All photographs are taken and posted by Sharon Paxson, copyright© 2009.  All rights reserved. Photographs may not be copied, or reproduced without the express, written permission of Sharon Paxson, Realtor, Prudential California Realty, Newport Beach.. All rights reserved.  Contact Sharon Paxson for permission for use of photograph, and permission may be granted with writen instructions. 01/21/2009

Does Your Garage Door Need Some "Action"?I am writing this post today because this weekend, my children heard a loud bang in the garage, and they did not know what it was. As it turns out, the spring broke on the garage door, and I was not able to get my car out of the garage!  Fortunately my daughter has a car and I used her car.I called Action Garage Doors located in Fullerton, Ron Thompson to be specific. Ron Thompson is the owner of Action Garage Door Service and has been to my home many times serving my garage door. I called him first thing this morning at 7 am, and he answered (thank you for answering your phone so early). I explained the springs broke, and he gave me a quote to fix it on the phone. I said no problem, because I really wanted to get my car out of the garage. Can yo... 01/19/2009

Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard  Try-OutsIt is that time of year again for Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard try-outs. The try-outs begin in February, 2009 so now is a great time to be conditioning in order to pass the swim test.The Newport Beach Lifeguard program conducts the the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard program. Each year, the Newport Beach Lifeguards conduct a swim test in February and the test is well in advance of the summer program. The applicant for the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard must pass the swim test in order to participate in the summer Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard Program.Newport Beach residents and non-residents are welcome to apply to participate in the program. If you are applying as a Newport Beach resident, then three forms of identification to prove you are a N... 01/19/2009

Wordless Sunday - Off Shore Day   01/18/2009

Surfing in Newport Beach Although there is no lifeguard on duty during the winter months (the photo above is a lifeguard tower at Huntington State Beach) many residents and die hard surfers do not let the cooler water deter them from surfing. With the Santa Ana winds, this creates the off shore wind. This day was particularly clear with a great view of Catalina Island in the distance. You will often see visitors arriving and parking at the beach, or riding their bikes with their surf boards to go and catch the waves. The off shore winds can be seen by the mist blowing off the top of the waves. The air temperature was in the mid seventies, and the water temperature was in the high fifties. The surfers typically all wear wet suits, and some wear booties and gloves. (However, when I asked ... 01/16/2009

01/14/2009

Winter in Newport Beach Newport Beach generally has very temperate weather throughout the year. Although in the winter months, Newport Beach has cooler temperatures, the weather is generally very good where residents and visitors still enjoy the out doors and the beaches. One of the tell tale signs of winter is that the sun is in a different position in the sky, and will set behind Catalina Island. Catalina Island is located 26 miles off the coast of California, and there are many days through out the year that the island cannot be seen at all. However, when the wind changes direction, or if there is no on-shore flow, then Catalina is easily visible. Below is a photograph of the Newport Pier as sunset is approaching, and still people are walking along the pier and the beach. During thes... 01/12/2009

On my way to hold an open house at 211 Pearl on Balboa Island today, I couldn't resist taking photos of the bay and folks out enjoying the beautiful January weather.  It's a buyers market here as well - contact me to discuss investment opportunities in the Balboa area, and visit the Balboa Island community page on my web site.  Mary Campbellmary@yournewporthome.comwww.yournewporthome.com714-318-1880 01/12/2009

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, cultural and shopping opportunities. The Back Bay is a natur... 01/11/2009

Once again it's that time of the year when the Newport Beach restaurant association puts on Restaurant Week. Close to 100 restaurants will participate this year. These restaurants will offer bargain prices on 3 course meals for lunch and dinner. Lunch will be $15.00-$20.00 and dinner $20.00-$35.00. Please be sure to make reservations early. Some of the restaurants participating are: Amelias Restaurant- Balboa Island-949-673-6580 Chart House-Mariners Mile-949-548-5889 Avilas El Ranchito-Balboa Peninsula-949-675-6855 Newport Landing- Balboa Village-949-675-2373 Blue Water Grill-Cannery Village-949-566-0060 The Bungalow- Corona Del Mar-949-673-6585 Bayside Restaurant-Newport Beach-949-721-1222 Flemings- Fashion Island-949-720-9633 French 75- Fashion Island-949-640-2700 Yard House- Fashion ... 01/06/2009

Newport Shores and the WildlifeNewport Beach, CaliforniaNewport Shores is a community of approximately 400 single family homes located on the West side of Newport Beach. It is literally located across the street from the beach  and is surrounded by a Canal which is fed by the ocean. The canal level rises along with the tide.There are homes that are located right along Canal Street, Canal Circle and 62nd Street which are on the water. The residents that live along the water enjoy the wild life which lives in the Canal. And it is definitely varied. There are pelicans which typically come in the winter months. The beautiful white swan still comes to visit. There was two, and now there is only one. There are blue and white herons, and here is one with a swan. Sand pipers live along the Cana... 01/05/2009

  Preparing Your Home to SellWith the New Year behind us, many of you may be considering listing your home to sell. In preparation for selling your home, here are some recommendations that may improve the saleability of your home.A common question that homeowners may ask themselves is which improvements are needed to improve the saleability of their home. Any improvements that increase the home's attractiveness and  overall size to the general public will help to increase the value. Keep in mind that your property only has one opportunity to make a good "first" impression. That being said, when someone walks through the door to view the property, the property should appeal to the general buying public. The following is a list of general guidelines to consider when preparing your home to... 01/03/2009

