By: Lori Einhorn
Snow Day in Bell Canyon
On Sunday, February 12th, 2012, there will be snow in Bell Canyon. Make sure to save the date for a fun day filled with snow, hot chocolate and games. This event is geared toward the kids of Bell Canyon and promises to be a fun filled day for our lovely families.
Stay tuned for more details.
2012 housing market predictions by Bloomberg
By: Lori Einhorn
When BusinessWeek set out to determine what housing prices would be in the year 2012, we knew that there was no way to know for sure. But in working with the Brookfield, Wis.-based research firm Fiserv, we weighed historical data against current trends to get a bead on which way the markets might jump at one-year increments. By combining data, we were able to get a pretty good idea of what home prices would be in three years’ time.
Across the board, real-estate prices will continue to drop before rising slightly by the fourth quarter of 2011. Why is that important? Given the wretched state of the real-estate market today, both homeowners and potential buyers might be better able to make an informed decision about when, and whether, they should move. Obviously, we can’t guarantee that our data will hold up — although we think it will — but what becomes clear is that even the worst-hit markets will begin to see improvement by 2012.
Should Starr Ranch Feed Baby Owls?
By: Lori Einhorn
Since the first egg was laid on December 6, 2011, Internet users were able to watch a minute-by-minute live feed of the lives of baby barn owls. These five owls are currently living in a 100 foot eucalyptus tree located on Starr Ranch in Bell Canyon. Recently, viewers of the owls noted that their father stopped coming to the nest. This alarmed not only the viewers, but manager of Starr Ranch, Pete DeSimone.
Without the help of an outside source, the mother of the babies would be unable to feed her children so DeDimone has been forced to step in. He describes the situation as impossible however, due to the harm that intervention can cause. Currently, one of the primary options to help this family of owls is to find a new nest. This is only plausible if a nest has a minimal amount of babies near the same age as these baby owls. Viewers of the owl video footage have also asked DeSimone to personally take care of the owls but he states that this is not a possible option. By doing this, the owls will be imprinted by a human. This will ultimately lead to a loss in identity and they will no longer realize that they are owls, instead they will relate to humans. We are not giving hope on these owls and hope that the father shows up soon.
Americans to Reap the Benefit of $26 Billion 
By: Lori Einhorn
Great news for Americans across the nation. Five of the largest US banks have negotiated a $26 billion dollar payment that as many as 2 million Americans may receive. This is the largest settlement of its kind in history against the housing industry. In 2010, all 50 state attorneys began working on this case during revelations of banks evicting people with false documentation. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial have all been targeted as being primarily responsible.
Now nearly 1 in 5 Americans owe more than the worth of their house because their mortgage is underwater. Although this settlement may come as a relief to many homeowners, it will not rule out any criminal prosecution for the banks. Along with this, California’s attorney general, Kamala Harris wants to utilize the False Claim’s Act to receive more money from the banks for improperly packaged mortgages. This is another good sign for victims of the housing crisis.
Search Homes at Your Finger Tips
By: Lori Einhorn
In January of this year, Ewing and Associates began utilizing a mobile platform to aid customers in their search for a home. This new application, “ewingsir” is compatible with smart-phones such as the iPhone, Blackberry, Android or Windows Phone. The application’s innovative software allows consumers to easily search for homes near them but also internationally. The sleek design makes navigation easy so even the least tech-savvy consumer won’t feel daunted by all of the app’s features.
Consumers aren’t the only ones benefiting from this. Real estate agents are also able to connect with their clients by giving them a custom code for the agent’s specific application. With this, agents will receive all of the leads from a client’s search regardless of who has the listing. This technology will relieve the burden of planning around busy schedules and instead clients will be able to search for a home at their leisure. Agents and clients alike can take comfort in the newfound ease that this app will bring to the home buying process.
Search Homes at Your Finger Tips
By: Lori Einhorn
In January of this year, Ewing and Associates began utilizing a mobile platform to aid customers in their search for a home. This new application, “ewingsir” is compatible with smart-phones such as the iPhone, Blackberry, Android or Windows Phone. The application’s innovative software allows consumers to easily search for homes near them but also internationally. The sleek design makes navigation easy so even the least tech-savvy consumer won’t feel daunted by all of the app’s features.
Consumers aren’t the only ones benefiting from this. Real estate agents are also able to connect with their clients by giving them a custom code for the agent’s specific application. With this, agents will receive all of the leads from a client’s search regardless of who has the listing. This technology will relieve the burden of planning around busy schedules and instead clients will be able to search for a home at their leisure. Agents and clients alike can take comfort in the newfound ease that this app will bring to the home buying process.
Should Starr Ranch Feed Baby Owls?
By: Lori Einhorn
Since the first egg was laid on December 6, 2011, Internet users were able to watch a minute-by-minute live feed of the lives of baby barn owls. These five owls are currently living in a 100 foot eucalyptus tree located on Starr Ranch in Bell Canyon. Recently, viewers of the owls noted that their father stopped coming to the nest. This alarmed not only the viewers, but manager of Starr Ranch, Pete DeSimone.
Without the help of an outside source, the mother of the babies would be unable to feed her children so DeDimone has been forced to step in. He describes the situation as impossible however, due to the harm that intervention can cause. Currently, one of the primary options to help this family of owls is to find a new nest. This is only plausible if a nest has a minimal amount of babies near the same age as these baby owls. Viewers of the owl video footage have also asked DeSimone to personally take care of the owls but he states that this is not a possible option. By doing this, the owls will be imprinted by a human. This will ultimately lead to a loss in identity and they will no longer realize that they are owls, instead they will relate to humans. We are not giving hope on these owls and hope that the father shows up soon.
Americans to Reap the Benefit of $26 Billion
By: Lori Einhorn
Great news for Americans across the nation. Five of the largest US banks have negotiated a $26 billion dollar payment that as many as 2 million Americans may receive. This is the largest settlement of its kind in history against the housing industry. In 2010, all 50 state attorneys began working on this case during revelations of banks evicting people with false documentation. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial have all been targeted as being primarily responsible.
Now nearly 1 in 5 Americans owe more than the worth of their house because their mortgage is underwater. Although this settlement may come as a relief to many homeowners, it will not rule out any criminal prosecution for the banks. Along with this, California’s attorney general, Kamala Harris wants to utilize the False Claim’s Act to receive more money from the banks for improperly packaged mortgages. This is another good sign for victims of the housing crisis.
By: Lori Einhorn
Snow Day in Bell Canyon
On Sunday, February 12th, 2012, there will be snow in Bell Canyon. Make sure to save the date for a fun day filled with snow, hot chocolate and games. This event is geared toward the kids of Bell Canyon and promises to be a fun filled day for our lovely families.
Stay tuned for more details.
2012 housing market predictions by Bloomberg
By: Lori Einhorn
When BusinessWeek set out to determine what housing prices would be in the year 2012, we knew that there was no way to know for sure. But in working with the Brookfield, Wis.-based research firm Fiserv, we weighed historical data against current trends to get a bead on which way the markets might jump at one-year increments. By combining data, we were able to get a pretty good idea of what home prices would be in three years’ time.
Across the board, real-estate prices will continue to drop before rising slightly by the fourth quarter of 2011. Why is that important? Given the wretched state of the real-estate market today, both homeowners and potential buyers might be better able to make an informed decision about when, and whether, they should move. Obviously, we can’t guarantee that our data will hold up — although we think it will — but what becomes clear is that even the worst-hit markets will begin to see improvement by 2012.