#Homes to Buy in Monterey CA

[youngdolphmerch]

Homes to Buy in Monterey CA: A Comprehensive Guide

Monterey, California, is more than just a scenic coastal city; it’s a haven for those seeking a balance of natural beauty, rich history, and a vibrant lifestyle. If you're considering Homes to Buy in Monterey CA in this picturesque city, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. From market trends to neighborhoods and tips for first-time buyers, we’ve got you covered.

Why Choose Monterey, CA?

1. Unmatched Coastal Beauty

Monterey boasts stunning ocean views monterey real estate, serene beaches, and a mild climate year-round. Residents enjoy access to the iconic Monterey Bay and attractions like Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Living here means waking up to the soothing sounds of the ocean and having nature as your backyard.

2. Rich Cultural and Historical Appeal

The city is steeped in history, from its Spanish colonial roots to its prominence as a fishing hub. Landmarks like the Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the historic adobes give Monterey a unique charm, making it a sought-after location for homebuyers who value cultural depth.

3. Excellent Quality of Life

Monterey offers top-rated schools, a thriving arts scene, and numerous outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and sailing. Its close-knit community and family-friendly atmosphere make it an ideal place for individuals and families alike.

The Real Estate Market in Monterey

1. Current Trends

The real estate market in Monterey is competitive, with demand often exceeding supply. As of 2024, the median home price hovers around $1.2 million, reflecting the premium buyers are willing to pay for the city’s amenities and lifestyle.

2. Types of Properties Available

Single-Family Homes: Ideal for families, these homes offer spacious layouts and yards. Many feature stunning ocean views.

Condos and Townhouses: Perfect for retirees or young professionals, these properties often come with amenities like pools and fitness centers.

Luxury Estates: Monterey is home to several high-end properties with sprawling grounds, private beaches, and state-of-the-art designs.

Top Neighborhoods to Consider

1. Pacific Grove

Known as "America’s Last Hometown," Pacific Grove offers a mix of Victorian homes and modern properties. It’s perfect for those who love quaint streets, excellent schools, and a strong sense of community.

2. Carmel-by-the-Sea

Located adjacent to Monterey, this charming village features fairytale cottages and luxury homes. While prices here are on the higher end, the unique architecture and artistic vibe make it worth the investment.

3. Downtown Monterey

For those who prefer urban living, Downtown Monterey offers proximity to shops, restaurants, and cultural landmarks. It’s an excellent choice for young professionals and retirees.

4. Del Rey Oaks

This quieter suburb of Monterey provides a more affordable option without sacrificing proximity to the city. It’s ideal for families and first-time buyers.

What to Consider When Buying a Home in Monterey

1. Budget Planning

Monterey’s real estate prices can be steep. Before you start house hunting, establish a clear budget, factoring in additional costs like property taxes, maintenance, and homeowners’ association fees.

2. Proximity to Amenities

Consider how close you want to be to schools, workplaces, and recreational activities. Neighborhoods like Pacific Grove and Downtown Monterey provide easy access to key amenities.

3. Investment Potential

Homes in Monterey tend to appreciate in value, making them a sound investment. However, work with a local real estate agent to identify areas with the best long-term potential.

4. Environmental Factors

Monterey’s coastal location means certain areas may be prone to fog or erosion. Ensure your potential home is structurally sound and not in a high-risk zone for natural disasters.

Steps to Buying a Home in Monterey

1. Secure Financing

Get pre-approved for a mortgage to understand your purchasing power.

Research lenders familiar with the Monterey market for competitive rates.

2. Partner with a Local Realtor

A realtor with local expertise can provide insights into neighborhoods, negotiate prices, and guide you through the buying process.

3. Conduct Thorough Inspections

Ensure your prospective home undergoes a detailed inspection to identify any structural or environmental issues.

4. Make a Competitive Offer

Given the high demand, be prepared to act quickly and make a strong offer to secure your dream home.

Living in Monterey: A Snapshot

Schools: Highly rated public and private schools cater to families.

Healthcare: Access to top-notch medical facilities such as Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP).

Recreation: From kayaking in the bay to exploring Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, there’s no shortage of outdoor adventures.

Dining and Shopping: Savor fresh seafood at waterfront restaurants or shop at boutique stores in Cannery Row.

Conclusion

Buying a home in Monterey, CA, is an investment in a lifestyle that blends coastal charm with modern convenience. With its diverse neighborhoods, robust real estate market, and unparalleled quality of life, Monterey is truly a dream destination for homeowners.

[inboundremblog]

Homes for Sale in Pacific Grove, CA: A Coastal Gem with Timeless Appeal

Credit: Image by Paul Hanaoka | Unsplash

Homes for Sale in Pacific Grove, CA: A Cultural Encyclopedia of History and Art

Pacific Grove is a beautiful coastal city in the Monterey Peninsula. Homes for sale in Pacific Grove, CA, are famous to homebuyers because of their scenic beauty, art and culture, and laid-back small-town ambiance.

The area is now buzzing with art lovers, visitors, and artists. It offers a historic city with many Victorian homes, just a stone's throw away from the Pacific Ocean.

Pacific Grove yields unique historical relations to art and nature in particular. In the latter part of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, it became a preferred site for painters and artists at the En plein air school.

These artists were attracted to the town's natural environment, especially on coastlines and forested areas. Specifically, the conditions of the Pacific coast became a natural backdrop for plein air painting, in which artists painted directly on dry landscapes from the sea cliffs and the forest's contrasting colors and shades.

The link with art has been maintained in the town until today. Inhabitants of Pacific Grove live in plain houses instead, with many homes in historic city districts looking like the houses that artists used to love. Many houses in the street are from the Victorian era, which has provided a touch of history: wooden, colored walls and porches.

The Appeal of Small-Town Living

Car enterprises are interested in Pacific Grove because of its small population and rural character. Nevertheless, the town is only a two-hour drive from one of the most vibrant cities in the U.S.—San Francisco—yet its pace is relatively slow.

Serene Spectacle and Seashore Lifestyle

People are attracted to Pacific Grove because of the prettier features of the countryside. Many enthusiasts of natural beauty are impressed with the stunning views of the landscapes surrounding the town.

With Monterey Bay, the Del Monte Forest, and the Pacific Ocean as neighbors, this city's residents are rewarded with incredible sights and the capacity for practically any recreational activity.

Pacific Grove has several homes with ocean frontage, and many neighborhoods are close to the shore. Those who own houses in Pacific Grove can wake up every morning to the sound of the ocean waves hitting the rocks and see whales and sea otters moving around the bay throughout the day.

Pacific Grove offers plenty of things to do and places to visit for people who enjoy the outdoors. There are many spots for walking or cycling in Del Monte Forest and several beautiful beaches to stroll, pick up stones and shells, or walk along the sea at Monterey Bay. The scenic 17-mile Drive, which runs through the dense woods and along the coastal area, offers fabulous viewpoints at every turn.

Victorian-Era Homes and Modern Comfort

The emphasis on Victorian homes is one of the most distinctive features of the Pacific Grove real estate market. These adorable old houses have been well-maintained, and many have been renovated into homes for tourists or bed-and-breakfast inns with particulars of early ambiance and twentieth-century conveniences.

Don't be surprised to find a blend of house types in Pacific Grove, with primary Victorian homes and modern models for those who intend to build. Victorian houses may contain complex roof lines, fretwork gables, carvings, and stained glass. They are distinctively old, with tall ceilings, broad, heavy window frames, and front porches offering a perfect ocean breeze view.

Although these homes have preserved the look of the period, some have been outfitted with contemporary features. Updated features such as professionally designed and remodeled kitchens and baths, upgraded heating and cooling systems, and energy-efficient features give the amenities of today's homes and protect the homes' historic integrity.

Pacific Grove also boasts of other home types of architecture than the Victorian homes described above. Mid-century modern and contemporary, the beach house, the ranch, the barn, the farmhouse, and the ski cabin are all there for the picking.

Some of these houses are built to fully realize the opportunity of the beautiful scenery that engulfs this region; such houses have big windows that provide good views of the sea, the woods, or the gardens.

