Yesterday’s LA Times real estate section had a good Q&A question: As a first time home buyer, is this a good time to buy? Home values have plunged and home prices may fall further, so is this the best time to buy?

Columnist Liz Weston wrote some good thoughts. She said the best time to buy is when:

1. You have a strong desire to be a homeowner.
2. You are financially prepared and can afford the costs of a home, and
3. You are ready to stay put for several years.

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The last two Thursdays I’ve spoken to two different types of audiences. On the 19th, I spoke to a crowd of about 100 investors. I started out with “I feel poor – poor, I tell you!”

Because Leslie and I own real estate, we’ve “lost” hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past year or so. We tell our clients, unless you have to sell, DON’T SELL! Ride this storm out! Things will get better (someday…). So those of us who’ve owned real estate for awhile are feeling a lot of pain right now.

But last Thursday night, I spoke to a group of first time home buyers, and my message was different – their gain! With the plunge in home values, new home buyers (and to a lesser degree, investors) are the ones driving this booming sales market.

What you say – sales are down? The national media would have you believe that. But, wait till you see the sales numbers for June next week right here! Sales in Oxnard are screaming, and Ventura and Camarillo are way ahead of sales from a year ago!

Over the past 4 plus years, dozens of kids, family members of kids, friends and my own family have worked on the Tiger Moth. Here’s a quick snapshot of just some of them. Read the rest of this article »

The Tiger Moth wing now has its leading edge, but there’s still a lot more to do. The next step is to add the wing tip bow and all the inside bracing. Read the rest of this article »

On the Tiger Moth, I’ve had the students do the “gross” or production work, but I do the “fine” or detail type work. So now that we’ve got the basic wing structure done, it’s time to add the rounded leading edge of the wing. Read the rest of this article »