Luxury Homes Market Report:  Fourth Quarter 2012 While many Americans were worried about the fiscal cliff, luxury homes sales were taking flight during the fourth quarter of 2012 according to CNNMoney.   The fourth quarter of most years are historically active with investors seeking tax shelters.  Last year the pending 3.8% Medicare surtax, part of the Affordable Care Act, pushed luxury homebuyers to act swiftly, and many did.  According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales of homes valued at $1 million or more spiked 51% in November compared with a year earlier. For the complete CNNMoney story, read more here. Looking to buy a luxury home for sale in the Inland Empire? View luxury homes for sale in Redlands View luxury homes for sale in Riverside View luxury homes for... 01/14/2013

Redlands Homes for Sale:  17 New Listings for January 2013 The new year has brought the real estate market new listings, and to-date we have 17 Homes for Sale in Redlands, California since January 1.  These homes are fresh on the market and do not include any homes that may have been with another broker within the last ninety days. The Current Redlands real estate market update shows the following statistics: $327,410 Median List Price 183 Active Listings 83 Median Days on Market 26.2% Distressed Listings The best time to buy is now! Historically, January is a slow month for real estate buying, compared to the summer months, and for that reason alone, it is a great time to buy.  A growing inventory with fewer buyers is good for buyers.  And for sellers, timing the sale of your home is ... 01/12/2013

Country Club Living is a Mindset If you are planning on selling a home that you label as 'country club' or 'luxury' then it is important to remember everything counts and the details are important.  Today I was at the home of my seller at 6:10 AM for an early morning photo shoot.  It was a great morning and then we went to a lovely breakfast and chatted about Palm Springs restaurants.   I hope you enjoyed your Friday as much as I did. 01/11/2013

Almost Here:  Redlands Luxury Home for Sale Christina Hood Homes sells luxury.  We are busy preparing this Redlands Country Club Luxury Home for Sale and will have it on the market very soon.   Are you looking for a retreat?  A sanctuary?  A Redlands Luxury Home?  Look no further.  Christina Hood Homes sells Luxury in the Inland Empire.  Visit our website Inland Empire Luxury to view Inland Empire Luxury Homes in Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside and Redlands. Looking to sell you home in Rancho Cucamonga?  Looking to sell your luxury home in Redlands?  Looking to sell your home in Riverside?  Visit our Sellers Page to get  your home value today! 01/09/2013

Get Your Flu Shot Immediately… Bad Flu Season Expected   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2013 flu season is going to be severe. Here are several things you can do to protect yourself against the flu and flu symptoms. The flu kills victims every year so protect yourself and your family. What is Flu? “The flu” is the shortened term for influenza and is named as such because it is caused by the viruses’ influenza A or B. It is a very contagious respiratory illness. Coughing and sneezing can spread the virus. The viruses attack the upper or lower respiratory tracts and sometimes even both. As compared to the common cold, the flu has more pronounced symptoms with high fever and more body aches. Its effects are also more severe. It can affect the lungs a... 01/07/2013

  5 Reasons Redlands, California is a Great Place to Live Map provided via Google screen shot Location, Location, Location - Redlands, California encompasses approximately 36 square miles of Southern California's Inland Empire.  Nearly equidistant between Los Angeles, Big Bear Lake Ski Resort, Palm Springs, and the cool Pacific Ocean; depending on the direction you choose to travel, you can go from snow to desert, to sea.  There are not many locations in the world that can claim the same. Great California Climate -  With annual average temperatures ranging from 50.3 to 78.6 degrees fahrenheit, who wouldn't mind living in this some what mild climate?  Okay, for full disclosure, the winters have been known to drop to 40 degrees and the summers are typically in the nineties, it is still pr... 01/04/2013

