El Dorado Park West Neighborhood Association

APRIL 2000 NEWSLETTER

Apr 18, 2000

El Dorado Realty, Inc.
NEIGHBORHOOD VOICE
Vol. VIII, Issue IV Prepared by Ron Beeler April 2000

HAPPY SPRINGTIME Isn?’t it great to finally see the rainy weather go away? My Golly, we made it through another season without seeing our homes decimated by flood, SURPRISE, SURPRISE. Next year, hopefully, we will be released from the need for Flood Insurance!

I had a few people ask me questions about some of the properties that have sold recently. One typical question was from a potential Buyer wanting to know how they had missed the chance to see, and perhaps make an offer on, a home that as soon as the For Sale sign went up, had a Sold sign on it. In explanation I told them that in this market, when the inventory is low, most of the top agents have Buyers waiting for the right home and that as soon as we hear of a desire to sell, these waiting Buyers are given first shot. With the Multiple Listing Service and Internet accessibility we agents are able to constantly be searching for properties fitting our clients desires and given notification of properties meeting client desires we can take action. This is become extremely important in a fast moving market like we are experiencing. The Buyers in this market must be pre-qualified, or better yet pre-approved, for their real estate loan. I recommend my Buyers see the professional people I have had experience with, Dan Wood, of Business West Mortgage and Jan Britt-Preslo, Countrywide, are two of the best in the business.

In a slightly different situation, I had been looking for a ?“Fixer?” property for a client, when I found an Estate property I was able to present the administrator of the Estate with a firm offer, saving them the time and expense of fixing up the property and marketing it. When my sign went up it had a Sold rider attached.

I hope you will think of me if you decide to move. I love to search for homes, especially in the Long Beach, Lakewood, West Orange County neighborhoods. I can represent you in the purchase of either ?“New?” or ?“Resale?” homes.

Interest rates, unlike gas prices, seem to be fairly stable at the 8.0% level for Fixed Rate, Conventional Loans. Lower rates are available through the use of Discount Points to buy down the rate. I leave to the Mortgage Broker the explanation of potential benefits of buying down the rate, which is strictly based on your individual circumstances.


FREE PROPERTY EVALUATION
NO STRINGS ATTACHED!
 Current comparable sales
 Evaluation compares the features of your home to recent homes sold.
 Realistic Market Value
 Realistic Sales Cost Analysis
Ron Beeler
429-0686

Last months Neighborhood Association meeting was well attended and we were able to hear from three of the candidates for State Office prior to the election. We also received a very interesting presentation from the Executive Director of the Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation on their plans for restoring the grounds of the Bixby donated Rancho. By the time this newsletter reaches you I will have made good on one of my goals, that being to see our other Rancho, Los Cerritos.

The value of our Association was evidenced this last month with a letter I received from Jackie Kells?’ office. In the letter she advised me that we will soon be seeing the installation of all-way Stop Signs at the corner of Mezzanine Way and Stevely Ave. At our November meeting concerns were expressed about the safety at this intersection which only had Stop Signs on Stevely Ave. leading to a potential for an accident with a non-stopping vehicle coming from Mezzanine and turning on to Stevely. Councilwoman Kell requested a Traffic Study of the intersection following our meeting. While the Study showed no reported collisions during the past five year period, field operation indicated that traffic operations could be enhanced by the installation of all-way stop controls. At the City Council meeting, Feb.. 22, the City Council approved the installation of the stop control. It is anticipated that the installation will be complete by April 30.

On behalf of our Neighborhood Association I once again want to Thank You Jackie Kell for the improvements we are seeing throughout our neighborhood.

While I am at it I want to also Thank Keller School for hosting our bi-monthly meetings in their Auditorium, and especially our Thanks to Tom Pike of the Staff for helping with set up, lighting and lock-up after we leave.

FROM OUR COUNCILWOMAN

?“Clean Sweep has changed! Now instead of your current annual Clean Sweep day, the City of Long Beach is offering two free special collections of bulky items during each calendar year. This is your opportunity for free disposal of items that won?’t fit in your trash container.

