2010 Top Agent Award for NC Times

2010 Top Agent Award for NC Times
I am thankful for my faithful and loyal client, he nominated me for the 2010 Top Agent Award for NC Times.

I appreciate the honor and would also appreciate to receive your vote.
http://nctimes.upickem.net/engine/Votes.aspx?PageType=VOTING&contestid=23436

http://nctimes.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=23436

Name:	Jieranai Maier
Vote:
Realty Company:	Tarbell Realtors
Office phone:	951-303-0307
Direct phone:	951-751-1796
Web site:	http://jieranairealestate.com

You can VOTE once a day all through December, 2010.
Thank you & Warm Regards,
Jieranai Maier, MS, REALTOR®
DRE # 01785483
Certified ePro®, eAgent®,
Tarbell, REALTORS®,
33449 Temecula Parkway, Temecula, CA 92592
(951)751-1796 Cell
OFFICE FAX 951-303-0447
http://JieranaiRealEstate.com
http://JieranaiMaier.com

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House

I just love this picture of this home.

A second act for Frank Gehry's Schnabel House

By Lizzie Garrett Mettler Frank Gehry's Schnabel House in Brentwood has been called many things: deconstructivist design (which Gehry says is inaccurate), free-form architecture, career watershed, status symbol, family home, sculpture. When Jon Platt, Tony Award-winning producer of "Angels in America" and a current producer of " Wicked" on Broadway, moved into the 5,700-square-foot residence in 2006, it became something else: passion project. He went on to spend four years "invisibly shepherding this house into the 21st century." His mission was to "take this gorgeous piece of art that happens to be a home" and equip it with features expected of a high-tech residence in 2010. Oh, and do it in a way that pleased Gehry." class="gallery-slideshow-photo" height="500" width="341"> Schnabel House (Nick Springett) http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-schnabel-house-photos,0,767364.photogallery

Nice Tree House ;)

Backyard treehouse survives Manhattan legal fight

By VERENA DOBNIK, Associated Press Verena Dobnik, Associated Press – Wed Oct 27, 12:31 pm ET

NEW YORK – In the countryside, in the suburbs or even in the leafier districts of New York's outer boroughs, a treehouse would hardly raise an eyebrow. But in a historic Manhattan neighborhood whose residents have included Mark Twain and Eleanor Roosevelt, it raised hackles.

Shortly after Melinda Hackett put up the round, cedar treehouse for her girls in a broad-trunked London Plane tree in her tiny Greenwich Village backyard, a neighbor called about "a structure in rear which is nailed to a tree" and "looks unsafe," with no construction permit posted, according to a complaint filed with the city.

"I got home and the police were at the door," says Hackett, a 49-year-old artist. "Then firefighters came."

[Incredible: Mirrored tree house in Sweden is 'invisible']

After months of legal battles, Hackett triumphed. Her girls' treehouse, apparently unique in one of America's most densely populated areas, can not only stay — it's been granted an official permit as part of a district with landmark status.

Though the treehouse is only five years old, Hackett's townhouse is from the 1860s, and she bought it from musician David Byrne of the Talking Heads. The city's Landmarks Perservation Commission decided to grant the treehouse a permit because it's part of a historic landmark district.

ttp://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/New-York-City-Tree-House/ss/events/us/102710nyctreehouse

Most Expensive Zip Code 2010

America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes 2010

In these neighborhoods $4 million homes are the norm.

By Francesca Levy, Forbes.com

Sep 27, 2010

Provided by:

Los Angeles has always been home to some of the world's most expensive real estate. But forget Beverly Hills, 90210: The new hot spot for multimillion-dollar mansions is Duarte, 91008.

Bradbury, Calif. (91008)

Duarte, Calif., home to the 91008 ZIP code, is a small suburb northeast of downtown LA, near the Los Angeles national forest. The median cost of a house in this tony town is a whopping $4,276,462, making it the most expensive housing market in the country. It ranks No. 1 on Forbes' annual ranking of America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes.

A scant 1,391 people live in 91008 ZIP code, and only 12 homes are currently on the market. So a single high-priced listing (like the mammoth nine-bedroom, built this year, that's selling for $19.8 million) is enough to skew the median price skyward.

In Pictures: America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes

American Nightmare: Top 10 Cities for Foreclosures

Top 10 Cities for Foreclosures - ABC News

No One Is Sure Whether The Worst Is Over, But These Cities Are Under Siege

55 comments

By LYNEKA LITTLE

Sept. 23, 2010

If you drive 32 miles east of Reno, you ll find Fernley, Nevada. The city that limits its dog count to three per address and speaks out about the affects of graffiti on its Website has troublesome news to digest. It has the nation s highest foreclosure rate through August.

