Well, we had quite a volatile day as the Dow closed below the psychological 13,000 mark. Dow was down 218 points and closed at 12958. Items of note: Goldman Sachs downgraded Citigroup to a sell. Lowe’s lost 7.6% today on weak earnings.The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Index came in at 19 for the second straight month, this is the lowest since the record keeping began in 1985.Goldman Sachs forecasted that the current credit problems will result in $2 trillion of reduced bank lending for next year. I certainly hope that many of these reports are wrong, but I have heard from many sources that lending will be extremely tight if not non-existent for certain segments of the market. Most likely to be impacted are the $500k-1,000M housing segment. The yield on the two year n... 11/19/2007

 This chart includes housing data for each respective zip code listed for the October 2007 period and percent change from October 2006 levels. As you can see from the table below, housing prices for the month have varied by area, but it’s interesting to note that the higher end of the market has not been as affected, at least as far as median price, by the slow down. Most notably in Toluca Lake(91602) we saw a 42.7% increase in the median home price, Studio City(91604) experienced a 3.3% increase and the Hollywood Hills(90068) saw a 12.8% increase in the median home price. What’s been most impacted in many areas is the volume of sales. The main reason for this is that it has become harder for many to obtain a mortgage loan, especially if it’s above the conforming limit of $417,000, whic... 11/18/2007

    This year will be the 11th annual running of the Southern California Regional Rail Authorities in cooperation with the Southland Firefighters "Holiday Toy Express".Every year this special train runs through Southern California lighting up the night with over 50,000 lights glowing, animation and Santa and all his helpers riding on board to collect new unwrapped toys and sporting equipment to benefit the "Spark of Love Toy Drive".The goal is to make stops at all the terminal throughout Southern California starting its journey on November 17th and making its last stop on December 16th.It will be making its special appearance at the Burbank on Decemebr 7th at 6:15 pm and will pull back out shortly after.  Try to get their early as this is a very popular event.  It will be arriving at th... 11/18/2007

The Burbank Mayors Annual Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyWhere - Front Step of the Burbank City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave.When - Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 6 - 6:30pmThis event will feature:Santa Claus(will stay until 8pm for photos - BRING YOUR CAMERA)Providencia High School ChoirAdult Contemporary Artist - Valencia VasSpecial Guests Mickey & Minnie MouseEmceed by Karen Sharp of KOST 103.5Immediately after the lighting of the tree you can enjoy the Magical Christmas Caroling Truck, City Council, and other special guests spreading holiday cheer all through the streets of Downtown Burbank until 9pm.  They will be having live giveaways along the way!!!!!For more information please call (818)238-5300 or (818)238-5173  11/17/2007

The City of Burbank, Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department Present:BREAKFAST WITH SANTACome spend the morning with Santa while participating in Crafts, Games and Letters to SantaWhen - December 8th, 2007What time - From 8:30 - 10amWhere - Burbank Towne Center Food Court, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd. 3rd FloorHow Much - $7 per person(kids under 2 FREE)Seating is limited so please purchase your tickets in advance.You can purchase tickets at the following locations:Administrative Services Building - 301 E. Olive Ave. 3rd FloorMcCambridge Recreation Center - 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd.Olive Recreation Center - 1111 W. Olive Ave.Verdugo Recreation Center - 3201 W. Olive Ave.Burbank Town Center Customer Service Desk 1st Floor - 201 E. Magnolia Blvd. 1st Floor.For More information you can call... 11/17/2007

This week saw volatile trading sessions , concerns over rising fuel costs and the now usual credit rumors. Items of note: Pending Home Sales for September increased 0.2 percent higher to 85.7. But a look at the year over year data – down 20.4 percent — tells a more meaningful story. Still the data is no worse and possibly a turning point compared against the 21.5 percent drop for August.Fed Chairman Bernanke announced that, in an effort to create more transparency, it would start to give quarterly enonomic forecasts as opposed to the biannual forecasts and that it would give a 3 year as opposed to the current 2 year forecast.The amount of foreign investments in the US for September came in at $26.4B, which is not a large amount but was a relief compared to the large contraction of forei... 11/16/2007

Burbank Homes For Sale by Lupe Soto, Bilingual Realtor (Spanish/English) 818-968-3718The value of southland homes are back to what it was in year 2005, according to a report released yesterday and if the trend continues it could soon be 2004 prices all over again.The medium price last month was $444,000, the lowest since April 2005, according to DataQuick Information Systems.  That is a 3.9% drop from September and a 8% decline from October 2006.The number of homes sold slipped to a 20-year low.  Is this the bottom that we are looking for?  It's a Buyer's Marke, So, When are you going to buy?  Important Facts That Will Affect Real Estate Prices Over Next 20+ years.On the positive side, Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in September, but the outlook for the h... 11/14/2007

