real estate: Self Portrait taken during the Holidays... - 12/29/08 05:16 PM
ME - tall, dark, and.....

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real estate: Sad News For Fresno - 12/22/08 07:44 PM
In the past I have blogged about the Pacific Southwest building located in the Fulton Mall in downtown Fresno.  This Building is on the Historic Register and is the tallest bulding between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Here is an picture taken about a year or so ago.

There are 11 windows on the north side of the bulding (pictured above). 
Saturday when I was down there I noticed that ALL ELEVEN OF THE WINDOWS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BULDING WERE BROKEN.
Very sad to see this kind of vandalism.  And I have to assume it was vandalism.  … (1 comments)

real estate: Roasted Vegetable Medley - A Vegetarian Delight - 12/11/08 03:12 PM
Here's a great recipe for vegetarians. Lazarus is NOT a vegetarian! However, Lazarus IS an Orthodox Christian, and it is the practice of the Orthodox Church to fast from from eating meat on most Wednesdays and Fridays (and all during Lent and many other feast days).
I was introduced to this dish at *St. George's Greek Orthodox Church (in Fresno --- one Wednesday evening after a pre-sanctified Liturgy).
Its very simple but does take a fair amount of time to prepare.
Cooking time is also quite long. I made this dish the other night and didnt start until ~2:30 and got … (9 comments)

real estate: Fresno California Real Estate - Market Update - 12/11/08 09:30 AM
As I have I have reported in previous blogs the Fresno California Real Estate Market has hit a bottom and at has, at least for the time being, turned UP.
The banks have been more aggressive in their pricing of foreclosed homes and sometimes have the homes priced so reasonably that MULTIPLE OFFERS are made.
Investors who were sellers at the top of the market are now back scooping up homes at bargain prices.
The chart below shows the year over year improvement in sales from Sept of 2007 through Sept of 2008.

 
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If you are an … (0 comments)

real estate: Looks Like My Pitney Bowes Woes Will Be Over Soon... - 12/06/08 06:46 AM
I got an email today from a representative of Pitney Bowes stating  she received a Google Alert this morning that directed her to the post I made yesterday.  I guess Cyber Bitching sometimes pays off.  Its unfortunate this company is willing to treat you like gold only after they find you have publicly shared your misery.
Anyway, it looks like they are going to refund my money.  Glad to be finally done with them.
Thanks to AR for the google juice!
 
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real estate: RENTAL SCAM --- Fresno Police Arrest Former Realtor. - 12/05/08 04:04 AM
Fresno Police recently arrested former Realtor© Sam Haley for allegedly renting out homes he didnt own. 
You can read the full story here.
What stuck with me from the story is that the guy was telling the renters that the homes were in foreclosure and that they might have to move quickly when the house sold, but it was OK because he guaranteed them he could get them into another home, which of course, in this market is easy...lol.  just move them into another vacant pre-foreclosure.
I suppose one could make the argument that Mr. Haley was making the "highest and … (2 comments)

real estate: Finding Nemo - 11/30/08 03:46 PM
My youngest grandson (we have 4 so far with only 2 of our six children married) was watching Finding Nemo on thanksgiving day and I caught this image of him.  I know Im partial cuz its my grandson and MY picture, but I think its hillarious.

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real estate: see inside for details... - 11/26/08 02:47 PM

 
 
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real estate: Fresno in the Fall - 11/20/08 05:05 PM
Fresno summers can get blistering hot; you get used to 100+ degree weather.  Winters can be brutal when the fog rolls in.  But spring and fall are fabulous.  Today when I drove by Woodward Park I pulled in to catch a shot of the trees with autumn leaves.

 
as beautiful as the colors are, my favorite is this one in black and white:
 

 
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real estate: Alternative Living - Lowering the Bar on America's Living Standards - 11/18/08 06:24 AM
Take a look at this young man's lifestyle. Jay Shafer has been living in homes smaller than some peoples closets. His entire living space is smaller than the small home office I am sitting in right now.
But after watching his videos I have to admit that my inner hippy cries out " I WANT ONE!"
With all the people losing their homes these days there is something to be said for "smaller", more affordable living. How could one not be somewhat envious of the person living in a home that is not only affordable -- but fully paid for -- … (2 comments)

real estate: Fresno California -- 24 HOUR -- Market Snapshot - 11/13/08 05:00 PM
These brief snapshots really help you get a feel for what is going on in the market. what you are seeing are the numbers for the last 24 hours on the Fresno MLS.
As you can see from the numbers in the graph below the ratio of price increases to price reductions tells the story as to where prices are going. We had 124 price reductions compared to 10 price increases. This is an imbalanced market and tells us that prices are continuing to be adjusted DOWNWARD.
We had 85 new listings and 44 back on the market for a total … (0 comments)

real estate: Fresno California Real Estate Market Update - 11/12/08 06:40 AM
Interesting article in the Fresno Bee today discussing the uptick real estate sales.  According to the article the same investors who sold property 2003 - 2005 and went to the sidelines are now coming back in.
Fresno Association of Realtors reports preliminary figures of  612 units sold in October Over half of  October sales (56%)  were foreclosures. The median price of a home is now $175,000 ( down 31% from a year ago) Go here for a chart of sales in Fresno  Clovis area
 
