Note: Some of the links below may take you to a blank page with the verbiage, “This is not a valid link.” These links have expired from the Ventura MLS and are no longer accessible. Ojai MLS links are not affected in this way.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
3:00 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 923 Santa Ana Blvd. – sale pending.
11:10 a.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 2442 Valley Meadow Drive – $1,275,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 37 Taormina Lane – sold for $635,000 (originally listed for $625,000).
Pic of the Day
Monday, March 30, 2020
12:30 p.m.
There are three new listings on the market:
- 275 S. Montgomery Street – $1,150,000.
- 250 El Camino Drive – $595,000.
- 1202 Loma Drive #40 – $82,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 3450 Thacher Road – this Honorable Mention is now a pending sale.
- 405 Prospect Street – this Honorable Mention is now a pending sale.
Pic of the Day
Friday, March 27, 2020
3:00 p.m.
I mentioned some new listings were coming up…here’s a couple of them:
There are two new listings on the market:
- 179 Baldwin Road – $1,075,000.
- 11342 Sulphur Mountain Road – $849,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 669 Brier Street – withdrawn from the market (as of this writing, the link still shows as “active”).
Once again, no open houses this weekend. I have updated the list of things to do, but virtually all events are being held on-line. Finally, to close out today – I’ve mentioned some of Cheryl’s “isms” in the past? I heard a new one this morning:
Cheryl: “Why can’t people be more ept?”
Me: “Ept?”
Cheryl: “Yeah, the opposite of inept.”
Sounds reasonable to me…
10:45 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 608 E. Ojai Avenue – back on the market (had been expired) and increased from $475,000 to $485,000.
Just an FYI – yesterday we headed an all-Ojai agents and brokers video conference with about 40 or so realtors from the Ojai valley. The general topic of discussion included; how many of you are actively engaged with buyers and sellers right now, if you are showing property – how is that being handled, are you experiencing a surge in people looking to buy in the near future, and do you have listings coming up?
The consensus was; yes, there are many agents who are actively engaged with clients, agents are showing properties (see the guidelines outlined in our blog post of March 23rd), there are indeed people out there looking to buy, and there are sellers who intend on listing their homes in the next few weeks.
The continuing movement in the market is, of course, dependent on how the spread of Covid-19 pans out for Ventura County. As of 6:00 p.m. yesterday there were 61 confirmed cases in Ventura County out of 1,288 tests – a ratio of .047 of tests that came back as positive for the virus. (Data courtesy of VC Emergency.com)
Staying on topic, here’s a list of Ojai valley restaurants that are open for take-out and/or delivery (courtesy of the Ojai Valley News):
Pic of the Day
Thursday, March 26, 2020
3:35 p.m.
- No other changes for today.
10:55 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1972 Country Place – sale pending.
Even though there have been 15 listings in March that have come back on the market after being in escrow, there have been 35 other listings that have gone into escrow and thus far remain so.
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
4:30 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 180 Alto Drive – reduced from $829,000 to $799,000.
- 2294 Sumac Drive – sale pending.
11:55 a.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 2294 Sumac Drive – $599,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 952 E. Ojai Avenue – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 2215 Woodland Avenue – sold for $710,100 (originally listed for $699,900).
- 215 Burnham Road – withdrawn from the market.
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
1:10 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 923 Santa Ana Blvd. – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 5180 Reeves Road – sale pending.
- 417 Crestview Drive – sold for $711,000 (originally listed for $675,000).
- 144 Wormwood Street – sold for $1,130,000 (originally listed for $1,250,000).
- 682 Spring Street – sold for $513,000 (originally listed for $565,000).
- 9600 S. Sulphur Mountain Road – this listing has expired.
Pic of the Day
Monday, March 23, 2020
4:15 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 12768 Blue Heron Circle – withdrawn from the market.
As far as the Covid-19 crisis, here are our current thoughts and experiences – at least up to this moment:
Our other website, www.VenturaAndSantaBarbaraHomes.com, has experienced a 25% spike in sign-ups over the last two weeks (it’s a registration-based site). There are plenty of people out there still looking; whether they’re willing to actually come out and look at a home in person…well, we’re taking that one day at a time. Our listing at 1101 N. Montgomery Street was recently shown on Thursday. We have two of our listings in escrow, one of which just went into escrow a few days ago. Thus far, the Ojai valley has seen 30 new listings come on the market in March, and 31 existing listings go “pending.”
