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March 2009 Dena Land News. Spring is the time for renewal A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER BY LINDA LANE-WHITE—KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY SERVING MY HOMETOWN OF ALTADENA/PASADENA AND OUTLYING AREAS March 2009 Linda Lane-White “Singing” Realtor ® CA Lic #01091347 Notary Public
Citation preview
Spring is the time for renewal
So finally on March 20, Spring arrives with
the promise of birds, gardens, green grass, and
probably a bit more rain. Most people love
Spring and the sense of renewal it brings with
it.
No wonder Spring is the best time to sell a
home and (of course) the most popular time to
buy one.
This year is no different. We are seeing the
usual influx of Spring buyers and sellers. This
year promises to be a Super Spring for both buy-
ers and sellers. Although there is still a generous
supply of homes on the market and some great
values out there, we expect to see a slight tighten-
ing of the market and, with it, rising home prices
later in the year. Loan rates are so low right now,
it’s not surprising. If you are ready to buy, don’t
delay!
Linda Lane-White (626) 786-1231
www.lindalanewhite.com
Spring Is The Best Time To Sell Your Home!
N ew jobs, retirement, and maybe just a taste for change,
these are some of the life circumstances that make you
want to sell your home.
Here's the good news: There are buyers out there, and if you
want to snag one, you have to start with the be-
ginner steps and move on to the advanced ones.
Traditional selling tips still apply:
Start now. Spring is usually the best time to
sell, but there will be no other timing advantages.
Fix up and clean up. Don't do expensive renova-
tions, but paint it and make it completely clean.
Declutter. All of it. Keep only enough furni-
ture to make the house livable and put the rest in
storage. That includes knickknacks, family photos, and more.
Clean out your drawers and closets. You want your closets
and cabinets to be spacious. More advanced steps include:
* Set a realistic price. The housing market changes naturally
over time. A good price involves many factors including know-
ing recent sales prices in the neighborhood and understanding
what features of your home increase its value. A good Real-tor® can set the price and make it attractive enough to attract
serious buyers to your property. * Promote your property. The Realtor® pays the usual
marketing costs, such as newspaper want ads. Mailings
can get to be pretty pricey, but if there’s enough com-
mission built in to the Listing Agreement, your Agent shouldn’t scrimp. Your Realtor® should also post your
home in blogs like Active Rain, Twitter, Facebook,
MySpace, etc. * Your Realtor® should also make sure that your
house is shown on real estate Web sites such as Trulia,
Zillow, and Cyberhomes, Eppraisal and Realtor.com
are some of the best ones.
* Accept a reasonable offer. A house is only worth what
someone is willing to pay for it.
Save Hundreds at the (Toilet) Tank
DENA LAND NEWSDENA LAND NEWSDENA LAND NEWS
Linda Lane-White
“Singing” Realtor ®
CA Lic #01091347
Notary Public
March 2009
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER BY LINDA LANE-WHITE—KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY
SERVING MY HOMETOWN OF ALTADENA/PASADENA AND OUTLYING AREAS
Water conservation is becoming a household neces-
sity due to more states declaring drought emergencies
each year.
Plus, not only does water conservation help the
environment, but it also puts less strain on the pocket-
book. Repairing a leaky toilet can save up to 200 gal-
lons of water a day or more than $365 a year on your
water bill, depending on the varying cost of water in
your area and the severity of the leak.
One way to identify a leaky toilet is to add a few
drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If the toilet is not
running and the coloring seeps into the toilet bowl, it signals a
leak at the flapper. Another simple way to recognize toilet
leaks is to install a Fluidmaster Leak Sentry Fill Valve or
Leak Guard Fill Valve on your toilet. After detecting a leak,
these valves “lock” the refilling of a tank without dis-
abling the toilet.
Homeowners are made aware of the leak because
they have to push the lever twice to flush the toilet.
Other signs that a toilet is leaking include the sound of
running water and the toilet turning on and off without
being flushed. You may need to replace the flapper, the
handle, or adjust the water level in the tank to make
sure water isn’t being wasted in your toilet.
For additional tips on toilet repairs, water conserva-
tion and information on products that save water, money and
make an environmental difference, go to www.
fluidmaster.com/waterconservation.
Ground beef Across
1. "___ do you do?"
4. 007, for one
7. Commuter line
9. Ad headline
10. Jerk
11. Support, with "up"
12. Read the riot
act to
14. Dental bit
15. Venus __
19. "How ___!"
20. Arch type
22. Frau's partner
23. "This is fun!"