Coming Soon!  Redlands Luxury Home for Sale Day two of the new year and one smart seller has set himself up for Success! Today I received a call from one seller that I have been speaking with for two months about his for sale by owner home and he is ready to list his home.  Of course there were a few small details about the contract that we had to iron out, which we did, and now it is a matter of him meeting me at the property to review the details on how to access the property.  It is a a great way to start the new year! So now the work begins, here are a few of the details that I have begun to set in place for the marketing of this property: Review & confirm our 14 Point Marketing Plan, tailoring it to this specific property. Confirm with the local High-End Real Estate Magazine deadli... 01/02/2013

A Surprise at Huntington Beach...Sandpipers     On New Year’s Day 2013, we spent some time at the beach. The weather was wonderful and not much activity here except for the birds.           Normally we see gulls and pigeons but much to my surprise these Stilted Sandpipers arrived and were busy eating worms and other delicacies in the sand.             They were very entertaining as the birds keep fighting over the food.                     I really enjoyed sitting on the beach watching them. Living near or at the beach is so peaceful.            California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in southern California, please contact me. I... 01/02/2013

Inland Empire Luxury:  Luxury Living in Redlands, CA A gorgeous view from the Redlands Country Club   Redlands, California is a great community with lots of offer future residents.  Historical Homes, tons of History, Golf, Top-Notch Schools, a Trader Joe’s, a Top Private University, Consignment Shops, a Weekly Farmers Market, lots of strong local businesses man in the old fashioned downtown area... and so much more to offer.  Discover more about more the community, it's schools and the real estate market by visiting ChristinaHoodHomes.com. Redlands is conveniently located between Los Angeles and Palm Springs.  The 3 closest airports are Ontario International Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  Here is a map of the Inland E... 12/31/2012

Lender Tip of the Day:  Choose the Right Lender for you! Shopping for a home?   Great, you are in the right spot!  Aside from finding your home, there are many things you must do before you even begin the process. The first step is Choosing a Good Lender!   Believe me, I know that is now what you want to hear.  Too many details for some, however, it is the most important step if you are planning on financing your home. While it may seem easy enough to pick up the phone, or apply online, buyer beware, there are pitfalls when seeking approval for a loan.  How do you know you have the right lender?  Ask questions! Here is someone I recommend you speak with about Loans: Hear what The Loan Doc has to say about obtaining your initial loan approval: As you can see, The Loan Doc has quite a bit... 12/31/2012

Friends of the Library:  Be part of the A.K. Smiley Public Library When one thinks of a library, we think of a quite building with lots of books and librarians who whisper when we speak and are always telling us to "shhh" because we are speaking to loudly...  That is not the case with the A.K. Smiley Public Library located in Redlands, California. The Only “admission fee” is curiosity The A.K. Smiley Library is a historical landmark in Redlands, California and was originally established in 1894.  The library is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1976) and is also designated as a State Historic Landmark (1990).  Located at 125 W. Vine St. Redlands near downtown Redlands, it is a known for not only being a library, but a repository of local history.  The collections and a... 12/29/2012

 December is National Made in America Month   In 1985, President Reagan declared December National Made in America Month in hopes of providing both the country and the world with more products made in the United States. With the current economic climate, it’s becoming increasingly more important for everyone to do what they can to help our economy, and purchasing goods manufactured or produced in the United States is a great way to increase our Gross Domestic Product and ensure as many Americans have jobs as possible    In November 2012, ABC challenged America’s consumers to buy American made so that more jobs can be created her.  The results of buying these products is that consumers get toys without ‘Lead’ , stuffed animals that are not made of toxic chemicals , and great quality made... 12/28/2012

Redlands Real Estate Market Report for December 2012 Though the weather outside may be frightful, the home buying process may be more delightful at this time of year.  Many sellers are in good spirits, as are buyers and generally both will gravitate towards a mutual beneficial contract than at other times of the year.   It's the Holidays and everyone is happy! The data on this page is consolidated from multiple sources and includes current listings, recent sales, and more. As you can see, the median home price in South Redlands have a $200,000+ price difference than the median price in North Redlands.  The luxury market in South Redlands is alive and well.  Luxury homes are selling and giving a big bump to the median price, as usual in the area. Whether you're a buyer or seller, the kno... 12/26/2012

