Corn Mazes and Pumpkin Patches

September 28, 2012
If you are driving the 10 freeway past Live Oak Canyon Road, you will see the fields of vines with the orange pumpkins peeking through the green leaves. The flags have gone up and the Pumpkin PAtch is opening this Saturday. The Pumpkin Patch has grown over the years and now offers thousands of pumpkins, gourds, winter squash and Indian corn. There is also a wonderful corn maze that will furnish a lot of family fun as one wanders though the passages..There are two performance stages and also a petting zoo.
The Patch will be open September 29 and 30 and then all of October. The Patch is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m from the 29th though October 4 and from 9 a.m. though 9 p.m. though October 31. Admission is $2 on all October weekends. This weekend and all weekdays are free.
For more information you can call 909-795-8733 or on the Internet, www.liveoakcanyon.com

No Cost Home Improvement - Closet Cleaning Time

September 27, 2012
Historically Spring and Fall have been the time for doing some major house cleaning. Perhaps these are the times when we change from winter to summer clothing or from summer to winter clothing. Or perhaps it is because semi annually we need to sort through the accumulation of stuff that fills our cupboards and closets.
There are many charities that are ready, willing and able to relieve us of clothes and possessions that we no longer find useful. Having well organized and uncrowded cupboards and closets is a definite home improvement.
Real estate agents will recommend doing a good reduction in stuff if you are planning to sell your home. Storage space can be an issue when prospective purchasers are looking at a property. Some sellers have a tendency to put things in the closets to get them out of a room. This is really not a good idea because prospects will open cupboards and closets to check out space.
So....put a good cleaning for cupboards and closets on your to-do list. You will have improved your property as well as improve your own enjoyment. There is something soul-satisfying about sorting and ridding yourself of accumulated stuff.

Hip, Hip, Hooray For Real Estate

September 26, 2012
Have you noticed? This past week the media reports that home sales are rebounding and that home prices are at the 2003 levels. Even Case-Shiller had a positive report although with reservations.
When all the headlines about housing were doom and gloom, prospective buyers sat on the sidelines even though interest rates on thirty year mortgages were at all time lows. Potential sellers owed more than their homes were worth and they either stayed put, did a short sale or let the property go back to the lender. The housing market basically stagnated as folks waited for better times.
So......if the better times are starting, will the housing market keep trending upward - in volume of units sold and in prices?
The answer, as almost always, is "It depends." Folks who were the early losers in 2008-2009 are now becoming eligible to borrow again. Will they take advantage of the still low prices of homes and the continuing low interest rates? Will prices catch up to amount of debt owed  so the owners can sell with out a short sale or without putting money in to close a sale? Will home builders reactivate their permits and start new construction that would entice folks to make a move?
The "Hip, Hip, Hooray" is that real estate and , perhaps the economy as a whole is feeling that the worst is over.

Are Earthtone Colors Making a Comeback?

September 25, 2012
It has been several years since home owners began using taupe for their interior wall paint instead of that old standard, Navajo White. Real estate agents were recommending that homeowners use a tan color if they repainted and wanted to refresh the look of the interior of the home. However, of late, as I drive around, I have noticed that newly painted exteriors of homes have taken on deeper coloring such as dark tan, brown, and rust trim. I have even noticed a few freshly painted homes that are a medium shade of green.
Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, everything was earth tones for exterior painting. Actually not the deeper tans that are being used today, but rather a sand color with darker trim.
Is it possible that, true to the adage, tastes recycle, and we will be turning from the cream colored stucco to the deeper tan?
If you are thinking of repainting the exterior of your home, it might be wise to check out the trends.Since usually an exterior painting project is not done very often, whatever you choose needs to fit your likes and  your neighborhood. .

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like.......