It's been an awful time for the real estate market, which was only made worse by recent news. August was the toughest month for homeowners as lenders swooped in and seized more than 95,000 homes across the United States, according to Realty Trac.

ABCNEWS/YAHOO POLL: POLITICS AND THE AMERICAN DREAM

Is the worst over yet? The foreclosure rate is up 25 percent since August 2009, and the dream of homeownership has turned sour for many who owe more on their homes than they are worth or can't pay their mortgage

"I don't think we've seen the worst of it yet," says Lisa Johnson-Sevajian, vice president at Coldwell Banker Andover, about what she calls the "American drama." But, "there is a lot of opportunity for first-time homebuyers to get in and create an investment for themselves," she added.

Efforts by the government to stem the tide of foreclosures have had mixed success. The Obama administration's main anti-foreclosure program touched a 10-month low in August with 33,000 homeowners receiving assistance. The president said in 2009 that as many as 4 million homeowners would be helped, and about 449,000 have thus far received assistance to avoid foreclosure.

» Full Story on abcnews.go.com

Current Real Estate On The Market By The Maier Team.

FOR SALE:



Back on the market - De Luz estate Home.

FOR LEASE:

Estate home in De Luz with views. Enjoy outdoor patios and decking over looking the pool and spa.

NEWEST LISTING
INVESTOR SPECIAL
Temecula West Hills/De Luz
10 acres, and two 5 acres land lot and avocado groves

0 Loretta AV , Menifee 92584

Status:					$490,000-500000

Previous Image 1 of 5 Next ·

0 Grand , Wildomar 92562

Status:	A	:		List Price:	$300,000 - $350,000

Previous Image 1 of 1 Next

===============================================================

OWNER WILL TRADE WITH A HOME OR A TOWN HOME - CONDO
ON THE BEACH. (In Los Angeles area)

0 VIA TORNADO , TEMECULA 92590

Avocado grove / Home Site
$899,000-11.3 acres

Avocado grove / Home Site ML#: T701793 $655,000-9.56

acres.

Our Team
The Power of Three!
Together, we work hard for you.

Where America Money Is Moving To?

Top 5 Places Where America's Money Is Moving

No. 1: Collier County, Fla.
Arriving average income per capita: $76,161
Departing average income per capita: $26,128
Stationary household average income per capita: $49,959
Total arriving people: 15,150
Total departing people: 16,802
Top origin: Lee County, Fla. (2,987 people)

No. 2: Greene County, Ga.
Arriving average income per capita: $56,414
Departing average income per capita: $25,432
Stationary household average income per capita: $30,875
Total arriving people: 788
Total departing people: 778
Top origin: Putnam County, Ga. (76 people)

No. 3: Nassau County, Fla.
Arriving average income per capita: $51,833
Departing average income per capita: $29,312
Stationary household average income per capita: $32,306
Total arriving people: 4,785
Total departing people: 3,690
Top origin: Duval County, Fla. (1,721 people)

No. 4: Llano County, Texas
Arriving average income per capita: $44,324
Departing average income per capita: $22,541
Stationary household average income per capita: $26,201
Total arriving people: 1,192
Total departing people: 1,018
Top origin: Burnet County, Texas (312 people)

No. 5: Walton County, Fla.
Arriving average income per capita: $45,591
Departing average income per capita: $28,360
Stationary household average income per capita: $30,553
Total arriving people: 3,939
Total departing people: 3,230
Top origin: Okaloosa County, Fla. (1,148 people)

Click here to see the full list of Where America's Money Is Moving

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/where-americas-money-is-moving

9 Economic Hardship Cities In California

It is very painful after reading this report by Inman News, excerpt here:

In the report by Inman News, it stated that "Of the top 10 metropolitan areas in the US with highest unemployment rates, 9 (Nine) are in California. The other is in Yuma, Arizona a town near the border of California and about 147 miles from San Diego.

The other is in Yuma, Ariz., a town that borders the Golden State.

The report concluded that in order for the Real Estate professional to survive and thrive, they have to embrace the short sales.

Inman News reported that in most of these areas, the economic downturn took away many Construction jobs, which was booming during the housing boom years. These job have dried up as fewer new homes are built. Those would-be construction workers are also having to compete with seasonal farm workers for agricultural jobs that have also been cut back due to a severe water shortage in the state.

The state budget troubles also have led to layoffs for tens of thousands of Government workers. Some industrial plants, facing lagging sales, have closed up shop or cut hundreds of jobs. Stores and shopping centers are sitting half empty.