4 Seasons of My Peach Tree and the Backyard Birds As most of you know who read my blog, I love my “Backyard Birds”. Though I do like to photograph owls, hawks, falcons, long legged birds and others, I adore my simple backyard birds. They stay with me all winter, provide color to my yard and sing and chirp daily. I also love my humming birds who stick around instead of migrating south as well.   Here is my pictures displaying the four seasons of my Peach tree.         Spring                           Summer                         Fall                           Winter               I have one last wish; if you have birds in your yard, be sure to feed them this winter as it is hard for some of them to find food. I Love Birds© California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs... 12/25/2012

  Uses of the iPad…….Are you Truly Paperless and Mobile? Today, most of us have a smart phone. You can read your email and have apps to take care of most needs like Facebook, password database, store phone numbers/Email addresses, take pictures and most important to send text messages/pictures immediately.       But what I believe is that to be totally mobile and stay on top of your business you must have an iPad. Several months ago, I posted an article “I am in love with my iPad”. Since then, I have learned so much more about using my iPad and I love it even more than before.         If you are a savvy shopper there are numerous apps to check prices immediately. If you are in a store, there are apps to check prices of a particular item. It will give you the price of all the competitors... 12/22/2012

  Looking Out the Window at the Dentist's Office     Yesterday I had to go to the dentist early in the morning and it was pouring rain. I noticed the last time I was there that there are three hummingbird feeders hanging out front so I thought I would bring my camera.                   As I was waiting for the dentist to come back, I saw this little bird. I grabbed my camera and got a couple of pictures fast before it flew away.           But the time I left, it was pouring so hard there was nothing in the trees or near the feeders except for this guy…….and even he took off.         California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in sou... 12/19/2012

   My daughter is coming home so I wanted to redo her room for Christmas with flannel sheets and a cute little tree with themed ornaments.       So I found these adorable sheets with dogs wearing Christmas bows. Perfect because she adores dogs, especially our 3 spoiled girls.         So I removed all the regular bedding and most of the scrapbooking stuff that I leave in there all year long. Here’s the result and I think it came out pretty cute. The big brown teddy was her “Mr. Bear” when she was a baby.           Here is a cute snowman wall hanging.                   Here is the chair in the room and I added a brown velvet throw so she can cuddle up and watch TV or work on her computer.                 Since I tried to stay with tans and burgundy colors, I went with the “Gingerbread Ma... 12/18/2012

  Don’t Forget to Wear your Coat in the Rain As I drove by the boarding stable in Redlands, CA this morning and look who was outside in the rain having breakfast and a morning run. They looked so cute in their coats. All I could think of was "Don't forget to wear your coat in the rain. California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great opportunities to view Nature and Bird Watching. Whatever your needs are,... 12/18/2012

 The Charles Dickens Carolers at Victoria Gardens Mall Yesterday while at the Victoria Gardens Mall in Rancho Cucamonga, CA I had the pleasure of hearing “The Charles Dickens Carolers” walk around the mall in their Victorian costumes and sing holiday carols. Even after the rain started, they continued to walk around and sing for all the shoppers.     Entering their 26th season, The Charles Dickens Carolers are widely recognized as the region's premier professional caroling ensemble. Recent appearances on television shows such as FOX NFL Sunday and CBS' How I Met Your Mother. Come and enjoy traditional Christmas carols, popular holiday songs and children's favorites in spectacular four-part harmony!   They are scheduled to return on December 23, 2012 at 1:00 pm at the Chaffey Town Center... 12/17/2012

Inland Empire Real Estate Market Updates Looking to find out about the Inland Empire Real Estate Market?  View information about Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands or Riverside below. Rancho Cucamonga Real Estate Market Update Redlands Real Estate Market Update Riverside Real Estate Market Update Read more about the Inland Empire Real Estate Market on our Inland Empire Luxury Blog. Photo courtesy of the Redlands Country Club Inland Empire Real Estate Market Update for December 2012 12/14/2012