple offers on the same home. Do yourself a favor, get pre-approved!

For Home Sellers: It's about positioning vs. pricing. Getting ahead of others is crucial for a timely sale. That's right, pricing ahead of the competition, including foreclosures/bank owned properties. 81% (including both single family homes and condos) of the closings in August were identified as distressed sales.

Sellers, where would your buyer come from:

87% of all home buyers begin today with the Internet for their home search.
80% of Orange County is on-line.
The average age in Orange County is 36 and I don't know of a "thirty something" person in Orange County who is not on line.
For the maximum on-line marketing exposure contact me Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com
Text or direct (714) 595-1494

La Habra is well known for the lively Children's Museum, click here to see more, on this fun place. We've been there many times ourselves with our family, it's always a great time for the kids of all ages. If you're interested in learning more about La Habra check out Living in La Habra, and see why La Habra is a city with a heart.

Want to know more about La Habra 90631 Real Estate? Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com, view Preferred Home Brokers and see why we're one of the longest established independent brokerages in Orange County under the same ownership.

CA Dept. of Real Estate Broker's License #00-402040.

*Distressed sales include short sales, bank owned properties (referred to REO's), others may be sellers in arrears or where a Notice of Default has been filed.

~ Data Source: So Cal MLS

Brea Homes For Sale ~ Brea, CA Real Estate Report August 2009

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:03:27 -0500

Brea, CA Real Estate Sales Report ~ Brea home sales heat up this summer in Orange County.

Brea Single Family Homes for August 2009:

59 re-sale homes were for sale, compared to 56 last month and 67/81/65/94/ respectively for the past few months.
42 pending sales & back-ups, up from 33 last month, and 20/23/18/ 15/12/20/16/36/30/27/ prior months.
20 homes closed in August, and compared to 22/15/24/29/12/13/20/11/28/30/24/20/ respectively in the prior 12 months.
Average selling price for August was $559,500 for a home with an average of 2146 square feet.
The average days on the market for August was 78 days.

Brea Condo Sales Activity for August 2009:

Only 9 Brea condo/town-homes were for sale, one less than the past two months and compared to 14/16/14/6/12/9/13 in the past few months.
4 pending sales/back-ups went into escrow, more than double than the last two months and compared to 6/3/3/1/4/3/1/5/7/2/1/1/ in prior months.
3 condos closed escrow in August compared to 6/2/1/2/6/0/5/3/4/2/5/4/2/2/0 respectively in preceding months.
All 3 condo closings were short sales.

Check out Southern Cal home prices per square foot to see how prices vary depending on your city.

Brea is a City is well known for excellence in education. The schools have been definite attraction for residents in our community. We often say Brea enjoys some of the bigger city benefits, yet maintains a small town feeling. Many of us who live here feel we have the best of both worlds.

Brea, CA is very well located in Northern Orange County ~

If you lived in Brea-California you would be approximately:

30 Miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
39 Miles west of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport,
16 Miles north/west of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA
10 Miles north of Disneyland the "Happiest Place on Earth" ~ Anaheim, CA.

~CA Real Estate License #402040

Wordless Wednesday ~ The Duke in Orange County California

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:46:00 -0500

Chino Hills Townhome For Lease ~ Great Location!

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:57:59 -0500

Lynda Eisenmann | Preferred Home Brokers | 714 595-1494

13239 Sonrisa Drive, Chino Hills, CA

Chino Hills View Townhome

2BR/2.5BA Townhouse

$1,695/month

Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Sq Footage	1,076
Parking	2 dedicated
Pet Policy	No pets
Deposit	$2,500

DESCRIPTION

Sonrisa Development well located in Chino Hills. Great location for access to major freeways and the Ontario Airport. Shows well, owner updated many items 18 months ago.
Great for sharing this plan has 2 master bedrooms, each with own full bath.
Near the Costco shopping center and the new Shoppes at Chino Hills!
Custom stonework on the patio, views to the snow capped mountains in the winter.

see additional photos below

RENTAL FEATURES

- Air conditioning	- Central heat	- Fireplace
- High/Vaulted ceiling	- Living room	- Dining room
- Dishwasher	- Stove/Oven	- Microwave
- Laundry area - garage	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Garage parking

- Swimming pool(s)

