Elizabeth Taylor's Palm Springs Palace

Liz Taylor's Palm Springs Palace. According to the L.A. Times, this beautiful home is listed at 9.2 million. Her spokesman, Dick Guttman, says that even today Taylor “regards the home with great pleasure.” There are seven bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms. The 10,226-square-foot Spanish-style compound is on 1.5 acres with the original tiled pool, more than 50 mature palms and an open-air pavilion with a commercial kitchen.



The 1.5 acre compound is in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs.



The 2,000-square-foot master suite has a bathroom with ƒsa chandelier, a private living room and an office.



There are two guest suites in the main house and three guest casitas on the grounds. The estate is listed at $9.2 million.



Click here for the full article from the Los Angeles Times.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Widgets and Knitting

This weekend was incredibly busy. For those of you who don't know me too well, I'm a bit of a workaholic. Yes, I am a full time real estate agent, but I also spend some of my time tutoring. Both real estate and tutoring require me to have a flexible schedule and give up all of my weekends. I don't think I've had a full free weekend to myself for several months now. I don't mind because I've nominated Monday as my new "easy" day. It actually works out pretty well for me.


Knitting
The photo above is the new "Chevron Rib" Stitch Pattern I learned this weekend. The variegated yarn I'm using distracts from the lovely eyelet pattern. This means a trip to Joann's to get a new finer yarn. I'm thinking a ball of Moda-Dea Beadnik yarn would be a perfect for this since it is a delicate solid colored yarn with prestrung beads for a few surprises when all knit up. Are you a knitter? Wanna try it for yourself? Here is the pattern from p. 250 of "Lace & Eyelets" from The Harmony Guides edited by Erika Knight.

Chevron Rib Pattern
Multiple of 7+2.
1st row: k2, *k2tog, yf, k1, yf, sl 1, k1, psso, k2; rep from * to end.
2nd row: purl.
3rd row: k1, *k2tog, yf, k3, yf, sl 1, k1, psso; rep from * to last st, k1.
4th row: purl.
Rep these 4 rows.

Widgets
I wanted to insert a "Books I'm Reading" widget onto my blog here. I didn't find one I liked, but I did find a neat music player widget. If you want widgets for yourself go to www.widgetbox.com. I put this one at the bottom of my sidebar. Enjoy.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Homes are More Affordable, Fewer Real Estate Agents

C.A.R. Reports Entry-Level Housing Affordability at 33%. Finally, homes are becoming more affordable! The percentage of households that could afford to buy an entry-level home in California stood at 33% in the fourth quarter of 2007, compared with 25% for the same period a year ago, according to a report released by the California Association of Realtors® (C.A.R.). The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home at $411,170 in California in the fourth quarter of 2007 was $82,200, based on an adjustable interest rate of 6.21% and assuming a 10% down payment. First-time buyers typically purchase a home equal to 85% of the prevailing median price. The monthly payment including taxes and insurance was $2,740 for the fourth quarter of 2007. Click here to read more.

California sees drop in real estate licensees. Statewide count falls for first time in 5 years. Statistics reveal a dramatic drop in the number of salesperson license examinations in the state since September, while broker examinations have risen. There were 842 broker examinations administered in September and 14,918 salesperson examinations. That compares with 1,148 broker examinations administered in December 2007 and 1,315 salesperson examinations. Click here to read more.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Inland Empire and Southern California Real Estate News

And yet another victim of the mortgage crisis: The Renter. Some renters have found themselves homeless after their cash-strapped landlords stopped making mortgage payments and their houses or apartment buildings were foreclosed upon. For many such people, this can mean even steeper rents because the wave of foreclosures has spurred greater demand for rental housing -- a blessing to landlords who don't have banks breathing down their necks. Click here to read more.

Some builders are offering low price guarantees. The guarantee is a limited time offer depending on the builder of course. Basically, if the base price of a buyer's home is less at closing than they paid, the company will honor the lower price. Click here to read more.

Not in a recession. Or so they keep telling us. An anemic housing market and strike-battered entertainment sector may drag on the Southern California economy, but the region will still remain strong enough to avoid recession through 2009, a leading forecast said today. The economy is still growing but at such a slow pace it feels like a recession. However, because of the ongoing housing slump, the residential real estate sector is considered to be in a recession.Click here to read more.

Inland Empire Regional Economy Analysis and Forecast. I found this great 5 part article about the Inland Empire economy. Unfortunately, I can only access Part 3 and Part 2. They're both great reads, but relatively lengthy for a news articles.

Inland Empire Median Home Values. Southern California's home sales last month fell below 10,000 for the first time in more than 20 years. San Bernardino County sales fell the steepest in the region, plunging 53 percent from January 2007, for a total of 1,111 transactions, which DataQuick Information Systems said was the smallest monthly count since the company began keeping track in 1988. Riverside County posted 1,939 home sales, a more than 37 percent decline in a year and the lowest number recorded in any month since January 1997. Also the median home price in San Bernardino County slipped below $300,000 to $298,000, representing more than a 21 percent drop from an all-time peak of $380,000 reached in November 2006. The median home price in Riverside County fell to $331,500, or more than 23 percent below a $432,000 record high in December 2006. Click here to read more.

