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The California Drought an Opportunity in disguise!

By
Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 01238708

The California Drought an Opportunity in disguise!

There has been a great deal of talk about this Epic Drought in California. Almost every California resident has been affected by it in some form or another. Most people have been focusing on the lakes, rivers and of course every home owner has been focusing on their own front and back yards. This Drought clearly has had a large impact on the California economy as well.

The small California farmers have been impacted a great deal and needless to say some have even reached out to “water witches” also known as “Dowsers” to help them find water. This type of concept dates back to ancient times as far as back as the 1400’s or 1500’s when people using sticks and rods searched for underground water. Some scholars even point to Biblical Times that this technique was used and site Moses as an example using a Rod to find water.

The California Wine Industry depends on water as well, without water the grapes don’t grow and the severe drought effects production and ultimately the costs of the finished product on our tables. Needless to say if you have time read up on Marc Mondavi of the Mondavi winery family fame at the enclosed link. He not only believes in finding water with sticks, but has a proven track history. Keep in mind it is expensive to drill and if you are wrong, then you just spent a great deal of money for a futile effort. Now if you drill and find it then you are a hero.

(http://www.mutineermagazine.com/blog/2014/10/marc-mondavi-is-napa-valleys-very-own-witch )

There are some other businesses that have been negatively impacted as well. The everyday gardeners that keep the lawns beautiful for the homeowners have lost a great many clients, due to the severe drought. The car wash industry has had a noticeable drop in their business as well. Anyway you get the idea.

There are many people who just complain and others who wish or hope for solutions. Then there are others who see new opportunities.

I noticed as I walk in my neighborhood in Westchester, CA the number of drought tolerant front yards that have cropped up in the past twelve months. Some of these drought tolerant gardens were subsidized by the Los Angeles City coffers others were just done by the home owners at their own expense. Needless to say in the long run this will be beneficial to water conservation.

 Being a Greater Los Angeles Realtor as I drive around, I see that there is now a Drought Tolerant Garden Industry which has caught on across the board in Los Angeles. The Drought Tolerant Garden Industry is booming in the form of landscape design, plants, flowers, trees and Garden Stores.

Developers who are in the process of bringing new construction homes on the market in the Greater Los Angeles area are embracing this idea as well. Instead of rolling down a carpet of green grass they are using landscape architects and designing some great drought tolerant yards.

endre barath, www.endrebarath.com

So I have been thinking and wondering about our advanced technology and things that our scientists are able to determine such as water on terrestrial planets like Mars & Venus, but then why can’t we identify the same on planet earth i.e.: where there is water or not? Also did you know that this brutal winter on the East Coast has generated so much snow that just as an example in Boston, MA the snow pile was 75 foot high and it finally melted this July 7th, 2015?  (Check out this link http://time.com/3957842/boston-last-snow-melt I am not making this up) Why can we not figure out a way to transport this excess snow and convert it to water and bring it to areas that are in desperate need of water? So why couldn’t we have a way of transferring this to the drought stricken areas like California as an example?  Anyway I am just a Realtor in the Greater Los Angeles area and one thing I know is how to help you sell or buy properties. If you need help please reach out to me directly.

 

 

If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Century City, Westwood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Playa Vista, Marina Del Rey, Venice or Malibu. Feel Free to give me a call at 310.486.1002 or email me at homes@endrebarath.com or visit one of my websites at http://www.endrebarath.com   Your Pet Friendly Realtor. I contribute a portion of my commission to Local Animal Rescue Organization

 

 

 

Pamela Seley
West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA
Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

New home builders in my area are not allowed to put in all turf in front yards as they used to. 

Jul 21, 2015 03:59 AM
Robert Bob Gilbert
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX
Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Endre, Lots of excellent points in your post. You ask a very good question about the snow in Boston and being able to deliever this water to say LA.. There are always new opportunities in situations like this. 

Jul 21, 2015 05:23 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

It is time for lots of innovative landscaping options. Thanks for sharing this perspective and your photographs.

