THE BEST RESTAURANT YOU'LL NEVER FIND

VIVA MADRID-225 YALE AVE,CLAREMONT

If you are looking for a wonderful evening in a great restaurant...keep looking. Don't get me wrong, this is the place you want to go. You just need to FIND it. The first thing that will strike you about this tapas restaurant is that you can't see it from the street. It's kind of like a treasure hunt, with the meal being the treasure. So that you don't roam aimlessly around Downtown Claremont (unless you want to because it's a great place) here's a map and a hint:(Look for a walkway just south of Rhino Records)

When you find the walkway, just look for the line of people waiting to get in. If you arrive more that 30 minutes after opening, the line will surely be there. Viva Madrid is a small, funky place where the chairs don't match, and there's not a spot on the wall without something adorning it.So what is everyone waiting for...tapas!

What are tapas? These are tapas. Tapas are part of a meal made of of wonderful hor d'oeuvers. There are well over 50 on the menu, and one is as good as the next.Half the fun is trying things you have never heard of. If you really don't like it, it will only set you back a few bucks anyway.Personally, I love the seared dates wrapped in bacon, and the squid with chorizo. Then again, the paella is ridiculous, as is the shrimp in wine/garlic sauce. I'm not a drinker, but the sangria seems to flow freely as well.If you're married, take your spouse. If you're not, be careful.It's part of an evening where you may end up that way. A great meal and then a stroll through Downtown Claremont is a great way to start your weekend.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOME PRICES HIGHER AGAIN IN OCTOBER -- latimes.com

As our market continues to calm, Southern California is seeing the beginning of home appreciation again. Are things all better now? Of course not. And there are those who will say it's only a temporary spike. Or others that will some how blame The First Time Buyer Tax Credit Extension for skewing the numbers. Personally, I am glad to find and share good news. We have forgotten that a large part of any market's decline or rise is based on emotion and confidence. Headlines have a way of building on themselves either way. So please take a moment and click the link below:

Southern California home prices edge upward again in October -- latimes.com

HOUSING UPTURN IN CALIFORNIA-- latimes.com

The link below sheds some light on the appreciation in the local market.

Housing upturn occurring in some parts of Southern California, data show -- latimes.com

WHY WE NEED MORE INVESTORS IN THE MARKET & WHY FLIPPING IS GOOD

We need to have more investors in the market and we need them flipping properties. There, I said it. I know it won't be long until the riotous crowds start descending on me. But before they do, let me explain. Investors aren't the scourge of the earth. Well, at least not most of them. They are looking to buy an under-valued asset. No different than a stock or a bond fund. And here's why investors are helpful in this market:
1. There are hundreds of thousands of REO and short sale properties on the market. Values will not be going up until demand at least equals supply. In the ever tightening lending markets, investors fill a void by paying cash. It's very true that they may take a potential buyer out of a transaction, but that buyer should be putting offers in on multiple homes, thereby taking two properties off the market.
2. Investors buy up a lot of the very distressed (read: completely trashed) properties. These are units that, due to health and safety issues, can not be financed anyway. Investors buy these up cheap, and fix the inherent problems. At this point,the unit is now gone from total disrepair to some form of turn key for a buyer. That subsequent buyer will get into a home and not have to spend thousands doing repair work they would other wise need to. And I'm pretty sure the neighbor living next door doesn't mind a lawn that actually has grass and windows not made of plywood.
3. Investors buy/sell or buy/rent repeatedly. One by one, that gets more properties out of the hands of the REO listing agents and non-responsive banks we've all grown so fond of dealing with.
When you put all of that together,investors help stabilize the market. Since I see the agitated crowd starting to mill outside now, I will make one more point before the horse mounted,riot police descend. In an effort to quell investor purchases/flips ,FHA, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac(the latter two having made repeated, brilliant decisions to the point of government receivership) have mandated that no property can get a loan on it if title has changed within the previous 90 days. In fact, an offer can not even be written prior to the 90th day. Hmmmmmm. That law might have worked really well 3-6 years ago, BEFORE the appreciation horse left the barn.THAT'S the time investors needed to be reigned in. THAT was the time when demand far outstripped supply. THAT'S when everyone was on Easy Street. It would have made great sense to calm the market by making "flippers" hold their investments for 90 days. But in the market today, it makes no sense. If your house is worth less that it was 3 years ago, raise your hand. 1...2...1,453,312. I count fast. The point is, why take away a tool that can actually help stabilizeand start to appreciate an asset that you are either living in, or hope to buy? I think it's time to conclude this post. It's some what unnerving to see yourself burned in effigy.

