County of Castles: Orange County Real Estate Blog

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Real Estate Agent - no current broker affiliation
orange county real estate, lake forest, first-time homebuyers, condos, homes in orange county, affordable homes

ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS

2007 

Every year I have a somewhat infamous Christmas party for all my friends.  One reason I do this, oddly enough, is to save money - rather than try to buy junky little gifts for everyone I know, I throw one big party and send them off with party favors instead.  Now, the flavor of this party (and t...
11/30/2007
7 Comments
After hearing repeatedly how great oven-cooked bacon was (yes, I watch a lot of cooking shows), I finally decided to give it a try last night.  ... It really IS better!Place a cooling rack inside a cookie sheet (the kind with sides, obviously, to catch the grease), and lay your bacon across the r...
11/30/2007
8 Comments
It's raining... it's pouring... the inventory's soaring...Okay, not really.  Actually, according to my company's latest Market Time Report, the inventory is dropping as frustrated sellers remove their homes from the market.  Demand (the number of homes placed into escrow within the prior month) h...
11/30/2007
I can't believe it's already time to check on interest rates!  But, interesting thing... mortgage interest rates are dropping!  Here are today's national averages according to MSN Money:Today's National Averages Mortgages        APR 30-yr. fixed      6.04%   <-----Wow!15-yr. fixed      5.63% 1-yr...
11/19/2007
You know, this real estate market is kind of like the recipe I tried to make last night.Too much supply (too much batter) and too little demand to match it (too small a Crock Pot).  Guess what happens when you make a dish designed for a normal (4-quart or more) pot in a 1.5-quart pot?  Even thoug...
11/16/2007
1 Comments
Watch the skies Saturday night/Sunday morning... it's time for the Leonids meteor shower!They're saying that after midnight is best because of the angle of attack (before midnight the only ones you see are the ones that can overtake the Earth's orbit), but that the actual peak of activity will be...
11/16/2007
Something passed through my email today that simply blew. me. away.In our company, we get a daily email telling us what our brokerage's new listings are for that day.  Today there was one in there that was a SFH, 3/1, in Garden Grove, for LESS THAN $400,000.  And we're not talking short sale wish...
11/16/2007
This is a concept that's been rattling around in my brain for some time. When you break down the holidays, look closely at their commercialism as well as their meaning, and viewed in light of how they are celebrated, Thanksgiving is a standout of a holiday.I'm not saying it's my favorite, just th...
11/15/2007
I can't believe this still happens in this market.  I was doing some research on an open house I picked up, and one of the competing listings has been on the market 71 days and still has NO PHOTO in it.  This is even more amazing when you consider that our MLS has a "report violation" button and ...
11/14/2007
Market worries have you feeling a little under the weather?  Here's some Chicken Soup for the... uh, stomach. Yesterday I made a lovely chicken soup in the crock pot.  Here's how you can do the same:3 cans chicken broth (on sale right now due to the impending holiday!)2 carrots, peeled and sliced...
11/14/2007
Rainer
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Cindy Kalionzes

smartphone(949) 468-8405
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