Market Research Indicates That Investors Like this Market

May 31, 2011


An article in the on-line Inman News cites data from a nationwide survey conducted on behalf of Realtor.com operator Move Inc. Market research firm GfK Custom Research North America conducted the survey from April 11-15, 2011. The survey included telephone interviews of 1200 adults, of which 200 were identified as real estate investors. Not a large sampling, but the data collected is interesting.


One third of the real estate investors plan to buy in the next 24 months. Half plan to hold the properties for five or more years. Eleven percent plan to sell within a year of purchase. Forty-two percent plan to spend their own time and energy doing necessary repairs..


More than half of the investors expect home prices to remain the same in the next six to twelve months. About sixty-nine percent expect it would be easier to find properties in the next six months, though 43.5 percent expect it would be harder to find bargains.


It would seem to me that if investors are planning to purchase real estate now, perhaps owner occupant buyers might also recognize that the present real estate market offers many opportunities. At the moment loan money is available and is historically cheap (4.5 to 4.75 % for 30 year fixed). FHA still only requires a 3.5% down payment. As an owner occupant buyer, you could have the advantage of picking a location and a home environment to suit your lifestyle needs. That is certainly a plus. So check out those open houses and real estate ads. Find a real estate agent that will give you assistance and you can take advantage of the market that investors see as the best ever.

Remembering Those Who Served and Still Serve

May 30, 2011


Today is the day set aside to honor all those who served in our armed forces. We also honor those who are now serving throughout the world. In the midst of family get togethers, take a moment to be thankful for the bravery that these veterans showed. Since the Civil War, a date has been set aside to honor those who died on the battlefields. The day now honors all who don the uniforms of America's armed forces.


At CENTURY 21 Lois Lauer Realty, we personally remember our soldiers serving in Iraq. The son of one of our staff members served in Iraq and the flag in our office flew over his base. With our Holiday collection for Operation Gratitude we make a small attempt to let those presently serving know that we care.


Pausing in your activities of today or attending a memorial day event at one of our region's cemeteries is an important tribute to the past and present men and women who have made it possible for us to live in freedom.

The National Orange Show Shines This Weekend

May 27, 2011


Yesterday was opening day for the 96th annual Orange Show Festival. Citrus exhibits, freshly squeezed orange juice, foods of all varieties, games, rides, live entertainment and fun for all. Plus it seems that the event will escape the usual curse of rainy days as this weekend is predicted to be sunny and pleasant.

Record keepers say that the event started in 1911 and thus is 100 years old this year. However, the event was not held during World War II so this is the 96th happening.


Cost is $5 for general admission with children under 10 years and seniors 60 and older being admitted free of charge. The hours are 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, Friday and 10 a/m/ to 10 p.m. Saturday to Monday.


For information call 909-888-6788 or http://www.nosfestival.com/

Aphids Taking Over Your Plants?

May 26, 2011
This is my week for garden tips and here is another simple but useful solution.
Again I found this tip in the "Fix it, Clean it, and Make it Last" book by the editors of FC&A Publishing. I had often heard that garlic is a good bug repellent but this books gives a formula for making a "terrible tea" that will repel those pesky aphids without dangerous chemicals.
"Mince two cloves of garlic and put in a jar with a pint of boiling water. After cooling, strain out the garlic and put the remaining liquid in a spray bottle. Spray new shoots and flower buds and protect them from aphid assaults."
I understand that spraying with the garden hose will also knock them off the plants, but keeping them away is the trick to beautiful blossoms.

Roses Add Color to Any Garden

May 25, 2011


There once was a time when it was difficult to grow roses in our hot, dry climate. Such is no longer the case. Botanists have developed wonderful rose plants of all varieties that do very well in our local gardens. Just drive around any neighborhood today and you can see the many beautiful colors of rose bushes, rose shrubs and climbing roses.