Proximity to Major Attractions

This means that whenever you choose to live in Pacific Grove, you're just a short drive away from some of California's most prominent landmarks. It is near Monterey, which hosts the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is also a historic town with trends and great restaurants for shopping, dining, and even displaying artwork.

If golf interests you, you must only travel a few miles to visit Pebble Beach Golf Links. The world-famous course, towering against the backdrop of vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean, has a unique charm. Housing in Pacific Grove allows you to have play access to this elite golf course and many other first-rate courses.

Educational Institutions

Pacific Grove is felt to be perfect for those intending to raise a family since it has some top-notch public schools. It is pertinent to understand that the Pacific Grove Unified School District performs well or has high student achievement in academic performance.

The area's schools provide a conducive environment for learning. They emphasize results and community work.

Pacific Grove boasts excellent schools and is also a safe town friendly towards families. It is pleasant and has many activities that suit children and families. The city has numerous parks and is close to the beach, so there isn't even a need to mention many recreational activities.

Real Estate Market Overview

The prices for homes listed for sale in Pacific Grove also vary greatly depending on factors such as area, size of the house, and view. This town lies in a coastal region, so the real estate market prices are slightly high because many people like to own a home there. However, buyers have other options for other car segments in terms of price.

Due to natural factors such as the sea breeze and increased historical value related to Victoria, houses in Victoria, especially those built in the Victorian era and the old town region, are expensive compared to other areas.

However, there are newer and more 'generic' homes or homes that are located further away from the coast, and these homes could be more affordable yet still afford the possessor all of the splendor of the South Jersey Shore.

Pacific Grove's climate is excellent, and the variety of real estate available is extensive, including traditional cottages, Victorian houses, and modern houses with ocean views.

The area is a highly accurate example of an actual coast, providing visitors with historical sites, art, and beautiful views. Mainly Victorian-style homes in a small town setting, Pacific Grove, California homes for sale are great investments due to the town's architecture and location near some of the state's best-known landmarks.

From the art lovers who find their home in Pacific Grove for the artistic roots of the town to the lovers of scenic beauties or the lovers of old Victorian architecture, people are bound to find something they like in Pacific Grove.

Discover more by visiting our website at https://heinrichbrooksher.com/pacific-grove/.

Check out homes for sale in Pacific Grove, CA, to enjoy coastal living with stunning ocean views and charming neighborhoods.

[montereycountyproperties]

Pacific Grove Houses For Sale

Live Your Best Life on the Coast: Browse Real Estate for Sale in Pacific Grove!

Living your best life on the coast is a dream that many of us have. The salty ocean breeze, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and the vibrant coastal lifestyle all contribute to the appeal of coastal living.

If you, too, are yearning for the coastal lifestyle, Pacific Grove, California, is a town that should be on your radar.

This small town on the Monterey Peninsula offers a unique blend of natural beauty, a relaxed lifestyle, and diverse real estate options. And, with the help of Monterey Peninsula Properties, you can find ideal Pacific Grove houses for sale that you can call home.

In this blog, we'll explore why real estate for sale Pacific Grove CA is a better investment option and how Monterey Peninsula Properties can help you find the best properties in the area.

Why Pacific Grove Real Estate Is A Better Investment Option:

Investing in Pacific Grove real estate offers numerous benefits. Some of these are:

High Demand: Pacific Grove's real estate market is always in high demand due to its stunning location, peaceful environment, and natural beauty. The town's location on the Monterey Peninsula offers easy access to various attractions, including the Pacific Ocean, beaches, parks, and golf courses.

Strong Appreciation: Pacific Grove open houses have seen consistent appreciation in value over the years. Properties bought a few years ago have increased in value significantly, making it a profitable investment.

Diverse Options: Pacific Grove offers a wide range of real estate options, including single-family homes, townhouses, condos, and apartments, catering to the diverse needs of buyers and investors.

Stable Market: The Pacific Grove, real estate market has been relatively stable, with steady growth in demand and value. The town's stable job market, good schools, and safe environment make it attractive for families to settle down.

Investment Potential: Pacific Grove's real estate market offers excellent potential for investment, whether you're looking to buy a home or invest in a rental property. The town's high demand for rentals and tourism makes it an ideal location for those looking to invest in vacation homes or rental properties.

How Can Monterey Peninsula Properties Help?

As a specialist in Pacific Grove CA real estate homes, Monterey Peninsula Properties has earned a reputation as a top-tier estate agency. With a comprehensive understanding of the local market, they are well-positioned to assist you in finding the ideal property that meets your unique needs and budget.

Their services include property search, evaluation, and negotiation, eliminating the stress and complexity associated with buying or selling a property. The agency's team of experienced and knowledgeable agents will expertly guide you through every step of the process, ensuring you receive the best possible deal.

Furthermore, their extensive knowledge of the local market, including trends, pricing, and investment potential, will provide valuable insights enabling you to make informed decisions.

Conclusion:

Pacific Grove offers an exceptional coastal lifestyle that is hard to find elsewhere. With its natural beauty, relaxed environment, and diverse real estate options, it's no wonder why Pacific Grove's real estate market is in high demand.

With the help of Monterey Peninsula Properties, you can find the perfect houses for sale Pacific Grove CA and start living your best life on the coast.

So why wait? Contact Monterey Peninsula Properties today and let us help you find your dream home in Pacific Grove.

Whether you are looking for a cozy beach cottage or a spacious oceanfront mansion, our team of experienced real estate agents is ready to assist you every step of the way!

Check out our website to get more info about Homes For Sale Pacific Grove!

Find Us On Google Map ( Monterey Peninsula Properties )

[tkmonterey]

How To Start Collecting Art

So you want to start an art collection, but you’re not quite sure how to begin, we can help you make the best choice to get started.

At the California Thomas Kinkade galleries in Carmel, Monterey, and Placerville, we’ve put together a few tips to make sure you get off on the right foot, so this can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Set Goals For Your Collection

Set A Budget For Art Purchases

Decide Where To Shop

Think About What To Collect

Keep Your Paperwork In Order

Choose Quality Over Quantity

Care For Your Collection

Set Goals For Your Collection

As a beginner buying art, you should start by thinking about the purpose of your collection. Are you collecting art to support local artists, as an investment, or to preserve pieces of history? Maybe this is an opportunity for you to show off your personality through your home decor.

Once you get started, you’ll find no shortage of creativity and beauty out there. Setting goals will keep you focused on what really fits your purpose so that you can get the most enjoyment out of this rewarding hobby.

Set A Budget For Art Purchases

Now that you know why you’re buying art, it’s time to think about how much to spend. Put aside a comfortable portion of your income, so you can be prepared when that perfect piece pops up. You may decide to use your full monthly budget on one larger item or multiple small artwork purchases.

You could also save over longer periods for a specific annual art show, seasonal artists fair, or benefit auctions. Your goals and your income will help you create and stick to a reasonable budget.

Decide Where To Shop

Speaking of art shows and fairs, next it’s time to think about where you want to shop. Shopping local can help the artists and the arts in your community. Exploring online galleries and artist shops opens up many new avenues for varying your art collection with pieces from around the state, country, or even worldwide.

Think About What To Collect

Having set your goals and budget, you’re now ready to think about the type of art you want to collect. Will you focus on limited edition paintings, sculpture, photography? Do you find yourself gravitating to a specific style of art or artist’s works? Visiting galleries and browsing creative outlets, like social media, can give you some ideas.

Keep Your Paperwork In Order

Whether you are investing in art for profit or simply for fun, it’s important to keep the documentation for each piece you buy. When you’re starting out, you may find yourself with editions of prints. Over time, you may be purchasing originals and even get to know the artist.

Make sure to keep detailed records of each purchase, including any paperwork that certifies the edition or item number. These will be useful if you ever need to sell parts of your collection or prove losses to an insurance company.

Choose Quality Over Quantity

Narrowing down what you’re looking for through clear goals, budgeting, and learning what you like will help to keep you from making purchases just for the sake of buying. You want the art collecting experience to be rewarding, not a drain on your time or finances. So, be sure to invest in quality works that are truly what you’re looking for, instead of a lot of anything that’s just okay.