This morning we had a virtual meeting with other agents and brokers of Keller Williams West Ventura County, of which roughly 80 people attended. Cheryl and I specifically asked the following question of other agents: “What are you seeing out there? Are you showing buyers properties? Are sellers still allowing showings?” Here were some of the responses:
- “I’m still showing property.”
- “I have written 3 offers this weekend.”
- “There are still a lot of buyers out! We are busier now than 3 weeks ago!”
- “I’m still showing and doing open houses as I promised.”
- “I have a new listing and sellers are more than happy to have it shown. I have environmental controls in place and available for viewers.”
- “I’m still working and using safe social distance and sterilization procedures.”
- “I open up the house and ask that they don’t touch anything, so the public or agents never touch the lock or doors….I open it all up for them.”
Not one agent piped up and said they had zero activity or that buyers or sellers are scared and doing nothing. Of course, all of this may change in the coming days or weeks should things take a bleak turn.
~
Our guidelines for dealing with listings, showings, and other sales-related activity were presented as such:
“Showings of your listings can continue but cannot be business as usual. All showings must be by appointment and if possible, you should be present to make sure safety procedures are taken on behalf of your seller. Have gloves and booties available. Masks are also recommended. Prospective buyers must enter the home one by one and be instructed to not touch any surfaces. Have wipes by the door so they can wipe the doorknob as they enter and exit.”
“Inspections and appraisals can continue but must follow the same procedures as showings. Inspectors, appraisers, and any other party should enter the property alone and take proper precautions. There may be fewer vendors available in the trades (electricians, plumbers, etc.), so we recommend using Porch (https://www.repair-estimate.com) as a resource, as they are able to provide quotes for repairs based on the home inspection report.”
~
Virtually all open houses have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. As far as new listings coming on the market, it would appear that most agents are going to turn towards virtual tours or videos of the home interiors in an effort to give the public a more substantial view of a home and its value. Although some agents feel this is “the same” as having a person look at a house in person, we don’t feel that is going to be an effective way to sell a house in the long run. If we end up in a “shelter in place” scenario for any length of time (a month or more), we could see the housing market more or less coming to a standstill. If there is good news, it’s likely that once we’re past the worst of it, the housing market will explode with pent up demand. As you may know, March and April are typically the hottest home selling and buying months of the year. It could be a crazy summer.
However the next few months unfold – even if business shuts down entirely for a while – we’ll keep plugging along. As they say, “Just keep on keeping on.” Here’s to continued health for all, and don’t forget to plug into nature – tapping into it is a great elixir for the mind/body/soul.
~ Ray, Cheryl, Maria, Sheryl, Rob & Paul
10:15 a.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
- 241 Valley Road – $665,000.
- 1972 Country Place – $735,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 412 Del Norte Road – sale pending.
- 370-382 N. Ventura Avenue – sold for $1,204,125 (originally listed for $1,649,000).
Later today, I’ll have an update on how the Ojai market is dealing with the times – and specifically – what safety measures are being put in place by our team and our fellow Keller Williams agents.
Pic of the Day
Friday, March 20, 2020
5:35 p.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 925 Mountain View Avenue – $679,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1118 Capello Way – reduced from $899,000 to $849,000.
- 2227 Burnham Road – sale pending.
- 1615 McNell Road – sold for $1,690,000 (originally listed for $1,800,000).
Have yourselves a safe, but enjoyable weekend – get outside and enjoy nature! There are no published open houses, so the list has not been updated.
11:20 p.m.
There are three new listings on the market:
- 1317 Foothill Road – $1,695,000.
- 25 Santa Ana Way – $750,000.
- 304 Park Road – $600,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 3450 Thacher Road – this Honorable Mention is back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 1203 Daly Road – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 214 Bryant Street – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 2227 Burnham Road – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 622 Baldwin Road – withdrawn from the market (the Ventura MLS link will show this as “unavailable.”)
