Get away from it all!  This darling cottage with views of the valley is the perfect turn-key get away.  Walk to the village for dining, wine tasting, community park and pool or just hang out on the deck and watch the sunset.  Warm valley days, balmy evenings and walks near the river make this ideal for a retreat from the city.  At 799,000 USD this 2 bedroom 1.5 bathroom home is affordable and just 2 hours from San Francisco, 1.5 hours from Silicon Valley and minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea.    

We are starting to see some movement in the right direction…….  sales of single-family, re-sale homes took off last month, rising 62.7% from March.  And, for the first time since September 2005, home sales were up year-over-year: 51.7%.

Here’s what’s happening on a micro level: 

It couldn’t be —— is the media actually publishing, something, anything about a housing recovery.  But why………. perhaps with gas prices at over 4 1/2 dollars a gallon, food costs skyrocketing, consumer confidence at a 28 year low, war, earthquakes, floods they have shared enough bad news with us and want to tantalize us and raise our spirits just a bit.

 On a local level our numbers stack up as follows:

Home sales surge in April. And, for the first time since September 2005, home sales were up year-over-year: 51.7%. view statistics by city: Carmel, Carmel Valley, Montery, Marina, Pebble Beach, etc.

Thursday, May 15 approx. 3:30 p.m. a one day before her birthday……… a beautiful lady and mentor left this place to meet her maker.  Arliene Beesley was a colleague, friend, WCR past president, MCAR past president, wife, mom, grandmother and so much more.

 What do we do when we loose someone “before their time”, what sense can one make of it.

The lesson I choose to take from Arliene is that she always smiled, always asked about your family and looked at the positive in every situation.  I never heard Arliene say an unplesant thing about anyone and she had faith in every situation and every person she came ito contact with.  Oh, if only I was half so optimistic. 

 It is still a shock………………… goodbye sweet lady, may your faith and kindness live on in all of us who were touched by you.

The neighborhood of “Canada de la Segunda-Rancho Canada subdivision” aka Brookdale & Canada Way is a small neighborhood perfectly placed between Carmel and Carmel Valley.  It is rare to see a home come on the market in this neighborhhood and the values have been holding steady in the 1.M-1.8M range.  This desirable neighborhhod feature 1 acre parcels, cal-am and often times private wells,  most homes built in the late 50’s and early 60’s have been remodeled but not all.  What makes this a special place to own is the convenience factor, Carmel Unified School Dist., the Carmel Valley sunshine and the feeling of being in the country. 

I am pleased to be promoting and offering a beautiful home for sale in Rancho Canada at 26600 Pancho Way.  Built in 2001 with extensive landscaping this 3600 sq. foot home features a six car detached garage with 220v and a 2 car attached garage. There is a private well for plentiful water and a super bonus room for billiards, arts & crafts, etc. 

 Stop by Saturday from 12-3 and take a look or give me call for a private showing. See pictures at www.kathleenhendricks.com

 Cheers, Kat

After reading about the jobs reports and watching the Fed. Chairman Bernanke at the joint economic committee hearing on Capitol Hill I think that the “R” word will be thrown around more liberally in the weeks and months to come.  And that is a good thing!!! Read more at this article in SF Gate

   What strikes me is that we are so resistant to use the word or other words such as stagnation,  & inflation yet we all feel the effects and live with it daily.   I believe the general consensus is that if we avoid the word then we can control the emotional climate of the American populace - bullsh__- if there is an elefant in the room believe me everyone sees it and senses its presence.

  In real estate we feel the  pressure of building inventories, decreased availability of money and fear filled buyers not to mention the 51,000 people out of work due to the slow down in new construction.  In retail the effects of consumer cut backs in spending and of course the continued cutbacks in manufacturing jobs going off shore.  I say lets call a spade a spade and move on.  We will recover from this and the markets will turn,  but pretending  that we are not in a recession or whatever it is just makes me feel manipulated and placated. 

I’ve been thinking about what keeps folks from getting into the real estate market and the analogy about the brides maid came to mind.  Many people rent and say “someday I’ll buy”, “I can’t afford it right now”, “all the houses I can afford are in neighborhoods I don’t like” and on and on.  They may talk to their landlords about buying the cottage, apartment, home they currently rent and may even look at homes for sale on the internet, but they never quite take the plunge. 

