The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                                    2 May 2008 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Associated Press reported last week: “… Sales of new homes (US) plunged in March to the slowest pace in 16 ½ years as a two-year housing downturn extended into the start of another spring sales season. The median price of a new home in March compared to a year ago fell at the fastest clip in 38 years.” File that away, if you’re interested in new home sales statistics.

With few new homes under construction and no large tracks of new housing underway on the Westside, we take a jaundiced view of these statistics that seem to roll off the presses (and your computer) every week. When will the news get better, you ask? It seems that any and all real estate news affects us – certainly Realtors who specialize in the Westside. And April was no exception.

So, here goes: There was good news in Beverly Hills and Bel Air where the median sales price for April 2008 (vs. April 2007) was up 32% and 60% respectively... However, if you lived down the street and your address was Brentwood or Beverly Hills Post Office – it was a different story: BHPO was down 23% vs. a year ago, and Brentwood was not far behind with -19%.

Good news, not so good news. This has been the theme of the Schiffer Line for the past year as we have slid into a near recession mode (but escaped this first quarter 2008, thank you). Some neighborhoods do well for several months, then slide the next. What is disturbing overall in these four communities is that sales volume, year to date, is off by more than 51% -- a staggering # if you like to follow these numbers – and Realtors do, by the way. Median sales price can be skewed by an occasional anomaly – a house on the market in Beverly Hills in November sold for $17 million. But it came back on the market in March 2008 for 17 million, and it sold – but the MLS recorded the sale for only $10! Of course, no one believes that…but that is how MLS stats can be deceiving. After talking with the title company, we discover that the house actually sold for $17 million in April 2008—which would jump the city’s average from $3.8 million to $5.6 million for the eight homes closing escrow this month.

As a dear friend reminded me the other day – statistics form the MLS can play tricks on the actual state of affairs in a community – especially when large sales can skew the month-end results. The MLS has moved to clean this up, and they’re doing a great job – but there are still glitches (like the $10 recorded sale in Beverly Hills).

We’re concerned for the short term about the lower sales volumes – while we have seen our prices on the Westside hold against the low tide elsewhere, it also means that sales of existing homes have dramatically slowed down. – but NOT if your home is priced right. Remember, even in tough times, a home that is priced correctly, will sell – many times with multiple offers (yes, that is still happening today) there recently was a home on North Beverly Glen that received 22 offers the first day it was on the market! Those statistics in our market prove that. Do we live on a fault line? Are we sinking into the Pacific Ocean? Not yet. Stay tuned.

By green I don’t mean the color of the water in your swimming pool I am referring to lessening the environment impact.

If you’re a pool owner, here’s some issues to take into consideration and ideas to help lessen the impact your pool has on the environment – and the one major green step you can take is to use a pool cover.

It’s just not the amount of water that initially is put in a pool that’s a problem, an uncovered pool with dimensions of 18 feet X 36 feet can lose around 7,000 gallons of water a year just through evaporation depending on where you live. To put that into perspective, that’s enough water to sustain a human for 29 years.

A pool cover/blanket can reduce evaporation by a massive 90-95% and they are quite inexpensive to buy. While most pool blankets are made from plastics, it’s a case of the lesser of the two evils.

I’ve read that up to 1 in 5 swimming pools leak. A small leak in a pool can cause the loss of 700 gallons of water per day. If your pool is losing over a quarter inch of water every 24 hours (or half an inch in particularly hot , dry regions), it’s a good indication you may have a leak.

By addressing leaks and evaporation, you’ll not only save precious potable water, you’ll likely save a ton of money as well.

Chorine can be nasty and a recent study drew a possible link between chlorinated pools and asthma in children. Draining pools and discharging backwash can cause problems to waterways if it’s not done correctly. If you do need to use chlorine in your pool and find the occasion to drain it, avoid adding chlorine for a full week before emptying the pool

Again a pool cover/blanket can reduce chemical use by up to 50%. Evaporative pool chemicals contribute to the production of greenhouse gases; so you’ll be doing good there as well in chemical reduction.

Some alternatives to chlorine include copper ionization and oxygen systems, ultraviolet (UV) sanitization system or possibly salt, although I believe with the latter, other chemicals also need to be added.

