Tag Archives: long beach

Second Street, Belmont Shore Charm, Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

Summer is in full bloom and the it’s time where flip flops and t-shirts rule supreme on the Street. The Street is really Belmont Shore’s Second Street. The Street.

I love it. My time is spent working in the morning, then lunch. After that, I set out to the beach for a 15 minute meditation and light reading. Then it’s off to Polly’s for some coffee. As I call it, Polly’s is my second office.

I have my laptop, post many of the posts I write for my blog enjoying some decaf. Yes, I have to drink decaf now, it just makes me too hyper. And when I’m hyper I write more and get even more passionate and make tons of mistakes… But, hum, I digress. After a few fun conversations with the staff, I meet Virginia at the Belmont Athletic Club and work out mingling with the locals again. Ah, a nice sweat, a nice workout and a nice steam bath.

Yes, life is tough. Poor me. I just love the feel of Second street. Unfortunately it has changed a lot. Many local little shops were forced out with commercial rent climbing as it has over the years, opening doors to mall-like retail shops. I still feel these shops would be better left for malls and leave our Shore to us, aficionados and inveterate passionate, opinionated lovers of the good life.

Are Loans Getting Harder To Find?

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

If you read the news lately, everything centers on mortgage and loans. You can’t seem to read any news without reading about the mortgage mess. The other topic that was brought up at the office through a lender that came by to chat was that loans were getting harder to find. It’s made me wonder where the industry is going.

Wow, as we I was writing this, a lady walked in looking for a property. This is very pertinent because she more or less had an idea of what she was looking for and roughly for how much. The problem was she didn’t have enough for what she was looking for and most of all, the bank had given her those numbers two months ago. Things have changed. Whereas two months ago, you could walk to a lender and fairly easily qualify for a loan, it’s a whole different ball game today.

So I had to explain that in order to find a home for her that was what she was looking for, you need to have the bank tell you how much you can be approved for now.

Is it harder getting a loan today? Most likely it is. Is it a bad thing? Certainly not. When you think you could walk in to a lender and say you could afford so much a month and get approved on those grounds, it doesn’t take a genius to understand why we have the mess we have now.

Queen Mary Wine Crush Festival, Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

Wine enthusiasts can rejoice and head on over to the Queen Mary tomorrow for the Wine Crush Festival.

“Featuring over 100 vineyards pouring a multitude of various wines, the Wine Crush Festival offers wine sampling, opportunities to meet winemakers and live jazz.” sounds like fun.

Hope to see you there.

Who Goes Swimming In Long Beach?

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

Sadly enough, I know I don’t. In fact, I don’t think I know anyone who swims in our waters. It’s sad, especially when I have guests from all over the world visiting, I have to tell than that Long Beach is just that, long beaches but don’t swim in it unless you take a shower directly.

How many of us go swimming here? How many go to Seal Beach? Why should we, anyway? I have been watching the whole debate about the Breakwater. I learned that Alamitos Bay is sinking more than it idid before it was built. That was interesting and made the point brought by those opposing its removal moot, if it is true. So far, it looks like it is.

It doesn’t surprise me too much to see this article in Physorg.com about Long Beach scoring the worse water quality. After all, we have two extremely polluted rivers that dump onto our shores, neatly tucked behind a barrier to create a cesspool of floating debris and worse. And before I sound like I am blaming Dary DeLong for not backing the rest of the Council Members in a preliminary study of removing the Breakwater, I would surely like to know why he opposed it. Does he have a better plan?

It’s just sad to be called Long Beach and have one of the most dirtiest water. And yes, you can’t have everything. Having one of the world’s busiest arbor does not make for clean water at the same time. tough choice, but if there is something that could be done to improve our beaches and water, let’s look at it.

Is NAHB Losing Touch?

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

We all wonder, we all question their unbridled enthusiasm but when David F. Seiders, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders, said the unexpected weakness in recent months had caused him to shave his forecast for housing construction this year, makes me wonder what statistics he must have. Have I been reading the wrong news all this time? Hasn’t the market seriously dipped and obvious for anyone to see?

With sales of existing homes still falling 3.8% for the fourth consecutive month compared to levels last seen in November 2002 before the low interest rate frenzy, makes you seriously question these folks.

Again this casts a poor light on those bodies that represent us “professionals”. Still I can’t help but wonder how this professional find this “unexpected”…

Here is the original article.

Life Without The Press trelegram in Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

It’s been a few days since I’ve canceled the Press Telegram delivery home. I kind of got tired of the format and the on-going stream of bad news.

It all started when I couldn’t find my newspaper. So I would call and ask them to redeliver. Ultimately, I found a few months later newspapers thrown behind bushes and even in the fountain. The straw that broke the camel’s back was finding a newspaper thrown into my fragile cacti I was growing. I was fuming! I wrote them email but no one answered.

Then I took a long look at the newspaper. What was it offering me? I want Long Beach related news and I found it had some but didn’t cover as much as the free Grunion Gazette. Then, I surveyed the headlines and found most were horrible news about shootings in my city and neighboring ones. It became obvious that I could scan the same news online and read the Grunion with more insight on what is happening in my city.

Yes, it was weird opening the door on Monday morning and not seeing the paper there, and yes, it is strange not reading the comics but it just didn’t add up. Plus, the new line of comics doesn’t justify it until they bring back Overboard and this other one, I am drawing a blank on.

