It Sounds Like a Jungle

No, you're not imagining it.  You really are hearing a flock of tropical birds here in East Long Beach.  That loud squawking is the sound of the feral parrots of Long Beach, most of which are the South American Mitred Parakeet, also known as the Mitred Conure. 

They've been seen in the East Long Beach neighborhoods, most notably Belmont Shore, since the 1980's and their population is estimated to be between 200 and 500 in the flock.  Some days I think they are all in our peppertree, given the noise and the mess they make.

They eat a little bit of everything, from persimmons to eucalyptus flowers, the bright red berries of the peppertrees to seeds.  And they leave a mess, so I suggest not standing under the tree they're in, and definitely don't park under it!  Below are the pepper berries left in our drive way after a 5 minute visit from our local flock this morning.

 

Although usually heard in the early morning or near dusk, they can also be heard midday, even when flying high above the neighborhoods.  Their friendly calls carry long distances and they announce their arrival when they find a tree that looks like a lunch buffet to them, then squawk their goodbyes as they all leave the tree at the same time.

 

A good place to spot the flock is in the tall palm trees at Ocean Blvd and Livingston Street.



If you want to know more about the parrots, there is a study called The California Parrot Project.  If you happen to see the parrots, they want to know and you can report the siting at their website:  http://californiaparrotproject.org/ 

Parrots in our peppertree, East Long Beach, January 24, 2014

Matriculating in Long Beach - World Class?

My mother graduated from Long Beach's Wilson High School and my father has a night school degree from Long Beach Polytechnic High, so I have a little history with Long Beach schools, although I never attended any.  My nephew attended Minnie Gant Elementary School, Stanford Middle School and was graduated from Wilson High, now attending the big Stanford in Palo Alto.  And his mother is a teacher at Marshall Middle School.  Those are my personal credentials on the topic of education in Long Beach, now let's get to the facts.

An international study recently put the Long Beach Unified School District among five of the world's highest performing school systems.  The article can be read in full here Study ranks LBUSD among Top 5 in World

One of the key factors is the pathways programming that ties learning to future professions.  The newly opened McBride High School has educational tracts that focus on forensics, health-medical and engineering.  There are no school boundaries for these pathway schools, allowing opportunities for children from all over the district to attend the schools that best fit them.

Every year 8th graders visit with representatives of the 9 high schools in the district at High School Information Day.  They find out what each high school emphasizes in their curriculum and then apply for the school of their choice.  Although not everyone can be assigned to the school of their choice, much effort is put into matching as many as possible.  Some of the high schools even offer "shadow days" when the 8th grader may spend up to 2 days shadowing a high school student to get a feel for the campus and pathway.

Every school in California is required, by law, to publish an "accountability report" by February of each year.  This allows parents and other interested parties to check class size, ethnic diversity, teacher credentials and much more.  The LBUSD site has all of the reports posted, for each school.

Greatschools.com gives Long Beach a city rating of 6 out of 10 for the schools, although 4 of the elementary schools are ranked a 10, 4 of the middle schools are ranked 8 or higher, with two high schools currently ranked at 7.  The new McBride High School opened its doors just last fall and is too new for any rankings.

The 2007 movie "Freedom Writers" was based on the book by former Wilson Classical High School teacher Erin Gruwell, who wrote it about her time as an English teacher at Wilson.  In late 2014 Hill Classical Middle School will begin a transformation into a pathways driven high school modeled after the California Academy of Mathematics and Science, one of the state's top-performing high schools.

There is also the Long Beach College Promise:  A combined effort of LBUSD, Long Beach City College and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) to improve access to college through tuition-free semesters, guaranteed admittance to qualified students and access to college prep and guidance as early as elementary school. 

To complement the classroom work, most sports are represented throughout the LBUSD.  There is a strong sports tradition in Long Beach, with the high schools holding CIF Championships in several sports over the years.  Olympians have also come from the Long Beach schools, competing for the USA in water polo, baseball, track, swimming, volleyball, triathlon, rowing.

Long Beach is a great place to raise your family, with active and challenging schools, diversity and athletic opportunities.  Which Long Beach school would you like your children to attend?

First Time Buyers? Yes!

There are few things more satisfying in my job than helping a first time buyer find their home and close a successful escrow.   The excitement after all the trepidation, the happiness after all the worry.  It's a wonderful thing to hand them their keys and to let them know I'll still be available to them for referrals to services, recommendations for local restaurants, and help with local information long after the sale is closed.

First time buyers probably take the most work as there is an education that needs to happen first and that is one of the parts I enjoy most.  To teach them the process and guide them through the steps of finding their first home.  I get to help them understand what they are doing, why they are doing it and what will work.  I know I've done my job if I've educated them to the point that when they walk across a threshold of a house, they'll know if they like it and if it's a good buy before they even see the entire house.

