Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Holiday lights in the Landing II tract of Woodbridge, Irvine.

Feast your eyes on this short video I shot of the holiday lights in the Landing II tract of Woodbridge, Irvine.

Spectacular light displays on the Landing II homes are a hallmark of the holiday season in many areas of Woodbridge but none rival the displays on these "Landings II" homes.

The diplays are creative, with thousands and thousands of light bulbs creating amazing scenes, many of them animated, like a really cool moving snowman on a home on Laurelglen.

If you have some free time one of these evenings, take a drive through Landing II, and enjoy!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Ducks, seagulls & a rainbow in Woodbridge, Irvine today.

Finally, a break from the rain this afternoon!

I was driving alongside South Lake in Woodbridge, Irvine today and was amazed to
see so many seagulls in the water, grabbing the final hour of sunshine.

There was an amazing rainbow in the sky, but by the time I scurried across the
street and took my camera out of my bag, it had almost disappeared.






If you look closely, you'll see the bottom part of it just above the house in the center of the photo, just slightly above the pot of gold :)




Monday, December 6, 2010

Woodbridge inventory of homes for sale down again.

The number of Irvine homes for sale dropped for the third straight month in November, to 855. This includes both condos & single family homes.

This is 84% of the number of homes that were for sale in August, (1,014).

Well, it's clear that inventory has been dropping but what about sales? An average of 148 Irvine homes have sold each month since August, which is below the 12-month average of 168 homes selling each month.

Look at the Market Activity Index chart below. If the trend continues, this month's inventory will be even lower than last month's, and then it should rise again in January.

The average Days on Market for the active Irvine homes rose from 192 days in September, to 206 days in October, to 217 days in November, to 220 days this month! Going up!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

All Woodbridge homes that sold last month were standard sales.

All 11 Woodbridge homes that sold last month were standard sales.

Compare that with the rest of Irvine where only 73% of November sales were standard sales.

The lowest-priced one was a 3 bedroom Somerset standard sale at $373,500 which was on the market for 69 days. The highest priced one was a Landing II home on Emerald, which sold for $1,100,000 after 144 days on the market.

Woodbridge home shoppers can choose from 98 homes for sale, ranging in size from 900 square feet to 4,600 square feet!

As usual, there is a huge price range too, from $249,000 for a 2 bedroom attached condo short sale on Rockwood, all the way up to $$1,149,000 for a 3 bedroom attached condo on Lakeview. Besides incredible lake views, as the street name suggests, the home has mountain views too.

It's interesting to note that although November sales in Woodbridge, Irvine is down from 16 in October, 35 homes are in Backup Offers or Pending status. As 15 of these are standard sales, December looks to be a high escrow-closing month!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Free 4 bedroom house!

I ran a full-color half-page newspaper ad yesterday with the heading "FREE IRVINE HOUSE".

Here's the actual ad.



I hope everyone has a chuckle, and that someone puts in an offer!

See the house at 2Glenoaks.com

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Irvine is definitely in a Buyer's Market now

Irvine is definitely in a Buyer's Market now, with 961 homes for sale at the end of September, and only 159 sales. Of course this doesn't mean that some Irvine areas & tracts aren't in a Neutral or Seller's Market.

The number of homes for sale dropped slightly from end-August's number of 992.

If 159 homes are sold again this month, it will take over six months to sell all the inventory, assuming no other homes come on the market, and none of the homes offered for sale expire or are cancelled or withdrawn.

Here is a snapshot of the activity in Irvine during the past year.

See how sales have been dropping every month since May, and the number of homes for sale has increased every single month since December.... until now.

Is the decrease in the number of homes for sale in September the start of a downward trend?

I believe that the end-October inventory number will be lower than last month's, and I believe that the end November number will be even lower still.

Is this wishful thinking?

Well, with the holidays and elections just around the corner, I don't think so.

While I don't see a dramatic increase in the number of homes that will be sold in the next few months, especially as only 66% of our inventory are "standard sale" listings.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Open House today, Sunday 17th, at 2 Glenoaks


I'm holding an Open House at my latest Irvine listing today, from 1 pm to 5 pm.

2 Glenoaks sits on a huge corner lot.

There's a magnificent custom salt water PRIVATE POOL & oversized 8-person SPA and waterfall, and a Volcano-blower with FOUNTAIN effect in the shallow-end.

Flagstone decking, raised patio and Slate-tiled BBQ area.

See a short video here.

The GOURMET KITCHEN with Solid Cherry-Wood cabinets, including pull-outs & easy-touch drawers, has high-end STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES. Tumbled travertine backsplash with imported tile inlay. Look at those SLAB GRANITE COUNTERTOPS!

