Escrow Impound Accounts: Do You Have a Choice? - 05/28/10 06:34 PM
An "escrow impound account" is an account a lender sets up to collect up-front money from the homeowner when they take out a mortgage to cover future expenses such as property taxes and insurance. It helps with the negotiating because these impound accounts let lenders know for certain that the property taxes and insurance will be paid on time (since they themselves will be holding the money and paying these expenses). Now, a homeowner can typically waive escrows on a conventional loan if their loan-to-value ratio is 80% or less. The key point is to convey to the lender or mortgage broker … (0 comments)

Memorial Day - A Time to Reflect and Say Thanks - 05/27/10 09:28 PM
Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day” and unofficially began in 1865 as a way to honor fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. Due to lingering resentment over the war, many Southern states did not observe the holiday until after World War I, instead opting for their own Confederate Memorial Day.
In recent years, Memorial Day has became a time to honor fallen soldiers from all wars after WWI. We can honor our veterans with some of the following Memorial Day traditions:
Fly the flag at half-staff from dawn until noon, local time. Participate in a national “moment of remembrance,” … (4 comments)

Foreclosures Down in Fontana - 05/26/10 07:38 PM
A decline was seen in both unemployment and foreclosures in the Inland Empire in April. Unemployment went down from 15 percent to 14.2 percent according to state officials while overall in the California the unemployment rate remained at 12.6 percent.
Now while foreclosure rates still were fairly high in the Inland Empire, they have decreased recently according to a report by an online marketplace for foreclosure properties called RealtyTrac. Across the US foreclosure filings were reported on 333,837 properties in April, which was a 9 percent decrease from the previous month and a 2 percent drop from April of 2009. California however saw a 25 percent drop … (0 comments)

You'll Kick Yourself if You Miss the Health and Safety Fair in Fontana! - 05/25/10 10:00 PM
I just wanted everyone to know about the Health and Safety Fair that is happening in Fontana, CA on June 12th.
 

 
If you live near Fontana, I would HIGHLY recommend attending the Health and Safety Fair, especially if you have kids. In addition to the fun stuff like face painting and martial arts demonstrations, there will also be car seat inspections (did you know that over 70% of car seats are installed incorrectly, putting our children at risk??), helmet give-aways, fingerprinting for your kids, and dental and medical screening. Definitely a don't-miss event!
… (1 comments)

New Legislation Would Protect Borrowers In California - 05/21/10 05:54 PM
Banks have already foreclosed upon many families homes in this devastating economic environment. We find now that lenders can continue to harass them for additional payment. How much more money do the banks think they can get from families who have already lost their homes and most likely their jobs? Not only is it trying to get blood from a turnip, but they are causing these folks to think they'll never get the chance to start again.
New legislation, SB 1178, extends anti-deficiency protections to homeowners who have refinanced "purchase money" loans and are now facing foreclosure. A big part of the problem is that many … (2 comments)

May Tips for Gardening in Southern California! - 05/20/10 07:16 PM
We all love a gorgeous garden, but it can be difficult to know what to do in which season and for which climate. So, here are a few gardening tips for the month of May for all of us Southern Californians! :-)
Keep mowing regularly. It's the best thing you can do to control weeds and keep grass thick and healthy. Keep up with watering. Even highly drought-tolerant plants can need irrigation. Water large cacti, for example, once a month and agave and yuccas every three weeks. Fertilize your lawn, roses, citrus trees, fuchias, avocado trees, vegetables, and flowers. A sign … (4 comments)

Fontana Market Report - May 2010 - 05/19/10 10:57 PM
 Fontana Market Report - May 2010
Whether you are a Buyer or a Seller, everybody wants to know - "How's the Market?" 
You'll be happy to know that the real estate market here in Fontana is beginning to stabilize and is trending upwards.

