by Jeff Pittman | Jul 31, 2016 | Events
Events In Orange County August 2016 It’s summertime, which means tons of events in Orange County this August 2016 from the OC Fair to beach Lobsterfests. Check out our list of all the fun things to do around town and make the most of your summertime in SoCal. For some real good clean fun straight out of Mayberry, don’t miss the La Habra Corn Festival & Parade with an apple pie baking contest! OC FAIR Now – August 14th Open Wednesday – Sunday ocfair.com Image: Wikipedia The OC Fair is here with endless fun at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Enjoy the carnival rides, games, exhibits, livestock, courtyard wine seminars, live music and entertainment and so much more all month long. Check out the list of performers at the Pacific Amphitheater with everyone from Styx, The Offspring and Boston to Train, Hunter Hayes and Ziggy Marley. There will also be several events at the action sports arena including Broncs & Bulls, Extreme Rodeo, Xtreme Freestyle Moto-X and demolition derbies. SEGERSTROM CENTER’S FREE MOVIE MONDAYS Monday, August 1st and 8th scfta.org/movieMondays Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa finishes their free summer movie series outdoors this August for two more Monday nights of movies under the stars. Set-up begins at 5:30PM, with the movie starting at dusk (approximately 8 p.m.). Guests are encouraged to bring beach chairs or other easily portable seating items, snacks and picnic suppers. There will be food trucks so you can get your grub on with great movies all month long. August 1st – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off | August 8th – Labyrinth AMERICAN FAMILY HOUSING RIBS, PIGS, &...
by Jeff Pittman | Jul 15, 2016 | Homeowners
Choosing The Perfect Tiles For Your Home Designing or remodeling a home involves plenty of tough decisions. From opting for practical design features to picking out a complementary color scheme, the options available when it comes to interior design can be overwhelming. Today, we’re making your task a little easier by taking a look at the pros and cons of the most popular kitchen and bathroom tile materials – giving you confidence in the tile finish that you choose for your home. From taking a look at the properties of each tiling material, to breaking down the finishes available, our informative guide to all-things tiling means you can get one step closer to finishing your dream interior design project! TRAVERTINE Closely related to limestone, travertine is a popular tiling option. It’s quarried from hot springs and rivers, meaning no travertine tile is identical to another. Unique in every cut, the pale tones of travertine tiling reflect a room’s natural light – making it an optimum material choice for space-limited areas or darker parts of the home. While initial installation may be a little more expensive than other materials, travertine’s durability makes this natural stone great value in the long-term – with a finish guaranteed to last for years to come. Another great feature of travertine tile is its excellent heat-conducting properties, making it ideal for use in bathrooms with an underfloor heating system. PORCELAIN As a man-made ceramic, porcelain can be a little more expensive than traditional clay ceramic tiles. That being said, porcelain is a highly refined material – making it incredibly strong and durable. In high footfall...
by Jeff Pittman | Jun 29, 2016 | Weekly Quote
“Do more than is required. What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following? The extra mile.” ~ Gary Ryan Blair
by Jeff Pittman | Jun 29, 2016 | Homeowners
6 Location Factors You Probably Didn’t Realize Can Affect Your Home’s Value Everyone knows that other than the condition of the home itself, nothing is as important to a buyer as location. The adage of “location, location, location” rings true. There are many factors and considerations when looking at the impact location has on property valuations. Here are six location factors that may affect a home’s value. 1. TREES According to a recent study by the University of Washington, trees can have a significant impact on the value of a property. Here are some of the findings: Mature trees in a yard result in a 2 percent price increase Mature trees on the street equate to 3 a percent gain Trees in the front yard give a 3–5 percent boost Mature trees in a high-income neighborhood can result in as much as a 10–15 percent increase 2. CENTRALITY Being able to walk to nearby locations can help increase a home’s value. WalkScore.com rates neighborhoods in the US based on proximity to parks, schools, and grocery stores. Walkability has become even more valuable in recent years, since millennial’s find it particularly important for homes they buy. In 13 of the 15 areas studied, homes in highly walkable neighborhoods sold on average for $4000 to $34,000 more than homes in neighborhoods of average walkability. 3. PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS Parents with school-aged children often make a determination on neighborhood based on the school ratings. In fact, buyers might even forgo certain features or property details just to get their kids into a good school. According to a study by Great Schools, going from an average...
by Jeff Pittman | Jun 28, 2016 | So Cal Cities
Saucy Summer BBQ | Orange County’s 7 Best Barbeque Joints Nothing says summer like smoked ribs smothered in barbeque sauce. If you’ve got a hankering for some legitimately delicious meats served with killer sides, then we’ve got the suggestions to tame your beastly appetite. These Orange County BBQ joints bring great smoked flavor, tender juicy meats and a few tasty surprises along the way. Keep reading for a break down of the best BBQ in the OC based on their killer Yelp reviews. BREW HAWG BBQ & ROOT BEER CO. 665 N Tustin St Ste J Orange, CA 92867 brewhawg.com Image: Yelp Think, hole-in-the-wall with great food. This Southern style barbeque in South Orange County is smoked and flavorful even without the tasty BBQ sauce. Not that you have anything to worry about, their extensive selection of BBQ sauces does not disappoint! They also brew their own root beer, which pairs GREAT with the entire menu. You can’t go wrong with any of the sides but according to the Yelp reviews, the best place to start is with the coconut-creamed corn! THE SMOKING RIBS 14211 N Euclid St Ste D Garden Grove, CA 92843 thesmokingribs.com Image: Yelp Southern style BBQ smack dab in the middle of Little Saigon, The Smoking Ribs is an unexpectedly great spot to snag some seriously great barbeque. The meat falls off the bone and the blueberry cornbread is a crowd pleaser. Pulled pork fries are another crowed pleaser as well as the ribs. You really can’t go wrong because the meats are all tender and moist with great flavor! JAV’S BAR-B-Q 151 W Center...