If you heat your pool you’re in a for a nasty shock when it comes time to pay your utility bill.. Building on the pool blanket idea, you can buy bubble covers that are basically a solar energy collector, increasing your pool temperature substantially and helping to lock the heat in. Apparently clear blankets are the best option

Once again, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me for any of your real estate needs,

I look forward to hearing from you.

Carole

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The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                    .                     18 April 2008 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So what is more important -- the volume of real estate sold in your neighborhood or the value of your home? The answer is clear to any homeowner who is selling (vs. the ones who are not): Home prices affect the homeowner more than the volume sold, even though the two are linked like brother and sister. In this real estate market, strength is measured by both sales volume (the total amount of homes sold in any given period) and by the selling price of homes (what the MLS refers to commonly as the median sales price).

But for the homeowner, the actual selling price is the all-important measurement. No one likes to see the median sales prices fall, because it affects -- directly and indirectly -- the value of your home investment. So there is good news for homeowners.

Median sales prices in three communities -- Bel-Air, Brentwood and Beverly Hills are all up over the past two months.

For example, the MSP for Beverly Hills was up 43% over 2007 for March and up 72% over February 2008 -- a sizable jump. Bel-Air was up 10% over 2007 for March 2008 and up more than 54% over February. And in Brentwood, the median sales price went up 50% over the previous 2007 March period and up a whopping 89% over February 2008. Beverly Hills Post Office recorded 10% decline over 2007 (March comparison) and 54% under February 2008.

What does all this mean?

It means, for the most part -- that real estate prices are holding for homes in three of the four areas (but also recognize that BHPO has performed well through 2007 -- so the declines the past two months are not indicative of the community's strength).

Total sales volume for the first quarter 2008 is off by more than 50% in our four areas (Bel-Air, Brentwood, Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills Post Office) vs. the same period in 2007. The slowdown in real estate sales is not new news, but the current market reflects buyers' reluctance to move quickly in these more challenging times of tighter credit and less “ good” inventory. But the good news is that sellers are getting the price if their home is priced right, and many homes are getting multiple offers, including one in Bel Air Crest this week, and another on another home a few weeks ago..

Days-On-Market (DOM) is another sign of the market's strength, and I am happy to see that the average number of days a home is on the market is dropping -- just 73 DOM's average for all four of these communities. Lowest average DOM is Brentwood (42 days) and the highest is Beverly Hills (108). So, we are moving homes quicker and the average sales price is 95% of the original asking price -- another good sign.

In the end, we are seeing signs that Spring is beginning to shows signs of life in the local real estate market. As a 25-year real estate professional, I get energized by the Spring weather and the increased real estate activity -- this is a great time to sell and a great time to buy. There are buyers out there who are anxiously looking for their dream home. There are sellers who have chosen this time of year to sell -- and whether you're a buyer or seller, you should consider making your move now. And I'm here to help.

Green Tip of the Month - Mothball alternatives

Mothballs may be effective, but the smell leaves a lot to be desired. Matching the smell is a mothball's toxicity - they are rather nasty from an environmental point of view.

Back when I was growing up, mothballs were made mainly of naphthalene, which is highly flammable. These days mothballs are made from dichlorobenzene instead. Anything with the word "benzene" in it is cause for alarm as these substances tend to be carcinogenic.

While dichlorobenzene breaks down "safely" in the air - it's a pesticide and heavy concentrations can have ill effects on animals and humans. Dichlorobenzene doesn't dissolve easily in water nor is it readily broken down by soil organisms. It can also accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans. Another component of traditional mothballs is camphor.

While camphor is a natural product that comes from the wood of the camphor laurel tree; much of the camphor used in commercial products these days is a synthetic - and how that's made is anyone's guess.

Ditch the mothballs - greener alternatives

While having moths dine on your expensive woolens is very undesirable, there are some more earth friendly alternatives to mothballs:

- Ensure all your woolens are washed before storing. This is to ensure any eggs have been removed and odd as it may seem, it appears moths are attracted to human scents.

- Wipe out all containers or drawers to be used for storage to remove any existing moth eggs.

- Ensure clothes are thoroughly dry before storing -

- Store clothing in well sealed containers

- Try one of the following in a cheesecloth bag; but ensure the bag doesn't touch the clothes: Bay leaves, cedar shavings, cinnamon sticks, cloves, eucalyptus leaves, lavender, peppercorns, rosemary, wormwood. Cedar balls and blocks are also said to be effective in repelling moths, but need to be sanded occasionally in order to "refresh" them.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you would prefer to receive it via e-mail, please send me an e-mail @ ceschiffer@aol.com, and I will be more than happy to add you to my list.

