Brian Jones Realtor - ZipRealty Orange County, CA.

Laguna Beach Homes - Sales 2008

Sales Soar in September

Compared to the year before, sales of single-family, re-sale homes in Orange County rose 83.9% in September. This is the third month in a row home sales have been up year-over-year. The good news for buyers - the median price for single-family, re-sale homes in Orange County fell 4% from August. Year-over-year, the median price was off 26.7%.

Just as several years ago at the height of the market, the large number of million dollar plus sales skewed statistical prices upward. The current large numbers of bank-owned properties working their way through the market are skewing statistical prices downward.

As of November 1, 2008;

There are currently 324 Homes for Sale in Laguna Beach, ranging in price from $400,000 to $23,000,000

• Average Price: $3,144,325

• Average Days on Market: 153

There are currently 16 Laguna Beach Homes in escrow, accepting Back-Up offers.

• Average Price: $1,448,124

• Average Days on Market: 146

And 13 Laguna Beach Homes are Pending in escrow:

• Average Price: $1,785,592

• Average Days on Market: 114

151 Homes in Laguna Beach have closed escrow in 2008

• Average Price: $2,240,072

• Average Days on Market: 111

• Average Price per Square Foot: $915.75

Laguna Beach homes for sale

For more information on a particular city or neighborhood please contact me.

Brian Jones, Realtor

ZipRealty, Inc.

cell: 949-422-1636 or 800-225-5947 x5220

email: brjones@ziprealty.com

My last post was about the Dia de los Muertos Festival in San Juan Capistrano that my wife and I attended. It was held at the public library and featured face painting, dancing and colorful altars dedicated to friends and family.

As we wandered through the library we found a small outdoor patio. Normally used as a location for a quiet read today the patio had been set aside for people to pay tribute to someone departed. Small pots of marigolds were set neatly on the concrete benches and under the pots were placed notes. Marigolds are thought to attract the dead with their pungent scent.

As my wife wrote a note to her mother and sister, a particular note caught my eye. It read simply, "Dad, I hope there are BIG FISH where you are. I love you."

I pictured a father and son or daughter spending time together after a busy week. Dad relaxing and enjoying the moment when your biggest worry is catching a fish.
I thought the note showed incredible strength from a child not thinking of himself but hoping that his father is doing ok.

The Day of the Dead festival struck me as a very positive and joyful holiday, a time to celebrate and honor the lives of the deceased.



Brian Jones, Realtor
ZipRealty
Contact me at 949-422-1636 or800-225-5974 x5220
email: brjones@ziprealty.com

The San Juan Capistrano Library presented a Day of the Dead festival last weekend that my wife and I attended. Dia de los Muertos is a week-long holiday when the souls of the dead return to be with their families for one night, Nov. 1 and the early morning of Nov 2.

The Library featured altars, paintings and best of all ...dancing. But first the altars - the celebration is not sad and dreary but cheerful. People are happy to think that the person they loved will return to be with them and enjoy the pleasures of life with their family. The altar, or Ofrenda, is loaded with the things he or she loved in life because the spirits of the dead return to partake of them (tobasco sauce, adult beverages, etc.).

The altar includes four main elements of nature - earth, wind, water and fire.

Earth is represented by crop: the Mexicans believe the souls are fed by the aroma of food.

Wind is represented by a moving object: tissue paper is commonly used to represent wind.

Water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey to the altar.

Fire is represented by a wax candle. Each lit candle represents a soul and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul.

The kids (and adults) enjoyed face painting, decorating sugar skulls and dancing. The stage was filled with colorful costumes and lively whirling dancers.

Death in the Mexican culture doesn't have the same meaning as it does among North Americans and Europeans. Mexicans joke about death and poke fun at it in their art, literature and music. You'll often see toys and candies in the shapes of skulls and skeletons. Death is thought of as in inevitable part of the natural cycle and like life, death is filled with ironies, not the least of which is that the dead are never really dead but return for this one night of the year.

Brian Jones, Realtor

ZipRealty

Contact me at 949-422-1636 or

brjones@ziprealty.com

Driving the streets of Shady Canyon feels like you've suddenly been relocated to Italy. You almost expect to see a donkey cart ambling along. "Almost" as in "it'll never happen", Shady Canyon is a very exclusive gated community in the coastal hills of Irvine. The homes range from $2,850,000 to $18,995,00. The private Tom Fazio 18-hole golf course blends seamlessly with the natural open space.

I recently toured eight featured homes in Shady Canyon, each one more spectacular than the last one. There are approximately 400 luxury homes and home sites surrounded by 16,000 acres of natural sanctuary. Shady Canyon has extensive trails, a clubhouse, a tennis and swim center with a junior Olympic swimming pool and spa.

Spotlight on: 24 Wells Spring

This Tuscan home features 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms (you can't have too many bathrooms). It's a 7,600 square foot home on a 24,589 square foot lot. There is open space behind the home with a spectacular rock outcropping. Private pool, spa, outdoor barbeque and mini vineyard complete the backyard. The basement has a full wine room and room for a home theater.

... and there is an assumable loan of $3,300,000 with a low 5.85% interest rate.

Offered at $5,395,000

Brian Jones, Realtor

949-422-1636 (cell) or 800-225-5947 x5220

email: brjones@ziprealty.com

The annual Laguna Beach Classic Car Show was held on a cool fall Sunday in October. This event is sponsored by the local Rotary organization and takes place on the grounds of the Festival of Arts, the location of the local art shows that take place every summer.

The show was like attending a class on the history of car design.

American muscle cars - Corvettes, Camaros, Barracudas, hot rods - looking like they just came off of the lot - ready to growl, eat up blacktop and guzzle 29 cent gas.

Classic Jaguars, Fiats, and Aston Martins. Elegant Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz. Sleek Porsches and practical Woodys.

Cars that if you owned one, you'd set your alarm clock early so you could go stare at it in the garage.

My personal favorite - the VW Bus. During my college years my buddies fellow students and I would pile in my '67 Bus and head to UCI. A 20 minute trip in any other car would take us 45 minutes. Top speed being 55 mph I would usually have a line of cars behind me as we navigated the hills to Irvine. Good times, good times.

Brian Jones, Realtor

Call 949-422-1636

ZipRealty

Laguna Beach and Orange County Real Estate