Well, let me see if any of us has a crystal ball...Is there a crystal ball or two in the room? How many times have I heard we are at the bottom of the market in California...and then, I have this funny feeling that things are not at the bottom yet...or that we can expect the unexpected almost....anyone else feeling the same? When asked if we're at the bottom, what do we say?  I was asked that very same question tonight while on a listing appointment with new clients and I felt kind of relieved that they believed and agreed with my response. What do you tell people who ask you this?  Especially if you're in Southern California...but even if you're not, feel free to respond. Happy & Successful Week!! 05/17/2010

Upland High School student Karissa Burgos is one of 15 graduating high school seniors in the country to win a $1,000 college scholarship from SuperSibs! SuperSibs! Is a national non-profit that supports, honors and recognizes brothers and sisters of children with cancer. Burgos's sister, Allison, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2002. She founed Gifts for Hope, an organization that provides gifts for teen patients and their siblings at the City of Hope Hospital. "I know the feeling of waiting long hours in waiting rooms with nothing to do, and hopefully my efforts can make a difference in the life of another cancer patient or sibling," Burgos said. She has been a member of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life team for six years. "We felt that Karissa was deserving of the $1,000 sc... 04/26/2010

Ten thousand California first-time and repeat home buyers who are in escrow by the end of this month can get both a federal tax credit and a state tax credit. To claim the federal tax credit of $8,000 for first-time home buyers and $6,500 for repeat home buyers, you must be in escrow by April 30 and complete the purchase by June 30. The new California tax credit expires on Dec. 31 or whenever $100 million has been used. It allows home buyers to claim up to $3,333 in tax credits each year for three years. The tax credit is equal to 5 percent of the purchase price, or $10,000, whichever is less. Unlike the federal tax credits, the state program is not refundable - if you owe less than $3,333 in state taxes, the state keeps the balance. Contact us for additional restrictions. Only 3 weeks ... 04/10/2010

Three supermarkets and WalMart are a short drive from Lemonwood Villas in northwest Upland CA, but sometimes a meal is more enjoyable if someone else did the cooking, so it's fortunate that more than a score of restaurants are located a mile or so from Lemonwood Villas in Upland CA.  Hometown favorites in Mountain Plaza at the corner of 16th Street and Mountain Avenue, a few blocks north of Lemonwood Villas in Upland CA are Graziano's and Rancho Los Magueyes, where you'll find exceptional Italian and Mexican cuisine. In the same center, the décor and menu at Legends will transport you back in time to the 1950s and Claro's Italian Market carries a variety of specialty foods.  Restaurants are also located south of Lemonwood Villas on Foothill Boulevard - Route 66 - and there's a wonderful... 04/02/2010

Residents of Lemonwood Villas in Upland CA can stroll walkways and trails, chat with neighbors and enjoy the sights and scents of ever-changing floral displays. Spring is particularly colorful at Lemonwood Villas. Late winter magnolia blossoms have given way to roses and other brightly colored flowers.  The Lemonwood Villas HOA welcomes visitors and returning homeowners with a colorful display at the 14th Street entrances. The streets of Lemonwood Villas take you past many trees adorned with bright yellow lemons surrounded by carpets of emerald grass. If you're on foot, visit beautiful Dunderman Park in the heart of Lemonwood Villas. There you'll find playground equipment, lush grass and beautiful flowers, benches to sit on, and - of course! - lemon trees.  Many Lemonwood Villas home ow... 03/31/2010

Living in northwest Upland CA, east of Los Angeles, Lemonwood Villas residents have many options for education, from kindergarten to advanced degree programs. Lemonwood Villas is served by the Upland Unified School District, which this year is celebrating 100 years of public schools in Upland. Lemonwood Villas students can attend  Sycamore Elementary School, Pioneer Junior High School, and Upland High School. All have high academic ratings. Upland Adult School offers opportunities for residents who need additional schooling. Savvy home buyers know public schools are an important measure of a community's character. Parental and city support of basic education bolsters school spirit and encourages children to excel. Higher student scores in standardized tests makes local neighborhoods lik... 03/28/2010

