Urban Living in California

From New Geography, by Wendell Cox

The US Bureau of the Census has just released an analysis of suburbanization showing that the nation continues to suburbanize, despite the consistent media “spin” that people are leaving the suburbsto move to core cities.

The report, Population Change in Central and Outlying Counties of Metropolitan Statistical Areas: 2000 to 2007, goes further than our previous 2000 to 2008 analysis that showed strong domestic outmigration from central countiesto suburban counties and beyond.

Read the rest of this entry »

VENTURA, CALIF. – To help children and adults with special needs, Easter Seals Tri-Counties offers swimming and exercise classes, and physical therapy in its Aquatic Center, which features the region’s premier heated therapy pool. The indoor pool, which remains at a consistent 94 degrees, is the warmest pool in the county and approved by the Arthritis Foundation for physical therapy. Aquatic Center staff includes certified fitness instructors, onsite physical therapists and Red Cross certified lifeguards to ensure the safety and well-being of participants.

Featuring a hydraulic lift and wheelchair ramp, the Aquatic Center is the only facility of its kind in the Tri-Counties area. Adult classes include low impact aerobics, “Healthy Back” which focuses on the lower back, stretch arthritis, high intensity aerobics and stroke recovery.

“Our program is perfect for those who have suffered from strokes and heart attacks or are recuperating from surgery and require strength and flexibility exercises,” said Mary London, CEO of Easter Seals Tri-Counties. “The combination of water and warm temperatures ease the joints, while also strengthening muscles and incorporating cardio exercises in a low-impact environment.”

Read the rest of this entry »

From LAist.com by Zach Behrens

Jobs, environment, public transit, crime and education were the focus of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s second inaugural address today on the south steps of City Hall. “I stand, hopefully a little bit wiser as well, chastened and enlightened both by our successes and failures over the last four years,” he said. “Angelenos, I offer this oath today. In the next four years, we are going to judge ourselves plain and simple — based on what we build. We intend to write our record in concrete rather than poetry, focused on deadlines over headlines. And you have this in writing, we are going to track our promises and put the results online. And we are going to build our efforts around five clear goals for the next four years.”

Of note in his lengthy speech, was about the building of twelve rail projects funded by Measure R, the additional sales tax that began today in LA County. “The people did their part,” he explained, “now it’s time to do ours; to get that investment off the drawing board and into the ground; to connect the eastside to the airport, and Downtown to West L.A; to build housing for our workers along transit lines and near job centers; to take action to build all 12 Measure R rail projects on time or ahead of schedule.”

Read Mayor Villaraigosa’s full speech here:

Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a second home in the Pacific Northwest? The residences at Burien Town Square in Burien, Washington, are a mix of one and two-bedroom condominiums (some with dens), two-story Homes on the Park, and live/work lofts. So whatever your style, there’s a space for you. Open floor plans, the features and finishes you can’t live without, and plenty of light and views (hello, Mt. Rainier) make this a wonderful place to call home.

Burien Town Square includes homes, shops & restaurants all surrounding a new city park! Easy commute to downtown Seattle, South King County & the airport. 124 homes over street level retail space. You can walk to everything you need. Over 36 floor plans to choose from including studios, 1br/1ba, 1br+/1ba, 2br/2ba, 2br+/2ba, 2br+/2ba townhomes, and even street level live/work lofts. Inspiring views of Mt Rainier, the airport or even the Olympics. You can visit the sales gallery and model homes daily from 12-6pm.  Call at 206-901-0000 to schedule an appointment or drop by 455 SW 152nd Street. Presented by MCM Group powered by Miller Condominium Marketing. Equal housing opportunity.

Are you owner of a “Crackberry” or are you considering adding this powerful little tool to your real estate arsenal? The BlackBerry is a SmartPhone that seems virtually designed for the busy broker, Realtor and agent, with plenty of customizable features and support for downloadable applications that can make your life a lot easier while you’re on the road.

1. Google Maps

One of the main attractions of a BlackBerry is its support for Google Maps. Downloading the Google Maps application means that you have access to all the locations and searching capabilities supported by Google. It’s a great way of finding directions to the next home and quick solutions for finding gas stations, restaurants and hotels on short notice. Google.com/mobile

2. Opera Mini

There are times when the BlackBerry Browser just doesn’t work. At all. Opera Mini is a great browser for accessing those websites not designed for mobile access. With a zoom in/out feature, you can quickly jump to the area of the website you need to examine in detail. OperaMini.com

3. Facebook

“Wait a minute,” you say, “Isn’t that just for fun?” Not for the many real estate professionals who keep up with friends, family AND clients on their Facebook page. Many people have a Facebook account for their professional life that’s separate from their personal one. They generally upload pictures of listings, make contacts, find out more about their clients’ needs and involve themselves in the thriving real estate communities that Facebook supports. Facebook.com

4. Twitter 

Another app that one might think is more suited to leisure time, Twitter actually improves search engine optimization and could become an agent’s best friend as far as Google is concerned. A carefully optimized Twitter page could net you a following and clients. Updating from your BlackBerry takes seconds. Twitter.com

5. Homes for Sale

Developed by J. Rockcliff Realtors, this app uses your BlackBerry’s GPS to home in on your location and sends you information on the homes near your location. You can quickly access the sales price, size of home and property, tax information, photos and special features using only your Blackberry to locate you. This is an award winning application you can download for free at Rockcliff.com

These are only 5 of the great tools that BlackBerry can support. Keep your eyes open for more developments, especially in the real estate sector.

by Joshua Sloan on Articlesbase

Read the rest of this entry »

[Via OmarOmar]

Santa Monica has a history of spending a lot of time and energy on its public garages, so this news isn’t particularly surprising: The City Council’s latest scheme, which is expected to be approved at tonight’s meeting, is to make over two of the city’s shortest lots, Lot Six at Second Street near Santa Monica and Lot One at Fourth Street near Wilshire, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press. But there’s no swanky architecture firm like Pugh + Scarpa or Moore Ruble Yudell attached to the project; Morley Construction will handle the architecture, engineering, and building. The structures will be demolished and rebuilt in succession (to maximize available parking), and the new buildings rising from the ashes will have up to 250 more parking spaces each. But how could the anti-car crowd complain? The plan includes bicycle storage and ground floor retail, which the City Council assures will “activate the sidewalk.” And the new structures will be powered by increasingly de rigueur solar panels, which is totally green.

From CurbedLA: http://la.curbed.com/archives/2009/06/santa_monica_to_fancify_more_parking_structures.php

If you can’t find it at H.D. Buttercup, it probably doesn’t exist. The mother of all home emporiums carries Khyber Pass rugs, and all manner of lamps, beds, and pots for plants. Mosey through 100,000 square feet of vendors showcasing the imported, the ultramodern, and the antique. » 3225 Helms Ave., Culver City, 310-945-5440. (Awarded Best of LA 2006)