The chart above provides some of updated information on the number of homes for sale and the number of foreclosures on the market, it provides the median price of both and shows the price change from last month. It also provides a glimpse of how the market has changed over the last year.  Things are definitely looking up. 
… (0 comments)

North Fontana Boasts Breathtaking New Townhomes - 05/18/10 10:53 PM
Nestled in the San Bernardino foothills, Rosabella in the Shady Trails community has both final build-out homes and model homes available for June and September move-ins. The attached townhomes range from 1,794 - 2,078 square feet and have 3 or 4 bedrooms (some models also offer an additional loft), while all models offer 2.5 baths and a 2-car attached garage in Tuscan and Spanish architectural styles.
Additionally, for resident's enjoyment the Parkhouse Community Center is located directly across the street from Rosabella. The Community Center features a sparkling swimming pool, a sun deck, and stunning tree-lined and landscaped boulevards and lanes.
… (0 comments)

YouTube Turns 5 - 05/17/10 10:13 PM
YouTube, formerly where we went to get our fix of dancing cats and cute toddlers, has become a place where in addition to home-made videos viewers ca watch music videos, clips of television shows, and other professional videos. What that tells industry insiders is that YouTube (a subsidiary of Google) is growing into a more mature, valid medium and isn't just a online upstart.YouTube was considered by many to be a risky investment at the end of 2006 (when it was purchased for $1.65 billion) but has become one of Google’s most lucrative acquisitions. YouTube celebrated its fifth birthday today by … (4 comments)

Facebooks New Policy UN "Liked" By Many - 05/11/10 11:06 PM
The recent changes to Facebook's privacy policies have prompted many users of the popular social networking site to start Facebook groups and pages such as "Facebook has no privacy AT ALL!", "I hate the new facebook privacy settings" and "Facebook: End privacy issues within 1 month or we disappear".
I personally was concerned when I first got the Facebook pop-up telling me the privacy settings had changed and that not only would third-party sites (meaning someone who was neither me nor Facebook) that I approved be able to keep my personal information indefinitely, but third-party sites my FRIENDS used could snag … (5 comments)

Twitter Bug Allows Users to Force Other Users to Follow Them - 05/11/10 12:10 AM
The online microblogging giant, Twitter, has recently confirmed the existence of a bug that can force one user to follow another.
Originally noticed by a Turkish blog, the bug was then successfully tested by the blog Webrazzi which forced the Twitter accounts of social networking bigwigs Mark Zuckerberg (the founder of Facebook) and Evan Williams (the CEO of Twitter itself) to follow a dummy profile. The flaw allowed members to add followers to their own accounts by tweeting "accept" followed by "@" and any Twitter user name. Twitter responded by turning off its follow/unfollow function until it could deal with the … (1 comments)

Google’s Got A New Look - 05/09/10 05:00 AM
Google’s Got A New Look
Google has a new look. There’s a new logo with a a Bing-like navigable column appears down the left-hand side of search results pages that Google refers to as a "contextually relevant, left-hand navigation. The search results have become less minimalist and the logo appears to be a little brighter than the older one. Looks like a little competition going on with rival Microsoft Bing.
I love Google's new look and I like the convenience of the side bar. I regularly switch from the web search to switch to the image or video search. What do … (2 comments)

Not Grand Theft Auto, Try Grand Theft Avocado! - 05/07/10 06:32 PM
Look, I like chips and guacamole as much as the next person, but not as much as Aaron Brady Smith, 23, and Randy Paul Navarro, 24 apparently. Both gentlemen are from Wildomar and were booked Wednesday suspicion of converting more than $100 worth of real estate (about 200 pounds of avocados which were recovered) into personal property, which is grand theft.
Around noon on Wednesday, May 5th, he owner from Calixto Avocado Grove noticed a black Honda Accord parked along Los Gatos Road and saw two suspects removing avocados from his property. He immediately called the Riverside Sheriff's Department but the suspects fled the area prior to the … (1 comments)

Fontana Hurt By Loss of Over $40 Million in Redevelopment Money - 05/06/10 07:02 PM
Tuesday Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly upheld the California state budget bill that was passed in July of last year as part of the 2009-10 state budget that requires redevelopment agencies statewide to transfer $2.05 billion in local redevelopment funds over the next two years.This ruling (if not overturned) will be a major blow to cities throughout the state. Especially hard hit is Fontana which is slated to lose about $33.5 million this year and another $7 million next year. City Manager Ken Hunt said that Fontana is supporting the California Redevelopment Association (CRA), which will be appealing the decision.It's … (0 comments)

What Is A Sub-Escrow Fee? - 05/06/10 05:25 AM
What Is A Sub-Escrow Fee and Why Do I Have to Pay It?
Sub-Escrow is a service provided by Title Companies where the Buyer's lender requires the title company to take the Buyer’s loan proceeds and send to the Seller’s mortgage payoffs. The process originated in Southern California. The perception is that this process gives the Buyer’s lender an insured closing and a guarantee that their mortgage to the Buyer will be in a first lien position on the property.
 
