Living in Laguna

Laguna Beach Homes - Sales 2008 - November

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:42:02 -0600

Laguna Beach Homes - Sales 2008

Sales Soar in September

Compared to the year before, sales of single-family, re-sale homes in Orange County rose 83.9% in September. This is the third month in a row home sales have been up year-over-year. The good news for buyers - the median price for single-family, re-sale homes in Orange County fell 4% from August. Year-over-year, the median price was off 26.7%.

Just as several years ago at the height of the market, the large number of million dollar plus sales skewed statistical prices upward. The current large numbers of bank-owned properties working their way through the market are skewing statistical prices downward.

As of November 1, 2008;

There are currently 324 Homes for Sale in Laguna Beach, ranging in price from $400,000 to $23,000,000

• Average Price: $3,144,325

• Average Days on Market: 153

There are currently 16 Laguna Beach Homes in escrow, accepting Back-Up offers.

• Average Price: $1,448,124

• Average Days on Market: 146

And 13 Laguna Beach Homes are Pending in escrow:

• Average Price: $1,785,592

• Average Days on Market: 114

151 Homes in Laguna Beach have closed escrow in 2008

• Average Price: $2,240,072

• Average Days on Market: 111

• Average Price per Square Foot: $915.75

Laguna Beach homes for sale

For more information on a particular city or neighborhood please contact me.

Brian Jones, Realtor

ZipRealty, Inc.

cell: 949-422-1636 or 800-225-5947 x5220

email: brjones@ziprealty.com

San Juan Capistrano Real Estate: Day of the Dead (Part 2)

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:20:31 -0600

My last post was about the Dia de los Muertos Festival in San Juan Capistrano that my wife and I attended. It was held at the public library and featured face painting, dancing and colorful altars dedicated to friends and family.

As we wandered through the library we found a small outdoor patio. Normally used as a location for a quiet read today the patio had been set aside for people to pay tribute to someone departed. Small pots of marigolds were set neatly on the concrete benches and under the pots were placed notes. Marigolds are thought to attract the dead with their pungent scent.

As my wife wrote a note to her mother and sister, a particular note caught my eye. It read simply, "Dad, I hope there are BIG FISH where you are. I love you."

I pictured a father and son or daughter spending time together after a busy week. Dad relaxing and enjoying the moment when your biggest worry is catching a fish.
I thought the note showed incredible strength from a child not thinking of himself but hoping that his father is doing ok.

The Day of the Dead festival struck me as a very positive and joyful holiday, a time to celebrate and honor the lives of the deceased.

Brian Jones, Realtor
ZipRealty
Contact me at 949-422-1636 or800-225-5974 x5220
email: brjones@ziprealty.com

San Juan Capistrano Real Estate: Dia de los Muertos

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:13:57 -0500

The San Juan Capistrano Library presented a Day of the Dead festival last weekend that my wife and I attended. Dia de los Muertos is a week-long holiday when the souls of the dead return to be with their families for one night, Nov. 1 and the early morning of Nov 2.

The Library featured altars, paintings and best of all ...dancing. But first the altars - the celebration is not sad and dreary but cheerful. People are happy to think that the person they loved will return to be with them and enjoy the pleasures of life with their family. The altar, or Ofrenda, is loaded with the things he or she loved in life because the spirits of the dead return to partake of them (tobasco sauce, adult beverages, etc.).

The altar includes four main elements of nature - earth, wind, water and fire.

Earth is represented by crop: the Mexicans believe the souls are fed by the aroma of food.

Wind is represented by a moving object: tissue paper is commonly used to represent wind.

Water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey to the altar.

Fire is represented by a wax candle. Each lit candle represents a soul and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul.

The kids (and adults) enjoyed face painting, decorating sugar skulls and dancing. The stage was filled with colorful costumes and lively whirling dancers.

Death in the Mexican culture doesn't have the same meaning as it does among North Americans and Europeans. Mexicans joke about death and poke fun at it in their art, literature and music. You'll often see toys and candies in the shapes of skulls and skeletons. Death is thought of as in inevitable part of the natural cycle and like life, death is filled with ironies, not the least of which is that the dead are never really dead but return for this one night of the year.

