A Chance to Sample Wines - And Support Scholarships

February 26, 2010

This Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., vintners from California and beyond will come to the Orton Center on the University of Redlands' campus. They will be participating in the 25th annual wine tasting extravaganza sponsored by the Rotary Club of Redlands. This event began 25 years ago to raise money for scholarships for local high school graduates. In the 25 years of its existence, the monies raised have also been used for grants to middle school students as well as high school students.

Along with the vintners will be a number of food tables, plus some beer sampling, water and coffee. There will also be a trio and a blues singer as part of the "Red, Wine and the Blues" theme, The Rotary Club has also put together about 40 silent auction baskets and about 8 live auction items.

The price of admission is $50 per person and tickets are available at the door.

Blooms Are Bursting In the Inland Empire

February 25, 2010

One of the joyful events of living in Southern California is the arrival of blossoms on flowering trees. An ornamental pear tree is a favorite with landscapers. You will find them lining streets and as a feature of many landscape designs. The trees with their lacy white blossoms brighten up the landscape and alert us that Spring will soon be here.

Another popular tree is the flowering crab apple with its pink blossoms. Both the pear and the crab apple have similar lacy styles that offer a softness to the landscaping.

Then there is the magnolia tree that has the most spectacular pink and white blossoms on a sculpture-like framework of branches.

All of these trees are deciduous, but treat us to blossoms before they leaf out and add greenery to our streetscapes.

By April, these blossoms will be gone, but the treat of citrus blossoms will replace them. The ornamental trees do not seem to have a scent, but the orange blossoms, while not as showy, give off a remarkable perfume that literally fills the air.

The sights and smells of our blossoming trees are a true asset for the residents of our region. Let's continue to plant more of them!

For the Owner/Buyer - Which Comes First? Buying or Selling?

February 24, 2010

You already own your principal residence, but you would like to purchase another home. Perhaps you have had a job transfer to a new location and you will be seeking a new residence. For whatever reason you have for moving, you have a property to keep or sell.

Some homeowners who are financially able have been deciding to keep their present home as a rental - at least until home prices improve. Others really want to sell or really need to sell before they can qualify for a new loan.

So, do you put your home on the market first? Do you look for the replacement residence first or simultaneously? Or do you wait until your home is sold and the title has been transferred?

All are possible scenarios.

If you decide to market your property first, but have a concern about selling and having no replacement property, you can list with a clause that gives you a right to find a replacement home or cancel any contract with a purchaser; usually in a limited period of time from acceptance of an offer. You could also negotiate for a rent-back period if you have not closed on a replacement home. You would need to negotiate this at the time of negotiating with a potential purchaser.

Many homesellers who look for the replacement residence first, submit offers that are contingent on the sale of their property. In general, sellers are very reluctant to accept a contingent offer as they may not be familiar with the property and may not feel that it is priced to sell. Sellers who are willing to accept a contingency may reserve the right to continue to offer their property for sale with the right to give the purchaser notice that another acceptable offer has been received and the buyer must remove the contingency in a specified amount of time or cancel the purchase agreement. A buyer could negotiate a period of time before the seller could exercise the right to "bump" the buyer. Don't be surprised if a sellers want their agent to approve your list price before entering any contingent offer. If you are in escrow, most sellers will want you to provide them with copies of the purchase agreement and escrow instructions for their approval.

The reason most seller/buyers do not want to sell first is they do not want the hassle of two moves. They also want to know that they will find a suitable property. The trick, therefore, is to make a realistic offer on the replacement property and to list one's present property very competitively. You may pay a tad more than you would without the contingency and you may sell for a tad less, but you accomplish your goal of relocating.

Tax Credits Are Not Just For the First Timers

February 23, 2010

For the better part of a year there has been a great deal of media hype about the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Then last fall, the federal government added the $6,500 tax credit for existing homeowners who choose to purchase a new principal residence.

Did you think that if you are ready to down size or move closer to family or move for any reason, if you have owned your present principal residence for five consecutive years out of the past eight, you could be eligible for this $6,500 tax credit.