WANT TO TEST DRIVE YOUR HOME? GET A HOME INSPECTION

There's one part of a real estate transaction that often gets overlooked. Or worse yet, in the interest of saving $300-$400, isn't done at all. That is a home inspection. Sometimes, it's confused with an appraisal. An appraisal is a valuation of a property done by an appraiser, and generally done in conjunction with a purchase money loan or a refinance. Its purpose is to give an accurate value range to the lender and client. In California, appraisers are governed by the OREA .

A home inspection is a valuation of property condition. It is generally done as part of a buyer's contingency period for investigating a property being purchased. Basically, it gives a buyer the opportunity to test drive the home they are about to buy. A lender does not require a home inspection. A very important note here. In California,as in most states, there is no formal licensing requirement for home inspectors. Kinda' scary,huh? However, there is a recognized association that oversees those inspectors with a greater level of education and commitment. It is the NAHI.





So what do you get for your $300-$400? Well, you get a general overview of a property's condition from crawl space to rafters. Keep in mind that an inspector may not be a contractor, and isn't being paid for those services. Instead, consider him a trained eye looking for hidden problems. Those problems can range from electrical, water leakage, pressure, health and safety to grading, plumbing and a host of other potential issues.
Even in a normal real estate market, almost any(including new) properties have some issues. And if your current market is like ours in The Inland Empire area of Southern California, most of the properties you are seeing are "distressed". That's a polite word for beat up.
So why would it be the best $300-$400 you loose? Well, if your home inspection reveals major problems you don't want to inherit, or the seller won't agree to fix, you have a right to cancel your contract. And keep in mind, no seller is bound to fix anything you discover.
If you do happen to live in this general area, I do recommend an inspector for you to consider.
His name is Jim Turner, and you can visit his website by clicking here. And to see what a home inspection looks like, click here .

INEXPENSIVE SUMMER FUN

Summer's Here!!!

Say it with me now...Summer is HERE! OK, so it's cloudy today and 65 degrees. But there are two distinct things that tell me warm Southern California nights are upon us. And I've spotted both. One is the sound of Vin Scully calling a Dodger game. Whether you're a Dodger fan, Angel fan, or no fan at all, hearing Vin Scully means summer. Some of the best things in life really are free. And dozing off to Vinny is definitely one of them.


The other sure sign summer is here are the sites, sounds and smells ( that darn kettle corn does it every, single time) of a local farmers market/street fair. Nothing turns a person back to their childhood faster than cruising around a blocked off street, eating a funnel cake, bbq, roasted corn, tri-tip sandwich, and/or kettle corn. Unless of course, it's listening to a cover band play your favorite high school songs while holding your spouses hand and watching your child laugh and shop for ...well in my case, anything.




If you are now thinking about fresh cranberry bread,bonsai plant, or a henna tattoo, you'll find it

at any number of local downtown street fairs. It's fun, it's family, and it's the best inexpensive fun you can treat your family to. So below are a list of links to Upland, Claremont, Pomona, San Dimas and La Verne's Farmer's Markets:

Upland Farmers Market

Claremont Farmers Market

Pomona Farmers Market

San Dimas Farmers Market

La Verne Farmers Market

If you see a skinny, bald guy eating way too much bad food, be sure to stop by and say hi.