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real estate: Facing Foreclosure? Dont Know What to Do? - 11/11/08 09:12 AM
First of all, you're not alone. Hundreds of thousands of households all across America are facing foreclosure.  
 
First: BEWARE  OF  FORECLOSURE SCAMS.
I had a homeowner call me recently that asked for help in retrieving the money she gave to a company to save her home from foreclosure.  The company that took her money did absolutely NOTHING.  Realtors© are NOT ATTORNEYS and cant help you after you have been scammed.  Report the scammer to the police and have the local District Attorney help you.
Second: Know that there is help available through legitimate non-profit orginizations.  I suggest Neighborhood Works, " … (1 comments)

real estate: Check List for Purchasing an Older Mobil Home in California - 11/08/08 05:49 PM
Awhile back I submitted an offer for clients on a Mobile Home that our MLS states to be a 1979 on a permanent foundation.
The date of manufacture and the foundation are critical to what kind of financing you can obtain.  I'm not an expert on Mobile Home sales but I do know that to get the best financing the home must be on a permanent foundation: meaning in a California, a seismic foundation system.  Also, you want  the mobile home to be newer than 1978.
This particular home seemed to meet the requirements.  In fact, it was REALLY NICE -- … (0 comments)

real estate: REO SALES - THROW OUT THE RULE BOOK - 10/31/08 09:33 AM
Lazarus Realty recently represented a lender in the sale of a bank owned property and for all intents and purposes you can just throw out the rule book when conducting these  transactions.  I forwarded a disclosure package to the lender and NEVER got a response.  Not all of the disclosures that I requested to be signed were mandatory but some disclosures are state or federally mandated.After not receiving any reply by email from the lender (again, who I was representing) I called and left messages: nothing.I then wrote the asset manager an email requesting that if he was not going to … (5 comments)

real estate: Passengers in the Yellow SUV -- STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR... - 10/24/08 01:09 PM
...The police helicoptor flying overhead in circles above my FJ cruiser was issuing a command through a bullhorn as my oldest son and I were talking to each other yesterday in the late afternoon.  We didnt have a clue as to what was going on but we KNEW we were the only ones in a yellow SUV in that area.  We both got out with our hands raised and were given further commands to walk up the hill to officers who were coming down to meet us.  Two police cars came down the hill and 3 officers stepped out with weapons … (7 comments)

real estate: California Real Estate Market Stats - 10/22/08 03:51 PM
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real estate: Fresno's Halloween Hillbillies - 10/14/08 02:31 PM
I went up to Huntington Lake over the weekend and passed through the foothill town of Auberry where I got these pics.


 
Personally, I'm at ONE with the Hillbillies. I have a daughter and son-in-law who live in Prather (next door to Auberry). If you are interested in buying property in the Fresno foothils, call me @ 559-301-1647 and let me help you find a property. There are several several foreclosure properties on the market in the Prather, Auberry, Tollhouse region.
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real estate: Fresno California Market Statistics - 10/14/08 12:56 PM
Here are the 24 hour market stats for the Fresno California Real Estate Market:
Its fairly a apparent from the stats (as in Price Reductions) that prices continue to decline but you have to understand that many of the listings with price reductions were WAY over priced to begin with and either the banks or the owners are just figuring it out.

Our monthly sales figures are improving.  As priced drop buyers continue to move into the market.  I just closed an escrow for a first time home buyer and have an offer out for another young couple seeking to … (0 comments)

real estate: Huntington Lake -- California - 10/13/08 03:51 PM
 
A good friend of mine just purchased a cabin in Huntington Lake (photo left). NO, I did not participate in the transaction; he bought the property for-sale-by-owner directily from the owner. From what I know of the transaction though, it appears he got a screaming good deal.
This weekend a group of us when up to help him do a little work on it. I'll admit I didnt do too much work but my son Joshua made up for what little I contributed. Another friend of ours happens to also own a cabin up there and she we gracious enough … (1 comments)