Then there are the energy efficiency tax credits and rebate programs. Usually these are less than the previously mention ones, but still can be significant. The government has set aside $5 billion for improvements to protect a home from wind, rain and sunlight. There are tax credits for 30% of the cost up to $1,500 available for improvements that lower utility bills. Both the federal government and the California government have programs available to reimburse homeowners for a portion of the cost of converting their homes to solar powered energy.

The Edison Company has programs for rebates for replacing appliances with more energy efficient ones.

If you "Google" "Tax Credits", you can obtain more information about the programs that are presently available. Taking advantage of these energy credits can help reduce your out of pocket costs for making important improvements to your property.

The 90 Day "Flipping"

February 22, 2010

For some time now, FHA has had a rule that prohibits the sale of a "flipped" property until a 90 day time frame has passed. First off, a "flipped" property is one where an investor or investors have purchased a property on the court house steps at the bank auction or from some other source and has usually done some clean up and/or renovation. The property is then put on the market at a price that will be profitable to the investor. The FHA rule stated that these "flipped" properties could not be sold to an FHA buyer in the first 90 days of marketing. (I am not totally clear as to whether the 90 days began when the property was offered for sale or whether the day count began at the time of the investors' purchase.) This rule created some consternation because many of these properties were otherwise eligible for FHA financing.

FHA announced that it is was waiving this rule effective February 1, 2010. However, by mid-February this waiver policy has been on hold and is not yet effective. If it does become effective, there are some constraints.

The transaction must be an arms-length transaction with no identity of interest between the buyer, seller or other parties to the transaction.

If the sales price of the property is 30% or more over the seller's acquisition cost, there will have to be two appraisals..

The seller and the appraiser must justify the increase in value.

A property inspection must be included with the loan package. The inspector must have no interest in the property or relationship with the seller..

The property is marketed openly and fairly.

There are some other restrictions, but your lender will be able to guide you through the process.

Hopefully, buyers will soon have an opportunity to purchase some of these investor owned, renovated properties by using FHA financing.

Weaving and Racing

February 19, 2010

The San Bernardino County Museum has a full day of interesting activities planned for Saturday, February 20. With your paid admission, there will be the opportunity to learn the art of weaving. The weaving activities are free with your admission to the museum. They will be taking place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There will also be an art workshop entitled "Drawing with pen and Ink". This workshop is for ages 8 and above.

At 2 p.m. you can enjoy a presentation by Kathleen Springer, Senior Curator. If you have never heard one of Kathleen's presentations, you have missed something very special. She is not only knowledgeable, but she is witty and humorous. Her presentation is entitled" Cajon Pass: Southern California's Geological Treasure Trove."

Also, beginning today with the qualifying races, NASCAR is having a big weekend at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series drivers will be on the track. On Saturday, at 2:30 p.m., the 300 mile Stater Brothers Race will begin. Then on Sunday, at Noon, the Auto Club 500 will start the 250 laps around the track. A large crown is expected, so keep the times in mind as you drive on 10, the 210 and the 15 freeways.

It is amazing to me how many and how varied are the opportunities for entertainment in the Inland Empire.

The Inland Empire Breeds Entrepreneurs

February 18, 2010

Cal State San Bernardino's Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship recently received the 2010 Entrepreneurship Education National Award for "Outstanding Specialty Entrepreneurship Program". This was a great honor for this new discipline being offered in the Cal State San Bernardino curriculum. The participants in the program are graduate students with a broad variety of science backgrounds. The one year program focuses on commercializing their scientific ideas. The program encourages and assists the students to perform creatively in the business world. They earn course credit towards an MBA in entrepreneurship. Successfully finishing the one year program will give them a certificate in technology entrepreneurship.

The program was begun five years ago. Since the program was based on relatively new educational concepts, recruiting students was a challenge. However, Cal State has seen an increased quality in their applicants.

There is much spin these days on the need for entrepreneurs who will start new businesses and therefore create jobs. It is always great to hear how institutions in the Inland Empire are achieving national recognition - especially in areas that will be important economic drivers now and in the future.

Do News Headlines Confuse You?

February 17, 2010

Here are some headlines from this morning's newspapers.

