Thousand Oaks - Safe City, Sure, but Snob Central?!

Thousand Oaks Makes Another Top-10 List

Residents and Homeowners of Thousand Oaks, CA have long been proud of the fact that their city is widely known to frequently rank in the Top-10 when it comes to Safest Cities in America.  But the most recent list where Thousand Oaks, CA ranked is not that list.  

Oh, no.  This list involves an entirely different "S".

And if you haven't already heard, Thousand Oaks 'ranked' at #2.

Who Says Thousand Oaks is a Snobby City?

A somewhat popular blog named Movoto, which is mostly known for their Top-10 lists, recently put out a list titled, "These are the 10 Snobbiest Mid-Sized Cities in America".  

The list came out two Thursdays ago, and created quite a buzz in cyber-land.  

What Were We Judged By?

Movoto's snob-criteria consisted of:

• Median home price (the higher the better)
• Median household income (the higher the better)
• Percent of population with a college degree (the higher the better)
• Private schools per capita (the more the better)
• Performing arts per capita (the more the better)
• Art galleries per capita (the more the better)
•  Fast food restaurants per capita (the fewer the better)
• Country clubs per capital (the more the better)

I don't know about you, but the thing that stands out to me from that list is "the more/higher the better".

Per their rankings, Thousand Oaks, CA was the mid-size city that was home to the fewest fast food restaurants - that sounds pretty good to me!

What Should have Also Been on the List

Public School System

Thousand Oaks (including the cities of Newbury Park and Westlake Village) is home to the Conejo Valley Unified School District - one of the finest public school districts in the state, if not the country.

CVUSD is top-notch in its test scores, as well as athletic and arts programs.

Snobby?  Sounds more like Student-Focused to me!

Conejo Valley's Parks

There are more than 50 parks throughout the Conejo Valley (NOT counting community centers).  That's a whole lot of parks, considering the city is only 55 square miles.  

Additionally, the Park District is so resident-focused that when many dog-owning homeowners recently indicated that the community was is need of more off-leash areas, the Park District listened and began exploring parks where that request could be honored.

Snobby? Sounds more like Service-Oriented to me!

So What Does "Making the List" Mean?

Don't be offended.  Really, the title is less slap-in-the-face and more great-place-to-live than anything else.

Long story slightly less long, Thousand Oaks, CA is a fantastic community with great schools, numerous parks, and lovely neighborhoods.

And if living here means I'll have to carry the title of 'snob', so be it! ;)

Click here to see the other cities that were honored to share the list with Thousand Oaks, CA

Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

6 Disclosures You Must Make When Selling Your House

Shoulda, Woulda, MUST-DO

There are a lot of tasks you should do when you're selling your house in Westlake Village or Thousand Oaks, CA.  Realistically, these 'should-do' elements are so vital to getting your home sold they feel a lot like 'must-haves'.  

I'm talking about things like partnering with the right Real Estate Agent, staging your home for Open Houses, pricing it right for the market, etc.  But did you know there is an actual Must-Do, as in mandated by California Law, that is required when selling your home? I'm talking D-I-S-C-L-O-S-U-R-E 

Disclosures

Here is a list of 6 disclosures every house seller must make prior to the close of the sale.

Death in a Home

California requires notification of a person's passing within the home if it occurred during the 3 previous years.

Neighborhood Nuisances

This can include knowledge of a dog that barks each and every night, or proximity to air flight path.

Environmental and Natural Hazards

Depending on the age of home, asbestos and lead-based paint are considerations here.  Environmental hazards can also include vulnerability to flooding, fires, landslides and or earthquakes, to name a few.

HOA Information

If a house is in a community that is governed by a Home Owners' Association, that needs to be disclosed to potential home buyers.  Ed Kaminksy, president and CEO of SportStar Relocation noted in an investopedia article, "A buyer I know purchased a condominium, [and] the seller mistakenly forgot to give the buyer the last 12 months of meeting notes.  Seven months later the buyer was assessed for $30,000 for [community] property improvements.  The seller was subsequently sued by the buyer for not disclosing these important notes."

Water Damage

Water damage that has occurred anywhere in a house, even if it has been remedied, must be disclosed.  Such damage can compromise the structure of a property and or lead to mold - it is a must-tell.

Repair History

This category might sound a bit counter-intuitive.  After all, you might be thinking, "I fixed the problem, why do I have to disclose it?"

The truth is that regardless of the size of the repair, you need to inform the would-be buyer of the issue that you addressed.  From roof leak repair to annual snaking of your sewer line for maintenance purposes, you to be disclose the history of repairs.

Anything Else?

Realistically, selling a home is a complicated matter.  It is imperative that you partner with an experienced Real Estate Agent to ensure that you have the most successful outcome possible.

Thinking of selling your home?  Contact me today - I'd love to chat about how I can be of service.

Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

Friday's Fun Community Finds - June 13, 2014

Flags, Fire Trucks and Fiddles

Saturday - June 14, 2014

Flag Day

Tomorrow is National Flag Day, a day where the National Flag Day Association calls us to remember the significance of symbolism found in our nation's flag.  America's first flag had only 38 stars - anyone know when the 50th star was added?

