Celebration of the Holiday Season in Temecula

‘Tis the season to be jolly. What makes the holidays so special in Temecula? Many things. First and foremost, while Temecula is a bustling city, we have an incredible sense of community that gives the feeling of a comfortable small town.

Everyone loves a lighted tree, and boy does Temecula have one for us. Our Community Christmas tree and tree lighting ceremony memorializes the occasion. December 1st is our 14th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at 7 PM at the Temecula Duck Pond. Watch the lighting of our live Christmas tree, delight in singing some Christmas carols, visit with Santa, and enjoy refreshments. There’s something special about this evening when the lights on the tree are lit and the carols are sung. It brings you back to the days of wonderment and simpler times. It’s perfect beginning to the season.

Of course, the main Man of the season is Good Old Santa Claus. Santa arrives in style in our town and is celebrated and honored with an electric light parade that travels through the twinkling holiday lights of our historic Old Town. Close down the streets and make way for Jolly St. Nick……’cause he is coming! Our annual event is December 2nd at 7 PM and is a big highlight for our community as each parade entry is decorated and bedazzled with sparkling lights! A great sight to see for the young and old to enjoy.

The wonder and delight of the holidays is so much fun to see through the eyes of a child. One of Old Town Temecula’s best features for children is Pennypickle’s Workshop, our fabulous children’s museum. What better way to celebrate the season than to play in real snow, eat s’mores, and ride on an Old Town holiday train along with a visit with Santa. No child should miss out on this event December 16th at 5 PM.

Growing up on the East Coast, one my winter delights was to get out the skates and go ice skating on one of our frozen ponds. I can remember getting all bundled up, lacing up the skates, getting on the ice to skate, and feeling my fingers and feet start to freeze shortly thereafter. I couldn’t wait to get off the ice and defrost. Well here in warm and sunny southern California, we have the best possible scenario — skating on an ice rink in the center of our beautiful Town Square in Old Town Temecula. Opening on December 16th, our skating rink is the perfect opportunity to test out your abilities (or inabilities) on ice skates while enjoying the beautiful southern California weather.

Bringing it indoors for some classic entertainment, Temecula residents will be enjoying the stage version of A Christmas Carol. This Charles Dickens classic gets the “Broadway” treatment and will appear in our state-of-the-art Old Town Temecula Community Theater located in Old Town. A true classic.

We will be very busy here in Temecula attending all of these wonderful events, but the one thing special about Temecula is our great sense of concern and support of our community. Our residents do an amazing job at helping and donating to many causes and charities. Whether it’s Toys for Tots or our Community Pantry, Boys and Girls Club, non-profit groups and various concerns, you can always count on a wealth of support and participation from the community to meet the needs of everyone in our City.

Now for the big finale. New Year’s Eve, of course. This momentous evening at Town Square is the perfect event that ends a year and begins a new year all in one night! New Year’s Eve in Temecula is celebrated with the tradition of the Grape Drop Countdown! Live music, dancing, family entertainment, and the best part is if you can’t hang in there until midnight, you can celebrate the East Coast New Year at 9 PM and call it a night, or if you’ve got the willpower, party on until the West Coast New Year celebration at midnight. What a way to end 2011 and start 2012…..Temecula style!

How You See Your Home May Not Be How A Buyer Sees It

Hello from the Temecula and Murrieta Valley in Southern California.   Selling a home can be a difficult, frustrating, and tenuous time.    The one thing to carefully consider is….

HOW YOU SEE YOUR HOME MAY NOT BE HOW A BUYER SEES IT

“Home is where the heart is”.   How true is that?   Our home is our haven.   A dwelling that conjures up so much emotion and holds so many treasured memories.   We love our home, but in today’s real estate market, homes are taking much longer to sell.   Today buyers have a lot of choices and they don’t feel rushed to make a decision.   With so much competition, you only have one chance to make a good impression.

So Mr. and Mrs. Seller, please understand that a buyer is not emotionally attached to your home.   They think of your home as a product.   They will view it, compare it against other homes similarly priced, and either keep it on their list, or discard it.    Your goal is to stay on the list.

Think about this.   While you may love the bright red dining room paint, your cherished collectibles, or that rustic western theme you’ve got going on; honestly, your style and your things may be hindering you from selling your home.   Buyers are easily distracted and will be turned off by what they don’t like.   Buyers want to envision themselves living in the home.   So when a seller has too much furniture, too much clutter, too much bold paint color, or a home that is too “unique”,  buyers have a hard time ignoring what they dislike.

Your goal and focus should be to make your home as neutral as possible to appeal to the greater masses.    Let buyers see the features and benefits of your home and not your “stuff”.     Presenting your home in the best possible way is crucial to getting buyers to consider it.

With 40 years of experience in the Temecula and Murrieta real estate market, Rancon Real Estate has shared with their clients key tips that will enhance their homes and make them attractive to buyers.    We suggest these helpful tips to give your home the best advantage in this highly competitive market.

1)       REMOVE CLUTTER – Be objective and be real.   After living in a home for years, clutter may not be obvious to you.  Take a good look around.   Open space and clean counters are your goal.    Too much furniture will make your home smaller; too much clutter makes it look messy.

2)      MAKE IT SPARKLING CLEAN

1. Wash windows inside and out
2. Clean the outside of your house – remove cobwebs, leaves, sweep sidewalks
3. Clear off all countertops
4. Clean appliances until they sparkle; take everything off the refrigerator
5. Touch up an scuff marks or dings in paint; paint dirty walls
6. Clean the carpets – remove all stains
7. Bleach any discolored grout
8. Scrub the bathrooms
9. Remove any odors – Make your house smell good!

3)      CREATE SOME CURB APPEAL

1. Remove weeds, mow the lawn
2. Plant pretty new flowers and freshen the landscaping
3. Trim the shrubs and bushes
4. Fix, repair, or paint any gutters, trim, shutters, etc.

4)      REPAIR WHAT DOESN’T WORK OR LOOKS BAD

1. Patch holes in walls, dings, or nail holes
2. Fix the plumbing – leaky faucets or toilets
3. Oil squeaky doors
4. Fix electric outlets and light switches
5. Turn on the lights – the more light the better; replace any light bulbs
6. Fix broken screens

5)      FINISHING TOUCHES   Don’t be afraid to spruce up  – add a floral bouquet to your dining table,  a new bedspread, or add a few throw pillows with color and pizzazz to the couch.   These little touches will make your home appealing.

Understand that every time your home is being viewed by a prospective buyer, it‘s “show time”.     Why do you think model homes are so appealing?   They are clean, uncluttered, and you can envision yourself living there.

Dressing your home for success is a sure way to impress those buyers and stand out from  your competition. …making you go from selling to SOLD!

Rancon Real Estate is a successful real estate company in southwest Riverside County.  We have  earned the respect of being a quality organization with more sales of real estate than any other company in our marketplace over the past 40 years .   KNOWLEDGE.EXPERIENCE.RESULTS.

RANCON

KNOWLEDGE.EXPERIENCE.RESULTS