If you are considering selling your home and you owe more than the current market value of your home plus the cost of selling your home, that is considered a short sale. A short sale is a pre-foreclosure activity. Conditions that have led to the number of short sales and foreclosures that we see today include: Large numbers of speculative loans Large numbers of defaults on home loans Tightening of credit guidelines Stagnant or declining property values Excessive inventories of properties on the market (many of which are short sales & foreclosures) If you find yourself in a position where you need to short sale your home, please make sure to find a Realtor(R) that has some experience or at least training in short sales as there are many rules to be followed and a special package of docu... 10/26/2008

         For those of you unable to make your house payments every month and considering a short sale or foreclosure, whatever you do, please consult a lawyer or your CPA first to determine whether you are a good candidate for a short sale and what your tax and credit ramifications will be short sale versus foreclosure. There are other possible ways of avoiding a short sale or foreclosure, and those should be examined, first.  These may include a loan modification with your lender, a revised repayment schedule or refinancing your loan.   In order to proceed with a short sale, you must document with the lender that you are insolvent. You will have to provide a multitude of documents including:  W-2's, 2 years taxes, a letter explaining employment or lack thereof, bank statements and a ha... 10/23/2008

      The Golden Oak Festival and Golden State Classic Car Show will be held this Saturday, October 25th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Come enjoy collectibles, crafts and classic cars at the Paso Robles Downtown City Park at 12th & Spring Street.  There are numerous restaurants and wine tasting rooms to enjoy within walking distance all around the park.  Admission to the Golden Oak Festival and Golden State Classic Car Show is free to the public.  Hope to see you there! If you would like to search the MLS for listings or you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email, call me at (805) 235-0234 or visit my website for more information. It starts with a dream... 10/21/2008

The City of Paso Robles will be one stage finish for the Amgen Tour of California on February 19, 2009.  The 2009 race will include stops in 16 California cities over the course of 9 days in February.  This race will cover more than 800 miles through the State of California and will begin in Sacramento, the California State Capitol. The race will end in San Diego County on February 22.  Good luck to Lance Armstrong, who will be racing in this year's Amgen Tour! If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email, call me at (805) 235-0234 or visit my website for more information. It starts with a dream... 10/17/2008

Our first Pioneer Day in Paso Robles was held on October 12, 1931, and it was held again this year on October 11, 2008 on Columbus Day weekend.  This day of celebration was originally organized by community volunteers to provide a day of community friendship and to celebrate the heritage of Paso Robles.  Back in 1931, the annual event offered free beans in the City Park, and that continues to this day.  A portion of Spring Street is closed off for the annual parade of community members on horseback, buggies, stagecoaches, tractors, floats and marching bands.  There was quite a turnout this year, and a fun time was had by all... 10/17/2008

Okay fellow computer users! Have any of you heard about or considered purchasing a Tread Desk? Better yet, are any of you using one? I just heard about this invention last week, and it is very intriguing. The concept is a treadmill that you walk slowly on while doing your daily computer work (including blogging), and the computer table is either attached to the treadmill or detached with adjustable legs straddling your current treadmill. The version with the attached table is quite pricey, but it sure looks nifty. Apparently, this was invented by Dr. Levine at the Mayo Clinic as a result of a brilliant idea and a test he performed on 15 volunteers. His studies concluded that you could burn an extra 100 calories per hour by just walking 1 mile per hour while working on your computer. Wha... 10/08/2008

Have you thought of updating your kitchen recently? It can be a daunting and extremely expensive proposition, but there are ways to cut costs. And remember, buyers are usually passionate about the kitchen in any home they are considering buying. Take heart... You don't have to break the bank... There are ways to keep the costs down and still achieve a beautiful and functional gourmet kitchen, either for your own enjoyment or to prepare your home for marketing. To make your kitchen appear larger, you might consider removing a wall so that your kitchen merges beautifully into a family room or dining room. Buy ready-to-assemble cabinets instead of custom cabinets. This could save you a lot of $$$, especially if you install them yourself... Or just reface your cabinet doors... Instead of a ... 10/08/2008

            This report details North County Real Estate throughout the first three quarters of 2008.  Various segments of the market are performing at different levels of activity and price strength.               Just under 500 residential single family homes have sold throughout 2008.  Approximately 40% of these sales have been foreclosed properties.  The average sales price has hit $375,000 and there appears to be a bottom in pricing for properties valued below $400,000.  First time buyers and investors are actively seeking single family properties priced below $400,000.  There are multiple offer situations.  Inventory is in balance at these price points.  Pricing is defined.  Buyers are very educated and will respond only if the price is right.  There is no upward movement in price... 10/06/2008

