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August 12th, 2014 at 10:00 am

 

140127 Presale Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Flow Process_Final

There’s a new ordinance affecting the residents of the City of Ventura that also impacts home sales. Effective February 3, 2014 inspections of private sewer laterals are required prior to closing. This new ordinance came about due to a lawsuit involving the City of Ventura’s sewage overflow and in an effort to prevent disruptions in operation of the public sewer. The required inspections are aimed at helping residents identify timely inspections and repairs or replacements of private sewer laterals. A private sewer lateral is the pipe that connects a business or home’s plumbing system to the City’s wastewater collection pipeline. The homeowner is responsible for the entire pipe length, not just the portion underneath their property. Although Ventura Water is responsible for maintenance on the main pipelines, private property maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner.

If you’re a real estate agent or someone that is considering selling your home, you are encouraged to have a licensed plumber inspect your home prior to the opening of escrow. This will ensure you that you have plenty of time to complete the inspection and required paperwork. Sellers are required to submit the Private Sewer Lateral Inspection Report to the city’s Building and Safety Division prior to closing. (more…)

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August 11th, 2014 at 9:00 am

Dine_out_for_the_Cure_t250

Coming up on August 14th is the second annual Dine Out for the Cure event brought to you by the Susan G. Komen Foundation of San Diego. Eat at participating restaurants and anywhere from 25-50% of the restaurant’s profits for the day will go to Komen San Diego.

According to the American Cancer Society about one in eight women in the US will develop breast cancer. Almost everyone knows someone affected by cancer and we all want to know what we can do to help. By enjoying a night of delicious food you can help breast cancer patients become breast cancer survivors.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is a global breast cancer awareness group that has invested more than $1 billion in breast cancer research since 1982. The San Diego branch, Komen San Diego, was founded in 1995 and has awarded grants totaling more than $9 million to local organizations for contribution to breast cancer awareness, support, treatment and education. Learn more about the local foundation and how you can get involved or donate by visiting http://komensandiego.org/.

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August 8th, 2014 at 9:00 am

grassAs temperatures start to rise during the summer, so does water consumption. Across the U.S. people water their lawns and run sprinklers in an effort to keep their lawns alive and green. In Southern California this fact is no different; however the continued drought has urged many residents to seek out ways to more effectively conserve water. New regulations prohibit excessive lawn watering – considered excessive if there is runoff onto nearby sidewalks and streets. Understanding your lawn and how much water it needs can go a long way in helping you to conserve water.

A recent article by Brightnest encourages homeowners to first find out what kind of soil is in your area. The type of soil will determine how much water you need, typically between 0.5-1.5 inches. The next thing you’ll want to do is figure out how long it takes to distribute the amount of water your lawn needs. Brightness recommends setting out jars marked with your needed water level throughout your yard. Once the jars reach their mark, stop watering. You can remove the jars as soon as you become accustomed to how much time you should spend watering your lawn. If you use an irrigation system, set out jars and run your system for 15 minutes and adjust your time based on the jar measurements.

Other efficient lawn watering tips include watering your lawn in the morning or later in the evening, never between 10 am and 6 pm. If you use sprinklers, set them on a timer during ideal watering times. Be sure to look at your irrigation system and ensure that you are not watering non-grassy surfaces such as driveways or walkways. Keep your grass mowed to a height of 2.5-3 inches to shade the roots and soil and prevent water loss from evaporation.

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August 7th, 2014 at 1:00 pm

item6.rendition.slideshowVertical.2014-buildings-07-musee-des-confluencesEach year we look to the future wondering what will come next – flying cars, the ability to teleport – but what we often forget is that the future is right in front of us, in our architecture. As we think about the environment of the future, our buildings shape more than we think. Architectural Digest recently put together their list of “The 14 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2014” and the future is clear in each intricate design.

Certain themes are substantiated throughout. Each building has an underlying humanitarian tone coupled with unique edifices and visual illusions. For example, the Jockey Club Innovation Tower in Hong Kong maximizes an irregularly shaped piece of land with a stunning building devoted to none other than design students. Many of these buildings are designed to maximize space; like the Shanghai tower which stretches through the sky over 121 floors. Our favorite might just be the dissevering foundation illusion created at the Broad Art Museum in Los Angeles.

These stunning buildings will not only shape architectural trends as they open, but continue to shape the future. To see the full list of anticipated buildings, visit http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architecture/2014-02/tallest-best-new-buildings-towers-in-2014-slideshow.print.

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August 7th, 2014 at 10:00 am

Zillow-Trulia

The real estate industry has been buzzing about the Zillow – Trulia merger. Separately, these are the two largest online real estate listing companies in the United States. The plan to merge swirled throughout the industry last week and have since been confirmed; causing a substantial gain in Zillow’s stock price. However, the merger will do more than boost the bank accounts of those invested in these companies, it will also affect the real estate industry as a whole.

What Likely Will Not Change

If you’ve ever used either of these sites before you’ve probably also noticed that there isn’t as much information available for a property when compared to a local real estate agency. This fact is not likely to change as neither site is an MLS. Plans to take over MLSs have not currently been discussed in terms of this merger. Consumers should not expect to get access to more listings or depend on better information, but the ease and functionality of these sites should continue to improve. Most buyers begin the process online and these two sites are the most popular places to start. Consumers expect to receive hyper-local content from local real estate companies. Although they may begin their search online, those in the market to buy a home will be looking for local information from an agent.

Likely Changes (more…)

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