Have a glass of wine or beer at Vinatero Wine Shop. Vinatero Wine Shop has won awards from myfoxla for "Best Wine Shop in the Los Angeles Area" for 3 years in a row:  2007, 2008 and 2009. Ernie and Lisa Ceja are the husband and wife team that owns the wine shop.  If you want to learn about wine, then listen to the wisdom that comes from them as they pour you either a glass or a sample of wine.  In addition to a great variety of wines, they also carry numerous gourmet beers.  Vinatero Wine Shop is like a neighborhood pub, where locals gather to taste some good wines or beers.  It's kind of like the "Cheers" of Whittier, for wine and beer.  If you don't want to hang out (who wouldn't?), then you can always just walk in and buy a bottle or case, and walk right out.  They are happy to serve... 04/03/2010

If you live in the Whittier area, and love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, you can find them at the Whittier Farmers' Market.  Most of the produce is locally grown and organic, so you know it's good for you.  You can also find fresh flowers, organic herbs, organic honey, and, for those of you with a sweet tooth, caramel corn. Ready for lunch?  How about a bacon-wrapped hotdog under the Tropical Islands tables.  While you're there, you might as well wash it all down with a cold smoothy. Last year, the Whittier Farmers' Market moved to its present location at the corner of Philadelphia and Bright.  You can usually find a parking spot fairly close, either on the street or in the public parking lot next door. Do you like to cook with herbs?  You can buy them in starter containers and gr... 04/02/2010

Today, while I was coming out of a house I was previewing, I heard a humming noise.  At first, I didn't know what it was.  When I was able to figure out which direction it was coming from, I turned around and saw an enormous group of bees gathering around the house next door.  As I looked closer, I saw thousands of bees gathering on the wall of the house. A neighbor across the street was standing outside, apparently waiting for the bee people to come and get rid of the bees.  Being slightly allergic to bees, I made a beeline out of there and drove away. -- Blog End -- _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the author: The above article was provided by Rob Willis, a locally recognized Realtor®. If you like my blog, make... 03/30/2010

Since my last post when I shared our success at getting a loan modification, some plans have changed. Instead of figuring out where to move when we sold our house, now my husband and I are going to have a foreign exchange student stay in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs. The program is through Whittier College, and since we live about 2 blocks away, the person running the program was very excited to have us on board. So while we are waiting for our first boarder, there are a few things around the house that we decided to do, since we will be here a while longer (the good Lord willing). One of those was to trim our 75 foot tall, 100 year-old pecan tree in the back yard. It's been needing a good thinning-out for quite a while, so now seemed like the time. My husband hired some guys to d... 03/15/2010

Market Report on Homes for Sale in Whittier, CA - March 11, 2010 This Market Report is for Whittier, California. This Market Report on Whittier Homes for Sale will focus on Single Family Residences in Whittier, California.  It does not include condominiums or Multifamily Residences.   As of today, there are 271 Single Family Residences for sale in the Whittier area. 79 homes were sold during the month of February.  Over the past three months, 255 homes were sold. The average home sale price over the past month was $341,686, at an average cost per square foot of $248.14. 295 homes are currently in Backup or Pending status, or, which is significant because more homes are have accepted offers right now than are for sale. It would take 3.4 months, at the current rate of sales, for all the c... 03/11/2010

Market Report on Whittwood Homes for Sale in Whittier, California - March 11, 2010This Market Report is for the Whittier, California neighborhood known as Whittwood.  Here is information about Whittwood homes for sale, as well as homes that have sold in Whittwood.First, let me tell you what part of Whittier I am talking about.  The Whittwood area is bordered on the west by Colima Road, on the north by Whittier Boulevard, on the east by First Avenue and on the south by Lambert Road.  Basically, the Whittwood neighborhood is centered around the Whittwood Town Center, south of Whittier Boulevard.  All homes referenced in this article are within this Whittwood neighborhood. This Market Report on Whittwood Homes for Sale will focus on Single Family Residences in this Whittier, California nei... 03/11/2010