Brian Jones, Realtor

ZipRealty

Contact me at 949-422-1636 or

brjones@ziprealty.com

Shady Canyon Real Estate

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:30:56 -0500

Driving the streets of Shady Canyon feels like you've suddenly been relocated to Italy. You almost expect to see a donkey cart ambling along. "Almost" as in "it'll never happen", Shady Canyon is a very exclusive gated community in the coastal hills of Irvine. The homes range from $2,850,000 to $18,995,00. The private Tom Fazio 18-hole golf course blends seamlessly with the natural open space.

I recently toured eight featured homes in Shady Canyon, each one more spectacular than the last one. There are approximately 400 luxury homes and home sites surrounded by 16,000 acres of natural sanctuary. Shady Canyon has extensive trails, a clubhouse, a tennis and swim center with a junior Olympic swimming pool and spa.

Spotlight on: 24 Wells Spring

This Tuscan home features 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms (you can't have too many bathrooms). It's a 7,600 square foot home on a 24,589 square foot lot. There is open space behind the home with a spectacular rock outcropping. Private pool, spa, outdoor barbeque and mini vineyard complete the backyard. The basement has a full wine room and room for a home theater.

... and there is an assumable loan of $3,300,000 with a low 5.85% interest rate.

Offered at $5,395,000

Brian Jones, Realtor

949-422-1636 (cell) or 800-225-5947 x5220

email: brjones@ziprealty.com

Laguna Beach Real Estate: Classic Car Show in Downtown Laguna

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:56:31 -0500

The annual Laguna Beach Classic Car Show was held on a cool fall Sunday in October. This event is sponsored by the local Rotary organization and takes place on the grounds of the Festival of Arts, the location of the local art shows that take place every summer.

The show was like attending a class on the history of car design.

American muscle cars - Corvettes, Camaros, Barracudas, hot rods - looking like they just came off of the lot - ready to growl, eat up blacktop and guzzle 29 cent gas.

Classic Jaguars, Fiats, and Aston Martins. Elegant Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz. Sleek Porsches and practical Woodys.

Cars that if you owned one, you'd set your alarm clock early so you could go stare at it in the garage.

My personal favorite - the VW Bus. During my college years my buddies fellow students and I would pile in my '67 Bus and head to UCI. A 20 minute trip in any other car would take us 45 minutes. Top speed being 55 mph I would usually have a line of cars behind me as we navigated the hills to Irvine. Good times, good times.

Brian Jones, Realtor

Call 949-422-1636

ZipRealty

Laguna Beach and Orange County Real Estate

Irvine Golf - Rancho San Joaquin

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:53:04 -0500

Located in the heart of Irvine, Rancho San Joaquin, a public golf course has terrific views of the newly evolving city. The just built high rise condos, the corporate buildings and proximity to John Wayne Airport make this area the new business center of Orange County.

I've played similar courses in other cities, such as Encanto Golf Course in downtown Phoenix and always enjoy the park like setting of a golf course surrounded by city. You can't help thinking how nice it is that those people in the buildings are hard at work and you're not.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course has 3 small lakes which luckily don't come into play too much but the potential for disaster is always there. Palm trees are everywhere and one of them was nice enough to knock down one of my errant shots and keep me on the fairway. Speaking of the fairways, many of the public courses in Orange County use a kukuya type of grass which is not my favorite type of grass to hit off of. The pros wouldn't go near it. If you don't mind an occassional wrist sprain go ahead and try taking a divot with a wedge.

But for us average hackers it's the thrill of that one big drive, a wedge shot that lands softly on the green or the bending 30 foot putt that finds the bottom of the cup that keeps us coming back for more.

As I've mentioned before I play with a group of local Realtors with the very accurately descriptive name "The Laguna Hackers". Our team captain for the day, Andy, was able to get a very good group rate of only $37 including the cart. It was a beautiful day, the course was in great shape and it was a good day to ponder life's injustices: Why can't we do this everyday?

Laguna Beach Homes - Sales 2008

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:16:31 -0500

Laguna Beach Homes - Sales 2008

There are currently 281 Homes For Sale in Laguna Beach, ranging in price from $599,000 to $23,000,000

• Average Price: $3,290,062

• Average Days on Market: 141

There are currently 19 Laguna Beach Homes in escrow, accepting Back-Up offers.