Thank you.

Carole :

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The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                                       14 March 2008 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Happy St. Patrick's Day -- so where's the (corned) beef? And kissing the stone.

Corned beef and cabbage is as Irish as it gets, right? Wrong. You might be surprised to learn that this traditional Irish dish is more American than Irish. "This is an American creation," one Irish-born friend recently told me. And after browsing the Google Library, I discovered she was right. In a survey of Irish radio listeners, not one mentioned corned beef and cabbage as their main dish for “The Day”. In fact, one listener said it perhaps best of all...."Eat? I eat pints,” and referred jocularly to the pint of Guinness as a "shamrock sandwich". And green beer is purely American. But who cares? Go enjoy your green beer and corned beef and cabbage anyway. Another bit of Blarney. There is Blarney Castle, County Cork, Ireland, which is home to the famous Blarney Stone located on the castle grounds. Nearly 600,000 visitors trek to the Castle -- which was formed in the 11th century -- to kiss the Blarney Stone each year -- which means one will never be 'lost for words'. Because the Irish love words, the Blarney Stone will remain a national treasure.

The Scorecard....UCLA Anderson predicts no recession. But it depends.

If you happened to see the latest economic forecast from UCLA's Anderson School of Business (uclaforecast.com), you will be happy to learn that in their opinion, we are not headed for a recession, although you may have heard otherwise. According to the school's two senior economists, Ryan Ratcliff and Jerry Nickelsburg, Southern California's economy, while experiencing difficulty in the real estate-related sectors, is still strong in other areas. ""The current state of the California economy and our forecast fall short of the weakness in previous historical episodes that we've chosen to label recessions," Ratcliff and Nickelsburg wrote.”Based on comparing the current economy to past recession episodes, we once again conclude that real estate weakness will remain a significant drag on the economy, leaving us treading water in 2008 — but not slipping under the waves into recession." Both of them mention that they know they are swimming upstream and that their opinions are contrary to others, but they have stuck their necks out before and have proven to be correct.. Let’s hope they are again.

Credit losses in the mortgage industry will continue to affect us according the UCLA Forecast, and while we're not headed for a recession, we will have a weak 2008. Am I a 'Pollyanna'? Yes and no. .

The other side of the coin...

According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, about 54 % of the CFO’s that were interviewed by Duke University/CFO magazine feel that the US in already in a recession… So what is the actual definition of a recession?

Definition: A recession is defined to be a period of two quarters of negative GDP growth. Thus: a recession is a national or world event, by definition. And statistical aberrations or one-time events can almost never create a recession; e.g. if there were to be movement of economic activity (measured or real) around Jan 1, 2000, it could create the appearance of only one quarter of negative growth. For a recession to occur the real economy must decline.Definition: A recession is defined to be a period of two quarters of negative GDP growth.

Let's see what is happening in our neighborhoods?

Market is picking up steam...CB Brentwood Court office sales are up for February.

We actually may get some rain this weekend after experiencing many wonderful, sunny Southern California days of 'perfect weather'. Yes, we are blessed with not only good weather, but we also have escaped many of the downturns in the real estate market other areas are experiencing. Nothing is more personal than what is going on in my real estate office and in my 'career' as a Realtor. And there is good news. January sales volume for our Brentwood Court office for Coldwell Banker was up nearly 25% in January over 2007 (27 sales in ’07 vs. 17 in ’08) (one of the Feb. sales was for $15,000,000); and February was another outstanding month, with sales up another 25% over the same period last year ( 28 un 2007 and 35 in 2008). In a review of the weekly 'caravan' tour of Westside homes on Wednesday, we all perked up -- there were multiple offers on nearly half of the 25 listings that agents in my office had seen this past Tuesday. This is a welcomed change for sellers, and it indicates that there is renewed energy in the marketplace. There is a pent-up demand for homes that are well priced and meet their needs -- they are going for it. If not, discerning buyers are staying away in droves.

With interest rates on the rise (slightly), home buyers are reluctant to keep waiting for the market to flatten (or even go down) because they can't afford higher rates, especially with the credit tightening going on. Seeing a noticeable bump in sales is a sign of strength for our Westside real estate market.

