October 24, 2026
Quote of the Day
One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.
~ Will Durant
This Day in History
October 24, 1901: First barrel ride down Niagara Falls. On this day in 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to successfully take the plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel. After her husband died in the Civil War, the New York native moved all over the United States before settling in Bay City, Michigan, around 1898. In July 1901, while reading an article about the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, she learned of the growing popularity of two enormous waterfalls located on the border of upstate New York and Canada. Strapped for cash and seeking fame, Taylor came up with the perfect attention-getting stunt: She would go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
Taylor was not the first person to attempt the plunge over the famous falls. In October 1829, Sam Patch, known as the Yankee Leaper, survived jumping down the 175-foot Horseshoe Falls of the Niagara River, on the Canadian side of the border, without anything on him.
More than 70 years later, Taylor chose to take the ride on her birthday, October 24. (She claimed she was in her 40s, but genealogical records later showed she was 63.) With the help of two assistants, Taylor strapped herself into a leather harness inside a custom wooden pickle barrel 5 feet high and 3 feet in diameter. With cushions lining the barrel to break her fall, Taylor was towed by a small boat into the middle of the fast-flowing Niagara River and cut loose. Knocked violently from side to side by the rapids and then propelled over the edge of Horseshoe Falls, Taylor reached the shore alive, if a bit battered, around 20 minutes after her journey began. After a brief flurry of photo-ops and speaking engagements, Taylor’s fame cooled, and she was unable to make the fortune for which she had hoped. She did, however, inspire a number of copy-cat daredevils.
Between 1901 and 1995, 15 people went over the falls; 10 of them survived. Among those who died were Jesse Sharp, who took the plunge in a kayak in 1990, and Robert Overcracker, who used a jet ski in 1995. No matter the method, going over Niagara Falls is illegal, and survivors face charges and stiff fines on either side of the border.
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Ojai Weather
Mostly sunny – High 78 / Low 48
Rainfall accumulation from 10/21 – 10/22 (averaged over 5 weather stations) = 2.12 inches
Total precipitation for the season – 2.16 inches
Lake Casitas water capacity – 94.7% (up .2%)
Saturday, October 24, 2026
8:25 a.m.
There are four new listings on the market:
190 Fairway Lane – $1,550,000
189 Grapevine Road – $1,200,000
166 Feliz Drive – $1,125,000
309 Grand Avenue – $850,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 10681 Encino Drive – $1,900,000 (this had recently expired on 9/30).
Have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
11:25 a.m.
There are no new listings for today.
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
10:15 a.m.
Two new listings have come to the market since Friday:
190 Fairway Lane – $1,550,000
1 Barbara Street (land parcel) – $249,900
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 305 S. Ventura Street – $1,650,000 (this had recently been cancelled on 10/2).
Pic of the Day
Friday, October 16, 2026
8:10 a.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
1420 Arundale Access – $2,999,000
205 Verde Oak Drive – $850,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 10681 Encino Drive – $1,900,000 (this had recently expired on 9/30).
Have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
♫ She’s got Betty Davis vibes… ♫
Thursday, October 15, 2026
9:30 a.m.
There is one new listing on the market:
1303 Sunset Place – $1,325,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 561 Saddle Lane – $9,850,000 (this had recently expired on 10/2).
- 741 Saddle Lane – $8,230,000 (this had recently expired on 10/13).
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
9:55 a.m.
There is one new listing on the market:
11195 N. Ventura Avenue #24 – $339,000
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
11:15 a.m.
Six new or “coming soon” listings have come to the market since last Friday:
1303 Cruzero Street – $949,000
950 Woodland Avenue #38 – $299,000
0 Barbara Street (land) – $300,000
1273 S. Rice Road #11 – $330,000
412 N. Fulton Street – $1,398,000 (coming soon, 10/31)
610 W. Eucalyptus Street – $3,300,000 (coming soon, 10/15)
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 96 Kunkle Street – $1,195,000 (this was recently cancelled on 10/7).
- 205 S. Lomita Avenue – $3,350,000 (this had recently expired on 9/19).
Pic of the Day
Friday, October 9, 2026
10:20 a.m.
There are seven new or “coming soon” listings on the market:
402 S. Montgomery Street – $3,100,000
242 Prospect Street – $995,000
484 S. Rice Road – $1,695,000
1202 Loma Drive #107 – $250,000
1125 Spring Street – $2,295,000
950 Woodland Avenue #34 – $322,000
309 Grand Avenue – $850,000 (coming soon, 10/10)
I’d like to take a moment to recognize one of my most respected “go-to” people in this industry. At times, Brokers and Realtors – in addition to the duties involved in helping people buy or sell homes – also dabble in other professions while in the course of a sale: Marriage counselor, referee, landscaper, septic location service, escrow officer, loan consultant, interior decorator, stager, koi pond maintenance, document delivery service, security service, all are amongst the many “services” I’ve rendered in my 20 years in business.
Obviously, we can’t be all things to all people. When the time comes that we need to lean on someone who possesses skills that we aren’t experts in (that is, something we do 40-50 hours a week) – these people help people on my side of the business shine.
I can think of no other person who deserves more accolades than Emily Wilson with Heritage Financial – right here in Ojai. I’ve often reached out to Emily for assistance, and she’s always been there for me. In the middle of a recent escrow where we had some loan issues, specifically with lender requirements which made the parties in the contract extremely nervous – Emily took the time to spend a half-hour on the phone with my clients – even though she isn’t procuring the loan for the buyers herself (the buyers went with their own lender). She patiently explained their options, as well as the thought-process behind why and what their lender was asking for.
In her authoritative, knowledgeable, yet calm and gentle way – she walked my clients through the issues they were experiencing. She eased their fears and concerns in a way that only a true knowledgeable professional – and more importantly – someone who absolutely cares about the people they service AND the people they work with in the real estate industry – can accomplish. Thank you, Em – you are a true gem!
Enjoy the cooler weekend – looks like rain’s a comin’!
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
10:00 a.m.
One new listing has come to the market since last Friday:
501 N. Montgomery Street – $1,300,000
Pic of the Day
Friday, October 2, 2026
11:00 a.m.
There are three new listings on the market:
1108 McNell Road – $4,250,000
1708 Orchard Drive – $1,479,000
11020 Rodeo Road – $4,300,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 386 Larmier Avenue – $989,000 (this had recently expired on 9/30).
Have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, October 1, 2026
10:55 a.m.
There are no new listings for today. Here are a couple of market updates, one of which is depressing:
MORTGAGE RATES
30-yr fixed: 7.54%
15-yr fixed: 7.18%
30-yr Jumbo: 7.66%
30-yr FHA: 7.15%
30-yr VA: 7.17%
We’ve seen interest rates increase more than 1% since this time last year. On the other hand, the Ojai housing market has been decent and still seems to be a level playing field between seller and buyers:
Pic of the Day
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