Monday, December 28, 2009

Green Tiip Of The Week - 12/26/09

Want an alternative to using disposable batteries, which leak toxic wastes into landfills and ground water? Switch to USB rechargeable AA batteries that do not require adapters or cables, but instead can be inserted into your laptop’s USB port—or other USB port—and be recharged hundreds of times. Visit http://www.usbcell.com/ for more info.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Green Tip Of The Week - 11/30/09

This holiday season, try online greeting cards or opt for recycled paper and cards that get second lives in the garden. Some cards are infused with seeds, which recipients can plant. Visit http://www.greenfieldpaper.com to learn more about these and other eco-friendly greeting cards.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Green Tip Of The Week - 11/18/2009

You can put a stop to receiving your predecessor’s mail and save a lot of trees in one stroke. The service is free. Visit http://www.ecologicalmail.org/ or call (800) 620-3975.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Green Tip of The Week - 11/12/09

It's flu seasonIt’s flu season and you know you’re supposed to wash your hands, but don’t neglect your feet and your home’s indoor air quality. The germs on your shoes find their way into your home and carpets. According to one study, 27 percent of the bacteria in the home are the E. Coli virus. For a healthy home, leave your shoes at the door.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended & Expanded

November 5, 2009

Good news for consumers and the housing market recovery. Following the Senate’s favorable vote yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives just voted 403 to 12 to extend the home buyer tax credit, expanding the parameters to include existing homeowners and not just first-time buyers. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation in short order. As it now stands, the federal tax credit will be extended through April 30, 2010, with a 60-day extension if a binding contract is in place prior to the deadline. First-time home buyers will continue to be eligible for a tax credit of up to $8,000, while existing homeowners will be eligible for a reduced credit of up to $6,500. To qualify for the $6,500 credit, existing homeowners must have lived in their current residences for at least five years. The bill also increases the qualifying income limits from $75,000 for single tax filers and $150,000 for joint filers to $125,000 and $225,000, respectively. The purchase price of the home is capped at $800,000 in both instances.Under additional provisions included in the bill, taxpayers can claim the credit on purchases completed in 2010 on their 2009 income tax returns. The legislation maintains the provision that home buyers do not have to repay the credit provided the home remains their primary residence for 36 months after purchase, and waives this requirement for active duty military personnel who move due to a military order. Nationwide, more than 1.4 million first-time home buyers were given the opportunity to become homeowners as a result of the Federal Tax Credit for First-time Home Buyers. We expect that number to increase dramatically in the months ahead with this new legislation in place.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

California Median Home Prices

September 09: $296,090 (Source: C.A.R.)Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region September 09: Santa Barbara So. Coast $750,000 (Source: C.A.R.)Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region September 09: High Desert $117,820 (Source: C.A.R.)

Green Tip of The Week - 11/5/09

Recycling cooking grease, especially if you're a fan of those giant turkey fryers, is a better option than clogging sinks and sewers. One use for it is powering biodiesel vehicles. To find recycling centers, visit www.earth911.com and type in “cooking oils.”

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Green Tip of the Week - 10/20/2009

If you're traveling, consider staying at green hotels. Hunt for green lodging at http://www.istaygreen.org/.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Just Sold 2600 Sq Ft Home In Horsethief Canyon

4 Bedroom/3 Bath/2600 Sq Ft Home
This family home has been totally refurbished with the finest of details throughout. The home is an entertainer's delight. Enjoy both formal & casual dining area, fireplace in the family room, formal living room, 1 bedroom and 1 bath downstairs. The Master Suite is private and has a functional retreat area. Views of the hillsides surround this home.
Located in the highly desired familyoriented area of Horsethief Canyon.

Green Tip of the Week: 10/1/09

Whole Foods accepts #5 plastics
If your city doesn’t have curbside recycling, then recycling #5 plastics (cottage cheese, prescription drug, and yogurt containers) can be cumbersome. One option is to drop your #5 plastic containers off at designated Whole Foods locations. These containers can be remade into items such as razors, toothbrushes, cutlery, and mixing bowls -- all of which are fully recyclable.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Just Listed In "The Woods"

CLEAN, updated home located in the tranquil, serene WOODS area of Lake Forest with virtually no street noise. This home is surrounded by beautiful, lush trees along a creek. The home is move-in ready – just bring your personal items and move right in. Living room, formal dining room, family room and kitchen all flow well along with the wrap around deck – perfect for entertaining – all set in an area which makes you feel you like you are on a permanent vacation. Great school district – what more do you need? The kitchen boosts granite countertops along with Stainless Steel Appliances. The downstairs bathroom has been recently updated. Become a member of the Sun & Sail Club with the purchase of this home – offers pools, exercise room, lake access, basketball, volleyball, etc. This is the home you have been waiting for – and it is a standard sale, no waiting for banks to make a decision. All offers will be responded to in a timely manner. This home is clean and move in ready.

