You’ve found your dream Ventura County home. Now it’s time to cross all your T's and dot all your I's before it’s all your own. One of the first items on your closing checklist is the home appraisal. This also happens to be one of the fees buyers pay that you might not have been aware of before now. So, what exactly is that? What happens during it? What does the lender do with after they receive it?Your Guide to a Ventura County Home AppraisalWhat is It?The home appraisal essentially provides a value assessment of the home and property. A certified third party conducts the appraisal. Your mortgage provider hires them. Lenders use this report to determine whether the home is priced appropriately. If it comes in too low, they may choose to deny the buyer a loan.What Happens During an Appr... 07/18/2022

When purchasing a new Ventura County home, you must do in-depth research on all facets of the homebuying process. You need to understand how to best protect yourself and your investment if anything were to go wrong. Check out the information on homeowners insurance versus home warranty below to educate yourself on your options.The Difference Between Homeowners Insurance and a Home WarrantyHomeowners InsuranceHomeowners insurance pays for any accidental damages and loss that are caused by fire, lightning strikes, windstorms, and hail. This includes damage from wildfires, which is important for California homeowners who face threats from wildfires every year. However, damage from earthquakes and floods is typically not covered. It also covers the replacement of personal property in case o... 07/05/2022

Whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned veteran, the negotiation part of the transaction can be a little daunting and stressful. However, negotiating is necessary to ensure that you are getting the best possible deal for your money. So, what should you negotiate when buying a Ventura house? Well, we're glad you asked.What to Negotiate When Buying a Ventura HouseClosing CostsIn addition to other "hidden fees" when buying a Ventura house, you need to thing about closing costs. Your closing costs are determined by a variety of factors. According to Harbor View Funding, Ventura home buyers pay between 1% and 3% of the purchase price. For a $750,000 home, that means paying anywhere from $7500 to $22,500. And that in addition to your down payment. Ask the seller to cover some or ... 06/20/2022

You’ve most likely heard this rule: "save for a 20% down payment before you buy a home". The logic behind saving 20% is solid. It shows that you have the financial discipline and stability to save for a long-term goal (like buying a Ventura home). It also helps you get favorable rates from lenders. But there can actually be financial benefits to putting down a smaller down payment—as low as 3%—rather than parting with so much cash up front, even if you have the money available. How do you decide whether the smaller down payment strategy is the right decision for you or not?Which Down Payment Strategy is Right for You?The DownsideThe downsides of a small down payment are pretty well known. You’ll have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) for years. The lower your down payment, the mor... 06/06/2022

Hunting for a new Ventura County home online is a great place to start your search. In fact, the National Association of REALTORS® found that 90% of home buyers used their computers at some point during the home buying process to look at properties for sale. But this should not be your end all be all. Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, However, you need to keep in mind that there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture when house hunting online, keep the following three things in mind.Top Tips for Ventura House Hunting OnlineStay Up to DateWhen you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) whe... 05/17/2022

Staging your Ventura home is all about putting its best foot forward for potential buyers. By highlighting its most desirable features, you can draw more interest to your home and leave a lasting impression that is sure to help you sell it more quickly. Here are some staging strategies you should keep in mind as you prepare for your next open house or viewing!Staging Strategies for Your Ventura County HomeHelp Them Visualize it as Their OwnMake it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal memorabilia, knick-knacks, and photos. Instead, replace them with simple décors, such as paintings, nature images, and plants.Think Sleek Instead of ComfyToday's home buyers are leaning toward modern, crisp, clean interiors over comfy, homey looks. When s... 05/02/2022

Purchasing a home is arguably one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. As you start your hunt, don't forget there will be costs associated with your purchase other than the price of the Ventura home. Here are five hidden fees to keep in mind as you begin to budget.Hidden Fees to Be Aware of When Purchasing a Ventura HomeHome InspectionThis is a crucial step in the home buying process. The findings that come from the inspection can help you negotiate price and repairs. Generally, you can expect to pay between $300 to $500 depending on the home and the location. Manta reports that Ventura home buyers pay between $237 and $535 for a home inspection, depending on the size and location of the property.Title ServicesTitle services encompass the transfer of the ti... 04/18/2022

