Blessing of the Animals - St. Francis Day - Long Beach California

Blessing of the Animals 2009 at Marine Stadium in Long Beach California

Long Beach California - Blessing of the Animals - St. Francis Day

Saturday, October 3, 2009

10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Marine Stadium

Marine Stadium, Long Beach | MAP

5225 Paoli Way @ Eliot Avenue

Long Beach, CA  90803

 

 

Haute Dogs (Justin Rudd) is hosting the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals and Exotic Pats presentation and pet adoption fair at Marine Stadium, Saturday October 3, 2009, 10 AM - 2:30 PM. 


Free parking, free to spectate, free pet blessings

  • Pet Adoptions & Vendor Fair, 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
  • Ugly Dog & Cute Dog contests, 11 a.m. $10/advance or $20 at event; all breeds/sizes are welcome
  • Interfaith Blessing of the Animals @ noon, free to participate
  • EXOTIC animals arrive @ noon (50-lb. serval wildcat, owl, monkey, kinkajou, python, coatamundi, woodchuck, monitor lizard - details below)

Chihuahua Beauty Contest, 1 p.m., $10/advance or $20 at event 

 

 http://HauteDogs.org/contests.html

(for entry forms for the 3 contests and more information)


2008 Video

Blessing of the Animals


View photos of 2008 Blessing of the Animals in Long Beach


Vendors: $50/commercial space or $25/adoption/nonprofit space.

Volunteers needed: 8:30-2:30 p.m.  Contact Justin@JustinRudd.com

 

 


 

Laurie Manny

Long Beach Realtor


(562) 212-5420

Main Street Realtors
Belmont Heights
244 Redondo Avenue
Long Beach California 90803

Long Beach Real Estate Blog

Long Beach Real Estate Website

 

 


 

 



http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/009D75
Posted on September 26, 2009 21:11:03 by Laurie Manny
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Long Beach Real Estate Market Update - California Statewide Sales Statistics

Long Beach Real Estate Market Update - California Statewide Sales Statistics

Long Beach Real Estate Market

Long Beach California Real Estate Market Update

 

The California Association of Realtors (CAR) takes a closer look at the mix of home sales. Statewide median price in July 2009 is $285,480 which reflects an 3.9% increase over June 2009; annual decline of 19.6% which is the smallest decline in 19 months. California home sales increased 8.1% in June 2009 and 12% since June 2008, CAR reports a 43.4% increase in sales over the last year.


Don't get too excited about the increase in prices or sales, it is all about how the numbers are reported.  The CAR report goes on to explain what we Realtors have been saying all along. 

 

"

The recent increase in the median price is attributed in part to the change in the mix of sales since the beginning of this year. Since reaching a peak of 85 percent in January 2009, the market share of homes sold under the price range of $500,000 (the low-end market) has been gradually declining and was down to 74 percent in July. Meanwhile, the market share of homes sold between $500,000 and $1 million (the middle tier) surged from 12 percent in January 2009 to 20 percent in July, and homes sold above $1 million (the high-end market) improved from 3 percent to 6 percent for the same period.


The shift in the market share was due primarily to the slow down in the sales for lower-priced homes, and a gain in the sales of higher-priced homes throughout the first half of the year. In January, the low-end tier registered a year-to-year increase of 177.7 percent in home sales, but had since come down to a smaller gain of 23.0 percent in July. In the same time frame, the middle tier went from an annual decrease of 11.8 percent to an annual gain of 1.1 percent, while the high-end tier improved from an annual decline of 47.2 percent to a year-over-year drop of 4.2 percent.

 

The gain in sales has softened at the low-end market because of low inventories. Statewide, inventory has shown a steady decline since the start of the year, with the unsold inventory index dropping from 6.6 months in January 2009 to 3.9 months in July 2009. Inventory levels, however, differ between price tiers and are tighter at the low-end market. The unsold inventory index for the low-end market has been around 3 to 4 months since the beginning of the year, and was 3.2 months for July 2009, as compared to 6.9 months for the same month last year. The middle tier had an inventory level of around 9 months early this year, but had dropped to 4.3 months in July, and was lower than 6.6 months a year ago. The inventory level of the high-end segment has declined since the start of this year, but continued to experience elevated inventories. The unsold inventory index for high-end homes was at 9.6 months in July 2009, slightly below 9.8 months for the same month last year. With inventory levels well below the long-run average, a supply shortage at the low to middle-tiers may have constrained sales in lower-priced homes and led to an increase in the median price. The supply of homes is expected to increase later this year as the number of foreclosures continues to rise from last year. However, the government and lenders efforts in modifying loans, combined with delays in processing the backlog of delinquencies may ease the number of defaulted loans, thus making a prediction on the number and timing of the flow of distressed properties less certain.  Read full story>>>

"

 

 

Long Beach California Housing Market

The banks have yet to release the multitude of foreclosed homes they have in inventory.  We await the arrival of these onto the open market and wonder how the banks will approach the release.  If they release a large amount of inventory all at once it will certainly relieve the pressure many buyers are experiencing while trying to purchase in a low inventory situation.  Although if they do release a large portion of their inventory it would most certainly drive home prices down even further.  If they release this inventory slowly it will continue to promote a highly competitive purchase environment in which there are more buyers than desirable properties to buy. 

