The holidays in Fresno, California would not be complete without a trip down the famous Christmas Tree Lane. Over 100,000 people visit the 2 mile holiday wonderland each year.  Christmas Tree Lane started in 1920 with a single tree being lit in honor of a young boy who died.  This year, 2010, will mark the 88th anniversary of the lane.  In 1941 with wartime restrictions the lane was dark and again in 1973 with the energy crisis.     Christmas Tree Lane spans nearly 2 miles, 140 homes, and over a million lights!!!  It is absolutely spectacular every year.     This year Christmas Tree Lane will open on Friday, December 3 and run until December 26.  Hours Sun-Thurs are 6 pm to 10 pm and on Friday and Saturday 6 pm to 11 pm.  Lights go out at this time, so plan accordingly.     This year t... 10/31/2010

HAROLD PENNER: Fresno Real Estate Market AnalysisMission of the Heart!This Christmas season I am reminded of all good that can come from people. I had the privilege of working with a buyer and seller on a unique sale this fall. An investor bought a foreclosed home in the south Fig Garden area of Fresno. Previously, the location for one of the largest drug busts in Fresno's history and later partially renovated and then vandalized, the home needed to be stripped to the studs and rebuilt. Click to View Fresno Bee Article   Instead of a traditional renovation and sale, this home construction project became a mission of the heart. The investor (who wishes to remain anonymous) organized the effort for donations of services and materials from local contractors and companies to renovate this ... 12/29/2009

Just about everyone who knows anything about Fresno knows that Fresno has a beloved Christmas Tree Lane located on Van Ness Blvd in Old Fig Garden. Old Fig Garden is known for its tree-lined streets with historic homes. Every year they string up lights on Old Van Ness and many of the homeowners decorate their homes and yards with lights ... and often much more.The other nite I was eager to see what I could accomplish with my new camera and shot the photos below. I dont really have a good night lens for what I was doing but that didnt stop from doing the best I could. © Randy "Lazarus" McAtee Owner / Broker Lazarus Realty 559-301-1647 Email Me 12/21/2007

It has been so blazing hot this summer that I have not been able to enjoy the simplest of things outdoors. I live on a corner and both streets have been under construction and torn up for months and the grape vineyards once enjoyed have been torn down to make way for a subdivision of 125 homes across the street. Gotta love it if you are in this business but not so good when your in the middle of it! Every day my house fills with dirt if I leave a door or window open, my patio is covered in it and I get my blower out every morning to remedy the situation if only for a few hours. my grass has died from from all the loose blowing dirt and they have only begun. Usually evenings and mornings are the best here in the San Joaquin Valley but not for me this year. This is the view from my offic... 09/22/2007

Many of you know that I have been a decorator forever and love every aspect of the biz including staging homes for resale which is how I found AR to begin with. (breathe) Creating my own path...I went to the school of Ladders and Chutes and have always run the other direction when groups and structure loomed in the distance. Active Rain is my first real life group that I feel like I am a part of.  I have had the distinct pleasure of being guest moderator for the Stage It Forward group the month of June and it opened my eyes to the strength of the stagers who make up this group. New names are popping up every day and getting to know them in such a supportive environment is really very special, something many never experience. I did not write posts in June because I wanted to let the life... 07/02/2007