The reports showed cities and what metro areas.

Top 10 metro areas with the highest unemployment rates -- not seasonally adjusted:

1. El Centro, Calif.: 27 percent (Total population: 166,874)
2. Merced, Calif.: 22.1 percent (Total population: 245,321)
3. Yuba City, Calif.: 21.7 percent (Total population: 165,539)
4. Yuma, Ariz.: 19.9 percent (Total population: 196,972)
5. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.: 19.4 percent (Total population: 429,668 )
6. Modesto, Calif.: 19.2 percent (Total population: 510,385)
7. Fresno, Calif.: 18.7 percent (Total population: 915,267)
8. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.: 18.6 percent (Total population: 148,764)
9. Stockton, Calif.: 18.4 percent (Total population: 674,860)
10. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.: 18.3 percent (Total population: 807,407)

Unemployment data source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Population data source: U.S. Census Bureau 2009 Estimates

Click here for a full-size map.

http://www.inman.com/news/2010/05/26/surviving-and-thriving-in-job-loss-environments

Real Estate Agent, Realtor

Why some real estate agents are not realtors®

What are the differences between REALTORS® and real estate agents?

Being REALTORS® and being real estate agents are not exaxtly the same.   All real estate agents are licensed to sell real estate, the basic difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR® is a REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS®.  With that designation, a REALTOR® must subscribe to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. 

What does the REALTOR® Code of Ethics mean to a consumer?  Why do you as consumer should care? 

All Realtors® are licensed to sell real estate as an agent or a broker but not all real estate agents are Realtors®. Only Realtors® can display the Realtor® logo. Realtors® belong to the National Association of Realtors and pledge to follow the Code of Ethics, a comprehensive list containing 17 articles and underlying standards of practice, which establish levels of conduct that are higher than ordinary business practices or those required by law. 

Less than half of all licensees are Realtors®.

17 things that a REALTOR® promises to do that non-affiliates do not:

#1) Pledge to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly.

#2) Shall refrain from exaggerating, misrepresenting or concealing material facts; and is obligated to investigate and disclose when situations reasonably warrant.

#3) Shall cooperate with other brokers / agents when it is in the best interests of the client to do so.

#4) Have a duty to disclose if they represent family members who own or are about to buy real estate, or if they themselves are a principal in a real estate transaction, that they are licensed to sell real estate.

#5) Shall not provide professional services in a transction where the agent has a present or contemplated interest without disclosing that interest.

#6) Shall not collect any commissions without the seller's knowledge nor accept fees from a third-party without the seller's express consent.

#7) Shall refuse fees from more than one party without all parties' informed consent.

#8) Shall not co-mingle client funds with their own.

#9) Shall attempt to ensure that all written documents are easy to understand and will give everybody a copy of what they sign.

#10) Shall not discriminate in any fashion for any reason on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

#11) Expects agents to be competent, to conform to standards of practice and to refuse to provide services for which they are unqualified.

#12) Must engage in truth in advertising.

#13) Shall not practice law unless they are a lawyer.

#14) Shall cooperate if charges are brought against them and present all evidence requested.

#15) Agree not to bad mouth competition and agree not to file unfounded ethics complaints.

#16) Shall not solicit another REALTOR'S client nor interfere in a contractual relationship.

#17) Shall submit to arbitration to settle matters and not seek legal remedies in the judicial system.

The National Association of REALTORS® was founded in 1908 and has more than one million members

 

http://www.realtor.org/

Sales Stats 2009

Sales Statistics for RIVERSIDE County CA

Realist's most recent sale date for this county is01/28/2010

Single Family Residence
Time Period	Number of Sales	Median Sale Price
Dec 2009	3,692	$200,000
Dec 2008	3,940	$210,000
Nov 2009	3,176	$205,000
Nov 2008	3,318	$220,000
2009 YTD	42,792	$193,000
2008	39,955	$260,000

Condominium
Time Period	Number of Sales	Median Sale Price
Dec 2009	378	$180,000
Dec 2008	288	$180,000
Nov 2009	344	$180,000
Nov 2008	217	$185,000
2009 YTD	4,037	$164,500
2008	3,710	$240,000

Ref: First American Title Co.

Movin' On Up...to a Deluxe Treehouse with Style

Movin' On Up...to a Deluxe Treehouse with Style

Posted Feb 3rd 2010 9:14AM by Kaomi Goetz 
Filed under: Design

Not ready to completely move-out of your parents' house and give up access to free laundry? Why not build something in their backyard? And if there's a cluster of healthy pine or magnolia trees, German design firm,Baumraum may be your next phone call.