Los Angeles Times - Business Section

"Home values jump in January"

"More could lose homes"

San Bernardino Sun - Business Section

"Housing market index up for Feb."

The Press Enterprise

"Inland data lag housing recovery"

So is the real estate market up, down or just treading water? Probably the best answer is the standard on I learned from attorneys, "It depends".

Based on the numbers in the news releases, some counties have seen improvement in both units sold and in median prices. San Bernardino and Riverside counties are not in that category. However, my recollection is that we generally lag the coastal counties - including Los Angeles.

As for whether our hyper local markets are up, down or sideways, you can look at the numbers posted for units sold and for median prices. If you are planning to enter the real estate market as either a seller or a buyer, you are better off looking at these trends, than relying on a headline that says:"Median prices in the Southland rise 8.5% year over year..."

In the end, the range of value in a particular location is the best guideline for either pricing your property to sell or purchasing a property in which to live.

Headlines capture attention, but even in the same newspaper, the headlines can contradict each other. A local real estate agent is your best source of information for value in the local real estate market. The agent may not be an economist, but the agent can certainly do a search of the active, pending and closed transactions and thereby give you the picture of a local market.

What Realy Sells Your Home?

February 16, 2010



There has been a saying about selling real estate that has been around for many , many years: " The three things that sell a house are location, location and location." While the location of a property clearly has an impact on its value (think beach versus inland), there are other factors that influence a prospective buyer's real estate purchase decision.

In our present market, "price" is king. Witness the number of multiple bids that happen when a property is priced lower than any of the surrounding neighborhood. The real challenge for both homesellers and real estate agents is discovering what that magic "price" actually is.

The other factors that will influence whether a property will sell are:

Condition - Obviously condition is important, There are so many articles written about "staging" your home, about "decluttering" your home and about "updating" your home. The crisper and more trendy the condition of a property, the more likely it is to influence a buyer to make an offer.

Location - Location can never be dismissed as an influence on potential purchasers. Is the property in a desirable residential neighborhood? Are the schools good to great? Some locations are positive influences and some are negative. Negative influences can be overcome by "price". (Again, "price" is the pivotal factor. )

Terms - For the past number of years, terms were not a major factor influencing potential purchasers. Conventional interest rates were low. FHA loans required small down payments. We rarely saw a prospect making an offer that asked the seller to carry back a note on the property.

I recently read an article that suggested that we might see "carry-back" offers come into play again. With so many potential buyers having lost their homes to foreclosure or short sales, these

folks may want to make the attempt to purchase using seller financing. It will be interesting to see if sellers will consider becoming lenders.

Price, condition, location and terms. If these factors are aligned, real estate sells. If you are desirous of selling your property, pay attention. Price it competitively, Make it as "crisp" as possible. The location is what the location is, but remember to have your price reflect location.

After the Rains....

February 15, 2010

For many folks, today is a holiday. Designated as "Presidents' Day" it was set aside to celebrate the February birthdays of George Washington (2/22) and Abraham Lincoln (2/12). In some ways it does seem that Mr. Lincoln gets a bit more attention than Mr. Washington. Of course, that may be because I live in Redlands, California where we have the Lincoln Shrine, a museum dedicated to Lincoln and civil was memorabilia, Perhaps in the Washington, D.C. area, they pay more attention to Mr. Washington.

After quite a few days of rain last week, it is a delight to see that the holiday today is going to be blessed with near perfect weather. Temperatures in the mid to high 70s and a bright and sunny day - just ideal for cleaning up your yard. Also, since retailers do not get the day off, it is a great time to check out the nursery shops and take advantage of any holiday discounts on flats of bedding plants. Adding color to your garden now will surely mean some beautiful months ahead.

If you are not ready for the new plants, you may be ready for some major pruning. The colder weather has kept shrubs from leafy out and now is not too late to prune out dead wood and to do a little re shaping. (maybe that is what George Washington was doing when he chopped down the cherry tree.)

Sweeping, raking, pruning, planting and enjoying the sunny day. What a great celebration!

Two Celebrations - Valentine's Day and President's Day

February 12, 2010

Today is Abraham Lincoln's Birthday, but the celebration will be on Monday. For a time now, we have celebrated the February birthdays of both Lincoln and Washington on a Monday in between
their actual birth dates, February 12 for Lincoln and February 22 for Washington.