Burbank Real Estate by Lupe Soto 818-968-3718.   DID YOU KNOW THAT.....Burbank Chamber of Commerce Ranked 14th Largest in L.A. County Los Angeles Business Journal, October edition has ranked our Burbank Chamber of Commerce14th largest in Los Angeles County based on 2007 income budgets.  Last year we were ranked 15th. Congratulations to our Chamber Executives for their hard work!  Please note that 13 Chambers ranked higher than ourselves receive financial subsidies from their cities.  At the same time the San Fernando Valley Business Journal had determined we are the 4th largest Chamber in the "Greater San Fernando Valley" area based on total members.  Geographically we are the largest Chamber to actually reside in the San Fernando Valley, as the three Chambers ranked above us (Santa Cla... 11/14/2007

Striking 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2248 sq. ft. home in the Burbank hills. Hardwood floors, crown molding, plush carpeting, dual pane windows and a flowin floor plan. Granite kitchen, custom tiled flooring. Family room with french doors to the tropical backyard party patios and pool with spa, slide and waterfall. An entertainer's dream home! To preview the finest Real Estate in Burbank, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades please visit my website. When you are ready to view homes or have any questions regarding selling your home, please contact me. 11/14/2007

Burbank has beautiful homes and affordable condos & townhouses for saleBurbank CA "The Media Capital of the World" - Welcome to Burbank CA.Find your next home or condo visit www.HomesWithLupe.com  Lights, Camera, Burbank! Billing itself as the "Media Capital of the World" , Burbank is an entertainment-oriented city that prices itself on its quality of life, combining 21st century technology with a small-town feel.  Many employees in the motion picture and television studios live in Burbank. If you are looking to live or relocate to Burbank CA, please call Lupe Realtor in Burbank for fast responses (818)276-6882 or CONTACT LUPE click here   PREVIEW ALL BURBANK LISTING HOMES CONDOS TOWNHOMES FOR SALE RIGHT NOWwww.HomesWithLupe.com    Burbank CA offers many newer construction condos & town... 11/13/2007

Lupe Soto, Realtor is a feng shui lover & student and uses a compass to identify & activate the money spot in the house. Feng Shui tips to sell your home quickly and above asking price.Applying the principles of Feng Shui is a popular tip on selling your home. Implementing a few Feng Shui tips, a seller's home will be sold for a higher asking price and their will be a reduction in the time the home is on the market. There are many simple and inexpensive home selling tips available to make the home more marketable.The first rule of Feng Shui is to declutter. Go through your home and start packing things away especially in the kitchen. Get rid of all those appliances strewed across the counter top and place them in boxes and store them away while your home is being shown.Another place pro... 11/10/2007

  Monday 12 US Holiday…..Veteran’s Day! Pending Home Sales Index Tuesday 13 ICSC-USB Store Sales Tracks comparable weekly sales from major retail chains and represents 10% of total retail sales. Is considered to be one of the most timely indicators of consumer spending. Redbook a timely indicator of consumer spending and also represents about 10% of total retail sales. This measure tracks weekly sales from discounters, chain and department stores. 3 & 6 Month Bill Auction Treasury Budget Consensus $-59.0B Wednesday 14 MBA Purchase Applications measures applications at mortgage lenders. This is considered a leading indicator for single family home sales and housing construction. Producer Price Index PPI Consensus .4% percent Retail Sales Consensus 0.2% Business Inventories Consensus 0.4... 11/10/2007

Very volatile week with lots of interesting news. The Dow plunged 224 points after a volatile session, the S&P was down 21.07 or 1.4% and Nasdaq was down 68.06 or 2.5%. Financial stocks are under pressure again, and they are bringing down most stocks. Today both Wachovia and Fannie Mae released a dismal earnings report and rumors abound about Barclay’s bank potential losses due to their Collateralized Debt Obligations(CDO’s). The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey fell to 75 vs. the expected 80. Except for the 74.2 hurricane-related reading in October of 2005, this is the lowest consumer sentiment reading from this survey since 1993! Fed Chairman Bernanke’s appearance before the Joint Economic Committee on Thursday yielded some very interesting comments. He expects economi... 11/09/2007

Lupe Soto, Burbank & San Fernando Valley Real Estate Services A buyer's market is technically defined as: "A market condition characterized by an abundance of goods available for sale."  Find your next home or condo, FREE HOME SEARCH with address - any price - any area - anytime 24/7, click here or go to http://www.HomesWithLupe.com       The in-depth definition from the same source is: "When a buyer's market exists in commodities, the buyer is able to be selective in purchasing contracts, as there are many individuals wishing to sell. Furthermore, these buyers will generally be able to purchase contracts at lower prices than those that were previously prevalent."       The simple version is: when no one else wants a product of value -- buy it, because the price will be lower whereby yo... 11/08/2007