- Sauna/Spa

LEASE TERMS

12 Month lease, available approximately Oct. 1st.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Well maintained townhome.	Street View
Balcony View from Master	Nearby Pool & Spa
Sonrisa Development	Near Shoppes at C.Hills

Contact info:

Lynda Eisenmann

Preferred Home Brokers

714 595-1494

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 27, 2009, 4:48pm PDT

Wordless Wednesday ~ iPhone Sunset in the Southland

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:51:11 -0500

Laguna Beach Sawdust Art Festival ~ Time is Running Out ~ It's the Last Week

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:39:35 -0500

A cool way to spend the day is at the Laguna Beach, CA Sawdust Art Festival and this is the last week! The festival runs through August 30th.

This is usually an annual event for me, attending with friends and this year was no exception. I headed south down the I-5 to Laguna Beach for the 2009 event. Each year I plan early enough to make the Sawdust Festival prior to attending (later that evening) the spectacular nearby Laguna Pagent of the Masters.

Both events are always a treat, and a great way to beat the late summer heat. What could be a better way to cool off among beauty of mother nature and amazing art!

Without exception the Sawdust Festival (dating back to the mid 1960's) always offers and eclectic array of artists showcasing their cretive talents in many ways.

A wide variety of food and refeshments are available along with entertainment featured on three stages, something for everyone!

Location: 935 Laguna Canyon Rd. Laguna Beach, CA. 92651
For more info call (949) 494-3030 Fax: (949) 494-7390
Admission for adults is $7.50 for the day ~ seniors $6 ~ children 6-12 $3

Now I've got to show you my treasure, my art purchase for this year, created by local artist Robert Jones. This piece has a different look depending on the light, with my camera it has a dark reddish look, yet in natural light it appears to be dark in color. A beautiful work of art.

Living in So Cal this is an ongoing event for me and one thing for sure you never know exactly what you're going to find at the Sawdust, all except for a dog-gone good time!

If you're interested in learning more about living in So Cal and Orange County real estate, contact me at Preferred Home Brokers, Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com. I'm a life-long So Cal resident and broker of more than thirty years. Direct or text, (714) 595-1494.

~CA DRE #00402040

Living in La Habra ~ La Habra Home Sales Report July 2009

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:32:02 -0500

So what's happening in the La Habra real estate market today? Here's the scoop, this report will provide you an overview of La Habra homes sales activity as compared to prior months in La Habra for both single family homes and condo sales for July 2009.

Single Family Home Sales Activity for July:

66 homes were for sale, up slightly from 62 last month, and compared to 90/120/136/128/153/180/129/149/153/182 previously
40 pending sales in escrow during the month, slightly fewer than last month at 43, compared to 41 sixty days ago and compared to prior months of 26/30/36/20/19/34/24/18/25/34/37 pending sales.
39 homes closed in July up from 28 last month and compared to 41/30/42/14/25/26 in prior months.
$388,653 was the average closed sales price for almost the same as last month, average size of 3 bedrooms 2 baths and 1,600 square feet, with an average 91 days on the market.
48% of the closings were identified as distress sales, either short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos, compared to 58% last month.
Final sale price was 95% of the original asking price, and 100% of the final asking price.

**********************

Condominium Sales Activity for July:

40 condo/townhomes were for sale, slightly more than last month (which was the lowest number for 2009) and compared to 36/50/56/65/63/65/71/72/63/82/83 previously.
20 pending sales (in escrow) month and compared in 20/9/7/18/7/6/12/23/11/6/5 for prior months.
19 closed, the highest number for 2009 and compared to 15/11/18/8/11/10/3/8/10 in prior months.
$215,999 was the average closed price compared to last two months of $189,000, $193,600 $207,800 respectively.
78% of the condo sales for July were identified as distressed sales, i.e. short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos, compared to 64% last month.
The average condo size was 2 bedrooms and 2 baths at 1,200 square feet, with an average of 61 days on the market.

***************************

If you're a home buyer or a home seller it's essential you have an understanding of today's real estate market when it comes to market conditions in pricing and inventory.

For Home Buyers: It's important to begin the loan process in advance of your home search. Once approved you normally have greater strength in negotiating prices.

For Home Sellers: It's about positioning vs. pricing. Getting ahead of others is crucial for a timely sale. That's right, pricing ahead of the competition, including foreclosures/bank owned properties. 60% of the closings in June were identified as distressed sales.

