Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Un-Subscribed List...

Ever wondered why people randomly decide to un-subscribe to your emails?

Here's why people un-subscribe from permission e mails;

54%: Emails came too frequently

49%: Content become too repetitive

47%: Received too many emails and needed to get off some companies lists

25%: Content wasn't relevant

22%: Signed up for a one time offer

13%: Circumstances changed (i.e., moved, got married, changed job etc.)

8%: Another company provided better information

6%: They could get the information from another source (e.g., blogs, Facebook, etc)


And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Caruso's SAN JUAN CAPO Closed Sales Report ~ April

Is the market is improving or at least stabilizing!? We provide the latest market updates regularly, as well as personal consultation of market direction...

The San Juan Capistrano Closed Sales Report for APRIL:

The SJC Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the 0-$500,000 Range:

2011 22 listings closed escrow
2010 18 listings closed escrow

The SJC Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $500,000-$1,000,000 Range:

2011 39 listings closed escrow

2010 36 listings closed escrow

The SJC Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $1,000,000+ Range:

2011 6 listings closed escrow

2010 10 listings closed escrow

*Does a sales report tell the whole story about market environment, consumer sentiment and the value of your home? Is it time to sell? Is it time to add a property to your investment portfolio? Is the market changing, and in which direction?


And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Leading the Way!

The Michael Caruso Real Estate Group likes to recognize people and businesses throughout Orange County who go over and beyond the expected. St. Joseph Hospital is leading the way, where anything is possible. They have a long history of bringing leading-edge care to Orange County first.

Here are a few examples:

Heart:

•1963: First pacemaker procedure on the West Coast and open heart surgery in Orange County
•2004:First robotically assisted heart procedure in Orange County
•2010:First 'Melody' valve replacement for cogenital heart disease in Orange County
Cancer:

•1968: First cancer program of its kind accredited by American College of Surgeon
•1986: Orange County's first comprehensive outpatient cancer care facility
•2009:First hospital in Orange County and one of the first on the West Coast to perform intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), an advanced cancer-fighting technique
•2011: Named a Top Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for clinical excellence in Cancer
Orthopedics:

•1970: First hip replacement in Orange County
•1973: First knee replacement in Orange County
•2007-2010: Only hospital in Orange County ranked as an "America's Best Hospital" for orthopedic by U.S. News & World Report
•2011: Named a Top Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report for clinical excellence in Orthopedics




And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Money Bags...

THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE WILL SEE AND LIVE THIS EVENT!

I received a very interesting email this morning I wanted to share with everyone. I suggest after reading you copy and paste to forward along to your address book.

This year, July has:

5 Fridays

5 Saturdays

&

5 Sundays

This happens once every 823 years.

This is called money bags.

So, forward this to
your friends and money will arrive within 4 days. Based on Chinese
Feng Shui. The one who does not forward.....will be without money.



More interesting facts:

This year we're going to experience four unusual dates.

1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...

Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born - now add
the age you will be this year,

The results will be 111 for everyone in whole world. This is the year of
the Money!!!

This year October will have 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays.

This happens every 823 years.... These particular years are known as
" Money Bags"

The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends money will
appear in next four days as it is explained in Chinese FENG SHUI.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Caruso's LAGUNA BEACH Closed Sales Report ~ April

Is the market is improving or at least stabilizing!? We provide the latest market updates regularly, as well as personal consultation of market direction...

The Laguna Beach Closed Sales Report for APRIL:

The Laguna Beach Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the 0-$500,000 Range:

2011 1 listings closed escrow
2010 1 listings closed escrow

The Laguna Beach Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $500,000-$1,000,000 Range:

2011 15 listings closed escrow

2010 8 listings closed escrow

The Laguna Beach Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $1,000,000+ Range:

2011 1 listings closed escrow
2010 23 listings closed escrow

*Does a sales report tell the whole story about market environment, consumer sentiment and the value of your home? Is it time to sell? Is it time to add a property to your investment portfolio? Is the market changing, and in which direction?



