Simi Valley Real Estate - Simi Valley Real Estate Agent - Simi Valley homes for sale - Simi Valley Realtor

John R. Talbott, previously a Goldman Sachs investment banker, is a bestselling author and economic consultant. When it comes to the housing market he is also a prophet. When housing prices started to skyrocket in 2003, he published The Coming Crash in the Housing Market correctly warning us that a real estate bubble was forming. Then in January 2006, he called the absolute peak of home prices in the US by releasing a new book, Sell Now! The End of the Housing Bubble.

Mr.Talbott, the person who accurately predicted the housing bubble and its bust, now has a new prediction - IT IS THE TIME TO BUY A HOME! In a recent article, Homes - Buy Now!, Talbott simply explains:

"I have been waiting for more than five years to offer this advice. It is now time in most cities across the country to buy a new home or refinance your existing home with thirty-year fixed rate mortgage debt."

He goes on to explain that his conclusion is based on four different metrics, all of which favor buying today:

Home Prices Relative to Peak Prices During the Bubble
Home Prices Relative to Construction Costs or Replacement Costs
Home Prices Relative to Incomes and Rents
Home Prices in Real Terms, Not US Dollar Terms
Bottom Line

Robin Karich
Realtor
(805)304-3634

February HOME WARRANTY TIP:

The coils on the back of your refrigerator can get very dusty, making your fridge work much harder than is necessary. Use a vacuum hose to clean the coils every three months. If you have pets, you might want to clean the coils every month.

February Home To-Do
List: Warm Up, Clean Up
By Roy Berendsohn

Give your sweetie a Valentine's Day present by catching up on some deferred cleaning and maintenance with these 7 easy tips.

1. Dust Off: Get the dust out from under and behind the refrigerator and the stove.

2. Swap Filters: Change the furnace filter.

3. Clean Carpets: Pretreat stains then shampoo the carpets. Take two passes over high-traffic areas.

4. Tune-up Your Vacuum: Change a bagless vacuum's air filter, clearits air flow channels and wash out itscanister.

5. Clean Vents: Clean the range hood vent and filter.

6. Peel It Off: To kill mildew, peel the bath mat from thetub, turn it upside down, pour some bleach into the tub and run some water. If there's mildew on the shower curtain liner, put it in the tub as well.

7. Tackle Small Repairs: Insulate the water heater and the hot waterpipe leaving it. Install door stops toprevent doorknob damage to drywall.

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS
Here are some of the new clients who became members of our “Real Estate Family” this past month. I’d like to welcome you and wish you all the best!

Moises Limos

We love giving recognition to our new friends and our wonderful existing clients who are kind enough to refer their friends, family and neighbors to us

January Quiz Answer

Question: How many hearts does an octopus have?

Answer:
Octopuses have three hearts. Two branchial hearts pump blood through each of the two gills, while the third pumps blood through the body.

Congratulations to Vicki Benson. Your name was selected at random from all of the correct quiz entries and you’ll receive a gift card.

Watch for your name in a coming month!

February 29 is Leap Day …2012 is a Leap Year!

A Leap Year is when the calendar year is extended to 366 days—adding February 29th to the year. This is done to put the calendar year into line with the length of the Earth's orbit around the sun, so that the seasons always occur during the same months each year.

What's in a Number? What Will You Say This Year with Roses?

As if choosing a specific rose color weren’t
enough to express your innermost thoughts,
you can convey your message through the number of stems or the type of rose you select. Check out the list below and you’ll know just how many roses to send to say what you really want to say!

1 = “I love you!”

6 = Infatuation!

9 = “We’ll be together forever!”

12 = “Be Mine!”

15 = “I’m Sorry”

21 = “I’m dedicated to you”

24 = “I’m Yours!”

26 = “I’m head-over-heels-in-love!”

50 = Expresses boundless love

Need Some Help with Your Message This Valentine’s Day?

Here are a few quotes that are sure to
bring a smile to your Valentine!