If you are thinking of selling your Orange County home consider this:

It's about positioning vs. pricing. Getting ahead of others is crucial for a timely sale. That's right, pricing ahead of the competition, including foreclosures/bank owned properties. Roughly 63% of the closings in July were identified as distressed sales.

Where would your buyer come from:

87% of all home buyers begin today with the Internet for their home search.
80% of Orange County is on-line.
The average age in Orange County is 36 and I don't know of a "thirty something" person in Orange County who is not on line.
For the maximum on-line marketing exposure contact me Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com
Text or direct (714) 595-1494

CA Dept. of Real Estate License # 00-402040.

~ Data Source: So Cal MLS

Homes for Sale in La Mirada ~ La Mirada Home Sales Report July 2009

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:36:00 -0500

Homes sales and closings are up in La Mirada, California.

Single Family Home Activity for July:

43 re-sale homes currently for sale in the city, almost one-half from earlier in the year.
37 pending sales
40 homes closed escrow the peak for the year, compared to 35/39/35/35/19/19 in 2009.
Average selling price was $418,800.00.
Average selling price per square foot was approximately $210.00

Condominium activity for July:

24 condos are currently for sale, about the same as the past few months.
6 pending sales, (in escrow) slightly more than the past few months.
9 properties closed escrow, compared to 3/1/2/0/5/8 since the first of the year.

Comparing same time period 2008 vs. 2009

2008 ~ $421,342 Average Selling Price ~ $282.00 Price Per Sq.Foot ~ 53 Days On Market
2009 ~ $378,021 Average Selling Price ~ $224.00 Price Per Sq. Foot ~ 65 Days On Market

If you lived in beautiful La Mirada, California you would be approximately:

27 miles east of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport ~ Los Angeles, CA
23 miles north/west of John Wayne Airport ~ Santa Ana, CA
36 miles west of Ontario International Airport ~ Ontario, CA
10.5 miles north/west of the "Happiest Place on Earth" Disneyland ~ Anaheim, CA

The city has been a favorite since very early in my early days in real estate. The city is also home to Biola College and the famous La Mirada Theater, home to outstanding theatrical productions. La Mirada Golf Course is upper right.

To learn more about real estate in the great City of La Mirada, contact me, text or direct 714 595-1494 or Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com . See more at my Living In La Mirada and see why La Mirada was also named 'One of the best places to live" by Money Magazine.

Preferred Home Brokers, successfully serving home buyers and sellers for more than thirty years. ~ CA DRE License #00402040.

-Data source, SoCal Multiple 2009

Brea Fest 2009, Friday August 14th at the Brea Cultural and Civic Center

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:13:46 -0500

It's the 23^rdannual Brea Fest featuring great food, beverages from over 35 local resturants. In addition to fun and entertainment the event takes place Friday, August 14th, 6:30 to 10:00 at the Brea Civic and Cultural Centre.

This community event is always a crowd pleaser, something for everyone, and once again featuring Kidsville sponsor by the North Hills Community Church.

Funds raised at Brea Fest help support Brea's local arts programs that take place in and around our city. FREE admission to the event and pay $3 bucks for a taste.

The City of Brea will also be spotlighted during the event with community displays of the Brea Historical Society, Friends of the Brea Library and Olinda Oil Museum .

Doors will be open to the Brea's Curtis Theater for the evening. Take a look, there's not a bad seat in the house of this place! The nearby Brea Galley will once again be featuring artists on display, I took this photo last year while at the Gallery.

Brea Fest is always a fun event, I've attended this event many times, and it's always been great fun. Enjoying the outdoors, listening to great music, watching the performances. It was always the place to be. In the past my daughter ran a booth for her employer a local beverage company. The specialty was margaritas. Needless to say that booth it was a huge success.

Brea's Civic and Cultural Center is located on Birch Street, on the north side of the Brea Mall. For more information call, (714) 990-7771 or click here for more Brea Fest info.

Brea Homes For Sale ~ Brea Real Estate Report ~

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:34:48 -0500

Summer sales heat up the Breal real estate market!

Finding a Brea home for sale today appears to be more difficult now, we're seeing an almost 40% decrease in inventory for existing single family homes for sale (from two months ago) in the City of Brea, while the number of sales were up the same amount, almost 40% higher from last month.