Care For Your Collection

Lastly, it’s essential to research the best ways to care for your new art collection. Lighting, cleaning, display methods, and ideal environments can all be different for different types of artwork. Do your research and, when in doubt, ask questions.

Shop Our Limited Edition Paintings In CA

If you’re ready to start your first art collection, stop by the California Thomas Kinkade galleries of Carmel, Monterey, and Placerville. Our friendly art consultant can help you find Limited Edition paintings in a particular style, theme, or area of interest. We look forward to answering your questions as you begin getting involved in this very rewarding hobby.

https://thomaskinkadeca.com/

[colorsbyrosemary-blog]

Comic-Con Art Show: Rosemary Reeve — Colors By Rosemary

Art description: All paintings are done on 6” square canvas panels and are inspired by the geeky things that inspire me.

Bio: I live in Monterey, CA. I went to Comic-Con for the first time in 1998. I skipped 1999 and realized that was the worst decision ever, so I’ve been coming ever since. I didn’t expect a global pandemic to break my streak.

How to buy: All of my items are available in multiple formats in my Etsy shop.

colorsbyrosemary.com

Be sure to follow @ComicConAtHome

[tinyshe]

Bill Gates: America’s

The co-founder of Microsoft and his wife debut on the LAND REPORT 100, as America’s largest private farmland owners.

Call it a hunch, but the story did not jibe. I scanned the headline for the umpteenth time and then read and reread the pertinent details. Something was missing. Either that or I had a screw loose. According to the Tri-City Herald, a 14,500-acre swath of choice Eastern Washington farmland in the Horse Heaven Hills of Benton County had just traded hands for almost $171 million. That’s a ginormous deal, one that pencils out to almost $12,000 per acre for a whole lot of acres. Pretty pricey dirt, right? That’s exactly what I thought. Especially when it comes to row crops like sweet corn and wheat, which were grown in rotation with potatoes on 100 Circles, which is the name of the property that changed hands. Then again, farmers and investors in the Mid-Columbia River market expect to pay $10,000 to $15,000 for good ground. Anyone who has ever studied the Columbia River Basin knows that the tillable acreage there is coveted ground, a geologic wonder. The soil profile and underlying silty loess are in a league of their own.

I had gained this smidgen of geologic proficiency while researching our 2018 Farmland Deal of the Year, Weidert Farm, in neighboring Walla Walla County. One of the most telling moments in the field that summer came when a soil scientist by the name of Alan Busacca grabbed a shovel and stepped into a 10-foot trench that had been ripped open on the farm by a Caterpillar 336. Dusky layers of silt and sand towered over the 6-foot-tall retired Washington State professor. There wasn’t a rock, let alone a pebble, or even a root to be seen in the soil. Busacca was in his element: It was some of the richest farmland in the Lower 48. And from an agricultural perspective, the region surrounding Walla Walla and the Horse Heaven Hills has evolved into a commercial hub, complete with controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, state-of-the-art transportation infrastructure, and ready access to low-cost hydropower.

These are a few of the reasons why savvy investors have been plowing millions of dollars into farmland on both the Oregon and the Washington sides of the Columbia River Gorge. At current valuations, it’s one of the nation’s best farmland opportunities. In 2018, when 100 Circles sold, it was even better.

More often than not, farmland sales involve hundreds of acres. Thousand-acre transactions — such as the sale of 6,000- acre Weidert Farm to Farmland L.P. two years ago and the 6,175-acre Broetje Orchards acquisition by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan last year — are blue-moon events.

Tens of thousands of acres? Only sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors can stroke a check for tracts in that league, which is exactly what occurred on the sell side of the 100 Circles transaction: The seller was John Hancock Life Insurance, a multibillion-dollar asset manager with key holdings in all the major US markets as well as Canada and Australia.

The story went dark on the buy side, however. The Tri-City Herald reported that the purchaser was a “Louisiana investor,” a limited liability company associated with Angelina Agriculture of Monterey, Louisiana. Sorry, but that didn’t pass the sniff test.

The Land Report tracks numerous Louisiana landowners; Angelina Agriculture is not one of them. Let’s call that strike one. The burgeoning metropolis of Monterey, population 462, rang a bell, but despite my best efforts, I couldn’t connect the dots to anyone whom we had profiled in The Land Report or, for that matter, anyone who was on our watch list. So I took a look at Dun & Bradstreet. At its listed headquarters — 8318 Highway 565 — Angelina Agriculture boasted two employees and reported annual revenues just north of $300,000. Given the size and cost of 100 Circles, both of those figures made no sense at all. Strike two. How about Google Maps? An aerial image of the Highway 565 address revealed a small metal-sided building off by itself in the woods. Strike three, right?

One of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies is the 1999 mystery/thriller True Crime. In it, the four-time Academy Award winner plays an over-the-hill journalist who has “a nose” for a story. I am quite confident that Eastwood’s character, Steve Everett, would have picked up the stench from this setup a mile off: a $171 million acquisition by an LLC with two employees in a metal-sided building down a dirt road off the Bayou Teche? I forwarded the lead to our Land Report 100 Research Team. Minutes later, a terse response arrived:

“Ever hear of Bill Gates?”

THE PROMISED LAND | Farmland in Eastern Washington and neighboring Oregon is blessed with abundant moisture, cheap electricity, and unrivaled soils.

THE PAPER TRAIL

Actually, when it comes to the extensive farmland portfolio of Bill and Melinda Gates, the question should be, “Ever hear of Michael Larson?” For the last 25 years, the Claremont McKenna College alum has managed the Gateses’ personal portfolio as well as the considerable holdings of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (Although our researchers identified dozens of different entities that own the Gateses’ assets, Larson himself operates primarily through an entity called Cascade Investment LLC.)

In 1994, the Gateses hired the former Putnam Investments bond-fund manager to diversify the couple’s portfolio away from the Microsoft co-founder’s 45 percent stake in the technology giant while maintaining comparable or better returns. According to a 2014 profile of Larson in the Wall Street Journal, these investments include a substantial stake in AutoNation, hospitality interests such as the Charles Hotel in Cambridge and the Four Seasons in San Francisco, and “at least 100,000 acres of farmland in California, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and other states �� .” According to the Land Report 100 Research Team, that figure is currently more than twice that amount, which means Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has an alter ego: Farmer Bill, the guy who owns more farmland than anyone else in America.

The Gateses’ largest single block of dirt was acquired in 2017: a group of farmland assets owned by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Based in Toronto, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board began assembling an agricultural portfolio in 2013, when it acquired AgCoA, aka, Agricultural Company of America. This private US farmland REIT was a joint venture between Duquesne Capital Management and Goldman Sachs that launched in 2007. Over the next five years, AgCoA acquired more than 100,000 acres in nine states. By the time it was sold to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in 2013, AgCoA ranked as one of the leading institutional owners of row crop farmland in the US.

After AgCoA, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a second tranche of farmland assets when it paid $2.5 billion for a 40 percent stake in Glencore Agricultural Products in 2016. The very next year, however, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board began shedding these very same farmland assets as quickly as it had acquired them. And it did this so quietly one might even say it was done in secret.

There was no public announcement, and no notice in the business press. Instead, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board revealed in the fine print of a quarterly statement that it had sold $520 million in US farmland assets held by Agriculture Company of America. Credit Chris Janiec at Agri Investor for this eagle-eyed investigating. The Americas Editor at Agri Investor, Janiec reported that the assets had been offered as a single block and “that Microsoft founder Bill Gates is thought to be the buyer of CPPIB’s farmland.” Janiec stayed on the story, and the following year, he confirmed the parameters of sale when he reported the addition of 61 properties valued at approximately $500 million to the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries’ (NCREIF) US Farmland Index. This half-billion-dollar figure corroborated the AgCoA acquisition, and the paper trail led directly to Cascade Investment LLC.

All told, the 2017 acquisition of AgCoA and the 2018 acquisition of the 100 Circles tract in the Horse Heaven Hills of Eastern Washington total an investment in farmland assets of more than $690 million. Janiec’s sources said some of the AgCoA assets were quickly sold off, but according to the Land Report 100 Research Team, an estimated 242,000 acres of farmland remained.