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Friday, May 20, 2011

Caruso's OC Happenings ~ South, Central & North County



NORTH COUNTY

ANAHEIM

This weekend, May 20-22, 2011 is the annual Greek Festival (405 N. Dale St.).Come experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Greece at the 2011 OC Greek Fest: St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church's 50th Annual Greek Food Festival celebrating the food, music, and culture of Greece! Authentic Greek foods and homemade Greek pastries; traditional Greek dancing and Greek music (live music by Fotia); an outdoor marketplace and expansive 'Zorba's Kidz Zone' with carnival rides & games and other activities for the children-plus more!-are all ready for your visit to Greece right here in Anaheim. For more information you can call (714) 827-0182

BREA

Nothing to report

BUENA PARK

Nothing to report

CYPRESS
Coming up this summer Saturday, July 23 from 9:00a to 5:00p is the annual Cypress Community Festival at Oak Knoll Park. This is a FREE event. Bring the entire family to the Cypress Community Festival featuring DJ Shawn Parr & Go Country 105FM. Enjoy the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast (7-11am), Chili Cookoff, Car Show, Family Games, Food Booths, Business Expo, Children's Rides, Arts, Crafts & Continuous Entertainment. The 5K/10K Run/Walk starts at 7:30 am. This is the largest 1 day festival in Orange Co. drawing about 30,000 visitors. The event is sponsored by local businesses including: Toyota Grand Prix, Go Country 105 FM, ‘TheHomeMag' of Orange County, The Cypress Event News & the News Enterprise.F or more info visit: http://www.cypressfestival.com or email: info@cypressfestival.com. The Cypress Community Festival is the signature event for the city of Cypress, CA and is held each year of the 4th Saturday of July at Oak Knoll Park. Businesses and individuals are invited to become sponsors and/or arrange for vendor booth spaces.

FULLERTON

Coming up Sunday, June 5, 2011 is the annual5K VisionWalk (Cal State Fullerton Titan Sports Complex Field, State College Boulevard). VisionWalk is the national signature fundraising event of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Since its inception in the spring of 2006, the program has raised over $15 million to fund sight-saving research. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the walk starts at 9:00 a.m.

GARDEN GROVE

Next weekend, May 27-30, 2011 is the annual Strawberry Festival (Euclid St & Main St). This festival is a parade and carnival celebrating the city's strawberry-growing history! For more information you can call 714-638-0981.

LA HABRA

Coming up Friday, June 10 starting at 5:00p at Sonora High School is the annual La Habra Valley Community Fair. The 2011 La Habra Valley Community Fair is fun for the whole family. This event will feature car show (Saturday only), livestock shows, dog shows and agility trails, fair food, activities for kids, a petting zoo and much, much more. Admission is only $1.00 and all proceeds go to helping students in the surrounding FFA programs.

LA PALMA

Nothing to report

PLACENTIA

Nothing to report

STANTON

Nothing to report


WESTMINSTER

Coming up at the end of summer Saturday, Aug 20 2:00p at The Rose Center Theater is the Ms. Senior California Pageant! Eighteen Ms. Senior California preliminary finalists from San Francisco to San Diego will compete for the title of Ms. Senior California 2011.


YORBA LINDA

Coming up Sunday June 5, 2011 will be Celebration of the Arts (located at 3 locations - Yorba Linda Community Center, Thomas Lasorda Jr. Memorial Field House, & Hurless Barton Park). This is a very unique fine arts & music festival featuring nearly 100 exhibitors, including almost every type of visual and performing art that you can imagine. What makes it unique is that it very family friendly, offering free activities for all ages, sharing the creativity & talent of our community. This event is NOT a carnival, craft fair, "beerfest", or fundraiser, but truly a day where talent & creativity is shared and inspired! For more information you can call 714-996-1960.



CENTRAL COUNTY
COSTA MESA

Coming up June 4-5 is the annual Lions Club Fish Fry (Lions Park). This event has been held since 1945, and features a parade, carnival, food and rides in Lions Park. The event also includes fish fry, raffle, baby contest carnival and rides.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Nothing to report


HUNTINGTON BEACH

Coming up June 4-5, 2011 is the Huntington Beach Concours; Classic Car & Motorcycle Show - Two Days of Fun from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Huntington Beach Concours is a fun event where car lovers and enthusiasts can come to enjoy themselves, while knowing that they are also helping a worthy cause, The Huntington Beach Library Children's Resource Center. It is rated # 1 in California, please help us keep it that why by attending this year's event. The event will take place at the Huntington Beach Central Park (7111 Talbert Ave.).