But, frankly speaking, nothing hits closer to home than how "I" am doing”. A real estate professional for nearly 25 years, I was a bit worried about my own success at the beginning of the year. In 2007, I had a spectacular start -- one of the best in my career -- only to find a slow second half. So, when I trailed last year's ' start, my accountant reminded me: "Carole, you are performing at the rate that will make 2008 an even better year overall. You're doing great." I needed that.

Green tip for the day: Here is a web site that handles this for you. Go to: www.catalogchoice.org -- Select from an alphabetically list and indicate which catalog you don't want to receive. Warning: This will take some time, because the list is very long. Does it work? Yes it does…. It just takes a bit of time and maintenance to do through. . This option has already cut down on the number of catalogs I get at home. If it doesn't work, you may have to call the company specifically and tell them directly. Good luck!

Remember to: COUNT ON CAROLE FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS!!!

Carole

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The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                                    4 March 2008 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And the hits just keep on coming....Westside is its own story

Every month, I review the latest Multiple Listing statistics for the neighborhoods I specialize in -- Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Post Office, Brentwood and Bel-Air. . After all, keeping track of trends in real estate, especially in these crazy times, is important when it concerns one of your largest personal investments.

So, when I see wild swings in some months, which we have witnessed over the past several years during this bumpy real estate market, I have learned to "...take a deep breath, maybe take a walk, and then come back to see what is really going on."

What is really going on is that while we had some wild swings in sales volumes between January 2008 and February 2008, median sales prices for three out of the four areas I specialize in are up over last year, and that's good news.

Median sales prices through 2008 (first two months) vs. 2007 (same period) show that Beverly Hills is up 10% in price, Beverly Hills Post Office is up 36%, and Brentwood, which has enjoyed a recent renaissance, is up an impressive 70%. Bel-Air is down 30% for the year compared to 2007, but as I have said in the past, this could be an anomaly, too. Bel-Air is tracking behind the other three areas I cover. Overall, January sales were very strong for Beverly Hills Post Office and Brentwood, and the median price -- always a key indicator -- remains firm in all areas except in Bel-Air. Overall the number of sales is decent with 8 closed escrows in Beverly Hills in Feb. 08 vs. 10 in January, 2 in Beverly Hills Post Office vs. 5 in Jan, 6 in Bel-Air vs. 7, and 8 in Brentwood vs. 13 in January. We must remember that for the majority most of the January closed escrows are sales that actually took place in December or perhaps even November.

One of my neighbors, who also happens to be real estate a broker came into one of my open houses recently and we were discussing the most recent stats for Bel- Air and why they are down when everything else on the Westside is not ( you would not believe what is going on in Westwood!). It was and is something of a puzzlement. We decided perhaps it is because Bel -Air real estate is so varied.. we have a number of hillside communities, as well as properties in the “flats” where as all of the other three areas are more commodious … i.e. Beverly Hills is all flat., Brentwood is generally the same and BHPO is all hillside…

Buy, Sell, -- Oh, my, what should we do?

A popular subject these days....every family, every home, and every neighborhood is different. Motivation to buy or sell seem to cross through our minds, especially in real estate markets of the past when prices were shooting through the roof...when multiple offers were throwing buyers (and sellers) in a frenzied state....and now, with the market in a more normal condition, we ponder 'what to do'. There are currently multiple offers on a number of properties that have been on the market for a while.. the buyers are out there….

On a recent Today show (NBC), noted NY real estate guru, Barbara Corcoran, talked about this -- when to buy or sell. She had some good advice, and from my perspective as a 15-year Bel-Air resident and lifelong member of the Westside community here is what I tell my clients:

If you want to buy -- There are many compelling reasons to buy now, one of the most important of which is the fact that real estate is good investment, and we all have to remember that at the end of the day, we are buying a property that is going to be our home, and not just an investment.. Yes, prices are still steady in our neighborhoods, but interest rates are dropping to 'good-ol'days-levels' (less than 6%), and some sellers are anxious to sell and have priced their homes accordingly. Over-priced homes still abound in every area, so you need a sharp Realtor (me) to help you avoid these money pits. So now is a good time to buy -- right.

If you want to sell -- Again, pricing is the key. There are many, many buyers out there -- more than sellers. As I have said many .many times, presentation and location, in addition to price, will continue to be the critical factors in how well you do at Sales Time. A knowledgeable Realtor (Me) is requisite in this process.