Yet farmland assets aren’t the sole component of the Gateses’ landholdings. In 2017, Cascade Investment bought a “significant stake” in 24,800 acres of transitional land on the western edge of Phoenix, the most populous city in Arizona and the 10th largest metropolitan area in the country. The acreage sits off Interstate 10, and it is poised to be accessible by Interstate 11, a proposed highway that would traverse 5 miles of the 40-square-mile holding. At buildout, the Belmont development will create a brand-new metropolis, one similar in size to the Phoenix suburb of Tempe, home to Arizona State University and almost 200,000 residents. According to The Arizona Republic, Belmont is projected to include up to 80,000 homes; 3,800 acres of industrial, office, and retail space; 3,400 acres of open space; and 470 acres for public schools.

Cascade Investment doubled down on Phoenix transitional land two years later when it made a second major investment by acquiring more than 2,800 acres known as Spurlock Ranch in Buckeye for $25 million.

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING

A spokesman for Cascade Investment declined to comment on any of the details associated with these transactions or the Gateses’ holdings, other than to say that Cascade is very supportive of sustainable farming.

Much like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation uses science and technology to achieve a number of worthy goals — including transitioning millions of people out of poverty, improving people’s health and well-being, and ensuring that all people have access to opportunities necessary to succeed in school and in life — Cascade’s farmland holdings also aim to further laudable objectives.

In January 2020, The Land Report announced the launch of a sustainability standard that was developed by US farmland owners and operators. Called Leading Harvest, the organization’s goal is to create a sustainability standard thatcan be implemented across the greatest swath of agricultural acreage. Currently, more than 2 million acres in 22 states and an additional 2 million acres in seven countries are represented. Among the participants in the 13-member Sustainable Agriculture Working Group are Ceres Partners, Hancock Natural Resources Group, The Rohaytn Group, and UBS Farmland Investors.

Not surprisingly, one of Leading Harvest’s other inaugural members is a Cascade entity called Cottonwood Ag Management. Committing the resources to launch this all-important standard validates the assertion that Cascade supports sustainable strategies that advance resiliency and efficiency, retain talent, and reduce regulatory burdens.

Although the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has no ties whatsoever to Cascade or its investments, it also has a farmland initiative: Gates Ag One, which has established its headquarters in the Greater St. Louis area. According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Gates Ag One will focus on research that helps “smallholder farmers adapt to climate change and make food production in low- and middle-income countries more productive, resilient, and sustainable.”

A CLOSING NOTE

Remember that metal-sided building down near the Bayou Teche? Turns out that very same property had caught my eye way back when The Land Report was preparing to launch in 2006. Does the name Bernie Ebbers ring a bell? Once upon a time, the business press dubbed the colorful entrepreneur “the telecom cowboy.” That was before the Edmonton native was put on trial for his role in what was, at the time, the largest corporate bankruptcy filing in US history.

In 2005, the former WorldCom CEO was convicted of securities fraud, conspiracy, and filing false reports that were instrumental in WorldCom’s $11 billion dollar accounting fraud. After losing his appeal in 2006, Ebbers spent most of the rest of his life in a federal prison before being granted compassionate release by a federal judge earlier this year. He died on February 2 surrounded by his family.

Ebbers was many things — a dreamer, a liar, a swindler — and he loved land. In 1998 when he was the toast of Wall Street, the telecom cowboy paid British Columbia’s Woodward family the astronomical sum of $73 million for Canada’s largest ranch: 500,000-acre Douglas Lake, a 22,000-head cattle operation. Ebbers subsequently pledged Douglas Lake as collateral for $400 million he ended up borrowing from WorldCom, and in 2003, WorldCom sold Douglas Lake to Kroenke Ranches. The $68.5 million that Kroenke Ranches paid was applied to Ebbers’s IOU. He also owned a 26,236-acre Louisiana farm. It, too, was sold, on September 25, 2006, the day before Ebbers began serving his sentence at the Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution. It was his last deal as a free man.

When Ebbers owned this Louisiana farm, it was known as Angelina Plantation. And its headquarters was in — you guessed it — Monterey, Louisiana. That was the missing piece of the puzzle I had been searching for as I read the Tri-City Herald story. In a former life, Angelina Agriculture, the purchaser that paid $171 million for 100 Circles in 2018, was, in fact, Bernie Ebbers’s Angelina Plantation. The day before he went to prison, Ebbers sold Angelina for $32 million. The farm was subsequently sold to AgCoA, which was acquired by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. In 2017, Angelina Plantation changed hands one more time and became one of the principal farmland assets in the Gateses’ Cascade Investment’s portfolio.

It took a dozen years, but the ownership of that Louisiana farmland went from Bernie Ebbers to Bill Gates with a couple of stops in between. I readily admit forgetting where and when I first caught wind of it, but the moment I read that Tri-City Herald story, I knew the ending definitely needed a rewrite. Steve Everett would be proud.

[xanadontit]

Partner, age 25, and her boyfriend, 26, booked a weekend in Carmel because as she put it, “I am going stir crazy since work trips were canceled and it’s not fair. And it can’t be that bad to walk around another town.”

Carmel is lousy with old people and we live in the CA epicenter of the virus but yes, it is wildly unfair SXSW was canceled, my little Palo Alto Princess. I told her as kindly as possible that it’s up to her to assess risk but don’t complain if she gets sick. She actually said her approach to “all this” is to “keep calm and carry on.”

She’s also been running around to various grocery and big box stores in Monterey and Carmel to gather supplies to take home since she hasn’t bothered to keep her apartment stocked with basics, let alone for WFH or quarantine, and also asked me if I’d buy her toilet paper if I see any when I’m shopping. She’s also planning to work from her boyfriend’s house part of the time. He lives with three other guys. I...don’t think she understands social distancing.

She’s a rich white girl whose parents will rescue her so she’ll be fine.

[formeryelpers]

MIEVIC, 500 N Atlantic Blvd #164, Monterey Park, CA 91754

MIEVIC is an Asian lifestyle store similar to Miniso and Daiso. The prices are low and they have cute products made in China (but designed in Korea). It reminds me of Miniso maybe two years ago when they had a greater variety of merchandise than they do now. MIEVIC has some items that look identical to what I’ve seen at Miniso but it’s definitely more expensive (though still reasonably priced). For example, an avocado plush was $11.50. At Miniso, it would be $7.99 - $9.99.

Though I’ve only just heard of MIEVIC (I think this was their first location in the US), it has over 1,000 stores in 20 countries. They claim to offer over 300 new products a month. You’ll find small electronics and tech gadgets, stationery, home goods (water bottles, mugs, kitchen gadgets), organization (boxes), beauty, hair goods, massage sticks, jewelry, plush toys, sporting goods, keychains, pet toys, socks, underwear, tshirts, slippers, etc.

They were pretty good about posting prices for most things. I noticed some of the beauty items did not have any English on the package, so I’m not sure what exactly was being sold. The labels are in Korean and sometimes, English.

My picks:

Compressed facial masks, $3.50

Black mesh headband, $3.75

Rubber hair bands, $3.75

During my visit, they had a buy 4, get 1 free offer on the entire store.

MIEVIC is across from Daiso at Atlantic Times Square. Easy parking in the parking structure.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

By Lolia S.

[lighthouserealtygroupltd]

Top Commercial Property Buying & Selling in Monterey County

Manuel Ruelas ReMax Property Expert is the top commercial property buying and selling best option in the Monterey, CA area. If you are considering selling and buying commercial real estate with the potential for growth or passive income, you should come to us, here's how to get started. Here you can buy or sell your favorite home at an affordable price. So what's the delay contact us today: 831-595-3222 on.

[best-monterey-park-ca]

Commercial Disinfecting In Los Angeles

Flying Insect Control And Prevention In Los Angeles

As technology advances and work practices improve, employers and workers must align their knowledge, skills, values, and talents to keep up with these developments. Training is one of the most effective strategies to enhance understanding and abilities. One of the most powerful allies in pest prevention is a workforce that has been taught and educated to spot the indicators of a prospective infestation. Employees are a crucial link in the pest management chain because they provide an extra set of eyes to notice possible contamination issues. Sprague Pest Solutions is a company that specializes in  commercial disinfecting in Los Angeles. It offers a variety of in-person and virtual training and instruction alternatives for its clients.

