Pasadena Views Real Estate Team is quite busy in this summer season with multiple home listings coming up for sale in Pasadena. If you are looking to buy a home or a condo in the greater Pasadena area, you might be interested in some of these homes.  

Pasadena real estate market has been really tight over the last six months.  With an average price of a Pasadena home for sale being $809.000 in March 2015 per TrendGraphix, it is really hard to find an affordable, remodeled house for $500,000.  Our new property listing at 287 MacDonald in Pasadena will make it easier for a very special buyer to get in to a beautiful home with a huge yard!

We haven't seen much rain in California, but when it does rain it truly pours. When it pours we have a ghastly amount of mudslides, flooding, trees falling, roof leaks and a few more distresses that home owners encounter. It is absolutely important to perform preventive measures that can help deter these catastrophes from our homes and minimize the damage. This article will go over a few areas of the home that you will want to take care of before the next rainstorm hits.

A new paint job? New kitchen appliances? New bathroom décor? New air filters? New copper or plastic pipes?

To some, these all sound like daunting tasks or a wallet eater but all of these gifts we contribute to our home may indeed increase its longevity and value! This idea of “new” or “re-installing” has its benefits down the line just like performing an oil change or tune up for your car, obviously on a longer time frame scale.

Pasadena is one of the greatest places for buyers looking for beautifully upgraded and remodeled condos and townhomes.  New ones are also being built near the downtown area (Old Pasadena).  With these great property opportunities come very important questions that a buyer should review before heading into the buying process. As a buyer you have to be well equipped and prepared for such a process especially if it is your first home purchase. We break down a few questions that buyers should have knowledge about before jumping the gun.

Most home owners with a single family residence have an enclosed garage that many times becomes storage space. Often that storage space contains objects that will never again be used so why not utilizing it for something else? By emptying the garage you will very quickly see that it could actually be an extra room or workspace. Basically an added 400 sq.ft that already has a foundation and with a little imagination, everything is possible!

Living in Southern California definitely has its perks! We get to wake up to blue skies and the pleasant heat from the sun almost every morning. Unfortunately, the dry desert weather is not as friendly to some plants and it also requires us to use more water when maintaining our gardens. If you are a homeowner in the greater Pasadena area, there are many good websites that provide local information about how to be water wise and we wanted to share some of that information here.

When landscaping it's often easy to forget what is required to maintain certain vegetation in the environment we live in. Who doesn't love the sight of gardens with lush green grass, exotic plants and vibrant colors? The back-side to planting gardens without thinking about our climate is that your garden will probably need a lot of watering to stay healthy. It's estimated that the average American household uses approximately 320 gallons of water each day and here in the South West almost 60% of that water is used outdoor. Furthermore, here in Pasadena it is estimated that people over water their lawns by 50-70%! The great thing is that just by applying some simple methods to the way we plan and maintain our gardens we can save many gallons of water.

The first thing to consider is what plants and flowers that you will have in your garden. There is a wide variety that are drought-tolerant and that are California natives. By choosing plants and flowers wisely you can create a garden that is both beautiful and also water friendly. Flowers like the Bigleaf Lupine and the Bush Sunflower are especially popular with the butterflies and will attract many fluttering friends.

Here is an excerpt from an article that gives you more tips about being water wise when gardening:

"To make sure that you are only watering with the amount of water the plants actually need, install timers, sprinklers and emitters. This helps you to keep track of your watering and you can simply sit back and enjoy your blossoming garden! Using mulch around your plants and along walkways does not only prevent weeds but also helps reduce water use on bare areas."

To read our full article go to this link.

Summer is often associated to vacations and fun activities. However, if you live in the San Gabriel Valley summer is the time when you would rather stay indoors because of the sweltering heat! Home owners usually try to avoid using their air conditioner in order to save energy. We wanted to share some useful tips on home improvements and creative ways to keep the heat out of the house and keep the inside nice and cool.

If you own your home you have the freedom to let your creativity flow when making your interior design choices. There are no limitations for what colors you can paint your walls, what furniture to use or what material your floors should have. Are you the daring type that go for the vivid colors or do you prefer the calmer shades? We wanted to share some interior trends that are hot for this summer and throughout the year!

Pasadena residents have experienced a number of minor earthquakes in March, 2014. Thankfully, most have not been centered in Pasadena, but a bit of shaking and rolling always makes us take a look at our preparedness level.  The Pasadena Views Real Estate Team wanted to help you prepare for the next one. 

The earthquake supplies kit

Prepare kits that you can place in your home, your car and even in the workplace. They should be easily accessible and also kept updated by checking expiration dates on food and battery functions for flashlights. Now is a good time to do that!

The kit should provide for your whole family, don't forget the pets,  and include things such as food, water, hygiene products, clothing, flashlights, batteries, first aid supplies and other supplies. Make sure to have enough to last for at least three days to a week, or longer if possible. Also, keep some cash in the kit since ATM machines can be hard to access in the event of an earthquake.

Staying updated with the news and disaster alerts in Pasadena

By keeping updated with the news and also by receiving alerts you have a better chance to prepare yourself and everyone in your home for what actions to take.  The City of Pasadena offers their residents a Local Emergency Alert System called PLEAS. By signing up to PLEAS you will receive both voice messages and text messages incase of a citywide or major emergency. To get more information about PLEAS, go to www.cityofpasadena.net/Fire/PLEAS/ 

How to keep your home safe when the earthquake hits

The recommendation when the disaster hits is to stay in doors if possible. Therefore, you want to makes sure that objects that can fall are secured properly. Any heavy objects, breakable glass, china etc. should be kept low and in closed cabinets with latches. Larger and heavier wall items such as frames and mirrors should be fastened to the wall and kept away from beds and couches.

All homeowners should strap their water heaters, furnace and gas appliances to the wall studs and bolt them to the floor. It might also be recommended by your gas company to have an automatic gas shut-off valve installed. Repairs of deep cracks in the foundation or ceilings can also help keep your home safer in an earthquake. Please make sure to get expert advice when it comes to your private residence and how to make it as safe as possible.

To find out more about buying a home in Pasadena or get more information on your real estate options, give us a call at 626-629-8439. Or, if you’re interested in seeing homes available for sale, visit our Multiple Listing Search site.