Banning, CA

Banning CA, Stagecoach Town USA. It's been a long time coming for us to really get some new Development, especially in the heart of the city. Eighth Street and Ramsey is one of the major Intersections of town. It leads to the 243 to Idyllwild, and to Downtown Banning. Locals use this street to circumvent the train tracks, and to get to the High School on the South side. Any of the older Banning Residents remember the old Dairy Queen that used to be on this corner, but that was a long time ago.

Eighth Street is one of the major exits off the Freeway because of the underpass, but it has been neglected for years.

Different projects were proposed, and I for one am very glad that the gas station with Truck Wash didn't go in there. What a nightmare it would have been trying to go straight, or make that turn with trucks coming out onto 8th.

Anyway, we heard a Rite-Aid was going to go here for quite a while before Construction started. Then all of a sudden I saw this Building too. It seems to dwarf the gas station, and it takes away some of the Mountain Views, but it's so much nicer than an empty lot. The corner of 8th and Ramsey has changed in the last couple of years....

We have an I-HOP, Jack -in- the -Box, now a Drug Store, and this Big Building which I heard is going to be a Dental Office. Yes, this corner has finally benefited from the City of Banning's Infrastructure work.

I would like to thank Duane and all his Crew, and the other City staff that helped to change this blighted corner into a nice Commercial area for all of us.Thanks Duane, Thanks Mayor Salas, and all the people on the City Council and Planning Commission. Banning is finally getting some new business, and this new Development helps the residents of Cabazon, White Water, the Rez, and especially all of us that live on this side of town.

By: Kathy McGraw -CELLing Realty in Riverside County and Authoring the California Real Estate and Life

Blogging helps us to let others know who we are, and what we have to offer, whether it's hard core skills, or inspirational messages. But do you really trust the person you are reading? We can learn so much if we are open to new ideas, and take the time to see who is behind a blog. Staging was a term I had never heard of until I joined Active Rain. This Real Estate Network has so many different fields of expertise.

I read some Staging and Feng Shui articles but it wasn't until I looked on my County Dashboard that I saw there was a Stager near me. Janice Sutton of 1st Stage Property Transformation lives and works in Murrieta/Temecula.

I read her blogs, liked what I saw, and made contact. The first time last year that we attempted to stage a very needy house didn't work out. But a few weeks ago, I gave her a call again. One of my listings wasn't getting any activity and I was running out of options. Wanting a fresh perspective I called Janice. We set up an appointment for her FREE Consultation, and she gave me her opinions.......

Oh you should have heard me....

• "Oh no" I don't think my Seller would want to do that !"
• "But I like that Turquoise carpet"
• "What ? You want to take down all those expensive window coverings?"

Oh my I sounded like it was my house. This lasted about 10 minutes before I caught myself, and realized I called a Stager for Advice....so why was I being resistant? So I shut up and listened!!!

I still wasn't sure how I was going to approach my Seller to paint and re-carpet, and I couldn't give his name and number out without his permission.

But first I had to believe in what Janice was saying......and I did, as Staging is her area of Expertise.

Don't get me wrong....I was pretty protective of my client, and I wanted to save him as much money as possible, while getting help with the listing. I figure this wasn't going to be an easy task, but I would give it my best shot, and that's exactly what I told Janice.

I did call the Seller, and explained about staging, why I thought it would be in his interest to do as the Stager recommended, and the cost involved. I really thought he was going to refuse to relist, and just send me on my way. Not only had we not gotten the House Sold in 6 months, but now here I was asking him to pay out even more money. But actually he wouldn't be paying more money in the long run, just the first upfront fee for Staging, and paint and carpet. He said he'd think about it and let me know......and it didn't sound encouraging.

A week went by, and I got an email.....he decided to Stage his home.

I let Janice know and it didn't take long before she had the painter out there, and the carpet guy.

It was the same day the carpet guy finished that Janice was out there setting things up.

I was amazed at the energy that she had, and the way things were already starting to look when I got there. Furniture, plants, taking down the window coverings to let in more light; Staging.....she obviously knew what she was doing, and that's what I wanted.