IRVINE

Coming up Saturday & Sunday, June 18- 19 2011 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm is the Annual Irish Fair and Music Festival (Irvine Meadows Fairgrounds,8800 Irvine Center Drive). The Great American Irish Fair and Music Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the Western United States. The Fair highlights 16 entertainment areas featuring the very best in the music, song, dance and sport of the Irish, along with over 100 Irish, Scottish and English import shops and arts and crafts vendors along with sheepherding shows, Irish horse shows, Irish dog shows and one of the largest Irish Step Dancing competitions in California.

LOS ALAMITOS

Coming up Saturday, July 16 starting at 9:00am at Los Alamitos High School is the 7th Annual Relay for Life! Join the fight against cancer. Because cancer never sleeps, teams of friends and colleagues set up camp and take turns walking around a track for 24 hours to CELEBRATE cancer survivors, REMEMBER loved ones lost to the disease and FIGHT BACK by raising funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. When not walking, participants enjoy fun family-friendly activities, food and local entertainment. This is a FREE event. For more information you can call (562) 221-0144.

NEWPORT BEACH

Whale Watching is now going on in Newport Beach! Gray Whales migrate annually along the west coast of North America. They can be seen from the Orange County coast from December through early April. Since the Gray Whales migrate just a few miles off the coast, simple cruises from Dana Point and Newport Beach enable you to see these spectacular creatures in their natural habitat. You can book cruises at the following locations: Davey's Locker Whale Watching (400 Main Street) and Newport Landing Whale Watching (309 Palm - Suite A).

ORANGE

Coming up July 3rd at Fred Kelly Stadium located at El Modena High School is the Annual 3rd of July Celebration! Held from 4:00-9:00pm this event includes food booths, interactive games, information booths and a musical program and spectacular fireworks show!

SANTA ANA

TOMORROW Saturday May 21, 2011 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm is the Healthy Families, Happy Mom's Health & Resource Fair (Carr Intermediate School, 2120 West Edinger Ave.). Children's Health Initiative of Orange County is working with Santa Ana Unified School District, Santa Ana Building a Healthy Community, and the office of Senator Lou Correa to immunize over 28,000 students in Santa Ana alone who must get the ‘Tdap' (whooping cough) vaccination before they can begin school in August. There will be free medical, dental, vision and chiropractic screenings, as well as many giveaways, four raffles and food and entertainment for everyone. The event is free to attend.

SEAL BEACH

Calling all Lifeguards! It's that time already! TOMORROW May 21st, 2011 are tryouts for Ocean Lifeguards. Check-in is at 8 AM @ Lifeguard Headquarters. You must have a valid California Drivers License and diploma or GED equivalent. If under 18, a parent must sign the waiver of liability. Forms and information are available at Lifeguard Headquarters (562) 430-2613.

TUSTIN
Coming up June 5, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. is the annual Tustin Street Fair & Cook-Off (El Camino Real and Main Street). The event features the Chili Cook-Off, craft booths, non-profit food vendors, entertainment, Watermelon Eating Contest, kid's carnival, music and much more. Admission is FREE. For more information you can call (714) 573-3326.

VILLA PARK
Coming up this summer on June 25, 2011 the Friends of the Villa Park Library (FOVPL) are happy to be putting on the seventh annual Villa Park 5K run/walk, the second annual Progressive Marathon, the first annual 10K, and the first annual interrupted 15K which starts and ends at the Villa Park High School. Race Day Registration starts at 6 AM, 5K Run/Walk at 7:15 AM and 10K run at 7:55 AM. For more information or to fill out an entry form you can visit http://www.villapark.org/vp5k.html.








South CountyALISO VIEJO

TOMORROW May 21, 2011 from 9am-11:30am come and help fight the battle against litter and debris! Join the community in removing unsightly litter from a portion of the Aliso Creek. They will supply the plastic gloves, trash bags, ‘reacher' sticks, volunteer shirt, snacks and beverages. The clean up is located between Cherry Avenue & Fernbank Street.

DANA POINT
This weekend May 21-22, 2011 is the annual Doheny Blues Festival (Doheny State Beach). The Annual Blues Festival is the true kick-off to summer with a weekend filled with music, lots of vendors and an International Food Court that features foods from around the world. Be sure you come down to Doheny State Beach and celebrate the beginning of summer with Orange County's Favorite and most anticipated annual summer festival! For ticket sales & information you can call (949) 360-7800.

