OAK PARKNEWS YOU CAN USE 2009 YEAR END SALES DATA  OAK PARK CA   It has been a busy year in Real Estate here in the Conejo Valley, in Ventura County CA.  Here in  our community of Oak Park CA, we had 76 single family homes sell from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009.  Sales prices ranged from $440,000 for a foreclosed home on Tamarind (ouch!), to  $1,415,000 for a home up in the Morrison/Sutton Valley tract.  For details on sales in Oak Park CA in 2009, see below.  The median sales price of a single family home sold in Oak Park this year was $678,750, down just a tad from last year’s median sales price of $682,500.  However it is still down (16%) from the 2007 median sales price of $808,000.  I get asked all the time what I think of the market, and what do I think will happen t... 01/04/2010

 California's ongoing drought, as well as court decisions to restrict water flow due to endangered fish are forcingconservation  measures.  As a result, businesses and residents of Oak Park, Ca must reduce their water use by 15% between now and June 30, 2010.  The consequences for not doing so will be fines and higher monthly bills.  (So fish are more important than the local economy? Must be another blog post in there somewhere!) Janna Orkney, chair of the Triunfo Sanitation district, which owns Oak Park Water Service said, "After one year, if Oak Park Water does not have any reduction in use from the base years (2004-2006) we will be fined over $1 million.  If we only reduce 10 per cent, the fine will be almost $650,000."   Any fines will likely be passed on to us, the ratepayers.  Th... 08/04/2009

Saturday, May 9, 2009 was the beginning of something exciting here in OAK PARK, CA.  It was our first Farmer's Market, and the community response was awesome.  The market will be open every Saturday, and will feature organic and fresh local produce and fruit, fresh baked goods and plants, as well as a live soloist musician entertainment with seating for customers to “come and stay a while.”   The community definitely celebrated the opening of their new Farmers Market and came in droves to be a part of it.  The amount of customer support was not anticipated at all and the number of certified farmers will increase sooner than planned next week to meet the communities demand for fresh, local and certified food directly from the farmers themselves.   Some of the comments by the farmers wer... 05/10/2009

OAK PARK BEAUTIFICATION DAYSATURDAY, MAY 16,20098:30 am TO 1:30 pmOAK PARK HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT (889 N. KANAN RD) Ready to do your spring cleaning?  Now is your chance!  Come take advantage of this FREE opportunity to recycle the following: Residential yard waste.  (leaves, brush, tree trimmings, and UNTREATED wood) Palm fronds,  yucca, succulents, stumps, and painted wood will be handled as trash.  PLEASE KEEP SEPARATE FROM CLEAN YARD WASTE. Cardboard,plastic, metal, and paper items residential refuse and bulky items (furniture, appliances, etc) Electronic waste (computers, printers, monitors, televisions, VCR's, fax machines, cellphones, etc) NO HAZARDOUS WASTE OR TIRES WILL BE ACCEPTED!You may also bring hard to handle items to the event for disposal.  However, refrigerators, prop... 05/04/2009

  OAK PARKNEWS YOU CAN USE Brought to you by Carol Lee, Oak Park Neighborhood Specialist   SALES IN OAK PARK, CA JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, 2009   The above list is all the sales reported on the MLS from January 2009 through March 31,02009 in Oak Park.  The chart below  compares that information to the same time period last year.  While the number of sales has dropped for the time period, changes in prices are negligible.  If I were to guestimate what we will see in the future, is that the median and average price in the area may drop.  I say this because of the lower sales prices in  the Regency and Chambord tracts, two of the higher priced tracts in Oak Park. Click here to SEARCH FOR HOMES IN OAK PARK, AGOURA, WESTLAKE, AND ALL OF VENTURA COUNTY. 04/02/2009

  OAK PARKNEWS YOU CAN USE   2008 YEAR END SALES DATA  FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REALTOR, CAROL LEE   This past year has certainly been memorable for many reasons, the continuning decline in home prices, even here in Oak Park, being one of them.  While this upcoming year may be tough, I think it will be good for real estate.  Investors are jumping in, interest rates continue to be incredibly low, and there is still plenty of real estate.  Call or text me now at 818-642-9445 to see how I can help you! Click here to SEARCH FOR HOMES IN OAK PARK, AGOURA, WESTLAKE, AND ALL OF VENTURA COUNTY.   01/03/2009

  Interested in Shopping for A Cause?  How about if the cause is our own OAK PARK SCHOOLS? Don't miss the First "Choice" gift boutique on TUESDAY DECEMBER 9 2008 , 9 AM- 4:30 PM at the OAK PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.  More than 20 vendors will be there, plus enjoy a Cookie and Cookie Bar Buffet where you can select delicious home baked cookies and create your own gift, or maybe just get a yummy snack while you are shopping!Vendors will donate a percentage of your purchase to the participating OAK PARK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT school of your choice. Tuesday, December 99:00am to 4:30pmOak Park Community Center Activewear by Lisa Keiki Co.  Beijo Bags ** Beth Spooner, 818-263-7918  Kowboys and Co. Chained Candi PapaBear LoungeAbouts  Chainz-n-Things Pure Necessities** Toni Tramel, 818-421-9047 ... 12/07/2008