Crime time? Economic downturn worries police. The next couple of years could be tough on police throughout the Inland Empire. Facing general economic sluggishness and a slumping housing market, local leaders are worried that an uptick in crime - which typically goes hand-in-hand with a worsening economy - is coming. Compounding local cities' concerns is the specter of a mass release of inmates from the state's overflowing prisons. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has floated the idea of cutting the state's prison budget and paroling more than 20,000 nonviolent inmates. At least two Inland Empire cities - Pomona and San Bernardino - expect to become home to a large share of those parolees. Click here to read more.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

0216082215c.jpg

0216082215c.jpg, originally uploaded by tinacjan.

mochi giving me puppy kisses.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

First Post From a Blackberry Curve

Hi Everyone, this is my first attempt to post from my new Blackberry. I love the internet capability that this little red gem has. Yes, I picked the red colored Blackberry Curve. It was my Valentine's Day present to myself. So here's my question to all the realtors out there: How have your REO deals been going? Do you find that the asset managers are really dragging their feet? It seems to me that the lenders are taking their sweet time responding to offers. I would love to hear other experiences!

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Snowy St. Valentine's Day

Hi Everyone! This is what I saw today as I drove to my office in Beaumont, a beautiful snowy St. Valentine's day. Big quarter sized flakes fell from the sky and covered the San Gorgonio Pass area with a soft white blanket of snow. Yes, I am guilty of taking pictures while driving.







My office is located next to the Hallmark store. So of course, the parking lot was packed with people coming and going from that store. They were probably buying Valentine cards and gifts for their loved ones. My favorite part of the holidays are the after-holiday sales. I can stock up on half price chocolates! This V-day I got a beautiful vase full of red roses and baby's breath, as well as a nice assortment of chocolates from various affiliates!



Today I spent most of my day preparing the flyers for this month's doorhangers. Then I celebrated with a big V-Day home-cooked dinner with friends! Here we are with our laptops. I think I'm the only one without an Apple computer.



I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

5 Things Buyers Need to Know

In this month's Realtor magazine, Blanche Evans gives us five reasons why buyers should put their money towards a home instead of the stock market.

Here are five reasons why you get more for your money with a house than the stock market:

1. LEVERAGE. With stocks, you put in all your money for a little piece of a company. With a house, you put in a little money to get the entire house.

2. TAX BENEFITS. Uncle Sam knows that owning a home is a pain in the neck; that's why you get tax incentives. These are basically government bribes to get you to buy.

Think about it, with what other investment can you put in 5 percent of the cost of the asset, reap all the appreciation, and pay no capital gains? That's right: live in your home for at least two years, and you don’t have to pay capital gains tax on up to $250,000 in appreciation if you’re single and a combined $500,000 if you’re a married couple.

And that's not all — consider the benefits of fixed-rate mortgages, property tax write-offs, interest rate deductions, and depreciation. Is this a great country or what?

3. CONTROL. When you buy stocks, you're paying some CEO 500 times the average worker's salary for company performance that most other workers would lose their job over. With a home, you have control — what you buy, how much you pay, and where you live. You can improve the value with repairs and updates. Try comparing that to getting heard at the next shareholders' meeting!

4. LIFESTYLE. Do you want to look at a concrete jungle or your children playing in your own back yard? With a home, you're purchasing a vantage point for yourself and your family. The neighborhood you want to be in, and the size and style of a home that fits your needs.

5. VALUE. Unlike some stocks, your house will seldom become worthless. Barring a catastrophe, your home will retain a major portion of its value, even in the worst of times. So don't freak out about slight fluctuations in the value of your home in any given year. You'll make it up. Housing has lost value only one year out of the last 35. It's more normal to beat inflation by 1 percent to 2 percent.

TAKE STOCK IN THIS:
So let's add a little perspective here. You lost a greater percentage on the stock market this past year than if you owned a house. You lost more on your SUV. And you sure lost more on your iPhone.

And keep this in mind: When it rains, which would you rather have over your head — a roof or a stock certificate?

Click here to read the original article.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Blogging Success!

It's good to know that I'm not the only one that loves to blog! A recent article from the L.A. Times is titled, "Realtor blogs help reel in clients, boost sales." There is a new wave growing. Agents that blog. We believe you will eventually only use an agent that blogs. Why? Because if they blog about a community they must know it. You also learn more about them as they blog. And according to Larry Cragan, "agents who are still selling today are agents who blog."

Good to know!

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com

Inland Empire Real Estate News

Inland commercial builders grow wary. Foreclosures in the Inland Empire are among the highest in the nation. Some experts suggest that means less disposable income and fewer new residents, which could curb the desire to build shopping centers. Banks have reacted to the subprime crisis by tightening loan requirements. That has had an impact on all building, making it harder to obtain money. Experts say the Inland region's warehousing market is strong enough to weather the storm. The fundamental market factors are still strong for the Inland Empire. Click here to read more.

~Tina Jan~
Coldwell Banker Kivett-Teeters
1655 E. Sixth St.
Beaumont, CA 92223
Work: 951-845-5520 Ext. 105
Fax: 951-845-4916
Cell: 909-446-2666
Toll-Free: 1-877-TINAJAN
tina.jan@coldwellbanker.com
www.tinajan.com