California Heights Cancels 2008 Annual Home and Garden Tour - Long Beach California

The California Heights Historic District has decided to cancel this years 12th annual Home and Garden Show and postpone it until October 2009. 

Few are unaffected by the events leading to the current condition of our economy, this wonderful event is no exception.  Homeowners have postponed projects that would otherwise have been completed before placing their homes on the tour.  Attendees who would normally take the tour for improvement and restoration ideas are placing home improvements on hold and are finding themselves on restricted budgets due to inflating gas and food costs as well as, in some cases, large overhead costs due to increased mortgage payments, none of which bode well for anticipated attendance. 

The event has traditionally provided funds for projects in and around the California Heights Historic District and will be sorely missed. 

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Posted on September 17, 2008 23:36:29 by Laurie.Manny

Long Beach - Best Neighborhood for Walking

One of the most appealing draws to living in Long Beach CA is the walkability of many of our local neighborhoods. Well, somebody finally decided to start ranking walkable neighborhoods across the country. Walk Score has ranked 2,508 neighborhoods in 40 of the largest US cities to help buyers find walkable communities to live in.

Long Beach California has been ranked as the 8th Most Walkable Neighborhood!

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Chicago
5. Philadelphia
6. Seattle
7. Washington D.C.
8. Long Beach
9. Los Angeles
10. Portland
11. Denver
12. Baltimore

see the rest here...

Long Beach Neighborhood Walk Scores:

52% of Long Beach has a Walk Score of 70 or above.

85% of Long Beach has a Walk Score of at least 50.

15% of Long Beach lives in a Car Dependent Neighborhood.

What do these scores mean?

Here are some general guidelines to how these rankings work:

• 90-100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
• 70-89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50-69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25-49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0-24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

How It Doesn't Work: Known Issues with Walk Score

Walk Score admits that Walk Score is just an approximation of walkability. There are a number of important factors that contribute to walkability which are not part of their algorithm:

• Public transit: Good public transit is important for walkable neighborhoods.
• Street width and block length: Narrow streets slow down traffic. Short blocks provide more routes to the same destination and make it easier to take a direct route.
• Street design: Sidewalks and safe crossings are essential to walkability. Appropriate automobile speeds, trees, and other features also help.
• Safety from crime and crashes: How much crime is in the neighborhood? How many traffic accidents are there? Are streets well-lit?
• Pedestrian-friendly community design: Are buildings close to the sidewalk with parking in back? Are destinations clustered together?
• Topography: Hills can make walking difficult, especially if you're carrying groceries.
• Freeways and bodies of water: Freeways can divide neighborhoods. Swimming is harder than walking.
• Weather: In some places it's just too hot or cold to walk regularly.

More information on how the walk score is determined can be found here.

When seeking walkable Long Beach neighborhoods nobody knows the areas better than your Long Beach Realtor. Search Long Beach Homes for sale and consult your Realtor to find out which Long Beach neighborhoods best suit your specific needs.

Posted on July 26, 2008 12:09:00 by Laurie.Manny

Home and Garden Tours from Long Beach California to Buffalo New York

Home and Garden Tours from Long Beach California to Buffalo New York

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Posted on July 10, 2008 22:06:42 by Laurie.Manny

Selling YOUR Long Beach California Homes and Condos

The Long Beach Real Estate Home Blog is pleased to welcome guest author, Portsmouth New Hampshire Realtor, Ann Cummings.

Are you a Long Beach homeowner thinking of selling your home or condo?   

Just as correctly pricing homes in the Portsmouth NH area is super important in this market, proper pricing from the start for Long Beach condos and homes is vital as well. 

The asking price you and your professional REALTOR set on your home or condo is the single most important component of getting your home or condo sold.  We all know the  condition and the location are both key components, however the price you put on your property is the critical factor as that takes into account both location and condition. 

To help you determine the correct price for today's market, you need the advice from a full-time experienced REALTOR.  Your Long Beach REALTOR® will use their experience, knowledge of the market place and market conditions, and their professional track record to provide you with a market proposal which will help you to both come up with a competitive position for your property.