September 24, 2012
It's beginning to feel a lot like....The song continues with "Christmas", but I am thinking to finish the phrase with " the housing market is turning around".
First, the doom and gloom in the media headlines has been replaced with more positive data.
Second, On the stock market, home builders stock has risen off the lows of the past several years and the activity in these stocks has increased.
Third, the debut of  the real estate web company "Trulia" on the stock exchange experienced both volume and price increase over the initial offering price.
The final sign that I am looking for is the breaking of ground for new home construction. Our Southern California region has been hard hit with almost zero new homes being built in the past four years. Builders still have entitlements for homes that they never built. When we see the home builders pull permits and start advertising we can believe that the market has turned a corner.
Prices may not yet be where builders feel comfortable investing in new construction, but we can be hopeful that they will be able to begin the process. I look forward to some new homes being built for the 2012 market.

"The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music"

September 21, 2012
The Fall Season of cultural events opens this weekend with concerts by both the San Bernardino Symphonny and the Redlands Symphony on Saturday evening.
Maestro Frank Fetta will be conduction the San Bernardino Syamphony with a musical journey down the Volga River. Entitled "Russian Roulade". The program will open with Glinka's overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla. Also on the program are Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rocco Theme" and Rachmaninoff's "Symphony No. 2". The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. at the California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth Street in San Bernardino. For more information you can call 909-381-5388 or on the wen, www.sanbernardinosymphony.org. The concert will be repeated on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Lake Arrowhead at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 27627 Rim of the World Drive.
The Redlands Symphony will open its season with two concerti. One concerto is by Bartok and the second is the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1. The symphony performs at the Chapel on the University of Redlands Campus. Maestro Jon Robertson, celebrating his 30th year as the conductor of the Redlands Symphony will be giving a preconcert talk in the Chapel. The concert will begin at 8 p.m.. For additional information you can call 909-748-8018 or ww.redlanssymphony.com
If you are not really a fan of classical music, the Riverside Mariachi Festival will open at 6 p.m. this evening. It will continue though Saturday at Fairmount Park, 2601 Fairmount Blvd. For more information visit www.riversideca.gov/park_rec/

Incentives to Save Water

September 19, 2012
I don't know about you folks, but when I received my water bill this month, I was stunned. It was huge! I looked all around the house for leaks. I checked the sprinkler system. I found nothing. Did I miss a rise in water rates? The answer is yes. Municipal water providers and water companies are raising their rates.
There has been much publicity about the need to conserve water, but the rising cost of water may be a better incentive than all the public service announcements.
Obviously making sure you have no dripping faucets is a first start. Installing low flow faucets and shower heads can also save gallons a day. Being sensitive to the amount of time you spend in the shower can lead to a reduction in that time. Running only full loads in your dishwasher or washing machine is another rather easy water saver.
You can also start planning for the future when all toilets must be low flow flushers. If a bathroom remodel is in your future, research the various low flow systems. I hate the thought that I shall have to replace my great Kohler one piece toilets, but the California legislature has enacted a law that all homes must have low flow toilets by 2017. My understanding is that there are already communities in California that require retrofitting a a home to low flow toilets in order to complete a sale.
Being water-wise is becoming more and more of a good economic stategy.

So You Want To Buy A House

September 18, 2012
So you want to buy a house. You have read and heard the media hype the historically low interest rates. You have followed the decline of the prices of homes in your market area. You have read that right now mortgage payments can be lower than the rent you might have to pay. You have a steady job. So how to begin the home buying process?
Many prospective home buyers start by looking on line at the various home listing sights such as Realtor.com, Century 21 .com, Trulia.com, etc.Many start by visiting open houses. here are a few suggestions for preparing to buy a home.
1) Actually write down a list of your wants and needs. Describe in writing what your dream house might look like.
2) Make an appointment with a lender and get yourself "pre-approved". Not just "pre qualified" but actually "pre approved". This means that the loan rep will have taken an application and have run your credit complete with FICO scores. (In today's real estate market, sellers generally want copies of credit scores and "pre approval" letters before they will consider any offers.)
3) Select a real estate agent and give them the information about the property you will be looking for to purchase. Searching on line is useful, but agents sometimes hear of a new listing before it shows up on any web site. Be prepared to view a property at the earliest possible moment once an agent calls about a new listing.
4) Recognize that you may have to make compromises on what you want, but also be fully aware of what characteristics are most important.
The home buying process can be stressful, but home owning can be very satisfying.

