HIGHS AND LOWS - CLAREMONT , JULY 22, 2011   HIGHS AND LOWS - LA VERNE , JULY 22, 2011   Okay, so just another addendum to the REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH segments I've been doing:  In the future, this will be included in the MARKET WATCH blogs.   SINGLE FAMILY HOMES There are 105 Active Listings in LA VERNE as of today. Highest Priced Home -  $3,500,000 Lowest Priced Home - $180,000 Average Home Price - $573,000   CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES There are 5 Active Listings in LA VERNE today. Highest Priced Home is $209,000 Lowest Priced Home is $94,900 Average Priced Home is $171,000 You can see from this pricing that there are fabulous parts of LA VERNE, and then there are middle of the road portions.  But the upside is - THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY in LA VERNE!     LA VERNE LIVING! 07/22/2011

LA VERNE REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH - JULY 16-22, 2011   LA VERNE REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH - JULY 16-22, 2011   Market Watch New Listing (0)   Price Change (3)   Back On Market (0)   Backup Offer (3)   Expired (0)   Pending (1)   Sold (0)     Okay, so this is LA VERNE REAL ESTATE for the week.  Really, really slow.  I wonder what put the brakes on everything, but the last few weeks everything in La Verne was looking fabulous. So, let's start with the PRICE CHANGES.  Not so many, but with the amount of activity all over the board, three is still more than zero.  As always, I caution you to make absolutely sure that you use a Realtor who KNOWS how to price right the first time!  Naturally, I do!  LOL  But seriously I know how to do a proper CMA with great comparables to your home.  I can al... 07/22/2011

LA VERNE REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH - JULY 9-15, 2011    Market Watch   New Listing (7)   Price Change (16)   Back On Market (9)   Backup Offer (1)   Expired (0)   Pending (6)   Sold (7)     Okay, so, things in LA VERNE are still holding steady.  Last week was the first week where there were as many closed sales as there were new listings.  It looks as though this week in the same with the magic number being seven. Nine homes have been placed back on the market which is actually quite a few.  But with loans being more difficult to get, banks still taking so long that buyers back out of short sales and REO's, I guess it's to be expected.   And once again, I cannot say enough about using a Realtor who prices their home correctly - THE FIRST TIME!  I reblogged a segment written by my friend... 07/15/2011

WALKING AND CHEWING GUM AT THE SAME TIME   LA VERNE RANKS SECOND BEST FOR WATER CONSERVATION - OTHER LOCAL CITIES TRAIL Okay so, according to a study released this week by the Sierra Club, the CITY OF LA VERNE came in second for water conservation in all of the southland cities.  I read it in our local paper, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.   That's pretty amazing considering we have recently lifted some of the bans on watering lawns.  And to tell you the truth, we actually haven't felt the water-pinch in our home.  So I guess water conservation can be done in a pain-free kind of way! Now if Southern California Edison would just catch up and move the baselines onto this day and age, I guess we'd all be okay. Edison seems to have older baselines and if you go above the amount lotted for... 07/14/2011

LA VERNE REAL ESTATE MARKET WATCH - JULY 2-8, 2011  Market Watch   New Listing (8)   Price Change (19)   Back On Market (4)   Backup Offer (3)   Expired (5)   Pending (5)   Sold (9)   Okay, so I was on vacation last week and was not able to do our weekly market watch.  So I apologize for being away, but we had a good time on our much-needed holiday! These past seven days in LA VERNE, there were eight new listings.  That's pretty good considering that nine closed.  So we sold one more house than came onto the market.  This is a good sign to me that things are finally starting to pick up and properties are actually beginning to close.  YEA!  Along those lines, there were more pending and backup sales than homes that fell out and went back on the market.  Eight pending/backup versus only ... 07/08/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (10)   Price Change (17)   Back On Market (4)   Backup Offer (4)   Expired (1)   Pending (11)   Sold (6)   Okay, so here goes nothin'!  (Just kidding)  Anyway, the La Verne Market Watch is a lot more volitale than the San Dimas.  Ten new homes have come onto the market.  If you're looking to buy a home in La Verne, you should check out all the new listings each week, day or month depending on how fast you want to move.  Of those ten homes that went on the home market, only two are short sales and the rest are standard sales.  Things seem to be looking up! Six homes have sold, YEA for those new home owners!  But seventeen price changes - again - REALLY?  It truly matters that you use an agent who knows their STUFF when pricing your home to sell!  Fifteen, yes... 06/24/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (7)   Price Change (14)   Back On Market (6)   Backup Offer (7)   Expired (1)   Pending (6)   Sold (6)   Okay, so here's this week's MARKET WATCH for the City of La Verne. It's more of the same, new listings are holding their own, seven went into escrow and have been marked "Backup Offers Only", and six have made it into escrow firmly as pending. Six actually made it to the SOLD file.   But once again, WOW, 14 price changes... with the quantity of homes being so low in La Verne, it seems like a huge amount where the prices have had to be lowered.  To be fair, many banks have, in the past, placed too high a value on homes that were to be sold as a short sale or bank owned property.  Recently, most of them have "gotten it" and been more in tune with the market... 06/17/2011