Interestingly, Valentine's Day continues to be February 14, so in the middle of your three day weekend, take the opportunity to be with friends and family.

The Riverside County Fair and Date Festival opens this weekend in Indio at the Riverside Country Fairgrounds, 82-503 Highway 111. The fair that celebrates the date heritage opens today at 10 a.m. and if you get there before 3 p.m., the admission is free. Normally the admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children ages 5-12 and under 5 are free. The fair has a variety of special concerts which are part of the fun. The fair runs from today through February 21. For more information on the Internet http://www.datefest.org/



In San Bernardino County, Calico Ghost town will hold an old fashioned civil war re-enactment.
The ghost town will be transformed as two battles will take place every day. About 300 re-enactors from the Southwest region of the American Civil War Society will participate. There will also be a Civil War fashion show, a ladies tea and music from the era. The event runs Saturday through Monday. The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6 -15 and free for children under 5. Admission on Monday will be $10 per carload. For more information on the Internet http://www.calicotown.com/

January Median Prices -2010-2003

February 11, 2010

Here are the median prices for the fourteen communities that I track. The method that I use to arrive at these numbers is quite simple and not a scientific procedure. I take the number of closed transactions that are reported for the month thought the IMRMLS. I go to the sale that is halfway between the total umber reported and I list that price as the median. Half of the closed sales were less and half were greater.



Banning/Beaumont.......2010/171,500.......2009/178,000.......2008/260,000.......2007/300,000

.........................................2006/330,000......2005/245,000......2004/175,000........2003/139,000

Bloomington...................2010/135,000.......2009/139,000......2008/240,000.......2007/360,000

.........................................2006/397,500.......2005.289,000.......2004/175,000........2003/139,000

Colton..............................2010/100,000......2009/145,000......2008/250,000........2007/335,000

.........................................2006/320,000......2005/260,000......2004/170,000........2003/120,000

Fontana..........................2010/195,000.......2009/205,000......2008/342,711.........2007/425,000

........................................2006/409,000.......2005/330,000......2004/238,000.......2003/185,000

Grand Terrace..............2010/236,000.......2009/208,000......2008/340,000.......2007/403,000

........................................2006/320,000.......2005/300,000......2004/254,900.......2003/180,000

Highland........................2010/163,500........2009/170,000.......2008/239,000.......2007/355,000

........................................2006/330,000.......2005/315,000.......2004/219,950........2003/178,000

Loma Linda...................2010/275,000.......2009/305,000.......2008/305,000.......2007/430,000

........................................2006/330,000.......2005/359,000.......2004/279,900.......2003/240,000

Mentone........................2010/200,000.......2009/115,000.......2008/168/240,000......2007/265,000

........................................2006/180/274,500......2005/135/228,000......2004/90/212,000......2003/58,500

Moreno Valley..............2010/150,000.......2009/150,000.......2008/249,000.......2007/375,000

........................................2006/374,500.......2005/295,000.......2004/227,000.......2003/163,000

Redlands.......................2010/212,500........2009/228,900.......2008/349,000.......2007/429,000

.......................................2006/360,000.......2005/335,000.......2004/265,000.......2003/202,000

Rialto.............................2010/142,000.......2009/160,000.......2008/268,000........2007/369,000

.......................................2006/375,000.......2005/299,000.......2004/214,000........2003/170,000

Riverside......................2010/185,500........2009/199,000.......2008/320,000.......2007/398,000

.......................................2006/415,000.......2005/345,000.......2004/260,000.......2003/190,000

San Bernardino...........2010/95,000..........2009/96,000.........2008/230,000.......2007/328,000

......................................2006/302,000........2005/230,000......2004/153,000........2003/118,000

Yucaipa/Calimesa.......2010/177,000........2009/230,000.......2008/321,900........2007/425,000

.......................................2006/355,000.......2005/334,000.......2004/235,000.......2003/182,000

If you wish to compare these numbers with the December numbers, you can go to the post of January 11, 2010.