• Average Price: $1,907,836

• Average Days on Market: 121

And 16 Laguna Beach Homes are Pending in escrow:

• Average Price: $2,786,156

• Average Days on Market: 134

138 Homes in Laguna Beach have closed escrow in 2008

• Average Price: 2,251,644

• Average Days on Market: 114

Laguna Beach Homes For Sale

Brian Jones, Realtor

Contact at 949-422-1636 or 800-225-5947 x5220

ZipRealty - #1 Internet Source for Real Estate

Banks, Brokers and Real Estate

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:30:17 -0500

Whenever I need perspective on this crazy real estate market I stop by a mortgage broker that I've known for many years. These are the people that actually pay attention to the movement of the 10-year treasury, the ever changing guidelines and the economic reports. What's even more amazing to me is that they actually enjoy it!

Nothing makes them happier than a small blip of economic activity that means interest rates may drop an eighth of a point. But they also love expounding on the news that some small storm in some unknown country means that the price of oil will go up which means that the value of the dollar has gone down which means that they should carpool to the office and not stop at Starbucks.

With the demise of Merrill Lynch the conversation turned to the banks where the mortgage broker and the other loan officers started their careers. California banks such as Crocker Bank were eventually swallowed up by Wells Fargo which also took over the popular First Interstate Bank.

Before Bank of America's recent purchase of Countrywide, Security Pacific merged with Bank of America in 1992 in one of the largest bank mergers in history.

We believe and trust in banks and count on them to protect and look out for us. It's a tremendous shock when banking institutions fail. We lose a little faith each time this happens. Even worse is the fact that people lose savings and investments that they can't afford to lose.

I don't have any answers but in speaking with my mortgage broker we agreed that the housing industry is an integral part of our economy which in turns affects the world economy. Any recovery has to start with the housing sector; get the inventory started downward, increase the opportunity to refinance and have better and more realistic guidelines.

Holiday Peanuts (with apologies to Charles Schultz)

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:29:13 -0600

One of our continuing family traditions is to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and, in a slightly more twisted bent, I'm proud to say that my daughter can quote almost every line from the National Lampoon Christmas Vacation movie. Chevy Chase's performance is definitely Oscar material in our household.

Of the two pieces, Charlie Brown, though somewhat dated, has the more wholesome sentiment with Charlie Brown decrying the commercialism of Christmas. Even his dog Snoopy, much to Charlie Brown's dismay, wins the annual house lighting competition by decorating his doghouse in grand style.

As a Realtor my favorite part is when Lucy tries to comfort Charlie Brown with this dialogue.

Lucy to Charlie Brown, "I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting all depressed. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that."

Charlie Brown, "What is it you really want?"

Lucy, "Real Estate."

As we enjoy our homes and families and wonderful weather I'm reminded of those not so fortunate or away from home. Our homes are very special to us and I often wonder how young people will be able to afford to purchase property in the future and raise a family. But, somehow, young people do find a way to buy homes and then their kids will find a way to come home for the holidays. And maybe if they are real lucky, unlike Lucy, they will get Real Estate for Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

If you're interested in getting more info on Orange County Property, click on www.ziprealty.com/agent/brjones

Laguna Beach Real Estate - Sawdust Winter Festival

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:46:34 -0600

Looking for unique and unusual gift ideas for Christmas? Stop by the Laguna Beach Sawdust Winter Fantasy Festival. Over 150 artists display thier work in booths that the artists designed. You'll find beautiful handcrafted items from pottery, to glassware, to paintings, to jewelry and much more. The Sawdust Winter Festival runs Saturday and Sunday from the end of November to December 9.

My wife has been sitting a booth with her artist friend, Linda Smith, who makes amazing glass jewelry and stars (see photo). The first few weekends have been very successful for her and although she is tired she is also ecstatic with the reception.

Bring the kids to see Santa Claus and play in the snow (not something we see a lot of in Laguna Beach). For 17 years the Sawdust Festival has opened its gates to bring in the holidays. It's so much better than going to the malls!

Orange County Real Estate - Laguna Playhouse

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 23:31:03 -0600

I admit it, I'm a closet country music fan. When I saw that The Laguna Playhouse was offering "Hank Williams: Lost Highway" I was drawn to it like sequins to a Nudie jacket. My lovely wife bought tickets and our close friends joined us for an evening of Hank.