Mortgage Interests Rates have fallen. A fixed rate loan for 30 years is below 5.000%, and Prime has dropped to 3.500%. Are you ready to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity? It is true; banks have tightened their guidelines. That is why I am reaching out to you to let you know, this is the time to get your loan file ready to lock at the lowest rate possible. If for whatever reason, I cannot help you refinance, there will be no cost to you. What are you waiting for? Call a seasoned loan broker that will save you money. Cell direct 714-404-6099   12/28/2008

Balboa Island FerryOne of the unique charming modes of transportation is the Balboa Island Ferry. The ferry offers transportation from Balboa Peninsula to Balboa Island. The distance on the ferry is approximately one quarter of a mile. If you were to drive that distance, it is approximately five miles. The Balboa Island has a very interesting history. The very first car that was transported on the Balboa Island Ferry was originally in 1920. The original cost for an automobile was ten cents. The Balboa Island had a franchise which began in 1922, one of the first ferries was named the Joker. Currently, there are three 64 foot ferries, and they have the capacity to carry three automobiles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The ferry drivers are very skilled, particularly during the summer month... 12/28/2008

Make Your New Year's Eve Reservations in Newport Beach With the Christmas holiday behind us, many are already planning for the New Years Eve Celebration in Newport Beach. If you do not already have New Year's Eve plans, for your convenience, I have attached a list of restaurants for you in the Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, and the Newport Coast area to bring in the New Year. Make your reservations as soon as possible in order to secure a reservation. There are many options here in the Newport Beach area, and the following is list of just some of the available restaurants. Cucina Alessa 6700 Coast Highway Newport Beach, CA 949.645.2148 Features fine and authentic Italian food. Wonderful wine selection and delicious any time of year. 21 Oceanfront Restaurant21 Oceanfront (located across ... 12/27/2008

                                                                                        Find NEWPORT BEACH FORECLOSURES                                      Want to find NEWPORT BEACH  FORECLOSURES? Check out our Orange County featured FORECLOSURES here. If you are a first time home buyer, savy investor, or any type home buyer in NEWPORT BEACH CA, let the Secor Group help you. NEWPORT BEACH Foreclosed homes sell quickly, so sign up on or NEWPORT BEACH FORECLOSURE Website to get the hottest new FORECLOSURES IN NEWPORT BEACH sent to your inbox as quickiy as humanly possible, and then contact us for making offers.    SEARCH NEWPORT BEACH  HOMES FOR SALE BY MAP ! You won't reget it!     SEARCH ENGINE KEYWORDS:NEWPORT BEACH  FORECLOSURESNEWPORT BEACH FORECLOSED HOMESNEWPORT BEACH  PRE-FORECL... 12/26/2008

Real estate news released by DataQuick on December 16, 2008,  reflected a 34.4% decrease of the average single family home sales price in Orange County. With the interest in Newport Beach Real Estate market trends, learning how Newport Beach compares for the same time period, November 2007 to November 2008, is important for buyers and sellers of real estate. Take a look at the charts for the four combined Zip codes of Newport Beach Real Estate. All the charts reflect activity for single family detached homes. The first chart shows a Median Sold Price decrease of 34%. The chart below shows the Newport Beach real estate number of homes for sale has  increased by 4%. The chart below shows the Newport Beach real estate supply of single family detached homes for sale has increased by 4%. The... 12/25/2008

                Orange County is packed with REO Properties= DEALS DEALS DEALS! Look for Newport Beach REO Homes, Bank  Owned Homes and Foreclosures on our website.  The best thing we are offering right now is our BANK OWNED FILTER home search. You fill it out and then we filter out all the homes BUT NEWPORT BEACH REO PROPERTIES AND BANK OWNED HOMES. You can also search for Newport Beach Homes on the map below.                                                                                  www.BankOwnedFilter.com                                                                 Searh for Newport Beach  Homes by map!                 12/18/2008

Most of us think of Sunny Southern California when we consider the weather here in Newport Beach, but yesterday Mother Nature threw a storm at us that effected the first night of the Newport Beach Boat Parade. Due to potential unstable weather conditions and strong winds, the first night of the 100th Annual Newport Beach Boat Parade was canceled last night. If permits can be obtained from the City and permssion from Ruby's, which has to shut down for a few hours, is given, then the hope is that the fireworks will be rescheduled for Sunday evening. If we obtain updated information, we will pass it along. In the meantime, we're going to head out to the boat parade tonight to enjoy it as part of our family's Christmas tradition.   ***********************************************************... 12/18/2008

   Well, we are now officially in uncharted waters!  Not only did the Fed lower the Fed Funds rate to just about ZERO, but the 10 year bond which historically lead mortgage rates, also dropped throught the floor. The below chart really tells the story, it is a chart that goes back to 1962.  As you can see, rates have now dropped significantly lower than they were when my Dad bought his first home.  This is amazing. As I posted yesterday, when fear subsides in the financial markets, the spread between the 10 year bond and mortgage rates will narrow.  We may actually see 30 fixed rate loans in the high three to low four percent range. Yesterday, someone commented on my blog with a comment that read, "Beware of Realtors that tell you now is the time to buy".  This was unfair in my opinion!... 12/16/2008