The factors that go into determining the best competitive pricing position for your property are:

• Condition of your home or condo
• Location of your property
• Market conditions at that time
• Any repairs and/or improvements that might be needed
• Your motivation level and your time frame for selling

Your initial market position - asking price - will determine your success in getting your home or condo sold. 


If your price is too high, all the best marketing efforts in the world won't get that property sold.  Buyers aren't dumb, and neither are their agents - both will recognize that the price is just wrong. 


Here are some big areas of concern if your Long Beach condo or home comes on the market in the wrong pricing position:

• Those buyers who are already in the market will know right away the price is wrong - they've been looking and know the market.
• Area REALTORS will be reluctant to show your property because there are too many other properties to choose from that may be priced better.
• You'll end up staying on the market longer than you would have had you priced it correctly to start with - and this will cause buyers to wonder what's wrong with your property because it hasn't sold yet.
• Longer stays on the market need repositioning - price adjustments - just to get showings. And extended stays on the market usually end up costing you more money in carrying costs, lost opportunities, and more. We refer to that as "Chasing the Market Down".
• Even if you did find a buyer who, for whatever reason, chose to pay the too-high price, the bank or mortgage company's appraiser will likely cause the sale to be re-negotiated. Lenders today are not interested at all in lending money on properties that are not priced properly for the market conditions. And this could lead to financing falling apart for that buyer who wants to buy your home.

Long Beach California REALTOR, Laurie Manny, wrote an excellent article for consumers in her Downtown Long Beach Market that applies to real estate sellers everywhere. Her article is entitled, "The 7 Dangers of Overpricing Your Long Beach Homes and Condos", and is a great for anyone thinking of selling their home or condo.


Experienced professional REALTORS are in the know about the current market conditions - and this is the perfect reason why you should have a professional work with you to get your Long Beach CA home or condo SOLD!

Contributed by:  Ann Cummings - Portsmouth NH REALTOR of RE/MAX Coast to Coast Properties - specializing in Portsmouth New Hampshire Real Estate Homes Condos.

Thank you Ann!

Posted on July 09, 2008 06:50:16 by Laurie.Manny

Living in a Long Beach Home with a Pool - Safety Tips

Many homes in Long Beach have built-in pools (compared to the Colorado Springs Real Estate market where pools are a scarcity) - and along with all the fun and relaxation that pools can create, there is a definite level of safety precautions involved.

Here are some safety tips for living in a Long Beach CA home with a pool:

• Know how to swim. Make sure everyone IN and AROUND knows how to swim.
• Keep a charged, wireless phone near the pool at all times, in case you need to call 9-1-1

• Make sure that at least one person in/around the pool knows CPR.
• Keep safety equipment around the pool in case of an emergency.
• Do not mix swimming and drinking alcohol. A loss of judgment could mean the difference between life and death around a pool.
• 
  

Pool Safety and Children:

• Never leave children unattended around a pool. Even children who "know how to swim" can be in danger without a responsible and attentive adult around.

• Practice touch supervision with children younger than 5 years. This means that the adult is within an arm's length of the child at all times.

• Install a Pool-Safety fence - at least 4 feet high with a self-closing and self-locking fence, between the house and the pool.

• Do not rely on "toys" as flotation devices. A parent or other guardian is the ONLY way to ensure safety.

• Consider installing a power-safety cover, but not to replace a fence.
• Make sure everyone who watches your kids knows CPR and knows the rules to your pool.
• Do not leave toys around the pool when not in use. This could attract children to the pool when no one is looking.
• If a child is missing, check the pool FIRST. Walk the perimeter of the pool and check around all the edges.
• If possible, do not install a pool in your home until your children are over the age of 5.

Some other Resources for Pool Safety:

• AAP.com
• RedCross.org

Having a pool in your Long Beach CA home is great! Just make sure you enjoy it safely.

Contributed by:  Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent of the Wagner iTeam at Keller Williams Clients' Choice Realty - specializing in Colorado Springs CO Real Estate.

Thank you Mariana!

Posted on July 07, 2008 15:47:13 by Laurie.Manny