The original Rite Spot in west Pasadena: home of the cheeseburger circa 1924

Cheeseburger Week!

Pasadena Cheeseburger Week January 15-20

Enjoy!

So people. What info can I give you? And in the meantime, I will post something cool I just found out about Pasadena! Cheeseburgers!

PS. Those of you that have written in, I apologize for not responding. I PROMISE I will be better this year!
Cheers!

“In the supply-and-demand-reliant real estate market, the national supply of homes is officially listed at about 3.5 million, or about nine months’ worth; sales are on track to reach about 5 million this year. But once shadow inventory is added, that supply more than doubles, to at least 7.5 million. A healthy housing market has about a six-month supply of properties, which would be about 2.4 million.”

Read more:

millions-of-homes-lurk-on-bank.html#ixzz1axAJQS3c?source=patrick.net

Comments? Fears…lets chat!

So instead of trying to dig up something boring and redundant that we already see spread all over the news and our internet screen, I’d rather talk about the city I live in and the magic is brings during this time of year.

Halloween! It’s always warm so you can dress in anything as a kid. I forgot my costume one year and wore my horseback riding out fit…yawn. But we would trick or treat for HOURS on end. Now homes turn off lights at 9:00pm. Then it seemed like midnight, but that was a long time ago…memory slipping.

One year I had a full pillow case of candy and although y father is a dentist, I was able to spread the joy of Halloween for months on end!

My mom used to volunteer for some organization that put on the Haunted House where Bullocks on Lake used to be, now Macy’s. It was in the parking lot and felt HUGE! Scared the beejeesus out of me…no lie. I hate haunted houses to this day. Mind you my mom was the escort witch…that made it a bit better.

The air is crisper, the mountains are brighter, and there is a sense of calm before the holiday storm.

When my eldest was a toddler, I was a volunteer for the Circle Of friends for Kidspace museum. If you have little ones this is a place you cannot miss and this weekend is the Pumpkin Festival that brings fun to all ages and helps raise funds for the museum.

Have a Wonderful October and lets all enjoy the peace for now!

Check out the Festival! PumpkinFestival.html

As many of you know me, or not, I as far from  a Bruin fan as they come! I bleed Cardinal and Gold. (I think my grandfather gave that to me) But I am a fan of a charity helping in the cure and education for cancer.

The Cancer Support Community (CSC) is an international non-profit organization providing free support, cancer education and hope. The Cancer Support Community Pasadena (CSC-P) is one of 24 chapters in the U.S based on the core philosophy of the Patient Active Concept: “… someone who sees him or herself as Patient Active becomes part of the fight for recovery” and benefits through their participation and increased knowledge.

This Friday a Hold-em poker tournament will be held at the recently remodeled Pasadena Rose Bowl ‘locker room’ on Friday Sept 23 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. How cool is that! Evening of food, drinks, music, and poker. Grand prize $2000, second $500, third $250. (All prizes will be paid in American Express gift cards.) Entry fee $100.
Proceeds to support the Cancer Support Community-Pasadena. Reservations at 626-796-1083. Go to :

http://www.cscpasadena.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=272&Itemid=234

“The problem is you have all these properties coming down the pipeline that are nearly certain to hit the market. That’s going to be a negative for the supply-demand equation,” said Diane Westerback, Managing Director for S&P and an author of CNN’s report in January of this year.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/20/real_estate/shadow_inventory_rise/index.htm

Do you have any you idea how many homes in your zip code are distressed?

Over 200 homes in the 91103, 91106, 91105 and 91108 are in distressed situations which can lead to your property values to diminish if and when they are sold at a discounted price.

Email me  and I can give you an idea of what home are distressed in your area. Knowledge is everything!

Christina

This so-called “shadow inventory” may depress home values and delay the housing market recovery.

S&P defines shadow inventory as properties whose borrowers are (or recently were) 90 days or more delinquent on their mortgage payments, ones currently or recently in foreclosure or that are back in the hands of the banks.

Our first purchase was a cute 1912 bungalow on California that was heavy in flowers,  chintz and wall to wall carpet that covered beautiful hardwood floors.  We purchased it for $300,000 and sold it for $375,000 with little to no updating within 2 years. Paint, carpet removal,  furniture placement and creating a sanctuary in the garden is what did it.

Next project, and two kids later,  was 1925 two story colonial on Madison that was run down, gardens over grown and a kitchen that was updated in the ’50s. Three months and we turned it into a scene from Out Of Africa, using the collections from South Africa we had collected, soft beige and brown colors and brought out the beauty of the architecture it possessed.  Mind you, we did the kitchen remodel and pool later, but every  dinner party or social gathering I was constantly asked to “help me with my home!”

Inevitably, almost 9 times out of 10, it was a struggle. People could not break away from what was” traditional’  to  get what they really wanted.  And my response was always  “let go”.

“Letting Go” is what is always the struggle for people selling their  home. For whatever reason that you need to sell, “letting go ” is not just of the house itself , but what is needed to sell the house.

Do you ever walk into a house and start placing your furniture in it? Decide that your dining room  table would fit perfectly or that there is a wall for your huge piece of art?

When you walk into that house, what do you notice about it? Usually it has been cleared of clutter and stuff.

When a house has room for people to have vision, your home becomes more desirable. Give your buyers room to” see”.  Give them an”eye”. Let them put their furniture in it. The next step would be to “let go” of the home. But hopefully you have been able to fit your furniture and LET GO! stuff into the next one.

But what is it that gets us through these days? The beautiful purple mountains around sunset, the feeling of getting into a cool pool and out into the warmth? The fact that you can sit outside at 9pm and read a book in your PJS?

Tell me Pasadeans! What keeps you cool during these times?

a / k / a (An American Bistro) to HOST

SANTA BARBARA VINTNERS AT A UNIQUE

WINE TASTING AND DINNER FOR WINE LOVERS

Monday, August 29th, 2011