The Laguna Playhouse is a small intimate theatre established over 85 years ago and has become one of the leading community theatres in the country. Located in Laguna Canyon next to the Festival of Arts, the Playhouse is a wonderful way to spend the evening and there is not a bad seat in the house. In fact, when the lights came up for the final song we felt like the performers were playing and singing in our living room.

Only 29 years old when he died, Hank Williams wrote some of the most memorable songs in American history. Lead actor, Van Zeiler, sang nearly 20 Hank Williams songs from "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Jambalaya" to "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" all the while showing Hanks rise to the heights of the Grand Ole Opry to his eventual decline due to drugs and alcohol.

If your looking for an excellent way to spend an evening in Laguna Beach select one of our outstanding local restaurants and then take in a performance at The Laguna Playhouse.

This Starbucks or the one across the street?

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:21:12 -0600

Like most agents, I prefer to have my clients ride along with me when we are looking at properties. It gives me a chance to get to know them and, in turn, it gives them a chance to get to know me. It may take a few of these outings for us to connect both with each other and with the right property.

Some clients insist in following in their own car, maybe they have a baby, small kids or a dog. One client brought her family and friends along to help look at homes. This isn't the ideal situation but I will usually print out directions to the homes we will be visiting along with my cell phone number in case we get separated.

A fellow agent told me that recently a husband and wife were following him in their car and suddenly he lost them at a stop light. The agent went to the next house they were to visit and waited for 30 minutes at which time the clients finally pulled up. "What happened"' asked the agent. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Oh, we got hungry and stopped for a burger." ...obviously there was a little lack of communication.

Starbucks is one of my favorite places to meet clients. The great thing about Starbucks is that they are located on every corner and the bad thing about Starbucks is that they are on every corner. Recently, I set-up a meeting with a family at a particular Starbucks where we would get together and then go visit several homes. I went to the Starbucks I thought we were meeting at and they went to the Starbucks they thought we were meeting at. Cellphones were invented for just this occassion.

"Hi, I'm at the Starbucks at Culver and Alton where are you?" "I'm at the Starbucks on Culver and Irvine." "...my mistake, I'll be there in 5 minutes."

I'm sure there are as many stories as there are agents. Luckily, it usually works out, although too often I don't come across as smooth as I'd like to be.

Who's the Boss?

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:32:06 -0600

I took my daughter to experience Bruce Springsteen at the venerable Los Angeles Sports Arena last week. I had promised her that if Bruce got back together with his group, the E Street Band, we would find a way to go. It was 27 years ago that my wife and I saw Bruce prove it all night in the same arena and left feeling exhilarated. The Boss still pours as much ragged passion as humanly possible into his performance. For those that haven't witnessed him live the shows are equivalent to a good old fashioned tent revival - always impassioned, articulate and uplifting.

The audience was made up of many people like me who brought their sons or daughters to share a couple of hours of a modern musical force. Sitting next to us was a mother and her 6' 5" son (the old venues weren't built for these modern kids) who said that his mother sang Springsteen songs to him as a baby.

In a strange coincidence we had been to the opera, "La Boheme", just the day before and I realized while listening to Springsteen that he often writes very theatrical pieces, some you might even call mini operas. The whole album, "Born to Run", has a definite West Side Story feel to it. I don't know if his songs will still be with us 200 years later as Puccini's are but ... who knows?

What struck me during one sequence of songs was how he so often writes about hard working people facing the reality of their dreams. To see the whole arena singing "...and I believe in a promise land" was particularly moving. As a realtor in today's environment we are seeing many people having to give up their homes and give up or at least put on hold, their dreams. Foreclosure, short sales, loss of identity and pride - it can be tough out there.

My daughter walked away an even bigger fan than before and I had a wonderful time spending an evening with her and sharing one of my favorite artists.

As Bruce sang, "At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe."

St Joseph to the Rescue!

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:26:19 -0500

I dug a small hole, the earth still soft from the recent rain, and dropped in the small figurine. Upside down, the rear of the house, facing the house, 3' from the wall, 12" deep. Those were the instructions ... now it's up to St. Joseph.

It's amazing the lengths we Realtors will go to in an effort to sell a home. I purchased several St. Joseph home selling kits from The King's House in Scottsdale, Az. The owner of this family business, Bob Weflen, said that he has sold nearly 600 of these St. Joseph kits in the last 3 months. He mentioned that a friend of his in Pittsburgh has sold over 150 in less than a week.