Oh, well, wish them luck as they negotiate a tough time in dealing with a new era where everything is on the Internet and readership of traditional papers dwindles. I think there is still a place for local newspapers. After all, I am really enjoying reading the Grunion Gazette every morning. I just need to make it last long enough for a week, with the help of the Long Beach Business Journal.

The Difficult Balancing Act The Fed Reserve Have, Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

It’s nothing short of difficult to be aware of the true nature of things and have the obligation of explaining the reality of it without sending an entire nation into a panic. Well, that’s how I see the Federal Reserve, balancing a tricky act of informing without spreading panic.

The Feds probably understand the market, at least how volatile it can get. That’s why, plenty of times, people either brush them off as not saying like it is or go and try to read in between the lines. If they say it like it is, plenty of folks will panic and send the market tumbling. If they don’t, no one will trust them. So they are caught in a balancing act, spoon feeding us until they admit, slowly, the nature of the economy. If you’ve watched them this past twelve months, they went from denial to being realistic. They are finally admitting that things are not as rosy and the the real estate market is somewhat of a drag on the economy.

Seeking Alpha (yes, again) had a great article submitted by Tate Dwinnell where he recaps how we are now being told the ways things are and even worse, fears of things to come.

If you have been reading my blog, you will remember how I said the first four to five months would have been great months in real estate had the news headlines been not so dramatic. Sending buyers into a wait and see attitude and sellers into a let’s-get-yesterday’s-prices, it was a stalemate. I think the door of opportunity is closing. Boy, how is that for pessimistic on my part. But it is based on my personal observation in the field as well as the specialized news.

Definitetely a good time to be a Realtor for those who do it out of passion. Tough times for those in it for the money.

Driving A Noble M12, Long Beach

Posted on by
1
Discuss on ooVoo

A few weeks ago I drove a pretty amazing car, a 2004 Noble M12. A noble, says you? Yes, a Noble. What’s a Noble? Well…. Seriously, it’s a great fun South African car. Noble has been around since 1999 though I know of a “Noble” in the late 50s. I don’t know if there are any relations.

True to the spirit of the 60s British/American racers, this South African street legal car is simply fantastic. A two seater on a very well developed chassis powered by a Ford V6 twin turbo pushing 350 hp, what more could you ask for for under $60,000?

Noblem12_side
The car looks good. It says: “Jump in, I want to go!”

It sounds good also. I was pleasantly surprised with the cockpit. Though it was tight, it was comfortable. Everything was within reach. The roll bar are covered with velvet and the sound of the engine, though present is not loud. The car is tight, very tight. What I mean by tight is that it’s glued to the road. It responds to any steering wheel stimulus and feedsback just enough of the road condition. As expected, it doesn’t bend or twists. It just is.

The engine was very well tuned at 35p hp, perfectly at ease on the streets between read lights. It also comes alive at 4,000 rpm and above. The sweet sound of the twin turbos excess pressure valve whistling makes you want to see how far it will go.

There is something to be said about modern cars with modern technologies but nothing beats a well designed chassis and well tuned engine. This car is a perfect day-to-day driver and will be equally happy on a track. And with a Ford engine, can you spell affordable maintenance?

This car is for sell.

Schipske’s Blog and Good Netiquette in Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

I have to admit, Gerry Schipske’s blog and newsletter are good.

Finally a council member who takes the time to inform her constituents, on her own, without using taxpayer’s money, at least according to her blog. This is the true essence of a blog, at least in my eyes.

Another good point, I started receiving her newsletter to my personal email account. At first I was not too happy but then I noticed the good taste in her netiquette, she asked if it was OK to send her newsletter in this manner and if not, she wouldn’t do it.

I’ve been thinking about a newsletter like this and with my business coach came up with the same idea.

That is good, proper netiquette, so Kudos Gerry Schipske. I am impressed and thankful of your consideration.

Median Price, Average Price, What’s It About, Long Beach

Posted on by
Reply
Discuss on ooVoo

There is nothing more confusing than the median price to most people. And rightfully so, why shouldn’t it when it is flaunted as a benchmark.

Basically, the median price means an equal number of homes sold above and below the median sales price. It does not reflect the average price. The average sales price means the number of home sales divided into the total sales prices of all homes sold during a specific time period.

I know statistical but important.

Lastly, if you truly want a more reflective price for your home, you look into comparables. However, that is a little difficult now days since homes take longer to sell and you have to dig deeper into the past. The more you look into the past, the less accurate the numbers and the less they reflect what today’s buyers are willing to pay, for good or worse.

The best way to get an idea of what the average price is, look at a specific area, keep an average of bedrooms, baths and square feet. Take into consideration price per square foot. Also, look to see if the properties are near schools, churches, highways as this can influence the overall appeal of a neighborhood. See how long the house has been on the market and if it has had price reductions. Then keep in mind neighbors. Go and drive at night and any time of the day to get a better feel.

Too much work? Well, that’s why there are professionals who do that. Yes, us agents. It’s a lot of work but our field knowledge is something that can help you determine whether or not this home is what you expected. At Robert Weil Associates, we work together with decades of in depth local community knowledge. We all pool our resources together.

Oh, the shameless advertising, Nick!