Look Who Came to Visit in Newport Shores Today Two swans flew in to visit us here in Newport Shores today. There was one that looked familiar, but the darker one we have not seen before. In the past, we have seen pairs, then only one for a while. So perhaps the original one found a new mate. They are so beautiful and graceful.  It is such a pleasure to see them, as we haven’t seen any swans since last summer.  So I thought I would share these photos with you to enjoy as well! Have a great Sunday! 12/05/2010

Newport Beach Real Estate News - Newport Beach Market Report Newport Beach real estate has come a long way since it began in 1906. Back then, bayfront houses sold for as little as $500. Today, homes in this area are priced in the millions of dollars as the area is considered prime, Pacific Coast property. Areas of Newport Beach include Corona Del Mar, Balboa Island, Lido, Newport Coast, San Joaquin Hills and Balboa Peninsula. For those looking for a home along Orange County's Gold Coast, Newport Beach real estate offers choices for a variety of homebuyers. Luxury homes on the sand, bayside estates with yacht slips, elegant town homes on the golf course are all possibilities in Newport Beach. The real estate market in Newport Beach is enhanced by a variety of environmental, recreational,... 12/05/2010

Newport Beach Holiday Open House 304 Colton Street Newport Beach, Ca 92663 You are invited to view this Newport Shores home in Newport Beach tomorrow, December 5, 2010 from 1 to 5 pm. This home is located in highly sought after Newport Shores in Newport Beach. Newport Shores in Newport Beach features a community clubhouse, a heated pool, tennis court, sand volley ball court, and a basketball court.  This Newport Beach home for sale features four bedrooms, two and one half bathrooms, and a two car garage. All the bedrooms are located upstairs. The master has a walk in closet. The floorplan of this home is very desirable. The utilities were recently put underground as well making the area more appealing. The exterior of this Newport Beach home has been repainted in a neutral color, and m... 12/04/2010

Just Sold in Newport Beach! This Tommy Bahama inspired style condo located at 1325.5 West Bay Avenue on the Balboa Peninsula just sold for $800,000 on December 2, 2010. This condo is located on highly sought after West Bay in Newport Beach, the condo features two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. There is an a built in office area, and a fireplace in the living room. The kitchen features stainless appliances and hardwood floors. Another feature is the roof top deck which has spectacular views of the Pacific ocean, Newport Harbor, and city lights. On the roof top deck there is another fireplace to enjoy the cooler nights. And it sold just in time for the buyers to enjoy the view of the Newport Beach Parade of Lights! For more information on other homes on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach... 12/03/2010

Dogs Can Now Walk the Beach on Balboa Peninsula for an Extra 90 Minutes The Newport City Council recently voted to allow dogs on the beach on the Balboa Peninsula for an extra 90 minutes each day. Under the new regulations, dogs may not be on the beach between 10am and 4:30pm. Previously, dogs were banned between 9am and 5pm. This is a benefit to those who enjoy walking their dogs during the day, especially as we move into winter and away from daylight savings time.             Fines for violating the ordinance can be pricey. The first violation is $100. The second is $200, and the third violation is $500.           For information about buying or selling a home on the Balboa Peninsula, please contact me at 714-319-9751. 11/28/2010

Holiday Shopping in Newport Beach – Visit Fashion Island in Newport Beach Have you started your holiday shopping for this season? Today being Black Friday, there are deals that are being advertised everywhere! I was at Fashion Island in Newport Beach before Thanksgiving, and there were many of the stores and merchants already who had slashed the prices for their merchandise in preparation for Black Friday. Even if you have finished your holiday shopping, Fashion Island in Newport Beach is a great place to visit. Fashion Island in Newport Beach has undergone recent renovations, there are added water features, and hardscape through out. The Fashion Island Tree Lighting was just held last weekend, and the Christmas tree is decorated and lit. It is beautiful. Also, there is Santa’s house f... 11/26/2010

Santa Ana River Jetty on a November Afternoon - Speechless Sundays     One of the great things about living in Southern California is that the weather in Newport Beach allowed us to take the kids and the dogs to the ocean in mid November and actually get into the water.  Perhaps not as warm as summer, but doable. 11/21/2010