I like your lips, I like your style, but most of all I like your smile.—Author Unknown
I've fallen in love many times…always with you.—Author Unknown
A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.—Author Unknown
May every blessing be thy lot, I only ask "Forget Me Not". —Author Unknown
Valentine, O Valentine, I'll be your love and you'll be mine.—Author Unknown
You're nothing short of my everything. —Ralph Block
My love for you is a journey; starting at forever, and ending at never.—Author Unknown
For you see, each day I love you more.
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.—Rosemonde Gerard

Pet of the Month - Ash Lee Norris (Adoptable cat)

Animal Rescue Volunteers adoptable cat Ash Ash was born July 2009. He is a loving cat; he will jump straight up from the ground into your arms. At night he loves to snuggle up so close to your head and sleep with his loud motor purring away. To see a video of Ash, visit www.arvsimi.org and click on “Available Pets”.

Pet Adoptions:Saturdays from noon to 4pm at PetSmart in Simi Valley, except holiday weekends. Please email staff@arvsimi.org in advance to make sure a particular pet will be at adoptions.

Animal Rescue Volunteers – “Giving pets a second chance at love”

Healthly Reciepe
Rocco DiSpirito’s Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas With Tomatillo Salsa and Cilantro

This fatigue-fighting meal from Chef Rocco DiSpirito will give you a sustained boost of energy from the protein and the spicy salsa. This meal blends the Mexican flavors of healthy foods like bright-tasting tomatillos and cilantro into a delicious meal.

Ingredients
Serves 4
12 oz ground turkey breast
4 (9-in) low-carb tortillas
2/3 cup fat-free spicy black bean dip
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) jar tomatillo salsa
1 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to break it up a little, until it is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, using flameproof tongs, char the tortillas lightly on each side over an open flame, or toast them under a preheated broiler. Keep the tortillas warm by covering them with a clean kitchen towel as you go.
Stir the black bean dip into the turkey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lay the tortillas on a work surface, and divide the turkey mixture among them. Fold the sides of the tortillas in over the filling and roll the tortillas up tightly to encase the filling. Lay them side-by-side in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Spoon the salsa over the tortillas, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the enchiladas are hot throughout, 10 to 12 minutes.
Sprinkle the cilantro over the enchiladas, and serve.

Nutrition Facts
314 calories, 9.9 fat grams, 38 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 59 mg cholesterol, 18 g fiber, 1,382 mg sodium

Quotes On Love

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

- Mother Teresa

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
―Lao Tzu

“You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not.”
―Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

“We’re all a little weird. And life is weird. And when we find someone
whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into
mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love.”
―Robert Fulghum

Local Events
Saturday, February 11th, 2012, Drive In Movie: The Smurfs. Gates open at 6pm, movie at 7pm, $5 car, walk ins free. Rancho Santa Susana Community Park - 5005 Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley.Make it a family night out! Walk-ins welcome. Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Call (805) 584-4400
Monday, February 20, 10am – 3pm, 20thAnnual Presidents Day Celebration at Reagan Library. This celebration includes fun for the whole family, including musical entertainment, storytelling, arts and crafts, and presidential and first lady look-alikes. All Presidents Day activities are free (except to see the Ferdinand Magellan Train, which is inside the exhibits). Museum admission applies to view the exhibits. Call (800) 410-8354

Upcoming Event

Saturday, March 10^th7AM – 12Noon Neighborhood Garage Sale. Meadows neighborhood located on the corner of First Street and Royal Avenue.

Curb Appeal: First Impressions Count

According to those in the know, it’s the number one factor in beginning the sales process for houses as well as condominiums. It’s simple. The appeal of your home from the street is what lures people to the door and inside. All the upgrades that people do to theinside of their home won’t matter if youcan’t get buyers inside. A boring façaderequires some sales pitch from the agent.Curb appeal makes the agent’s job easier.

Here are Factors Important to Curb Appeal:

Check the condition of the roof; fix it if necessary.		Make sure windows are painted and well maintained.
Repair cracks in the sidewalk and driveway. Fix faulty handrails.		Improve lighting for the address number or highlight your front walkway with lights.
Ensure the address number is easy to read. Get a new doormat.		Paint or clean the garage doors.
Paint the front door an attractive color.		Put urns or planters on either side of the door (in winter, use evergreens).
Get rid of visible storage, recycling boxes or other junk visible from the road.		Throw in some attractive landscaping and the house is transformed.