A Fee Charged By A Title Company For The Performance of the Following Services:   
Coordinating with escrow/lender for recording
… (0 comments)

Black Bear Visits Oxnard - 05/05/10 08:02 PM
Early Tuesday morning a bewildered California black bear somehow ended up at a fire station on Vineyard Avenue. The authorities were called and once they arrived, the bear ran through the surrounding neighborhood and climbed a eucalyptus tree near a condo complex.
Staying in that tree for a while, the luckless bear eventually climbed down and fled to a cemetary, where it climbed 25 feet up another tree, where it decided to stay. It took wardens three tranquilizer darts to subdue the animal which weight around 200 pounds.
Oxnard residents were surprised by the wild animal in such an urban area, but state wildlife officials were not as bears are known to travel long … (1 comments)

Earthquake Preparedness is Essential! - 05/04/10 06:25 PM
There has been a significant increase in the number of earthquakes that were of a 4.0 or greater magnitude this year in California according to seismologists. Southern California and Baja California has seen 70 such quakes so far this year Which is more than any year in the last decade) which is worrisome since it's only May! To give you some perspective, there were 30 in all of 2009 and 29 for all of 2008.
While seismologists studying the increase, they cannot fully explain it as of yet. While this is more than a little nerve-wracking, what with the images of … (7 comments)

Finding That Perfect North Fontana Neighborhood To Call Home - 05/04/10 03:29 AM
Once you find a house in a North Fontana neighborhood you like . . .
                                                    it's time to make sure it's in a community you'll love.
1. Drive around the neighborhood. Make a list of all of the amenities that are close by.
2. Take written notes of the best features in the neighborhoods.  This is  especially helpful if you're deciding between a couple of houses in a few different neighborhoods.
Is the neighborhood quiet?  Drive thru in the evening and on the weekends. What are the market values of the homes in the area? Are there many houses for sale? Is … (0 comments)

Warm Weather = Mosquitoes - 05/03/10 07:44 PM
Summer's fast approaching, and along with picnics and water parks, mosquitoes are also back in season! For California, that means increased awareness of the potential for West Nile virus (a mosquito-borne disease that can result in meningitis and encephalitis, as well as death to humans, horses, avian species and other wildlife). Not something to mess around with! In fact, in 2009, West Nile virus was the cause of four deaths in California and 112 reported human cases of the virus.
"Above average rainfall and flooding followed by warm spring weather have made stagnant water in ditches, drains, gutters and pools ideal … (8 comments)

Animoto Real Estate App for the iPhone - 05/02/10 11:55 PM
 Animoto Real Estate App for the iPhone
A friend of mine just got an iPhone last month and just shared how to create real estate tours or youtube videos on their iPhone.  They used an application called Animoto.  Pretty cool!
Animoto automatically produces unique videos from your photos, video clips and music. The lowest version of the software is free, so if you have an iPhone you may find it worth trying! It is available as an app for your iPhone, or to use online. When creating a video, you simply choose the song and images you want to use, and the program does … (7 comments)

Fontana Market Report - 05/02/10 10:56 PM
This week Economist have us thinking positive because that is where it appears our real estate market and the overall economy is headed in. Check out this week's local Fontana Market Report.
 

 As a local real estate professional, It is important to be able to educate a potential buyer or seller as to the market conditions in the area at the time.  Check back often to see  Fontana Market Report weekly updates.
 
 
 
… (0 comments)

Maintaining Your Fontana Home - 05/02/10 09:53 PM
Maintaining Your Fontana Home is important in retaining the value you've added to your property.  Maintenance isn't fun, but you must do it if you want to take care of what is likely your biggest single asset -- your home.
Roof: Your roof and gutters need annual inspections. Hire a reliable roofing company to verify the condition of your roof and see if any shingles have fallen off or if gutters or downspouts appear clogged or damaged. Attic: Check for signs of water leakage from the roof. Also look for any sign of termites or rodents. Squirrels or rats that nest … (0 comments)

 
P1000404 Rainmaker_large

Mike Martin | The TCR Group | Keller Williams Realty |

Fontana, CA

More about me…

(909) 476-9600 ~ www.WeLoveFontana.com

Address: The TCR Group at Keller Williams Realty, Fontana, CA, 92366

Office Phone: (909) 476-9600

Email Me



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog

Find CA real estate agents and Fontana real estate on ActiveRain.