Now that all her work is done, it's time for me to do mine :)

I did say this was a transaction with 3 Active Rain Members......

• First....Melinda Jones from Sun Lakes Realty in Banning gave me the referral. Working together in the past, and trust that I would do whatever I could for the client has resulted in several referrals from Melinda.
• Second.....That would be me :)
• Third Janice Sutton of 1st Stage Property Transformation in Temecula- a city about 45 minutes from the property.

Professional Respect and Working Together for the common goal of helping the client......Yes 3 Active Rain Members Working together.

I just love what Janice did with this home........and of course I thank Melinda for the Referral.

How about you, do you trust other Real Estate Professionals, or people that work in fields that are associated with Real Estate?

By: Kathy McGraw- CELLing Realty in Riverside County and Authoring the Blog California Real Estate and Life

Dori Lopez, Manager of the SGP Copy Shop, is a graduate of Banning High School, and currently attends Crafton College. One of her goals is to use her music to help others....she wants to study Music Theraphy. This is Dori's 1st Performance in a Theatre Procuction, and you can see how proud she is. Well we're proud of her also....

As a tribute to Dori, I am buying a couple tickets to her performance to be given away to the first 2 people to personally congratulate Dori through this Blog Post.

All you have to do is go to the Copy shop..SGP Design...at 515 Ramsey St (across from the old Laundrymat) and ask Dori what Instrument she will be playing in Damn Yankees.

The first 2 people that come back onto this blog and answer the question win a ticket to her performance. The tickets will be available for pick-up at the Copy Shop on Wednesday.

Damn Yankees will be performed Friday and Saturday at 8PM starting this Friday the 29th and Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM.

By: Kathy McGraw- CELLing Realty

A few of the Buildings in the Banning Downtown Art District are getting a makeover. Last year the City Council approved several buildings for a Facade Grant aimed at helping to renovate and revitalize the Downtown area. Building Owners applied for these Redevelopment Grants that were specifically geared towards improving the look of Downtown Banning.

Several Business's were approved and currently work is in progress. If you drive Downtown you will see the work, but specifically the Art District around N. San Gorgonio Ave. is and has undergone major transformations.

Ben Stephenson's building on the corner of San Gorgonio and Hays (the one with the big Mural) has really changed the feeling of the area. He chose to go with the Early Mission style. This Building was once uninhabitable, and it needed to be completely rehabbed including retrofitting.

It's so nice to see the improvements to the buildings in the area. Ben's building and the Hendon Building behind it both could have been torn down as they needed some major work. And a really great coup for the new Art District is the addition of the Dorothy Ramon Center (more later on this wondrful addition to the neighborhood) that bought the building across the street. They also bought some vacant lot(s) behind them, and are in the process of fundraising to pay for the transformation.

Upcoming events:

If you live in the area there are many different activities happening in this new Art District. And don't forget the Evenings in the Park Concert Series in Repplier Park. The series starts this coming Thursday August 7th at 7:00 PM, and as always is FREE for everyone. One of the Major Banning Art Groups is the Playhouse Bowl Association, Inc. that has put this Concert Series on forthe past 55 years.

For further information on the Concerts call: 951.922.3240

The Art District of Downtown Banning has been developing for several years now. It started with several different Groups including Pass Cultural Arts Foundation , Poetry Groups, Dance, Photography and a Summer Music Series in the Park .

A couple years ago I was on the General Plan Committee that met once every week for almost a year to redo the Cities General Plan. We talked about having an official Art District at that time, and a certain area was discussed. Another Art Group formed and this Group petitioned the City Council for funds saying they would bring business into the Downtown area helping to revitalize it.

This is important because this Group has had a couple successful Street Fairs centered around Art, and they also were instrumental in convincing the City Council within the past few months to purchase Paula Hills building on N. San Gorgonio Ave, in the Center of the Downtown Art District.

This two story building has been used as an Artists Co-op over the past several years, and now the city purchased it.

Watch for more news on the Art District and interviews with local Artists.

By: Kathy McGraw - CELLing Realty - Author of Caifornia Real Estate and Life Blog