LADERA RANCH

Nothing to report

LAGUNA BEACH
Coming up June 24 - August 28, 2011 is the 45th Annual Art-A-Fair (777 Laguna Canyon Road). Art-A-Fair is one of So Cal's most popular art festivals! The juried art of our 125 international, national and local artists promises to inspire & bring forth passion. Walk among the artists as they create their fine art and master craft pieces and learn what inspired them. Also, take advantage of art workshops taught by AAF artists - just $25 for two hours or $40 for four hours! For more information you can call (949) 494-4514.South Coast Symphony is proud to present "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming!" This spectacular concert under the musical direction of Conductor Barry Silverman will feature Russian artists performing Russian music. The performers will include Michael Voronel and Ruslan Biryukov. Th read more

LAGUNA NIGUEL

Coming up Friday, June 3, 2011 from 7:45 to 11 p.m. will be the 2nd annual Dance for Japan Disaster Relief (Cheryle Burke Dance, 28221 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite F). Cheryl Burke Dance Laguna Niguel, a popular Orange County ballroom, will celebrate its second anniversary by hosting a studio dance party to raise funds for the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief effort. Cheryl Burke is a two-time champion on the hit TV show "Dancing with the Stars. Admission for the event is $75 per ticket before June 3 and admission at the door is $90 per ticket.

LAKE FOREST

Nothing to report

MISSION VIEJO

Mark your calendars for Sunday May 29, 2011 because it's KSBR Birthday Bash (Oso Viejo Park / Norman P. Murray Community Center 24932 Veterans Way)! With more than 30 headliners playing with each other in a giant jazz jam, each Bash is an once-in-a-lifetime concert for both the artists and the audience. The music will never happen in exactly the same way again. The listeners know that the event is something special - it has sold out each of the past 11 years even before the full line up was announced! For more information you can call (949) 582-4714.

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA

Sunday, June 12 starting at 9:30am is the 15th Annual Cheesehead Classic Golf Tournament at Tijeras Creek Golf Club. The University Of Wisconsin Alumni Chapter Of Orange County presents "Cheesehead Classic" Golf Tournament & Scholarship Fundraiser to Help Support Southern California Scholarship Applicants! The first Tee at is 10:30 a.m. Anyone can play, serious golfers, the not-so-serious and weekend hackers can all participate, win prizes and have fun!! Only $ 150 per person includes: Green Fees, Cart, Range Balls & Putting Contest, Box Lunch, Gifts, Silent Auction, Special Raffle Entry, and Dinner & Awards Ceremony.

SAN CLEMENTE

Mark your calendars for the annual Garden Club 2011 Garden Tour coming up Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 10am-4pm. The San Clemente Garden Club presents the 2011 Garden Tour of unique coastal gardeners. Enjoy a self-guided tour of several private coastal gardens including the student vegetable, flower and butterfly gardens at Concordia Elementary School. The selected gardens will showcase varied garden styles, horticulture, hard cape and garden entertaining area ideas for every tour guest. For more information please contact Mary Mohr at (949) 498-2818.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
TOMORROW Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m is the Mariachi Festival (Mission San Juan Capistrano, El Camino Real/Ortega Hwy). The festival will include entertainment "Battle of the Mariachis" and authentic Mexican food. Mariachi performers will compete for cash prizes. This event is free with paid admission to the mission. For more information you can call (949) 234-1321.




*As seen in orangecounty.net & ocregister.com



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Caruso's DANA POINT Closed Sales Report ~ April

Is the market is improving or at least stabilizing!? We provide the latest market updates regularly, as well as personal consultation of market direction...

The Dana Point Closed Sales Report for APRIL:

The Dana Point Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the 0-$500,000 Range:

2011 12 listings closed escrow
2010 12 listings closed escrow

The Dana Point Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $500,000-$1,000,000 Range:

2011 12 listings closed escrow

2010 18 listings closed escrow

The Dana Point Closed Sales Report for Homes Sold in the $1,000,000+ Range:

2011 7 listings closed escrow

2010 5 listings closed escrow

*Does a sales report tell the whole story about market environment, consumer sentiment and the value of your home? Is it time to sell? Is it time to add a property to your investment portfolio? Is the market changing, and in which direction?



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Just For Fun with Caruso!