Brea, CA Real Estate Sales Report ~ Brea home sales heat up this summer in Orange County.

Brea Single Family Homes for July 2009:

56 re-sale homes were for sale, compared to 67 last month and 81 two months ago, 65/94/ respectively for the past few months.
33 pending sales & back-ups, up dramatically 20 last month, and 23/18/ 25/12/20/16/36/30/27/ prior months.
22 homes closed in July up from 15 last month & compared to 24/29/12/13/20/11/28/30/24/20/14/21 respectively in the prior 12 months.
Average selling price for July was $570,000 (compared to $482,668 last month) for a home with an average of 2238 square feet.
The average days on the market for July was 38, down from 53 days in June and almost 1/2 of days on the market of 70 for May.
Of the 22 single family home, only 1 appears to be a bank/owned foreclosure, yet 4 out of the 22 were identified as short-sales or pre-foreclosure.

Brea Condo Sales Activity for July 2009:

Only 10 Brea condo/town-homes were for sale, exactly the same as last month and compared to 14/16/14/6/12/9/13 in the past few months.
4 pending sales/back-ups went into escrow the same as last month compared to 6/3/3/1/4/3/1/5/7/2/1/1/ in prior months.
6 condos closed escrow in July compared to 2/1/2/6/0/5/3/4/2/5/4/2/2/0 respectively in preceding months.
2 out of 6 closings were indentified as floreclosures, with 1 short sale.

Comparing Brea home sales year-to- date 2008 vs. 2009.

2008 ~ 152 Closed Brea sales $520,235 Average Sales Price, $298.15 Sq. Ft., 85 days on the market, $293.68 price per square foot.
2009 ~ 166 Closed Brea sales Closed, $527,785 average sales price, $262.36 Sq. Ft., 73d ays on market, $259.09 price per square foot.

Check out Southern Cal home prices per square foot to see how prices vary depending on your city.

Brea, CA is very well located in Northern Orange County ~

If you lived in Brea-California you would be approximately:

30 Miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
39 Miles west of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport,
16 Miles north/west of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA
10 Miles north of Disneyland the "Happiest Place on Earth" ~ Anaheim, CA.

* A distressed sale is identified in the So Cal Multiple Listing Service as a property that is either, bank-owned, a short sale, in foreclosure, or a notice of default has been filed among other things. . Not all listing agents properly identify the status with accuracy, that's why I indicated a "minimum" of these sales have been identified this way.

~CA Real Estate License #402040

So What's Up With This Market...For Real or Not?

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:47:34 -0500

Have we turned a corner, or is this just another blip in the real estate radar?

Today was another typical day in So Cal real estate in the first-time buyer price range. I began working with a couple last week-end, a CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) referral from another state. They've been renting here for a while and decided it was the right time to buy, and they are obviously not alone.

Last Saturday was the first time we were out together, we viewed eight homes, they narrowed it down in their minds to two of them. Their first choice a 1950's home had room addition issues, two unfinished rooms and no building permits. There was also a question about another add-on room and whether or not it had been permitted years ago. They wanted to speak with their contractor friend prior to submitting an offer. As their agent, this sounded completely normal to me. They called me the next day with questions, I called the listing agent and to my surprise it sold the night before with 10 offers, with apparently no questions asked.

Nest I called on the second choice, newer construction in a PUD, after receiving eight offers the seller decided not to sell after all.

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Fast forward to today, great four new properties (yes only 4 homes in their price range in four different cities) that were non- short sale listings and here are the results:

1. $399,000 - single family home has five offers, owners not making a decision until next week. Who knows by then the offers will double.

2. $390,000 - patio home, 1 offer, but good, it's still available so we can view this one.

3. $399,000 - single family home, 14 offers according to the agent (listed 2 days) and of course over asking price including a 40% & 50% down offers.

4. $379,000 - townhome, ah ha, this one is still available and NO offers, what's up? You guessed it, appointment only with the agent who is just too busy to show it. (I don't even want to get started with my opinon of this one.)

This is the second time today I've experienced this scenario when looking for properties to show. In reality, it's been going on for a couple of months, almost every transaction has been a situation of multiple offers on both sides, listings and sales.

