If you’ve driven the 101 through San Luis Obispo you may have seen something missing. They demolished the old immigration building between Madonna Rd and Los Osos Valley Rd. They did a pretty good job as it’s hard to tell where it once was. I think I heard there are (four?) car lots planned for that area.

Now this is a price reduction. A multi-family property in Avila Beach that has been on the market for 44 days had a price reduction today from $3,150,000 to $1,950,000. Some of the value was being marketed as a development opportunity so maybe they found out something they didn’t know before???

The annual rib cook-off is tonite at the SLO Farmers Market. The weather forecasts say the rain is through so it should be a dry event.

A downtown Pismo Beach condo just came on the market. It’s in the Casa Bella Vista complex a few blocks from the pier. Third floor unit with elevator!

Check it out at www.691Price.com

Here are results to a recent survey by Prudential CA/NV/TX Realty.

For homes Buyers purchased over the past 3 years:
- 36% found their home through a REALTOR
- 31% found their home through the Internet
- 18% found their home via the yard sign (driving by)

This survey has similar finding as the 2005 survey by the National Association of Realtors. In that survey, they ask Buyers who have purchased within the last year (not 3 years). In that survey, the Internet is #1, other Realtors is #2, and yard sign is #3.

Other info from the Prudential survey:

When buyers were asked to identify the most important reasons for visiting a real estate Web site, the top three responses were: “looking at property photos,” 89 percent; “property search,” 85 percent; and “mapping a property,” 77 percent.

About 91 percent of respondents said they most enjoyed using the Internet for their home search because “it saves time,” while 45 percent said “it empowers you in the transaction.”

A 4.2 acre parcel next to Target in Paso Robles came on the market today. It includes plans for a mini-storage that the city has already approved. Asking $2.4 Million.

I posted this link when I first started my Blog (over 300 posts ago) and since today is the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, I thought it was worth posting again.

This takes you on one girl’s motorcycle ride into the radiation zone.

Link is here

The California Association of Realtors released March 2006 median home prices for cities across the state and the increase from March 2005.

Other cities in California are listed here.

I find it interesting to see who is visiting SloCountyHomes.com from other countries. Below are where visitors to my site came from for the first 22 days of April 2006. I need to look at a map to see where the Faroe Islands are though.

Open House Risks

A blog reader emailed me asking about the risks of Open Houses. Here’s my advice…

First, you’ll want to make sure any small things of value are removed from plain sight. Next, make sure you put all medicines away. There have been reports of people going to Open Houses specifically looking for pills to take. You won’t notice these gone until you need them.

Just remember that if you open your house up, you’ll have people going through your home unsupervised. This is also true for the Realtor Open House that your agent may do when your home first goes on the market. There will be people going in and out of your house, both agents and non-agents. No one knows all the agents in the area and I’ve never seen anyone check to see if your an agent before you are allowed to go through the home. I remember one home I went to preview where the homeowner was YELLING at the Listing Agent’s assistant because two ladies walking by (non-Realtors) went through her house. If you only want Realtors to preview your home, make sure you make that clear and have them stand at the front door and ask for business cards. Realtors won’t like it, but it’s your home and the good Realtors will respect your wishes.