Homeownership is About to Revive

February 10, 2010

For a time the past several years, articles were being published that suggested that owning your own home was not so great. Recently, it seems, there may be a renewed interest in owning versus renting.

Initially this interest may have been driven by the remarkably reduced prices of homes. Then the federal government stepped in with the $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers. Then the interest rate on 30 year fixed rate mortgages continued to remain around 5% fully amortized - no fancy teaser rates or terms. Then, I suspect, renters realized how nice it would be to paint your walls any color you liked or enjoy a yard that you did not share with strangers.

Perhaps, deep down, we humans really like to control our own domain. Owning a home is being in control of your own immediate environment. You choose, the location and the amenities. You can change those amenities to fit your tastes and your lifestyle. You can be the "king" or "queen" of your own domain. How special is that?

Murals Are Springing Up in Redlands

February 9, 2010


If you drive into Redlands on Sixth street and cross Redlands Boulevard going south you can park and take a walking tour. If you like wall art (murals), in a two block area from Redlands Boulevard to Vine street you can see 11 incredible murals. How the artists do it, is a mystery to me, but Larry Dierdorf, Jeff Owens, and Christine Curry have created some outstanding works of art.


If you are really interested, you can find other examples in Redlands. I was amazed when I was in the check out line at Trader Joe's on Orange street to see on the north wall, above the two buck Chuck, a mural of scenes of Redlands that ran the entire length of the wall. The checker indicated that it was painted by one of the employees working in his garage.

There is a totally trompe d'oeil mural on the State street side of Redlands Paint. Every time I see it, I really believe that someone is on a ladder. It takes a moment for me to realize that I am looking at a spectacular piece of wall art!

A few years ago on a trip to Vancouver Island in Canada, we happened upon a town that was having a "Festival of Murals". How about copying the idea?

Closed Transactions January 2003-2010

February 8, 2010

The first month of a new year and a new decade is now history. From the numbers of the closed transaction for the past eight years, it seems that January closed transactions were at a level consistent with typical January numbers. The years 2008 and 2009 indicate the period of adjustment after the wild ride of 2005-2007.

I am uses data taken from the closed sales reported through the IMRMLS for the fourteen communities that I follow.

Banning/Beaumont........2010/113........2009/109........2008/46........2007/59

..........................................2006/61..........2005/68..........2004/73........2003/61

Bloomington....................2010/20..........2009/30..........2008/6..........2007/6

..........................................2006/14..........2005/12...........2004/12.......2003/24

Colton...............................2010/48..........2009/47...........2008/14.......2007/28

..........................................2006/34..........2005/33...........2004/30......2003/52

Fontana...........................2010/223.........2009/327........2008/59.......2007/139

.........................................2006/171..........2005/186........2004/178.....2003/197

Grand Terrace...............2010/5..............2009/8............2008/3.........2007/7

.........................................2006/8..............2005/6............2004/11........2003/9

Highland.........................2010/51............2009/56..........2008/16........2007/36

.........................................2006/45...........2005/53..........2004/54........2003/61

Loma Linda....................2010/15............2009/15..........2008/3..........2007/13

.........................................2006/8.............2005/18...........2004/7..........2003/10

Mentone.........................2010/8.............2009/6.............2008/4..........2007/7

........................................2006/8..............2005/6.............2004/5..........2003/1

Moreno Valley..............2010/270..........2009/370........2008/119.......2007/109

........................................2006/226.........2005/214.........2004/203......2003/198

Redlands........................2010/43...........2009/54...........2008/31.........2007/41

........................................2006/41...........2005/63...........2004/56.........2003/71

Rialto.............................2010/103..........2009/137.........2008/31.........2007/48

.......................................2006/73............2005/98...........2004/90.........2003/105

Riverside......................2010/334..........2009/402........2008/143........2007/213

.......................................2006/293.........2005/316.........2004/308.......2003/305

San Bernardino............2010/214.........2009/309.........2008/74.........2007/130

.......................................2006/203.........2005/151.........2004/202.......2003/193

Yucaipa/Calimesa.......2010/41............2009/54...........2008/32.........2007/37

.......................................2006/47...........2005/32...........2004/56..........2003/52

There you are. I do not know that the numbers will tell us when the market is strengthening. It seems clear after the fact that the numbers could have told us that the market was weakening. The numbers also seem to show that after the big decline in prices, there was plenty of pent-up demand that made the number of transactions soar in the larger communities. In a community such as Redlands where there is a great deal of inventory priced over the $400,000 mark, you do not seem to see the huge decline in volume nor the huge increase in volume.