24. Cry in cartoons
25. Mar. follower
Down
1. "48___"
2. Diamond Head
locale
3. Chicken
4. Delhi wrap
5. Trudge
6. "Sure"
8. Congressional
persuader
9. Songbird
13. Same old,
same old
15. At liberty
16. Lie in ambush
17. Turkish title
18. Chick's sound
19. Cafe alternative
The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.
Q My husband
and I have been
casually looking for
houses for sometime.
Now we are very
serious about buying.
How can we narrow
down our choices?
A There are so
many wonder-
ful properties on the
market right now, I
am glad you are
thinking in this direc-
tion. The fact is you
just have to create a
mental filter.
First, decide what
features of the house
you must have. This
is sometimes differ-
ent than deciding on
location or neighbor-
hood. What features
of the house itself do
you require? To take
an obvious example
if you have two chil-
dren and you need
three bedrooms, it
really doesn't matter
how much you like
the neighborhood if
the house isn't right.
On the other hand if
you would like a spa
bathroom, but you
find a three bedroom
house in the right
neighborhood at the
right price, will the
lack of a spa be a
deal killer? If so,
then a spa bathroom
is something you require.
That brings us to the next filter. What would
you like to have in a house but could live with-
out? These items can constitute a tie breaker.
For example, if you want a 2-acre lot and you
would like to have a large fenced area for your
dog, then if you are deciding between two ac-
ceptable houses, the one with the fence might
cinch the deal.
Finally, you come to a list of 'absolutely nots.'
This is the most important list to the real estate
agent, who will then have an idea of where not
to look. Be sure your list of absolute negatives
are accurate.
If you build your mental filter before you be-
gin to look, then you probably won't have to
look too long at too many houses. But if, after
searching, you still haven't found something,
you might take time to reexamine your priori-
ties.
When you do find a house that meets your
priorities and makes you heart beat fast, take it!
Don't wait to see if there is another dream
house around the corner. When you see your
dream, snag it, or someone else will!
Dena Land News—Linda Lane-White • Keller Williams Realty (626) 786-1231 • www.lindalanewhite.com
CEEDUB
CONSTRUCTION
RESIDENTIAL & LIGHT COMMERCIAL
With over 30 years of experience, we work with you
to achieve your dream.
Call Today For A Free Estimate
(Licensed/Bonded/Insured)
(626) 786-1229 CHRIS WHITE, OWNER
Ca Lic #883002
www.ceedubconstruction.com
Ask an Expert
Birthday Wishes This Month
Go Out To:
Ibarionex Perello—5th
Bonnie Anderson—5th
David Lane—6th
Linda Lane-White—10th
Ann Albert-Braun—25th
Gilda Jordan—25th
Active Adults Corner Trust Linda Lane-White as your Seniors Real Estate Specialist®
Dena Land News—Linda Lane-White • Keller Williams Realty (626) 786-1231 • www.lindalanewhite.com
Pasadena Senior Center St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Monday, March 17 at noon . Rummage, Craft & Bake Sale
Saturday, March 21 Pasadena Golf Classic
Monday, March 23 For information about the events above, contact Cynthia at (626)
685-6724, or cyn-
INGREDIENTS:
1 table-
spoon vegeta-
ble oil
1-pound
leg of lamb,
cut into ¾-
inch cubes
3 cups beef broth
2 cloves garlic,
minced (or ½ teaspoon
garlic powder)
1 teaspoon dried
rosemary or marjoram
leaves
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups peeled pota-
toes, cut into ½-inch
cubes
1½ cups carrots, cut
into ½-inch slices
1½ cups celery, cut
into ½-inch slices
½ cup chopped onion
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oil in a
large skillet over
medium heat.
2. Add lamb and
cook until brown,
about 5 minutes.
3. Add beef broth,
garlic, rosemary or mar-
joram, and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil; re-
duce heat to low. Cover
and simmer 20 minutes or
until meat is tender.
5. Stir in potatoes, car-
rots, celery, and onion.
6. Return to boiling;
reduce heat. Cover; sim-
mer about 30 minutes or
until vegetables are ten-
der.
Makes about seven (1¼
cup) servings
Irish Lamb Stew
New Therapy Slows Progression of Alzheimer's
Using the drug memantine plus cholinesterase inhibitor drugs, doctors
at Massachusetts General Hospital found their Alzheimer's patients had a
significantly lower rate of cognitive impairment than other patients in
their study.
In 10 to 15 percent of patients, symptoms were reversed or partially
reversed. In others, development of symptoms was slowed. Patients in
the study were tracked for two-and-a-half years. Then, using computer
projections, they were able to predict what their progress would be four
years after beginning the study.
