Dena Land News

December 2007

A M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R B Y L I N D A L A N E - W H I T E – K E L L E R W I L L I A M S R E A L T Y

S E R V I N G M Y H O M E T O W N O F A L T A D E N A / P A S A D E N A A N D O U T L Y I N G A R E A S

Determine Offer Price 1

Last Minute Gifts 2

Recipe of the Month 2

Give Plastic ? 2

Ceedub Construction 2

Jews Have Christmas Trees? 3

Pre-Listing Inspection 3

Ask An Expert 3

Mortgage Services (sponsor) 4

Recent Area Sales 4

Senior / Active Adult Info 5

Diversity in Altadena 5

December In Dena Land 6

Christmas Tree Lane 6

Inside this issue:

445 S. Fair Oaks Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91105

Phone: 626-786-1231

Fax: 626-296-1979

www.lindalanewhite.com

In Tune With Your Needs

Linda Lane-White

“Singing” Realtor ®

CA Lic #01091347

Notary Public

vorce) then your position is

strengthened even more.

On the other hand, if you

are facing a situation

where there are multiple

offers already on the table, or if you are completely in

love with the house and

must have it, then going for

a lowball offer is not the

best way to go.

And how can you be sure

that you won’t overpay?

Don’t worry, you are not

the only one who wants

you to get a fair deal. Your

friendly local bank which

is giving you the loan

does not want to risk los-

ing their money, so you will be required to get an

appraisal. If the appraisal

comes in lower than the

price you agreed upon

with the seller, you can

back out of the deal

(provided that your agent

has put such a provision in

the contract).

You searched and

searched and finally

found the home of your

dreams. You sit down

with your agent and it’s

time to write an offer to the seller. Your agent

asks you what price you

wish to offer, and you

get a little queasy. Don’t

worry, coming up with

an offering price is not

that hard. Here’s how it’s

done…

First off, if you’ve

looked at a number of

homes in the area, then

you probably have some

ballpark figure in mind.

To narrow it down you will need to ask your

agent to provide you

with a list of similar

homes that have sold

recently. Similar means

the homes nearby that

have the same number

of bedrooms, bath-

rooms, are of the same

style and are close in

size. Based on this infor-

mation you can deter-

mine what the home is

worth if it was the same as the ones you are com-

paring it to.

Of course, no two

homes are exactly alike,

so the next thing you will

need to take into consid-

eration is the condition

of the home. Again, after

looking at other homes

for sale you’ve noticed

the average condition

for that particular area.

So, you will need to con-

sider whether the home

you are making an offer on is below, at or above

the average. Pay particu-

lar attention to improve-

ments made by the seller.

Cosmetic improvements,

such as paint, carpet, win-

dow treatments and such, are nice, but they aren’t

the key here. The struc-

tural improvements, such

as room or bathroom ad-

ditions, are the big ticket

items. Of course, just be-

cause the seller spent

$25,000 on a particular

upgrade doesn’t mean

that the home is worth

$25,000 more, but it is

something to keep in

mind. What else determines

the offer price? Well, a

few intangibles, such as

your situation and the

seller’s situation. If you

are pre-approved, or are

paying cash, or don’t

need to sell your home

first, then you are in a

good position for hard

bargaining. If you know

that the seller is in a hurry

to sell (for example if they

already moved out or if

there’s an unpleasant fam-ily situation such as a di-

How To Determine Your Offer Price

Happy Holidays from your favorite

Realtor! May this Holiday Season be filled with love, cheer, joy and friendship for

you and your family.

Page 2 Dena Land News

“Keep smiling,

people will

wonder what

you’ve been up

to. It will often

put a smile on

their face, too.” -Unknown

Need A Last Minute Gift?

Check out these ideas for

easy and quick holiday gifts

that you can buy or make at

the very last minute.

Beautiful and unique ornaments can be

found at most local

superstores or discount

marts and make great

gifts for neighbors and

teachers. Wrap one or a

few in a festive box or

bag and you’re set.

Gift baskets or bags are asy to assemble once

you’ve picked a theme.

Pick up a couple of

spatulas, hot pads and

designer condiments and

you’ve got a gourmet

kitchen basket. Or try a

basketful of home scents—

candles, home sprays,

homemade bath salts.

Games make a great gift for a whole family. Visit your

local superstore and check

out the game section for

some old games as well as

a few new ones.

