Last month, Governor Newsom said that he expected to lift the mandatory mask mandate in California on June 15th (just eight days from today). However, he may require workers to continue to wear masks under certain circumstances. Fortunately, outdoor events appear to be OK. Last month's Open Air Seaside Market showed tremendous success. Starting later this month, Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays should also be a welcome treat for visitors to Ventura Harbor Village.What: Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays 2021Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: 1 pm to 4 pm every Saturday from June 19th to Sept 4thAdmission: FREEContact: Ventura Harbor Village (805) 477-0470Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays 2021They say music calms the savage beast. Well, then, all savage beasts need to visit Ventura Harbor Village. Sip ... 06/07/2021

The CDC recently released their latest mask guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. However, Governor Newsom has not released an update to California's mask guidelines as of yet. So, some businesses may require you to wear a mask when you enter. Even so, our beautiful sunny weather makes it a great time to be outdoors. And if you missed attending things like an open air market, the fairgrounds hosts the Ventura Open Air Seaside Market on the last two Sundays of May.What: Ventura Open Air Seaside Market 2021Where: Ventura Fairgrounds (10 W Harbor Blvd)When: Sunday, May 23rd & 30th, from 10:30 am to 4 pmAdmission: Free (parking $10)Contact: Ventura Fairgrounds (805) 648-3376Ventura Open Air Seaside Market 2021Graduation. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Father's Day. Just because. Or maybe ... 05/17/2021

Buying your first house may leave you feeling overwhelmed. Before you search for a Ventura home you love, you must find a real estate agent you trust, save for a down payment and closing costs, get approved for a loan, and make sure you are ready for the first year of homeownership. The CalHFA helps homebuyers in California purchase their first home.California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)Requirements to QualifyTo even be considered for one of California Housing Finance Agency's loans, buyers must meet certain requirements. First, you must be a first-time homebuyer. That means that you either never owned a home before or you have not owned one in the previous three years. Secondly, your credit score below 660 (for conventional low-income rate) or 680 (for conventional standard rate). ... 04/30/2021

It seems like we battle wildfires here in California every single year. Our dry weather makes us vulnerable to these. Now that temperatures have begun to warm up, our chances of wildfires increases. To help protect your Ventura home as well as those of your neighbors, the City created a Ventura Fire Hazard Reduction Plan.Ventura Fire Hazard Reduction Plan (FHRP)Earlier this month, Ventura sent out letters to over 6500 homeowners outlining their Fire Hazard Reduction Plan. The City gives these homeowners until May 18th to clear up their property. The plan breaks down fire hazard reduction into two zones. Zone 1 focuses on the residence and the surrounding area up to 30 feet from it in all directions. Zone 2 extends from 30 feet out to 100 feet (or the property line, whichever falls close... 04/19/2021

Today's Ventura homebuyer looks for a good home office space (among other things) inside a property. But they also appreciate a nice outdoor living area. After all, being stuck inside our homes for most of 2020 really showed us that we need as much space as possible. Thankfully, Southern California weather permits outdoor living pretty much year-round. If you want to appeal to buyers in the future, consider incorporating some of these outdoor living space ideas.Outdoor Living Space IdeasA Cozy FirepitAs the evening cools off, people enjoy spending time around a roaring fire. Roasting marshmallows. Swapping stories. In general, spending time with each other outside of a viewing screen. In fact, people craved this so much last year that firepits sold out well before fall came in. Think ab... 04/05/2021

This global pandemic forced companies to make some changes in order to stay in business. For restaurants, it meant upping their "take out" game and moving some tables outside. For shops, it meant limiting the number of patrons allowed inside and requiring masks. Entertainment venues felt a huge hit, with most of them forced to shut their doors indefinitely. Live music all but disappeared. Well, we are very happy to announce that CBF Productions found a way to bring back live music again. They created Ventura Concerts in Your Car.What: Ventura Concerts in Your Car 2021Where: Ventura County FairgroundsWhen: Every Saturday in April 2021Admission: Varies per eventVentura Concerts in Your CarYou know about drive-in movies, right? Well, starting next month, enjoy drive-in concerts courtesy of... 03/15/2021

March is Ventura Mermaid Month. Mermaids fill a special place in the hearts of those in Ventura Harbor Village. All month long, visitors enjoy a variety of fun mermaid-related activities as well as special discounts on merchandise and food. Of course, all businesses and activities follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep the public safe. So, no Mermaid Meet & Greet this year, unfortunately. But there are still plenty of other fun things to see, do, and shop for all month long.What: Ventura Mermaid Month 2021Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: All month long in MarchVentura Mermaid Month 2021Scheduled ActivitiesVentura Boat Rentals recently released their newest swan boat "flock" out onto harbor waters...just in time for Mermaid Month. Rent yourself one of these fun little boats and paddle your... 03/01/2021