Green Tip Of The Week - 9/3/2009

Keep in mind this summer that your oven and stove generate a lot of heat, which causes your air-conditioning to turn on more frequently. Consider cooking outside on the grill or cook in a microwave

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Green Tip Of The Week - 8/26/3009

Save eight to 18 gallons of water per minute by using a broom to clean sidewalks, patios, and driveways.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Green Tip Of The Week - 8/20/2009

Save 30 to 60 gallons of water each time you water per 1,000 square feet by planting drought-resistant trees and plants. Visit www.saveourH2O.org for more water-saving tips.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Green Tips For August - Conserving Water

1. Repair leaks. According to the American Water Works Association, leaks account for 5.5% of residential water use. This amounts to approximately 21.9 gallons per household, per day.

2. Replace older toilets with high efficiency toilets. Toilets use the largest amount of water inside the home. This makes them a great target for water savings.

3. Replace your old clothes washer with a high efficiency clothes washer. Clothes washers use the second largest amount of water inside the home.

4. Water only when your plants need it. According to landscape professionals, over-watering is the most common problem associated with home landscape.

5. Plant the right plants for our arid climate. With increasing demand for water and reduced supply (due to both climatological and regulatory constraints), southern California landscapes need to transition from traditional turf-intensive landscapes to California Friendly landscapes.

Monday, August 3, 2009

In The News - August 1, 2009

Sales of new, single-family homes in June reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 384,000, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. June’s sales are an encouraging 11 percent higher than the revised May rate of 346,000, but are still 21.3 percent below June 2008’s estimate of 488,000.

The median sales price for new homes sold in June was $206,200 and the average sales price was $276,900. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new homes for sale at the end of June was 281,000, which represents a supply of 8.8 months at the current sales rate.

Where durable goods are concerned, new orders for manufactured durable goods in June decreased by $4.1 billion (2.5 percent) to $158.6 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The sobering drop followed two consecutive months of increases, including a favorable 1.3 percent jump in May. Transportation orders were a main factor in June’s drop, according to the bureau. Without them, new orders would have increased 1.1 percent.

The drops in orders were in line with news that the nation’s real gross domestic product — the output of goods and services produced by U.S. labor and property — dropped at an annual rate of 5.5 percent in the first quarter of 2009, according to the of Bureau of Economic Analysis. This followed a fourth-quarter drop in real GDP of 6.3 percent.

The bureau chalked up the Q1 decrease to negative contributions from exports, equipment and software, private inventory investment, nonresidential structures, and residential fixed investment that were partly offset by a positive contribution from personal consumption expenditures.

This week, keep an eye out for news on construction spending (Aug. 3) and factory orders (Aug. 5) from the Census Bureau; auto and truck sales (Aug. 3), as reported by the various manufacturers; personal income (Aug. 4) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the average workweek (Aug. 7) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and consumer credit (Aug. 7) from the Federal Reserve.

Monday, June 1, 2009


Just Sold

5 Bedroom/5 Bath Home in Ladera Ranch
This environmentally friendly Terramor Village home was designed "Green" with solar power energy. The gourmet kitchen, granite countertops, professional grade stainless steel appliances and generous center island overlook an exceptionally large family room with built-in media center, which is only upstaged by this home's sweeping
panoramic views.
Peaceful & Serene describes both the view from this executive home and
the lushly landscaped back yard.
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Let Us Introduce Ourselves

It is our pleasure to introduce ourselves and offer our services to you. As real estate representatives in your area we’ve had the opportunity to help many homebuyers find their ideal homes. We look forward to working with you, too!

Buying a new home is one of the largest financial transactions that most people ever undertake. Because the process can be lengthy and sometimes confusing, we want you to know that we will be here to help you through every step. Our goal is to help you find the home of your dreams and also make your home buying experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.

When you are ready to purchase your next home, we welcome the opportunity to represent you. In the meantime, we will provide you with valuable information about homeownership, the real estate market and many other helpful topics by email.

We would be happy to answer any questions you might have about buying, financing or current market conditions. We can also send you listings of suitable properties currently on the market where you want to live. Our services include helping you find a home, arrange financing, negotiate the purchase, and handle the details to ensure a smooth closing.

When you are thinking about buying a home, there are always plenty of questions to ask. Please don't hesitate to call or email us any time if we can help you with this. Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.