It will be interesting to track the monthly median prices for the next several months.

Super Bowl Weekend - Some Inland Empire "Super" Events

February 5, 2010

Yes, Sunday is the 44th playing of the Super Bowl. It will take place in Miami sometime about 3:30 p.m. PST. If Southern California has a rainy day, friends and family can gather inside to watch this big game. However, this evening, Saturday and Sunday there will be some other opportunities for your enjoyment.

This evening, the 17th annual Dickens Festival opens in Riverside with Pub Night Supper and Musical Review. Rain or shine, this event will take place, tonight, Saturday and Sunday. It will be the best of times with this celebration of Charles Dickens. For more information you can call 800-430-4140 or in the Internet http://www.dickensfest.com/.

Saturday afternoon in Redlands, at the Carriage House in Prospect Park, 1352 Prospect Drive, Gene Bauer will be signing her just published book of Botanical Serigraphs. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Gene Bauer, you may know her as the "daffodil lady" for her elaborate daffodil garden in Running Springs. The signing event will be from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Published by the ESRI Press, books will be available for purchase.

Sunday is the first Sunday of February and admission to the San Bernardino County Museum will be half-price. The museum has been busily engaged in renovating exhibits and offering new ones. If it is a rainy day, a visit to the museum will be a great way to spend your day. The hours are 9 a,m, to 5 p.m.

Making an Offer When You Have a House to Sell

February 4, 2010

If the government's $6,500 tax credit incentive for potential homeowners/homebuyers is to be used, real estate agents may be seeing more "contingent on the sale of a home" offers. The $6,500 tax credit is only available to homeowners who have occupied their home as a principal residence for a consecutive period of five of the past eight years and have actually owned it for the past eight years. For those homeowners who decide that the current low interest rates and the desire to make a move prior to their present home being sold, a contingent offer is a possibility.

Obviously, sellers prefer offers that are not contingent on the sale of another property. Certainly bank-owned properties and properties that are being offered for sale, but are "short sales' requiring lender approval, are not going to consider contingent offers. These sellers need to know that the buyer is ready, willing, and able to close a transaction once the offer is accepted.

This means that any buyer with a house to sell will be pretty much limited to "standard sale" properties.

The best strategy is to put your home on the market before you make an offer on a replacement home. Sellers are generally more receptive to offers that are contingent on the closing of a buyer's home that on an offer in which the buyer's home is either just a listing or not yet listed. Also, as a contingent buyer, you should be prepared to furnish the seller of the replacement property copies of your purchase agreement and escrow instructions. The seller will need to know what kind of a transaction you have on your home and may make the acceptance of your offer contingent on the approval of your transaction.

Sellers are wary of contingent offers because the sale of their property is now tied to a property over which they have no real control. In the current real estate environment, sellers may need to be a bit flexible about offers contingent on the sale of the buyer's home, but they need to have some ability to continue to market their own property, either for back-up offers or with a clause that allows them to notify the contingent buyer that they have received another offer and the buyer has a set period to remove the contingency or the transaction will be cancelled.

Agents have not seen contingent offers very often in the past several years, but this incentive for current homeowners to purchase another home, may increase "contingent on the sale " offers.

We shall see.

Clean Air

February 3, 2010

Cleaning up the air has been a topic of politicians for almost as long as I can remember. Here in the Inland Empire, it does seem that some progress has been made as unhealthful air days seem to be less frequent. However, my posting today is not on the macro enviornment, but on the micro environment in your residence - or perhaps in your workplace.

Did you know that house plants do more than make our living and working places attractive? They actually improve the air we breathe.