Robin’s Listings

	Current Listing $300,000/ House /Beds 4/ Baths 23043 Fitzgerald Rd, Simi Valley Home sold as in condition. Needs work, short sale. Tile flooring, ceiling fans, crown molding, RV possible.
	Pending / Condo / Beds 2/ Bath 1 3204 Darby St #117, Simi Valley Very nice condo with wood like flooring in the family room, hall and master bedroom. Lovely tile flooring in the kitchen and dining area. Family room has double doors that open to patio area. Master bedroom has a sliding door that leads to patio. Second bedroom is spacious and has a ceiling fan. Stackable laundry area in unit. Community spa. A must see, sold as is condition.
	Pending Beds 3/ 2Baths 1986 Day Lily Lane, Simi Valley Beautiful upgraded Park Verandah. End unit with a prime lot. Low HOA, community pool, basket ball court and park.
	Attention Meadows Homeowners: There is a demand for homes in your tract if you are listed at the right price. I received multiple offer on my listings. There are more buyers that would like to own a home in the Meadows, Please give me a call if you are thinking about selling your home. Robin Karcich (805) 304-3634

What are a Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist and a Certified Distressed Property Expert?

As a Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist and a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I have taken it upon myself to make sure that you are aware of this new law and how it will benefit you. If we act now, we can halt the foreclosure process in its tracks.

Foreclosures are devastating for everyone involved. They destroy a homeowners credit by 250-300 points and bar them from even APPYLING for another loan for 5-7 years. The Banks are forced to take control of the home which drains their time and resources. The Government knew they had to act, and FINALLY did by initiating HAFA. HAFA allows the homeowner to sell their home for the current market value and walk away from the home debt free. The Bank will forgive the difference between the sale price and the loan amount, pay the Realtors fee and every other fee involved, and agree to never pursue the homeowner for any deficiency judgment ever. This whole process is FREE to the homeowner!

On top of all this, the Government is going to pay YOU up to $3000 for the successful Short Sale. They simply want EVERYONE to complete a short sale in lieu of a Foreclosure because it is better for everyone involved. Thank you HAFA!

A Short Sale is very easy to process for the seller, but you MUST use a Certified Specialist.

Robin Karcich
Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist
Certified Distressed Property expert
Troop Real Estate
DRE# 01394890
(805) 304-3634

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in the near future, please call for a personal interview and property assessment with no obligation.

February Quiz Question

This year’s Super Bowl is being played in the dome in Indy. What was the first Super Bowl to be played indoors?

Everyone who emails robinsrealestate@sbcglobal.net or calls Robin (805) 304-3634 in the correct answer by the last day of this month will be entered into a drawing for a gift card.

30 year fixed 3.625%!
Interest Rates – Lowest Levels In Recorded History!

30 year fixed, below $417,000 loan amounts at 3.625%*

Great time to purchase or refinance! Lower your current interest rate and payment!
Faye Miran (805) 795-6776

Call Faye Miran (805) 795 -6776 for more details.
CFC Mortgage Bankers, 3200 Los Angeles Ave #23, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Email: FayeMiran@yahoo.com www.trustedmortgageloans.com

January 2012

NEWS FROM YOUR REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT FOR LIFE
VISIT US AT WWW.HOMESBYROBINK.COM
Robin’s Home News
News To Help You Save Time And Money

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

 New Year’s Reflections
 Welcome New Clients
 December Quiz Answer
 January Home Warranty Tip
 Ways to Cut Clutter
 National Bath Safety Month
 Insulate Your Water Heater Tank
 Dr. Oz’s Belly-Blasting Soup
 Quotes
 Local Events
 Adoptable Pet
 Robin’s Listings
 Certified Foreclosure Prevention
 January Quiz Question

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS
Here are some of the new clients who became members of our “Real Estate Family” this past month. I’d like to welcome you and wish you all the best!
David and Rosa Montante,
Kim and Tony Lane

We love giving recognition to our new friends and our wonderful existing clients who are kind enough to refer their friends, family and neighbors to us.

December Quiz Answer

Question: How many colors are there in a rainbow?

Answer:
There are 7 colours in a rainbow. The colours in order are: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet

Congratulations to Susan Longres. Your name was selected at random from all of the correct quiz entries and you’ll receive a gift card.

Watch for your name in a coming month!

JANUARY HOME WARRANTY TIP: You can use weather-stripping in your home to seal air leaks around movable joints, such as windows or doors. To determine how much weather-stripping you will need, add the perimeters of all windows and doors to be weather-stripped, then add 5%–10% to accommodate any waste.