Roses are a relatively easy way to add color to any garden. They require only modest attention and they will bloom brilliantly for months. However, it is important to "dead head" them. As the blossoms fade, removing the fading blooms is necessary to keep the plant strong and productive. Cut off the fading blooms, stem and all, down to a five leaflet leaf. (Sometimes you must search as rose bushes may have a tendency to produce seven leaflet leafs.) You may cut the stems down to only three or four inches of stem remaining. In several weeks new buds and blossoms will be produced.

Another task is to check for suckers. In the Spring, these suckers often produce colorful purple-red blooms and may tempt you to leave them alone. Do not succumb to this temptation as they will suck the energy from the hybrid rose and over time you will lose the hybrid and only have the wild rose bush. Cut them as far down and as close to the spot where the root comes out. They will continue to recur unless you are successful at cutting them below where the hybrid rose was grafted to the rootstock. Not a difficult maintenance issue but one to watch in order to keep your beautiful hybrid roses beautiful.

Keeping Your Lawn Weed Free

May 24, 2011


A weed free lawn is a sight to behold! Sometimes home sellers forget that a green and weed free lawn encourages potential buyers to looks inside the home. A well trimmed lawn is also a big neighborhood enhancer. I thought I would share some tips for maintaining a weed free yard. These tips come from a book entitled "Fix it, Clean it, and Make it Last". by the editors of FC&A Publishing.

"Maintain your lawn with regular feeding, watering, and mowing.

In Flower beds, use a mulch that's two to four inches deep to help prevent weed seeds from germination.

Plant shrubs in dense groupings and seed over your grass to choke out weeds.

Don't water too much; give the amount needed according to what's planted.

Remove weeds from root balls of trees and potted plants that you bring into your yard.

When you see a weed, carefully take it out by hand, roots and all."

There are many commercial herbicides and pre- emergent chemicals that can assist you in conquering the unwanted plants. Once you have attained a wed-free yard, you will find that the maintenance can become less timely and the pleasure in the results rewarding.

Acting Today or Waiting for Tomorrow?

May 23, 2011

The real estate market of 2011 seems to be in a stand-by mode. Sellers who are considering putting their homes on the market keep waiting for signs that prices are improving. Buyers who are wanting to purchase a home are waiting for the market to "bottom-out" . In my 35 years as a real estate agent, this is my first experience of this hesitation to act. In prior real estate slumps, sellers and buyers seemed more willing to act. Buyers looked for a property that met their lifestyle needs. Sellers pretty much acted on the same motivation - either moving to a larger home or a smaller home. If the financial parameters were satisfactory, they acted.

Perhaps what has changed is the information that is instantly available to both buyers and sellers. Web sites and traditional media offer op ed pieces that either predict doom and gloom or predict better times just around the corner.

Acting today allows the consumer to decide based on what is the real estate market today. For buyers it is the lowest interest rates of decades. It is prices at 2001-2002 levels. It is still the availability of an FHA 3.5% down payment. What more information can be needed to act?

For sellers, the data is grayer. Prices are at 2001-2001 levels. If a seller waits will they be better next year? Should a seller who needs to make a move rent until prices do improve (Perhaps 4 or 5 more years). Should a seller just wait?
Acting now allows a seller to have the use of whatever equity may still remain.
Acting now relieves the seller of the responsibility of maintaining the property.
However, many sellers have negative equity. Will they have to put money into the transaction in order to close a sale? Or will they attempt to negotiate with a bank to do a "short sale" and move to a rental? Sellers who are in a position to choose, find the choices unpalatable.

The past two years have somewhat shown that waiting may not be the best decision. Acting to meet either lifestyle needs or financial needs can alleviate some of the present day's uncertainties.

The Iris Festival IN Yucaipa

May 20, 2011

Starting today, the 10th annual irus festival will be held this weekend at Yucaipa Community Park. At 5 p.m. today, there will be a home and garden expo, craft and food vendors and childrens activities. At 6:30 p.m. the University Jazz Band will perform. Everythin is free except some of the children's rides and the Saturday morning pancake breakfast prepared by the Kiwanis Club of Yucaipa.

I can remember aboaut 10 or 11 years ago when I went to a property in Yucaipa where the owners raised iris bulbs and sold them almost worldwide. I had never seen such beauttiful flowers in so many colors. That the community took the iris to become the city's official flower has been a grest boon to the city's image.