Okay, so, if you can't tell, I really enjoy the local CONCERTS IN THE PARK.  I have enjoyed meeting friends, sitting on those park blankets and sharing snacks and drinks while listening to really good music. This year, the concerts in LA VERNE will once again be held at HERITAGE PARK, Via de Mansion, La Verne, CA.  They will begin on Sunday, June 26th and be held every other Sunday evening at 6:30 pm.  It's a really fun date night or family time because even the kids get into the dancing! Conspicuously missing this year is the popular band, THE ANSWER.  This is personally sad for me because I ALWAYS make sure I can go when the are the band.  They play all sorts of CLASSIC ROCK and are sought after all over Southern California.  The Band's website (click above) says that they are going o... 06/15/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (9)   Price Change (14)   Back On Market (2)   Backup Offer (1)   Expired (0)   Pending (7)   Sold (6)   Okay, so this week in La Verne there are nine new listings.  Confidence seems to be coming back to the home market.  Six homes actually finished escrow and became sold... I love it that six families are sharing dinner in their new homes now.  After all, that's the goal, isn't it? AGAIN with the price changes?  Fourteen is an awful lot.  And while I understand we are in a declining market, it only makes sense to price it right the first time.  This is why it is of the utmost importance to use an agent who is experienced in pricing right... the FIRST time! It's exciting that seven homes went into escrow and if the indications in La Verne are correct, those ... 06/10/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (10)   Price Change (17)   Back On Market (3)   Backup Offer (4)   Expired (2)   Pending (5)   Sold (4)   Okay, so after last week's excitement in the City of La Verne, it seems like we are once again slowing down.  Three of the homes that were reported as in escrow (pending, backup offers) have fallen out and been placed back on the market.  With ten new listings coming on the market and only approximately five selling per week it would seem that we have a great supply of homes to choose from.  The fact that there were seventeen price changes indicates that the market is still sliding down; either that or agents are pricing things too high in the first place.  Therefore, it matters which agent you choose! The good news, four have been placed as back-up and ... 06/03/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (17)   Price Change (12)   Back On Market (3)   Backup Offer (6)   Expired (1)   Pending (5)   Sold (5)   Okay, so here in the CITY OF LA VERNE, the sales stand at five closed for the week.  That's really not bad when you consider that just like a month ago there was only one sale in the entire city!  And wow, 17 new listings!  It would seem that the confidence is coming back to the real estate marketplace!  The fact that there are six homes that were placed on the backup offer status means that six new escrows were opened.  All of this movement is exciting to me! Besides the upturn in the market, I also read an article talking about how rent prices are going up by leaps and bounds.  Lately it seems that the media at large has been trying to promote renting ... 05/27/2011

Okay so, this is my final post in the local series "Wine Tasting".  There are many more places locally to go, but I always feel like there should be five parts or three parts in a series, so I went for the overkill. Today's local blog covers "THE WINE TAILOR" a little place in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.  Once again, this about a 20 minute drive from La Verne unless you drive slower than me!  (HA!) To the right you will find a picture of THE THOMAS WINERY, circa 1900.  It boasts  that it is California's Oldest Winery.  If you like the history part of this, you can click HEREfor the history page, along with some interviews with the new owners on various shows like FoxNews, etc.  The Thomas Winery was in production through the mid 1960's.  The Thomas Winery building is a California Historical L... 05/23/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (14)   Price Change (16)   Back On Market (5)   Backup Offer (7)   Expired (6)   Pending (11)   Sold (1)   Okay, so WOW!  Fourteen new listings is really moving up.  And surprisingly the majority of these listings are standard sales and not REO'S or short sales which is actually good news for buyers and sellers alike.  Sellers because you can feel more comfortable putting your home on the market in this climate as more and more people are jumping back into the market.  And Buyers as you can get good deals which have comparable pricing to REO's and short sales without all the wait and red tape of bank sales.  WOOHOO!  Now is really the time to move in La Verne. So if you are thinking of buying or selling in the La Verne area, please give me a call.  I will be... 05/20/2011