There are upgrades galore, including dark HARDWOOD FLOORS in the living room, family room, upstairs hallway and Bull Nose stairs, custom stone fireplace and custom built-in entertainment center, decorator paint and recessed lighting.

See the luxurious ITALIAN TUMBLED TRAVERTINE SPA SHOWER, huge tub, custom mosaic tile accents, and dual sinks in the master bathroom. Inside the OVERSIZED WALK-IN CLOSET, is a shoe closet that holds 80 pairs of shoes!

Convenient upstairs laundry. The 3-CAR GARAGE has built-in storage cabinets, dry food storage cabinets, and a large maple/tile cabinet workstation.


I hope to see you there!

Friday, October 15, 2010

"The Landings" Market Update - Woodbridge, Irvine

Here's the third quarter activity in the two "Landings" tracts in Woodbridge, Irvine:

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Top 10 Most Stressful Jobs. Really?

I just read an interesting article on RealtorMag, (by By Melissa Dittmann Tracey), about stressful jobs, and I must say that I was surprised to see the job of a "real estate agent" was considered to be one of the most stressful jobs you can have.

This was according to CareerCast's 2010 Jobs Rated report, which analyzed the stress level of 200 professions.

While I agree that stress certainly comes with the "job", to be ranked the number 10 most stressful profession made me stop and think.

Do Realtors deal with more stress than say, a Wall Street broker on the Trading Floor, or a Second Grade teacher taking care of 20 little "angels"?

Sure, as the article says, competition among real estate agents did rise when the economy softened, and this was reportedly a major factor in landing agents in the top 10 of the most stressful jobs report.

In working out the stress rankings, CareerCast accounted for such factors as work environment, competitiveness, and job risk.

I agree with the part of the report that noted: "Real estate agents and brokers work long, erratic hours, spending much of their time showing properties to clients. They must be extremely independent, and able to handle sales quotas and deadline pressures."

I minimize the number of hours that I spend showing properties to buyers by:
(1) Conducting a buyer interview to guage among other things, the buyer's motivation,
(2) Only taking out buyers who have been pre-approved by a lender, and
(3) Researching homes and asking questions to the listing agent before showing the home.

What agent can honestly say there isn't stress involved with a lot of closings? Sure there is, but a good Transaction Coordinator is worth her weight in gold, (mine is worth her weight in diamonds!), and deadlines passing are very seldom an issue for me.

Do I lead a stress-free life? Certainly not, but a lot of my stress is eliminated by planning my work, and working the plan! It's a help if the other people involved in a transaction are well-organized and on top of their game, but when they're not, stress often follows.

I'm thankful that Realtors aren't listed in the first 9 positions in the Stressful Jobs report - that would be stressful!

John D. Mayfield wrote a good "5 Ways to Handle Stress" article. Check it out.

Friday, September 24, 2010

What were YOU doing at 6:30 AM this morning?

Well. I was distributing the latest issue of my newsletter to homes in Woodbridge.

"Really?", you probably are asking, "Shouldn't you still be in your PJs at that early hour?", you want to know...

Well, sure I could ask my kids to get some of their friends together and send them off on their skateboards, to do some minimum-wage work, but I prefer to do my own "farming", and this is ONE of the reasons why: (Watch the short video I took below.)


Look at this gorgeous scene I came across when I came to the end of Quiet Moon, in Landing I. I would have totally missed it had I still been in my PJs at home! Isn't Woodbridge South Lake amazing?

Other reasons are:

FIRSTLY, I meet and chat to residents, (who ALSO aren't in their PJs!), as they are walking their dogs, having their early-morning walk or jog, or getting into their cars on their way to the gym or work.

SECONDLY, I see which homes are having renovations done, and make a mental note to contact the homeowner, in case they are preparing their home for sale or lease.

THIRDLY, I look out for homes that have unkempt yards and have solicitors' flyers piling up at their front doors, and contact the owners later in case they need advise about whether to sell or lease the home, or if they want to learn about loan modifications, short sales and foreclosures :(

FINALLY, (and perhaps I should have made this number ONE), I don't get enough exercise. These morning sessions are a really good cardio workout, and it's great to multi-task and get my blood pumping while I do a bit of real estate work!

If you're never up & about before sunrise, I strongly recommend you give it a try. Sunrise in Irvine is at 6:41 AM tomorrow.......



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Open House today in "The Landings"

I'm expecting a large turnout at my Open House in "The Landings" today!

3 Fairdawn is in Landing I, and is listed at $928,900.

Six "Landings" homes have sold already this year. That's a lot when you consider that only five sold last year, and five the year before.