The Yucaipa Community Center and Park is located at 34900 Oak Glen Road.

For more information you can call 909-790-5033 or 909-790- 7460.

On the internett http://www.irisfest.org/

The Upper End Real Estate Market

May 19, 2011
Last month I began tracking the number of sales of property listed over the $400,000 price. Here are the numbers for the first four months of 2011.
Banning/Beaumont......Jan/0.....Feb/0......Mar/0......April/1
Bloomington.................Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/o......April/o
Colton............................Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0.....April/0
Fontana.........................Jan/3......Feb/2......Mar/4......April/4
Grand Terrace..............Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0.....April/0
Highland.......................Jan/0......Feb/2......Mar/0......April/0
Loma Linda..................Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0......April/1
Mentone.......................Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0......April/0
Moreno Valley.............Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0......April/0
Redlands......................Jan/6......Feb/6......Mar/5......April/7
Rialto...........................Jan/0......Feb/0......Mar/0......April/0
Riverside.....................Jan/11.....Feb/10.....Mar/16.....April/22
San Bernardino..........Jan/2......Feb/0.......Mar/1.......April/0
Yucaipa/Calimesa......Jan/2......Feb/2.......Mar/3.......April/7
It is encouraging to see the numbers for Riverside improving. It is the most populous city that I track and we can hope that the trend in Riverside will continue and spread to some other communities.

Tracking the Numbers - Sold January through April

May 17, 2011


Yesterday I posted the numbers of Closed single family homes for April in the years 2011 back to 2003. Today I am posting the numbers for 2011, January through April.

Banning/Beaumont......Jan/93......Feb/84......Mar/147......Apr/129

Bloomington.................Jan/25......Feb/15.......Mar/20.......Apr/32

Colton............................Jan/42.....Feb/36.......Mar/38.......Apr/44

Fontana.........................Jan/212...Feb/177......Mar/265.....Apr/246

Grand Terrace..............Jan/6.......Feb/9.........Mar/11.........Apr/10

Highland.......................Jan/47.....Feb/37.......Mar/58........Apr/58

Loma Linda..................Jan/22.....Feb/12.......Mar/15.........Apr/12

Mentone.......................Jan/5........Feb/6........Mar/12.........Apr/4

Moreno Vallley............Jan/191.....Feb/159.....Mar/273......Apr/246

Redlands......................Jan/54......Feb/44......Mar/55.........Apr/67

Rialto...........................Jan/104....Feb/66......Mar/132.......Apr/116

Riverside.....................Jan/309....Feb/257....Mar/368......Apr/383

San Bernardino..........Jan/189.....Feb/141.....Mar/213......Apr/220

Yucaipa/Calimesa......Jan/50......Feb/41.......Mar/66.......Apr/58

Maybe I am optimistic but it does look as if there is a slight pick up in volume.

Sold Statistics for April 2011 - 2003

May 17, 2011


Here are the numbers for the residential real properties reported sold for April 2011 back to April 2003.

Banning/Beaumont......2011/129......2010/136......2009/117......2008/90

.......................................2007/53.......2006/76.......2005/93.......2004/90

.......................................2003/73

Bloomington.................2011/32........2010/37........2009/40.......2008/8

.......................................2007/4........2006/26.......2005/19........2004/19

.......................................2003/22

Colton............................2011/44.......2010/47.......2009/73........2008/17

.......................................2007/21......2006/46.......2005/45........2004/36

.......................................2003/45

Fontana.........................2011/246.....2010/265.....2009/422......2008/146

.......................................2007/106....2006/244.....1005/286......2004/210

.......................................2003/245

Grand Terrace..............2011/10.......2010/9..........2009/12........2008/5

.......................................2007/5.......2006/7..........2005/4..........2004/8

.......................................2003/4

Highland.......................2011/58......2010/58........2009/65........2008/31

.......................................2007/39.....2006/49.......2005/70........2004/63

