Real Estate Information Archive

On Sunday, May 19, 2013 we held an open house at 441 Valley Crossing Rd Brea CA 92823. Home is located in Olinda Ranch (Lambert Rd and Valencia Ave) in the Van Daele homes. Blue skies and light breeze couldn't have made the day any better for the open house. We arrived at 11 a.m. and people started showing up right away by 11:30 a.m. it started to slow down and I ran out and picked up a sandwich and drink from Togo's for my wife and I. When I got back there were several families in the home asking questions and looking about. I put the sandwich and drink on the counter and thats where it stayed it was non-stop families coming through the home. We had planned to close up at 3 p.m. but families kept stopping in and it was 4:30 p.m. before I was able to go out and take our signs down. We must of had over a hundred people through the home and I am not kidding. It was the best open house we have had in 27 years of selling real estate. We even received an offer from a very nice you couple with 2 little boys. Things have changed radically it's a great time to sell your home NOW! Call us if your are interested in selling your home. 714-990-2200 or 714-726-3166/txt

Description of the home: Beautifully upgraded Van Daele home in Olinda Ranch. Canyon view home with designer colors, hardwood floors are throughout first level. The kitchen has been totally remodeled with granite counters and pull out drawers in the cabinets. There is a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry. The large family room has a fireplace and is adjacent to the gourmet kitchen. The formal dining room and formal living room have hardwood floors. All baths have been remodeled and have granite counters and stone floors. The master bath has been remodeled with a stone surround shower, separate soaking tub , dual sinks, and a large walk-in closet. Master bedroom is approx. 15X20 and has inset cabinetry with shelves for TV. Work space area off upstairs bedrooms for doing homework. Small alcove at top of stairs would be great place for a home office. Great canyon and sunset views out the back of the house. Good sized yard with patio. Separate laundry room off the garage, has plenty of cabinets for storage. Three car garage with third car a tandem.  Lots of cabinetry for your storage. Home is truly a turnkey home, it all has been done, nothing left to do but move on in. 

Father-Daughter Dance is Pajama Jammin'
Friday, June 14, 2013
Brea Community Center
Starts 6:30 P.M.
$18.00 per person
Girls 4-18
Call 714-990-7100
Breakfast dinner to be served by Kiwanis Club

This is a great way to start the Father Day Weekend with a special night out with your "Best Girl". Don't forget to to wear your fussy Bunny slippers along with your colorful pajamas. Kiwanis will be serving up a big breakfast. There with games, raffles and more surprises. If you would like a picture at the event Artistryfoto will be there taking photos at 7:00 P.M. for just $5.00.

You can order tickets at the Brea Community Center front counter or call 714-990-7100 to place your order.

Brea Community Center 
695 E Madison Way
Brea, CA 92821
(Corner of Madison & Randolph)
714-990-7100

1912-2012 Field House
100 Years Celebration
Saturday, October 6, 2012

10AM to 3PM

4025 Santa Fe Road Brea, CA 

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail will be opening its door for the hundred year celebration. Free to All! Period music from the 1900s, A celebration cake, 1915 T Ford Tank Truck, tours of the field house museum with a guide. The field office was once the headquarters and operations for all the oil fields in Brea. The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail sets on 12 acres with nature trail, the field office is filled with items from the oil field. In the early 1900s Olinda was a large oil producing area. California State Parks will be giving walking tours of the nature trail. For more information, call 714-671-4447 or visit cityofbrea.net. For more information on Brea, California Real Estate and Community Information.

Equal parts nature trail, educational exhibit, and piece of living history—the Olinda Oil Museum and Trail in Brea is a must-see for history buffs and avid hikers alike. This 12-acre historical park features the original Olinda Oil Well #1. Drilled in 1897, this is one of the oldest working oil wells in the state. There is also a jackline pump, the original field house for the Olinda Oil operation, various pieces of field equipment from the past, a vault and warehouse. Here you can browse a collection of old photos depicting life as an oil worker, or “wildcatter” as they were commonly known back then. Interpretive exhibits in the field house explain the oil drilling process and the geologic significance of the area.

Once you’ve finished exploring the museum, it’s time to take an enjoyable, mild hike along the two-mile trail. Follow the footsteps of early pioneers who came to Olinda in search of oil. Placards along the trail show how things used to look. But perhaps most impressive are the panoramic views of Orange County the trail affords. On a clear day you can even see the ocean!

The City of Brea maintains the Olinda Oil Museum and Trail. Brand new restrooms, a paved parking lot and picnic tables have been provided for visitors’ comfort and convenience.

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail is an important piece of history, and while entry to the park is free, donations at the gate are greatly appreciated. The park is always in need of volunteers to give tours and to staff the field office. Volunteering is a great way to deepen your historical knowledge while giving back to the Brea community. Training is provided.

For information on volunteering or to schedule a group tour, call Sean Matlock at (714) 671-4447.