Anyone out there attending the Southern California Home Buyer's Fair this weekend. I will be attending with a team from Dreamwork Realty on behalf of NAHREP-Los Angeles this Saturday between 1:15p - 5:15p. Come on out and join us! 2010 HOME BUYER'S FAIRWhether you're a first-time home buyer, or hoping to invest in foreclosures, the Southern California Home Buyer's Fair, sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, offers a free, two-day primer on the home-buying process.  This must-attend event is packed with more than 50 educational "how-to" seminars and a large exhibit hall, designed to help you navigate today's real estate market with confidence and peace of mind.  03/09/2010

Wow! It really happened! We were approved for our loan modification. After my husband was laid off almost a year ago, we've been trying to stay in our house and work out a lower mortgage payment. It's been a long, tedious, stressful process, but finally VICTORY! Does going through the process make us an expert? I don't know, but if you need any advice, e-mail me. Our loan rate has been modified to 3.2% for 2 years, then after that it raises up 1 percent for the next two years. After that, we don't care! We are just happy to be one of the few that has made it through the process. It was totally the Lord - we know that. This will give us breathing room until the real estate market straightens out (which we know it will). We are one step closer in our journey to live on 10% and give away 9... 02/26/2010

Tiger Woods at Goldmine VW Auto Parts in Whittier You have seen Octomom in Whittier. You have seen Michael Jackson in Whittier. Now, appearing for the first time at Goldmine VW Auto Parts on Pickering Boulevard in Whittier, is the one and only Tiger Woods in a VW Bug. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for reading the blog post, Tiger Woods at Goldmine VW Auto Parts in Whittier.   If you like my blog, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed to get the latest Whittier real estate news. For Whittier real estate, see this website. Thinking about selling your home? Go to The Home Sale Site. I help home owners in the following towns in the greater Whittier area: La Habra, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Norwalk, Santa F... 02/25/2010

If anyone out there has any discounted luxury homes in So Cal, send them my way. I am now working with a Buyer that buys luxury homes at 80-90% of their value and then resells them quickly. If you have any Sellers that need to sell NOW, send me an e-mail. He buys cash and closes fast. They can be divorce, probate, or even Short Sales. We will be in touch. I pay for referrals (of course)   If you know of clients who may need some help in the So California, feel free to send them to my site: www.SanGabrielValleyHomeSearch.com Be sure that you send me an e-mail with you and your clients' name and information.  I pay 25% for referrals...so let's get to work. Thanks-- velascomark@yahoo.com  (626) 392-9499 Direct. Search MLS: Arcadia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Los Feliz, Downey,& Whittier, ... 02/23/2010

I was reading an article in the Whittier Daily News today by Bill Bell, who didn't have anything to write about, and his deadline was approaching, so he just sat down and started to write his article.  It ended up having something to do with getting old. I didn't have any topic in mind either, but have a compulsion to write something, so here goes. Oops, I just hit a brick wall.  Nothing.  Writer's block.  OK, here we go... It just occured to me that Goldmine VW Parts in Whittier has a new mannequin on the wall.  You may have seen my previous posts about Michael Jackson and Octomom.  The latest infamous character on the wall is Tiger Woods. I'll have to take a picture of it this week so I can share another blog post about the wonderful displays at Goldmine VW Parts in Whittier.  Those f... 02/22/2010

Hello Everyone - Long Time/No Post. I can't claim being overwhelming busy, but I can claim being busy with life. It looks like most of the rainstorms here in Southern California are over, and the hillsides are green and the weeds are high. My husband and I are always talking about moving to a less-populated place, somewhere where we can get out of the fast-paced world of what is our life. We also realized that the main culprit in our dilemma is.................US! We buy into the world around us and let it affect our way of life and well-being. You know what I mean - if we are waiting longer than 1 minute in the drive-thru at the local Burger Queen, we get antsy and upset, and it affects the rest of the day! We've been programmed to think that a 30 minute oil change/lube is awesome. I w... 02/22/2010

Foreclosure VS Short sale One of my colleagues brought this form to me recently and I thought I'd share it. Some of the reasons to avoid a foreclosure are obvious. Others, not so obvious. If there is a way to avoid a negative mark on public records then you should do so. Here's  a quick reference guide. Qucik Reference Guide    Foreclosure  Short sale  Credit Worthines  Cannot purchase home for at least 5-7 years  2 Years  Privacy  Must disclose on apllications when requested  Kept private Credit Score  Credit score hit 250-300 points  50-111 points  Sercurity Clearance  Employment can be revoked or terminated for certain jobs  Does not challenge  Employment  Can be revoked or terminated, can affect promotion or position eligiblity  "Short Sale"is not reported, therefore not a challenge... 02/20/2010

