Oxnard, CA

When I was a kid, there was a street not too far from my parents home where I grew up and there were these huge trees that were all along the median down the middle of the street.

It wasn't your standard run of the mill median but rather a really wide, grassy, median that ran about five or six blocks long. Every year at this time, that street turned into our little community's own Christmas Tree Lane.

They were really nice looking tree that were really full and at Christmas time, the community would decorate the trees with lights and ornaments and in between the trees would be a variety of religious scenes as well as some more popular and contemporary (at least what was considered popular and contemporary for the late 60's early 70's) Christmas scenes.

Furthermore, many of the homeowners on both sides of the street would also decorate their homes with some of the homeowners turning their homes into something straight out of a National Lampoon Christmas movie with these really outrageous and elaborate Christmas decorations and scenes.

Every year, my mother would pile my brothers and sisters and I into the car and drive over to Christmas Tree Lane where we would spend hours driving up and down the street a dozen or so times because there was always someone in the car that wanted to see their favorite scene one more time.

While I still have my childhood memories of my neighborhoods Christmas Tree Lane, unfortunately, that Christmas Tree Lane is no longer there; the victim of the city's redevelopment and community expansion.

However, 14 years ago, when hubby and I moved here to Ventura county, we had the pleasure of discovering a local Christmas Tree Lane in downtown Oxnard in the historic homes district on F Street and G Street between 5^th Street and Palm Dr. in the Henry T. Oxnard National Historic District.

Oxnard's Christmas Tree Lane is famous for its beauty as one of the oldest, most pristine residential neighborhoods in the city that goes all out to create a spectacular holiday event and destination for residents and visitors.

Oxnard's Christmas Tree Lane is one locale that's a must-see for your holiday entertainment that begins the first to second week of December. Each night from around 6 to 10 p.m., visitors can walk on the sidewalks or drive their cars through the neighborhoods that comprise this historic region.

So if you have visitors in for the holidays or you just want to spend some time with family or friends, make plans to visit Oxnard's beautiful Christmas Tree Lane.

Back on the market and move in ready! 2 bedroom 2.5 bathroom 1425 sqft tri level corner unit condo located in the Seabridge community, Ventura County, Ca. The bedrooms are on the 3rd floor. On the second floor is the kitchen with newer stainless steel appliances, family room with fireplace and balcony, laundry area. Sale includes washer, dryer and refrigerator. 2 car direct access garage on ground level. Coastal living and very affordable, the current list price is $320,000. The previous buyer has walked, the BPO came in at $330,000, this is a short sale. We are looking for another offer to present to the lender. Walk to tennis courts, boat docks and the new Seabridge Village restaurants and shopping center.

You as a buyer need an agent who truly understands this market and can help you get your desired home whether it is a bank owned or short sale listing. With so much information and misinformation you need an above average agent to guide you through these investment opportunities.

My husband and I are Certified Distressed Property Experts, CDPE and Pre-Foreclosure Specialist Certified, PSC. By dealing with agents who have earned the CDPE and PSC designations, buyers and sellers ensure that they are working with experienced short sale real estate professionals that are equipped to handle their specific needs.Click on the link ‘pre foreclosure/short sale process' to learn more.

To contact us for a showing or any information call us at 661.803.2093 or 661.290.3837

This propertry is offered by:

Jennifer and Gary Ricco CDPE, PSC

If you would like to search for short sale listings in your area go to www.Pre-ForeclosureSpecialists.com
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As with all short sales, sale price and commissions are subject to lender(s) approval

license number 01461940

Good Morning! It's Sunday October 11th... Brandon's (my husband) birthday today!! Happy Day!!

I had an "ahh ha" moment recently and I thought I'd share it with you! I was reading about a famous mountain climbing resort over in the Swiss Alps. They have this one "beginner mountain," and several times a month, different companies bring their employees as a group to climb up the mountain together. It's a special exercise that is meant to build camaraderie and teach teamwork.

It's about an eight-hour hike to the top of the mountain so the group normally gathers at the base about eight in the morning. At the beginning of the morning, they are really fired up and enthusiastic. Everyone can't wait to make it to the top and have their picture taken together to celebrate their accomplishment. It's a pretty unique accomplishment...