.......................................2003/74

Loma Linda...................2011/12......2010/21........2009/10........2008/9

.......................................2007/12.....2006/10.......2005/15.........2004/11

.......................................2003/15

Mentone........................2011/4.......2010/9..........2009/9..........2008/9

.......................................2007/4......2006/10.......2005/7...........2004/8

.......................................2003/5

Moreno Valley..............2011/246....2010/307......2009/459.....2008183

......................................2007/87.....2006/301......2005/264.....2004/267

......................................2003/200

Redlands......................2011/67......2010/47.........2009/52.......2008/55

.....................................2007/62....2006/60.........2005/74.......2004/79

.....................................2003/81

Rialto...........................2011/116.....2010/144.......2009/168.....2008/54

.....................................2007/39.....2006/105.......2005/128.....2004/95

.....................................2003/113

Riverside.....................2011/383.....2010/445......2009/503.....2008/246

....................................2007/202....2006/414......2005/443.....2004/399

....................................2003/338

San Bernardino.........2011/220.....2010/253.......2009/376.....2008/101

...................................2007/92.......2006/227......2005/227.....2004/187

...................................2003/254

Yucaipa/Calimesa....2011/58.......2010/64.........2009/55........2008/44

...................................2007/43......2006/54........2005/80........2004/64

...................................2003/65

You can draw your own conclusions about the direction of the real estate market. It does seem that there are not any huge changes such as we saw between 2006 and 2007. Let us hope that it is "Steady as she goes".

Listing and Pending Statistics, May 1, 2011

May 16, 2011
Here are the numbers for the listings, pendings and back-up properties as of May 1, 2011. I am posting them a bit late due to being on a 2 week vacation.
Banning/Beaumont......List/578......Pend/219......Back-up/106......Ratio/.562
Bloomington.................List/61.........Pend/53........Back-up/13.........Ratio/1.082
Colton............................List/120......Pend/110.......Back-up/41.........Ratio/1.258
Fontana.........................List/807.....Pend/500......Back-up/193.......Ratio/.859
Grand Terrace..............List/23........Pend/17.........Back-up/7...........Ratio/1.043
Highland.......................List/191.......Pend/112.......Back-up/55.........Ratio/.874
Loma Linda..................List/54........Pend/39........Back-up/20.........Ratio/1.093
Mentone.......................List/33........Pend/13.........Back-up/9...........Ratio/.667
Moreno Valley.............List/801......Pend/515.......Back-up/222.......Ratio/.920
Redlands......................List/267......Pend/94........Back-up/71..........Ratio/.618
Rialto...........................List/310.......Pend/228......Back-up/94.........Ratio/1.039
Riverside.....................List/1350.....Pend/777.......Back-up/359.......Ratio/.841
San Bernardino..........List/747.......Pend/430......Back-up/141........Ratio/.764
Yucaipa/Calimesa......List/246......Pend/100......Back-up/60.........Ratio/.650


These numbers do not seem to be substantially different than previous months' numbers. It will be interesting to watch them as the year goes forward.

It's Letter Carrier Food Drive Day

May 13, 2011


Tomorrow, Saturday, May 14, 2011 is the annual National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive. This is a really easy way to help "Stamp Out Hunger". Fill a bag with non perishable food items and set it outside beside your mailbox. You can also include personal care items.


Last year the drive collected a record 77.1 million pounds of food. However, food pantries are are requesting a 30% increase in donations in order to meet the needs of the hungry.


To give an extra help in alleviating hunger, Campbell's Soups which has participated in the drive previously is donating a million pounds of food. Campbell's also pays for half of the postcards that carriers place in your mailbox. They will also donate an additional pound of food every time someone logs onto facebook or twitter and clicks on "cause".


What could be simpler for each of us to do. A bag of canned goods and a facebook click.

Crisp and Clean - First Step to Selling

The real clue to homes that sell in any real estate market is "Crisp and Clean". Most people know and understand "Clean". Are the windows spotless? Are the carpets spotless? Are the closets organized? Are the floors vacuumed and mopped? Can you open a cupboard or closet and see space? Is the garage free of trash? Has the house been power washed on the exterior?

