Tuesday, January 13, 2015


Foothills Sentry


Page 15


Foothill High School captured the Jim Harris Memorial Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High School, Dec. 6. Foothill beat Millikan (Long Beach) in the finals, 74-66.


By Steve Carson Anglers were treated not only


Trout and bass biting well Bass anglers found fair num-


to great fishing at Irvine Lake, but also to spectacular views of the local mountains when the snow covered Modjeska Peak down to only 200 feet above the water. Cold weather dropped the water temperature to 51 degrees, which pleased both the trout and the fishermen. A high percent- age of browns bit best on trolled lures, casting metal lures like Johnson Splinters, and on night- crawlers. Rainbows liked all of those, plus Power Bait and trout worms. Both species weighed in at two to five pounds. There are still decent numbers


of catfish for anglers who boat out to some of the more isolated points, but they’re backing off due to diminished runoff.


bers of two- to four-pound lar- gemouths using deep-water techniques like dropshot-rigged plastics and jigs at 20-25 feet near Rocky Point and the Red Clay Cliffs. Some larger buck- etmouths were also available in shallower water on swimbaits and crankbaits. The Kids Lagoon rewarded


families (with children age 12 and under) with fair action on one- to three-pound trout using Power Bait. Lake temperature remains at


51 on average, with underwater visibility rated slightly stained. The water level is still rising about six inches per week, and more during stormy periods. The west shore launch ramp is fully operational and Trout Island ramp will be available in about


Real Estate


By Ken McCord


What is a normal market? This has been the buzzword


lately in the real estate market of Orange County. Purely a subjec- tive term, it means nothing more than a balanced market of supply and demand. A more balanced market is exactly where OC real estate transitioned to during 2014. To illustrate this transition, let’s review a few indicators. First, the trend with list-


ings. Overall, listings in Orange County increased 10.1 percent year over year in November, from 5,542 to 6,100. Compar- ing closed sales year over year in November, we can see that there were 6.6 percent less closed sales, or a decrease from 2,128 to 1,987. Very interesting, however, is the pending sales or properties that went “under contract” during the month of November, year over year. There was a 15 percent in- crease from 2,118 to 2,435! This is a positive event, especially in November. We believe the late- year pushback in pricing from buyers, and increased inventory for buyers to view, explains the increase. A quick review of a few other


key indicators supports the bal- ancedmarket theory.Monthsofin- ventory crept up, from 2.6 months to 3.1 months. This is nearly a 20 percent increase in the supply and


demand ratios. We also find that the median Orange County home price increased from $535,000 to $565,000, and the average days on market adjusted upward to 77 days from 64. 2015 will likely bring more


inventory into the market, with some continued appreciation as more people can sell and pur- chase locally. Given the low in- terest rates currently, it is difficult to forecast the real estate market past the first quarter of 2015. Should interest rates significantly rise, it will impact pricing in the short term. In conclusion, buyers should


expect more and better options to choose from, with low interest rates to encourage them. Sellers should expect to be competitive with pricing and presentation to at- tract these well-qualified buyers.


Million dollar homes The luxury market or the one-


million-dollar-plus home market in Orange County proved quite interesting during 2014. The year started slowly but the pace and velocity of the market picked up significantly, beginning the sec- ond quarter of 2014. While the number of listings


increased by 9.8 percent, or from 1,475 to 1,620 year over year for


Photos by Cliff Robbins


a week. The Martin Luther King week-


end tournament event will be held Jan. 17-18. Go to irvinelake. com or call the Pro Shop (714) 649-9111, ext. 1 for more infor- mation. Recent outstanding catches include: Brandon Vogel, Orange: 4-15 brown trout on a Thomas Buoy- ant at the west shore Don Spencer, Silverado: 11-1 largemouth bass (released) on crankbait at Rocky Point Doug Bader, Orange: 4-6 rain- bow on a Rapala at the west shore Taylor Knowles, Orange: 4-8 brown on a Flickershad at mid- lake Jamie Robles, Orange: 5-12 brown on a Johnson Splinter at the west shore.


November, the number of closed properties increased by 16.3 per- cent or from 251 to 292! During the month of November, closed properties increased by a sig- nificant 32.6 percent from 261 to 346. The net effect? All positive. Months of inventory decreased from 5.9 to 5.5 months, the ab- sorption rate increased from 17 to 18 percent, and the days on mar- ket stayed exactly the same. After a rocky start, the luxury


market, has been a significantly bright spot in OC real estate, es- pecially in the last three quarters of 2014. It looks like the luxury market will continue to thrive in 2015, with homebuyers seeking new and resale homes in excess of $1 million. It is possible the luxury market will see an in- crease in inventory due to the ag- ing demographics in certain sec- tors. Should this inventory flow into the market, it may present opportunities for sophisticated investors to purchase, remodel, and resell. Further, we may see homes on the market for the first time in many, many years. I look forward to 2015 with


great anticipation of an active luxury market, where analytics and knowledge matter as much as marketing and technology.


Julia Goldberg didn’t have to wait for the snowfall. Her


neighbors, the Gonzalez family of Villa Park, had seven tons of


snow trucked in and a slide made over hay bales, days before the


real stuff came down, but just in time for the annual Villa Park boat parade. Big and little kids enjoyed playing in the white stuff.


Foothill and Millikan High players battle for the ball during the Tournament of Champions game.


Former El Modena soccer player Clara Gomez hoists the California Community College Athletic Association Womens State Champions trophy after shutting out Santiago Canyon College, 2-0, in the finals. Gomez was Cerritos College captain for two years.


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