Finding the right house isn't a process of selection, but one of elimination:  what price ranges do we exclude, what neighborhoods do we exclude, what house styles do we exclude, etc.  I had someone ask me at a recent open house, "Are there other homes for sale in Long Beach?"  I didn't laugh but did reply with "There are hundreds."  There are, at this moment, 358 single family homes in Long Beach for sale.  That's not including the condos and townhomes.  Not a chance I would show my buyers every house.  What can they afford?  Where do they want to live?  Let's start eliminating.

Some of the more important questions in the elimination, after the basics, include asking what they like to do, how do they use their kitchen, what rooms are important to the family?  I ask them to describe their perfect house:  what does it feel like, what does the street look like in their perfect neighborhood?  I ask them to walk me through the house they're imagining, walk me outside and describe what you see.  It's not just real estate, it's about living their life.

One of the first steps in the process is getting the buyers actually financially qualified to buy a home, to get a loan approval.  We can't eliminate houses before we know what they can afford!  I work with fantastic lenders that also appreciate that first time buyer, who love to educate them and make sure they make the right financial steps for their future where the home mortgage loan is concerned.  The team at CLS Financial, led by Tony and Wendee Close, have a customer service ethic second to none.  They take as much time as the buyer needs and they work on all solutions for them.  I know when CLS Financial completes the approval process that I have a strong buyer, whose offers will stand out.  I refer any of my clients who don't have their own financing already lined up to CLS Financial.  Not only do they do a fantastic job, it's also part of my mission to support small, local business.

First time buyers are typically looking for their starter homes at a lower price point.  Not always, of course, but typically.  In Long Beach there are excellent starter neighborhoods like Wrigley, with charming homes built in the 1920's on wide streets.  These homes start in the $300,000's.  Moving into the $400,000's, there are homes in Artcraft Manor, built in the 1940's with curving streets and close to Stearns Park.  As you look at homes in the $500,00's more neighborhoods like Rancho, Stratford Square, South of Conant and Lakewood Plaza are available.  Heavily tree lined streets can be found in Los Altos as the price point increases. 

And we haven't even started on a fixer-upper versus a turnkey.  I'll save that for another entry.

If you are a first time buyer, or know someone who is, please give me a call (562.673.5335) or send me an email (katielarson@kw.com) and put me to work for you.  I'll be your patient guide, with you every step of the way, and we'll find that house that's been waiting for you to call it "home".

Long Beach Elections 2014: District 3

This is election year for Long Beach, including the post of Mayor and key councilmember seats.

In addition to the 9 candidates for Mayor, there are 3 candidates for City Attorney, 2 for City Prosecutor, 5 candidates for District 1, 4 for District 5, 5 for District 7 and 2 for District 9.

Also up for election this year is District 3, which includes CSULB, Belmont Shore, Belmont Heights, Alamitos Heights, the Peninsula, Bluff Park, Park Estates, Bixby Hill, La Marina Estates, Broadway Business District, University Park Estates, and other beautiful areas. 

District 3 map

The District has been well taken care of by Councilmember Gary DeLong, but he has termed out, so we will be voting on our next representative on April 8, 2014, with the elected candidates to take office on July 15th.  There are 7 declared candidates for District 3: Steven Bello, Lionel Gatley, Martha Gibson, Jim Lewis, Susan Price, Jack Rosenberg and Bill Ruzgis.

The La Marina Estates neighborhood will be hosting a Candidate Forum for District 3, moderated by Gazette editor Harry Saltzgaver, on Wednesday, January 29th, at Hill Classical Middle School, located at 1100 Iroquois Avenue in Long Beach.  The forum will be from 7-9p and will include introductory remarks from each candidate, as well as their plans to move the City forward.

If you live in District 3 or are interested in what goes on there, please join us that evening to meet the candidates and decide whom you would like to see represent you on City Council.  If you live in one of the other Districts, you can stay informed on local election activities through your District's website, available on www.longbeach.gov.

And, of course, if you're looking to move into one of the Districts, I can help! 

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Historic Districts of Long Beach

If you are on a street in Long Beach, look up and check out the street sign.  What color is it?

A blue sign is what you usually see.

A white sign?

That's means you are in one of Long Beach's historic districts. These are neighborhoods that have been recognized as having special architectural and/or historic value for the City of Long Beach.  It is the City Council that designates the historic status for neighborhoods, buildings, places, objects or landmarks. 

The historic districts are houses that would not be significant on their own, but as a group they preserve the visual quality and ambiance of the past.  Typically the older homes are unaltered and intact.  Any changes to the exterior of the homes must go through the City's planning department and meet strict guidelines to keep the architectural compatibility of the area.  At least two-thirds of homes in an area must meet the standards of the historic district to be designated as such.

Homes in historic districts tend to hold their value and are a great investment.  Often the neighbors are close, working to maintain the ambiance and feel through Community Watch groups, tree plantings, seasonal block parties.  Many of the areas have smaller homes, so they are great starter homes for buyers where keeping the value will help as their families grow and they need to step up to a larger home.