A yes answer to these questions indicates a clean house.But what makes a property "Crisp"? Is the lawn mowed and edged? Are the plants trimmed and the garden beds weeded? Are there blooming flowers in the beds or in strategically placedpots? Has the somewhat worn carpet been replaced? Are all the kitchen counters free from clutter? Are there bright towels hanging in the bathroom? Are all those family photos packed away?

A good way to judge your home for "crispness" is to take digital pictures. I found that I needed to pack away stuffed animals, to rearrange furniture and make my home less "me-friendly". When I made these changes, it began to be "crisper".If you are planning to put yoour home on the market, take the "Crisp and Clean" inventory!
Original post date February 21, 2007

Make your Decision

A home is probably the largest investment in most people's lives. For that reason, many prospective homebuyers are fearful of making a decision to purchase. This is a very normal reluctance, but if you have been reading the "blogs" of the past several days and you follow the steps, you will develop confidence.You will have examined the criteria that are most important for your search. You will have educated yourself about the real estate market. You will have selected a professional real estate agent who will be educating you and answering your concerns along the way. When you find the home that meets all of your "needs" and most of your "wants" and is in the right neighborhood, and in your budget - it is the home for you! Don't wait to write up your offer. Even in a market that has slowed, another buyer could be looking for the exact same home.You may not sleep the night you submit your offer, but it will be exciting to buy the home that is right for you. Our first home did not meet all of our "wants", but it did need our "needs". As it turned out, we had seven great years in that home and it proved to have been the very best decision we could have made.
Original post date January 25, 2007

Helping to Sell Your House Quickly

Here are some strategies a homeseller should follow to help to sell a house quickly in a slower real estate marketplace.

1. Do your best to see the house as a product to be market - not as your home.

2. Consider getting a professional inspection to know what might need to be repaired and toshow that you are prepared to disclose the condition of the house to any prospective buyers.

3. Stand back and look at the house. Ask yourself as objectively as possible :"Would you buythis house?"

4. Make certain that your house is fresher, cleaner and better maintained than yourcompetition.

5. Pack away all your "cherished collections" including family pictures. Buyers need to look atthe features of the house, not your memories.If you start with these 5 steps, you will be setting the stage for a quick sale at the highest possible price.
Original post date February 16, 2007

California Ranch - an American Gem

What is America's most important contribution to residential architecture? The correct answer is the ranch house. Ever since the post World War II period this type of home became a fixture on the suburban landscape. During the 1920s and 1930s California and Southwest architects first designed these houses. At first they were for the wealthy and were sprawling imitations of the ranch houses of the Old West. In the mid 1940s, builders looking for a way to meet the huge demand for housing that followed World War II, found this simple style perfectly suited for mass construction.The defining characteristics of the ranch house are the single story and the living area in the rear of the house opening with lots of glass to the outside. Bedrooms were typically located in the front part of the house. In the living area, few walls divided the space. There would be an eat-in kitchen/family room and a combination living/dining area. Most of the living areas opened to covered patios or veranda areas.Originally these ranch houses were designed by architects for wealthy owners, but in the 1940s, builders hired the architects and determined specifications and construction details. From the late 1930s until the end of the 1970s, the ranch was the predominant house form in the United States.The light filled spaces and the open style floor plans were influential in the development of the informal lifestyle that defines Californians.
Original post date February 14, 2007

Real Situation Disclosure Question

Sellers of today's real estate MUST disclose everything that they know about the property that they are selling. Some 30 or more years ago it was "caveat emptor" meaning "buyer beware". As society became more litgious, the standard became one of total disclosure.How does a seller decide what to disclose? The standard is: If you know something, disclose it; but what about repairs that have been made during your ownership of the property? The problem is now fixed, why disclose that it once existed?For example: During a very hard rain, the roof leaked. You called a roofer who fixed it and it has has never leaked again. Do you disclose that the roof had a leak that has beenfixed?Suppose you are very handy and you made the repair yourself and the roof hasnever leaked again. Do you disclose?The prudent answer is yes. When did it leak? Who made the repair? How was it repaired?Let the buyer decide whether to have the roof checked out. Once a repair is disclosed, it becomes the buyer's choice to make further inspections.Sellers often ask whether any and all repairs must be disclosed. It is always better to disclose. Fortunately the California Association of Realtors has designed checklist to assist Sellers in making the appropriate disclosures. A good reason to hire a licensed real estate agent to handle the sale of your property.
Original post date January 31, 2007