Homemade candy or cookies packaaged nicely

on a seasonal plate are

appreciated even once the

goody is gone.

Enjoy the season! Peppermint Brittle

Give the Gift of...Plastic?

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds white chocolate

30 small peppermint candy

canes

DIRECTIONS

Place white chocolate in a

microwave-safe bowl. Heat in

microwave on medium set-

ting for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir

occasionally, until chocolate

is melted and smooth.

Place candy canes in a plas-

tic bag or between two

pieces of waxed paper. Us-

ing a mallet or rolling pin,

break the candy canes into

chunks. Stir peppermint into

melted white chocolate.

Spread evenly in pan, and

chill until set, about 1 hour.

Break into pieces by slam-

ming pan on counter.

Does your home need help?

Ceedub Construction

(626) 786-1229

CA Lic #883002

Chris White, Owner

Resident of Altadena

It seems as though lately

our stocking stuffers have

been our "big" gifts. Where a

bike, the newest Barbie, or

remote control car wrapped

for the kids used to be wait-

ing under the tree, has now

been replaced by gift

cards. Now kids, teens, and

adults alike open vari-

ous envelopes to receive

$20, $50 or $100 cards to go

shopping at their favorite

store. The question is does

this make the gift too imper-

sonal or does America prefer

the gift card to go shopping

for themselves?

The Top 3 Reasons people

choose gift cards.

1. Fast! Fast! Fast! Oops you

forgot someone on the list,

thought you checked it

twice, or your on your way

to a gift exchange party-

GASP- gift less, or maybe you

just don't feel like shopping

in all the crowds. Let's face it,

it only takes a few minutes to

grab the card from the check

out choose an amount and

then sign your name and

BAM! You could check off

Grandma, your in- laws, your

teenage son, and your

brother, all in one trip.

2. No Fear. Worried they

won't like your gift? Don't

want them to return your gift?

Well with a gift card that

won't happen. You give the

recipient the choice to buy

what ever their heart de-

sires. Instead of worrying

about what is in the pink

bunny slipper box, youth all

over America can rest as-

sured that all that Aunt Sally

will send this year is an enve-

lope with a gift card to their

favorite store... if she got that

right! That's the only choice

you have worry about when

choosing a gift card.

3. Personal Matters. So

you have never even

talked to the co-worker you

chose from the secret Santa

exchange or you have never

been that close to your Sister

in-law, and you can't remem-

ber if your nephew is into

Finding Nemo or Power

Rangers. Let's face it, the gift

card is a easy way to give a

gift without having to make it

personal. They are even

great for those picky people

you spend hours trying to

find a gift they might like.

Now you can get them all gift

cards, so you don't have to

ask around.

It's up to you this Holiday

Season whether or not you

choose to go the route of a

gift card. But when decid-

i n g , j u s t r e m e m b e r

the golden rule "Do unto oth-

ers as you would like done

unto you". If you would pre-

fer the thoughtfulness of a

hand picked gift wrapped

with a pretty

bow under the

tree, go that

route instead.

Gift Cards, to give or not to give? Did Santa forget the presents this year?

A few boxes placed under the tree...but wait... Here they are... a pile of envelopes???

December 2007 Page 3

Q: Should I consider a

lease option when selling

my home?

A. Lease options have both

advantages and disadvan-

tages. In a slow market you

can sometimes find a buyer

faster this way. You could also potentially

sell the home for more money than with a

regular sale. And if th buyer ends up not

exercising the option, you get to keep

whatever upfront money they gave you. On

the negative side, if the buyer could not

follow through with the purchase, and if by

that time the property market slows down

even more, you stand to lose some money.

And if you didn‟t pre-screen the buyer

wisely in the beginning, you may not get

the property back in the greatest condition

at the end of the day. And if the buyer goes

through with the purchase and the market

has gone up in the mean time, well, you

can‟t adjust the price upwards—the buyer

gets a good deal. Lease options are more

complicated than regular sales, so make

sure you are working with a knowledge-

able Realtor. Have a real estate question? Feel free to

contact me.

Linda Lane-White

(626) 786-1231 lindalanewhite@kw.com

This pub l icat ion is for in fo rm at ion a l pu rpo se s on ly an d does not con st it ute le ga l or fin an cia l a dvice.