10 Ways to Cut Clutter in Your Home
By David Freeman WebMD Feature

Mired in mess, fuss, and disarray? These quick hints can help you de-clutter fast.

1. Find a place for every item. One reason things pile up on counters, tables, and floors is that they have no "home." "Make sure everything lives somewhere," says Sharon Lowenheim, a professional organizer in New York City. Storing items in the room where they're used helps ensure they get put away when you're done, and usually it's best to store similar items together.

2. Play clutter cop. The better you are about keeping things out of your home, the less likely things will pile up inside. Take freebies. It's nice to get a T-shirt or coffee mug, but will you really use it? Enjoy it? If not, decline it.

3. Do some detective work. Periodically scan your home for clutter hot spots, and spend
some time figuring out why stuff accumulates there. Once you understand the problem,
you'll find it easy to devise a solution.

4. Hold off on container shopping. Clutter victims often think the solution is to stock up on organizing products, so they head to the nearest superstore and stock up on bins and boxes. Shop for storage items only after you've done some de-cluttering—to understand the scope of the problem, the specific cause, and an appropriate solution.

5. Dump duplicates. Why have two nonstick spatulas when one is enough? Why
have six hairbrushes or 17 coffee mugs? Lowenheim says that throwing out duplicates is one of the easiest ways to quell clutter. Her simple rule: One in, one out. "Anytime you get something new, get rid of something like it that is old," she says.

6. Beware nostalgia. If you're a doting parent, it's not easy to discard a child's creation,
whether it's pastel drawings from the second grade or that cooler-sized medieval castle.
But if you're serious about minimizing clutter, you must. Robertson recommends taking a
picture of your child with the creation, and letting that be your keepsake.

7. Weed out your wardrobe. Odds are your clothes closet is chockablock with clothes that are rarely worn. Lowenheim says it's a case of the familiar 80:20 rule: we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. She recommends sorting through your clothes, and your
children's, at the end of each season.

8. Look for simple clutter control solutions. Often, there's an easy solution
to even stubborn clutter problems. "One of my clients could never remember where
she put her keys," says Laura Leist, a professional organizer in Seattle, and
president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. "I suggested that
she put a hook by the front door, so she could hang her keys up every time she
walked in the door. And it worked." 9. Think home organization "kits." Buy some clear plastic shoebox-sized containers, and use them to create kits where you store all the items you need for a particular task. For instance, you could create a shoeshine kit, a bill-paying kit, a manicure kit, and so on. That way, you can easily find everything you need to
accomplish everyday tasks.

10. Stick to a schedule. Some spaces, like kitchen counters, need daily de-cluttering.
Others can be tackled weekly or monthly. When that time comes, be systematic. Take
all the items in a defined area (a cabinet, a desk drawer), and spread them out so you
can see what you're facing. If you're de-cluttering the drawer where you keep kitchen utensils, for example, spread them on the counter, and then sort into two piles: utensils you use regularly and those you don't use.

January is National Bath Safety Month
By Safety tips courtesy of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

Protect your child with these safety tips:
1. Never leave small children alone around any container of water. This includes
toilets, tubs, wading pools, spas, aquariums, and buckets.
2. Safeguard bathtubs and sinks used for bathing by using faucet covers and
nonskid mats or decals.
3. After running bath water, check the water temperature before placing the
child in the bath water.
4. Once your child is in the bath, don’t leave for any reason. Children can drown in just
a small amount of water. They can easily topple into the tub or toilet. It only takes a
few seconds for a drowning to happen.
5. To avoid falls and slipping under the water, always keep one hand firmly around the child when bathing him and keep the child sitting.

Insulate Your Water Heater Tank for Energy Savings

Unless your water heater's storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45%.
This will save you around 4%–9% in water heating costs. If you don't know your water heater tank's R-value, touch it. A tank that's warm to the touch needs additional insulation. Insulating your storage water heater tank is fairly simple and inexpensive, and it will pay for itself in about a year. You can find precut jackets or blankets available from around $10–$20. Choose one with an insulating value of at least R-8. Some utilities sell them at low prices, offer rebates, and even install them at a low or no cost.

Pet of the Month from Animal Rescue Volunteers

Angie is a 9 lb MinPin/Chi mix born in approx 2007. She was rescued from the shelter just before she was scheduled to be euthanized. She is very sweet and loving, mixed with a bit of silliness. She does well with other dogs and kids.