Here’s some good news for a change of pace!
Pic(s) of the Day
Thursday, March 19, 2020
2:15 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1202 Loma Drive #84 – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 180 N. Poli Street – sale pending. Congrats to our client/seller who put their home into escrow today!
- 1225 S. Rice Road #33 – sale pending.
- 7343 Rose Valley Road – sold for $410,000 (originally listed for $865,000).
There’s still beauty out there – if you look for it! (Photo taken today from Santa Ana Rd.)
7:35 a.m.
- No changes yet for today.
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
6:15 p.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 910 Ventura Avenue – $279,000. The verbiage on this listing is unclear; this is either a business opportunity (the retail business only) or a commercial property for sale. I have it under “Business Opportunity” on the All Listings page.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 10806 Encino Drive – sold for $1,836,473 (originally listed for $2,100,000).
- 1334 E. Ojai Avenue – sold for $315,000 (originally listed for $449,500).
- 815 Canada Street – withdrawn from the market.
9:50 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 11209 Creek Road – sale pending.
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
3:05 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 507 Park Road – sold for $776,000 (originally listed for $799,000). Congrats to our clients/sellers and to teammate Sheryl Whipple for procuring this listing and getting it sold!
12:15 p.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 1615 Orchard Drive – $759,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 562 Thomas Street – back on the market (had been pending) and increased from $580,000 to $592,500.
- 401 Walbridge Way – back on the market.
- 1975 Maricopa Highway #32 – reduced from $249,000 to $245,000.
- 12081 Linda Flora Drive – sale pending.
- 1202 Loma Drive #84 – sale pending.
- 950 Woodland Avenue #11 – sale pending.
- 510 Shady Lane – sold for $789,000 (originally listed for $789,000).
Pic(s) of the Day
Photos taken yesterday; nature just keeps on moving.
Monday, March 16, 2020
4:10 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 25 Ojai Drive – this Honorable Mention has been sold for $507,000 (originally listed for $499,000).
Once again, this isn’t Ojai-related – but congrats to our clients/buyers and teammate Rob Perron for closing a deal in Santa Paula at 1204 Manzanita Drive. Rob is off to a tremendous start this year!
11:25 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 800 Canada Street – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 1130 N. Ventura Avenue – reduced from $697,000 to $669,000.
- 403 N. Montgomery Street – reduced from $1,499,000 to $1,399,000.
- 107 Portal Street – sale pending.
- 2121 Los Encinos Road – sold for $550,000 (originally listed for $550,000).
- 608 E. Ojai Avenue – this listing has expired.
- 1101 N. Montgomery Street – withdrawn from the market.
Pic of the Day
Friday, March 13, 2020
3:00 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1225 S. Rice Road #33 – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 180 N. Poli Street – reduced from $669,000 to $663,000.
- 2451 Bonmark Drive – sold for $749,000 (originally listed for $749,000).
The open house list has been updated! You might want to double check with the other listing agents to make sure the open houses haven’t been cancelled, be it because of the potential rainy weather or virus fears. We will be holding two of our listings open; 180 N. Poli Street on Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00, and 1101 N. Montgomery Street on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00.
Finally, we do have an updated list of things to do in Ojai (courtesy of the Ojai Valley News), but you should double-check prior to attending any listed event. Have a great weekend, enjoy the rain, and stay safe…
7:55 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 990 Fairview Road – sale pending. Congrats to our clients/buyers and teammate Robert Perron for getting this one into escrow!
- 235 S. Padre Juan Avenue – sale pending.
Because there have been so many event cancellations, the Things To Do list has been temporarily suspended until coronavirus fears have subsided. (Speaking of which, I don’t understand the panic buying on toilet paper??)
Pic of the Day
Thursday, March 12, 2020
7:10 p.m.
To hell with “The Virus” – there are four more new listings on the market:
- 404 E. Topa Topa Street – $585,000.
- 406 E. Topa Topa Street – $525,000.
- 1440 Daly Road – $569,000.
- 109 Fox Street – $825,000.
