When staging your home for a home sale, it is important to give each room a clear and distinct purpose. Let potential buyers know how each room is used with one clear purpose rather than a multi-use type room. Begin this process by getting rid of clutter and extra furniture. Then choose a specific purpose for the room such as a home office, guest bedroom or child’s room. Take the guess work out of your home for potential buyers.

The Lido Marina Village is hosting the 43^rd Annual Newport Boat Show from Thursday, May 12^th through Sunday, May 15^th. This long standing annual boat show is the premier yacht show on the West Coast and will feature the newest vessels available in the Western United States. In addition, there will be a large selection of the brokerage vessels. There will be over 200 shoreside and floating boats available for tours and sale. Throughout the show you will find new products and services that make owning a boat easier and more fun. The show opens at noon of Thursday. Show hours are Thursday, noon to 7pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 7pm, and Sunday 10am to 5pm. The Lido Marina Village is located at 3420 Via Oporto in Newport Beach. There will be free parking offsite with shuttle service. Tickets are $15. For more information about this boat and yacht show, see their website at: http://www.newportbeachboatshow.com/.

Crystal Cove is part of the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach and is situated just north of Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove is home to luxury living, shopping and dining. Located at 11 Clear Water, this 12,000 square foot home is part of the Crystal Cove Estate Collection. This seven bedroom, eleven bathroom estate home was built in 2011. This custom estate was built by Rodeo Homes with a combination of classical architecture and state-of-the-art technologies. The chef’s kitchen features professional grade Thermador appliances, granite counter tops and a temperature controlled wine cellar. The home has a private gym, sound studio and home theater. The home sits on an oversized 21,000 square foot piece of property. The home has wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean, Newport Bay, Catalina Island, Newport Beach coastline, city night lights and gorgeous evening sunsets. Crystal Cove Estate Collection is a 24 hour guard gated development which contains all custom built estates. Estate Collection residents, like all Crystal Cove residents are invited to join in all the resort style recreational activities offered at the Canyon Club. The Canyon Club is the social hub of the Crystal Cove.

When you are ready to sell your home, make your first step hiring a local, professional real estate agent, such as those of the Franco team. A local, professional agent will be familiar with the area, which is a plus when it comes to pricing your home correctly. This can be a tricky task, price it to low and potential buyers will be tentative, thinking something is wrong with the house. Also, the sellers will walk away with money still on the table. Price the home to high and your home will not have the potential buyer traffic you deserve.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is having their 55^th Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 28^th.  Local students from Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar and Sage Hill Schools will be recognized for their outstanding achievements. During this dinner event, the Teacher of Year will be announced for each school. The guest speaker for this year’s event will be Craig Boundy, CEO of Experian North America. The Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held at the Radisson Hotel Newport Beach. The Radisson Hotel is located at 4545 MacArthur Boulevard. The event will begin at 6pm and run until 8:30pm. The principal sponsors are Wells Fargo and Newport Beach Police Association. For more information about this annual event or to purchase tickets, see their website at: https://www.newportbeach.com/events/55th-annual-scholarship-awards-dinner/.

Crystal Cove is home both luxury residential developments and the Crystal Cove State Park. This state park has 3.2 miles of coastline with beaches, tide pools and water activities. The 3,900 acre park also features coastal cliffs, 18 miles of trails, a 1,400 acre marine conservation area and 2,400 acres of canyons. Located 8 Mystique, this 18,000 square foot custom built estate is part of the Crystal Cove Estate Collection. This eight bedroom, twelve bathroom estate was built in 2009. Among the many rooms in the estate are gym, steam room, home theater and 10 car subterranean garage. In addition the home has a sports pub area, refrigerated wine room and a commercial elevator. There are ocean views from every major room in the house. The views include the Pacific Ocean, Newport Harbor, the Newport Beach coastline, Catalina Island, city night lights and gorgeous evening sunsets. This home sits on an oversized 36,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners’ and their guests will enjoy resort style amenities including a swimming pool and spa. The Crystal Cove Estate Collection is a 24 guard gated community. Residents of the Estate Collection are invited to take part in all the recreational style activities offered at the Canyon Club Recreational Center.

Everyone knows that it is important to clear out the clutter and personal items when getting your home ready to sell. However, it is important to not make the home have a sterile appearance, but a warm and inviting appearance. Add a plate of fresh baked cookies or bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter or island. Add vases of fresh flowers to dining tables and side tables. Add plush, fluffy white bath robes to the bathroom to create a spa like feel.

The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach is hosting an all day Basi Pilates event. Learn from the Leaders, Basi Pilates will take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 16^th and 17^th. This is the perfect event for Pilates enthusiasts, professionals and even novices to learn all about the world of Pilates. At the end of this event, all participants will go home with the latest information, knowledge and insights in this field of exercise. There will be exercise style classes, lecture style classes and opportunities for one on one exchanges. There will be a large and diverse group of presenters and information provided during the weekend.  The Hyatt Regency Newport Beach is located at 1107 Jamboree Road. For more information about this weekend event or reserve your space; see their website at: http://www.basipilates.com/education/advanced-education/learn-from-the-leaders-2016/.

