This 1920's Tudor style home is typical of the era's interest in bungalow-style houses with a variety in architectural styles. Come to the open house at 243 Mira Mar Ave., on Saturday, March 22 from noon-4 pm. Its roominess is surprising considering the 1444 square feet contained in the 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and formal dining room. Picture windows in the living room and front bedroom (or den) add style, and a lot of light. List price: $775,000. Try taking a look yourself. As you can see from the information below, it's a better time to buy, and many sources are hinting that .... see more 03/18/2008

Posted on Fri Mar 14, 2008 @ 3:26 am by KMulhearn Recently, there has been a lot of talk about how raising the FHA loan limits last week would affect us in the real estate markets. Long Beach, Ca.  Recently, there has been a lot of talk about how raising the FHA loan limits last week would affect us in the real estate markets.   Considering that in the six counties of Southern California that the average sales price in January, 2008 was $415,000.00 and that this was down from $505,000.00 back in February 2007.  STOP!  Did everyone just get that?  Southern California home prices have come down $90,000.00 in just twelve months and currently 21% of all sales are foreclosures that have been resold into the marketplace.   Clearly, this downward pressure on the real estate prices and with re... 03/14/2008

WCR = Womens Council of Real Estate.  WCR LongBeach South Bay is my chapter.Inman news today! Want to know what top news is up for them? Its networking!  Whoa. Isn't that already what they do? Isn't that what Active Rain is all about too, YES.So what is all this about? What got this started? Who are the Players?This is not only networking it is a network. The WCR jumped on an brainchild blog network called http://www.domusconsultinggroup.com/ owners Kevin Boer and Pat Kitano work with Brokers, Title, lenders and tech investment companies. They network with all these groups to put blog networks together. There is teaching and training for agents that want to go forward and need more tools. Then Voila!The network is in place. They began in N. California with http://www.homescopes.com/  WC... 03/12/2008

Will consumer spending save the day, as UCLA economists say? I don't think the foreclosures however are related just to falling prices and escalating interest rates, the majority are related to the loans these borrowers obtained and could not sustain when their payments changed, "falling prices and escalating interest rates" is just a roundabout way of putting it.  Will the Federal Reserve's infusion of $200 billion into the financial institutions prevent a recession? And, did you know that title companies--at least during the hot selling market--have been the source of short-term funds for the Federal Reserve? (I don't think you'll see an article in any newspaper about that.) See more real estate information about Long Beach California and Long Beach Condos and Homes For Sale Julia Hun... 03/11/2008

DON'T FORGET... Before going to bed tonight, change your clocks one hour forward.While you're at it, this is a good time to change batteries in smoke detectors and CO2 detectors.Ever wonder how and when Daylight Savings Time started?  It's been around since the time of Benjamin Franklin and has been a controversial subject.Check out this website for lots of interesting information and anecdotes:  http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/LONG BEACH REAL ESTATE 03/08/2008

This week, our real estate team opened more escrows than we have in months. When I spoke to our escrow officer, I learned their company had experienced the same kind of sudden pick-up in business.With the announcement of new FHA loan limits, buyers suddenly have easier access to financing with flexible underwriting criteria and low down payment options. Certainly, everyone predicted that that would help prompt a recovery in our sluggish market.But from where I sit here in the trenches in Long Beach, CA, there seems to be something else in the air. For more than a year, we've been hearing from a number of buyers that they're waiting until the market hits bottom. What we're hearing now is that they think this may be a good time to buy.I think they're right.   Check out this graph that sho... 03/07/2008

For those waiting for the perfect time to buy, now may be the time to jump off the fence. Last month, we saw prices begin to stablilize in Long Beach and Lakewood. This month, we've seen the pace of sales pick up locally. And by now, anyone interested in buying has probably heard the big news -- FHA loan limits were increased. Beginning today, HUD will offer temporary FHA loan limits ranging from $271,050 to $729,750. Both Los Angeles and Orange County qualify for the highest limit based on median prices here. ""Many families all over the U.S. will benefit from this access to credit, and increasing these loan limits will inject much-needed liquidity into the housing market," FHA Commissioner/Assistant Secretary for Housing Brian Montgomery was quoted as saying. The change was benefit of... 03/06/2008

When I sold my Long Beach house last fall, I was sad that the hundreds of bulbs I've planted over the years would be blooming in someone else's garden. Of course, I was also pleased to be finally closing escrow in this down market, I went out and bought myself some more bulbs.I planted those bulbs in my new yard and set in for the cold winter. OK, so I'm in sunny Southern California but we're wimps here so it feels cold to us. And the real estate market, well it's been cold for sure.This week, daffodils came up in my new yard and three offers on longtime listings came over my fax machine. I'm thinking maybe the winter is over. I know the calendar says spring doesn't come officially until March 21st but I'm hoping this is a sign it's coming early this year! Hope blooms eternal, and daffo... 02/28/2008

 Although Long Beach, CA is a major city -- the fifth largest in California -- it offers a number of quaint, historical neighborhoods. Long Beach boasts 17 separate historic districts. Each one is rich with architectural charm and history.A drive through these historic districts will take you back in time... Here's where they are:   BELMONT HEIGHTS - Boundaries are Newport Avenue, Roswell Avenue, 4th Street & 7th Street. Includes some Victorian homes, Mission Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor, and Neo-Traditional. The Craftsman Bungalow style is prevalent here.BLUFF HEIGHTS -- Boundaries are Junipero Avenue, Redondo Avenue, 4th Street and Broadway (but excluding Carroll Park and Lowena Drive historic districts). The Craftsman Bungalow style is prevalent in this area.BLUFF PARK --... 02/28/2008