Lemonwood Villas in Upland, CA, is a Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a unique and somewhat whimsical character. Streets have names like "Bark" and "Twig" and "Leaf" and are laid out like the branches of a tree, with homes along the branches and curled around cul-de-sacs shaped like imaginary fruit.  This is a charming community of one- and two-story detached homes with large, irregular lots, and quick access to lush greenbelts and an almost hidden park. No need for gates here - no one tries to save time by cutting through Lemonwood Villas twice. You can't hear traffic noise either, though busy Mountain Avenue, Benson Avenue and the 210 Freeway are a short distance away. Instead, fix a tall glass of lemonade, sit back and watch the air show of small planes and bi-planes headed for ne... 03/25/2010

RE/MAX Homes & Estates Pre-Foreclosure Division  (714) 588 -7676 ∙  www.remaxann.com   If you are in a situation where: • You lost your job • Your Medical Expenses are too high • Just went through/going through a divorce • You are behind on your payments • You have no equity • You can't afford the cost of selling your home • Your income has been reduced • You are in foreclosure   WE CAN HELP YOU! It's easy and doesn't cost you any MONEY! Our services are Free!!! WHEN THE DEBT EXCEEDS YOUR HOME'S VALUE... we can help is with a SHORT SALE.   Benefits of a Short Sale: • Avoid Foreclosure • Avoid Bankruptcy • Reduced damage to your credit • Postpone your foreclosure sale date • A short sale will stay on your credit approx 3 years • BE FREE of financial and emotional burdens!     We are lice... 03/03/2010

I'm sure every inspector has had that desperate call from a potential client something to the effect of "I hired this contractor to do an addition on my house, now the roof leaks, it's been patched...". Sound familiar, I get this all the time. Just the other day I received such a call, during the inspection it was clear to me that the client had experienced a series of frustrating engagements as follows:   The General Contractor that was hired for the project rarely supervised the job. He reportedly sent unqualified, unlicensed workers with illegal citizenship status. This condition led to multiple code violations and poor craftsmanship. The city Building Inspector had never performed a visual inspection of above the roof line. All of us contractors are guilty of this scenario; The city... 02/08/2010

Why not make some "Mail Box Money" while you are blogging? Click Here! 02/06/2010

I thought I might try the direct approach. I am new to this AR thing and have a  huge learning curve to go through. So instead of trying to feign some superior intelligence or "slick" blog. I will just come out and say it - I operate a well established, reputable Inspection and Consulting company. If you are a Real Estate agent and in need of an Inspector that is reliable and professional, give us a shot at your business. If you are an inspector and need coverage while on vacation, during an emergency, or just can't handle your volume - consider API for coverage.  02/05/2010

Well we have finally come into the current century and joined the blogging community. At API we have relied on word of mouth and cold call marketing in the past. With todays economy and fly by night, underbidding inspectors - relationship building with reputable Realtors is more important than ever. After all the old saying, "you get what you pay for" still prevails. It has been my experience that poor Agents, attract poor Inspectors! After many years of trial and error, I am pleased to find a community of highly responsible professionals that value good moral fiber. We are looking forward to developing many sound business relationships on Activerain in the years to come.   02/05/2010

Southern California is seeing steady, month over month gains in housing appreciation. If you enjoy reading that as much as I do, I'll write it again, just so you don't have to go back. Southern California is seeing steady, month over month gains in housing appreciation.   What is even more impressive is that these gains were realized in what has historically been two of the worst months for sales, November and December. The link below is from today's Los Angeles Times. Positive headlines are incrementally, but steadily showing up more and more. Keep your head's up. You just might see the price of your home doing the same thing.   Southern California housing market strengthens in December - latimes.com 01/19/2010