 I cannot think of one single investment that I’ve made that has served me better than buying my first home at age 32, and oh how I wish I had started in my 20’s when I was studying investment finance and fell upon several books explaining the benefits of real estate investing.  Some recommended reading: Multiple Streams of Income, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and a delightful book I read in 1989 Housewise, Suzanne Brangham.  Do some research and really look at the cost of renting vs. owning in the long-term.  Making the commitment to owning is hands down the winner!  I guess you could say the same about being a bride vs. the brides maid too

 So here we are with a plethora of affordable housing all around; foreclosures, bank owned, and sellers that need to move.  This is called opportunity!  And yes, there are challenges too.  Getting a loan takes more effort and a down payment is now a necessity.  So what - set up a plan to save or be gifted the down payment and start working with reputable lender so that you know you will be ready when you find the “one”. 

 There is currently a window of opportunity.  For how long?  Nobody knows,  but I can guarantee you that it is a window and it will close eventually.  Right now there are deals to be made, opportunities to be had and a perfect match for so many potential homeowners that have been priced out of the market for the past 5-7 years. 

 Step up and say I DO!

The neighborhood of Miramonte in Carmel Valley is a perfect example of living in the best of both worlds.  With all the feel of the country; 2-10+ acre lots, rolling hills, ancient oaks & views of the valley, yet all the conveniences and amenities one could ask for.  Many of the homes in the are are large estates with horses or vineyards. Home prices range from approx. 1.5M to over 5M depending on the condition with buildable lots in the 1M range. 

With a distance of 2 miles East into Carmel Valley Village or 12 miles West into Carmel-by-the-Sea the options for dining, shopping and entertainment are minutes away.  Set to the North of Hwy G20 or Los Laureles Grade, Miramonte is also very nicely positioned for easy access to our local airport.   Approx. 15 miles from the airport this is an ideal location for those that require air travel convenience.

 Miramonte is directly across from the Garland Park which is a 3,000 acre open space preserve managed by Monterey County Parks District.  Garland Ranch Regional Park is the ‘granddaddy’ of the MPRPD properties, representing the District’s first parkland acquisition. Garland has horse trails and trailer parking, bike trails, is dog friendly and has hundreds of miles of hiking trails.  Many of the homes in Miramonte look into the park and will forever see the beautiful unaltered hills.

 In order to get a fee for the area I recommend the following websites:

Carmel Valley Chamber of Commerce

Carmel.com

Carmel Valley Village aka “The Village” is a small community approx. 12 miles inland from Carmel with about 3000 residents in numerous neighborhoods such as Robles del Rio, Paso Hondo, Sleepy Hollow, El Caminito and more.  This community boasts sunny days, small town atomosphere, excellent elementary school; blue ribbon winner for 2007 Tularacitos and an abundance of nature.

 Our median price is 1,012,500 with our average price at 1,139,519.  In January we saw 8 sales, 31 new listings (we’re getting ready for spring) and our average days on the market is currently at 188 days.  With a current inventory of 91 listings we are down 6% from last year at this time.  The current sale price to listing price  is 88.3% which is down from last years 92%. 

Situated on 1700 acres of oak studded hills above Monterey Bay is the exclusive gated community of Monterra.  On Sunday I will be hosting an open house at 7591 Paseo Vista  featuring 5600 of indoor living space as well as a  complete outdoor kitchen, casita and views to the Monterey Bay.  

 This property and community offer the ultimate in luxury and convenient living with each custom homesite positioned to take advantage of the landscape, the goal is to preserve open space and to enable you to create a home that complements this unique setting and your own personal aesthetic. 

 The community of Monterra feature 1-5 acre lots with two gated entries that are monitored 24/7.  All the utilities are underground and an arcitectural review board ensure the aesthetics and maximize privacy.   As you drive through Monterra you will see deer grazing, hawks sailing and the spring lupin awash on the pristine hills.  This community is a blend of nature, luxury and convenience…………… the best of the best!