Diets That Lower Cholesterol
Researchers reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine were
surprised to find that a low-carbohydrate diet improves the ratio of total
cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol more than a low-fat diet.
Low-fat diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, recommend no more
than 30 percent of calories from fat. They restrict calories and promote
whole grains, vegetables and fruit.
Low-carb diets include the Atkins diet, which helps people lose weight,
but also improves cholesterol ratios.
As always, eat your oatmeal and try eliminating saturated fats and
greasy foods from your diet.
Altadena Senior Center 560 E Mariposa, Altadena
Every Thursday in March at 9am there is Free Income Tax Service March 18 9:30-11:30 Free Health
Counseling For more info: (626) 798-0505
INGREDIENTS:
4 green bell peppers (or
red for a sweeter taste
and festive color)
1 4-ounce package pep-
peroni slices
1 medium tomato, diced
4 medium button mush-
rooms sliced
1/2 cup of diced yellow
onions
1/2 cup diced black ol-
ives
8-ounce pack-
age of Moz-
zarella cheese
2 teaspoons of
olive or ca-
nola oil
1 teaspoon of
pizza spice
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the top off of
each pepper and remove the
seeds and white interior
ribs.
In a large bowl, thor-
oughly mix all other ingre-
dients, with the exception
of the oil. Stuff the mixture
into the peppers and drizzle
1/2 teaspoon oil over the
top of each. A small portion
of cheese may also be saved
to sprinkle on the top of the
pepper. Bake at
350 degrees in a
pre-heated oven
until the cheese
is melted and
the outsides of
the peppers start
to wrinkle.
Serves four.
Crustless Pizza
Recent Area Sales (Derived from PFAR MLS) ***Linda was buyer’s agent!
Who do you know right now who’s looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate? Give me a call or send me an E-mail. I’m never too busy for your referrals to friends or family.
Disclaimers: All real estate information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change, or withdrawal. Neither
listing broker(s) nor this company shall be responsible for typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. If your property is currently listed with another
real estate broker, this is not a solicitation of that listing.
Dena Land News—Linda Lane-White • Keller Williams Realty (626) 786-1231 • www.lindalanewhite.com
Days On Market Sale Date
List Price
Sold Price Address City/Area
Bed/ Bath
Home S.F
Lot S.F
15 02/05/09 $ 319,777 $ 325,000 2785 Fair Oaks Ave Altadena 3/1 1208 8205
28 03/02/09 $ 384,900 $ 440,000 1272 E Loma Alta Dr Altadena 3/2 1780 7994
20 02/11/09 $ 438,500 $ 450,000 1747 Roosevelt Ave Altadena 2/1 1287 7432
7 02/26/09 $ 453,900 $ 477,000 939 Parkman St Altadena 3/2 1606 6966
106 02/27/09 $ 599,900 $ 611,000 3000 Santa Rosa Ave Altadena 3/2 1785 14440
283 02/12/09 $ 1,375,000 $ 1,500,000 1375 E Mendocino St Altadena 5/3 3601 35375
262 02/09/09 $ 2,749,000 $ 2,300,000 9000 Meredith Pl Beverly Hills 5/6 4140 25260
23 02/02/09 $ 425,000 $ 417,000 2437 E Curtis Ct Glendora 2/3 1727 Condo
186 02/02/09 $ 849,000 $ 840,000 234 Inverness Pl Glendora 4/3 2238 11840
88 02/17/09 $ 584,900 $ 605,000 2942 Stevens St La Crescenta 3/3 1884 5955
44 02/06/09 $ 1,075,000 $ 910,000 203 N Arden Hancock Park 4/2 2433 7450
23 02/02/09 $ 699,000 $ 660,000 2421 Walgrove Ave Palms - Mar Vista 3/2 1544 5850
123 02/20/09 $ 1,399,000 $ 1,300,000 745 Oak Knoll Cir Pasadena (SE) 3/3 2699 10398
19 02/02/09 $ 639,500 $ 602,000 1766 Old Grove Rd Pasadena (NE) 2/2 1470 5345
49 02/19/09 $ 725,000 $ 715,000 1275 Hastings Ranch Dr Pasadena (NE) 3/3 1800 7564
73 02/12/09 $ 630,000 $ 630,000 420 Esplanade #10 Redondo Bch 2/3 1762 1916
180 02/24/09 $ 265,000 $ 259,000 11212 Michelin Dr*** Riverside 4/3 2016 8276
19 02/02/09 $ 630,000 $ 595,000 2002 Via Esperanza San Dimas 4/3 2223 23722
7 02/20/09 $ 1,199,000 $ 1,225,000 821 Rollin St South Pasadena 3/2 2308 23889
144 02/04/09 $ 729,900 $ 657,000 7255 Tranquil Pl Sunland/Tujunga 4/5 3415 33977
When Buying or Refinancing...