Appraisals - A Critical Part of Any Real Estate Transaction

September 17, 2012
In any real estate transaction in which the prospective buyer is purchasing with a loan, the appraiser has the power. Since the real estate downturn, the rules for appraising property have changed to try and correct the
perceived irregularities that pushed appraisers to over valuate properties. Lenders now are required to go through independent appraisal management companies so as not to influence the outcome of an appraisal. When this system first began, appraisers could often come from areas that were at some distance from the subject property. Another innovation was the use of automated valuation models (AVMs) that use public records rather than on-site observations. (Perhaps they are similar to the algorithms that sites such as Zillow use.)
In a changing real estate market, and I believe that our present market is a changing one, appraisals become a challenge. The most common method to appraise a property is to use the comparative market approach (CMA) that looks at closed sales of similar properties. Other than location, age and size, it is a judgement call as to how similar two properties might be. The other judgement call is a determination as to whether the market is declining, stable or rising.
With a limited number of comparable properties available for comparison, the appraiser really needs to rely on his/her knowledge of the surrounding area. The appraiser's expertise can either make or break a sale. Over valuation were a problem in the past. At the moment under evaluations are becoming a problem to a recovering real estate market.

Its Rendevous Time in San Bernardino

September 14, 2012
The 23rd annual Stater Bros. Route 66 Rendevous kicked off yesterday in downtown San Bernardino. For the next several days vehicles of all sorts will enter the Rendevous and join the many contests and street cruises. Check-in is limited to 1700 vehicles. What excitement this brings to town as car buffs from all over join in the Route 66 celebration.
It was a little tenuous this year as to whether the Rendevous would take place with the city of San Bernardino filing bankruptcy. But the will to keep this tradititional event going brought out supporters and donors.
There will be contests, entertainment and road cruises continuing on until 10 p.m. today with the event coming to a close on Sunday approximately 3 p.m.
Just Google Route 66 Rendevous and obtain all the details.

The Over $400,000 Real Estate Market

September 12, 2012
This year I have been tracking the number of single family properties that have been reported as "sold" though the CRMLS. This segment of the real estate market was hard hit in the downturn. For example: in Riverside in August 2005, there were 238 properties reported sold over $400,000. In 2008 that number dropped to 48. In 2012 the number has ranged from 18 a month to 24 a month. IN 2003 when the real estate "boom" began in earnest the number was 36.
Here are the numbers for the past three months for the fourteen communities that I track in the Inland Empire.
Banning/Beaumont...........June/0.......July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/10.......Aug 2008/1
Bloomington....................June/0.......July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/4.........Aug/2008/0
Colton.............................June/1.......July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/4.........Aug 2008/1
Fontana...........................June/1.......July/0.......Aug/1.......Aug 2005/136.....Aug 2008/12
Grand Terrace.................June/0.......July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/5.........Aug 2008/0
Highland..........................June/4.......July/1.......Aug/3.......Aug 2005/20.......Aug 2008/2
Loma Linda.....................June/0.......July/2.......Aug/2.......Aug 2005/9.........Aug 2008/1
Mentone..........................June/0.......July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/0.........Aug/2008/0
Moreno Valley.................June/0.......July/0.......Aug/1.......Aug 2005/75.......Aug 2008/1
Redlands.........................June/11......July/13.....Aug/12.....Aug 2005/31.......Aug 2008/11
Rialto..............................June/0........July/0.......Aug/0.......Aug 2005/24.......Aug 2008/0
Riverside.........................June/24......July/22.....Aug/20.....Aug 2005/238.....Aug 2008/48
San Bernardino...............June/1........July/1.......Aug/1.......Aug 2005/19.......Aug 2008/1
Yucaipa/Calimesa...........June/4........July/7.......Aug/4.......Aug 2005/33.......Aug 2008/5

