Santa Clarita Real Estate Forum

santaclaritarealestateforum July 18th, 2008

 A few Santa Clarita Starbucks will be part of a mass closure of 88 stores located in California, which is actually part of a bigger closure of over 600 Starbucks store closures nationwide. Starbucks claims the closures are due to sluggish sales, and a slowing economy.

It’s been mentioned in various news reports that many of the stores identified for closure will be one that have been established in just the last few years. To see the official list of nationwide Starbucks Store closures click here.

The two Santa Clarita Valley Starbucks stores that were identified on the list are:

Castaic Starbucks located at 31818 Castaic Rd

Canyon Country Starbucks located at 26503 Golden Valley Rd

Starbucks.com website today has the following to say regarding the announced store closures:

As we announced on July 1, 2008, Starbucks will close approximately 600 company-operated stores in the U.S. beginning this month and continuing through the first half of FY09.  Partners in the stores listed below have been personally notified that their store has been slated to close during this timeframe. 

In the spirit of transparency with our partners, customers and communities, we have provided the full list of stores below for general information purposes. Store partners will receive advance notice and more details from their leadership team once a specific closure date has been confirmed. After specific closure dates have been communicated to all affected partners, we will continue to update the confirmed store list at http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=880.

Full List of U.S. Store Closures
http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/USStoreClosureInfo.pdf.
This list is provided solely for general information purposes, and does not create any obligation or commitment by Starbucks Coffee Company with respect to the closure of any particular store.  This list is based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information.  Actual store closures may differ depending on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, risks related to finalization of third party agreements, expected costs savings, income tax and other benefits associated with the store closures in the anticipated time frame, if at all.  Starbucks undertakes no obligation to notify third parties of such changes.

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santaclaritarealestateforum June 9th, 2008

This is an amazing home, with a one of a kind lot…an unobstructed view to die for, and a garden only rivaled by that of a museum! Contact us at 661-373-2374 for more details on this Saugus home, soon to be listed.

Mobile post sent by TheScvAgents using Utterz.  Replies.

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santaclaritarealestateforum April 17th, 2008

This is what a Canyon Country home for sale with about 28 offers on it looks like:

 This went into escrow after just 6 days of being ON the market this past week, of which about all 6 were spent receiving all 28 or so offers (actual number of offers may vary by a few - but that’s the word on the ground). The home is a bank owned foreclosure, with decent upgrades, 4 bedrooms, and even an office downstairs. It went on the market at the price of $314,900, and is certainly worth near $380,000 in today’s market. By all accounts, it appears that this went into escrow for CLOSE to the $380,000 range! Lord knows my buyer didn’t get it after writing close to that amount.

While the bank might have certainly been willing to sell it for $314,900, they aren’t experts in the local real estate market. There is a very equal chance that they either did, or did not realize, that there would be multiple offers, and that their actual net sales price would be so much higher.

 One thing is for sure as evidenced by this particular listing. Throwing out a home in the Santa Clarita market, $30k $40k, $50k, $60k+ below market, is like throwing chum into a “shiver” of sharks. People are noticing, and taking action.

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santaclaritarealestateforum January 3rd, 2008

The California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), with participation and sponsorship of the Los Angeles Times, will hold their first Southern California Home Buyer’s Fair. This even, to be held March 1, 2008 through March 2, 2008, will focus on many of the issues first time home buyers are faced with in today’s real estate market.

There will be more than 24 educational seminars, in both English and Spanish, to help address many of the concerns firt-time home buyers have about their potential home purchase. Some of the topics of the Seminars Will include: how to qualify for a loan; understanding credit scores; how to find a loan that’s affordable; avoiding fraud; choosing and working with a REALTOR®, home insurance issues; the inspection process; and home design on a budget.

C.A.R., being the leading authority on residential real estate in California, is trying to take a leadership role, and provide as much information, tools, and resources to make the goal of homeownership a reality for many Southern Californians, who face numerous obstacles. With proper guidance however, these future homeowners can be navigated properly into their new home.

This 2008 Southern California Home Buyer Fair, will be held at the Los Angeles Convention center. In addition to various educational seminars, there will be over 250 exhibitors, which will include mortgage lenders, Realtors, consumer credit counselors, mortgage insurance companies, home inspectors, home insurance companies, non-profit housing advocacy groups, and state and local agencies for housing and community concern.

Details:

LOCATION: The Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown Los Angeles; 1201 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015.

DATE: Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, 2008

TIME: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

COST: Free to the public

Click here for the Southern California Home Buyer’s Fair 2008 Website

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santaclaritarealestateforum December 27th, 2007

I thought I’d take you on a walk down Santa Clarita real estate memory lane, and provide you with an interesting snippet.

Sometimes you’ll think about the good times in our local housing market, when your home was appreciating in value, and a career in real estate sounded pretty appealing to many!

What month and year were the good times really rollin’!?

Looking back at the stats, it appears that December 2003 was a pretty darn good month to be a Santa Clarita homeowner!

The future was bright, and the percent of sales happening, versus new listings was 162%

December 2003 won out over “busier” summer months mainly due to the fact that inventory levels tend to be calm and or go down during the winter. While there weren’t as many sales in this month versus others, the inventory (read: choices for consumers), were very low. It was a great time to sell a home due to the low inventory, and still excellent amount of sales. Less inventory is always better for sellers.