The Crystal Cove group of luxury developments is situated on the cliff side which overlooks the Newport Harbor. The Crystal Cove State Park and Beach is just below with three miles of beaches, tidal pools, 400 acres of bluffs and 2,400 acres of canyons. There is 18 miles of trails for horseback riding, biking and hiking trails. There is also a 1,400 acre marine Conservation Area with an underwater park, which allows snorkeling and scuba diving.  Located at 20 Wharfside, this 3,100 square foot home is part of the Seabourn development. This four bedroom, four bathroom home was built in 2001. This home is one level and has a Mediterranean architectural style. Attention to detail can be seen in the walnut flooring, coffered ceilings and custom bamboo shades. There are views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, the Newport Beach coastline, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. On clear days, the views stretch to Palos Verdes. The home sits on a large 10,000 square foot piece of property, which has 91 feet of front row frontage. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a swimming pool, spa, outdoor entertaining areas with a barbeque area. Seabourn is a 24 hour guard gated community. Seabourn was built by Standard Pacific Homes between 2001 and 2003. Students attend schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically El Morro Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.

When getting ready to sell your home, the first part of the staging process should be de-cluttering. Clear the clutter from all surfaces, floors, closets and cupboards.  Even if you have to store boxes off-site, it is best to show a clutter free home to potential buyers.  Eliminate personal items and trinkets, the best look for a home for sale is neutral, it should be all about the home, not your personal style. Potential buyers will be better able to envision themselves in a neutral styled space.

The Choral Arts Initiative is performing Such Things as Flowers on Saturday, April 2^nd and Sunday, April 3^rd.  Such Things as Flowers is the perfect way to celebrate the spring season and the Choral Arts Initiative’s first performance of 2016. This performance weaves together four components, sea, flowers, earth and music. CBS, Los Angeles has called the Choral Arts Initiative on of the “Best Choirs in OC” and they are a winner of the American Prize in Choral Performance. The Saturday performance will be at 7:30pm, at Anaheim First Presbyterian Church. The performance on Sunday will be held at St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach at 4pm. St. Mark is located at 2200 San Joaquin Hills Road in Newport Beach. For more information about the choir or to purchase tickets, see their website at: http://choralartsinitiative.org.

Crystal Cove, along with Pelican Hill, makes up a part of the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. Crystal Cove is home to the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach which has 400 acres of bluffs, 2,400 acres of canyons, 18 miles of trails and 1,400 acre Marine Park. Located at 6 Scenic Bluff, this 5,700 square foot home is part of the Watermark development. This four bedroom, eight bathroom home was built in 2001. This estate has a Mediterranean architectural style. This home has formal living room, dining room and media room. There are panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, the Newport Harbor entrance, Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, city night lights, the golf course and evening sunsets from the home and the terraces. This home sits on an oversized 15,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a Koi pond, covered loggia, pool, spa and fireplace. The outdoor kitchen is complete with a pizza oven. Watermark, like all Crystal Cove neighborhoods, is a 24 hour guard gated neighborhood. The homeowners’ association provides a community pool, spa, tennis courts and clubhouse for residents to use.

When selling your home, look at each room individually and stage the furniture accordingly. It is a common belief that furniture pushed up against the walls is best; instead try floating the furniture away from the walls. When re-positioning the furniture create conversational groups, such as near the fireplace, drawing attention to this coveted feature.  This creates a better traffic flow in rooms and also makes them look larger.

The Crystal Cove Alliance Spring Art Show, Reflections, will take place the weekend of March 18^th through March 20^th. The show will feature over 25 recognized artists who will be painting at Crystal Cove State Park. On Friday, March 18^th, there will be an opening reception from 4pm to 6:30pm, with a chance to meet with the artists.  There will be hors d’oeuvres, wine and live music at the opening reception. Reservations are required for the opening reception. On Saturday and Sunday, the public show hours are 10am to 4pm. The art show will take place at Crystal Cove State Park Education Commons, at the crossroads of Pacific Coast Highway and Los Trancos in Newport Beach. Admission is free, however, State Park day use fees apply. For more information about this Spring Art Show, see their website at: http://www.crystalcovealliance.org/reflections/.

Crystal Cove is situated on a hillside which overlooks Newport Harbor, giving Crystal Cove developments beautiful views. Crystal Cove is made up of several luxury developments and the Crystal Cove State Park. Located at 26 Surfspray, this 3,900 square foot home is part of the Nautilus development. This five bedroom, six bathroom home was built in 2005. This is a Nautilus Plan 3 home. Attention to detail can be seen in the marble, up graded carpet and distressed hardwood floors. The home sits on a 6,000 square foot piece of property. The home has views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a built-in barbeque and spa. Nautilus is a 24 hour guard gated neighborhood. Among the many amenities at Nautilus are a community pool, tennis courts, barbeque area, clubhouse and fitness center. Nautilus residents, as are all Crystal Cove residents, invited to take part in all the resort style activities offered at the Canyon Club Recreational Center.

