Christmas Time in the City of Whittier!

Christmas has come to the beautiful City of Whittier!


The Season officially started with the 15th Annual Grand Illumination on December 4th. The next milestone will be the 56th Annual Christmas Parade on December 12, from 10am to 12 pm (go to http://whittieruptown.com/wua/?page_id=2 for more information provided by the Whittier Uptown Association and to view a little YouTube video of past events).

 
 
  The motto of this year’s Parade is “Commitment to Community” and will feature many local businesses that help make the City of Whittier such a wonderful place to live in. The parade runs down popular Greenleaf Ave, from Hadley down to Mar Vista. I will be there taking photos so be sure to check back in next week!

As the parade ends around 12pm, you'll have plenty of time to grab a bite to eat at one of the many great restaurants in the area - for a complete business directory, go to http://whittieruptown.com/wua/?page_id=130 , and plan a wonderful and fun filled day with the family in the City of Whittier. One of my all-time favorites is "Crepes and Grapes", great French inspired atmosphere, yummy crepes, sandwiches, soups, salads and so much more! You can go to http://www.crepesandgrapescafe.com/ to see their complete menu.

After lunch, take a stroll down Philadelphia to get to Newlin, where you will find the “Whittier Historical Society & Museum”. You can’t miss the it (see below), it features a beautiful mural on the outside of the building. There are many different things to see, the current exhibit is titled “Fly Your Colors – Patriotism in Whittier”, and there is also a gift shop where you can pick up a little something to remind you of this beautiful day in the City of Whittier. Open Saturday & Sunday, 1pm – 4pm. For more information, go to http://www.whittiermuseum.org/ or check out http://www.whittiermuseum.org/About%20the%20Museum.html to download a brochure of the Museum.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  If you enjoyed the Whittier Museum, I am sure you will also like the famous “Bailey House”, located at 13421 E Camilla St. It is the home of the first Whittier settler, Jonathan Bailey, and was built in 1887. It was deeded to the City of Whittier in 1975 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It is currently run and operated by the Whittier Historical Society. For the complete history of the home, go to http://www.whittiermuseum.org/Bailey%20House.html. Open to the public Sundays, 1pm – 4pm.
 
 

 
 
 
  And to top off this Christmas season, the City of Whittier has one more event to offer: the “Holiday Sonata” on December 19th, 5pm to 9pm, featuring carriage rides along Greenleaf and a Santa’s Village in the parking lot along Greenleaf between Hadley and Bailey.

Enjoy your stay in the City of Whittier!

Sincerely,
Stephanie & Shirley
http://www.serenefoundations.com/

C.A.R. Mortgage Protection Program

The Housing Affordability Fund (http://www.car.org/tools/haf/ ) launched a new program on April 2, 2009, in order to ease the minds of first-time-home buyer's who were worried about potential job loss due to the current economy, and subsequent challenges in making their mortgage payments.


With the FREE C.A.R. Mortgage Protection Plan, qualified buyers can receive up to $1,500 per month for up to six months should they lose their jobs, and qualified co-buyers can also receive up to $750 for up to six months to be put towards the mortgage payment.

In order to qualify for the CAR Mortgage Protection Plan, a Buyer must:

1. Be a first-time home buyer (must not have owned a home within the past three years).

2. Open Escrow after April 2, 2009, and close before December 31, 2009. UPDATE: CAR HAS EXTENDED THE PROGRAM THROUGH 2010!!!

3. Use a California Realtor.

4. Be a W2 employee (must not be self-employed).

Please click on the links below for additional information!


Frequently Asked Questions:

http://www.car.org/3550/pdf/204893/Revised_Jul2009_HAFMPP_FAQ.pdf

Samples:

http://www.car.org/3550/pdf/204893/Program_Samples.pdf

Application:

http://www.car.org/3550/pdf/204893/HAF_MPP__FINAL_APPLICATION_1.pdf



Why not take advantage of this incredible offer - it is free! If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please feel free to contact us directly.
Have a wonderful day and Happy House Hunting!

Sincerely,
Stephanie Frymyer
http://www.serenefoundations.com/

West Covina New Home Construction News

The West Covina City Council recently offered a First-Time Home Buyer Opportunity - the construction of a Single Family Residence that was offered to First Time Home Buyers. The construction of this home was a collaborative effort between the Regional Occupational Program and the Community Development Commission which provided students with hands-on entry level construction skills.


It is anticipated that through collaboration and partnerships with developers, property owners, businesses and the community, the Community Development Commission will continue to encourage development, rehabilitate deteriorating centers, attract and expand businesses, develop and increase the affordable housing stock within the City.