Okay, so after a wonderful weekend in Mexico, it's time to get back into the blogging swing!  So, here goes nothin'! It was my friend's birthday and she wanted to go wine tasting.  Since she has been to many of the really local places we decided to take our guys and go out to Rancho Cucamonga which is actually only about four towns from La Verne.  It only takes about 20 minutes to get there... of course that's with me driving.  It may take you 30! Just a quick second to tell you a bit about Rancho.  Rancho Cucamonga is the home of the Victoria Gardens outdoor mall.  It's beautiful there.  People go there just to simply walk and have a wonderful time.  It'a blocks and blocks of shops and restaurants. And it's a newer town with newer homes and shops. The 210 freeway was just finished a f... 05/16/2011

New Listing (6)   Price Change (23)   Back On Market (3)   Backup Offer (10)   Expired (1)   Pending (4)   Sold (6)   Okay, so it looks like we are replnishing the inventory in La Verne as fast as it sold this week.  Six new listings and six complete sales.  There seem to be quite a few price reductions which could either be due to overpricing to begin with and/or the rate at which the prices are dropping.   Still, it's a fantastic time to buy or sell in the San Dimas/La Verne area.  If you are looking to buy or sell in this area, don't hesitate to give me a call.  I will be more than happy to assist your achieve your home goals. LA VERNE LIVING! *All stats are taken from the MRMLS. 05/13/2011

  Okay, so over the past few years I've noticed that WINE TASTING seems to be catching on more and more.  And with all of these blogs I'm writing about wine tasting, you'd think I was a total wino or something.  In reality, I have really only been wine tasting like four or five times.  In fact, not that I want to disappoint some of you, but when we open a bottle at home, nine times out of ten we end up forgetting about the rest of the open bottle and end up having to throw it away.  (I know, I'm a total disgrace to diehard wine drinkers everywhere!) BUT, I have thoroughly enjoyed the few times I have been to a wine tasting, so here's to part three! Part Three is featuring The Packing House in the beatutiful city of Claremont, California.  Claremont is home to the world-famous CLAREMONT ... 05/11/2011

Okay, so the San Dimas/La Verne Soroptimist Group is on the move!  They are giving out grants and awards like crazy! Personally I love this group.  I have a friend who belongs and every year I get to help with their "DRESS THE CHILD" event which they raise money for throughout the entire year.  The event is held in September for the new school year.  And I get the absolute priviledge of helping two or more children buy an entire outfit at the La Verne Target store.  So much fun!                                                               But I digress, back to the story at hand.  The annual fundraiser, "VIVA SOROPTIMIST!" for San Dimas/La Verne Soroptimist was help at the Avalon Complex at the Pomona Fairplex.  The monies they make from this event go to help fund the service projects ... 05/11/2011

Okay, so this upcoming Saturday, May 14th at David & Margaret Home is the annual COMMUNITY PICNIC. It's extra special this year because it is the 30th year that David & Margaret's Executive Diretor, Charles Rich has been with the home.  Congratultions to Mr. Rich! The picnic is Saturday, May 14th from 12-3pm and features games, prizes music and many booths to explore. And the best part, IT'S FREE! A bit about the center: David & Margaret as founded in 1910 as an orpahnage.  (Can you believe it!  Over 100 years of helping the youth and families in La Verne!) Today it boasts many programs for at risk teens including a transitional house for kids who have recently been emancipated from foster care as well as foster care services. There is an on-site school which most of the residents atten... 05/09/2011

Okay, so it's that time of year again.  Time when the weather begins to warm up and we can dine outside on the patio while watching the amazing sunset. Time for the kids to start asking if the pool is warm enough to go swimming in again.  Time to start planning that summer vacation, where to go, what to see.  And time to get together with friends and go wine tasting. So, I thought I'd share just a few of the amazing places near La Verne, CA to have a wonderful time.  This is part one in a series.   (That's Belle, my baby.  she's one of our two dogs and LOVES to swim!)       Glendora is a mere two towns away from LA VERNE.  My mother lives in Glendora and it's about  seven minute drive from my house to hers.  I grew up there. I have been told that the premier place in Glendora to wine ta... 05/05/2011

 Market Watch   New Listing (13)   Price Change (13)   Back On Market (7)   Backup Offer (1)   Expired (3)   Pending (6)   Sold (9)   Okay, so it looks like things are still escalating.  Nine homes actually sold, and Six are now in escrow all within the last week!  It's nice to finally see an upturn in the marketplace after all this time. If you are looking to buy or sell in the La verne area, please give me a call!  I'll be more than happy to assist you in achieving your home dreams! LA VERNE LIVING! *All information taken from the MRMLS.   05/04/2011