Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Pio Loco Restaurant in Redding For Sale

Just listed the Pio Loco Restaurant at the historic Pine Street School in downtown Redding. Chef Jeff is finally retiring, and is selling now as business is really good for the new owner to take over. Let me know if there is any interest, or if you know of others that might like to be in "the restaurant business.

www.ronlargent.com ronlargent@kw.com

The Local Paper or the Wall Street Journal...Who do you believe?

This morning I got up to read in the local Record Searchlight that the housing market was on an upswing in Redding. I had just read the Wall Street Journal saying just the opposite on a national scale. You be the judge, as here is the article from WSJ.com

The housing market, whose collapse pulled the economy into recession in late 2007, is stalling again.

In major markets across the country, home sales are deteriorating, inventories of unsold homes are piling up and builders are scaling back construction plans. The expiration of a federal home-buyers tax credit at the end of April is weighing on the market.

The Wall Street Journals’ quarterly survey of 28 major metro areas shows it’s a buyer’s market in much of the country. See full graphic.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Census Bureau said single-family housing starts in June fell by 0.7%, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 454,000. The U.S. started 1.47 million homes in 2006, before the housing bubble popped.

Future construction looks even weaker. Permits for single-family starts fell 3% in June, following big declines in both May and April. “We’re hovering at post-World War II lows,” said Ivy Zelman, president of Zelman & Associates, a research firm.

•Economists aren’t singling out one reason for the stalling housing market. A variety of factors have led to flagging confidence, they say, including sluggish labor markets, global economic turmoil and falling stock prices.
While the housing downturn dragged the economy into a recession nearly three years ago, now it is the economy that is pulling down housing, says economist Patrick Newport at IHS Global Insight. Without sustained job growth, the housing market likely won’t improve. That in turn will ricochet across manufacturing, retail and other trades heavily dependent on home building and consumer spending.

The Wall Street Journal’s quarterly survey of housing-market conditions in 28 major metropolitan areas shows that inventory levels have grown in many markets. But inventory fell in some of the weakest ones, including several Florida markets, Atlanta, and Charlotte, N.C.

At the end of June, inventory was up 33% from year-ago levels in San Diego, and by 19% and 15% in Los Angeles and Orange County, Calif., respectively, according to data compiled by John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Rising inventory can lead to price declines later.

So, now you can see why I like the WSJ….they are coming at it from a national basis, and their writers get the background.

I would enjoy talking about this with you….

www.ronlargent.com ronlargent@kw.com

Monday, July 19, 2010

Expanding to Meet the Needs of Clients

Today we expanded my commercial real estate business to include a residential specialist to serve our many friends and clients that need assistance with residential real estate, as well as lots and land. Now, both the Largent Team and the Largent Group can serve all real estate needs, from bank owned to "unusual property" listings. Exciting times...even in the downturn.

www.ronlargent.com ronlargent@kw.com

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Shasta County Veterans Affiliated Council (SCVAC)

Earlier today I attended the quarterly meeting of the SCVAC and it was most interesting. A lot of good things are happening for the veterans in Shasta County and I am proud to be serving in this group as first VP. My task will be to work on membership, which means helping vets to become involed in the various veterans organizations here in the County that exist to serve vets needs. Members of the Council include the American Legion, the Military Officers Association, and a number of other groups representing both the past conflicts and specific military branches.

The council is concerned with all veteran matters, including the under construction Vets Home on Knighton Road, the Vets Cemetary in Igo, and even the new location of the Veterans Service Office on Shasta Street in Redding.

Reports today were given by Veterans Service Officer for the County, retired Chief Master Sergeant Bob Dunlap; retired Colonel Pete Stiglich; American Legion rep Glen Mayer; and chairperson and President of the Council, Charlee Thompson.

Upcoming events include the Awards Banquet on October 23rd and the Veterans Parade in Shasta Lake City onVeterans Day in November. This traditional parade is sponsored by the Shasta Lake Lions Club and Elmer Ellsworth, the parade chairman announced that this year, again, we would have a flyover by the Airlift Command at Travis Air Force Base.

All interested vets are encouraged to become involved, and can e-mail me for upcoming meetings and functions.

ronlargent@kw.com www.ronlargent.com