Special Collections include:
 Furniture
 Appliances (for safety, refrigerators and freezers must have doors removed)
 Tree branches
 Yard debris and other odd items

Special collections are available to any property receiving City residential refuse service. Please note that construction and demolition debris is not eligible for Special Collection.

To schedule either of your two free calendar year Special Collections, call Refuse Collection at (562) 570-2876.

Preparing Items for Special Collection?”

1) The maximum size of an item or group of items is 72?” x 48?”; corresponding weight is 40 pounds.

2) The minimum size of an item is 12?” x 12?” x 12?”, unless bundled at 40 pounds maximum weight, or bagged at 25 pounds maximum weight. To ensure safe handling of items by City Crews, please do not place sharp objects such as branches, sticks, broken glass, etc. in plastic bags. All bags must be securely tied.

4) If you have items (such as sofas, refrigerators, tree stumps, etc.) that exceed the maximum size and weight guidelines, advance notice must be given to allow scheduling of Special Collection crews.?”

City Councilwoman, 5th District
Jackie Kell

In case you did not see the article in the Press Telegram recently, I see we are now encouraged to recycle all our paper products. Now we can recycle all our junk mail and mixed paper by placing it in your purple bin or in a brown paper bag next to the bin.

Mixed paper includes:

 Junk Mail
 White Paper
 Computer Paper
 Magazines
 Catalogs
 Telephone Books
 Cereal Boxes
 Detergent Boxes
 Tissue Boxes
 Milk Cartons
 Juice Boxes & Cartons

Do not include soiled paper products such as disposable diapers, tissue paper, pizza boxes, paper napkins or paper towels.

The City of Cerritos has a great program, that I wish Long Beach would consider emulating. Cerritos is actively supporting the development of Senior Housing in the form of Town homes & Condominiums, throughout their city. I have been on their mailing list for some time and find their developments very impressive. Emerald Villas, by the Lee Group, comprised of 75 units was recently completed and new owners are moving in now. The next Development, Pioneer Villas, is breaking ground now and will provide 98 units to be sold to seniors, 62 and older with very low to moderate incomes. The site for this Development is on a 4.4-acre site on the east side of Pioneer Boulevard, a block north of Del Amo. If you are interested you can get an application packet from the Pioneer Villas Project Office, 20106 Pioneer Blvd. Suite F. The packet includes:

 Qualification details, with age, residency and income requirements (first priority goes to Cerritos residents).

 A worksheet to calculate your income and assets.

 A selection priority sheet for outlining priority status for al potential buyers.

 Site and floor plans with a tentative range of sales prices. (Expected range $56,500 for one-bedroom and $129,900 for two-bedrooms).

 A double-sided loan application from Countrywide Home Loans for potential buyers.

If you have questions or need clarification on the packet, please call the Pioneer Villas Project Office at (562) 809-9557.

Again, I really wish Long beach would look into the possibility of cleaning up some of our blighted neighborhoods with Developments of this nature. I love Long Beach and would rather not have to move to another area when the time comes to scale back and let some one else take care of the maintenance on my home and grounds.

I received a nice letter from Cubberley School thanking me for speaking at their Career Day, it was my pleasure and I appreciate their invitation. I wish I had been able to speak to the students at DeMille on their Career Day, but I was just too busy to get away. Cubberley also passed along this note about a recent activity at the school.

?“Clark Robbins Brewster of Boy Scout Troop 120 did his Eagle Scout Service project at Cubberley School on Saturday March 18th. Clark is 12 years old and a 7th grader at Cubberley School. His project was repainting the two maps of the United States on the playground at the school. Clark sent letters out to several businesses to get the materials, supplies and food donated for the project. He also organized his friends and fellow scouts into work crews to accomplish the task.?”

CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT!

I continue to receive solicitation letters from the Ice Dogs, I am not into the sport but I?’m sure we have fans in the neighborhood. I plan to invite one of their representatives to our next meeting and if they have a following in the neighborhood I would hope that you would plan to attend.

They offer all sorts of incentive packages to groups to promote their games. Unfortunately we missed a March 31st Neighborhood Organizations Night due to the timing of this newsletter, but maybe they will have something similar later in the season.