About halfway up, there's a little restaurant. So the group goes into the restaurant, takes off their hiking gear, sits down by the fireplace and eats lunch. It's a very warm, cozy setting. Here's the interesting part; The article said that on average - after they had gotten warm and comfortable, less than half of the people continued climbing the mountain! It wasn't because they weren't able to do it, nor was it too difficult! It was simply because they had gotten comfortable. They lost their motivation to press on and excel. In essence, they tasted a little bit of success and they thought, "Well, this is good enough..."

A lot of times, this is exactly what we do in our lives. We have a goal or a dream. It could be a goal to pay off credit cards, a plan to lose some weight - or a vivid dream of owning your very own home! At first, you may start off excited and strong, getting your Loan Officer all the paperwork he/she asks for right away, finding homes to look at online, and courageously signing the Offers your Realtor writes - but over some time and a few unaccepted Offers, complacency settles in. The apartment you're renting may not be a bad place to live, but it's not where you're really supposed to be. It's just average; just good enough.

My ahh-ha moment happened when I realized that we are created for more than average! We are created to excel! You are created to stretch your faith - believe we can achieve the unseen, and celebrate our accomplishment at the top of the mountain!

Maybe today, you've taken a little break. Maybe you're comfortable where you are but I want to encourage you to put your hiking gear back on. Stir yourself up! Don't settle for halfway; decide to go all the way. You keep climbing, believing,and pressing forward into that wonderful new Home that God has in store for you!

What next? That's the question Dr. Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics was attempting to answer for the audience attending the Oxnard Economic Outlook put on by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce I attended this morning.

Dr. Thornberg explained that the biggest issue is the national economy-a lot of uncertainty out there for a lot of reasons. Basic economic indicators are not that hard to read, but to figure out what Fed Chairman, Ben Bernanke, President Obama and Congress will do and how that will impact the recovery, well, that's hard. Clearly, he says, we're at the bottom, the question is how strong will the recovery be? He says according to the "Public Opinion Meter" the recession is over. Dr. Thornberg is not so sure. The economy today is 4% smaller than a year ago. Across the board, unemployment is stabilizing but that just means that job losses are lessening, not reversing. But the silver lining is that as bad as unemployment is in California, it is in better shape than the United States.

So what shape will the recovery take? He said some are predicting a "V" shaped recovery-a quick rebound. Others are predicating a "U" shaped recovery, basically the same but not quite as quick. Then there is the cruel "W" shaped recovery which I don't need to elaborate on or the "L" shaped recovery that isn't a recovery at all. Whichever you pick, Dr. Thornberg wryly states it will certainly be an "S" recovery, as in SLOW. He explains that underlying problems are not fixed. Some relief for symptoms, yes, but that the road to health will take some time.

Dr. Thornberg also does not believe home prices have bottomed out completely, despite the widely watched Case-Schiller Index showing home prices in many markets have had an increase. He attributed some of that increase to seasonal buying, low interest rates and low inventory. He stated that 15% of all homes mortgages are either delinquent or the properties have been foreclosed on and still owned by the banks. There is also much craziness in the commercial real estate market but we don't hear about it as much since much of that is handled in back rooms. And he doesn't think that low interest rates will continue for long. His emphatic message was if you were thinking about a refinance, DO IT NOW. We may be seeing inflation in 1 to 1½ years and interest rates will go up. He pointed out that FHA is a disaster and so is Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the major sources of home financing in the U.S.) and were it not for the Fed buying the bonds to support them they would be in serious trouble. This cannot continue indefinitely.

But despite his warnings, Dr. Thornberg thinks the longer term outlook for California is good and may emerge much stronger from this crisis. In the meantime...there are no easy fixes.

Remember this house?  Appropriately dubbed the "House of Doors", doors, and more doors!

Yes, the same house that also had a bath tub immediately adjacent to the master BED (not room, BED)

Yes, the very same house with oddities such THIS ?!?!

Well, nay-sayers of Home Staging,  I am here to state that even though the average days on the market for this BEACH community is 146 days - this one is under escrow in just 48 days AFTER Staging! HA!

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Platinum Home Staging, Inc.   Home Staging Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Hancock Park, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Canoga Park, Van Nuys, West Hills, Northridge, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Wood Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Malibu