Call Peter First Peter Cosfol
& Augusta Financial
Get Pre-Approved Senior Loan Officer Augusta Financial is a service oriented mortgage company that specializes in residential
financing. We have many loan programs to help our clients with all of their mortgage needs.
Peter offers the best pricing with the lowest fees!
Peter will personally address all of your questions and concerns regarding the loan process!
Augusta Financial makes the loan process seem easy!
Augusta is both Broker and Mortgage Banker!
We offer In-house processing and funding!
It’s a GREAT time to Refinance!
(661) 260-2970 Office · (661) 291-2234 Direct · (818) 281-1466 Cell
Four Reasons
Why You Should
Stop Renting!
If you have not bought a house for
three years, the United States govern-
ment is about to hand you $8,000.
There is one catch. You have to in-
vest in the American Dream and buy a
house.
Luckily, if that is what you want to do
anyway, you appear to have hit a minia-
ture jackpot.
Last year's Housing and Economic
Recovery Act offered new homeowners
a $7,500 tax credit if they bought a
home before June 30. According to that
plan the $7,500 tax credit would be re-
paid over 15 years with annual payments
of $500 added from the borrower's in-
come tax bill. But, thanks to Congress
and President Barack Obama, this past
month that amount changed to $8,000
AND it doesn’t have to be paid back if
you stay in your home for 3 years.
For first time homeowners, this prom-
ises to be a one-time bonanza during the
best time in history to buy a home. Call
me for more information on this credit.
Here are just some of the reasons why
the cost of housing will probably never
be more economical.
1) Inventory of new
homes is tightening.
That means there are
fewer new homes for
buyers to buy. It's basic
economics: When the
supply goes down, the
price goes up.
2) Congress is moving to close off the
dribble of foreclosures on pre-owned
homes. Again, with fewer houses going
on the market via foreclosure, the supply
of homes will go down and price in-
creases will soon follow.
3) Interest rates are fantastic right
now. The best borrowers can now get 30
-year mortgages at rates under 5 percent.
4) Obama's promised new stimulus
packages will likely extend and sweeten
deals for homeowner.
The fact is that now might be the best
time in your life to buy a home.
First-time home buyers, especially
young people, may have never seen their
credit score or even considered their
credit worthiness, but when they want to
buy a home, that changes.
These days, a credit score of 700 is
usually considered a good starting point
for a home loan. However, FHA loans
may be more lenient.
But the most important thing is to
start immediately to establish, build or
improve your credit.
Here is our One-Year plan for better
credit that works for everyone, not just
first-time homebuyers:
1. Go to annualcreditreport.com and
look over your free annual report from
each of the three credit reporting agen-
cies. Look for errors. Then immediately
take steps to correct them.
2. Pay your bills on time. You must
never be late even once. One of the
most common comments bill collectors
hear from young borrowers is: I have the
money, I just forgot to pay the bill. Stop
forgetting. You must establish an iron-
clad history of paying your bills on time.
3. Work on getting your credit bal-
ances below 50 percent of your maxi-
mum credit limit. That raises your score.
If you balances are below 30 percent, it
raises your score again.
4. If you don't have a credit card,
look into establishing a secured card.
With a secured card, you send the card
company a deposit and then they send
you a credit card. You can only use the
card for the amount on deposit. But when
you get the card, you should use it. Buy
something, and then make your payments
perfectly.
5, Don't apply for a store account
every time the clerk says you can save 10
percent. Each time you fill out an appli-
cation, the company hits your credit re-
port. Inquiries like these count against
your credit. Don't make applications for
credit unless you actually need it.
6. If you have unused credit accounts,
don't close them if you are planning to
apply for a mortgage. That can actually
make your score drop.
7. During your credit improvement
year, don't buy a car. Lenders don't want
to see buyers committed to several large
credit accounts. Never finance a car be-
fore you try to take a mortgage.
8. Plan to open three new credit ac-
counts during your credit improvement
year, even if they are secured accounts.
Be sure to space your new accounts by
three months. Use each account and pay
each off COMPLETELY every month.
This is the kind of credit management
that improves your credit score AND
teaches you how to manage credit.