Easter Sunday takes place on April 17th. But the Easter Bunny plans on making a visit to a few locations around our area to hide eggs beforehand. The fun begins this weekend in Ventura's Plaza Park and ends the day before Easter Sunday in Camarillo. Read on to find out more about this year's Ventura County Easter egg hunts.Ventura County Easter Egg Hunts 2022Camarillo Easter Egg HuntStarting this Friday (April 8th), the search for 24 Easter eggs begins at the Camarillo Community Center. Between the 8th and 16th, make your way around the center to look for 16 giant eggs and eight "challenge" eggs. First, download your bingo card to keep track of every egg you find. Find all the eggs in one row of the card to receive a goody bag. If you find all of the eggs to fill out the entire card, yo... 04/04/2022

According to wedding blog Maroo, California couples pay an average of $39,000 for their wedding. If buying a Ventura home falls next on your list, you need to save up even more money. For an $800,000 home, that means saving anywhere from $24,000 to $160,000 for your down payment alone. Tack on another 3% to 6% of the sale price for closing costs. That may feel a bit overwhelming. Keep these home buying tips in mind before you start looking for your newlywed pad for a smooth, successful transaction.Home Buying Tips for Newlywed Couples in VenturaWhat's the Score?Most lenders look for a credit score of at least 620 from their borrowers. This is the bottom line for a reasonable rate. However, scores of 740 or higher grant you access to the best terms and interest rates. So, you and your si... 03/21/2022

Mermaid Month is back at Ventura Harbor Village. For most folks, March conjures up images of either basketball (Hello, March Madness) or St. Patrick's Day (the parade takes place on March 16th). But for Ventura Harbor Village, March means mermaids! And that includes plenty of mermaid-themed fun all around the village all month long.Mermaid Month 2022Mermaid Meet & GreetLast year, COVID put the kibosh on the Mermaid Meet and Greet. But this year, it's back! From 1 pm to 5 pm this Sunday, March 13th, and the following Sunday (the 20th), come meet our lovely mermaids live and in person. To show your friends that mermaids are real, take a photo with them.Mermaid Chalk ArtOn March 13th, visit with the mermaids and then go see a live chalk demo by local artist Lysa Ashley. She also plans on s... 03/07/2022

National Clam Chowder Day takes place this Friday, February 25th. But, really, clam chowder offers the perfect antidote to a chilly winter evening. As a bonus, share your thoughts and photos about this seafood elixir in the Ventura Harbor Village and you might just win a prize.What: National Clam Chowder Day 2022Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: Friday, February 25thCelebrate Clam Chowder Day and Win a PrizeIn a bowl, in a cup, or in some sourdough bread. Clam chowder is divine. And if you eat some in the Harbor Village this month, you could be entered to win a $25 gift card to use at one of the harbor's restaurants later. Ten winners will be chosen at random from all entries received by the end of the month.How to EnterThere are two ways to enter the Harbor Village's Chowder Giveaway ... 02/21/2022

Valentine's Day falls on a Monday this year. So, you might want to celebrate your love a little early. How? By showing our local artists some love at the Ventura Art Market (aka VC Art Market) this Saturday, February 12th. Then, go on a quest for painted rocks with a decidedly "love"-ly theme throughout the Ventura Harbor Village.What: VC Art Market 2022Where: California St & Santa Clara in Downtown Ventura When: Saturday, February 12th, 10 am to 4 pmAdmission: FREEContact: VC Art Market emailVentura Art Market 2022We love our art and artists here in Ventura County. The annual Art and Street Festival takes place every September. And Ventura itself is home to over a dozen fantastic art galleries. So, if you and your love fancy yourself a connoisseur (or just a simple fan) or all things a... 02/07/2022

When you’re getting ready to list your home, it’s of the utmost importance to ensure you are showing it in the best light. Taking time to highlight its strengths and repair some of its possible weaknesses can make a big difference in how fast it sells. Here are our top four recommended repairs to make before selling your Ventura home.What to Repair Before You List Your Ventura HomeRepaint WallsGiving your Ventura home a fresh coat of paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to spruce it up, and generally, it can be a do-it-yourself project. Make sure to cover any walls with scratches and chips and consider updating any accent walls with a more neutral coat.Repair FloorsHardwood floors are a very desirable feature in a Ventura home, so you want to ensure they look their best by fixin... 01/17/2022

If buying a new Ventura area home sits atop your 2022 "to do" list, you need to make sure you get your credit in order first. The higher your credit score, the better your interest rate. It might take some time to get your credit in good shape. Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your credit score before you start looking for your next Ventura home.Improve Your Credit Score#1 - Pull Your Credit ReportThere are three primary credit reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Not all creditors report your info to all three agencies. Each agency may receive different information to determine your score. Therefore, you may see vast differences in your score between the three. Lenders tend to use the middle score for mortgage loans. Since they vary, you need to mak... 01/03/2022