Disneyland is one of my favorite family past times. I came upon this interesting list and thought I'd share it! Here are 30 secrets, fun facts and bits of trivia about Disneyland Resort that may surprise you:

1. Disneyland opened July 17, 1955, with 18 major attractions. Today, there are more than 60 adventures and attractions.

2. When Disneyland opened, Anaheim, Calif., had five hotels and two motels with a total of 87 rooms, and there were 34 restaurants in the city. Today, Anaheim boasts approximately 150 hotels and motels with more than 18,000 rooms, and well over 450 restaurants.

3. From groundbreaking to opening day, Disneyland was built in just 365 days.

4. Well over 600 million guests have passed through the gates of Disneyland since opening day, including seven U.S. presidents and many other prominent 20th century dignitaries and celebrities.

5. Having fun is hungry and thirsty work. Every year, guests at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park consume an estimated 3 million hamburgers, 2 million hot dogs, 6.5 million orders of french fries, 1.6 million servings of popcorn, 3.2 million servings of ice cream, 1.9 million gallons of soft drinks and 2.8 million churros.

6. Disneyland Park does not sell chewing gum, because Walt Disney wanted to keep the park clean and prevent guests from being inconvenienced by stepping in a gooey mess.

7. Disneyland creator Walt Disney, who pioneered animated film making, was the voice of Mickey Mouse for two decades and won more Oscars (32) than anyone else in history, attended only one year of high school.

8. When Disneyland was under construction, Walt Disney had a private apartment installed over the historic fire station on Main Street, U.S.A. so he could supervise. After the park was built, he and his family continued to use it frequently. Everyone in the park knew when Disney was there because he left a light burning in the window. Since Disney's death in 1966, the light has been left on to honor his memory and to show that his spirit will always be a part of Disneyland.

9. A fireman's pole connected Disney's private apartment to the bottom floor of the firehouse. Walt Disney was usually eager to start his work day and often would slide down the pole. The hole at the top of the pole was sealed up after an enthusiastic guest climbed up the pole one day and introduced himself to the Disney family.

10. Approximately 21,000 "cast members" work at the Disneyland Resort. Collectively, they contribute more than 500 arts, crafts, professions and other skills to the operation.

11. Every Disneyland Cast Member wears a name tag, even the draft horses that pull the trolleys up and down Main Street, U.S.A.

12. Some Disney cast members have gone on to international fame. From the age of 10 to 18, comedian Steve Martin worked at the park after school, on weekends, and during summer vacations. He started by selling guide books at the gate, and then moved on to selling souvenir spinning lassos in Frontierland. Martin later demonstrated and sold packaged magic tricks and joke novelties at the old Merlin's Magic Shop in Fantasyland, where he became an accomplished magician. He learned to juggle from Disneyland Court Jester, Christopher Fair, and modeled his trademark, "Well, excuuuuuse me," phrase on the exasperated outbursts of a woman he worked with at the park.

13. The Disneyland Resort Operational Costume Division has a costume inventory of roughly 800,000 pieces and stocks 500,000 yards of material in 900 different fabrics. Approximately 150,000 individual pieces and 300,000 buttons are replaced each year.

14. The Disneyland Resort issues, maintains and cleans costumes for more than 15,000 cast members, who exchange more than 20,000 garments for cleaning each week during the summer.

15. In addition to dressing thousands of human cast members, Disneyland Resort also maintains costumes for more than 650 Audio-Animatronics® figures.

16. The Disneyland Band has logged more than 3,500 marching miles and more than 90,000 performances since opening day in 1955 and draws from a repertoire of more than 400 musical numbers.

17. Keeping Disneyland Park clean is no small task. Workers use 1,000 brooms, 500 dust pans and 3,000 mops a year to keep the park looking its best, and collect approximately 30 tons of trash during a busy day-about 12 million pounds annually. The streets of Disneyland are washed and steam-cleaned after closing each day.

18. Not all of the refuse collected in the park goes to the landfill. Every year, Disneyland Park recycles approximately 4.1 million pounds of cardboard; 1.3 million pounds of green waste; 370,000 pounds of office paper; 361,260 pounds of glass bottles; 274,280 pounds of plastic bottles; and 17,240 pounds of aluminum cans.

19. More than 5,000 gallons of paint are used each year to keep Disneyland looking fresh and better-than-new.

20. Disneyland has 10 bodies of water, which hold nearly 20 million gallons of water.

21. Disneyland uses more than 100,000 light bulbs, including 11,000 "rim lights" that outline the buildings on Main Street, U.S.A.