Other new construction underway is the Pacific Communities Park West development. This development is easily accessible from both the 10 and 60 freeways and just minutes away from shopping and dining. If you are into hiking and walking the Heritage Park trails are nearby as well as the local Farmer’s market that is held every Saturday morning. The Community will have 46 detached Single Family homes with up to 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The square footage ranges from 2,153 to 2,362 and have granite counters, walk-in closets and stainless steel appliances.

If you are interested in taking a tour of the Pacific Communities Park West models feel free to contact us to set an appointment. There are many other gorgeous properties for Sale in West Covina and we can help you obtain one for yourself.

And if you currently own a home in West Covina just know that properties are still holding their vale in most instances and if you would like to know how much your home is worth we will come by to give you a free Market Analysis.

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Shirley Williams & Stephanie Frymyer
http://www.serenefoundations.com/

Please help if you can ....

As a Realtor, I work with people on a daily basis who are fortunate enough to either own a home or are in the process of purchasing a home. But in recent days, we are also coming in contact with people who are about to lose their home ... Sometimes people forget how important a home really is - it gives us shelter, it creates memories, it is where we raise our children, where we have fun with our families and friends, and where we get to shut out the world and just be ourselves.

I would like to ask everybody out there who is reading this blog to also remember those people who don't have a home at all, not even a rental! They live on the streets, in card board boxes, under bridges, in tents by freeway on-ramps, or in a shelter ... The number of homeless people is increasing sharply due to people losing their homes and jobs. In the Los Angeles area, according to Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, during the winter of 2008/2009, 620 families used its winter shelter program, up from 330 families the previous year (to see the numbers for other major cities, go to http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-04-05-homeless_N.htm ). According to a new report for New York released in October, 16,000 children were in shelters by the end of September ...

If you can, please try to make a difference in somebody's life this year. Be it for Thanksgiving or the upcoming Holidays, or no special occasion at all. There are local food banks everywhere, you can make donations online, etc. ...

I just got in touch with the LA Mission, and they will also accept clothing articles and shoes (including children's clothing) - and instead of them being sold, they will be handed out directly to people in need, completey free of charge! If you would like to contribute as well, here is the link to their official website: http://www.losangelesmission.org/  If you are thinking about a donation in-kind, they will even come out to your home to pick it up (just call them and ask for Eugene).

Thank you all so very much for your consideration.

PHOTO TOUR OF WHITTIER

A Photo Tour of the beautiful City of Whittier. Enjoy!

The beautiful, recently remodeled Whittier Transportation Center (on Greenleaf)

Welcome to Uptown Whittier

Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts (Whittier College)

The Whittier Radisson (on Greenleaf)

Welcome to Historic Whittier!

Beautiful Penn Park! Perfect for Family Gatherings and Wedding Photos!

One of the many access points to our beautiful Friendly Hills area.

Probably the most famous fountain in Whittier! "Whittier Welcomes You!"

(Colima & Mar Vista)

Whittwood Towncenter!

For a directory of all the stores and services go to:

http://www.whittwoodtowncenter.com/

I hope you enjoyed our little tour of Whittier! Stay tuned for more!

Thanks and have a wonderful day!!!

Stephanie

Your Local Real Estate Pro

http://www.serenefoundations.com/

Free Staging and skilled photography with your Listing!

I am sure you have all seen the dreadful "toilet shots" in some of the listings that can currently be seen on the MLS. I mean, seriously, who wants to see a photo of an open toilet???? If that is the best feature your home has, then good luck ... :-)

Over 80% of buyers first go online to start their home search - and get this, they spend an average of only 15 seconds looking at a listing! What does that mean? If your house does not look appealing online (bad photos, lots of clutter, too dark, etc.) they will click on a botton and move on to the next one!

Chances are, if your home is not properly represented online, buyers won't even bother making an appointment to see your home. And if they do, they come to your house with the mindset of "getting a bargain" because your home appears to be in bad shape - and that means low ball offer for you!

All of this can be easily avoided! Just like we detail our cars when we are trying to sell them, a house should receive the same, actually a lot more, care - we are talking about a "product" worth several hundreds of thousands of dollars here. And that's where most sellers go wrong - they love their home, understandably, and automatically assume that potential buyers will love "the sellers' way of life" as well. What happens is that buyers get so distracted by everything we accumulate and get used to over the years, that they can't really see the house for all the stuff!

I personally don't list any property without "staging" it first. And please don't misunderstand the term "staging" - I don't mean "hiding defects" or "making things look prettier than they are". Staging to me means paying respect to the buyer by offering him a clear and unobstructed view of a HIGH VALUE COMMODITY. And a buyer can tell the difference and will appreciate it, a house that shows off all its benefits, is clean, uncluttered and well maintained, will definitely stand out in his/her mind.

Just to give you an example, which one would you rather look at:

or

And I think the answer to "which one would you pay more for" is pretty obvious too ... Studies show that the majority of buyers are inclined to pay more for a home that is move-in ready.