12:55 p.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 1117 Sunnyglenn Avenue – $998,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 923 Santa Ana Blvd. – sale pending.
- 608 Country Club Drive – sale pending.
- 990-992 Loma Drive – sold for $1,450,000 (originally listed for $1,595,000).
Here’s a quick market update with regard to mortgages and interest rates, courtesy of Emily Wilson at Heritage Financial – our most trusted loan broker and mortgage advisor – located right here in Ojai.
“It’s a very odd time in the industry right now and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There’s a great disconnect in where rates should be and what lenders/banks are actually passing along, and it’s because of volume. Companies were already beyond capacity before the Fed’s took action and have no choice but to increase their rates to deter additional applications from flooding into over-saturated pipelines. An additional contender is the increased cost of doing business in this kind of market. Lenders lose a great deal of money when they renegotiate rates, don’t close on a locked loan (presumably because the homeowner bailed in search of a lower rate) and when loans are paid off early. Refraining from passing along low market rates is a measure for protection. It allows them to get caught up, increase staffing and hedge costly operations.
All of this to say, rates are artificially high right now, regardless of what’s happening in the markets and what the media purports. I do anticipate lower rates in the weeks and months to come. Lenders will get caught up, hopefully the dust will settle on emotionally-based trading and at the end of the day, the economic impact of the corona virus is very real.
I recommend checking back in on rates in a week’s time. The Fed’s hold another press conference on March 18th and we’re hoping to see interest rates come down a bit in the days leading up to it and in its wake.”
Pic of the Day
Oh, the irony…
(Yep, this is real. Cheryl found this on Ebay, however, the link to the product has been removed since.)
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
4:55 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1009 Drown Avenue – reduced from $829,000 to $795,000.
- 203 Lark Ellen Avenue – sale pending.
8:10 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 412 Drown Avenue – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
After a very dry February, this rain is certainly appreciated. I will tally the rainfall amounts and post it under “Ojai Weather” above after a couple of days and this set of storms pass us by.
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, March 10, 2020-
5:00 p.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
- 12460 Linda Flora Drive – $3,899,000.
- 950 Woodland Avenue #11 – $90,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 911 N. Signal Street – sale pending.
- 10600 Ojai Santa Paula Road – sale pending.
- 12313 MacDonald Drive – sale pending.
8:45 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 950 Woodland Avenue #53 – reduced from $249,000 to $239,000.
Pic of the Day
Monday, March 9, 2020
4:00 p.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
- 3191 Ladera Road – $5,100,000.
- 11 Oak Drive – $2,499,000. (Note: This came on the market earlier this afternoon, but has since been withdrawn.)
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1102 N. Montgomery Street – sale pending.
12:20 p.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
- 610 Fernando Street – $600,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 990 Fairview Road – back on the market (had been a pending sale) and increased from $675,000 to $695,000.
- 36 Kunkle Street – sale pending.
- 417 Crestview Drive – sale pending.
- 1225 S. Rice Road #33 – sale pending.
- 1176 Ventura Avenue – sale pending and reduced from $479,900 to $474,900.
- 4401 Sulphur Mountain Road – sale pending.
- 467 Santa Ana Blvd. – sale pending.
- 1473 Baldwin Road – this listing has expired. (The Ventura MLS link will show this as “unavailable.”)
Pic of the Day
Husband to wife: “Hey honey, let’s see the neighbors keep up with our lifestyle after they see our new kitchen.”
[Looks out his back window…]
“Son of a …..!”
Friday, March 6, 2020
3:00 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 522-544 Good Hope Street – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 1133 El Centro Street – sold for $1,081,080 (originally listed for $1,120,000). Congrats to our clients/buyers and to teammate Robert Perron for getting this one done!
The open house list has been updated. Also, here’s the list of things to do in Ojai. Have a great weekend!
9:10 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1142 Woodland Avenue – sold for $525,000 (originally listed for $775,000).
- 135 S. Encinal Avenue – withdrawn from the market (had been a pending sale).
We’re holding a broker preview/caravan for our listing at 1101 N. Montgomery Street today from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. You’re more than welcome to stop by and take a look. We just recently made this an Honorable Mention after lowering the price by $69,000 to $1,220,000.