There are currently 17 historic districts in Long Beach.  Some of the better known ones are Rose Park, Bluff Heights, California Heights, Wrigley Area, Belmont Heights, Carroll Park.

Here is a link, from the City's website, to a map of the historic districts of Long Beach.
Long Beach Historic Districts

Explore the city and check out the historic districts.  And if you want to move into one, let me know.

California Heights Historic District







Willmore City Historic District

 

Rose Park Historic District

Holiday Traditions - Food!

While getting ready for an annual Christmas party at our home, I was making recipes that were my grandmother's traditions and a couple that friends had handed down.  Making the rounds to the usual area stores (Costco, Trader Joe's, Albertsons) I wondered how many others were shopping for their traditional recipe ingredients, too.  How many Long Beach holiday traditions were in the provisioning stages?  I checked baskets and decided quite a few!

At Thanksgiving and Christmas I always make my Grandma Audrey's cranberry nut bread.  It's a family expectation and one I follow to the letter, using the recipe card my grandmother lovingly wrote out for me.  Although she passed in 2000, I still miss her and making the bread makes me feel close to her.  This year I made her "delicious cake", which calls for a whole can of fruit cocktail, with syrup!  When is the last time anyone bought fruit cocktail?  Luckily, it's still made, and her cake was a hit.  I remember my grandmother making that cake for her potlucks at St. Mary's Hospital so many decades ago.  It might just be a Long Beach tradition on its own.

A new tradition for us, from a friend's recipe, is the inclusion of Eggnog Martinis at the party.  One part eggnog, one part vodka, a little less than 1 part Amaretto:  shake over ice and pour into a martini glass, then top with nutmeg or cinnamon.  In a word?  Yum.  Tradition now.

What traditional things do you make?  What kind of kitchen do you need to make them in?  Do you have that kitchen now or are you looking for it?  I can help you with the search for that special kitchen in a new home.  I might share Grandma Audrey's cranberry nut bread and delicious cake recipes with you, too.  Maybe you already know what the first thing is you would make in that new kitchen to claim it as "yours".

I would love to hear about your holiday traditions.  How about a great latke recipe or the perfect Christmas candy?  Happy 9 days before Christmas!

Naples, Long Beach

Back in 1903, about the time Abbot Kinney was creating the canals up the coast in Venice, CA, the firm of Mayberry and Parker developed Naples in Long Beach.  It is one of my favorite areas in Long Beach, embracing the waterfront location and the easy lifestyle.

Made up of three islands in Alamitos Bay, Naples has many waterfront homes on the canals and the bay.  It's a popular spot this time of year as people walk the Rivo Alto, kayak, hydro-bike or cruise on Duffy boats through the canals to look at the holiday lights.  My husband and I walk the canals as one of our annual Christmas traditions.  From time to time we see friends who live there and stop for a chat and a glass of something.  You might find us out on the evening of the 17th this month, enjoying the light show.

The Gondola Getaway has been offering tours through Naples since 1982.  They have small gondolas for romantic twosomes and larger boats that can accommodate a brunch or pizza party.  Kayak rentals and Stand Up Paddleboards are also great ways to see the islands and beautiful homes.  Duffy boats can be rented from Pelican Joe's and McKenna's.  Watch for the tide levels as the Duffy Boats are only allowed through the canals when the tides are lower.  Any time of day or year is a wonderful time to explore this area.

There are also various swims around the island from the recently introduced Naples Island Swims to local high school water polo and swim teams doing it for training.  Occasionally you will also see seals in the canals.  If you look closely you will find Captain Morgan and Bob's Big Boy, too.

Speaking of food, if you're hungry, there are excellent restaurants on Naples:  Michaels on Naples, Naples Rib Company, Nico's Restaurant, Fora Restaurant, Russo's Neighborhood Ristorante, Naples Sushi, Michael's Pizza, Kelly's and more.  Naples Locker specializes in clothing for that nautical lifestyle, as well as related gifts.  Most of the Naples establishments are locally owned and participate in the community through donations to local charities.

Currently, 7 of the 10 most expensive homes for sale in Long Beach are in Naples.  They include beautiful views, boat docks and true luxury living.  Features of these homes include elevators, floor to ceiling windows, incredible gourmet kitchens and huge walk-in closets.  You can also find a home in Naples for under $1 million if you don't mind not having a water view.  You're never more than a block or two from the water.

This year the 67th Annual Naples Island Boat Parade, themed "Vintage Christmas" will be held Saturday, December 21th at 6:00 p.m. Streets close at 5:00 p.m., so get there early and dress warmly.

And, if you'd like to buy or sell a home in Naples or the surrounding areas, I'd be happy to help.  I'm never too busy for your referrals.

Cruising Naples canals in a Duffy boat with neighbors, December 2012