Touch a Truck

This event captures what makes this Conejo Valley community so great.  The Conejo Recreation and Park District is hosting its annual Touch-a-Truck event at the park adjacent to Thousand Oaks High School (2525 N. Moorpark Rd).  Some featured vehicles include an Army truck, tractor, dump truck, excavator, and so much more.

This tire-kicking, horn-hocking event is a great opportunity for the wee-ones to get an up-close encounter with those cool vehicles. And it's the perfect excuse for those adults that are kids at heart to climb aboard and honk the horn as well.  Parking and admission is free; the event is from 10am-2pm.

Oak Heart Country Music Festival

Get out your boots and cowboy (or cowgirl) hats, because tomorrow afternoon Country Music is taking over the Conejo!  The Rotary Club of Westlake Village is hosting this charity event, which happens to be the largest country music festival in all of Ventura County.

The Oak Heart Country Music Festival is featuring 10 bands on 2 stages.  The festival is being held at Conjeo Creek Park South (click here for specific location) and the gates open at 1pm and the show runs through 10pm.  Click here for complete event information, including ticket pricing.

Wherever you spend your weekend, make sure to pack some sun-screen and a smile.

Enjoy your weekend!

Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

Current Mortgage Rate Increase: Good or Bad for Home Sellers?

5-Week Streak Broken

Two weeks ago I noted here on the Noble Real Estate Blog that mortgage rates had dropped for the 5th straight week.  In that post I discussed how that was good news for both home buyers and home sellers in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, and Newbury Park, CA.

Well, times have changed - Friday showed us an increase for all loan types.  The table below (courtesy of bankrate.com) shows the change over the past two months.

Mortgage rates	30-year fixed	15-year fixed	5/1 ARM	30-year jumbo
6/4/2014	4.32	3.41	3.31	4.35
5/28/2014	4.25	3.35	3.24	4.29
5/21/2014	4.29	3.38	3.21	4.31
5/14/2014	4.33	3.42	3.31	4.35
5/7/2014	4.37	3.45	3.34	4.39
4/30/2014	4.44	3.51	3.35	4.45
4/23/2014	4.48	3.54	3.34	4.47
4/16/2014	4.43	3.48	3.32	4.43
4/9/2014	4.47	3.52	3.34	4.48
4/2/2014	4.54	3.58	3.34	4.54

Will Rates Continue to Climb?

2014 started with the 'experts' expecting the mortgage rates to climb all the way up to 5% (for a Fixed 30-Year).  However, we can see that it's taken nearly 2 whole quarters for rates to reach 4 and 1/3 percent.  

Now that does not mean it cannot climb up reach the expected 5%, but so far the 'climb' has moved slower than expected.

What Does This Recent Rate Increase Mean for Home Sellers?

Realistically, the percent change will have little immediate impact on Home Sellers in the Conejo Valley.  However, if the rates continue to climb it does mean that the number of home buyers could decrease.  

And? (you might be asking)

Typically speaking, as the number of buyers shrinks (due to fewer people wanting to borrow money because of increased mortgage rates) the home buying competition diminishes, which means home values settle instead of climb.

Therefore, if you're looking to sell your home in Westlake Village, CA you would probably be better served to do so sooner than later since the home loan rates could increase considerably still this year.

What If I'm Not 100% I want to Sell?

The best place to start is by having as much information as possible.  And perhaps the most valuable information, in terms of selling your home, is knowing how much your house is worth.

There are websites that claim to provide value estimates of homes.  However, as I shared in my post about pricing, only a Comparable Market Assessment (CMA) will give you an accurate valuation of your home in today's market.

Only a licensed real estate agent can generate such a report.

If you're considering selling your home in Westlake Village, or Thousand Oaks, or Newbury Park, CA, or if you're just curious about your home's value, I would be happy to prepare one for you - absolutely free with no obligations!

Shoot me an e-mail to request a CMA, or if you have any questions whatsoever regarding real estate - I'm here to help!

Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

Friday's Fun Community Finds - June 6, 2014

Summer Shine and Outdoor Art Gallery

Saturday & Sunday - June 7/8, 2014

This weekend's weather is suppose to range from high 70s to low 80s - iconic So Cal climate!  I don't know about you, but I love the weather we get here in Thousand Oaks, CA.  It's one of the reasons why we never looked back once my family and I landed here from Boston.

With that said, this weekend's weather is picture perfect to take in some art.  On both Saturday and Sunday the Conejo Valley Art Museum is hosting ARTWALK, an art festival where artisans of all sorts put their wares and creative flair on display.  

ARTWALK is from 10am-5pm at the Bank of America Building on the corner of Hillcrest and Wilbur in Thousand Oaks, CA.  Admission and Parking is free.

Wherever in the Conejo you spend your weekend, from Westlake Village to Newbury Park, CA, I hope you take some time to enjoy the great weather we're treated to in our lovely community.

Have a great weekend!
Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

Good News for Home Buyers and Sellers: Mortgage Rates Continue to Fall

What are Mortgage Rates right now?