Our source for the list of things to do in Ojai hasn’t been updated yet. I’ll check on it later this afternoon and post it if it’s been updated.
Pic of the Day
Thursday, March 5, 2020
4:20 p.m.
There are three new listings on the market:
- 400 Buckboard Lane – $2,199,000.
- 1121 Capello Way – $755,000.
- 622 Baldwin Road – $865,000.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1075 Loma Drive #58 – back on the market (had been withdrawn) and reduced from $249,900 to $234,900.
- 42 Rockaway Road – back on the market (had been a pending sale).
- 4821 Grand Avenue – withdrawn from the market.
We’ve learned not to prognosticate too often, but buckle up ladies and gents; we have a feeling the spring real estate market is going to be a wild ride! If the 43 new listings in February are any indicator, we think there will be a ton of new listings coming up in the next two months.
10:10 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1436 N. Montgomery Street – back on the market (had been expired) and reduced from $1,650,000 to $1,595,000.
- 228 N. Pueblo Avenue – sale pending.
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
5:20 p.m.
- No other changes for today, but the Ojai Market Data update has been completed. It was a darn productive month, not only for real estate in general, but for our team as well!
12:25 p.m.
There are four new listings on the market:
- 107 Portal Street – $555,000.
- 417 Crestview Drive – $675,000 (photos not yet available).
- 537 Del Oro Drive – $2,880,000.
- 203 Lark Ellen Avenue – $465,900.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1202 Loma Drive #36 – reduced from $150,000 to $135,000.
- 2227 Burnham Road – sale pending.
- 106 N Oak Street – sold for $1,900,000 (originally listed for $2,200,000).
Heads up: We’ll have the Ojai Market Data update coming for you later today!
Pic of the Day
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
1:30 p.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 1565 Loma Drive – back on the market (had been withdrawn) and reduced from $824,900 to $799,000.
- 1010 El Toro Road – reduced from $1,995,000 to $1,895,000.
- 612 Larmier Avenue – reduced from $599,000 to $569,000.
- 40 Pathelen Avenue – sale pending.
- Sulphur Mountain Road $1,500,000 land parcel – withdrawn from the market. (The Ventura MLS link will show this as “unavailable.”)
10:25 a.m.
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 619 W. El Roblar Drive – back on the market (had been expired) and reduced from $1,595,000 to $1,495,000.
- 1101 N. Montgomery Street – reduced from $1,289,000 to $1,220,000 – and as a result – it’s been added to the Honorable Mentions list.
- 180 Alto Drive – reduced from $849,000 to $829,000.
- 15220 Camino Cielo – reduced from $1,625,000 to $1,495,000.
- 1203 Daly Road – sale pending.
- 122 Willey Street – this listing has expired.
Pic of the Day
“What are you doing up there?”
“I saw a mouse, dad…did you see it? I swear I saw it – I saw it, I saw it!”
Monday, March 2, 2020
12:45 p.m.
There are five new listings on the market:
- 11209 Creek Road – $980,000.
- 1118 Capello Way – $899,000.
- 815 Canada Street – $1,840,000.
- 2117 Los Encinos Road – $350,000 (this was already a pending sale before it was listed in the MLS).
- 2121 Los Encinos Road – $550,000 (this was already a pending sale before it was listed in the MLS).
Changes to the All Listings page:
- 928 E. Ojai Avenue – reduced from $350,000 to $325,000.
- 124 N. Poli Street – sale pending.
- 1340 McNell Road – sale pending.
- 950 Woodland Avenue #34 – sale pending.
- 204 Fox Street – this Honorable Mention has been sold for $700,000 (originally listed for $689,000).
- 1225 S. Rice Road #66 – sold for $145,000 (originally listed for $125,000).
- 190 N. Donna Street – sold for $540,000 (originally listed for $529,900).
- 1148 McNell Road – this listing has expired.
- 619 W. El Roblar Drive – this listing has expired.
- 605 E. Oak Street – this listing has expired (the Ventura MLS link will show this as “unavailable”).
Pic of the Day