Overview

Monterey Park is approximately 5.5 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles, California. You'll get a never-ending view of the valley if you live in this hillside region. The city is a suburban neighborhood known for having the highest concentration of Chinese Americans in the country. It also has a broad demographic makeup, with a sizable and diverse community of Asian Americans and a steady but significant multigenerational Latino population born in the United States. Its diversity is mirrored in the large range of food options and unique activities available. There are shopping plazas, commercial centers, and residential subdivisions in the area. Many of those retail malls are home to fantastic Chinese restaurants and other delectable Asian fares.

Acclaimed Chef Jon Yao of Kato shares his childhood haunts and new favorite places to eat and drink in the San Gabriel Valley

Peking duck. Hand-pulled noodles. Steamed pan-fried dumplings. These are the dishes acclaimed Los Angeles chef Jon Yao returns to in the San Gabriel Valley, where he spent his childhood. Food can satisfy hunger, but it's also a ritual, and at least once a week Yao performs this one: He leaves the Arts District — where the new location for his Michelin-starred restaurant Kato is set to open this year — drives east, and eats. He does this because it feels like coming home. Because it temporarily puts work in the rearview mirror. And because it recalibrates his palate, reminding him of the flavors that formed his cooking.  Read more here...

Many people enjoy dining in restaurants, and this is visible in every city. When they go abroad, one of the places they are eager to visit is the restaurants. Of course, tourists can buy food at a store and eat it in a park or their hotel room but most still prefer to enjoy at least some of their meals in cafés to savor and experience the local cuisine. There are also many TV shows and travel guides that feature rare or unique eateries in a foreign country and recommend eating establishments, and we add them to the "must-do" list when traveling overseas.

Vincent Price Art Museum in Monterey Park, CA

The Vincent Price Art Museum is one of the rare museums in California that is housed on the campus of a community college. The repository is named after Vincent Price, an American actor who is most recognized for his work in horror films. In 1957, he donated to the college a part of his artwork collection. Price gave 2,000 items to the gallery, which today includes over 9,000 pieces ranging from impressionist paintings to Japanese prints to artifacts from the Ancient Americas. Since its founding, it has served as a platform for marginalized artists, including solo shows by Laura Aguilar, Carlos Almaraz, Nao Bustamante, Rafa Esparza, Judithe Hernández, Manuel López, Star Montana, and Shizu Saldamando, among others.

Link to maps

Vincent Price Art Museum

1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA 91754, United States

Head south toward Collegian Ave

62 ft

Turn right onto Collegian Ave

Pass by Carl's Jr (on the left)

131 ft

Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Avenida Cesar Chavez

0.6 mi

Continue onto East Cesar E Chavez Avenue

0.3 mi

Turn right onto N Mednik Ave

0.2 mi

Turn left onto Floral Dr

0.2 mi

Turn right onto N Dangler Ave

Destination will be on the right

0.1 mi

Sprague Pest Solutions

2570 Corporate Pl Suite E108, Monterey Park, CA 91754, United States

[solarinstallationca]

Solar Panel System Components For Home Installations

You may want to learn more about the components and their relationship before you commit to purchasing a solar panel system. You will have the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to hire a contractor or if you plan to install it yourself.

The Residential Solar Installation Monterey CA is the main star of the show. There are many options, but the majority of panels that can be used to power homes do the same thing, no matter where they come from or how you build them. You should consider how many panels are needed to achieve the required power, how you plan to mount them, and how they will be connected to the rest of the system. Before designing your system, you should take a look at how efficient your loads are. Also consider whether some items might be more effective with another fuel type.

A battery system and inverter are essential components if you want the sun's power to power all of your appliances. Grid-tie systems can be used in areas where electricity is available from the utility company. However, grid-tie system are not designed with batteries in mind. If the power goes out, you'll still need to use your solar system.

Different configurations will require different types of switching and disconnect devices. Depending on the amount of electricity you require, the size of your battery bank, number of solar panels and inverter will all be important. It is not possible to assume that any one battery will work. The purpose of batteries is determined by their use. For example, forklift batteries can be discharged many times, while car batteries can only be used a few times before dying. Because some inverters produce sine waves that are not compatible with modern electronic devices like printers, fax machines, etc., it is important to choose the right inverter.

Installations of small size, such as a solar panel that powers a fence charger, can be done easily. You can either buy the entire system or collect the parts separately. Because of the complexity and use of specialized components, larger systems will require more planning. There are professionals who can help you plan and design solar panels systems. In other areas, you'll have to do it all yourself.

[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

As a Coronavirus-Fueled Recession Looms, These Metros Are On the Front Lines

Getty Images; realtor.com

Just about everyone has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic—and the crisis, according to most experts, is only beginning to play out in many parts of the U.S. America now has the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world. And beyond the devastating human toll, an economic one is looming. The unemployment numbers are staggering, and the economy appears to be headed for a recession, if it’s not already in one.

That’s bound to affect just about every housing market in the country, some worse than others. But which are the most vulnerable? The realtor.com® data team found the counties that could be most at risk in the worsening financial crisis.

Tourism and vacation-home hot spots could be affected more than others, at least initially. These places that depend on visitors to frequent local hotels, restaurants, and attractions to keep their local economies afloat are starting to see big job losses. And when local economies suffer and people aren’t working, housing markets hurt.

“The biggest initial coronavirus hit will be felt in the tourism and hospitality industries,” says realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale. These are the same places where folks tend to buy vacation homes.

“Second-home markets tend to be hit a bit harder in a recession. … When people are cutting back, that’s where they’ll cut back,” says Hale.

The luxury home market is also expected to feel the pain.

“Luxury buyers [typically] have a lot of their money in the stock market, and the stock market has taken a huge hit,” says Ali Wolf, chief economist at Meyers Research, a national real estate consultancy. “They’re saying, ‘Let’s wait. Let’s ride this thing out.’ Buying a luxury, new home right now is something that can wait.”

Popular retiree destinations may also experience a slowdown. Older Americans, who are more vulnerable to the virus, are increasingly reluctant (or unable) to visit potential forever homes in warmer-weather states. Many of these retirees and soon-to-be retirees hail from the Northeast, the epicenter of the crisis, and the Midwest. And most already have homes, so moving to a retirement community or a sunny, new locale isn’t urgent—it can be put off until the crisis has passed.

But real estate professionals are optimistic that these near-term vulnerable markets, like the rest of the nation, will likely bounce back once the virus is contained.

“Most housing markets in the country will take a significant short-term hit due to COVID-19,” says Wolf. “[But] ultimately the housing market is going to come back.”

To come up with our list, we looked at the counties with the highest percentage of workers in the industries that are most likely to be affected by this coronavirus-fueled crisis. These included a wide range of tourism, hospitality, retail, and other face-to-face fields, ranging from personal fitness, restaurant, and performing arts workers to those employed at car dealerships, casinos, and cruise lines. The data came from the 2017 County Business Patterns data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The manufacturing industry was not included in our analysis. We counted only the counties with at least 100,000 workers and included one county per state to add some geographic diversity to our list.

Vulnerable counties

Tony Frenzel

The most vulnerable county was Horry County, SC, home to Myrtle Beach, with a median county home list price of $239,050 as of February, according to the most recent realtor.com data. It was followed by Clark County, NV, where Las Vegas is located, with a median county list price of $329,050; Atlantic County, NJ (Atlantic City), at $250,050; Orange County, FL (Orlando), at $359,950; and Orleans Parish, LA (New Orleans), at $349,050.

Rounding out the top 10 were Honolulu County, HI, at $636,050; New London County, CT (Mystic), at $287,550; Monterey County, CA (Carmel-by-the-Sea), at $1,173,050; Chatham County, GA (Savannah), at $325,050; and Prince William County, VA (Washington, DC, suburbs), at $480,050.

We broke out the different trends affecting these markets, and took a deeper dive into each. All of the places on our list fall into more than one of these buckets; a few of them fall into each of them.

