by Jeff Pittman | Dec 30, 2016 | Weekly Quote
“Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress.” ~ Charles Kettering
by Jeff Pittman | Dec 30, 2016 | Events
Events In Orange County January 2017 Christmas is over but the holiday season is still here with tons of New Years events, snow days, winter festivals and more events across Orange County. If you are looking for New Years Eve plans or just want the holiday fun to continue, keep reading for all of the events in Orange County coming January 2017. NEW YEARS EVENTS FIRST NIGHT IN FULLERTON Saturday, December 31st 7PM-Midnight cityoffullerton.com This year’s festival will be the 25th annual “First Night Fullerton”. The night is 100% family-oriented, alcohol-free, and it takes place in Downtown Fullerton on Harbor Blvd., Pomona Ave., and Wilshire Ave. The night includes stage performances by a variety of bands, roaming entertainment, games, food, zip lining and more. Stick around till midnight and catch the fireworks to ring in the New Year! PRETEND CITY’S NOON-YEAR’S CONFETTI COUNTDOWN Saturday, December 31st 10AM-5PM pretendcity.org It’s midnight somewhere! Pretend City Children’s Museum will be celebrating Noon Years for the kids on New Years Eve. There will be a confetti countdown 4 different times to celebrate the new year in Bangladesh, Dubai, Athens, and London, as it turns to midnight in these different cities. Kids will also be celebrating by crafting their own noisemakers and party hats plus learning the basics of how to tell time. TIME NIGHTCLUB NYE Saturday, December 31st 8PM-2AM timenightclub.com DJ Steven Wright will spin top 40, hip-hop and more at Orange County newest nightclub in Costa Mesa, TIME. The party includes complimentary party favors and a glass of champagne. 8 p.m. General admission, $59; open bar, $79. More VIP packages available. OC...
by Jeff Pittman | Dec 14, 2016 | Buyers
5 Hard Truths About Buying Real Estate Maybe you’ve bought a house in your day, so you feel like a real estate expert. But even some experienced buyers don’t know everything, though, which is why it’s always good to do your homework before buying or selling another piece of property. It’s time to get real and face the facts, here are five things you probably didn’t know about real estate. YOUR CREDIT SCORE IS VERY IMPORTANT Though a mortgage lender cares about how much you make and how long you have been in your job when considering whether to lend to you, the deciding factor may actually be your credit score. People with a high credit score, usually about 720 or higher, get the best interest rates on mortgages, which can save you tens of thousands of dollars in finance costs over the life of the loan. On the other hand, borrowers with low credit scores pay higher rates, and if your score is low enough — usually below 600 — a lender may not be willing to give you a loan at all, no matter how high your income is. YOUR PAYMENT WON’T NECESSARILY STAY THE SAME One of the things that many people tout about owning over renting is that your monthly house payment won’t go up. But this is not usually true. Only the principal and interest amount stay the same. For anyone who pays his or her taxes and insurance as part of their monthly mortgage payment, that portion of the payment will increase often. These days, homeowner’s insurance premiums go up annually, and...
by Jeff Pittman | Dec 8, 2016 | Homeowners
3 Ways To Upgrade Your Antique Home While Keeping The Charm Anyone who tries to renovate an antique home will quickly realize that this process is a game of balance. While you might want modern amenities and upgrades, it is vital that the house maintains its charm. This is especially crucial in neighborhoods like Old Towne Orange or Lincoln Park in Pasadena where the entire community features vintage homes with antique charm. Here are three tips you can use to strike a balance between comfort and character. ADD SPACE WHILE MAINTAINING THE STYLE One of the most common complaints that people make of older homes is that they were created without any sense of traffic flow or movement. They often have smaller hallways and rooms with sharp angles and turns. By opening up some of that space, you can change the functionality of your home without drastically altering its appearance. Before you consider your options for removing walls or adding pony walls, you will need to have a licensed contractor determine which walls and posts are vital to the structural integrity of your home. UPDATE BUT DON’T CHANGE THE KEY STRUCTURAL THEMES When it comes time to start making upgrades to your home, you should try to keep the primary structural themes intact. Instead of replacing older casement windows with double-hung or single-hung designs, you should simply update to modern high-efficiency casement windows, like the products found at Gilkey Windows. Another example of this would be replacing your roof with modern materials to prevent drafts and leaks. You should keep the original curves and shapes of your roof, but...
by Jeff Pittman | Nov 24, 2016 | Weekly Quote
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