All information was obtained from sources deemed reliable, and while I do not doubt its accuracy, I cannot guarantee it. Some items provided by Resulti and

Fidelity National Home Warranty. If your property is listed with another broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

Who do you know right now who’s looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate? Give me a call or send me an E-mail. I’m never too busy for your referrals to friends or family.

In This Real Estate Market—Sellers Should Get a Pre-Listing Inspection

RISMEDIA, 2007 - Many homeowners and buyers have their eyes peeled on the housing market. While groups

like the National Association of Realtors continue to manage consumer expectations and provide reassurance that

the housing market will steadily improve by 2008, hopes can fall hard for homeowners who are preparing their

home for yet another month on the market. In this buyer’s market, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)

reminds homeowners that a pre-listing inspection or a general maintenance inspection can be a great tool for selling

and maintaining your home.

―Pre-listing inspections (conducted on behalf of the seller) and general maintenance inspections are valuable in-

vestments for homeowners eager to sell their home,‖ said Frank Lesh, 2007 ASHI president. ―Buyers today have the

option to be choosy. A pre-listing or general maintenance inspection will help homeowners catch repairs before

they become bargaining chips.‖ In addition to the transaction going more smoothly, ASHI says that a pre-listing in-

spection ensures that sellers can enter negotiations with confidence regarding the quality of their home. That confi-

dence often equates to more dollars in the sellers’ pocket.

Ask an Expert

Do Jews Have Christmas

Trees?

Every family makes their own decisions about how

to deal with the Christmas vs Hanukkah issues. I, for

one, was born Jewish, but, I’m a Christian who attends

Altadena Baptist Church. As far as I can remember,

we’ve always celebrated Christmas. And we always have a bottle of

Manischewitz Wine at the Christmas Dinner table.

For my Jewish friends and readers: To tree or not to tree is often the

question. Some people believe that the tree is definitely a Christian

symbol and it is offensive to some Jews. Others see it as a non-religious

symbol of the season and enjoy having a tree (or Chanukah Bush) in

their home.

Here are a few options for those who like to decorate for the season:

1. Do like we did when I was younger and put a Star of David on the

top of the tree.

2. Call it a winter tree and put snowflakes and icicles on it.

3. Have a tree decorating party at a Christian family or a friend’s

house. Then invite them to your house for a Potato Latke & Dreidle

party. Introduce them to the lighting of the Chanukiah and general

Jewish ritual and celebration.

4. Don’t do a tree. Instead, make a decorative wreath for the season.

5. And don’t forget to ―bring in the light‖ (a song that my mother

sings) of the menorahs/chanukias (or pictures of them) in your win-

dows.

As far as ―Christmas Time‖ traditions are concerned for the Jewish

family (or interfaith family for that matter), try something else special on

that day to make it interesting and productive, such as:

1. Volunteering at homeless shelters or serving food downtown.

2. Volunteer to play ―santa‖ for a friend.

3. Deliver Challah (bread) with candy fruit to Christian friends for

their holiday meal.

4. Offer to be the server and clean up person at a friend’s holiday

meal. Happy Hanukkah—Dec. 5 through Dec. 12!

Recent Area Sales

Page 4 Dena Land News

Date Sold

Sale Price

Address City Bed/ Bath

S.F. Home

S.F. Land

11/05/07 510,000 2801 Casitas Av Altadena 3/2 1404 11850

11/08/07 790,000 2630 Saint James Pl Altadena 5/3 2325 10859

11/14/07 728,000 1850 E Calaveras St Altadena 3/2 1629 7040

11/14/07 539,000 181 Wapello St Altadena 3/2 1371 10300

11/21/07 778,848 610 E Camino Real Arcadia 4/2 1566 10640

11/20/07 473,000 1044 E Fondale St Azusa 4/2 1862 7065

11/27/07 475,000 1505 S Wabash St Glendora 4/3 1974 7497

11/14/07 655,000 922 Essex St Glendora 4/3 2464 9034

11/21/07 465,000 333 E Camino Real Monrovia 4/2 1413 10097

11/16/07 1,350,000 1499 N Michigan Av Pasadena 4/4 3733 27310

11/07/07 750,000 1060 E Elizabeth St Pasadena 3/2 1553 14140

11/20/07 585,000 1066 N Los Robles Pasadena 5/2 1498 7500

11/07/07 4,800,000 1365 S Los Robles Pasadena 8/8 11152 75794

11/09/07 555,000 982 Airedale Ct San Dimas 4/3 1828 7530

11/28/07 519,000 1578 Redwood Wy Upland 4/2 1813 7750

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Happy Holidays

from

Linda, Chris, Charlie & Spike

Many falls can be pre-

vented. By making

some changes, you can

lower your chances of

falling. Four things YOU can do to prevent

falls:

1. Begin a regular exercise program

Exercise is one of the most important

ways to lower your chances of falling. It

makes you stronger and helps you feel

better. Exercises that improve balance

and coordination (like Tai Chi or yoga)

are the most helpful. Lack of exercise

leads to weakness and increases your

chances of falling. Ask your doctor or

health care provider about the best type

of exercise program for you. 2. Have your health care provider

review your medicines

Have your doctor or pharmacist review

all the medicines you take, even over-

the-counter medicines. As you get older,

the way medicines work in your body

can change. Some medicines, or combi-

nations of medicines, can make you

sleepy or dizzy and can cause you to fall. 3. Have your vision checked

Have your eyes checked by an eye doc-

tor at least once a year. You may be

wearing the wrong glasses or have a

condition like glaucoma or cataracts that

limits your vision. Poor vision can in-

crease your chances of falling. 4. Make your home safer

About half of all falls happen at home. To

make your home safer:

Remove things you can trip over (like papers, books, clothes, and

shoes) from stairs and places where

you walk. Check for loose cords.

Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to keep the rugs

from slipping.

Keep items you use often in cabinets

you can reach easily

without using a step

stool.

Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the tub or shower.

Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors.

Improve the lighting in your home. As you get older, you need brighter

lights to see well. Hang light-weight

curtains or shades to reduce glare.

Have handrails and lights put in on all staircases.

Wear shoes both inside and outside the house. Avoid going barefoot or

wearing slippers.—National Center

for Injury Prevention and Control

December 2007 Page 5

Diversity in Altadena My Dear Readers:

So often people ask me the question, “What are you mixed with? You would think in

this day and age, it really wouldn‟t matter. Mind you, a lot of people are perplexed when

they meet me. They don‟t know what “category” to place me under. I don‟t look com-

pletely white, I don‟t look completely black. Hispanics come up to me speaking Spanish. When I go to Hawaii people

think that I‟m a “local girl”. When I had a 4 hour stop over in Italy, people approached me speaking Italian.

Don‟t get me wrong. I feel very fortunate to be of a mixed race. My Mother is a White Russian Jew from Canada and

my Father was of mixed race born in Mississippi—well, his father was from Sicily, Italy and his mother was Cherokee

Indian and Black born in New Orleans. My Mother‟s mother disowned her when she married my Father. And as my

Mother kept having children, the more her mother pushed her away saying to stop bringing “those darkies” into this

world. Since my Mother is obviously white and my Father was a lighter skinned black man, in the early 60‟s, before

there was integration, they looked for a place where they would be accepted. Moving from Detroit, Michigan, they read

stories about mixed race couples moving to Altadena, California and were not experiencing racism. Behold, the stories

were true. They stuck me in a picnic basket in the back seat of our station wagon, left Detroit and headed off to Califor-

nia. They finally found a place to call home in Altadena.

As I grew up in the early 60‟s, my Father, Bill Lane, went on to become a renowned Disc Jockey and Entertainment

Writer with the Los Angeles Sentinel and the President of the Hollywood/Beverly Hills NAACP. My Mother, Nancy Lane,

was very active with the PTA putting on variety shows and the like—never experiencing racial tension amongst the other

families and working 15 years at I. Magnin in Pasadena as a beauty consultant. Finally, acceptance! My growing up in

Altadena and Pasadena brought me friends of every race and only once (in the 5th grade) did I experience a feeling of

non-acceptance being of a mixed race.

Just recently was the race issue brought to my attention by one of my buyers—seeking a “diverse” place to live be-

cause she was of mixed race and her husband being from another country. She heard from other people that Altadena

would be the perfect place for them. Yes, there is diversity in Altadena. But, you‟d THINK that diversity would be every-

where in the 21st Century.