Seller Property Questionnaire

In January 2005, the Board of Directors of the California Association of Realors ratified a new form to aid a seller in making a full disclosure about a property's condition and some other factors that might affect a buyer's decision to buy.Since the early 1980s, the old rule of "caveat emptor" (buyer beware) has been replaced with "Disclose, disclose, disclose". The California State Legislature enacted a law requqiring the seller to provide the buyer with a Seller's Transfer Disclosure form. This form is required in every residential 1-4 unit sale in the state of Califronia. There is also another disclosure form used to document seller's responses to other disclosures required by law (i.e. Did someone die on the property in the past 3 years?) This form is called the Supplemental Statutory Disclosure.The 2005 Sellers Property Disclosure is not required by statute but was designed more as a check list to aid the seller in addressing issues that might cause a buyer concern if they were undisclosed.The rule for disclosure is if you know anything at all about the property, disclose it! When in doubt, disclose. It may seem trival to disclose leaky pipes that have been fixed, but in the end, it may save you from a lawsuit. Sellers amy ask "I have had to fix the yard sprinklers many times, do I need to disclose that?" The correct answer is "Probably". Buyers may want to know that an underground sprinkler system does require maintenance.If you know, DISCLOSE.
Original post date February 27, 2007

Choosing a Countertop

One of the choices homeowners who are remodeling a kitchen or building a new home will have to make is the material to use for the kitchen countertops. Back in the old days (30 years ago) the choices were pretty much limited to ceramic tile or formica. But in the 1980s along came Corian and similar brands of resin made stone-like tops. Then came the rage to use natural granite slabs buffed to a mirror-like shine. Of late, a new product has come on line just to make your choice more complex.Engineered quartz offers the natural beauty of granite without all the drawbacks of natural stone. It is made from approximately 93-95 % natural quartz with the remaining 5-7% consisting of resin and pigments, Natural quartz is first ground to small particles of varying sizes, then mixed to specific color and blends and combined with the resins. The resulting mixture is then molded into slabs, and the slabs are then vibrated and compressed while a vacuum removes all air, all of which is designed to eliminate air pockets and create a hard and dense material. The slabs are then heat-cured, rolled to specific thicknesses and polished to a beautiful sheen.All of the above processing results in quartz counters that are very hard and very dense, are resistant to knife cuts, and do not require ongoing application of sealers to prevent the staining common to porous natural stone. These counters do not have fissures and cracks, and are also more heat resistant than natural stone .Engineered quartz is worth investigating if you are looking for a countertop that has the natural beauty of real stone.
Original post date February 26, 2007.

Disclose! Disclose! Disclose!

Since the 1980s the laws regarding disclosures in real estate transactions have been growing.For agents a disclosure of whom they represent is mandatory. Is it the Buyer only, the Seller only or is the agent representing both the Buyer and Seller? This disclosure is very straightforward.For Buyers, there are fewer required disclosures wiith regard to the purchase agreement, but many with regard to the loan process. However, a Buyer must disclose whether or not the property will be his own residence or whether it is being purchased as an investment.For Sellers, the disclosure requirements are more detailed and require the Seller to disclose everything that the Seller knows about the property. For instance: additions or repairs, insurance claims, a death on the property, personal property included or not included, location in natural hazard zones and anything that a Buyer might feel has a material effect on the value of the property.The California Association of Realtors and their attorneys have created a multiplicity of forms and checklists to aid the Seller to fulfill the disclosure requirements; an important advantage that Sellers have when they employ a Realtor to handle the transaction.
Original post date December 2, 2006