Vintage homes is Whittier are not only abundant, they are very popular.  At this time Whittier homes for sale that are seen as vintage or classic are all the rage.  As soon as one comes on the market , it is flooded with visitor, many with their check books in hand.  Just this week we have made offers on two Whittier homes for sale that fit the vintage profile, only to be too late to get considered.  Really a hot market for these vintage home in Whittier. 02/19/2010

Solar Power for Your Whittier Home As a real estate agent who believes in renewable energy, I sometimes get questions from people who want to install solar panels on their roof to lower their electricity bill, help prevent blackouts, reduce their footprint on Global Warming and make their homes a little greener. My first piece of advice is to seek out the professionals who can do an expert installation of a complete solar electricity system. A lot of people want to do their own installation. It certainly sounds simple to just put few panels on the roof. Actually, a typical installation can start with about 12 panels for a small configuration; but it takes more than just reading a book or two and playing with panels on the roof to properly install a safe, reliable and economic solar ener... 02/11/2010

                                                                                                 I will do the following things:1. I will have a regular communication schedule (weekly or biweekly) to provide regular Buyer feedback.2. I will send copies of ALL ads and marketing materials.                            3. I will make you a part of the process (input is welcome and accepted)4. I will NOT Disappear.5. I will get the Highest and Best home price in the shortest possible time.                                     Click here to find out: What is my home worth? If you know of clients who may need some help in the So California, feel free to send them to my site: Search MLS: Arcadia, San Marino, South Pasadena, Los Feliz, Downey,& Whittier, CA. 02/10/2010

We had a Super Bowl get-together yesterday in our basement. I've got one of the few basements here in Southern California, so it's kind of an oddity. They sure knew how to build them in 1910! So where was I? Oh yeah, the Super Bowl. All but four of the attendees were rooting for the Saints. And of course we heaped it on plenty at the end of the game. I think most all of us root for the underdog at some point in our lives. It's just a natural reaction when the perennial loser finally pulls off an upset. After 9 months without a job, my husband (the underdog) finally landed something. After exactly 56 job applications filled out and not hearing a single word, he finally heard the word he needed to hear most - "We would like to offer you a job". He will be working with developmentally disa... 02/08/2010

Market Report on Whittwood Homes for Sale in Whittier, California - February 3, 2010This Market Report is for the Whittier, California neighborhood known as Whittwood.  Here is information about Whittwood homes for sale, as well as homes that have sold in Whittwood.First, let me tell you what part of Whittier I am talking about.  The Whittwood area is bordered on the west by Colima Road, on the north by Whittier Boulevard, on the east by First Avenue and on the south by Lambert Road.  Basically, the Whittwood neighborhood is centered around the Whittwood Town Center, south of Whittier Boulevard.  All homes referenced in this article are within this Whittwood neighborhood.This Market Report on Whittwood Homes for Sale will focus on Single Family Residences in this Whittier, California ne... 02/03/2010

Hacienda Road Reopens Hacienda Road has finally reopened, after four months of construction.  It seemed like it took forever. I, for one, am glad it is ready for drivers again who need to travel from La Habra and La Habra Heights over to the San Gabriel Valley.  It is also going to relieve the traffic nightmare that was Colima Road over the past 4 months. 02/02/2010

My key qualities are that I do my homework, I know my contracts, and I am a great negotiator.  Most money is saved/lost during the Buyer's contract offer.  A great Agent does NOT concede every little detail of the transaction to get the sale.  Each "detail" can cost anywhere between $50 to $6,000.  Are you ready to save some money?   I will do the following things:   1. If I am not available, I will return your phone calls quickly/promptly.       2. I will give you prices for comparable (comps) properties.  3. I will show you ONLY properties that fit what you are looking for.  4. I will let you know FIRST when any great deals come up.  5. I will negotiate the best possible deal on your behalf.   Search my site: www.SanGabrielValleyHomeSearch.com   Your REALTOR serving: Hacienda Heights... 01/29/2010