Community News of Note

I haven't fully digested the latest EIR on the 405 Widening project , which just came out. Nothing is settled yet on this latest bit information on this very critical development, but they appear to be moving forward. We still have no new news on the reverse lane project on Sepulveda.

My Green tip - UCLA is sponsoring a Hi-Tech Dump program -- you can bring your printers, computers, fax machines and television sets to the UCLA campus every Saturday from 8:00am. to 2:00pm. The address is 552 Charles Young Drive, which is right off of Sunset Boulevard. I am still collecting all of your old cell phones and printer ink cartridges.. just give me a call and I will be more than happy to swing by and pick them up.. Also please don’t forget that the money from the items I pick up support programs for public schools throughout the state of California…

Thank you again for all of your wonderful comments about the SchifferLine. Please let me know if there are any questions you might have that I am not covering.

Carole

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The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                                    14 February 2008 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Wild, Wild West......2008 starts out with a 'bang'

Hold onto your seats, we may be in a for a wild ride with Westside real estate this year, especially if you live in Beverly Hills and Brentwood. But it all "depends". On what? When I reviewed the monthly (January 2008) Multiple Listing Services, Beverly Hills had a 58% increase in median sales price over January 2007....and Brentwood had more than 123% increase for the same year-to-year period. The Bel-Air and Beverly Hills Post Office communities had essentially no change over the past year for January 2008 vs. 2007.

On closer inspection, there were several large sales that skewed these results -- a sale of $16 million on a Beverly Hills home which affected the increase in this area, and two sales of $10.750 million and $14 million respectively in Brentwood which caused the median sales price to leap more than 100%. Overall, with sales prices holding firm in all of the four areas, the Westside continues to demonstrate why our neighborhoods show sustainability on the price side, always a key indicator of home values. By the way, last weekend I spent some time with members of YPO (Young President’s Organization) who were here as part of a package for the Grammy’s. While they are here, I serve as the friendly tour guide for Westside real estate tours. There were 40 YPOers on my tour from all over the world. As I am sure you know, the Westside is not the only market that appears to be immune to the sub-prime debacle.. Other strong real est ate markets include, Manhattan (NY), Miami, Florida, (specifically South Beach), Aspen, Salt Lake City and Park City to name a few.

So, what's ahead for this year? What can we expect regarding our home values?

With the passage of the President’s economic stimulus package, and the increase in the amount of the conforming loans from $417,000 to $729,000, it appears that the upward flow of activity has already begun, and there probably will be more interest rate cuts in the next few months.

As always, the economy greatly influences real estate home pricing. Certainly, foreclosure news resonates in every area in the US. So, it is not surprising that the Westside has experienced some foreclosures. In Brentwood, seven homes and one condo were foreclosed in 2007, however that is exactly the same number as in 2006. In Beverly Hills there were four homes, and in Bel-Air, 11 homes. None in Beverly Hills Post Office. One of the biggest banks in the country, Bank of America, has a total of 139 properties in the entire state of California! How bad is that? According the Gary Watts, a noted real estate economist, California and Florida led the list in foreclosed properties, but as stated above, it is very much higher in specific regions of the state such as the San Bernardino and Riverside counties

In Watt's' 2008 Economic and Housing Report, which was presented to Coldwell Banker agents on February 4, he noted the enormous (and growing) wealth of Californians. Of the 390 billionaires in the US, 88 live in our state. And the Federal Reserve reports that consumers have $5 trillion in liquid cash "sitting in banks and savings and loans". and over the top 85% of the nation's wealth resides with the richest 15% of Americans (the bottom 50% of Americans hold only 3.5% of the nation's wealth). He also told us that 26% of the homes owned in the state of California are owned free and clear.

In balance, as we continue to see other local, regional and national areas experience steep price downturns, our Westside homes maintain strong values. It is just another sign of the enduring strength of our neighborhoods.

Other key indicators rise on the Westside

There were two seemingly unrelated events that underscore our Westside real estate strength: 1) My office, the Coldwell Banker Brentwood Court office, showed a 22% increase in home sales in January -- $50 million ('08) vs. $41 million over the previous January, and 2) a very excited and proud Westside buyer of a home that has been on the market for three months, had just purchased it Super Bowl morning. He asked if he could be there for the open house and proceeded to tell everyone who came into the property that day (80 different parties) about the wonderful purchase he had made and a number of them said… “Gee I wish I had known about this house, I would have bought it!” Bottom line: We are seeing significant strength in the market and the buyers are out there!