Credit scores are a big factor in determining whether you will qualify for a loan and the loans terms available to you, along with your monthly income and monthly debts. Get a copy of your credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies at least once a year.  Make sure there are no mistakes on them, and ask for corrections from the reporting companies if there are any necessary. Don't charge your credit cards to their maximum limits. Pay your credit cards on time.  If possible, pay off your credit cards on a monthly basis. Don't apply for new credit cards before applying for a mortgage. Avoid finance companies.  Their interest rates are high, and this may be a sign to the lender that you have poor credit habits. Do not shop for mortgage rates from more than a couple of lenders at th... 10/04/2008

  The Paso Robles area has its fair share of REO's and short sales these days, but I am sure we are not as inundated as many other California locales since buyers are scooping up these great buys. I just want to bring to the attention of buyers who might be interested in purchasing an REO in our San Luis Obispo North County that, at this time, the banks are pricing these REO's at very competitive listing prices.  Rest assured that most are listed some percentage below current value, but the banks aren't as desperate as you might believe.  The bank does their own homework with the help of a Realtor(R) looking at comps, etc., before listing the home on the market.  They are in no rush to sell a home $100,000 below its current value unless the home has sat on the market with no offers for... 10/04/2008

I would just like to take the time to say how much I will miss Paul Newman.  I had heard that he might have lung cancer, but didn't pay much attention to that.  You know how all of the tabloids are always concocting events that aren't true.  But, this time, it was the truth... Paul Newman deserves a lot of respect not only for his acting career, his good looks and donations to charity, but he was a man's man and a woman's man.  He was great looking, had beautiful blue eyes and was married to the same beautiful and talented woman for over 50 years, Joanne Woodward.  In their 50 years of marriage, I don't know if he strayed (as most Hollywood stars would), but if he did, he had the good sense to be discreet about it, and he always treated Joanne with the utmost respect in public and in p... 10/02/2008

    Cable Services Charter Communications: Arroyo Grande  489-2653 Atascadero  466-3040 Morro Bay  772-8148 Paso Robles  238-1397 San Luis Obispo  544-2688 Department of Motor Vehicles Paso Robles  800-777-0133 San Luis Obispo  800-777-0133 Newspapers Atascadero News 466-2585 5 Cities Times Press  489-4206 Paso Robles Press  237-6060 Santa Maria Times  925-2691 Sun Bulletin  772-7346 The Cambrian  927-8652 The Tribune  781-7800 Pacific Gas & Electric 1-800-743-5000 Sanitation Services Atascadero Waste Alternative  466-3636 Cambria Waste Water Treatment  927-6250 Central Coast Sanitation  466-5900 Paso Robles Waste Disposal  238-2381 San Luis Obispo Garbage  543-0875 South County Sanitary Service  489-4246/489-3534 Midstate Solid Waste & Recycling  434-3408 San Luis Obispo County Record... 09/30/2008

This event at Meridian Vineyards will be held Saturday, October 18th, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.  Admission is $10 per person.  The physical address of Meridian Vineyards is 7000 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, Ca 93446.  (805) 226-7133. Celebrate harvest with the sounds of Monte Mills & The Lucky Horseshoe Band. Sample exclusive wines, try tasty steak bites with their new release of Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, sample homemade wine ice cream & join in the grape stomp!  You can go home with purple toes!  The $10 per person includes a logo glass, discounts on case wines & an afternoon filled with good food, good wine and great music!  Maybe even purple toes:)  Be sure to bring a blanket and lawn chairs.  With it being fall, one never knows what the weather will be like, but it s... 09/30/2008

The Avila Beach Golf Resort is located on the Central Coast approximately 36 miles south of Paso Robles off of Highway 101 and between San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach.  The drive time is approximately 42 minutes, but it is well worth it; especially if it is a hot day in Paso... There are many attractions, including the small beach town of Avila Beach, deep-sea fishing, several very good restaurants and great beaches.  The Avila Beach Golf Resort is located on the Pacific Ocean and includes a 71 par, 6500-yard golf course with 9 holes on oak-lined valleys and 9 holes on a tidal estuary, Avila's Newest Fine Dining Restaurant, Marre's Avila Beach, and a fully-stocked Pro Shop.  This golf course is truly a beauty to behold.  If you are looking for golf instruction, call Jay Farrior at (805)... 09/29/2008