11/09/07 Report prepared by Lupe Soto, Realtor U.S. STOCKS LOWERED AFTER FED CHAIRMAN B. BERNANKE TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESSThe U.S. economy not only faces the risk of a sharp slowdown from the housing market's contraction but also of an inflationary surge from sharply higher crude-oil prices and the weaker dollar, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified before Congress today 11/8/07.read more... Dollar Falls on Fed testimony Nasdac loss biggest monthly drop since July 2004 S&P & Dow losses biggest monthly drop since Dec 2002 Investors Tip:  Buy Low, Sell High.  Is this a good time to invest in strong companies or sectors hit by Wall Street Market News today.  My answer is Yes, but do your diligence and diversify your investments.  Please talk to a financial investor to invest in... 11/08/2007

Burbank-CA-Real-Estate-Market-Report prepared by Lupe Soto, Realtor, November 7, 2007.Wall Street ended sharply lower today on financial woes, weak dollar.  DOW lost 360 points (fifth-largest drop so far this year) closing at 13,300.02, -360.92 or -2.64%. One of the main reasons why US Stocks tumbled today: Bearish outlook from WASHINGTON MUTUAL due to inflated appraisals. Speculation that MORGAN STANLEY would post large sub-prime-related losses Weak dollar BURBANK MARKET REPORT: There are 401 properties available for sale in Burbank ranging from $319,900 to $2,225,000.  Burbank homes in move in condition and those staged for sale continue to sell quickly.Seller Tips:  Stage your home for sale.  Lupe Soto offers complimentary service of a professional home stager to assist you in prepar... 11/07/2007

Lupe Soto, Buyer's Agent in Burbank CA  Se Habla Espanol 818 276 6882 You Can Give $3,600 or More of Someone Else's Money to B.T.A.C. and Alls It Takes Is A Mouse Click.  Burbank Temporary Aid Center is one of three participants selected for the November 2007 Bob's Big Boy "Charity of the Month" Program.  This is a winner take all contest.  Bob's will donate 1% of November's dining room sales to the organization that gets the most votes.  Please read this now:http://www.burbank.com/bwire/calendar/2007113001.shtmlSat Nov 3rd, Snapshot of Glendale Photo Project. The day to take your best picture(s) in Glendale. Submit for consideration from Nov 3rd thru Nov 17th.  Read More...http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/photoproject/Sat and Sun, Nov 3 - 4, 10 am-5 pm Intertribal Arts Marketplace. Souther... 11/06/2007

Lupe Soto Burbank Realtor is available to find you a Burbank Home or Condo For Sale near your preferred elementary, middle or high school in Burbank CA.  Master Street Directory Listing or boundary chart.Find your next home or condo in Burbank, click here or  visithttp://www.HomesWithLupe.comRequest a List of Homes or Condos For Sale with Burbank Unified School District818-276-6882  Superintendent's message by Dr Gregory Bowman.State Accountability Progress Report for Burbank SchoolsRecently, the California Department of Education released the Accountability Progress Report for all schools and school districts in the state.  This report consists of two different accountability measures, both based on student performance on California's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. ... 11/06/2007

Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos gave a positive report on the state of Burbank.    In her annual State of the City address she emphasized how "robust"  Burbank's economic outlook is along with with the City Council's committment to maintain a community with positive opportunities for it's residents.Unemployment in  Burbank is at 3.9%, which is lower than the California state average of 5.3%.  Mayor Ramos highlighted that five years ago the median price of a home was $256,000, today it's $650,000 and that despite the current downturn area prices remain an excellent investment.  Focus was given to the communications system that allows police, fire and other safety agencies to remain in contact during emergencies.  It was also mentioned that the Lake/Alameda area will get a walking path with li... 11/04/2007

Monday 5 ISM Non Manufacturing Survey Consensus 54 This survey consists of almost 400 firms across 60 different sectors. Analysts like to keep an eye on the business activity index of this survey as it gives an indication of economic health. 3 & 6 Month Bill Auction Tuesday 6 ICSC-USB Store Sales Tracks comparable weekly sales from major retail chains and represents 10% of total retail sales. Is considered to be one of the most timely indicators of consumer spending. Redbook a timely indicator of consumer spending and also represents about 10% of total retail sales. This measure tracks weekly sales from discounters, chain and department stores. 4 Week Bill Auction and Treasury Strips Wednesday 7 Productivity and Costs This report looks at the growth or lack thereof in the efficiency of ... 11/04/2007