Baumraum has designed some amazingtreehouses in their native Germany and other locales that make us want to ditch our urban shoebox abodes for one of these sky-high dwellings.
Baumraum specializes in arboreal homes about the size of a small caravan or RV trailer. Each unit is made to order to fit clients' needs, so anything from size, insulation, wiring, built-in furniture, mini-kitchens and flatscreen TVs are all up for discussion. Even a flushable toilet is not off-limits if there's a nearby water supply and existing sewage features on the property.

The cabin shells and interiors are pre-fabricated in Baumraum's shop. Larchwood or Oregon pine are often used in the exteriors, but they don't limit themselves to wood; light metal, textiles and synthetics are also considered in their designs.


What Baumraum won't do is build something that will destroy the natural life of a tree. Instead of using bolts or nails, they secure the treehouses with steel cables and textile belts that aren't damaging and encourage continued growth of the host trees. 

Owning a Baumraum original costs anywhere from $25,000 to nearly $200,000, so you may need Mom's cooking and that free laundry after all in order to afford one. But from the looks of it, you're guaranteed to have some of the best views in your neighborhood.

http://www.rentedspaces.com/2010/02/03/movin-on-up-to-a-deluxe-treehouse-with-style/

4 Demographic Trends That Will Affect Housing

4 Demographic Trends That Will Affect Housing

The report cites four major U.S. demographic trends that will have a major impact on housing.

1. Aging baby boomers (ages 55 to 64 years old): They will keep working, and many will be forced to stay in their suburban homes until values recover. Those who are able to move will choose mixed-age living environments that cater to active lifestyles. Walkable suburban town centers also will appeal to this group.

2. Younger baby boomers (46 to 54 years old): They are now entering their prime earning years but they will lack home equity and unlike the older members of their generation, they won't be able to purchase second homes. This will likely curb the prospects for the second-home market.

3. Generation Y: They are larger than the baby boom generation (with a population of about 86 million). As they enter the housing market, they are less interested in homeownership than their parents were when they were young adults. "They will be renters by necessity or choice for years ahead," says John K. McIlwain, author of the report.

4. Immigrants - both legal and illegal: They are nearly 40 million strong. They often prefer multi-generational households and if they can afford them, larger homes in neighborhoods with a strong sense of community.

Source: The Urban Land Institute

http://www.ibtimes.com/contents/20100201/4-demographic-trends-will-affect-housing.htm

In Depth: Cities With The Fastest-Falling Home Prices

Real Estate

Cities With The Fastest-Falling Home Prices

Francesca Levy, 01.18.10, 06:00 AM EST

These metros saw their price tags drop most in the last three months.

If you've been holding your breath for that home-price upswing that the more optimistic forecasters predicted last year, you're out of luck. The real estate slide--though it's now a mild one as opposed to the double-digit drops of 2008--isn't going to abate soon. Home prices are dipping nationwide, down 1.4% by one measure, and will inch perilously close to their January 2009 bottom, according to a new report from Altos Research, a Mountain View, Calif.-based research firm.

Some metros have it worse than others. San Diego has seen the greatest three-month drop in asking prices of the 27 markets Altos tracks, falling 7.3% between October and December 2009. In that city, volatility is the name of the game. Prices drifted upward for the first half of 2009, prodded by new sellers who were encouraged by modest bumps in pricing. But when fall's seasonal slump hit, the trend reversed dramatically.

In Depth: Cities With The Fastest-Falling Home Prices

Although home prices are always weakest in the fall--they typically peak in the spring and hold steady through the summer--Altos' numbers reflect an unsteady market in general. Its 10-city composite, which it uses as a proxy for the national market, shows a 1.4% drop since October. When stimulus measures like the first-time homebuyer tax credit (which expires in June) and historically low interest rates abate, the market could continue to suffer.

"The combination of an expired tax credit and rising interest rates would be a catalyst for re-testing the [January 2009] bottom," says Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos.

Behind the Numbers
For our list of cities with the fastest-falling home prices, we used Altos Research's January market update, which looks at asking prices, inventory and days on the market single-family homes--but not condominiums--in 27 of the country's closely watched real estate markets. It uses homes for sale in each city's Metropolitan Statistical Area--a census-defined area that the federal government uses to collect statistics--for its data.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/18/falling-home-prices-lifestyle-real-estate-foreclosures.html?feed=rss_forbeslife_realestate

Cities With Fastest Falling Home Prices

Real Estate
Cities With The Fastest-Falling Home Prices
Francesca Levy, 01.18.10, 06:00 AM EST
These metros saw their price tags drop most in the last three months.