It feels like there is a holiday for just about anything. Did you celebrate National Cuddle Up Day (January 6th), Step in the Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day (January 11th), or Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st)? Yesterday was not only Valentine's Day but also National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day. We hope at least some of you celebrated it even if you did not know it was happening. Well, February 25th happens to be National Clam Chowder Day. And Ventura Harbor Village wants to help you celebrate.What: National Clam Chowder DayWhere: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: Thursday, February 25thNational Clam Chowder Day at Ventura Harbor VillageThree great Village restaurants offer delicious options for how to celebrate Clam Chowder Day. The 805 Bar serves a scrumptious chowder with capers... 02/15/2021

Yes, even during a pandemic, the Ventura County housing market flourished. If you happened to sell your property in 2020, you need to think about how this affects your taxes. Last year, the government delayed our usual tax deadline date until July. However (so far), it appears that this year returns to the normal April 15th deadline. But you can never start preparing too early. To help you out, the following is a list of tax deductions, write-offs, and exemptions you might want to keep in mind for tax day.Tax Deductions for Home SellersSelling CostsYou probably had to come up with some money out of your own pocket/profits in order to sell your Ventura home. These included escrow fees, agent commissions, advertising costs, and possible legal fees. As long as you lived in your home for at... 01/18/2021

Being a first-time homeowner can be exciting...and a little scary. Anytime anything breaks, no more calling the landlord. You must fix it yourself. Plus, the expense comes out of your pocket. In your first year of homeownership, the learning curve can sometimes be steep. But you will get through it. Find out what to expect when you become a homeowner and how to prepare for it by reading below.First Year of Homeownership ExpectationsSomething Will BreakIt is inevitable. Even owners of newly constructed Ventura homes find themselves fixing something during their first year. It might be something as simple as a doorknob or something more complicated like the air conditioner. The longer we live in a place, the more likely a repair or replacement comes up.To prepare for your first year of ho... 01/04/2021

Interest rates hit historic lows in 2020. This helped spur on Ventura home buyers to purchase new properties even during these turbulent times. It also brought lenders out of the woodwork, enticing people to refinance their current home loans to take advantage of the lower rates. But before you sign on the dotted line, you need to know the cost of refinancing your Ventura home. Why? Because it might not be worth it.Home RefinancingHow Much Will a Refi Cost?While you forego agent fees on a home-refinance, it still comes with other fees that quickly add up. According to Lending Tree, a home refinance costs anywhere from 2% to 6% of your loan amount. For a $500,000 mortgage, that ranges anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. That is nothing to sneeze at.How Much Will a Refi Save?That depends on... 12/21/2020

Millions of people around the world have been affected by COVID-19 this year. With California entering another shutdown, millions more will find it difficult to put food on the table. And that is in addition to the millions struggling before this most recent shutdown. If possible, please consider donating to the Ventura CAN Tree Food Drive 2020. Help your neighbors get through the rest of this holiday season without going hungry.What: Ventura CAN Tree Food Drive 2020Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: Saturday, December 19thContact: Jennifer, Caldwell, Food Share Ventura County (805) 983-7100 or via emailVentura CAN Tree Food Drive 2020The Spark of Love Holiday Toy Drive takes place around Ventura County until Christmas Eve. This surely brightens children's Christmas mornings with toys t... 12/07/2020

We hope everyone enjoyed a safe yet fun Halloween over the weekend. Thanksgiving marks the next big holiday on the books. (Just over three weeks to go.) As the weather turns a little more chilly in Southern California, it's a good time to add mulch to your garden. Score a free bag of mulch at the Ventura Mulch-Giving 2020 event this month.What: Ventura Mulch-Giving 2020Where: Ventura Maintenance Yard (336 Sanjon Rd)When: Saturday, November 14th, by appt onlyContact: City of Ventura websiteVentura Mulch-Giving 2020Why Add Mulch in the Fall?Mulch helps maintain moisture in the soil. It also acts as a weed suppressant and erosion protector. But when you add mulch to your garden in the fall, it insulates the soil, allowing microbes and earthworms a good source of food. You need both of thes... 11/02/2020