Research at NASA has shown that houseplants are an antidote to many of the unhealthy household substances that contribute to poor indoor air quality that sometimes leads to illness. Greenery soaks up VOCs (volatile organic chemicals) in carpeting, linens and other home furnishings. The plants break the VOCs down and uses them as food. (Can you believe it!)

Two to three plants in 8-inch or 10-inch pots every 100 square feet will help clean up the air in your breathing zone. Double this amount and your air should become healthier in just one week.
(A breathing zone is an area of six to eight cubic feet surrounding a person.)

What are these super plants?

Bamboo Palm

Lady palm

Dwarf date palm

Janet Craig dracena

Warnecki dracena

Kimberly queen

Weeping fig

Gerbera daisy

Corn plant

English ivy.

For example, it is reputed that after only twelve hours, English ivy can remove 78% of mold and 96% of doggy doo particles in the air in a room of 100 square feet. (you do need to remember that some of these plants are toxic if eaten, so if you have small children or pets you will need to place them out of reach.)

I do not know if these plants are superior to the air purifiers presently on the market, but I do know that they are more attractive and that NASA is certainly not an institution with a vested interest in selling us plants.

6 More Weeks of Winter?

February 2, 2010

In Southern California, Groundhog Day may not be a big event. In fact, many folks might remember it as the name of a fun movie of 1993 starring Bill Murray. However, for the residents of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Groundhog Day is a big deal.

Since 1887, a groundhog has been used to determine the remaining days of winter weather. If the groundhog, now lovingly named Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter, if he does not get frightened by his shadow, winter weather will disappear.

Well, the reports today are that there will be six more weeks of winter as Phil saw his shadow.

In Pennsylvania and in many other states, winter can be pretty arduous. In Southern California, thus far, our winter has been in some ways a blessing. We have had cold weather, rain and snow in the mountains. Skiers and resort operators have loved it. The water utilities are pleased that reservoirs are filling. The burn areas, again, thus far, have survived the rain and debris basins have worked remarkably well. And for photographers and artists and the rest of us who live in the shadow of the mountains, the gorgeous white mountainsides have been a sight to behold.

If Punxsutawney Phil is predicting six more weeks of winter for us, let's hope it can be similar to what we have already experienced.

House hunting and house building in the east may be hampered by the weather, rain may be a deterrent here, but those crisp and bright sunny days, make the Inland Empire a great place to live.

Happy Groundhog Day !

Listing and Pending Statistics - February 1, 2010

February 1, 2010

Here are numbers for active listings and pending sales as reported through the IMRMLS this morning, February 1, 2010.

Banning/Beaumont..........Listings/473.........Pendings/220.......Ratio/.463........Back-up/259

Bloomington......................Listings/73...........Pendings/74...........Ratio/1.01........Back-up/16

Colton.................................Listings/111.........Pendings/97...........Ratio/.674........Back-up/32

Fontana.............................Listings/471.........Pendings/586.........Ratio/1.24........Back-up/196

Grand Terrace.................Listings/16...........Pendings/18............Ratio/1.125......Back-up/5

Highland...........................Listings/134.........Pendings/87............Ratio/.649........Back-up/42

Loma Linda......................Listings/57...........Pendings/26...........Ratio/.456.........Back-up/21

Mentone...........................Listings/22...........Pendings/11...........Ratio/.50...........Back-up/3

Moreno Valley.................Listings/573.........Pendings/624.........Ratio/1.094......Back-up/216

Redlands..........................Listings/259.........Pendings/80...........Ratio/.309........Back-up/50

Rialto................................Listings/275.........Pendings/263.........Ratio/.956.........Back-up/52

Riverside..........................Listings/1100......Pendings/785.........Ratio/.714.........Back-up/259

San Bernardino...............Listings/724.........Pendings/456.........Ratio/.630........Back-up/118

Yucaipa/Calimesa.........Listings/255.........Pendings/101.........Ratio/,396.........Back-up/51

Just a reminder about the back-up category: Properties that have an accepted offer, but have a contingency are often reported as "back-up". A great many of these are short sales awaiting lender approval. In most cases, the property can still be shown, but any offers received would be in a back-up position to a previously accepted offer.
If you want to check these numbers against the numbers for January 1, 2010, you can go to the post of January 4, 2010.