22. The landscaping at the Disneyland Resort includes more than 800 species of plants from more than 40 nations-including roughly 17,000 trees and 100,000 shrubs-which makes it one of the most extensive and diverse botanical collections in the western United States.

23. The trees at Disneyland Park range in size from one-foot dwarf spruce in Storybook Land to 80-foot high eucalyptus trees and towering evergreens along the Rivers of America.

24. Each year, about 1 million colorful annuals are planted at Disneyland. The Mickey Mouse flower "portrait" at the Disneyland Main Entrance is replanted six times a year.

25. Maintaining the acres of flowers and greenery at Disneyland requires a horticulture staff of 100. More than 60,000 drip emitters and sprinkler heads keep the grounds watered.

26. More than 30 different languages are spoken by Disneyland Resort cast members, including Russian, Hindi and Portuguese.

27. Sleeping Beauty Castle features a real working drawbridge, but it's only been lowered twice-on opening day in 1955, and to celebrate the newly remodeled Fantasyland in 1983.

28. The King Arthur Carrousel has 68 horses. No two are alike and they all move.

29. When the Disneyland Monorail debuted in 1959, it was the first daily monorail operating in the Western hemisphere.

30. It cost $17 million to build Disneyland in 1955, more than $138 million in today's dollars, although the price of the real estate has probably increased considerably over the past 55 years.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Connecting with TODAYS Buyer with Caruso!

Today it seems that more buyers are trying to camouflage themselves and downplay their interest in real estate, often telling agents they're "just looking".

The buyers have changed, the times have changed and the market has changed, yet real estate agents are taught to do things the way they did 35 years ago. It's insane.

The key today is to use your marketing to educate customers, not sell them. It is suggested to make sure Agents today have reports on their websites to download, hosts webinars, and use drip campaigns to periodically send e-mail reports that can address a buyers' main fears when it comes to buying a home.

Here's a tip - Do not try to sell in these e-mails & do not try to close in these e-mails. Make sure you're doing nothing but educating.

Drip e-mail campaigns, social media, and other marketing strategies all can help agents build trust with customers as well. Facebook has over 500 million active users. How can you not be apart of it?

But in building trust and educating the buyer about home ownership, that may sometimes require agents to walkaway from prospects. There are times when I firmly believe some people shouldn't buy a house at a particular time. We have to be OK with that and we have to help people make that decision. And hope that when it really is time, they come back to you.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Caruso's Green Tip of the Day!

Avoid using leaf blowers & other dust-production equipment.

Make sure to use an electric lawn-mower instead of a gas-powered one.

Don't forget to leave grass clippings on the yard - they decompose and return to nutrients to the soil.

And that's your green tip of the day!



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Poor Credit Scores with Caruso!

IF you want to see how quickly you can ruin a great credit score, just skip a mortgage payment.

Lenders use credit scores to measure how you handle debt. The number you'll see most often is your FICO score. It runs from 300 to 850. The major credit reporting bureaus developed a rival, VantageScore, with scores from 501 to 990.

Missed mortgage payments, serious loan delinquencies, loan modifications, short sales, foreclosures and bankruptcies all drag down credit scores. Because a mortgage is such a big slice of anyone's credit profile, it carries more weight than other loans. Both FICO and VantageScore have studied and quantified those impacts.

They reached similar conclusions: for people with near-perfect records, a single mortgage payment that's 30 days late reduces a credit score enough to hurt. For anyone, a short sale - selling a home for less than the amount owed - can be almost as destructive as a foreclosure.

The government-backed Home Affordable Modification Program, known as HAMP, specifically permits modifications for borrowers who can document hardship like a job loss. It's not a perfect solution - HAMP has been criticized for not helping enough borrowers. There are plenty of paperwork hassles, and points in the process where credit scores are in peril. Still, because of "some really profound consequences" to bad credit, modification is worth pursuing. Employers increasingly check credit. Housing options may be limited.