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail is located in the Olinda Ranch neighborhood, at 4025 Santa Fe Road in Brea. The park gates are open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Located at the corner of Randolph and Madison, the Brea Community Center is a place where fun, fitness and friendly smiles converge. Whether you are interested in joining a sports team, finding a fun and safe place for your child after school, helping your teenager connect with peers in a healthy way, or simply getting in shape—the Brea Community Center has a wide range of programs and resources for you and your family. Between the onsite Fitness Center, Family Resource Center and a whole host of special events throughout the year, the Brea Community Center is really many facilities in one!

For adults, Brea Community Center offers a number of competitive basketball, volleyball, softball and flag football leagues year-round. Sports leagues are a great way to get exercise and make new friends—something you’re never too old to do. For younger athletes, the Community Center has basketball and soccer leagues for boys and girls.

Looking for a positive hangout for your teen? Bring them to “The Zone,” a fun space designed for teens by teens. There are plenty of activities at “The Zone,” such as foosball, board games, pool, video games and computers. “The Zone” also sponsors special events, such as dances and game tournaments throughout the year. Teens are free to choose their own activities and come as go as they please, allowing them to feel independent. And because “The Zone” is always supervised by an adult staff, parents can maintain peace of mind.

There are also a number of programs and activities for the little ones. Whether you are looking for after-school care, fun summer camps, or a safe place to drop off your child while you work out, Brea Community Center is committed to happy, healthy kids!

Looking to get in shape? Whether you prefer a solitary workout or thrive on the energy of group exercise, The Brea Fitness Center has what you’re looking for. In addition to a full-size gym and a cardio/weight room, the Fitness Center has numerous fitness classes—everything from Belly Dance and Cycling to Yoga and Zumba. Check out the Group Fitness Schedule to find the class that fits you. There are also personal trainers available to help you meet your fitness goals, nutrition experts to help you tackle your eating habits, and massage therapists to help work out the kinks after a rigorous workout.

The Brea Community Center also provides important classes and services through its Family Resource Center. Here, members can take parenting classes, receive individual and family counseling, attend personal finance workshops, find support groups and receive health screenings.

For more information about the Brea Community Center, call (714) 990-7100. For a map and directions, click here.

As the New Year starts Carol & Jim are now working at (APRE) Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate (CA) Inc. We have completed over 40 classes on assisting sellers on distressed properties along with learning the online systems at APRE.  Distressed properties are now a major part of the market. The name has changed but we are still doing the same things we have always done except we have added distressed and corporate owned properties to our list. We still have the moving van for our clients and charities to use. The good news is we will be sending out email blasts with the homes that will be for sale once the sales price is determined. If you are an investor or a first time buyers it’s a great time to buy.

Have a Sunny Day!

No matter how bad the housing market has been. I have never lost $80,000 on a house in one day. Unfortunately a number of my friends did just that lost over $80,000 in one day. Now I know that’s unusual and if you leave your portfolio along it will probably come back over the long term if you were invested in good companies.

Buying a home now is a wise decision. The stock market is going to be volatile for some time and home interest rates have not been this low since the 70's.  There was an excellent article in "Smart Money" by Jillian Mincer, "Forget the Market. Buy A Home". We all need somewhere to live and at these interest rates if you have money buy now. Pay the home off as soon as possible if you can afford a 15 year loan due it even better a 10 year loan. If not, that’s ok too.

It’s been a long time since anyone has built any executive homes in Brea. Standard Pacific is building 38 elegant residences at one of the highest locations in Brea with some homes having views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina. Homes are open daily for viewing now. There are 3 models Mirada, Seville, Valencia, ranging in size from 4,200-5000, 4 - 5 bedrooms, 4 - 5.5 baths, 3 car garages. There will only be 38 homes built at Castillian at Blackstone.  Just West of the 57 freeway at Lambert Road, Turn Right on State College and follow the signs.  There are 3 other new tracts of homes for sale that have opened recently in Brea. I will add information on these tracts in a few days.

Paul Baran dies at 84 and you shoud care! Without him I would not be able to publish this blog, send emails, or anything else we sent through the internet. At the Rand corporation he created the "packet switching network", which is what allows the grouping together of information into packets that can be easily sent across the internet.

He died March 26, 2011 of lung cancer. This man has had a impact on almost everyone in the world and very few know him. There very few of us who will ever be able to say I made a difference in the world. Take a moment to read about Paul in Digital Trends, or google his name there is plenty of information there. He is worthy of your time.

Not everything is about real estate. Carol and I enjoy our classic cars and Kodi, our Samoyed loves to go everywhere with me. When he rides in the convertible he has to wear his "doggles". At first he didn't like the doggles until he realized the wind wasn't blowing in his eyes.  Everyone goes crazy when they see Kodi in the car and start taking pictures. I can't count how many times we are out and about town and someone  jumps out of their car to take a picture of Kodi. Kodi thinks he's pretty cool too in his doggles.