  Daylight Saving Time begins March 9 and we "spring forward" - that is, turn our clocks ahead one hour.Our family uses this time to change our toothbrushes, go to our dentist for a cleaning.We can also take this time to check the pilots for our heaters and stoves.  Clean out the filters for your airconditioning.  If you still have not done it, it is a good time to give your car a tune up or an oil change.It's also the perfect time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.  Though seven out of eight homes have smoke detectors, one-fourth of them don't work due to dead or missing batteries.  Don't be part of that statistic.  Dead batteries can't save lives! 02/25/2008

Belmont Heights is lcoated just above Naples and Belmont Shore in Long Beach. This community is located just blocks from the ocean and has easy access to downtown long beach as well as the entertainment of second street. Many in the area have short commutes into Orange County or into Downtown Long beach.As of today there are just 61 choices for homes available in this area and the average home price is over $900,000. Once can choose from Craftsman style, tudor, and traditional style homes. With so few choices make sure to check out all of the ones in your price range as for many this may only mean 4 homes. The area has, for the most part, has not seen prices decline due to the care of the owners and the desireability of the area. 02/25/2008

What is the market doing in Long Beach, California?   What has been going on over the the past six months?  Is the credit crunch affecting individuals buying homes? Here is the average SOLD price per square foot in Long Beach for the past 6 months... 08/2007     $493 09/2007     $461 10/2007     $431 11/2007     $414 12.2007     $383 01/2008     $396 There is still plenty of money available for purchasing a home.  Before you decide to start shopping in Long Beach, California there are several things going on in the mortgage market that you should be aware of.  To find out how these changes  affect you, you should speak to a qualified lender.  The lender I use and refer to my friends and family is Nate Lindsey.  You can inquire by email to nathaniel.j.lindsey@bankersfundingcompany.com . ... 02/18/2008

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, one of which we all have exception abilities.  I can't say how many times I have said - I wish I had bought that house, or stock or not sold that house or bought that duplex, if I only knew.  Remember when we could have bought that one for $300,000- now it is $800,000- well today maybe $700,000.  Still I wish I had bought it back when.  No one in real estate or in stock investing can predict the bottom. You will see the bottom in your rear view mirrow as the prices go up.  All things will cycle and we will cycle back up in real estate and in the near future.  We do not want you to be saying a few years from now- oh I wish I had bought back in 08- look where it is now.  Interest rates are still good, and with changes in conforming loan limits this is an op... 02/16/2008

We often hear from potential buyers that they're still waiting to purchase a home because we haven't hit the bottom of the market yet. They say they know that prices are going to continue to fall and they want to wait. But how will they know when we're there? Will there be an official word from someone?  Perhaps a skywriter announcing it with a banner? Or maybe the media will tell us and we'll believe them? Because as I recall, the media told us for years that prices were going to decline before it finally happened. Over the past nine years, I've talked to many, many buyers who were waiting until prices came down. I've seen buyers pass up homes for $250K, $350K, $400K in neighborhoods where homes later sold for $600K, $700K or more. Yes, those homes have now declined in value but not to... 02/15/2008

The past year's news about the mortgage industry has produced little but doom and gloom for homebuyers. But there's good news on the horizon. The economic stimulus bill, poised to become law, would increase maximum loan limits for "conforming loans" -- taking them to $729,750 in the pricey Long Beach, CA market.This change will make "jumbo" loans less expensive. Right now, a loan for $400,000 carries an interest rate of almost 1% lower than a loan for $450,000! That's a big difference!For Long Beach, CA homebuyers, this will finally mean that they can purchase entry-level home loans without paying hefty jumbo loan interest rates!   02/11/2008

Closed sales in the 90815 area of Long Beach (Los Altos and surrounding areas) as reported to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for January 2008 showed a slight increase in the median price from the previous month but was still lower than reported for January 2007. See below: Meanwhile, the time it takes to sell a home, average "days on market," showed a decline from the previous month but was slightly higher than reported for January 2007. See below: And the total number of home sales reported as closed were slightly lower than reported the previous month as well as lower than in January 2007. See below: 02/11/2008

Median prices in Wrigley reported to the MLS for January 2008 showed a slight increase from the previous month but were significantly lower than reported in January 2007. See below: Meanwhile, the number of homes reported as sold in the MLS was lower than for the previous month and lower than reported in January 2007. See below:   And the time it takes to sell a home, or "days on market," was lower in January 2008 than for the previous reporting month and lower than for January 2007. See below 02/11/2008

Statistics reported to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for January 2008 show a decline in median prices over the previous month but higher prices than were reported in January 2007. See below:  Meanwhile, "days on market," the time it takes to sell a home, continued to climb. See below:  For the same reporting period, the number of Units Sold, as reported to the MLS, declined. See below: 02/11/2008

The latest month's closed sales in Long Beach (as reporte in the Multiple Listing Service) showed a level-off of median prices for the first time in several months.  Meanwhile, the number of homes that closed escrow in January 2008 showed a decline over the previous month and was considerably lower than posted in January last year. See below:  Also, "days on market," the time it takes to sell a home, was slightly down from the previous month but up from January of last year.   02/11/2008

Long Beach, Ca.   Today I was informed that Bank of America has arbitrarily decided to charge good customers higher interest rates because of falling FICO scores.  This is an extremely serious situation which could effect thousands of good credit card borrowers.  Please read:  The Credit Card that you might want to toss.We as good borrowers have to ask ourselves:  What the heck is going on?  Why on earth would Bank of America or any other credit card lenders punish good clients?   Nortorious Mortgage Bankers take your gloves off and fight!It is obvious that the accountants in the Bank of America credit card division are searching for some way to shore up massive losses.  Perhaps this if from their lending division gone South shocked at the massve losses Countrywide is forecasting???.  R... 02/08/2008