Wordless Wednesday: Just Parked  We spent a long weekend in Ventura with our daughter, her husband and their 2-year-old daughter back in 2017, staying at a hotel right at the marina. We enjoyed walking around the marina, admiring the boats...and wow were there a lot of them...and listening to the harbor seals several times. I had to laugh at this photo. It made me think of our crowded freeways at rush hour and the sea of cars.  Hopefully users get to moor their boats at assigned slips, otherwise how would you keep track of where your boat is. Sorta like coming out to a big parking lot after shopping and not quite remembering where you parked your car.  Must be quite the scene when lots of boats are coming and going!  10/28/2020

In mid-March, Governor Newsom placed California on a virtual shutdown. At that time, non-essential workers found themselves either furloughed or sent to work from home. Those temporary work-from-home orders appear to be more long term now. In fact, some companies may never bring their employees back into a communal office. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that home office space holds a huge appeal to today's home buyers. So, if you plan on selling your Ventura home anytime soon, your marketing needs to include a dedicated home office area.Tips for Creating a Home Office SpaceGuest Room/OfficeA couple of months ago, we talked about creating a classroom space at home for your child. That included using part of their bedroom as a dedicated classroom area. While buyers love office s... 10/19/2020

Did you see any of the chalk artwork around town over the past couple of weeks reminding you to fill out your 2020 Census form? Did you miss the September 30th deadline? It's OK. The Census 2020 website remains open for any of the stragglers out there. We strongly urge you to complete your census soon if you have not done so yet. Now, on to something fun: the Ventura Seafood Eats Photo Contest 2020. Your love of seafood could win you a $50 gift certificate.What: Ventura Seafood Eats Photo Contest 2020Where: Any Restaurant or Fish Market in Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: Now through October 15thContact: Ventura Harbor Village (805) 477-0470Ventura Seafood Eats Photo Contest 2020Any time you visit a Ventura Harbor Village restaurant or pick up something at one of the fresh seafood markets in... 10/05/2020

2020: what a year! Besides the global pandemic and an election year in the US, 2020 also happens to be the year that we update our census numbers. Questionnaires went out earlier this year to every household. But, if you missed that, the government provides other options to complete the census before the September 30th deadline. And to remind you to fill it out, the City is hosting a Ventura Census Chalkathon.2020 US CensusEvery 10 years, the government surveys residents of the United States to find out how many people live in different parts of the country. This helps determine how future budgets allocate money to these areas. Legal status does not matter for the 2020 US Census either. Any stats provided in the survey will be used for information purposes only. The government encourage... 09/21/2020

For many Ventura County residents, the beach represents their happy place. Surfing, swimming, and sunbathing contribute to our way of life. California Coastal Cleanup 2020 challenges everyone to protect their "happy place" by signing up to clean the city's streets, parks, and beaches.California Coastal Cleanup 2020Last year, more than 74,000 volunteers cleaned up their local areas all over the state in one day. This year, the California Coastal Cleanup looks a little different. For one thing, it takes place throughout the entire month of September. For another, the official dates fall on each Saturday of the month from 9 am to noon. However, organizers want to encourage as many people as possible to contribute to the cleanup. Therefore, they allow cleanup any day of the week and any tim... 09/08/2020

The 2020 school year for Ventura Unified School District students officially begins tomorrow, August 18th. But instead of in-classroom teaching, it starts off (for now) with remote learning. The district provides two separate home schooling options: Weave and Homestead. Whichever way parents decide to go, your child needs a dedicated Ventura home school space from which to operate. Here are a few tips to help your child thrive during their remote learning experience.Creating a Ventura Home School SpaceDefined School Zone(s)Just like a home office, a defined Ventura home school space allows students to focus on the task at hand much better than the dining room table. If one room of your house cannot be designated as a school zone, set one up in your child's bedroom. Section off a portion... 08/17/2020

COVID-19 continues to affect us all. For a little while, it looked like Californians would be able to enjoy a date night inside their favorite bars or restaurants again. Unfortunately, Governor Newsom put the kibosh on that in early July. He closed down any inside patronage of bars, restaurants, breweries, and tasting rooms throughout the state. While outdoor dining and to-go orders remain a possibility at many of Ventura's restaurants, this severely cuts into the owners' and employees' income. To help your favorite local restaurants stay in business during this rough time, the local restaurants began to encourage Ventura Takeout Tuesdays.>Ventura Takeout Tuesdays 2020Yes, the governor allows outdoor dining at Ventura area restaurants. However, restaurants only allow a certain numbers o... 08/03/2020