Jul 21, 2015 05:27 AM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Endre - A door closes, and another opens. When I first moved to Colorado and had to hire a water witch to help me locate our septic system, he taught me how to dowse - it was a weird experience but it worked, and I have used that skill many times over the years to help clients locate water and sewer lines, sprinkler systems, etc. I use two copper welding rods. Seriously.

Jul 21, 2015 05:53 AM
Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Endre, This just goes to show us that many residents do know how to take an opportunity with their yards due to the extreme drought you're having in California. These are some excellent examples.

Jul 21, 2015 06:46 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Endre, water gets taken for granted in areas that it is plentiful.  Those of us who have plenty of water need to value every drop and give thanks for being so blessed.

Jul 21, 2015 08:50 AM
Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert
Richmond, TX

Endre,

 Great thinking I did hear on the news you are supposed to have a wet and fall and winter. I can only hope so. Have a good one!

Jul 21, 2015 09:53 AM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Laura Cerrano  indeed the challenge is to see the opportunities and sadly few do:), Endre

Jul 21, 2015 11:29 AM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Michael Jacobs   I agree some are truly incredible without the rocks....

Jul 21, 2015 11:31 AM
Noah Seidenberg
Coldwell Banker - Evanston, IL
Chicagoland and Suburbs (800) 858-7917

I have heard about the issues faced in California Endre. Interesting information and really fun to read. 

Jul 21, 2015 01:21 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Endre

With the California drought homeowners can choose the change the landscape which will be a positive change . . . . But the farmer need the water to grow their crops . . . . Without the water we are looking at price increases in our fruits and vegetable's . . . , as well as wine.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jul 21, 2015 02:38 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Endre Barath, Jr. ,

Adversity will always bring opportunities if you are willing to look and think outside the box. There are many drought tolerant ways to create an attractive curbside appeal utilizing some innovative ideas! Thanks for the photos and thoughts....a topic we all need to think about!

Jul 21, 2015 09:36 PM
Alan Kirkpatrick
Austin Texas Homes - Round Rock, TX
Alan in Austin

Endre Barath, Jr. 

Really great post. There are opportunities for many business to help make a huge impact in the future. 

Jul 21, 2015 10:29 PM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

I read the links and hard to believe that the last snow pile melted July 14 in Boston. We are having rain every day which I never complain about. Glad to hear builders are doing drought tolerant landscaping which seems to be catching on in many areas.

Jul 22, 2015 12:46 AM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

Yes they could teleport it to the areas that needed it the most. BEAM THE WATER HERE SCOTTY!

Jul 22, 2015 09:25 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

You post Endre and those links are very educational! Clearly, this is not just a problem for the State of California and when people all over the world start seeing prices rise for a bottle of wine, maybe they'll think twice about the cost and the suffering to the people in California. It's time for innovative thinking and new ideas. The landscaping ideas is a great start. This is an excellent post and so much more feature worthy than what I've been seing lately. 

Jul 22, 2015 04:22 PM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

Hello Endre ... great post my friend ... word has it, Las Vegas has been known to be one of the number one cities for conserving water?

LA and surrounding areas continue to use water from everywhere. One solution would be switching yards, parks, etc into desert landscaping.

I think a great new business in SoCal would be a company that converts old grass lawns into desert landscape ... ;o)

Would you be interested in becoming a business partner with VB?

Start with 1-2 trucks and top out with 50-100 ...

You and I would just run the business, no dirty fingernails for VB ;o/

 

Jul 22, 2015 11:36 PM
Robert Vegas Bob Swetz
Las Vegas, NV

PS ... your post has been featured to the group:

EXPRESS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS AT ACTIVERAIN 

Jul 22, 2015 11:39 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Great article Endre Barath, Jr.  Climate changes have a way of affecting us all.

Jul 23, 2015 10:24 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

This is a well thought out blog, Endre.  Certainly, this drought has brought cause for California to rethink a lot of things about the way they handle water.  I like the creative landscaping that works in concert with water conservation.

Aug 07, 2015 01:45 AM