Green tip of the week.

For those of you who use fabric softener sheets.. here is some news:

Most commercial dryer sheets are impregnated with all sorts of toxic chemicals including Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool; none of which are good for the environment - or you. Some of these compounds are known carcinogens.

Aside from the chemicals in the sheets winding up in your clothing and therefore next to your skin, when heated, the fumes are also toxic. If you're looking for a greener alternative to dryer sheets; here's a couple of ideas that are very easy and cheap to do:

--Fill a small cloth drawstring bag with dried aromatic herbs or flowers and throw in the dryer with your clothes. Make sure the bag is tied securely of course :)

- A few drops of fragrant essential oil on a small cloth added to the dryer load will also do the trick. Essential oils are highly concentrated, so don't go overboard, the heat will release more fragrance than what you can detect when initially applying a few drops to the cloth.

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The SchifferLine

Timely real estate news from Carole Schiffer                                     25 January 2008

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Do we live in our own country?

What does this mean exactly? Is the Westside its own little piece of the world? Prices and the real estate market on the Westside seem to be in a country of its own. Are we being impacted by the real estate and lending markets, stock market and the overall malaise of the economy? Absolutely. But not -- at least at this point in time – as has been felt in other parts of the country or state.

What does this mean exactly? Is the Westside its own little piece of the world? Prices and the real estate market on the Westside seem to be in a country of its own. Are we being impacted by the real estate and lending markets, stock market and the overall malaise of the economy? Absolutely. But not -- at least at this point in time – as has been felt in other parts of the country or state.

Will this change -- who knows -- but I can tell you while it is a little quieter than it has been, there is still a good amount of activity out there.

Houses are still being sold, sometimes with multiple offers….open houses are still being well attended. Sometimes we are seeing as many as 50 groups coming through on a Sunday afternoon, and they are not all “looky loos” or curious neighbors -- they are buyers looking to make a purchase! Inventory is up and for now it appears that prices are holding steady, and as always…property that is well positioned is selling and will continue to do. So, in our little world, we’re doing better than most. And that’s good.

2007 really wasn't a bad year for Westside real estate. As I mentioned in my Quarterly Newsletter at the end of last year, overall prices and sales volumes on the Westside held in 2007. According to the MLS for the month of December, there was an increase of 13% in the median sales price -- over 2006 -- for Beverly Hills, an 18% increase for Beverly Hills Post Office, and median sales prices were essentially even for Bel-Air and Brentwood compared 2006. In an economy fraught with horror stories of double-digit declines in sales and home prices nearing 20%, you have to step back and say, "well, we're not too bad after all." Sales volume for all four areas was up a modest 1.5% -- the total sales volume for 2007 was $3.256 billion . So, when you really step back and look at our Westside Country. There are few areas in the world where these volumes compare. I will have the January stats in the next SchifferLine.

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A Green Tip: Recycling Helps!

I have set up a recycling program in my office that I would like to extend to you. We are collecting all ink and toner cartridges as well as cell phones. They are sent to a company that recycles them and then donates the money to schools all over the state of California. If you would like to participate with me in this most valuable program, please give me a call at 310 442-1384, and I will be more than happy to stop by and pick up your items for recycling. We all need do our part to help out.

Smart homes are here now...

If you ever went to Disneyland as a kid, you saw the 'home of the future' (GE Theater)....sort of a Fred Flintstone version of what the modern home would be like in 20-30 years. New and cheaper technologies and an intense desire of homeowners to make life easier (and more secure) drove this burgeoning industry to develop efficient, cost-effective 'intelligent homes'

The future is certainly here now -- and it's not science fiction. There are many small-to-large companies specializing in this field today (my son in law is involved in this in Bend, Oregon, and the activity there is off the charts!).. And the forecast is that homeowners will spend $1.3 billion on home intelligent systems this year, and will spend $10 billion in 2010. This includes sales for home security, lighting, and temperature controls as well as home entertainment systems. It is not about upgrading your individual systems to more state-of-the-art technology, it is about integrating the systems into a comprehensive management program that is designed to fit everyone's needs within the household.

Lowest mortgage rates on fixed loans in four years!