Holiday Home Tour in Newport Shores Newport Shores in Newport Beach is located at the west side of Newport. This community has approximately 440 homes. Some of the neighborhood amenities include a community clubhouse, heated pool, tennis court, sand volley ball court, basketball court, and there are two parks for the children.  Newport Shores has a Holiday Home Tour. The Newport Shores Holiday Home tour will be held on: December 5, 2010 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm There is advance purchase for the tickets for the Newport Shores Holiday Home Tour are $15, and on December 5, 2010, the cost for the tickets will be $20. The ticket window will be open from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on December 5, 2010. All the proceeds from the Newport Shores Holiday Home tour are utilized to purchase and deliver holiday gift... 11/21/2010

The 102nd Annual Newport Beach Holiday Boat Parade The city of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 102nd Annual Parade of Lights in Newport Harbor. The theme for this year’s boat parade of lights is  “Lights, Camera…Christmas in Newport Beach!” Every year, there are multi-million dollar yachts, kayaks, canoes, and Duffy boats decorate their yachts to parade it to the city of Newport Beach. It is an incredible site to see these boats so beautifully decorated. It is really fun to be on the water to see the parade! Some of the owners go all out, and it really is incredible to see. The Newport Beach Parade of lights begins on: December 15, 2010 and runs through December 19, 2010 The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade promptly begins at 6:30 pm and finishes up at approximately... 11/21/2010

Fashion Island Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa's Arrival     Fashion Island's Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will happen this Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20, 2010.   The free event will include musical performances and the arrival of Santa Claus, plus jugglers, magicians and carolers.   The tree lighting ceremony will occur at 6:00pm in the Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdales' Courtyard.     After the Fashion Island tree lighting, Santa will be available for the children in his beautiful home away from home to listen to your children's wishes and provide a great back drop for your memories.   So come enjoy this annual holiday even done in the elegant manner in which Fashion Island always celebrates the holidays.   Originally published at Fashion Island Tree Lighting Ceremony.   11/18/2010

The Blue Water Grill in Newport Beach, CA There are many dining in Newport Beach, and the Blue Water Grill is a spectacular seafood restaurant that should not be missed. The Blue Water Grill has several locations, and the location in Newport Beach is the original location. Located on the Lido Peninsula, the Blue Water Grill has delicious food. The address for the Blue Water Grill is: 630 Lido Park DriveNewport Beach, CA 92663Phone Number:  949.675.3474 The hours are:Monday -Thursday 11 am – 10 pmFriday – Saturday 11 am – 11 pmSundays 10 am – 10 pm There is also a happy hour, and it is from:Monday – Friday 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm I have dined at the Blue Water Grill many times for both lunch and dinner. There is also brunch as well. The food is amazing, and the fish is incredibly fresh. They h... 11/18/2010

Woof! Orange County Dog Parks For Your Furry Friends! There are five official dog parks, and one unofficial place (river jetty) where you can take your dog to run off leash in Newport Beach.   The following is a list of the dog parks for your furry friends! Costa Mesa Bark Park 890 Arlington AvenueCosta Mesa, CA949.754.5041 The hours: Open from dusk until dawn. The Bark Park is closed on Tuesday. Irvine Central Bark 6405 Oak CanyonIrvine, CA 92618959.724.7740 The hours are: 6:30 am-9 pm daily. Central Bark is closed on Wednesday. Huntington Beach Best Friend Dog Park Edwards Street and TalbertHuntington Beach, CAHours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Huntington Beach Dog Beach Coast Highway between 21st and SeapointHuntington Beach, CA714.536.5281 Hours: Dog Beach is open daily from 5 am ... 11/16/2010

This is very interesting, although this time of the year real estate usually slows down, more Newport Beach homes are selling than new ones coming on. Real Estate is cyclical. When its down, it's wise to invest! I did a little research for a client yesterday for Balboa Island. Owning a home on Balboa Island is owning a home on prime real estate. After all, how many homes are on an Island or better yet how many homes can you buy on the waterfront? I looked back at the past 5 years and found this: For Balboa Island. Year                     Homes sold           Average Sq.Ft. Sold 2005                        35                             $1,484.002006                        23                             $1,267.002007                        17                             $1,252.002008  ... 11/15/2010

Pet Owners Get 90 More Minutes of Beach Time in Newport Beach The Newport Beach City Council has amended an ordinance to allow residents to walk their dogs for an additional ninety minutes per day on the beaches in Newport Beach. There is an additional hour in the morning, and an additional thirty minutes more in the afternoons. With the new ordinance, dogs are banned from the beaches between 10:00 am  and 4:30 pm, in lieu of the previous ordinance of 9 :00 am to 5:00 pm.  The dog walking ordinance has taken place immediately. If however, you are looking for a place to take your dog to the beach, you may want to consider Dog Beach in Huntington Beach - where the dogs are allowed run and play off leash. The increase in the time was to provide pet owners and dog walkers more day light ti... 11/15/2010