The 3 Fairdawn property has a charming custom front-entry that leads to the dramatic open concept floor plan with volume ceilings, sunken living room & separate dining room.


The windows & doorways have been accented with custom moldings & floors have been replaced with dark maple wood laminate & 6' baseboards.

I hope you'll stop by the house to have a look!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Is inventory is creeping up towards a buyer's market?

91 Woodbridge homes are "active" right now, ranging in price from $268,888 for a 2 bedroom short sale, to $1,169,000 for a 4 bedroom SFR with a great lake view.

49 are in "backup" or "pending" status, and 19 actually sold in July, 2010. These "sold" homes ranged in price from $299K for a 1 bedroom condo in the Laurels, to $919,400 for a beautiful 4 bedroom SFR in Landing II.

Is inventory is creeping up towards a buyer's market? If you look at this chart of active vs pending vs sold homes in zip codes 92604 & 92614, you'll see that inventory is the highest it's been in at least a year.

Sure, a bit of 92614 is in other areas besides Woodbridge, but you'll agree that inventory is rising!

The next few months will be an interesting time, with affordability at an all-time high, and prices at the bottom of the new upswing.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Nearly 5 months inventory!

20 Woodbridge home sold in June 2010, at prices from $300,000 (for a 2-bedroom 970 square foot condo), to $975,000 (for a 4-bedroom 2,476 square foot SFR).

It's July 21st already, and only 9 have sold so far this month!

57 Woodbridge homes are either in "Pending" or "Backup Offers" status right now, and only 19 of them are standard sales. Let's see how many close in the remaining 11 days of the month......

The prices of Woodbridge homes for sale right now, range from $278,000 for a 2-bedroom standard sale condo, to $1,199,900 for a 3,000 square foot 5-bedroom SFR, (value ranged from $1,149,900)

89 Woodbridge homes are currently "for sale", which equals nearly 5 months inventory!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Garage Sale in Woodbridge


I've organized a neighborhood garage sale in the Seasons tract in Woodbridge. It's taking place at 7:00 am tomorrow morning, June 19th! (Yes, I know that's early...)

Quite a few homes are taking part in this garage sale. * Wander from one sale to the next! *

The homes are in the following streets:
Amberleaf
Autumnleaf
Robinsong
Springflower
Winterhaven
Summerfield
Wintermist

You can pick up a map showing all homes that are having a sale, just about anywhere in the Season's tract. You can also download & print a map at www.WoodbridgeHomeSales.com

Come & shop for bargains!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Just listed this 2-bedroom Seasons condo in Woodbridge

As promised, here's the scoop on the charming tranquil SINGLE-STORY home in the Seasons tract, that I just listed!

It has Pergo floors throughout, and PLANTATION SHUTTERS & wood blinds.

Both bedrooms have mirrored closet-doors. The master bedroom has sliding-doors to the patio.

Check out the white & bright kitchen with breakfast counter/bar.

CATHEDRAL CEILINGS in the living room make this home feel really spacious.
There's a private wrap-around yard.
Great storage closets in the UPGRADED GARAGE. The home is attached ONLY at garage wall.

Within walking distance to Springbrook Elementary school, Southlake Middle school, shopping & dining. All the Woodbridge pools & other amenities are available for your enjoyment.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

May home sales in Woodbridge, Irvine.

I'm listing a 2-bedroom "Seasons" home this evening, and will tell you all about it soon!

The prices of Woodbridge homes for sale right now, range from $297,000 for a 2-bedroom condo, to $1,299,900 for a 4,000 square foot 6-bedroom SFR.

74 Woodbridge homes are currently "for sale".

62 Woodbridge properties are in either Backup Offers of Pending status, but as only 21 of these are standard sales, (not short sale, REO, forclosure, etc), don't expect many more than this to close in the next 30 days.

27 Woodbridge home sold in May 2010, at prices from $310,000 (for a 2-bedroom 1,000 square foot short sale), to $1,125,000 (for a 4-bedroom 3,070 square foot SFR).

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

You all stay safe out there, OK?!

I love door-knocking in my farm area.


Often I catch-up with residents who I haven't seen in a few weeks, and sometimes I see some interesting things......

Now my farm area, (Woodbridge), is one of the safest areas in an extremely safe city, (Irvine was voted safest city in America again recently), but it's clear that at least one resident isn't taking any chances.























Needless to say, I got away from that front door without delay, pausing only to snap this photo.

You all stay safe out there, OK?!

Monday, May 24, 2010

So happy that my 88 Dovecrest listing is in escrow.

I'm so happy that my 88 Dovecrest listing is in escrow. My buyers accepted an offer after only three weeks!