 

Buyers of Long Beach homes and condos are experiencing difficulties in locating desirable properties to buy within their price range.  The shear multitude of properties on the market in Long Beach are either short sales or are undesirable, many are fixer uppers.  First time buyers are not in a position to finance the after purchase repairs needed to purchase a serious fixer upper.  Finding what you are looking for in this market is highly competitive and often time consuming. 

 

We are experiencing a bit of a sellers market in the middle of a buyers market, I like to call it a false sellers market.  It is temporary!  As the inventory increases we should swing back to a healthy buyers market.  Only time will tell if that transition will be smooth or a head on collision. 

 

If  you are considering purchasing real estate in Long Beach contact Laurie for your free consultation and to begin your home search (562) 212-5420.

 

Read also:


 

 

Important Long Beach Home Buyer Tips



This important article highlights issues that many first time home buyers do not consider, that being the remaining life of the existing systems currently in the home and the cost of future replacement:


 

 

 

Laurie Manny

Long Beach Realtor


(562) 212-5420

Main Street Realtors
Belmont Heights
244 Redondo Avenue
Long Beach California 90803

Long Beach Real Estate Blog

Long Beach Real Estate Website

 

 



http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/009CAD
Posted on September 12, 2009 17:30:00 by Laurie Manny
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Long Beach Home Owners Can Deduct PMI

Long Beach Home Owners Can Deduct PMI-If you have purchased a Long Beach home or condo after January of 2007 don't forget to take advantage of the deduction.

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is deductible under certain circumstances for buyers of Long Beach Homes and Condos. 


Long Beach California Home Owners Can Deduct PMIPrivate Mortgage Insurance/PMI is usually required for home loans with less than 20% down payment. Buyers with less than 20% down are considered to be a higher risk to lenders, PMI protects lenders against potential buyer defaults.


To qualify for the PMI related deduction you must have purchased your Long Beach Home or Condo after January 1, 2007.  The deduction is only available for PMI premiums paid on the original loan for homes and condos purchased between 2007 and 2010.  You can deduct the PMI as mortgage insurance but must deduct it evenly over 84 months. 

 

Home owners with an adjusted gross income of up to $100,000 can deduct all 100% of the PMI, the deduction is phased out to an adjusted gross income of $110,000.  

 

PMI premiums usually run about $750 per year for every $100,000 owed. 

 

If you have purchased a Long Beach home or condo after January of 2007 don't forget to take advantage of the deduction.  Every little bit helps.

 

Important Long Beach Home Buyer Tips


 

 

This article highlights issues that many first time home buyers do not consider, that being the remaining life of the existing systems currently in the home and the cost of future replacement:


 

 

Laurie Manny

Long Beach Realtor


(562) 212-5420

Main Street Realtors
Belmont Heights
244 Redondo Avenue
Long Beach California 90803

Long Beach Real Estate Blog

Long Beach Real Estate Website

 



http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/009CAA
Posted on September 11, 2009 15:45:00 by Laurie Manny
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Long Beach Real Estate 2009 State of the Market Update - Long Beach Homes and Condos Sales

Long Beach Real Estate 2009 State of the Market Update - Long Beach Homes and Condos Sales

Long Beach Real Estate State of the Market Update

Long Beach Real Estate Market Update

Homes and Condo Sales 2009

 

 

Everybody wants to know where the bottom of the market is and when it is going to happen.  While nobody can pinpoint that exactly, its always smart to know what is going on in your local real estate market and to be able to make some assessments for yourself.  The news reports real estate market information that is very general, not specific to your Long Beach neighborhood or Long Beach real estate market, which can be very misleading to buyers.  Many local real estate markets have been hit very hard, and some not quite as badly.  Reporting nationwide statistics doesn't really give a buyer a good snapshot of their market.  Real estate is local.  There is little that is more pertinent to your home search and determining when is the right time to buy, than solid local sales statistics. 