Pet Adoptions: Saturdays from noon to 4pm at PetSmart in Simi Valley, except holiday weekends.
Please email Animal Rescue Volunteers (staff@arvsimi.org) ahead to make sure a particular pet will be at adoptions. For a list of adoptable pets visit www.arvsimi.org

Dr. Oz’s Belly-Blasting New Year’s Soup

Get 2012 started right with this delicious soup. It’s loaded with fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer, and the chili powder has a component called capsaicin that revs up your metabolism. It’s the perfect way to get a jump start on getting healthy in the New Year!
Ingredients
Makes 4 1/2 cups
1 (14.5-oz) can of fire-roasted tomatoes
with medium chilies
1 (15-oz) can of chick peas
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

QUOTES

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
― Dr. Seuss

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
― George Bernard Shaw

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”
― John Greenleaf Whittier

Local Events
Robin’s 8 Week Fitness Challenge
Join Robin Karcich’s group* for the Simi Valley Family YMCA’s “Activate Simi Valley” healthy living program. The free 8-week program encourages participants to make healthy life changes, in part through weekly confidential weigh-ins. They will also receive nutrition and exercise materials and can attend talks from health professionals.
At the Kick Off event, you will enjoy a health fair with a variety of vendors from medical and health community that will include free screenings.
FREE screenings will be available at the Health Fair on January 12th, 4PM – 8PM

Scoliosis Screening
Strength & Postural Analysis
Bone Density Health Screenings
Carotid Artery Screening Derma Scan Test FREE
CLINIC
Blood Glucose Test
The program will officially begin January 12, with a kickoff event and the first weigh- in at the Simi YMCA, 3200 Cochran St.
*As an extra support system join Robin’s Group in this fitness challenge by selecting team “Troop Real Estate” to join Robin’s group. We will have schedule group walks and a group celebration at the end of the 8 week fitness challenge.
To register, go online to www.activatesimivalley.org and select team “Troop Real Estate” to join Robin’s group. Your information will be confidential and will NOT be shared with Troop Real Estate or Robin Karcich. Group totals will be reported but not individual information.
January “Activate Simi Valley” Schedule
Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Kick Off, Health Fair, First Weigh In YMCA
Friday, January 20, 2012 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 2nd Weigh In YMCA
Thursday, January 26, 2012 7:00 p.m. Health Talk YMCA
Friday, January 27, 2012 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 3rd Weigh In YMCA

What are a Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist and a Certified Distressed Property Expert?

As a Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist and a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I have taken it upon myself to make sure that you are aware of this new law and how it will benefit you. If we act now, we can halt the foreclosure process in its tracks.

Foreclosures are devastating for everyone involved. They destroy a homeowners credit by 250-300 points and bar them from even APPYLING for another loan for 5-7 years. The Banks are forced to take control of the home which drains their time and resources. The Government knew they had to act, and FINALLY did by initiating HAFA. HAFA allows the homeowner to sell their home for the current market value and walk away from the home debt free. The Bank will forgive the difference between the sale price and the loan amount, pay the Realtors fee and every other fee involved, and agree to never pursue the homeowner for any deficiency judgment ever. This whole process is FREE to the homeowner!

On top of all this, the Government is going to pay YOU up to $3000 for the successful Short Sale. They simply want EVERYONE to complete a short sale in lieu of a Foreclosure because it is better for everyone involved. Thank you HAFA!

A Short Sale is very easy to process for the seller, but you MUST use a Certified Specialist.

Robin Karcich
Certified Foreclosure Prevention Specialist
Certified Distressed Property expert
Troop Real Estate
DRE# 01394890
(805) 304-3634

January Quiz Question

How many hearts does an octopus have?

Everyone who emails robinsrealestate@sbcglobal.net or calls Robin (805) 304-3634 in the correct answer by the last day of this month will be entered into a drawing for a gift card.

Wow! 30 year fixed 3.99%!
Interest rates have hit a low again.
No points, No fees, and No closing costs
30 year fixed, below $417,000 loan amounts at 3.99%*

Great time to purchase or refinance! Lower your current interest rate and payment!

Call Faye Miran (805) 795 -6776 for more details.
CFC Mortgage Bankers , 3200 Los Angeles Ave #23, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Email: FayeMiran@yahoo.com www.trustedmortgageloans.com