Best of 2013

Best of 2013

Best of 2017

Best of 2016

Best of 2015

Best of 2014

Best of 2012

12/31/13

Some of the following is fact, some is merely opinion.  Either way, we hope you enjoy.  Here’s our review for the year 2013:
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Best Buy of the Year:  1776 Country Drive:  We represented the buyer on this one.  This was a short sale that was initially listed for $399,000.  After some time (and a couple of cancelled escrows) our client it picked it up for $325,000.  Our estimate of value today would be about $475,000.
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Highest Sales Price in Ojai:  $5,000,000 – 9950 Sulphur Mountain Road.
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Lowest Sales Price in Ojai (mobile homes not included):  $141,600 – 479 W. Lomita Avenue.
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Average Sales Price of All Homes Sold in Ojai (mobile homes not included):  $644,824 (2012:  $576,013).
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Average days on the market:  110 days (2012: 116 days).
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Most excited client of the year:  Josefina B.  Here’s the scenario as I wrote it up that day in May, however, I decided to save it for the end of year wrap up:

Ever had one of those occasions where you experienced a moment that you knew you’d never forget, and you realized it the moment it happened?  Well, that happened to us today.  Our clients, Jon and Josefina put in an offer on a house this morning.  In a rarity (due to the computerized, electronic world we live in today), we actually presented the offer from our buyers to the seller and his agent, in person.  We waited outside while they pondered the offer.  They then came back out with a counter-offer in hand.  We then took the counter offer over to our clients (who happened to be waiting for us and having lunch at Eggs N Potatoes).  As we shared the booth, we talked it over with Jon and Josefina and decided to counter the seller’s offer again.  Rather than write it up and drive back to the seller’s house, we instead stepped outside and placed a call to the agent and asked if our intended counter-offer would be well received by the seller.  It would, we were told.  Once we stepped back inside, we told Jon and Josefina that their offer would be accepted and that we had a deal.  Now, Josefina is one of the most kind, gentle, and friendliest people we’ve ever met.  When told of the seller’s acceptance of their offer (mind you, we’re sitting in a crowded restaurant – booths and tables almost completely filled), Josefina slammed her hands down on the table in joy – wearing the hugest grin!  You know the phrase “every action has an equal and opposite reaction?”  The opposite reaction in this case turned out to be the launching of our table’s forks, knives, spoons and plates into the air – and the resulting sound was the volume and timbre of throwing dishes into a metal trash can.  Just like a scene in a movie – the whole restaurant stopped, stared, and went quiet.  Children cowered in their mother’s bosom, and two people in the booth behind Josefina got up and moved to another booth.  Such joy and ebullience!  Jon and Josefina (who’ve been married for 55 years) are finally coming to Ojai!

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Best Fun Pic of the year (the world’s slowest lawn mower):

 

ojai real estate

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Best Movie We Saw This Year:  Jack Reacher (even though this was released in December of 2012, we didn’t see it until January of 2013).  Although this is a dramatic movie, it has great moments of comedy as well (see the bathroom scene).  The tempo and pacing reminded me of the first Die Hard or Lethal Weapon movies, but with an updated sense of humor and timing.

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Best Video of the Year (tie):

Budweiser Super Bowl commercial:  There is nothing logical about this video.  It’s a generally accepted notion that horses don’t have the same emotions that humans do.  I know this.  But both Cheryl and I teared up when seeing this (in front of a room full of people while watching the Super Bowl):

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I ate my kid’s Halloween candy:  Some may think this is mean, but notice that many of these great kids had some awesome comebacks to their parents’ prank:

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Our Favorite Moment of the Year:  This happened early in the summer, and although I thought about blogging this experience at that time, I kept putting it off because the explanation of it is somewhat complex.  So, I’m giving it a try today:

The scene is the Ranch House restaurant, and we’re sitting outside on what is a beautiful summer evening.  As we’re sitting there, I see a musician setting up his guitar on a makeshift stage up a level and behind Cheryl, so he’s out of her view and she has no idea he’s back there.  He plays and sings a song or two (very nice, by the way) and when he’s on his third song, the following conversation between Cheryl and I ensues:

Cheryl:  “This must be a local musician, not someone famous.”
Ray:  “Of course, why would someone famous be performing at the Ranch House in the middle of the week?”

Cheryl:  “What do you mean, ‘of course’?  Have you heard these songs before?”
Ray:  “No, I don’t know the songs, but I’d probably recognize the musician if he were famous.”

Cheryl:  “If you’ve never heard the songs before, how would you recognize him.”
Ray:  “It doesn’t matter if I’ve heard the songs or not, I don’t recognize him.”

Cheryl:  “Wait.  Don’t recognize who?”
Ray:  “The musician!”

Cheryl:  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.  Are we talking about the same thing?”
Ray:  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.  You’re asking if I recognize the musician and I’m telling you no, I don’t.  And again, why would a famous musician be performing in Ojai at a restaurant in the middle of the week?”

(At this point, we’re both on the verge of hysterical laughter – neither of us can comprehend why the other isn’t understanding what each of us is saying…)

Cheryl:  “Well, I’ve never heard these songs before, either.  So why are they playing the music of an unknown musician?  It must be someone local.”
Ray:  “Of course it’s someone local.”

Cheryl:  “What do you mean, OF COURSE?”  (Tears of laughter are streaming down her face at this point.)  “BUT HE’S NOT HERE!”
Ray:  “WHO’S not here????!!”

(At this point we are doubled-over in laughter, and we’re sure the other restaurant patrons think we’re drunk.)

Ray:  (Choking, laughing) “Why are we not understanding each other?”

(And then it dawns on me…Cheryl has no idea that there is an actual, live, performing musician in the restaurant.)

I was going to bring this up earlier this year not only because of the humorous aspect of it, but to also illustrate how two people – each seemingly under the same circumstances, but with a different view of those circumstances – could not communicate effectively (and we’ve been married for 14 years)!  Applying this to real estate – it served as a reminder to us that in some circumstances, even though two sides may think they’re talking about and having the same experience, it’s easy to only see things from your own point of view, while falsely assuming the other has the same view.

Our Favorite New Restaurant:  Giannfranco’s Trattoria (in Carpinteria).  Virtually every dish we’ve tried has been excellent.  The “Franco” pasta dish is probably our favorite out of 5 or 6 very tasty pasta options.  They have excellent desserts as well.  Ask for “inside table 1” if you want some privacy, as the restaurant is small and the tables are close together.  In the summer, ask for “patio 4” to sit out by the fountain.

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So that’s all for this year, folks.  It’s been a great year for us, and it’s been a pleasure serving up Ojai real estate for you.  Have a great 2014!