 

If you are in the market to buy real estate in Long Beach then you are in the right place, right now.  Below you will find charts comparing 2009 real estate sales in Long Beach to those of 2008.  These statistics were pulled directly from the local SoCalMLS, your local Long Beach real estate market sales statistics.  While reviewing these charts you will see that sales are up, prices are down dramatically and days on market is shorter, when comparing the first half of 2008 and 2009. Does that make this a good time to buy?  We think so!

 

Currently the Long Beach real estate market is experiencing low inventory for the types of homes and condos that are in the highest demand.  Long Beach condos under $350,000 and Long Beach homes under $500,000 are in short stock and great demand.  We have more buyers than we have suitable properties to sell, this has caused multiple offers on just about everything that is in reasonable condition.  Many buyers want to be close to the beach, there is even less inventory available there. 

 

Current conditions have caused a false or temporary sellers market in the middle of a real buyers market.  Sellers are currently enjoying holding out for higher prices and granting less concessions on homes and condos for sale at this time.  Low inventory will do that; it is the law of supply and demand.  While this usually would indicate that the bottom of the market has arrived we must consider that the banks are sitting on a mountain of foreclosed homes and condos that have not yet hit the market. Once these properties are released for sale, many of the buyers searching unsuccessfully for homes and condos now should be able to find what they are searching for and take some of the pressure off.  This should swing the market back to a true buyers market.  Rumor has it that these bank properties are going to be released in the very near future, we are all looking forward to that day. 

 

When the banks finally begin to release the foreclosed properties will that drive prices down yet again?  If the banks release large amounts of inventory onto the market that would definitely happen.  If the banks let the properties trickle out then prices should hold or just drop a bit.  Do banks have a habit of acting responsibly?  Well the sub-prime problems didn't cause themselves!  You can be pretty certain that the stockholders of the banks are placing considerable pressure on the banks to turn that inventory into cold hard cash.  There are many buyers waiting to make that happen.  We are all looking forward to that happening. 


The Long Beach Real Estate Market has seen some rather large changes in 2009.  Never is it more apparent than when you have the numbers right in front of you.  So without further ado: 

 

Compare Long Beach Homes and Condo Sales

    2009   2009     2008   2008  

  HOMES   CONDOS TTL
  HOMES   CONDOS TTL
    # SOLD   # SOLD     #SOLD   #SOLD  
JAN   130   62 192     79   42 121
FEB   134   58 192    103   42
145
MAR   161   83 244    118   51
169
1/4 TTL
  425   203 628    300   135
435
                     
APR   173   81 254    149   60
209
MAY   186   91 277    181   58
239
JUN   203   79 282    181   64
245
 2/4 TTL
  562   251 813    511    182 639
 YTD TTL
  987   454 1441    811    317  1128
                     
                     
JUL   198   92 290    204    64 268

                   

 

2009 2nd Quarter Statistics

1/1/2009 - 6/30/2009

     2009   2009   2008
   2008
     HOMES   CONDOS    HOMES   CONDOS
                  
AVG SALE PRICE 
   367,305   260,034    514,978    347,019
AVG PRICE PER SQ FT    263.84   242.23    347.05    326.37
DAYS ON MARKET    64   80    74    84
                 

 

 

 

Long Beach Homes and Condos for sale under $500,000

 

 

 

525 Seaside Way 1505 - Harbor Place Luxury High Rise Condo For Sale - Downtown Long Beach Real Estate

 

 

Laurie Manny
(562) 212-5420
Your Long Beach Expert!

 


Contact Us

 

 

     


     

    Important Long Beach Home Buyer Tips



Laurie Manny

Long Beach Realtor


(562) 212-5420

Main Street Realtors
Belmont Heights
244 Redondo Avenue
Long Beach California 90803

Long Beach Real Estate Blog

Long Beach Real Estate Website



http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/009B5D
Posted on August 20, 2009 20:50:00 by Laurie Manny
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Future Plan Your Southern California Home Purchase

Future Plan Your Southern California Home Purchase - Advice on the steps to preparing for your first home purchase, from college graduation to the front door of your new home.

 

My email box is very busy, every day there are many hundreds of emails to deal with.   The email from buyers and sellers is expected, that is my business. Sometimes there are emails from people who just want information on neighborhoods, condo complexes or the market and once in a while a student will ask how to break into the real estate business.  Today I received a great email from a student who is smart enough to be future planning and asking for the best advice on how to attain their future goal of home ownership. 

 

 

Hello Ms. Manny,

Long Beach Real Estate MarketI am a student who just graduated from college and will be entering the work force within a few short weeks. It has always been my dream to own a home near the ocean and so I have been researching costs and locations to prepare for that day when I make that investment. I've always loved Newport Beach and hope that one day that will be the city I dwell in.