I'm suggesting that we forget home sales figures, forget inventory levels, forget the charts and look to St Joseph as an indicator of the kind of real estate market we are in. I'm even considering a new business name - St Joseph Real Estate - "Each Listing Comes with its Own Saint".

My wife, being Catholic, believes in the beneficence of St. Joseph and my Irvine, CA. seller is happy to go along - anything that helps sell the property. As for me, I'm just hoping that the patron-saint-of-real estate looks favorably on my burying technique and, not to sound too covetous, blesses me with a sale.

Why You Should Purchase Your Next Home In Laguna Beach, CA.

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:43:37 -0500

A post for the Buyer Challenge Contest

Hi Paris,

How nice to hear from you! I'm very excited to help you find a beach get-away and have several properties that you may be interested in. I know that you are familiar with Laguna Beach through one of the stars of the MTV reality show "Laguna Beach" ...but we won't go there. Most of the time Laguna is a quiet little beach town but don't let that stop you from buying here. There's plenty of night life and several new clubs have opened including Mosun/Club M, a popular club in downtown Laguna. The weekends will usually find a line of paparazzi waiting to rub elbows with the rich and famous - all dressed to impress!

For dinner you might enjoy the very popular Mastro's Ocean Club located in Crystal Cove. You'll often see a variety of Ferrari's, Benz's and Bentleys awaiting their owners.

I've selected three homes for you to consider. Each of these is located near the north end of Laguna Beach which gives you a short 20 minute drive to John Wayne Airport and world class shopping in Newport Center and South Coast Plaza.

The first one is an oceanfront estate at 2475 South Coast Hwy offered at $22,900,000. This breathtaking home consists of 2 lots totaling approximately one acre of pristine beach front land. Designed by the renowned architect Ed Lohrbach, Rockledge by the Sea offers the ultimate in Laguna oceanfront living with privacy, security and world-class luxury amenities. There is a quiet lane that leads to a security-gated private motor court (can hold several Escalades) and the 6 bedroom, 7.5 bath mansion overlooking the Pacific. The finest and most exotic imported materials, finishes and technological amenities grace this home.

MLS #U7002418

Second on the list is this custom home at 165 Emerald Bay offered at only $18,000,000. Situated directly over the Irvine Cove beach this home is located in the exclusive gated community of Emerald Bay in the north end of Laguna Beach. Unparallel western exposure views of ocean & Catalina Island sunsets. This home features a private pool & 2 spas as well as 5 bedrooms and 5 baths. There is also a separate care taker quarters.

MLS #U7001324

Bear with me on this last one - this particular property is an oceanfront compound in the heart of the village located at 881 So. Co. Hwy with an asking price of $11,900,000. The main house was remodeled in 2002 and now has a guest casita. Drop your car keys (remember that nasty DUI episode??) and walk to world class dining, art galleries and night life. Walk a private path from your back door trough your own gardens to the beach below.

And the best part of this property... a commercial storefront on Coast Highway! I'm thinking... a Paris Hilton Boutique! Imagine your own line of shoes, purses and clothing at this exclusive location! The privacy of your own home plus a fabulous little shop!

And if none of these are what you are looking for I think we can find you a home in the hills with a view of the entire coastline. The next time your in the area give me a call and we'll visit these homes. The only way to truly get a feel for the property is to see it from the inside.

MLS#L24170

Look forward to hearing from you,

Brian Jones

We're Getting Our Town Back!

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:04:37 -0500

We're getting our town back!! Summer is over, the Art Festivals are closed, vacationers have packed their bags, school has started and our little beach town is quiet once again. You may think of Laguna Beach as a laid back artist community but in the summer you can't swing a beach towel without hitting someone.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Festival of Art, the Sawdust Festival and the Pageant of the Masters. Our art scene supports many artists and craftsman (my sister-in-law included - an outstanding jeweler) who work year round to build up their inventories of pottery, paintings, jewelry and sculpture and many of these artists make their living from these art festivals. But the sheer number of people that visit Laguna Beach in the summer can be overwhelming. It's like hosting a dinner party and everyone actually shows up...and brings a friend.

