by Jeff Pittman | Mar 30, 2016 | Events
Events In Orange County April 2016 This April there are tons of events in Orange County to enjoy from beer festivals to fun runs and family festivals that nobody can resist. If you’re looking for something to do this spring break and beyond, look no further! KNOTT’S BOYSENBERRY FESTIVAL Now – Sunday, April 3rd knotts.com Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is still going on this weekend with mouthwatering treats you don’t want to miss. The boysenberry – a cross between a blackberry, raspberry and loganberry – is what made Knott’s famous and the farm is reimagining it in dozens of delicious ways this month for the Boysenberry Festival. Boysenberry beer, aioli, wine, ketchup, butter, taffy, soda and so much more waits at Orange County’s rollercoaster haven. DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Friday, April 1st – Sunday, May 1st Every weekend in April disneyland.disney.go.com This year is the first ever Food & Wine Festival to be held at Disney’s California Adventure. The month-long festival, taking place every weekend, will celebrate the best of California’s cuisine. Check out 8 distinctive Festival Marketplaces, culinary demonstrations, appearances by celeb chefs and attend seminars to gain more foodie knowledge. THE 7TH ANNUAL WALK FOR KIDS Sunday, April 3rd 6:30AM-10:30AM walkforkids.org Come out and support The Ronald McDonald House mission this spring at the Honda Center in Anaheim on April 3rd. When you register you’ll receive an official 2016 Walk for Kids tee shirt and your own personal walker webpage so you can share and inspire friends and family to support you while you raise funds for families of critically ill children. Race day fun...
by Jeff Pittman | Mar 24, 2016 | Homeowners
How To Maximize Outdoor Living Spaces Long gone are the days when a simple pool and patio set would do to maximize the value of your luxury home. Outdoor living as defined by today’s luxury market doesn’t entail a few extras on a long list of amenities as much as it does a true extension of a home’s interior living spaces, and a seamless blend of interior with exterior. The furniture, textiles, and overall design of outdoor living rooms, terraces, and poolside patios are carefully considered as yet another reflection of a home’s design aesthetic. Outdoor living spaces are well on their way to becoming a requisite rather than simply a value-add; responding to buyer demand, the global luxury market continues to raise the bar for outdoor luxury ever higher. This week in “Luxury Defined,” global experts in the Christie’s International Real Estate Affiliate network share six trends for bringing the indoors out. 1. Four-Season Outdoor Living Room Fully realized alfresco living rooms are distinguished by one signature feature: fire. Whether a dramatic stone hearth and fireplace, a firepit, or a chiminea, a fire element turns an outdoor space into an outdoor room that can be used year-round in warm-weather states throughout the U.S., including Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona. “Florida’s weather is such that you can do virtually all of your living and entertaining alfresco, especially during the winter months, when the weather is characteristically warm and dry during the day and deliciously cool and comfortable at night,” says Michael Saunders of Michael Saunders & Company. Fire elements generate warmth and a welcoming ambiance; additionally, two-sided fireplaces can create a...
by Jeff Pittman | Mar 24, 2016 | Weekly Quote
“The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low cost is forgotten.” ~ John Ruskin
by Jeff Pittman | Mar 17, 2016 | Sellers
5 Most Common Pricing Mistakes Sellers Make When Listing A Property In a favorable real estate market, it’s common for potential sellers to fall victim to the notion that they can do no wrong. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth! That’s why home pricing with local market knowledge is one of our New Rules of Real Estate. It’s that important for success. Avoid these classic mistakes to ensure you attain the highest possible value for your home, in the shortest amount of time. TAKING A ‘ZESTIMATE’ AS GOSPEL. Estimates from sites like Zillow are just that—estimates! To determine a logical listing price, it takes a trained professional. That’s because a trained professional takes into account things that a simple estimate database can’t like daily or weekly market conditions and intimate neighborhood knowledge. Finding an agent with focused experience in your community—and taking his or her research, experience and insight to heart—is the best way to go about things. OVERPRICING YOUR HOME RIGHT FROM THE START. Sure, it certainly seems logical to up the asking price of a property in anticipation of negotiations. The problem with this logic however is that it often backfires, and when it does, you’ll be forced to lower the price of your home, thus painting it in a needlessly unfavorable light. Overpricing can lead to your house sitting on the market untouched and is much more dangerous than underpricing. Likewise … PRICING FOR THE FUTURE. Home values in your neighborhood might well be on the rise, but you’d be wise to resist the urge to jack up the listing price because of...
by Jeff Pittman | Mar 17, 2016 | Weekly Quote
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” ~ John D. Rockefeller