This spectacular turnkey 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home is in a guard-gated community!

This model features a salt-water pool & spa with a waterfall.

It's got a double-loft and a 3-car garage with epoxy floors.

The double French Doors open from the dining room to the tranquil professionally-landscaped back yard, which offers many seating areas, privacy and the perfect place to unwind.



The large comfortable family kitchen is perfect for entertaining and every-day use, with granite counter-tops, custom cabinetry, and tons of storage. It opens to the Family Room with fireplace.

The Master suite boasts an organized walk-in closet, (in fact all four bedrooms and the garage have organized custom closets), a great dressing-room area, laminate wood flooring, a luxurious oval tub and dual vanities.

Premium carpeting upstairs. 2' wood blinds and recessed lighting throughout. All light switches have dimmers. The attention to detail is extraordinary and the home radiates quality.

Irvine Open House

I hosted a very successful Open House at 2 Birchwood yesterday.



A few neighbors came by to see the Ashford Place home, probably because only one has sold in the past 12 months!


Quite a few serious buyers also stopped in.




The 4-bedroom SFR is tucked away in this exclusive gated community, and it features an expansive driveway, a 3 car garage, and it's on a premium end-of cul-de-sac location!

The lot is over 6,100 square feet.

The pristine upgrades include hardwood floors, crown molding, recessed lighting, Plantation Shutters, ceiling fans and decorator paint. Pride of ownership can be seen throughout the home.



The master bedroom suite has a huge walk-in closet, His and Hers sinks, separate stall shower and relaxing spa-tub.

The spacious secondary bedrooms will accommodate any growing family.

I particularly like the convenient upstairs laundry.


The open layout of the large family kitchen with classic white cabinets and great counter-space is perfect for entertaining, and the walk-in pantry has great storage.




The pools, spas, tot-lots, award-winning elementary school, shopping and dining, are within easy walking distance.









Tuesday, April 27, 2010

This really nice 2 bedroom LOWER UNIT is located right on the park.

There's a great view of Wildwood Park from the front door, living room and master bedroom.

The condo is offered at $1,650 per month.

Just steps from the community pool and tot lot, the home is in fabulous condition, with a fabulous kitchen, laminate wood flooring and CROWN MOLDING throughout. Organized closets.

The private, peaceful patio area with slate tiles is perfect for entertaining.
See more at WoodbridgeRental.com.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Irvine's Woodbridge March 2010 home sales.

27 Woodbridge home sold in March 2010, at prices from $318,000 (for a 3-bedroom 1,098 square foot bank-owned condo), to $1,145,00 (for a 3-bedroom 2,091 square foot SFR).

67 Woodbridge homes are currently "for sale". The sizes of the homes that are for sale range from 715 sq. ft, to 3,100 sq. ft.

The prices of Woodbridge homes for sale right now, range from $199,000 (for a 1 bedroom short sale condo), to $1,399,000, (for a 4 bedroom, 4 bath SFR with great North Lake views).

Saturday, March 13, 2010

They're going fast in The Landings

Don't expect to see many homes in "The Landings" on the market for sale.

Usually when one is offered for sale, it is snapped up pretty fast! Only two are for sale right now, and these are 3 Warmspring, a Plan 2 / B model in Landing I, and 23 Emerald, a Plan 3 / C model, in Landing II.

8 Earlymorn, a Plan 4 / D, went into Backup Offers on February 23rd, after 4 days on the market, and 24 Whispering Wind went into Pending status today, after 10 days on the market.

Both are in Landing I.

In 2009 only were 5 homes sold, (that's in Landings I and II combined), and only 5 homes were sold in 2008 as well.

It looks like we're on our way to beat the sales numbers of the past two years...... Wait and see.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Got gangs? Hope not. I'm happy to be living in Irvine!



I just spent an enjoyable day at a school about half an hour from peaceful Woodbridge.

Mike & I were there to cheer our youngest on, in her first dance competition.

As we entered the school, I couldn't help but feel happy that our kids don't have to attend a school where there are signs warning that activities would be monitored by cameras and that that all are subject to search for weapons.
I'm not sure what effect the constant reminders of gangs and drugs have on the kids, but I''m sure the signs must be doing some good.



Nevertheless, I sure am glad that we don't see signs like these in safe Irvine!!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Hello First Team - G'bye Century 21.

I've got exciting news.

Yesterday I joined First Team Real Estate, Inc. in Woodbridge, Irvine!!

First Team and I have created a unique partnership wherein all resources, marketing, advertising, and administrative support are at my disposal.

I'm already using the internet a LOT for marketing homes and finding buyers, and this isn't going to change, but one of the things I'm particularly looking forward to, is increased advertising in the NEWSPAPERS.