In my search I found your site and loved it! It's so well organized, eye catching, and has some of the most beautiful homes with ocean views that I've ever seen. My question to you is, "How should I prepare for making my dream come true of owning a home (in particular a townhouse) with an ocean view?" I've been keeping my credit together and have an excellent score, however I need to pay off my school loans and maybe add another credit source in order to have more credit history. So, other than good credit, what other pieces of advice could you give to me from your experience that can prepare me to make this dream come true?


I appreciate your taking the time to read this and please take your time answering, I know that you are a very busy business woman.

Also, I would love to join your site, "Long Beach Real Estate," but I don't want that to be misinterpreted by your team that I am interested at this time in buying a home. It would be strictly for keeping a watch on the market for the future. Would joining the site prompt them to call me about buying a home? I'd hate for them to waste that time when I am just looking at the site for inspiration.

Thanks again and God Bless!

Sasha

 

 

 

Hi Sasha,

 

Thank you so much for the kind words about my site.  Having worked so hard on it for so long I always love hearing that it is being received well and that readers find it useful and easy to navigate. 


It is so refreshing to hear from young people who are taking an active roll in planning their future.  You are already on the right road!  I hope that you are entering a profession that will provide nicely for you as you progress in your career.  You didn't mention what profession you will be pursuing, so I will keep this a bit general. 

 

The first thing you should do is save up as much money as you can and pay off those student loans.  Invest and grow your earnings wisely.  Build your reserves and do not use all of them to purchase your home, condo or townhouse.  You should always have reserves to cover unexpected expenses.  Yes this will take some time, do not be discouraged, the best things in life are worth waiting and planning for.

 

Keeping your credit in tip top shape and your credit scores high will always net you the best loan terms when it comes time to purchase your home.  Good loan terms can net large differences in your monthly payments.  This article will help you to understand those scores a little better:


 



Your lender will want to see employment in the same position and profession for 2 years before considering you as a candidate for a home loan.  This short series will be helpful in preparing yourself to qualify for your home loan:


 

Homes and condos can be purchased with as little as 3.5% down payment with an FHA loan at this time. This may or may not still be true in a few years when you are ready to begin your home search. Conventional loans require larger down payments. You should examine the terms of the loans available when you are ready and make your decision based on a long term financial plan. A very good lender should be able to assist you with your long term plan. Often when buyers purchase their first home they have a plan to sell it in 5 to 7 years and trade up. If you decide to do this then you may decide on a different loan product than somebody purchasing a home they plan on living in for either a long time or forever. Keep in mind that the best of plans can be laid to waste by a major life change. For instance, somewhere in the middle you could fall madly in love, get married and start a family. That would change everything.


One of the things that first time home buyers often don't consider initially is after purchase cash.  If you buy a home or a condo that requires work, you will need to have after purchase cash reserves for this.  After purchase repairs can become more costly than originally planned for and often do.  If you are not careful these repairs (and upgrades) can quickly deplete your bank accounts.  Read also...



If you decide to purchase a condo, townhouse, or buy into a planned development you should have at least a basic understanding of HOA's (Home Owners Associations) and how they affect you and your finances directly.  This article tackles some of these issues:



I absolutely love that you are just starting out and I have the opportunity to educate you on several huge pitfalls most people never consider when they purchase their first home.  California is a community property state.  If you purchase your home before you get married and handle it properly as separate property going into a marriage, you will still own it coming out of the marriage if things don't work out.  People don't like to think about this, love is very powerful, but the truth of the matter is that the divorce rate in California is astronomically high and these things need to be considered.  It is in your best interest to learn about separate property laws and how to protect your assets in the event of a divorce:


 

If you purchase your first home while married the home will be considered community property, as will all major items purchased during the marriage.


I hope you find this information helpful and that it gets you off to a good start.


Feel free to sign into my site.  When you do you will find an area to leave a message.  Go ahead and explain that you are future planning and do not wish to be contacted.  We will honor your wishes and allow you to search freely and undisturbed.  When you are ready to purchase let us know, it will be our pleasure to assist you when you are ready.  In the meantime, if you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact me. 


Warmest Regards,


Laurie Manny




Laurie Manny

Long Beach Realtor


(562) 212-5420

Main Street Realtors
Belmont Heights
244 Redondo Avenue
Long Beach California 90803

Long Beach Real Estate Blog

Long Beach Real Estate Website




http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/009AEB
Posted on August 13, 2009 05:15:39 by Laurie Manny
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To begin your search for the perfect home or to sell your home in the Long Beach area, begin your journey by calling Laurie Manny at (562) 212-5420.