1. Popular second-home destinations are beginning to slow

All of the counties on our list, most of them on the water, are popular with tourists and vacation home buyers for a reason. They tend to offer lots of natural beauty, plenty of local, unique attractions, and a plethora of places to grab a bite and a drink. And those are the same things that make them more vulnerable to a downturn.

After the housing bust that triggered the Great Recession, home values in resort areas plunged about 25% to 50% depending on where they were located, Jack McCabe of McCabe Research & Consulting, previously told realtor.com. Meanwhile, nationally home prices fell only 17.5% from 2006 to 2011, according to McCabe’s analysis.

Myrtle Beach, in the most vulnerable county of our analysis, could take a double hit since it’s both a popular vacation home market as well as a major lure for retirees. (Median home prices in Horry County, at $239,050, are the lowest of our list.) About two-thirds of sales in the area are vacation and investment homes. And those sales slowed in mid-March after President Donald Trump first addressed the nation on the pandemic, says Laura Crowther, CEO of the Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors®, based in Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach, SC

Kruck20/Getty Images

Many second-home buyers come from out of state, and now they can’t physically travel to South Carolina to view properties.

But Crowther is seeing an increase in virtual tours of Myrtle Beach listings, and for now, locals are still buying properties, buoying the market.

“It’s a very difficult time right now for Myrtle Beach and other areas like it,” says Robert Salvino, director of the Grant Center for Real Estate and Economics at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. “Transactions will decline. There’s simply a real difficulty showing and looking at homes.”

The area, like all of the others in our analysis, relies on lots of visitors to eat at its restaurants, stay at its hotels, and visit its attractions—basically pump money into its economy.

Some of these markets were also badly affected by last decade’s housing bust. Single-family home sale prices in the Myrtle Beach metro area peaked at $242,310 in July 2006, according to multiple listing service data provided by Salvino. Prices bottomed out to $160,000 in November 2012. They’ve since rose to $241,900 for the full year of 2019—still short of the previous high nearly 14 years ago.

“Second-home markets are the first to be affected” by a recession, says Salvino. “People are going to hold off on buying until they know they’re secure and prioritize affording the first home.”

The crisis is also likely to hurt the short-term rentals market, like Airbnb. Investors may hold off on buying properties in tourist areas until the crisis passes.

After the housing crash, prices for Honolulu’s short-term rentals, mostly condos rented out to visitors, fell by more than 50% in some cases, says local real estate broker George Krischke of Hawaii Living. This could happen again as most Americans are hunkering down instead of jetting off to the tropics during a global pandemic.

In Atlantic County, home to Atlantic City, NJ (No.3 on our list), folks struggling to pay their bills may sell their vacation homes to help alleviate some of their expenses.

“Some people rent [out] during the summer season to help alleviate some of the expenses,” says David Fiorenza, an economics professor at Villanova University in the Philadelphia suburbs. “It’s going to be harder for people if they have two mortgages, one at their primary residence and one at their secondary residence.”

And while this is likely more of a short-term crisis, it could have some serious long-term effects.

Once the virus is under control, vacation home buyers and retirees may want to buy property closer to their primary homes and family, says Sudesh Mujumdar, dean of the College of Business Administration at Savannah State University in Georgia.

They may fear another pandemic or crisis. And that could hurt markets like Savannah, which has a growing retiree and second-home market.

“This might have a longer-term impact on our social fabric,” says Mujumdar.

2. Retirees may put home purchases—and relocations—on hold

Retirees tend to be attracted to many of the warmer-weather, tourist, and vacation home areas on our list. But those hailing from the particularly hard-hit Northeast as well as the Midwest aren’t likely forgoing social distancing to head to South Carolina, Florida, and Hawaii to tour homes. Older individuals are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, with some of the highest mortality rates.

So many of them are holding off on their home searches.

“Right now people are adopting a wait-and-see attitude,” says Brad O’Connor, chief economist of Florida Realtors®, the state’s Orlando-based trade group. “Everyone’s going to put some stuff on pause right now temporarily while we get a handle on things.”

3. Luxury markets could see slumps

Luxury markets won’t be exempt from the distress. With the stock market in turmoil and the economy in a downturn, many buyers are more likely to hold off on big-ticket purchases. A pair of such markets likely to be affected are ultrapricey Honolulu County (No. 6) and Monterey County (No. 8).

After the housing bust and the Great Recession, home prices in Honolulu County fell about 10%, says Honolulu broker Krischke. He believes the price declines this time around will be much milder.

“We will always be paradise, but right now we’re having tough times just like everybody else,” says Krischke.

The market in Monterey, CA, an affluent, seaside county just south of Silicon Valley, is already beginning to stall. The market is split between primary and vacation homes.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

chinaface/Getty Images

There has been only 12 closings for Monterey County homes costing $1.5 million and more as of March 18—typically, that number would have been closer to 30, says  real estate broker Andrew Oldham of Compass, who’s based in Carmel-by-the-Sea. But now he’s seeing extensions, cancellations, and mortgages that are taking longer to process. Some sellers are pulling their properties off the market or even dropping prices. Few new listings are appearing.

However, his team is still seeing multiple offers on less expensive fixer-uppers that are priced right.

They’re also seeing buyers make offers on homes they’ve viewed online with contingencies that would allow them to back out of the deal—just in case problems with the properties crop up once they’re finally able to see the homes in person.

Prices plunged 33% to 40% during and after the Great Recession, but he doesn’t expect anything that drastic this time around. He anticipates there could be a 5% to 10% dip.

“So far we’re not seeing too much of a correction right now,” says Oldham. “If you go in thinking you’re going to get a good deal, you’re probably not.”

4. Gambling meccas will likely be hard-hit

Las Vegas Strip after the statewide closure of nonessential businesses

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Two of the counties on our list, Clark County’s Las Vegas (No. 2) and Atlantic County’s Atlantic City, were clobbered by the financial meltdown in the mid-aughts. Both had struggled to recover and were finally on the upswing—that is until the spread of COVID-19 forced the casinos, hardly centers for social distancing, to close tight.

Just last month, median home prices in the greater Las Vegas area surpassed their height-of-market highs, just before the crash, according to Las Vegas Realtors®, the local trade group. (This was for single-family, existing homes.) Home prices in Southern Nevada reached $316,000 in February compared with $315,000 in June 2006.

“That’s kind of ironic,” says longtime real estate agent Bryan Kyle of First Serve Realty. “It had been a long time coming.”

The recovery had taken much longer because the city’s real estate market had fallen much further than in other parts of the country. So it had more lost ground to make up.

But unlike last time, Las Vegas is better positioned to weather this storm as there hasn’t been rampant overbuilding, says Stephen Miller, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. There is no longer a vast supply of empty homes.

The problem is the city hasn’t diversified its industries to protect it from a downturn. About 29% of Clark County’s employment is in leisure and hospitality, says Miller. And 1 in 7 visitors is coming to the city for a convention, most of which have been postponed or cancelled.

“We’re so heavily reliant on leisure and hospitality,” says Miller. “The problem is we don’t know how long this is going to last.”

And if it doesn’t end soon, that could spell trouble. In Atlantic City, May through September are the make-or-break months.

“If we’re not able to get the casinos running by May, we’re not going to see any good economic impact this summer at the Jersey Shore,” says Villanova University’s Fiorenza.

The post As a Coronavirus-Fueled Recession Looms, These Metros Are On the Front Lines appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/as-coronavirus-fueled-recession-looms-these-metros-are-on-front-lines/

[lighthouserealtygroupltd]

Top Commercial Property Buying & Selling in Monterey County

Manuel Ruelas ReMax Property Expert is the top commercial property buying and selling best option in the Monterey, CA area. If you are considering selling and buying commercial real estate with the potential for growth or passive income, you should come to us, here's how to get started. Here you can buy or sell your favorite home at an affordable price. So what's the delay contact us today: 831-595-3222 on.