The exquisite Hotel Cheval is located less than one block from the historic Paso Robles City Square and within walking distance to many fine restaurants, wine tasting rooms and the Park Theatre. This is the perfect location to spend time celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary, birthday or just a relaxing few days away from home.  There is a long list of attractions that you can enjoy while staying at Hotel Cheval, including wine tasting at more than 170 wineries, The Midstate Fair, Hearst Castle, golf and many other yearly scheduled Paso events.  Believe me, there are too many events to list, especially in the spring, summer and fall!  Next year Lance Armstrong plans to be here for the Amgen Tour event. The Expanded Amgen Tour of California runs February 14-22. World-Class Professional C... 09/28/2008

  Here is a short glossary of real estate terms that may come in handy during the purchase or sale of your home: Acceptance:  the date when both parties, seller and buyer, have agreed to and completed signing and/or initialing the contract. Adjustable Rate Mortgage:  a mortgage that permits the lender to adjust the mortgage's interest rate periodically on the basis of changes in a specified index.  Interest rates may move up or down as market conditions change. Amortized Loan:  a loan that is paid in equal installments during its term. Appraisal:  an estimate of real estate value, usually issued to standards of FHA, VA and FHMA.  Recent comparable sales in the neighborhood is the most important factor in determining value. Appreciation:  an increase in the value of a property due to ch... 09/27/2008

  These wines, one as low as $2, are red wines worth serving at your table this fall.  Give them a try and see if you don't agree. Peachy Canyon Winery Incrediable Red ($9)  Great with a pizza! Charles Shaw California Shiraz ($2)  Okay, you wine snobs...  We can't all afford a great Bordeaux! Barefoot Cellars California Cabernet Sauvignon ($5)  Blackberry flavors and a vanilla finish... Pope Valley Winery Cabernet Sauvignon ($8)  Good with a steak... Tamas Estates Zinfandel ($12)  A spicey and peppery Zin... McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Noir ($12)  Cherry and chocolate flavors... Enjoy fall and the welcome comfortable temperatures in Paso:) If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email, call m... 09/27/2008

Are you up for a little Halloween fun?  There aren't many things that bring a smile to my face more quickly than seeing our pets dressed up for Halloween.  Must not be too uncomfortable for your pet, however... Any pet can be entered into this contest...  Dogs, cats, birds, horses...  I'll leave it up to your imagination! Just send a photo of your pet in costume to Sherry Lee Cox.    The winner will be rewarded with a $50 coupon to PetsMart on October 31st, and I will post the winning photo on my blog.  Let's have some fun!  Best of luck to all:) P.S.  Anyone in any state can enter...  Not restricted to Paso Robles residents only...   If you have any real estate questions or general questions about Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo North County, please contact me via email, call me at (805... 09/27/2008

Well, I have to say I am WAY past being the mother of a newborn, but I ran across some interesting tips the other day that I thought I might share with you. Some doctors are now recommending that babies sleep with pacifiers at nap time and bedtime through the first year of life.  This is very interesting to me, because back in my day, the sooner you could get rid of the pacifier, the better.  There were issues about teeth growing in crooked and so forth.  Maybe the new pacifiers are more ergonomically correct?                         "I am not a happy camper, Mom!" Use a baby sling...  These are popular because of their swaddling and soothing effect.  It is a very good way to carry and snuggle your infant while on the go...  Leaves the hands free for shopping, too:) A cold pacifier...  ... 09/27/2008

Feeling Irish?  Next time you are in Paso Robles, be sure to visit the Crooked Kilt Bar & Grill located at 1122 Pine Street, Paso Robles, directly across the street from the city park.  Phone number is (805) 238-7070. Since they offer a "Happy Hour" Monday through Friday from 3:00 - 6:00 pm with 1/2 off of appetizers and reduced prices for mixed drinks and beer, you will find me there with friends one or two afternoons a week.  Fried calamari and Oysters Rockefeller are my favorites. The Crooked Kilt also offers flat screen TVs and live music most Friday and Saturday evenings.  I understand the Kilt becomes very lively on weekend evenings with a younger crowd.  During the afternoons, you can sit in the bar or enjoy a meal or appetizers on their large outdoor patio.  It is a great place... 09/27/2008