So my big question is, what's going on?
Please tell me, are you experiencing the same thing in your market?
Have we rounded the corner, is consumer confidence improving?
Is it supply and demand because lenders are holding off on flooding the market with large numbers of REO's?
Is it the $8,000 tax credit?
Or are we experiencing the early stages of housing recovery?

I'd love to hear from you.

Brea Real Estate Summer Sales ~ Brea Homes Sales Report 2009

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:31:14 -0500

Brea, CA Real Estate Sales Report ~ Brea home sales hold steady in the Orange County housing market while Brea homes for sale (current inventory) remains lower this year than 2008. Check it out and see why Brea's the place to be!

Brea Single Family Homes for June 2009:

67 re-sale homes were for sale, almost the same as last month at 68 yet down 17% from two months ago at 81 and 65/94/ respectively for the past few months.
20 pending sales & back-ups, almost the same as 23 last month at 18 and compared to 25/12/20/16/36/30/27/27/24 prior months.
22 homes closed in June compared up from 15 last month & compared to 24/29/12/13/20/11/28/30/24/20/14/21 respectively in the prior 12 months.
Average selling price for June was $482,668 (compared to $537,480 last month) for a home with an average of 1843 (slightly smaller than May) square feet.
The average days on the market was 53, compared to 70 in May.

Brea Condo Sales Activity for June 2009:

Only 10 Brea condo/town-homes were for sale, compared to 14/16/14/6/12/9/13 in the past few months.
4 pending sales/back-ups went into escrow, compared to 6/3/3/1/4/3/1/5/7/2/1/1/ in prior months.
2 condos closed escrow in June compared to 1/2/6/0/5/3/4/2/5/4/2/2/0 respectively in preceding months.

Comparing Brea Home Sales for Six Months Jan./June 2008 to Same Time 2009:

2008 ~ 121 Brea Sales Closed, $520,800 Average Sales Price, $298.15 Sq. Ft., 89 Days on Market, and a minimum of 19% of the sales were identified as a *"distressed sale".
2009 ~ 140 Brea Sales Closed, $531,000 Average Sales Price, $262.36 Sq. Ft., 80 Days on Market, and a minimum of 39% of the closings were identified as "distressed sales".

Check out Southern Cal home prices per square foot to see how prices vary depending on your city.

Brea, CA is very well located in Northern Orange County ~ If you lived in the Southern Cal community of Brea you would be approximately:

30 Miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
39 Miles west of LAX ~ Los Angeles International Airport,
16 Miles north/west of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA
10 Miles north of Disneyland the "Happiest Place on Earth" ~ Anaheim, CA.

Here's more on the new Sports Park, check it out. Looking for low/no cost fun in our city, read Brea Fun On A Budget.

~CA Real Estate License #402040

24 Hour Relay For Life in Good Ole' Brea, CA ~ On The Go Round-The-Clock

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:38:50 -0500

24 Hour Relay For Life...What a Great Event!

We had a great time...participating the the American Cancer Society's 24 Hour Relay For Life, the first event of this type on the campus of the beautiful Brea-Olinda High School in Orange County, CA.

That's right we participated as a team this year in the event and had a blast while also raising over $5,000 from our little team for the cancer fund. When it comes down to it, I don't know of a person or family who has not been directly touched one way or the other by cancer. It's doggone time for us to put a stop to it now!

Our team organized by Christina Gerberding and Steven Aultman did more than an outstanding job, organizing the team, raising funds and awareness for the cause by rounding up an enthusiastic group of participants. Our team knows as Aloha Ohana (complete with a Hawaiian theme) had at least one walker on the track for the entire 24 hour time period.

The photo on the upper left pictures two of the celebrated survivors, participating in the survivors lap the first of the day, both diagnosed and beating Leukemia! Kristen on the left is a young Mom with two small daughters of her own, both who joined us on Relay Day. Also Katie on the right, is my seven year-old granddaughter diagnosed at age 5 who is beating cancer herself. Both are living today thanks to advances made in cancer treatment.They, along with other survivors kicked off the event leading the event with a lap of their very own. After wards, throughout the day volunteer participants kept the event alive with taking turns on the track all 24 hours.