It's hard to complain too much since Laguna Beach is one of the most beautiful places in the world. We have great art, good food, pristine beaches and perfect weather. Who wouldn't want to buy a home here? As a Realtor, who often shows property outside of Laguna, the summer traffic can add hours and a lot of frustration to my day (I have a feeling I won't be getting much sympathy).

...but for a little while we get our sleepy little town back again, that is until the Christmas shopping season begins in a week or two.

We're Number One!!

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:47:20 -0500

Once again our little town of Laguna Beach grabbed the media spotlight after the "Today Show" presented a new federal report that ranked Laguna Beach as a top beach in a nationwide study.

"We issued the 17th annual best and worst beaches in the country and this year Laguna Beach got the top of the list," said Natural Resources Defense Council spokesperson Hamlet Paoletti.

Now that MTV has moved up the coast to Newport Beach to shine the spotlight on their spoiled high school kids, Laguna can get back to what it does best - present an extremely charming and livable small town. And now it's official that we also have the cleanest beaches. Take that Huntington Beach!

My wife and I have been fortunate enough to have lived in this beautiful city for over 30 years and there is not a day that goes by that your eyes are not drawn to the ocean. We have our little peek-a-boo view of the ocean that calls out to us throughout the day.

Being in Real Estate I get to see some amazing homes with spectacular views. Laguna has a unique Riviera landscape that provides for very different architecture and views. We have the village homes near the downtown area, we have the ocean front homes and we have the homes built on the hillsides.

So when you come to Laguna check out the beaches (we're #1) and then drive up into the hills to look at the panoramic views. You won't be sorry!

What's with all of the negative press?

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:00:57 -0500

Everyday I pick up the newspaper and read about how foreclosures are up, another mortgage company has fallen, heat waves, hurricanes, earthquakes, oh my!! Is there any good news out there?? How can we as Realtors expect anyone looking to buy a home to have confidence that the future will be bigger and better with all of this negative press?

Sure, there are many reasons to sell or purchase; relocation, downsizing, upsizing, tired of the heat, tired of the rain, love the neighbors, hate the neighbors, cashing out, cashing in...the list goes on.

And, yes, real estate has traditionally been an excellent investment over the long haul. If you can hold your property for 10 years you should be able to ride out the ups and downs of the markets and see your equity rise.

Is the media an accurate indicator of real estate? I prefer to think of the media as a lagging indicator, meaning that if and when the market begins to improve the media will still be reporting negative news until well past the point that consumers have come back into the market.

We may not be there yet and maybe not for awhile but when the media starts reporting anything positive we'll know we've possibly missed a major opportunity to buy at the bottom. Will we look back in 6 months or a year and say that this is the bottom? Only time will tell.

Might As Well Play Golf

Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA. (ZipRealty) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:38:58 -0500

It's a tough real estate market out there. So what do I do? I play golf.

I play golf with a group of Realtors. Misery loves company? Not really, we're just avid golfers and since our work days extend to the weekends we try to set aside one day during the week to play golf. Our informal group is comprised of Realtors, mortgage brokers, title rep's, etc. Of course, anyone is welcome to play but this group tends to be affiliated with real estate. We call ourselves the Laguna Hackers which always gets a chuckle at the pro shop when you pay your green fees and say "Hi, I'm a Hacker."

I bring this up because there are some wonderful golf courses in our area of Orange County, Ca. Golfers moving to this area will be treated to courses ranging from exclusive member only courses to above average public courses to well-played municipal courses.

From time to time I'll highlight a particular golf course in the area. This last weekend I played Aliso Creek Golf Course with my family. Golf is one of the few sports that the whole family can play and share in the frustration together. This course is a hidden treasure located in Aliso Canyon in Laguna Beach. The property was recently purchased by the Athens Group which built the stunning Montage Hotel just a short distance from the course. I anticipate that there will be changes to our little local course in the future.

Only a nine-hole course but it's perfect for a quick round of golf. From the white tees it's a challenging 3,924 yards through a tree lined canyon with a stream running through it. Plenty of opportunity to lose balls here! It's also a great place to take clients and out-of-town guests either for golf or to enjoy the excellent Canyon Lodge Restaurant. In the evening you may even see a deer or two grazing on the grass.

If you are in the area and would like to join us for a day of golf (and maybe a side bet) give me a call. Laguna Beach is an amazing place to buy a home and we are lucky to have our own gem of a golf course too.