[rickhorrow]

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 111119

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11 : Mayor’s Edition

with Jacob Aere

Sports investor Bruin Sports Capital received $600 million more to spend. According to the New York Times, Bruin Sports Capital is a sports investment and management company that invests in the technologies of media, marketing, and data surrounding sports. After raising $600 million from two even larger investors – CVC Capital Partners and the Jordan Company – Bruin Sports will be able to expand its portfolio of investments, which already include data analytics, media and streaming companies, and a fledgling drone-racing league. Currently, Bruin, led by Sport Business Handbook contributor George Pyne, has nearly $1 billion invested, including significant stakes in six companies across the modern sports landscape, from sports media start-ups such as The Athletic to a live-event provider selling high-end trips to events like the Super Bowl and the NFL draft. Overall, Bruin Sports Capital’s guiding philosophy is that people under 40 watch and consume sports and media in radically different ways from their parents – and this is likely how the strategic company will invest its newly-acquired $600 million: toward attracting future generations of sports and tech fans.

As “Ford v Ferrari” prepares to open nationwide, with Oscar in its sights, the Raiders have announced Desert Ford Dealers Las Vegas as founding partner of their new Allegiant Stadium. The tie-up also sees Ford, which has five dealerships across Las Vegas, named as the official vehicle of the Raiders. The deal gives Ford a year-round presence throughout Allegiant Stadium including pre-game tailgate activations and naming rights on the north gate entry. Construction on the $1.8 billion stadium is due for completion July 21. Said Raiders president Marc Badain, “We are excited to add another world-wide brand to the Raider family and for the annual activation and tailgating experiences this partnership will provide to our fans.” Set to open this Friday, “Ford v Ferrari” focuses on the relationship between visionary car designer Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they worked to develop the Ford GT-40 car that swept the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. In case you’re wondering, the original cars sold and licensed by Ford in the 1960s have great value. A 1965 GT-40 roadster prototype was sold in August at a Monterey, CA auction for $7.65 million.

While the majority of America's top high school basketball talent chose to spend the year in college where they will earn $0 in wages, LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton chose to spend the year in Australia's National Basketball League, where they will earn $68,400. Ball was unlikely to be NCAA eligible anyway after playing professionally in Lithuania, but Hampton had full eligibility at an American college. Instead, he chose the path he thought would best prepare him for the NBA. Hampton's decision embodies the modern challenge facing college basketball, but fears over this becoming the new normal are exaggerated. After all, thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon, the "one-and-done" era will likely end soon. And when it does, these alternative paths will be moot. We've seen international prospects make noise before, but we've never seen two young Americans — both active on social media with big followings: Ball has five million Instagram followers while RJ has 430,000 – playing  overseas while their former classmates play on campuses. Should be a fun storyline to follow this college basketball season and into next year’s NBA Draft.

As MLS once again crowned the Seattle Sounders as their champion, the average value of an MLS franchise has climbed 30% from $240 million to $313 million, according to Forbes. The year-on-year growth outpaces the rising team values in the NBA, which were up 13%, as well as the 11% increase in the NFL, an 8% rise in MLB, and a 6% climb in the NHL. Atlanta United remains the most valuable MLS franchise for the second straight year at $500 million, up from $330 million in last year’s rankings. The club’s revenue soared from $47 million to $78 million, resulting in an operating income of $7 million. Atlanta United are closely followed by the L.A. Galaxy ($480 million), with LAFC ($475 million), MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders ($405 million), and Toronto FC ($395 million) rounding off the top five. Despite the increase in team values, Forbes estimates that just seven of the league’s 24 teams turned a profit last season, with Toronto FC recording the biggest loss of $19 million. However, that has not stemmed the demand from investors looking to own an MLS franchise, even though expansion fees have soared to $200 million

In similar sports engagement news, a new study from Telemundo Deportes was welcome news for brands looking to engage with Hispanic fans. Telemundo Deportes, in partnership with Turnkey Intelligence-MarketCast, reports that Hispanic fans show 15% higher propensity to support sponsors on television and elsewhere than non-Hispanics, “by trying, buying, or recommending a product or service,” according to the study. Additionally, 57% of Hispanic sports fans who consume Spanish-language media would try, buy, or recommend a product or service — a 22% increase over non-Hispanics. Among the report’s other highlights, more than three-quarters of Spanish-language media consumers consider the FIFA Men’s World Cup a “can’t miss event.” 81% of Hispanic sports fans watch sports on television, predominantly at home, and were somewhat less likely than non-Hispanic fans to follow sports on other media platforms such as streaming services, social media, and online news sites. It’s never too early to prepare for the World Cup. Even though the 2022 event in Qatar is later than normal in the calendar due to brutal summer heat in that country – it kicks off in almost three years to the day – brand marketers should take note of this timely study.

The New York Knicks and New Jersey Devils broadcasts will soon feature FanDuel betting. According to Bloomberg, FanDuel will become an official sports gaming partner for broadcasts of the NBA’s Knicks, as well as the exclusive sports gambling partner for broadcasts of the NHL’s Devils. Also, New York Rangers hockey telecasts will include FanDuel commercials, but not betting-related content. Devils telecasts will have updated betting odds in a scrolling sidebar during each intermission. The partnership also will include a mix of in-game and halftime spots, branded content, and commercials. Prior to the Knicks halftime show, the network recently began showing a five-minute segment called “Inside the Lines,” devoting that time to look at the NBA betting landscape. A similar one-minute NHL-focused show will air leading into every Devils pregame show. Sports betting companies increasingly are signing deals with pro sports teams and media entities in places where betting on games is legal, and more teams will sign deals with betting partners as state by state legislation continues to relax on sports betting.

Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is making waves in the NBA, NFL, and NCAA. Tampering issues loom over professional sports and a widespread federal investigation still lingers over the NCAA landscape, meaning that the desire for privacy, encryption, and even disappearing messages has increased. For public schools in college sports, the app has emerged as an outlet to avoid jeopardy under Freedom of Information Act requests and to circumvent NCAA amateurism rules. In pro sports, Signal is used to combat the uptick in tampering enforcement. According to Yahoo! Sports, all the messages, photos, and documents passed back and forth are heavily encrypted on Signal. In the NBA and NFL, Signal spans every level from players to executives. In the wake of an NBA free agency period in which news of deals was broken prior to the formal start of the free agency round, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced stricter enforcement of rules for tampering and salary-cap circumvention. While the Signal app was originally created for use in politics, the sports world has been using its security features to avoid legal repercussions for phone conversations or texts or, simply, an escape from stardom.

Total advertising on connected TV devices and platforms will grow 37.6% in 2019 to hit $6.94 billion, forecasts eMarketer – and surpass $10 billion by 2021. “When looking at ad revenues, YouTube, Hulu and Roku are the leaders in this market,” eMarketer lead analyst Eric Haggstrom shared with Cynopsis. “Users of these platforms are likely either cord-cutters or cord-shavers. That means some TV ad buyers are willing to pay a premium to reach users who are difficult to reach via traditional TV ads. These platforms are also bulking up their targeting, programmatic and attribution capabilities in order to attract buyers from the digital world.” While these numbers comprise all programming, including sports, major recent deals that pro sports leagues have done with the likes of Amazon and YouTube prove that they understand where the content consuming world is going and are already headed in that direction.

Boston Marathon Charity eclipses $100 million in donations for cancer over its 20 years. According to Tucson.com, Boston Marathon runners participating on behalf of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since 1990 have surpassed the $100 million fundraising mark. The research center says more than $500,000 has already been raised by runners in next year's race, putting it over the threshold. Dana-Farber was one of the first charities allowed to use the Boston Marathon as a fundraiser. More than 500 runners are expected to take part in the 2020 race as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. They are hoping to raise $6.25 million. 100% of the money raised from the team's Boston Marathon runners supports promising cancer research in its earliest stages. The Boston Marathon is the pinnacle of marathon and media coverage and the race will make positive headlines as multiple charities will be highlighted on the day of the event next year, April 20, 2020.