In a study last month, FICO looked at how choices would affect three hypothetical mortgage holders: One with a spotless 780 score; another with a good 720, who may have missed a couple of credit card payments three years ago; a third with a not-great, not-toxic 680, who has sometimes fallen seriously behind on credit cards or a car loan. (Most lenders consider poor credit about 650 and below)

•30 days late: The gold-plated 780 drops to 670-690, the middling 720 becomes 630-650, and 680 is now 600-620. Effects are most significant for the strongest borrower. A continued progression is going to have less and less impact on a score.
•90 days late: This is seriously delinquent, and brings the onetime best borrower down to 650-670, the midlevel one to 610-630, and the weakest to 600-620.
•Short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or settlement, assuming the balance has been wiped out: The result is just a bit less serious. The 780 score deteriorates to 655-675; 720 to 605-625; 680 to 610-630.
•Foreclosure, or short sale with a deficiency balance owed: For either, 780 is 620-640; 720 is 570-590; and 680 is 575-595.
At a certain point it might seem as if there was not much difference between bad and worse, but remember that the lower the score, the longer it takes to climb back.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Advertising Online with Caruso!

As most of you already know more people than ever now get their news online than in newspapers. It was recently found that there are one million fewer U.S. households watching prime time over last year, while the online audience has almost doubled. Then there's Facebook, where over 550 million users are attracting an overwhelming majority of today's marketers. Now you need to start thinking - it's no longer should you be online - it's where, when, and how. Here are some tips I have come across that everyone who advertises online should know!

Show up on search. This is a no brainer. Analysts estimate that 75-90 percent of companies and consumers search the web before they buy. If you can't make the first page of the organic results, which is essential to the viability of your inbound marketing efforts, do some serious optimization work. Investing in a sponsored link can be an option, depending on your brand.

Too many blasts can blow up in your face. Email is the most common Internet activity and most used form of digital advertising. Over 80 percent of marketers employ it to connect directly with customers, many of whom now check email on their mobile. Stay on top of your open, click through and conversion rates to refine content and frequency. Unless you have a good reason to email more than twice a month, such as with timely offers or high-value content, don't do it.

It's not a slam dunk. Just because you show up on search engines, run banner ads, blog, and get "liked" by lots of Facebook fans doesn't mean you're going to score big right away. There's more clutter and competition than ever, making it more challenging to stand out. Experiment. Be flexible. Use sites like Quantcast.com and Alexa.com to track your clicks, bounce rates, and page views. Find what works and continue to enhance it with the repetition, consistency, and synergy needed for higher sales.

Know your customers. Knowing your target's age, income and other demographic data is no longer enough. What are their behavioral skews and lifestyle choices? What really motivates them to buy your brand? Are they into parenting or partying? Do they like to cook, cruise, camp, chill or collect cars? Collect this data. Stay up on consumer trends related to your brand with the wide variety of market research sites available today. Knowing the types of searches, sites and activities your audiences are likely to pursue is the key to engaging them more effectively online.

You don't have to splurge to make a splash. Pardon the expression, but when it comes to getting the ‘biggest bang for your buck', digital is the real deal. In terms of cost-versus-reach, online ads cost less to run. Plus, you can maximize your exposure by using dynamic pricing and pay for performance options. Online ads bring better results too. A study by Millward Brown showed that a single exposure to a web banner generates greater awareness than a single exposure to a print or TV ad, and boosts brand awareness by up to 200 percent.

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Sure the Internet is the most efficient form of advertising known to man. That doesn't mean you should abandon your basics. Stick with the positioning, testimonials, guarantees, special offers and venues that have been working. Re-allocate spending to bring digital into your mix for added traction and sales interaction.

Great ads need great back-end support. Click on an ad or link, and you go to a landing page that gets you to buy. That's the idea anyway. So while you may get your clicks, your site needs to be your salesperson and close the deal with friendly navigation and a strong call to action. No matter how good your offer is-your site could still drop the sale. Track conversion rates and return-on-investment (ROI) daily and be ready to adjust your messaging and media accordingly.

Bad news travels fast.One customer complaint, tawdry tweet, Facebook faux pas, or edgy e-mail-and suddenly it could go viral. Add value, build trust, give back and it may go viral too.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Go Green this Mother's Day with Caruso!

Mother's Dayis TOMORROW. It's a day to celebrate mothers and motherhood. But why not celebrate Mother Earth/Nature as well by going green this Mother's Day! Here are some examples I have come across to help you have a Green Mother's Day!

Homemade Organic Treats and Desserts: Why not switch to something healthy for a change? It is essential to select a good range of natural and certified organic ingredients from Organic Grocery Stores before experimenting on the recipes.