Members of the Brea North Mom's Club showed their support by participating as walkers and by providing baked good for the bake sale fund raiser at the event. On a personal note, these are some of the most supportive young women I've ever encountered. My hats are off to each an every member of the Brea Moms Club North.

After dark we participated in a solemn lap around 9:00 pm, the lighting of the luminarias in remembrance of loved ones who lost their life to cancer. As we walked in silence and in the dark we were reminded with the glow of each luminaria as names were read out loud over the p.a.system. As you looked up in the stadium seats, you could see the work HOPE a glow, it was a an inspiring for all of us.

Then, once the lights came back on everyone began settling in for the night. Tents were set up earlier in the day for the 24 hour session. Some settled in while others hit the track.

Fortunately I live only a few miles from the high school so I headed home for about 4 hours of sleep. My next session was a quiet one, 5:00 a.m. to 6:30 Sunday morning while most were sleeping. It was a wonderful experience, the early hours were quiet and very peaceful. After the sun was up for a while the energy came alive once again.

Our 24 hours ended with a re-cap of the event and then a celebratory lap with everyone participating. The photos below are just some of our wonderful team, those who gave of themselves to make a difference in the lives of others...MY THANKS TO YOU ALL!

There is no doubt in my mind that we have all been affected by cancer, each and every single one of us. Years ago, while in college my instructor was confident that we would have a cancer cure in ten years...sadly we still see it today, our family and friends of all ages...cancer knows no limits...you don't have to be a smoker, or whatever. Just look into the eyes of a child to know that.

So if you're up to it, I'd encourage you to participate in such a worthwhile event, the Relay For Life in your own back yard, you will be glad you did!

La Habra Home Sales ~ What's Happening in La Habra Real Estate

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:59:18 -0500

So what's happening in the La Habra real estate market today?

Here's the scoop: This report will provide you an overview of the residential real estate activity as compared to prior months in La Habra for both single family homes and condo sales for June 2009.

If you're a home buyer or a home seller it's essential you have an understanding of today's real estate market when it comes to market conditions in pricing and inventory.

For Home Buyers: It's important to begin the loan process in advance of your home search. Once approved you normally have greater strength in negotiating prices.

For Home Sellers: It's about positioning vs. pricing. Getting ahead of others is crucial for a timely sale. That's right, pricing ahead of the competition, including foreclosures/bank owned properties. 60% of the closings in June were identified as distressed sales.

Single Family Home Sales Activity for June:

62 homes were for sale, the lowest number we've seen in a year, as you can see compared to 80/90/120/136/128/153/180/129/149/153/182/216 prior months.
43 pending sales in escrow during the month, compared to 41 sixty days ago and compared to prior months of 26/30/36/20/19/34/24/18/25/34/37 pending sales.
28 homes closed in June down from 36 sixty days ago and compared to 41/30/42/14/25/26 in prior months.
$398,425 was the average closed sales price for June (compared to $362,800 sixty days ago) with an average size of 3 bedrooms 2 baths and 1,739 square feet, with an average 61 days on the market.
57% of the closings were identified as distress sales, either short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos.
Final sale price was 99% of the asking price.

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Condominium Sales Activity for June:

36 condo/townhomes were for sale, also lowest number for 2009, and compared to 50/56/65/63/65/71/72/63/82/83 previously.
15 pending sales (in escrow) month and compared in 20/9/7/18/7/6/12/23/11/6/5 for prior months.
15 closed, up from 10 sixty days ago compared to 11/18/8/11/10/3/8/10 in prior months.
$189,100 was the average closed price (compared to last two months of $193,600 $207,800 respectively)
64% of the condo sales for June were identified as distress sales, i.e. short sales, in the process of foreclosure or bank repos.
The average condo size was 2 bedrooms and 2 baths at 1,000 square feet, with an average of 109 days on the market.

Over 60% of the closed sales for June 2009 in the City of La Habra were identified in the MLS as distressed sales. Meaning for the most part either short sales of bank repos.

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If you are thinking of selling your Orange County home consider this:

87% of all home buyers begin today with the Internet for their home search.
80% of Orange County is on-line.
The average age in Orange County is 36 and I don't know of a "thirty something" person in Orange County who is not on line.
For the maximum on-line marketing exposure contact me Lynda@PreferredHomeBrokers.com

CA Dept. of Real Estate License # 00-402040.

~ Data Source: So Cal MLS