  OAK PARKNEWS YOU CAN USE (Oriiginal Oak Park, East Of Kanan only)   ACTIVE        5+3           1996 sq. ft          $555,000 (bank owned)     5+3           1996 sq. ft           $715,000 IN ESCROW       4+2            1695 sq. ft.        $509,900       4+3            1877 sq. ft.        $618,000 SOLD         211 Satinwood   4+3    1892 sq. ft     $570,000       6548 Tamarind   4+2    1607 sq. ft     $580,000      6511 Pinion         5+3    2338 sq. ft     $740,000    (Chart reflects all Oak Park, excluding Sutton, Regency, and Chamborad tracts) Click here to SEARCH FOR HOMES IN OAK PARK, AGOURA, WESTLAKE, AND ALL OF VENTURA COUNTY.   10/11/2008

 OAK PARK, CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS DO IT AGAIN!! Brought to you by Carol Lee, Realtor, Oak Park, Agoura, and Westlake Village CA Oak Park California, a small community nestled in  Eastern Ventura County, is known, among other things, for its great school system.  This year, the Oak Park Unified School District reported the highest combined API score in Ventura County, according to the California Department of Education figures released last week.  The score increased 25 points from last year, all the way up to 891. The API is the Academic Performance index.  It is a single number, ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 1000, that reflects a school's performance level, based on the results of statewide testing.  It measures academic performance and growth of schools on a variety of academic m... 09/14/2008

  OAK PARK SINGLE FAMILY HOME SALES JANUARY 1, 2008 THROUGH JUNE  30, 2008 *   ADDRESS Tract BEDROOMS BATHS SQ.FT SELLING PRICE 599 Aspen Ridge Country Glen  3 2  1348 $                                           551,000.00 23 Locust Oak Park 3 2 1689  $                                      570,000.00 424 View Park Country Glen 3 2 1508  $                                      599,900.00 6474 Conifer Oak Park 3 2 1470  $                                      608,250.00 6326 Smoke Tree Oak Park 3 2 1895  $                                      630,000.00 6349 Pinion Oak Park 4 2 1833  $                                      645,000.00 302 Bayport Montego 3 3 1890  $                                      645,000.00 6511 Pinion Oak Park 5 3 2338  $                                      675,000.00... 07/08/2008

We just received fabulous news from a Real Estate Agent who enlisted the services of Platinum Home Staging, Inc. She had a home owner that needed that third party, unbiased opinion to prepare their home for sale. After a VERY small investment, a 2 hour tour of the home inside and out, as well as a 7 page typed comprehensive Consultation Report.  The Sellers took 3 weeks to implement all the suggestions made by Platinum Home Staging, Inc. Today we were notified that the home received 5 - yes, FIVE offers - and is closing escrow TODAY (June 24, 2008) for $20,000 over the asking price!  Woo-hoo! ******************************************************************************   Subscribe to my Blog Platinum Home Staging, Inc. has been recognized and grown into a tremendous success built on cu... 06/24/2008

Oakpark, CA Unified School District Oak Park Unified School District    2007 API score Statewide ranking Similar school ranking 2008 target score Oak Park Unified 866 - - - Brookside Elem. 921 10 8 A Oak Hills Elem. 927 10 10 A Red Oak Elem. 882 9 3 A Medea Creek Middle 879 10 3 A Oak Park High 838 10 5 A Visit VenturaCountyRelocation.com/schools for API Rankings of all Ventura County, CA schools. Purpose The Academic Performance Index rates California's public schools and sets targets for the schools to achieve.  What the categories mean: API scores: The state uses the Academic Performance Index to rank schools based on test scores. The rankings are based on student's scores on state standard tests, the California Achievement Test and the California High School Exit Exam. The API is g... 06/21/2008

  AGOURA/OAK PARK HISTORICAL SALES STATISTICS- BROUGHT TO YOU BY CAROL LEE,  REAL ESTATE IN AGOURA, OAK PARK, WESTLAKE VILLAGE CA There continues to be talk and predictions in the media and the general public about where the market has been, and where is it going.  Of course no one, especially me, knows for sure where the real estate market is going.  There are too many unknowns- upcoming presidential elections, price of                          gas, global or local natural disasters, etc. I can tell you what my gut tells me, which is that here in the Conejo Valley, the market may not behave like many other areas of California and the rest of the country.  Even more so, the communities of Agoura, Oak Park, and Westlake are different than Thousand Oaks  and Newbury Park.  I am not judgin... 05/26/2008