It kind of takes me back to that Stevie Wonder song “Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away”. Some of the lyrics are:

Tell me people

Why can‟t they say that hate is 10 zillion light years away—Why can‟t the light of good shine God‟s love in every soul

Why must my color black make me a lesser man—I thought this world was made for every man

He loves us all, that‟s what my God tells me

And I say it‟s taken Him so long „cause we‟ve got so far to come….

Linda Lane-White

Active Adults Corner WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT FALLS

Over 50? Get out of the house! http://overthehillganglosangeles.org

December Happenings in Dena Land

Throughout December—Check out www.twin-palms.com for nightly entertainment including

Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. 101 W. Green St., Pasadena 626/577-2567 Dec 5—5:30pm SGV Black Business Assoc. Holiday Business Mixer Honering Ms. Sheryl Orange,

Principal of John Muir High and Ms. Jaylene Mosley, Community Developer. The Vault Bar & Grill,

2675 E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena Donations accepted door. RSVP 626/796-7164 ext 12 Dec 6— 5:30-7:30pmFive Acres Holiday Open House &Toy Drive. 760 W.Mountain View,Altadena

Dec 8—5:00pm—Christmas Tree Lane Boutique opens. Complimentary hot chocolate and coffee.

6:00pm the 87th Annual Lighting Ceremony will begin. If you haven’t heard Linda Lane-White

sing, yet, now’s your chance to be a critic. Come join your neighbors for a fun and eventful

evening. Located between Altadena Dr. and Woodbury Rd in Altadena on Santa Rosa. Dec. 8 –7pm After going to the Christmas Tree Lane Lighting ceremony, walk on over to the Cof-

fee Gallery and listen to the sounds of Doug MacLeod. 2029 N. Lake, Altadena 626/398-7917$18 Dec 8,9,15,16: The Nutcracker. Pasadena Dance Theatre. San Gabriel Civic Auditorium. 320 S.

Mission Dr., San Gabriel. www.pasadenadance.org 626-308-2868. Dec. 13 8pm Preston Smith at the Coffee Gallery. Jazzfunk & Latinworld & Souladelic!

www.coffeegallery.com $15.00 Dec. 14– 8pm John Muir High School all class gathering & karaoke at El Torito Restaurant. Madre

and Foothill, Pasadena. 626/786-1231. Dec 22/23—10:00am Jewelry, Gift and Coin Show. Buy & Sell. Free appraisals, also buy stamp

collecting supplies. Pasadena Convention Center 300 E Green 818/997-6496 bickinterna-

tional.com Dec. 22/23rd—1:00pm Kidspace Holiday Day Camp. 480 N Arroyo Pasadena. 626/449-9144

Dec 23—9am Nature Hike to Eaton Canyon Falls. 3.5 miles at a moderate pace. 1750 N Altadena

Dr., Pasadena. 626/398-5420 www.ecnca.org FREE Dec 29—9am Rose Parade Float Decorating. Various locations. Www.tournamentofroses.com.

626/795-4171. $5.00. Children under 3 are FREE. Dec 29—2pm. Bandfest featuring Rose Parade Bands. Pasadena City College. $10. Children 5 and

under FREE. 626/795-4171 www.tournamentofroses.com January 1, 2008—8am 119th Rose Parade. Passport to the World’s Celebrations.

January 1, 2008—2pm 94th Rose Bowl Game. Don’t forget about visiting seniors and assisting with social services this holiday season. Go to http://

www.pasadenasocialservices.com/help/volunteer_holidays.html for more info or call 626/792-6118

Pasadena Market Center

445 S. Fair Oaks Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91105

Cell: (626) 786-1231

Office: (626) 204-3436

Fax: (626) 296-1979

In Tune Wit h Your Needs

www.lindalanewhite.com

If You Would Like To Receive

This Newsletter on a Regular Basis

for Guaranteed Delivery...

Call 626/786-1231

Linda Lane-White “Singing” Realtor® CA Lic #01091347 (since 1990)

Notary Public (since 1987)

Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated

Christmas Tree Lane

Lighting Ceremony

Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007

5:00 Boutique Opens

6:00 Ceremony Begins

Location: Altadena Li-

brary—Corner of Mariposa

and Santa Rosa Avenue

Come out for free entertain-ment, hot chocolate, apple

cider and coffee!

Call (626) 403-1123 for

more information.

www.christmastreelane.net

Search the MLS on my web site!