Median Prices - January Through August 2012

September 11, 2012
These numbers for median prices in the fourteen communities that I trace though the data reported in the CRMLS are the resuly of a simple mathematical process. I take the total number of sales reported, divide by two and select the listed selling price for the property at that halfway spot.
Banning/Beaumnot..........Jan/156,000......Feb/145,000......Mar/158,000......Apr/160,000......May/151,000
......................................June/158,500.....July/149,000......Aug/150,000
Bloomington...................Jan/110,000......Feb/132/140......Mar/175,000......Apr/145,000......May/129,000
......................................June/149,000.....July/159,000......Aug/175,000
Colton............................Jan/125,000......Feb/121,500......Mar/114,000......Apr/120,000......May/139,000
......................................June/110,000.....July/125,000......Aug/125,000
Fontana..........................Jan/210,200......Feb/210,000......Mar/114,000......Apr/120,000......May/220,000
......................................June/198,000.....July/216,000......Aug/215,000
Grand Terrace................Jan/179,000......Feb/145,000......Mar/199,000......Apr/170,000......May/182,000
......................................June/194,600.....July/185,000......Aug/179,000
Highland.........................Jan/160,000......Feb/145,000......Mar/184,000......Apr/157,000......May/225,000
......................................June/181,000.....July/175,000......Aug/170,000
Loma Linda....................Jan/230,000......Feb/185,000......Mar/195,000......Apr/230,000......May/189,000
......................................June/185,000.....July/270,000......Aug/200,000
Mentone.........................Jan/115/130......Feb/140,000......Mar/129/155......Apr/118,000......May/189,000
......................................June/80,000.......July/110/170......Aug/210,000
Moreno Valley................Jan/147,000......Feb/144,000......Mar/159,000......Apr/149,000......May/152,500
......................................June/158,900.....July/160,000......Aug/167,000
Redlands........................Jan/178,000......Feb/186,000......Mar/220,000......Apr/190,000......May/220,000
......................................June/223,000.....July/245,000......Aug/200,000
Rialto..............................Jan/163,000......Feb/165,000.....Mar/165,000......Apr/175,000......May/160,000
......................................June/163,000.....July/165,000......Aug/167,500
Riverside........................Jan/195,000......Feb/180,000......Mar/190,000......Apr/190,000......May/189,000
......................................June/208,000.....July/204,000......Aug/210,000
San Bernardino..............Jan/110,000.......Feb/100.000......Mar/105,000......Apr/110,000......May/114,200
.....................................June/117,000.....July/120,000.......Aug/126,000
Yucaipa/Calimesa..........Jan/189,000.......Feb/160,000......Mar/170,000......Apr/180,000......May/154,000
.....................................June/179,000......July/181,500......Aug/190,000
As you can see, prices continue to bounce along, but do not really show an upward trend. It is, however, interesting to note that the two largest communities in our area, Riverside and San Bernardino, do show a slight month over month improvement for June, July and August.

Closed Single Family Homes - August 2012,2011,2006,2005

September 10, 2012
I continue to track the number of single family homes reported as "sold" through the CRMLS for the month of August. I am adding the numbers for August 2011, 2006 and 2005 as a comparison. It has been interesting to note that the numbers remain relatively consistent whether the real estate market is up or down. You will note that 2005 seemed to show a peak in the numbers in the majority of the fourteen communities that I track.
Banning/Beaumont............2012/125......2011/116......2006/93......2005/114......July 2012/111
Bloomington.....................2012/16........2011/20........2006/18......2005/35........July 2012/20
Colton..............................2012/37........2011/51........2006/56......2005/48........July 2012/29
Fontana............................2012/244......2011/240......2006/254....2005/301......July 2012/207.
Grand Terrace..................2012/16........2011/10........2006/10......2005/13........July 2012/16
Highland...........................2012/84........2011/62........2006/60......2005/61........July 2012/54
Loma Linda......................2012/15........2011/14........2006/21......2005/15........July 2012/13
Mentone...........................2012/10........2011/4..........2006/8........2005/5..........July 2012/11
Moreno Valley..................2012/242......2011/254......2006/258....2005/312......July 2012/209
Redlands...........................2012/77........2011/74........2006/70......2005/54........July 2012/67
Rialto................................2012/110......2011/128......2006/101....2005/121......July 2012/111
Riverside...........................2012/402......2011/448......2006/388....2005/507......July 2012/402
San Bernardino.................2012/204......2011/197......2006/212....2005/259......July 2012/154
Yucaipa/Calimesa.............2012/72........2011/78........2006/75......2005/74........July 2012/61
As you might note closed sales were either the same number or up slightly from the previous month.