A Fall Beach Day in Newport Beach It doesn't feel like fall! It certainly seemed like a summer day. During this past summer, we had lots of overcast days, so it is so nice to enjoy the beautiful beaches in Newport Beach and the climate. There were people swimming, surfing, and boogie boarding. People did not seem to mind the water temperature. Kids were playing in the sand, and building sand castles. Visitors and residents were riding bikes and roller blading on the boardwalk, and taking advantage of the beautiful weather we are having here in Newport Beach. I sat on the lifeguard tower at Tower 32 and took pictures and enjoyed the sunshine! I love to watch surfing! It is a good place to watch surfing, and there was a stand up paddle boarder who also was catching some waves! Some of th... 11/14/2010

14th Annual Balboa Island Walking Holiday Home Tour The 14th Annual Balboa Island Walking Holiday Home Tour will be held on: December 12, 2010 – Sunday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm The Balboa Island walking holiday home tour is a great opportunity to continue with the holiday activities and enjoy the community of Newport Beach and Balboa Island. The walking holiday home tour is held on Balboa Island in Newport Beach. The Balboa Island Walking Holiday Home Tour is a home tour, and an opportunity to view some of the beautiful homes that are decorated with holiday decor. Additionally, some of the merchants will have refreshments, and of course holiday decor as well. Tickets are $25 each, and ticket information may be found on Balboa Island website. Checks should be made out to BIIA. The following ... 11/13/2010

Newport Shores in Newport Beach Market UpdateJune 1, 2010 to November 11, 2010 Newport Shores in Newport Beach is a community of homes located on the west side of Newort Beach. Enjoy living in a beach style community. There are approximately 440 homes located in the Newport Shores community. The residents of Newport Shores enjoy the beach lifestyle. Walk or jog along the boardwalk either towards Huntington Beach, or ride your bike to the Newport Pier. Presently, there are five active listings ranging in price from $598,900 to $1,299,000. Two properties in Newport Shores are in back up status, and there have six sales since June 1, 2010. For more information, see the properties below.  Please contact me at 949.280.0681 if you would like additional information on Newport Shores homes for... 11/10/2010

The foreclosure process starts with a Notice of Default (NOD) which generally is served on the homeowner approximately 90-days after stopping paying on their mortgage. The homeowner has a redemption period of at least three months after a filing of a NOD to bring the mortgage current, negotiate a loan modification or sell the home. If this is not accomplished a Notice of Trustee sale is issued and as quickly as 20-days latter the foreclosure process ends with a Trustee Auction where the home is sold to a third party investor or returns to bank ownership. The foreclosure process can also be cancelled (most frequently by a Short Sale of the home) or postponed. In short, the Notice of Default indicates the start of the foreclosure process, the Trustee sale, the end. Four things can take p... 11/10/2010

Distressed homes (Short Sale and REO or bank owned) homes comprised approximately 40 percent of the total homes listed for sale in Orange County in November 2010. Newport Beach has one of the lowest percentage  of distressed home listing in the County, out of 906 homes listed for sale as of November 9th, seven were bank owned (REO) and 128 were short sale listings – 16 percent of the total homes listed for sale. Across the County, Short Sales are replacing REO foreclosures as the sale of choice for banks. Distressed home listings are found in all price ranges up to $2.0 million but are most concentrated at prices under $1.0 million and in the $1.4 to $1.5 million range. At prices over $2.0 million, six percent of the 195 listings at prices between $2.0 and $4.0 million were depressed l... 11/09/2010

Lido Isle in Newport Beach Market Update6.1.2010 – 11.9.2010 Lido Isle is a beautiful residential area located which is located in Newport Beach. It is truly is an island and there are both bay front homes which have spectacular bay views, and interior homes located on stradas. Some of the interior homes features bay views as well. The homes on Via Lido Nord enjoy the morning sunshine, and homes on Via Lido Soud enjoy the afternoon sunsets. Lido Isle features approximately 873 home sites on the island. There is the Lido Island Yacht Club which is a club available for the exclusive use of the residents of Lido Isle. Additionally, the residents of Lido Isle enjoy private tennis courts as well as private beaches located on the bay. The lifestyle in Lido Isle in Newport Beach is an area wh... 11/09/2010