How many of you have been out house hunting and seen some bank owned properties that look like this: They are usually the ones that the "creative" REO agent describes with terms like " Needs a little TLC" or "Handyman's Delight". In reality, the description should be "Bring your own hand sanitizer. This ones a dump". The problem is that if an investor buys that lil gem,fixes it up and sell it, he's labeled as a "flipper".  In today's market that's equivalent to sporting a scarlet letter A from years past. The punishment for such a heinous act is that, as a flipper, you aren't allowed to re-sell that renewed, improved property for 90 days. If your reaction is ...HUUUHHHHHHH???... you're not alone.Luckily, FHA has come to its senses..well at least on this point. Starting 2/1/2010, and wit... 01/18/2010

MUSIC TO MY EARS Signs of life in the home-building industry - latimes.com Who would ever have thought it? The thrill of street closures, the sweet sounds of construction crews pounding away at what-the-hell o'clock in the morning and giant vehicles full of lumber&roof tiles...it's starting again, and it's music to my ears. The industry is waking up and new construction is popping up.This is just another sign that the housing market is gaining a foot hold in stability. 01/13/2010

In a surprising move, The Federal Reserve of New York has apparently hired all forward thinking rocket scientists currently available in the U.S. Further proof of this was an article appearing in today's Wall Street Journal. To the shock of the banking world, home loan modifications are actually more successful when a permanent solution like...ohhh, I don't know...balance reduction is granted. I know what you're thinking, "God, it must surely take those of superior intellect to come up with a solution we mere mortals couldn't !" Below is the article that backs up my Rocket Scientist proof: http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/01/04/ny-fed-most-successful-mortgage-modifications-reduce-borrowers-principal/ 01/07/2010

Dear Santa, Please see the link below: Tax credit spurs rush of November home buyers - MarketWatch I really hope Rudolph and The Boys are rested, 'cause it looks like you have a lot more stops to make. Because there has been no viable alternative, I have been a supporter of the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit, and now The Extension. Naysayers will immediately point to the raw cost of this program, and they have a point. But  the link shows, the tax credit is motivating people to buy. Perhaps just as importantly, the tax credit is also generating positive headlines. Call me an optimist, but I feel that this program is having a motivating effect on new buyers. And over time, it will lead to buyers starting home improvements, hiring contractors and buying large ticket home appliances. If... 12/22/2009

Home prices continue to rise in The Inland Empire and Southern California. If you live in Upland or Riverside, or Rancho Cucamonga (yes , there really is a place called Rancho Cucamonga) read that first sentence out loud. Recovery won't happen over night, unless it's a month's worth of Alaska winter nights. But housing is starting to recover. And the psychology of recover is every bit as important as any other aspect. Yes, short sale lenders are going to continue to be a giant pain in the assets. And no, that REO listing agent probably won't call you back. But look at the bright side. As the market recovers, there will be less and less of them in it. Southern California home prices and sales improve in November -- latimes.com 12/16/2009

Fifteen according to the Inland Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service and seven Upland properties were reported as entering escrow during the weekending Dec. 7, 2009, and seven Upland properties were reported as entering escrow during the week.  A total of 136 Upland homes were listed for sale in the MLS on Dec. 7. Included are 88 single-family homes. There were 48 condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes in homeowner associations listed for sale in Upland on Dec. 7; 57 homes were reported as vacant.  The MLS showed 12 foreclosed, or Real Estate Owned, homes listed in Upland on Dec. 7; 38 others were in pre-foreclosure - listed as "in foreclosure," Notice of Default or Short Pay/Subject to Lender. Nine Upland homes were reported in the MLS as sold in the week ending Dec. 7, 200... 12/07/2009

The following good news is brought to you by The Los Angeles Times and Forefront Real Estate. Don't look now, but new home prices in Southern California, The West, and everywhere else are also unmistakably on the rise. In today's market, it's actually OK have a little optimism. I'm not suggesting to run out and bet the farm on 2010 being the best year on record. But we've all been beaten down by dour headlines and predictions. Have a look at the article and graph below. But be careful, it may make you smile.  New US home sales rise 6.2% -- latimes.com   11/25/2009