More than 5,000 homes have been listed for sale in six cities along the 210-Corridor and in Ontario. Twenty-eight percent of the homes for sale are vacant, with owners anxious to find a buyer.

In Fontana, 1793 homes were listed for sale on Sept. 16, according to the local multiple listing service, including 51 condominiums. A two-bedroom condominium was offered for $139,000. One hundred thirty-seven homes were in escrow.

The market report below contains information about San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Ontario. If you want to buy a home this year, please email or call me at (909) 261-3541 for more details. 

Affordable Condominiums

Condominiums are an affordable entry into home ownership, and convenient for those who want to control the interior of their home but let someone else worry about everything outside.

Almost 300 condominiums are for sale along the 210-Corridor. Forty-five condos priced below $200,000 are now available in Ontario, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana. I can help you determine if owning a condominium makes sense for you.

The condominium Homeowner Association board of directors collects monthly fees and takes on the responsibility for dealing with regular maintenance, landscaping, security patrols, the pool/spa areas, tennis courts, clubhouse, etc. The association is required to maintain reserves, but extraordinary expenses may require a special assessment approved by a majority of homeowners.

Certain mortgage programs allow parents or grandparents to co-sign loans for young people who are just starting out and don't have sufficient credit of their own. This is particularly beneficial for college students who can live in a condominium while attending school and then sell it upon graduation - perhaps with enough equity to buy another home. Senior citizens may choose to downsize to a condominium where they can continue to live independently.

For a FREE copy of a California report on Common Interest Developments, which includes condominiums, townhouses and single-family homes governed by a homeowners association, email ila@Tarbell.com, call me at (909) 261-3541 or visit my website, http://www.ilajosephs.com/.

Financing That First Home

There are many ways to buy a home with little or no money down. If you are a first-time home buyer, you may qualify for a local, state or federal down payment assistance program. In some cases, 100 percent financing is available. As an approved government lender, Mission Hills Mortgage Bank offers many financial alternatives to put you in the right home with the right loan.

If you are paying rent, you most likely could afford a monthly mortgage payment, especially since mortgage interest is tax deductible. Rent is not. Mission Hills offers interest only and Interest First loans that offer comfortable monthly payments. If you are renting and want to buy your first home, please email ila@Tarbell.com or call me at (909) 261-3541.

I am offering a "How You Can Attain Your Dream of Owning Your Own Home" Seminar in cooperation with James Jackson, a Realtor since 1959, and Cornelius Brown, a senior loan consultant with Mission Hills Mortgage Bankers. First-time home buyers especially can benefit from new government and private agencies designed to help them purchase an affordable home they can enjoy for many years to come. Call me at (909) 261-3541 to register.

Weekly Market Report

Sometimes news reports make you wonder if anyone is buying a home these days. The number of sales are down, compared to the September sales in recent years, but people are buying homes along the 210-Corridor and in Ontario, the region where I most often work.

As of Sunday, Sept. 16, 299 homes were in escrow in the 6 cities along the 210 Freeway from San Dimas to Fontana. In Ontario, 85 homes were in escrow.

Claremont: 154 homes are available, including 9 condominiums.

Fontana: 1933 homes are available, including 51 condominiums.

La Verne: 129 homes are available, including 15 condominiums.

Ontario: 940 homes are available, including 52 condominiums.

Rancho Cucamonga: 1237 homes are available, including 163 condominiums.

San Dimas: 152 homes are available, including 12 condominiums.

Upland: 431 homes are available, including 45 condominiums.