 OAK PARK MEASURE C- INFORMATION FROM CAROL LEE, REALTOR, OAK PARK, AGOURA, WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALots of buzz and media attention lately about Measure C.  What is it all about? Basically, it is about funding for our local OAK PARK Schools.Oak Park is known for its schools.  Student achievement is among the best statewide.  All of the Oak Park Schools are in the top ten percent of the State's Academic Performance Index.  And our schools have received numerous National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished School honors.The reputation of our schools help maintain high property values.  Great School help develop good citizens, and preserve our unique community character.A little background is in order.  In 2004, when the cut education funding,  voters here in Oak Park approved local fund... 04/29/2008

2008 CONEJO VALLEY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!!  THE NEWS FROM CAROL LEE, REALTOR, AGOURA, OAK PARK, WESTLAKE VILLAGE AND ALL OF THE CONEJO VALLEY The 52 annual Conejo Valley Days Festivities started this weekend, in record breaking heat.  The event is the largest all-volunteer festival on the West Coast.  Proceeds benefit more than 25 local nonprofit organizations that provide services for those less fortunate.The Chili Cook-Off is today, Sunday, April 27 at 10 AM at Conejo Creek Park South, just East of the 23 Freeway on Janns Road in Thousand Oaks. Sure looks good!!The parade, which includes local bands, horseback riders, clowns, and more, will march down Thousand Oaks Boulevard starting at 9 AM, Saturday, May 3.  The Conejo Valley Days will take place at Conejo Creek Park.  There are carni... 04/27/2008

 OAK PARK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FILM MAKERS- PRESENTED BY CAROL LEE, OAK PARK CA HOMES FOR SALEOkay, I realize we  live in Southern California.  And here in the Conejo Valley, as in other area of Southern California,  there are a lot of people in "the biz".  Parents who are directors, producers, cameramen, actors, stunt guys, etc.  Which makes for a very talented gene pool.  One of my own sons, when he was about four years old, asked how he could get to be a famous kid.  My answer was to study hard, be smart, and go to college. He meant how could he be famous in the movies or on TV. We tried it for a bit.  He was in one music video.  I hated being a stage mom, and he decided he would rather play soccer with his buddies.This year, Oak Park High School, in an attempt to offset the boredom o... 04/16/2008

Get Top Dollar For Your Home- Information For Sellers in Oak Park, Agoura, and Westlake Village, CA To get the highest possible price for your home, make sure it is ready to be seen and sold.  In a market with limited inventory, you can get away with not painting or putting in new carpet if you don't feel like it.  In this market, unless you are marketing and pricing your home as a fixer, all work should all be done before your realtor starts to sell it.   You won't get another shot at a first impression.  Buyers that have seen it when it first went on the market may not want to go back for a second look even when it the price is reduced. There are too many other homes they can look at. You should start out fixed, painted and ready to go.The first offer may be the best offer.  A buyer w... 03/01/2008

Oak Park, CA Recreation and District News No Smoking In Parks:  Hurray!!  In its January 2008 board meeting, the Parks Distrct Board of Directors voted to make all district parks in Oak Park smoke free. One exception was made, and that is that a smoking permit for the patio adjacent to the Oak Park Community Center may be requested when renting the facility for a special event. Oak Park Dog Park:  A publice hearing will be held by the Oak Park Recreation and Park Planning Committee to further consider the possiblity of constructing a dog park in Oak Park.   Two location choices at Oak Canyon Park were discussed previously.  Residents of Oak Park are encouraged to attend teh meeting and share their thoughts about this project.  I am a dog owner, and I think it is a great idea!  Let's get... 02/26/2008

Time to Move Up?  Real Estate Information for Agoura, Oak Park, and All of the Conejo ValleyMany people say they would like to get a larger house, but want to wait until the real estate market settles down.  I would like to know how they will know when it is settled enough.  And then I ask my favorite question, "Why?"  (People who know me know I ask a lot of questions.)Are you cramped in your current home?  Want a larger yard?  Maybe a room for an office?  Maybe it was always just a starter home for you, and you never got around to buying the next home.  If you have been in your home for the last five years or more, I believe it is a great time to take advantage of the equity you may have in your home.   According to the National Association of Realtors, the typical home seller owns the... 02/09/2008

INFORMATION FOR HOME BUYERS AND OTHERS ABOUT OAK PARK, CAGeneral Oak Park Info.  Oak Park is a wonderful  community of approximately 15,000, located in southeastern Ventura County.  It covers an area of roughly 4 sq.miles, half of which is comprised of open space and parks. The climate is "California Mediteranean", with warm dry summers, and cool, rainy winters. The beautiful scenery of the hills and open space, the 20 minute drive to the famous beaches of Malibu, the accessability to shopping, dining, entertainment and downtown Los Angeles, and the award winning Oak Park Unified School District all make Oak Park a fabulous place to live.Oak Park offers a variety of housing options- apartments,condominiums, and single family dwellings.  The original Oak Park homes sold for $23,000 in 19... 01/27/2008