Real Estate Blog

A lot of small businesses like to use the term “boutique” when describing who they are, but what does that really mean?

By definition the word boutique is "a small company that offers highly specialized services or products;by its origins is a French word meaning shop, first used in 1767.

So how does this correlate to the widely used word, "boutique" by today’s standards?

First, the characteristic of being small in size, a boutique company is usually less than 20 people- depending on the industry. In Real Estate, a boutique firm offers a high level of service and you may be surprised to know that boutique Real Estate companies have historically out performed large Real Estate Companies. They have a smaller clientele, but make up for by

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This interactive guide is perfect learn about the architectural styles and elements of various homes you may be searching for. Click on each of them to learn more about how these architectural classics can fit into your own personal style!

Residential Styles

ART DECO	BUNGALOW	CAPE COD	COLONIAL	CONTEMPORARY	CRAFTSMAN
CREOLE	DUTCH COLONIAL	FEDERAL	FRENCH PROVINCIAL	GEORGIAN	GOTHIC REVIVAL
GREEK REVIVAL	INTERNATIONAL	ITALIANATE	MONTEREY	NATIONAL	NEOCLASSICAL

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As the year ends, you're probably drafting the first few versions of your list of 2015 Goals. Consider this list of 21 Hot trends that can completely transform your living space. DECEMBER 2014 | BY BARBARA BALLINGER

This time of the year, we hear from just about every sector of the economy what’s expected to be popular in the coming year. Foodies with their fingers on the pulse of the restaurant industry and hot TV chefs will tell us to say goodbye to beet-and-goat cheese salad and hello roasted cauliflower, and there’s no end to the gadgets touted as the next big thing.

In real estate, however, trends typically come slowly, often well after they appear in commercial spaces and fashion. And though they may entice buyers and

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Many millennials have held off on buying a home, but experts expect that to change in 2015.

By Susan JohnstonDec. 9, 2014 | 9:48 a.m. EST+ More

As housing recovers, prices in many markets across the U.S. have shot up. In fact, RealtyTrac reported that the median sale price of U.S. single-family homes and condos in October had reached its highest level since September 2008. Price appreciation and the lure of foreclosures created a feeding frenzy for real estate investors willing to pay cash and made it harder for traditional buyers to compete.

But experts say that 2015 will be marked by a return to normalcy and balance for real estate marketsacross the country. Stan Humphries, chief economist for Zillow.com, predicts that home

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Posted in Economic Updates, by Ken Fears, Director, Regional Economics and Housing Finance on December 11, 2025

As depicted above, markets in North Dakota, largely due to a boom in oil production surged with the median price in Bismarck up 87.2% over this period. Markets in Texas have done well and six registered in the top 10. Metro areas in the Midwest, the Mid South, and the Northwest gained over this period. In total, 87 of the metro areas tracked saw an increase of the median home price in the nine years since the national market peak.

At the other end of the spectrum were markets concentrated in the boom and bust states like Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida. Markets in New England have sputtered in their recovery,

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By Peter Schroeder from thehill.com

The vast majority of Americans who do not own a home still see homeownership as a praiseworthy goal, despite the damage wrought by the subprime mortgage crisis.

Ninety-one percent of renters believe homeownership is something to be proud of, according to a survey released Monday by housing giant Freddie Mac. However, just 39 percent of renters surveyed actually plan to buy a home in the next three years.

The survey indicates that much of the positive impressions Americans have about homeownership may have withstood the economic downturn that slashed the values of home prices and drove many Americans into foreclosure. Despite that experience, Americans still strongly see buying a home as an enviable achievement

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Yucaipa Neighbors work together this season to create one of the most viral Holiday Christmas Displays to date. Youtuber Jeff Maxey provides this really interesting clip of the 16 decorated homes coordinated to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

Follow the neighborhood's Facebook Page for all of their very festive news.

One of the best places to live in the world is San Diego- You can see why with these gorgeous views of the Ocean, the Mountains, and lush landscapes of equestrian ranches with this Gambrel-Style home in Mountain View.

To view more gorgeous Mountain View Rd. listings in Bonsall, CA, click here

By Adam Roark

At my final walkthrough of the historic home in South Park we had a great opportunity to do something that has become too rare in our world of electronic documents, smart lockboxes, and transaction coordinators. All of us… the buyers, the seller, the listing agent and myself, had the chance to walk through the home together.

The seller had lived in this 100 year old home for almost 23 years. During our nearly 2 hour visit, he shared stories with us about the history of the building passed on to him from previous owners. He showed us where the maid’s quarters were originally located in the early years of the house and even showed us a “secret room” behind the pantry, rumored to have been a location for storage of contraband during

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How you live in your home and how you sell your house are two different ways. Use these tips to get started with your home staging:

1. Get a different perspective. Walk across the street and take a long, hard look at your house. Put on your buyer hat…make a list of 5-10 things that are good about your house and 5-10 things that need work. Get busy! Curb appeal is crucial!

2. Make repairs a high priority. If your house needs work, get it done now. It's the home inspector's job to find out what's wrong with your house and long lists of repairs can scare buyers off! As the homeowner, repairs are responsibility and you should to fix them before your house comes on the market.

3. De-clutter. Go through every closet and every room and get rid of the

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