So, if you are serious about selling your home, feel free to contact me so that I can give your home the WOW-EFFECT. And here is the best part - Staging for occupied properties is FREE when you list your home for sale with me.

For more details and to see my work, please go to http://www.serenefoundations.com/

I hope you enjoyed my blog! Have a wonderful day!!!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Frymyer

Your Local RE Specialist

WHITTIER: AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

Even during these tough, economic times, the City of Whittier has good news to report: Besides the possible development of the Fred C. Nelles site (almost 74 acres of land) and the changes in Uptown Whittier (Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital with its estimated $5mil investment for interior and exterior improvements as well as the new construction of "Amber Blu", a restaurant and dinner theater North of "Crepes & Grapes"), the City has been able to introduce the brand new Affordable Home Ownership Program (AHOP) for the new home development site called "The Gables of Whittier".



Under this program, moderate-income households will have an opportunity to get a "silent" second loan in order to purchase a home with an affordable first mortgage (very much like the programs already in place in cities like Long Beach and Lakewood).


As with most of these programs, certain income limitations apply and program specific requirements have to be met in order to qualify. The following are the generalized criteria potential buyers have to meet (according to the Whittier Redevelopment Agency):


1. The Program Participant must not have owned a home for a three-year period.

2. The Program Participant has to attend a mandatory education course for homebuyers.

3. The Program Participant has to be able to qualify for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage for the maximum mortgage amount fixed by the Program.

4. The household size of the Program Participant must fit the available unit size.

5. The Program Participant must have a minimum of 3% down payment and be able to pay for the closing cost on the first mortgage.

6. The property has to be used as a principal residence.

7. The Program Participant has to maintain property insurance.

8. The income guidelines have to be met.


If you would like to find out more about this special program and see the exact income guidelines, and requirements, you can download the program specifics (including the application) at http://cityofwhittier.org/ and click on the "Affordable Home Ownership Program" tab on the right.


I just got off the phone with a representative of the Community Development Department, and at the current time, the program only extends to "The Gables of Whittier". The developer has set 24 units (of a total of 96) aside for the Program, there is no technical deadline, you can apply as long as they are still for sale.


If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me!

Whittier, a great place to live!



Stephanie Schroeter-Frymyer
DRE # 01390458
http://www.serenefoundations.com/
http://twitter.com/HappyHabitat

Long Beach & Lakewood Market update for 09/21/09

Like last week, things are looking up in the local markets! Here are the latest numbers for Long Beach and Lakewood as of 09/21/09:

REAL ESTATE PRICE & DAYS ON MARKET TRENDS FOR LONG BEACH

The median single family home price as of September 21, 2009 for LONG BEACH is $380,436 (about $1,000 more than last week).

The Average Days on Market in LONG BEACH as of September 21, 2009 is 169 days (2 days less than last week).




REAL ESTATE PRICE & DAYS ON MARKET TRENDS FOR LAKEWOOD

The median single family home price as of September 21, 2009 for LAKEWOOD is $389,850 (about the same as last week).

The Average Days on Market in LAKEWOOD as of September 21, 2009 is 129 days (3 days less than last week).



Numbers and charts courtesy of Christy Van & Robert Strausas, USA National Title Company.
Christy Van
(562) 544-3602
cvan@usanationaltitle.com




Have a great Tuesday everybody!!!!

Sincerely,
Stephanie Frymyer
Your SoCal Home Specialist

New Long Beach Numbers!

Hot new Long Beach numbers, Snapshot for 09/13/09:

The median single family home price as of September 13, 2009 for LONG BEACH is $379,536 (about $3,000 more than last week!).

The Average Days on Market in LONG BEACH as of September 13, 2009 is 171 days (2 days less than last week).

Information courtesy of Christy Van & Robert Strausas, USA National Title Company, (562) 544-3602
cvan@usanationaltitle.com
http://www.usanationaltitle.com/

Have a great day everybody!!!

Sincerely,
Steph
Your SoCal Home Specialist

Huntington Beach "Surfboards in the Sand"

*************** LOCAL EVENT NEWS ************

Not sure what to do this weekend? How about some fun at the beach! The beautiful city of Huntington Beach will celebrate its Centennial with a tribute to the city’s surf heritage and coastal environment with the much-anticipated “Surfboards in the Sand”, this coming Saturday, October 19.

The city is expecting thousands of surfers and surf aficionados to come to the famous HB pier to be a part of the world’s largest surf photo commemorating 50 years of professional surfing at the Huntington Beach Pier.

For more information, schedules and location, visit the official website at http://www.surfcityusa.com/california-vacation-ideas/events/detail.aspx?id=438

Have a blast!

Sincerely,
Stephanie
Your SoCal Home Specialist
www.SereneFoundations.com