Tips to Homeowners

Question: In the real estate section of the Los Angeles Times, I see builders offer many homes that are located as far away as Riverside. It is difficult for me to understand why these firms would advertise in a Los Angeles newspaper.

Answer: According to statistics developed by Morrison Homes and reported toCalifornia Builder magazine, 46% of potential new-home buyers will travel 20 to 30 miles to save $20,000 to $30,000. In fact, 23% of potential home buyers will travel from 40 to 60 miles.

It was not too many years ago, while Orange County was being developed, that commuting from Los Angeles to Orange County was considered quite an inconvenience. Over the past 30 or 40 years, however, Orange County has become a major commercial area. It is no longer the “bedroom” community that it once was.

It may very well be that persons buying homes in the Riverside-Beaumont area may be making a very wise decision. As the area continues to grow, the value of the property increases, and the area itself may become another major commercial district.

Q: I have noticed plenty of recently built or remodeled buildings being painted or decorated with pastel colors such as green and pink. Is this a new trend?

A: I don’t know whether it is a new trend or not, but a good friend of mine, Marshall Varner, of Marshall Construction, calls this kind of architecture “Olympic-Deco.” The colors used for the Olympic Games, including sea-foam green, orange sherbet and mauve, are now extensively used for construction. The colors seem to suit the California scene.