Greening the household: Green plants add a splash of color and fun to the household. They not only decorate your home, but also purify your indoor air. Thank your mother and show your love by giving plants that continue to grow day after day!

Green Cards: Express your gratitude and love in words and affirmations - give your mom a beautiful sustainable card with your own sentiments that she can keep and reread bringing a genuine smile to her face every time! Earth Greetings.com offers a great variety of eco-friendly paper goods and greeting cards, including wrapping paper, stationery and bookmarks. All products are sustainable and 100% post-consumer recycled. You can even make it more personal by creating your very own design of thank you card this year.

Organic Soaps: Pamper Mom on Mother's Day with the highest quality certified organic soap from Soaps Plus. Enriched with natural and eco-friendly ingredients, their products are created and hand made by trained holistic therapist in order to moisturize and soften skin with a pure touch.

Ethical Jewellery: Women love accessories and looking beautiful. But what will make your gift stand out and green? Choose a lovely pair of earrings or gorgeous necklace that supports Fairtrade. Show off something special, hand-made and ethical.

Happy Mother's Day!



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Thursday, May 5, 2011

one tequila, two tequila, three...

Happy Cinco de Mayo Active Rain!

Cinco de Mayo (The 5th of May) is a holiday held on May 5 and is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla. The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride,and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day,the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, which occurs on September 16th. If you can take some time today to celebrate the Mexican heritage....have a shot of tequila or two..three, four.. :)



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

*Courtesy of Wikipedia

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Home Vacancy Update with Caruso!

The U.S. home-vacancy rate, a measure of the share of properties empty and for sale, fell to 2.6 percent in the first quarter as foreclosures slowed amid a lender backlog in processing paperwork.

The rate, down from 2.7 percent in the fourth quarter, is based on 2 million vacant properties for sale out of 74.5 million residences, according to the Census Bureau. A gauge measuring the share of people who own their homes dropped to 66.4 percent, the lowest since 1998, according to the report.

Property seizures plunged at the end of 2010 as lenders including Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. temporarily halted proceedings to review their handling of court documents. That left more homes in the foreclosure process with their status unresolved, typically with their owners still in residence. U.S. foreclosure filings dropped 27 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier to the lowest level since 2008 as lenders worked through their paperwork backlog according to RealtyTrac.

Falling Home Ownership

The home-ownership rate dropped from 66.5 percent in the last three months of 2010. It has fallen for every quarter since mid-2009, according to Census data. The rate reached an all-time high of 69.2 percent in 2004 as relaxed lending standards fueled home sales and President George W. Bush promoted an "ownership society" in his re-election bid.

The residential vacancy rate reached a record 2.9 percent in the first and fourth quarters of 2008, the year Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. collapsed and American International Group Inc. was taken over by the government.

Attorneys general across the U.S. and federal regulators began separate probes of the mortgage-servicing industry late last year amid allegations of shoddy foreclosure practices such as robo-signing, or using workers with little or no training to sign thousands of documents filed in support of property seizures without reading them. The investigations were broadened to include all aspects of the servicing business.

Earlier this month, regulators announced settlements with the 14 largest U.S. mortgage servicers. The companies agreed to review all foreclosed loans from 2009 and 2010, and pay back losses in cases that were mishandled. They also will improve procedures by hiring staff, upgrading document-tracking systems and assigning a single point of contact for each borrower. The banks didn't admit or deny regulators' findings.



And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Support Your Local Artists!

Coming up this weekend our local artist Karen Joy Jackson will be showcasing her photography, Mothers Day, May 8th in Dana Point Harbor near Harpoon Henry's from 9 to 5 PM (Space 13). The Dana Point Fine Art Association will have other watercolorists, oil painters and photographers as well on both Saturday and Sunday.

Recently, May 2, 2011 the Mayor of Cypress presented Karen Joy Jackson a first place award from the Cypress Art League's Spring Show on the Wind Whipped Clothes photo (pictured above). Her photography will also be on shown at the same location the weekend of May 14th & May 15th ~ Dana Point Harbor is celebrating 40 years on!

Also on May 14th San Juan Capistrano's Friends of the Library is hosting "Night of the Arts" a fund raiser for the library. Tickets are $50. Artists who have shown their work at the San Juan Capistrano library are donating some pieces for the silent auction that will be held. Karen Joy Jackson will also be donating a photograph.

If you can stop by one of Karen Joy Jackson's showcases and support our local artists!




And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900
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