Broken Down: That month there were 303 new listings, and a whopping 490 homes that SOLD! Yes, more home sales than listings. Those were the days, right?

Compare to Now: In October 2007, the month we have most recent stats on, there were 793 Santa Clarita homes listed for sale, and a meager 227 that sold. That represents a 29% Listing to Sales ratio.

My how things have changed.

Here’s a tip not suitable for my Tip of The Day Posts… Make sure to get on the train before it starts moving next time! 2008 should be the year to do that in.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this trip down memory lane.

Link: Santa Clarita real estate stats used for this post - PDF

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santaclaritarealestateforum December 24th, 2007

Sometimes one just needs a break from blogging, but I suppose being just 90 minutes away from Christmas couldn’t keep me away.

Sorry to my readers, for the several day abscence of posts and insight into Santa Clarita real estate. Much more to come in 2008! And sorry Google, please don’t punish me!   

Time spent with family has been great. I hope that’s been the case for you too.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

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santaclaritarealestateforum December 7th, 2007

Edgeio.com, a popular website that provided listings of various items, such as Real Estate listings, has shut down operations. Edgeio gathered all of its listing data through RSS feeds directed at the site, which enabled it to instantly display listings of various products, in near real time when posted at the originating website.

Edgeio, who’s motto, “Search The World’s Listings,” was just one of many places online, that consumers have been able to search for homes. One has to wonder though, how many search portals for residential real estate listings, can actually co-exist on the Internet and actually survive as a businesses. If Edgeio is any example, the answer is probably only a “few.”

In an effort to direct you towards success, here’s some insght into the best places to find a home for sale, online:

•  www.Realtor.com - official consumer listing search portal from the Realtor organization
•  www.Craigslist.org - excellent way to find listings from both Realtors, and For Sale By Owners
•  www.Zillow.com - good place to find listings in an area, and look into past sales, and home values
•  www.Cyberhomes.com - similar to Zillow, however much better demographic information is available for any given area
•  www.Homes.Point2.com - one of the largest websites featured listings from Realtors who belong to the Point2 network
•  www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/ - excellent source of real estate listings from the Los Angeles area
•  www.base.google.com - newer way to search listings in the Google database, needs improvement
•  www.TheScvAgent.com - find EVERY Santa Clarita MLS listing here. All photos and virtual tours are available.
•  www.TractDirectory.com - Santa Clarita’s ONLY updated Tract Directory. With over 500 SCV tracts, this is a great way to sort through all the mess and narrow your search down to a specific area, or tract of homes that interets you most.

If you’re looking to find a Santa Clarita home for sale, please use one of the websites listed above, they are your best shot. Also, be sure to use www.TheScvAgent.com in order to specifically search the Santa Clarita MLS. If you prefer to have a Realtor take care of all the searching for you, don’t hesitate to contact me at 661-373-2374 so we can discuss your preferences.

Also, please comment back, and tell me where your favorite place to find homes online is located, perhaps I may learn of a few new ones this way!?

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santaclaritarealestateforum December 3rd, 2007

Perhaps oil will take a larger tumble in price for all of us here in the States as the mad man down south loses some credit. Hugo Chavez’s proposed reforms seem to have been narrowly rejected by the Venezuelan electorate. Hugo Chavez has conceited defeat. In an effort to turn the country towards full socialism, Chavez proposed 69 amendments, of which, the most controversial was for the elimination of term limits. Which would have enabled him to stay president indefinitely, so long as he is re-elected each time. Chavez’s current term ends in 2012.

There are reports of thousands of Venezuelans in the streets, celebrating the defeat of what many feel was Chavez conquest for totalitarianism. Of the eligible 16 million voters in Venezuela, 9 million turned out to cast their vote. Approximately 51% of the electorate opposed the amendments, and 49% were in favor.

Other Crazy Reforms Proposed By Hugo Chavez:

Bringing in a maximum six-hour working day

Cutting the voting age from 18 to 16 (Trying to gain favor with the young, poor, & impressionable)

Increasing presidential control over the central bank

Strengthening state economic powers, allowing the government to control assets of private companies before a court grants an expropriation order.

At the least, this is a huge blow to the OPEC nation leader’s ego, and may serve as an indication of future things to come, or lack there of, from a man who tends to issue a lot of threats, using Venezuela’s oil as leverage. I don’t think we should take those threats as seriously any longer, given the fact that he doesn’t even appear to have clear support on domestic issues at home.

More on the Hugo Chavez Defeat At Venezuelan Polls

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santaclaritarealestateforum November 22nd, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here’s something for you Napoleon Dynomite fans…

Don’t forget to let the Tor-tilla know who’s boss when preparing your meal today!

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santaclaritarealestateforum November 11th, 2007

I just wanted to put out a special thank you to all American service men, and women, that have served past and present, and risked their lives for us, some of course did more than take a risk, and paid this country with their not only their service, but with their life too. I am eternally grateful. Life would be drastically different in America, and even worse abroad, if we didn’t have such brave men and women, who willingly go in harms way when duty calls.

It’s a dream, but wouldn’t it be a great one, to know that all Americans would take pause on Veterans Day, and remember the sacrifice that has been made in the past, and still today, by our military men and women. I hope that you will, in your own way.

 Happy Veterans Day!

Thanks to Jay Thompson at the Phoenix Real Estate Guy blog for finding this clip, I thought it was appropriate for the occasion:

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