Real estate in Ventura County tends to slow down a little during the holidays. People tend to focus their efforts on Christmas shopping, spending time with family, and holiday parties. We hit our hottest time in spring. But that does not mean that buyers refuse to look for homes during the winter. In fact, the ones looking for properties right now are very serious home buyers. Follow these simple winter home selling tips if you want to sell your home soon.Winter Home Selling TipsKeep Holiday Decorations to a MinimumMany people enjoy decorating for the holidays. Even though you put your Ventura home on the market during the winter time, you can still decorate. Just keep things simple and minimal. Instead of looking like Santa's North Pole toy shop, add a few natural elements here and the... 12/20/2021

Thanksgiving may be over, but the spirit of giving should never end. We only have 19 days until we celebrate Christmas Day. While you run around conducting your errands for Christmas dinner, add a few extra items to your grocery cart. Then, consider donating them to one of the Ventura food pantries. Your heart fills with joy when helping others. A couple of other ways to get you into the Christmas spirit could be going to see the Ventura Tree Lighting or watching the Parade of Lights.Ventura Tree LightingThis Friday, December 10th, Downtown Ventura lights up the Christmas tree located right outside of the Mission. Starting at 6 pm, gather 'round the tree. At dusk, they flip the switch on the lights. I hear that Santa promises to make an appearance around 7 pm. But he can only stay for a... 12/06/2021

Next week, we celebrate Thanksgiving. For many, this means gathering with our families, sharing a meal, and counting the blessings bestowed upon us over the past year. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of either family or food on the table. According to Food Share Ventura, one in six people in Ventura County experiences food insecurity. That means, more likely than not, you know of someone in this situation. One way to show how grateful you are this holiday season is to donate to local Ventura food pantries.Ventura Food Pantries Welcome Holiday DonationsThe holidays can be a particularly rough time for some people. When you go shopping, consider adding a few extra items to your cart. Then, donate them to a local food pantry. In turn, these pantries make sure that the goods are ... 11/15/2021

Ernest Hemingway once said, "there is no friend as loyal as a book." Books open the world up to everyone, no matter what their financial or geographical situation happens to be at the moment. Libraries help make these adventures available to everyone. To help clear out old inventory and raise money for programs provided by all of Ventura's libraries, come to the Ventura Bag o' Books Sale this Saturday, November 6th.What: Ventura Bag o' Books Sale 2021Where: EP Foster Library (651 E Main St)When: Saturday, November 6th, 10 am to 3 pmContact: Ventura Friends of the Library via emailVentura Bag o'Books Sale 2021The Ventura Friends of the Library organized this special book sale as a fun way to help out the libraries as well as the public. Pick up some books to fill your home library up at ... 11/01/2021

Halloween is less than two weeks away. Ventura Harbor Village hosts their Seaside Skeleton Hunt over Halloween weekend. That sounds like a ton of fun. But have you picked up your pumpkin yet? No better time than the present! Any one of these Ventura County pumpkin patches can help you find the perfect pumpkin to make your jack-o-lantern dreams come true this year.Ventura County Pumpkin PatchesCamarillo Pumpkin PatchPeace Lutheran (71 Loma Dr) - Open 1 pm to 7 pm October 24th to 31st. Includes tractor-pulled hayrides and a haunted house. Join them on the 24th for their special Peace Pumpkin Fest.Fillmore Pumpkin PatchesEMIS Pumpkin Patch (2600 Old Telegraph Rd) - Open 8 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday, and 7 am to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Freshly picked pumpkins for sale at their sh... 10/18/2021

In Ventura, you never worry about finding fun things to see and do. Of course, we saw fireworks shows all over Ventura County on July 4th. In August, we experienced a sort of revised Ventura County Fair with SummerFest 2021. Last month, the Ventura Art and Street Fair filled Ventura Harbor Village with beautiful artwork. This month, we celebrate all things "spooookkky" with the Seaside Skeleton Hunt.What: Seaside Skeleton HuntWhere: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: October 30th & 31st, 2021Contact: Ventura Harbor Village (805) 477-0470Seaside Skeleton HuntVentura Harbor Village hosts many family-friendly events throughout the year. October proves no exception. As part of the Halloween fun, they scheduled a skeleton hunt this month for all good little boils and ghouls. But these skeletons are... 10/04/2021