Just as our local communities have evolved, we've seriously considered for the past several years how we could someday "give back" and "finish well" - expressions that can mean a lot of things to different people.
As part of our research into opportunities for service, in early 2013 we contacted a Peace Corps recruiter who helped us start our journey. But our new path wasn't going to be as straight and easy as we thought! And so we began a transition into something completely different from the routines we've known for the past 30 years - and have begun a path that's leading into the exciting unknown. This will be our story!
By Don | March 18, 2013
With the Anza earthquake last week as another reminder we’re going to see the “big one” one of these days, Leslie and I spent a full day yesterday in LA reviewing and getting up to date on FEMA inspection preparedness. FEMA needs a small army of “standby” contingent people who can be mobilized on short notice to respond to natural disasters.
I’ve been called up on 3 national disasters in the past 2 years and many women also participate in these call-ups, so this was Leslie’s introduction to the process. The training centered on the mechanics and organization of how FEMA immediately responds to the requested help of individual housing needs and how to assess the damage. A tiring but fulfilling day!
Class in session.
Focused!
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By Don | March 16, 2013
Very slowly, working a couple of hours on the weekends, I’ve been shaping the horizontal stabilizer and elevator for the Tiger Moth. They’re pretty much done now except for sanding the edges to give a rounded look. Here’s what they look like so far on Saturday:
The elevator is the back part of the horizontal stabilizer. It’s the part that goes up and down, controlling the pitch of the aircraft.
Like a bird’s feathers, the pieces are light as Leslie shows.
Playing with french curves on what looks good for this corner.
Once I figured out what curve I wanted on the left corner, I transferred it to the right corner by measuring several points – one marking point is where the pencil is pointing.
Now come a few weekends of sanding, then sealing the two pieces with varnish.
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By Leslie | March 6, 2013
Listed below are the February real estate charts for sold prices and the number of homes sold.
This data is taken from the Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo MLS.
The main take away from the data clearly shows a lack of inventory. The number of sold homes is continuing to fall in our area, contributing to the ferocious bidding and multiple offers for homes that are priced competitively. We’re still seeing distressed home sales (short sales and bank owned), but fewer than last year. So there’s a tug of war between these distressed sales (dampening raising prices) and a lack of inventory (normal supply and demand which wants to push prices up).
The percentage of single family homes that were distressed sales in the month of February are:
Ventura – 17% Oxnard – 50% Camarillo – 32%
Sold prices – Single family homes in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
Sold prices – Condos in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
Numbers sold – Single family homes in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
All data is taken from the Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo MLS.
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By Don | February 20, 2013
The LA Times main headline last Sunday was titled “Home Seekers Edged Out in Inland Market” – but it might as well have said Ventura County.
In short, it discussed how home buyers are finding it hard to get their offers accepted because investors, both big and small, are offering all cash and higher bids. In a new phenomenon I’ve never seen in my 30+ years here, private equity funds with extremely deep pockets are aggressively bidding for limited inventory – why?
Two reasons. 1) They can pay all cash for a home, rent it and have positive cash flow – cash returns that in fact are higher than keeping their cash in a savings account. 2) The real reason however, is that they believe the real estate market has bottomed, and will climb substantially faster than other investments.
Their article last Thursday had a chart that showed the median price change for Ventura County from January 2013 over January 2012 was 13.2%.
So for these investors it’s Buy, Rent and Hold!
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By Leslie | February 13, 2013
Listed below are the January results for the sold prices of homes, the number of homes sold and number of homes in escrow – a future indicator of homes sold.
This data is taken from the Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo MLS.
To see the detailed charts for Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo, please see the links below.
Note that home sales have plummeted – but not because there aren’t any buyers! There’s little inventory to buy! There’s strong demand but that demand is stymied by investors clamoring to buy and home buyers can’t compete against those all cash investors.
The percentage of single family homes that were distressed sales in the month of December are:
Ventura – 37% Oxnard – 47% Camarillo – 45%
Sold prices – Single family homes in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
Sold prices – Condos in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
Numbers sold – Single family homes in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo:
Detailed data for single family homes sold in:
Detailed data for condos sold in:
Detailed monthly data for pendings (in escrow) – single family homes and condos:
All data is taken from the Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo MLS.
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