Sure, newspaper circulations have dropped a LOT the past few years, but over a MILLION people still get the paper. I thought - why not put my seller's homes in front of these people more than I've done in the past?

Our print advertising is now going to be in EVERY major newspaper in Orange County and Southern California with full page color ads.

A few of the papers First Team advertises in on a WEEKLY basis are Orange County Register, L.A. Times and Irvine World News.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Take a look at my latest Woodbridge lease listing... NOT the normal rental!

It's a Summervale model 2-bedroom home whichAdd Image has been stunningly upgraded and tastefully decorated.

11 Winterhaven is a ONE-LEVEL condo, located on a cul-de-sac in the Seasons tract, (that's the tract known for its charming white picket fences.)

Wood floors and PLANTATION SHUTTERS throughout. Decorator paint. Recessed lights. UPGRADED LIGHT FIXTURES AND CABINETRY. The doors have glass inserts and updated hardware.

GOURMET KITCHEN. Top-of-the-line STAINLESS STEEL appliances. Caesar-stone counter-tops. Mosaic backsplash. Dark cabinets.

Whoever rents this home will enjoy the BOISE SURROUND-SOUND system while watching TV in the open-plan living and dining areas. There's a fireplace in the living room.

Both bedrooms have ORGANIZED CLOSETS. The master bedroom has a glass sliding-door opening to the private brick-paved patio. You have to see the tiled shower, and the HIS & HERS ABOVE-COUNTER BASINS in the master bathroom.

Like just about all over Woodbridge, you can walk to parks, pools shopping & schools. I've said it before, but you know that the Woodbridge amenities can't be beat!

To get here from Barranca Pkwy, turn onto E. Yale Loop, and cross over Alton Pkwy. Turn left at Springbrook N. Turn left at Fallcrest. Fallcrest turns right and becomes Winterhaven.

Click on the video below to see more or go to WoodbridgeRental.com.



If you know of anyone looking for a really gorgeous 2-bedroom Woodbridge home, tell them about 11 Winterhaven!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Seagulls are Taking Over!

I just had to stop & snap this photo of the Woodbridge High School field, when on my way to my office this morning.

Hundreds & hundreds of seagulls had taken over the field, probably feasting on earthworms after the field had been tilled.

If they stay much longer, I'm going to have to find an under-cover parking-space at Century 21 Professionals!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Free Wireless Internet in Woodbridge


The Woodbridge Village Association has launched a WiFi network at Stonecreek Swim Club.

This new service allows members and guests to enjoy the internet and Southern California's climate while lounging at the pool!

To use the network, please follow the instructions below. These instructions are also posted on the bulletin board at Stonecreek Swim Club and on the Association's web site at http://www.wva.org/ and at http://WoodbridgeHomeSales.com/.

To access the WiFi, select WVA from your list of available wireless networks and press connect. Your PC should connect to the network and Windows may provide a prompt asking if you want to connect to a non-secured network. Accept the connection.

At this point, you may launch your internet browser.

You will get a pop up window with a security notice. Accept the pop up and you will be redirected to the log in page.

For access to internet services, you will be required to press the accept button. By pressing the accept button, you are agreeing to all terms of the Acceptable Use Policy.The system is designed such that a strong signal will only be received within the gated pool area.

The service is free.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Tomorrow's the Half Marathon and 5K race in Woodbridge


The Annual Southern California Half Marathon and 5K race will be held in Woodbridge tomorrrow.

The races start near the intersection of Creek & Barranca, at 8:00 AM for the 5K and Half Marathon. The Kids Run is at 10:00 AM.

The event benefits Woodbridge High School athletics, and also other IUSD schools, and some local charities.

Over 4,500 participants are expected and the weather looks like it will cooperate! The course is flat and scenic, and it looks like it will be another fun day in Woodbridge tomorrow!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

FINAL 2009 WOODBRIDGE HOME SALES DATA

Following my 12/29 post below, here are the final 2009 Woodbridge home sales numbers.

161 attached & 65 detached Woodbridge homes sold, making a total of 226 closed sales for the year.

The average selling price of these 226 homes was $520,303.

The average Days on Market was 56.9 days.

Here are the highest-priced Woodbridge houses that sold last year:








46 Woodbridge homes are presently being offered for sale. These range in price from $285,000, (for a 3 bedroom short sale), to $1,399,000 for a 4 bedroom standard sale.

Interested in the Days on Market data? Well, this is all over the place, for the usual variety of reasons.

One 3-bedroom home was listed 3 days ago at $575,000 and another was listed 542 days ago at $685,000 and is now being offered at $599,000.
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