Phillies coach Charlie Manuel will sleep on the street for charity. According to Crossing Broad, Manuel will be sleeping outside on a Philly street along with Larry Bowa and Phillies executives to raise money for the Covenant House “Sleep Out” program, which supports homeless youth. Charlie went on Twitter to explain that his family had 11 kids and that he “grew up poor,” so it’s a cause he can relate to. As of Friday, $1,415 of the $5,000 goal had already been raised. The sleep out will take place on November 21 and is not about pretending to be homeless. It’s an act of solidarity with the 4.2 million young people who experience homelessness each year. It’s a decision that we can’t stay indoors while so many kids remain outside. The funds raised will be donated to Covenant House, a shelter for kids experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Covenant House offers these young people respect and unconditional love, and their continuum of care provides essential services to help kids transition from homelessness to independence. Manuel is raising awareness of homelessness in Philadelphia and speaking from a place of respect, as he too suffered financial struggles in his childhood.

[dylanradio]

Now Playing on DylanRadio.com: Silvio by Bob Dylan from 1995-05-27 Monterey CA - Guided By The Eternal Light

Stake my future on a hell of a past Looks like tomorrow is coming on fast Ain't complaining 'bout what I got Seen better times, but who has not? Silvio Silver and gold Won't buy back the beat of a heart grown cold Silvio I gotta go Find out something only dead men know Honest as the next jade rolling that stone When I come knocking don't throw me no bone I'm an old boll weevil looking for a home If you don't like it you can leave me alone I can snap my fingers and require the rain From a clear blue sky and turn it off again I can stroke your body and relieve your pain And charm the whistle off an evening train I give what I got until I got no more I take what I get until I even the score You know I love you and furthermore When it's time to go you got an open door I can tell you fancy, I can tell you plain You give something up for everything you gain Since every pleasure's got an edge of pain Pay for your ticket and don't complain One of these days and it won't be long Going down in the valley and sing my song I will sing it loud and sing it strong Let the echo decide if I was right or wrong Silvio Silver and gold Won't buy back the beat of a heart grown cold Silvio I gotta go Find out something only dead men know

[incarnationsf]

The Schubert Project – Ensemble 1828

Date & Time: Friday June 28 at  7:30 pm Venue: 1750 29th Avenue, San Francisco Tickets: $20 General, $15 Seniors/Students Buy tickets online

Celebrate pride and the genius of Franz Schubert (1797-1828) in an all-Schubert program for violin, cello, and piano.

Franz Peter Schubert (31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast oeuvre, including more than 600 secular vocal works (mainly Lieder), seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music and a large body of piano and chamber music. Appreciation of Schubert’s music while he was alive was limited to a relatively small circle of admirers in Vienna, but interest in his work increased significantly in the decades following his death. Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and other 19th-century composers discovered and championed his works. Today, Schubert is ranked among the greatest composers of the 19th century, and his music continues to be popular.

Program

Ensemble 1828 — violinist Nicole Oswald, cellist Isaac Pastor-Chermak, and pianist Alison Lee — makes their debut with an eight-concert tour throughout Northern California in Summer 2019. Honoring Schubert’s last and most productive year with their name, Ensemble 1828 will present an all-Schubert program, highlighting music composed in their namesake year and featuring varied groupings of violin, cello and piano. Come for the timeless solo piano impromptus, stay for the intimate duos for cello and piano and violin and piano, and come back after intermission for the epic, symphonic Piano Trio No.1.

Sonata for Arpeggione and Piano in A minor, D.821

Impromptu in G-flat major, Op.90 No.3

Impromptu in A-flat major, Op. 90 No.4

Violin Sonata in A major, D.574

Piano Trio No.1 in B-flat major, D.898

About the Artists

Nicole Oswald recently received an Artist Diploma from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, studying under renowned concert violinist and pedagogue Charles Castleman as a graduate teaching assistant and Henry Mancini Institute fellow.  Prior to attending Frost, Nicole studied violin at the Utrechts Conservatory, Netherlands and the Eastman School of Music. Nicole began her studies of music in her hometown of Boise, Idaho. She has accumulated many honors in the Northwest including; 1st prize at the Coeur d’Alene National Young Artists Competition 2012 and 3rd prize at the national level of the Music Teacher’s National Association: Senior String Division competition held in NYC, 2012. Her string quartet also received 1st prize in the Boise Chamber Music Series: String Quartet Competition in 2012 and 2013. Alongside performing within numerous symphony orchestras, Nicole has performed contemporary music in many ensembles including, Ossia New Music, the Empire Film Music Ensemble, and the Slee Sinfonietta (University of Buffalo, NY). Nicole has been a guest artist at the Castleman Quartet Program and has studied chamber music with members of the; Pacifica, Fine Arts, Ying, Dover, Cavani, Concord, Juilliard, Bergonzi and Chilingirian String Quartets. She has appeared in solo master classes with; Rachel Barton Pine, Christian Tetzlaff, Mimi Zweig, Giora Schmidt, Csaba Erdélyi, Irvine Arditti, and Vadim Repin. While in Miami, Nicole was a chamber music coach for Miami Youth for Chamber Music, appeared as a guest performer with the Bergonzi String Quartet and played in the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra. In fall of 2018, Nicole will continue her studies as the teaching assistant of Andres Cardenes at Carnegie Mellon University.

Alison Lee recently completed the Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance at the University of Minnesota, where she studied with Lydia Artymiw. She received her MM degree from Rice University under Jon Kimura Parker, and BM degree from Oberlin Conservatory under Angela Cheng.  A native of Fremont, California, Alison studied with Hans Boepple and Jed Galant during her precollege years.

Alison was the first prize winner in several piano competitions, including Thursday Musical’s Young Artist Scholarship Competition in Minnesota, the Pacific Musical Society Competition in San Francisco, the Dorothy Van Waynen Piano Competition in Berkeley, and the Graves Music Competition in Ohio. Most recently, she won second place in the 2016 Midwest International Piano Competition, where she performed Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony. An avid chamber musician, she frequently collaborates with colleagues and friends as well as with her sister Katherine as duo pianists.

In Summer 2018, following nine years of world-class education around the United States, Alison returns to the Bay Area to launch her career as an educator, collaborator, and soloist. She is already in high demand as a studio piano teacher, and looks forward to a number of performance engagements throughout the Western United States in the 2018-19 season. In July 2018, Alison will coach chamber music at ChamberFest LIVE, a summer day camp for middle- and high-school students in Fremont, CA; and in August 2018, she will appear as staff pianist at the Castleman Quintet Program in Portland, OR.

Isaac Pastor-Chermak is Principal Cellist of Portland Opera and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony; Associate Principal Cellist of Stockton Symphony; and a member of Santa Barbara Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, and Dayton Philharmonic. Beginning August 2018, he will conclude his summers performing at the Lake Tahoe Music Festival. Mr. Pastor-Chermak is the cellist of Black Cedar Trio, the only professional flute-cello-guitar ensemble in the country, and enjoys frequent sonata collaborations with pianists Miles Graber and Alison Lee.

Mr. Pastor-Chermak is in constant demand as a soloist and recital artist, performing more than 100 concerts every season on an 1889 Riccardo Antoniazzi cello. In the first half of 2018 alone, he will perform a major duo recital with pianist Alison Lee, featuring works of Gershwin, Chopin, Beethoven and Prokofiev; C.P.E. Bach’s Cello Concerto in A minor with Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony; Eugen d’Albert’s Cello Concerto in C major with Oakland Civic Orchestra; Leonard Bernstein’s Meditation No.3, also with Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony; two performances of the complete Bach Suites for Solo Cello; and a live-recorded concert with Black Cedar Trio. Mr. Pastor-Chermak fits these creative projects around weekly symphonic programs throughout the country, as well as his local teaching and conducting obligations.

As an educator, Mr. Pastor-Chermak is Beelard Foundation Artist-in-Residence at Young Artists Conservatory of Music in Vacaville, CA; and a faculty member at Dominican Sisters School of Music in Fremont, CA. His cello students and chamber ensembles receive consistent high marks in regional competitions. He is founder and principal conductor of Solano Youth Chamber Orchestra, the first youth orchestra in the city of Vacaville. Pastor-Chermak serves on the Board of Directors of the East Bay Music Foundation, where he supports outreach and performance opportunities for young musicians in Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties. Pastor-Chermak holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley (B.A. with honors) and San Francisco Conservatory of Music (M.M. with honors). He makes his home in the North Berkeley hills, but is at home wherever the music takes him. www.isaacpastorchermak.com.