Feddie Mac (aka Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.)  reported late last week that lenders were offering borrowers 30-year home loans at an average of 4.12%.  

Here's a quick break down of the most common home loans and their rates as of last week:

• 30-Year Fixed: 4.12%
• 15-Year Fixed: 3.35%
• 5/1  ARM:        3.24%
• the ARM stands for Adustable Rate Mortgage, where the 5/1 means it is fixed for the first 5 years and then adjusts (up or down depending on market mortgage rates) once a year for the remaining life of the loan

How Long will these Mortgage Rates Last?

Mortgage rates adjust every day.  It does not matter if you live in Westlake Village, CA, or some other Ventura County city - mortgage rates are national rates.  Their numbers are directly related to bond market.  And with the recent rush of investors into the US Treasury securities, mortgage interest rates have dropped.  In fact, Friday's closing was the 5th straight week of decreasing mortgage rates for 30-Year Fixed.

How can this be Good News for Home Buyers and Home Sellers?

Let's talk about Home Buyers first:

These mortgage rates truly are at historic lows.  This means lenders are providing ready access to money for home buyers.

How this helps Home Sellers:
If you're selling a home in Thousand Oaks, CA, these historic lows means more and more would-be buyers are likely to enter the real estate buying market.  And simple truths of Supply and Demand means that as the amount of buyers increase (demand), so too does the price of a home for sale.

Is there a catch?

Sorta.  

Interest rates won't stay low forever.  So if you're looking to buy a home, now really might be the best time in terms of accessing money from lenders in the least expensive way.  In other words, the longer you wait, the more expensive it could become.

Conversely, if you're selling (or thinking about selling) your home, as interest rates rise, the amount of buyers will likely shrink - essentially nullifying (or at least weakening) the Supply and Demand benefit I referred to earlier.

What does it all mean?

It's plain and simple - whether you're looking to buy a home, or sell one, you need an experienced Realtor that can help match you with the right counterpart.

Good News - I am an expert Real Estate Broker serving this very community, and I'm here to help you!

Contact me today if you have any questions about buying a home or selling a house in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, or Newbury Park, CA.
Margie Noble
Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net

The Don'ts of DIY

What DIY Projects should be left to a professional?

In the spirit of my blog’s Home-Buyer Tips series titled, “Do I really need a realtor to buy a house?”, I thought I would offer up a few answers to similar a question from the DIY department.

That question being, “What DIY projects should I leave to a professional?”

Bob Villa reminds us that there are numerous DIY house projects we should be capable of truly doing on our own.  Here are just a few things that if we don’t already know how to do, we should learn how to:

• Unclog a toilet

Just read his article because I’m not really all that interested in getting into these details….

• Reset a tripped electrical breaker

If you’re the only house on the block without lights, it’s likely a tripped breaker.  When you look into your circuit breaker box you’ll notice the one (or sometimes two) switch pointing in the opposite direction or showing a visible red indicator—or both. Flip the switch back to align with all the others, and the power should return. NOTE: Villa warns that if you smell anything coming from the electrical box you’ll need to shut down the master power by flipping the larger or single switch at the top and call a professional electrician - clearly this is more than a flipped breaker!

• Remove ash from a fire place

You’ll obviously need a hand broom.  And make sure that what you’re scooping the ash into is a metal container! It is highly recommended that you let the ash sit in the metal container outside your home (away from anything combustible) for upwards of 2 weeks before discarding in your trash for pick up.

But what about other DIY projects?  Are there things I should not DIY?

Let’s take a look at a few interior and exterior categories.

Interior

Electrical

Aside from checking on and flipping back a tripped breaker, you really want to stay away from anything electrical.  If you get into your walls and start messing with the wiring, not only will you run the risk of short circuiting your entire house, but if you could quite possibly electrocute yourself or worse - start an electrical fire!

Plumbing

As Bob pointed out, maintaining your toilet can be done with relative ease.  The same goes for keeping shower heads clean - a total DIY task.  However, relocating your toilet or installing a new shower or tub, or any task that requires cutting, extending, or rearranging pipes should be left to professionals.

Exterior

Landscaping

Adding plants and flowers to a garden, or removing small bushes to make way for different vegetation can certainly be done yourself.  But the same is not true for tree removal.  Afterall, we are talking about tall (and heavy) trees, power tools, and possibly electrical lines.  It might not be inexpensive to have a tree removed, but it will definitely be cheaper than replacing a portion of your roof - call a professional!

Adding a Fence

Realistically, the type and size of the fence you’re thinking about adding comes in to play.  But what cannot be overlooked is the reality that such tasks, regardless of size, will require a lot of math (specifically geometry - ugh) and measurement to get all the boards lined up straight.  It’s probably best to leave the leveling and lining up to the professionals.

These are just a few DIY projects that should be left to a professional.  Trust me, there are plenty more.  

Are there DIY Do’s and Don’ts topics do you want learn about?  Leave a comment and let me know - I’m here to serve you!
Margie Noble

Broker/Realtor
Noble Real Estate
BRE License 01859419
www.venturacountyre.com
Phone: 805.844.6257
E-mail: mnoble4re@verizon.net