A Walk in a Botanic GArden

September 7, 2012
As the cooler days arrive and folks think about sprucing up their gardens, a visit this weekend to the Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont could be a great outing. The gardens opened in 1927 with the intention of preserving local plants. It is an 86 acres site which offers a great education on many varieties of native plants. There are many docents on hand to explain this huge variety of plants which are nicely grouped together in particular regional areas. On Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. there are regular garden walks. The gardens also include some giant sculptures of bugs that were created for an exhibit by David Rogers.
Pack a picnic, bring the family and enjoy this truly special botanic garden. You can learn about plants that will do well and will be great additions to your personal garden.

Stainless and Granite - Are They Still "Must Haves"?

September 5, 2012
I was caught by a heading for a Wall Street Journal article in this mornings edition: "After Stainless, Now What?" Apparently appliance manufacturers and kitchen designers are looking at new appliance finishes. The article mentioned Whirlpools, glossy white and glossy black. It does seem to me that these appliance finishes have been around for some time. Fifty years ago almost all appliances were white. Then, sometimes in the 1970s., maybe a tad earlier, colored appliances came out. Avocado and gold were definitely in vogue. Then in the 1980s, almond and bone became popular colors for kitchen appliances. And then, with the commercial appliance manufacturers such as Viking and Wolf entering the residential appliance market, stainless steel became the favored finish for your ovens, dishwashers and refrigerators.
Just as a side remark, I do want to add that when my husband and I bought our first home in the late 1950s, we remodeled the kitchen with walnut cupboards and, yes, stainless steel Thermador appliances.
So the question "What next?" may depend on the style of home and kitchen one chooses. If one is planning a kitchen remodel, it could be useful to check out the various home shows and the appliance stores and see what is being offered for sale. In the end, it would seem that the functionality and the "greeness" of appliances may be a contributor to the answer to "What next?"

Listings, Pendings and Back-ups - August 2012

September 4, 2012
As is my custom, I am posting the numbers for the real estate activity in the month of August. The real estate market in our Inland Southern California area has become very active with more properties being in escrow than remaining unsold. This phenomenon is keeping the active listings very small in comparaison to those in escrow. Many properties have offers the same day that they are listed in the CRMLS.
Banning/Beaumont.............List/220......Pend/244......Back-up/142......Ratio/1.755
Bloomington......................List/23........Pend/48........Back-up/16........Ratio/2.783
Colton..............................List/30.........Pend/87........Back-up/32........Ratio/3.967
Fontana............................List/209.......Pend/536......Back-up223.......Ratio/3.632
Grand Terrace..................List/20.........Pend/23........Back-up/7..........Ratio/1.500
Highland...........................List/71.........Pend/104......Back-up/47........Ratio/2.127
Loma Linda......................List/24.........Pend/34........Back-up/17........Ratio/2.125
Mentone...........................List/9...........Pend/22........Back-up/6..........Ratio/3.111
Moreno Valley..................List/156.......Pend/507......Back-up/280......Ratio/5.045
Redlands..........................List/147........Pend/116......Back-up/70........Ratio/1.265
Rialto...............................List/72..........Pend/218......Back-up/86........Ratio/4.222
Riverside..........................List/436........Pend/822......Back-up/361......Ratio2.713
San Bernardino................List/260........Pend/395......Back-up/173......Ratio/2.185
Yucaipa/Calimesa............List/112........Pend/117......Back-up/81........Ratio/1.768
While the active inventory is extremely low, it does not really reflect the number of properties being offered for sale. The pendings and back-ups reflect that properties are being put up for sale, but are quickly removed from the active inventory. This has become a market of multiple offers and short days on the market for those properties that are in good condition and priced competitively.