Credit Score 700:
8 Steps To A High Credit Score and New Home
Dena Land News—Linda Lane-White • Keller Williams Realty (626) 786-1231 • www.lindalanewhite.com
Pasadena Market Center
445 S. Fair Oaks Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
Cell: (626) 786-1231
Home Office: (626) 798-2382
Fax: (626) 296-1979
Home Office: 519 Alameda, Altadena
I n T une Wit h Your Needs
If You Would Like To Receive This
Newsletter on a Regular Basis for
Guaranteed Delivery (Snail or E-Mail)
Call me or send me an E-Mail...LLW
Linda Lane-White “Singing” Realtor® CA Lic #01091347 (since 1990)
Notary Public (since 1987)
Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated
www.lindalanewhite.com
Search the MLS on my web site!
March Happenings in Dena Land Every Thursday in March 2pm or 3pm or 4pm Guided Tours of the Wrigley Mansion (Tournament of Roses House). 391 S. Orange
Grove Blvd., Pasadena. 626/449-4100 or www.tournamentofroses.com FREE
Every Saturday and Sunday in March 9am to 12pm Help take down Christmas Lights on Christmas Tree Lane. Bring the whole fam-
ily. School service groups are welcome and can obtain credit. Donuts and coffee in the morning. Lunch at noon for the weary! Call
Linda for more information 626/786-1231.
Mar 5 3pm You’re In the Enterprise Zone—Now What? Join Enterprise Zone Manager, Melissa Alva, Dan Lien of Community Bank
and others in a workshop that will explain what benefits are available and how you can access tax credits for employees, purchases
and more. Melody Soul Food Café 755 E Washington, Pasadena. 626/795-3355 www.pasadena-chamber.org FREE (Linda Lane-
White benefited from being in the Enterprise Zone—ask me how)!
Mar 8 and 15 7:30-10:30pm Robert Kyle and his Brazilian Trio will be performing at the Pasadena Jazz Institute at Paseo Colorado.
260 E Colorado Blvd #206, Pasadena. 626/398-3344 or www.pasjazz.org
Mar 7 12pm John Muir High School Class of ‘79 30 year Reunion Planning Meeting. Muir Library. Call Linda for info 626-798-2382.
Mar 8 Daylight Savings Time. Move clocks ahead 1 hour. Don’t forget to change your smoke detector batteries.
Mar 9 8pm Stephen W. Hawking: Why We Should Go Into Space. Insights into the birth of the universe, black holes and the future of
human race. Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E Green, Pasadena 626-395-3834 www.events.caltech.edu $10.00
Mar 10 All Day—Linda Lane-White’s Birthday!
Mar 13 3:30pm View Madagascar Escape 2 Africa at the Altadena Library 600 E Mariposa. 626-792-3148 FREE
Mar 14 8am 3rd Annual Whole Foods Market Pasadena Triathlon. Open to all—experienced or not. Rose Bowl Aquatics Center
310/821-7898 www.pasadenatriathlon.com $75
Mar 17 12pm St. Paddy’s Celebration. Enjoy corned beef and cabbage and performance of Irish songs. Pasadena Senior Center 85
E Raymond Ave., Pasadena 626/795-4331 www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org
Mar 19 5pm Pasadena Chamber Mixer at La Grande Orange. 260 S. Raymond, Pasadena 626/795-3355 www.pasadena-chamber.org
Mar 21 8:30am Musical Circus: Fiddler in the Room. Classes in ceili dancing for children. Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E Green.
626/793-7172 or www.pasadenasymphony.org FREE
Mar 21 (through May 10) 9am Jurassic Journey for Kids. Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Dr, La Canada 818/949-4200
www.descansogardens.org Free with admission.
Mar 21 1:00pm Imagine: The Beatles Tribute Band kicks off Descanso Garden’s Spring Show on the lawn. Bring blankets and picnics
for this event ONLY. 1418 Descanso Dr., La Canada 818/949-4200 www.descansogardens.org Free with Garden Admission.
Mar 22 6am Join Team 5 Acres for the Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon. There’s also a half marathon, a 5K, a 3.1 mile run/
walk and a Bike Tour. Go to http://www.team5acrespasadena.blogspot.com/ for more info or call Susan Silverman at 626-798-6793
x2279 or [email protected]
Mar 29 9am California Style: Johnson, Kaufmann & Coate: Drive-Yourself House Tour. 651 S. St John Ave., Pasadena 626/441-6333 or
www.pasadenaheritage.org $32 in advance for members or $36 for general public. $40 on the day of the event.