When selling your home, regardless of the time of year, it is important to create an atmosphere in your home, so that potential buyers can envision themselves in this space. Some ideas to create atmosphere are throwing afghans across the arms of couches in the family room, create a romantic atmosphere in the living room by placing a champagne bucket and two champagne glasses on the coffee table. In the master bathroom create a spa atmosphere by hanging up plush robes, place a basket of rolled up wash clothes on the counter and set up a grouping of soaps and lotions. Finally, add vases of fresh flowers around the house.

Roger’s Gardens is having a cooking class with Chef Rich Mead on Saturday, March 5th.  This cooking class will focus on salads, salsas and vinaigrettes. Since spring is the near, this class will use citrus which will be available during the spring season. The recipes will include citrus such as tangerines, grapefruits, blood oranges, lemons and limes. All the recipes will have a tangy nuisance to their flavors. Roger’s Gardens is located at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road in Corona del Mar. The class runs from 2pm to 3pm. Admission to this cooking class is free. For more information about this class or the many different classes offered at the garden, see their website at: http://rogersgardens.com/seminars-events/cooking-with-chef-rich-mead-salads-salsas-vinaigrettes/.

Crystal Cove is in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. Crystal Cove is made-up of a group of luxury developments and the Crystal Cove State Park. Located at 4 Sidra, this 3,300 square foot home is part of the Seascape development. This three bedroom, four bathroom home was built in 2002.  The home is situated on a private cul-de-sac lot and is ocean front.  This home has a Mediterranean architectural style. The chef’s kitchen features Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, a center island and a built in wine cooler.  The master suite has a dressing area with built-ins, Jacuzzi tub and a private walk out patio. This home has views of the Pacific Ocean, Sidra Cove, surrounding canyons and gorgeous evening sunsets. The Seascape development amenities include an Olympic size swimming pool, fitness center and 24 hour security. Students living is this area attend schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically El Morro Elementary School, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.

When selling your home, it is always a good idea to bring attention to your homes fireplaces, this is even a better place to put focus in the winter months. Although, you may want to light a fire, this could be a safety hazard, so use other techniques for drawing attention to the fireplace. Set-up a fire, just don’t light it. Fill the fireplace with unlit candles. Try setting up a seating vignette around the fireplace. Finally consider placing a piece of art above the mantel. Potential buyers will be sure to notice the fireplaces.

The Newport Beach Central Library and the Newport Beach City Arts Commission will be a hosting a Centennial Celebration: Joan Irving Brandt. The exhibit will focus on the life, art and civic contributions of artist Joan Irving Brandt. Brandt was a California scene painter. The Centennial Celebration will take place on Saturday, March 5^th beginning at 2pm, with both a special program and reception. Gordon McClelland and E. Gene Crain will be speaking during the program. Both watercolor paintings and sculpture will be on display. This art exhibit will be open from February 1^st through March 31^st, 2016. The Central Branch of the Newport Beach Library is located at 1000 Avocado Avenue.  For information about both the celebration and the exhibit, see their website at: http://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/library-services/cultural-arts.

Crystal Cove is a group of several luxury developments situated in the Newport Coast area of the city of Newport Beach. Crystal Cove residential developments sit on the bluffs above the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach. Located at 66 Twilight Bluff, this 4,000 square foot home is part of The Strand development. This five bedroom, six bathroom home was built in 2003. The house is built on a 9,100 square foot piece of property. With a Santa Barbara architectural style, this home has hardwood floors, custom built-ins and beamed ceilings. The gourmet kitchen features stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a large center island. This home has 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. The detached casita is perfect for guests or a private home office. The Strand, like all Crystal Cove developments, is a 24 hour guard gated community. There are just 42 homes in The Strand. The homeowners’ association provides a community pool, spa, tennis courts and a clubhouse for residents to use.

When you are beginning to think about and are starting to prepare for the process of selling your home, one of the best places to begin is with a home inspection. By getting a home inspection prior to listing your home, you will have a list of items to fix in advance of the home sale. By fixing items up front, you will not have to fix them under a time constraint and potential buyers will see how well maintained the house is and take away a good impression of the home.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is having a Wake Up! Newport installation on Thursday, February 4^th.  All Wake Up Newport gatherings are a free opportunity to interact with fellow chamber members and hear a presentation concerning the local area. This Wake Up Newport session presents an “opportunity to meet one on one with local Legislative and Government officials and stay updated on current local, state and federal issues” which pertain to chamber members in Newport Beach.  The breakfast event begins at 7:15am and runs until 8:30am. This meeting will be in the Friends Room at the Newport Beach Public Library on Avocado Avenue. Reservations are required. For more information, see their website at: https://www.newportbeach.com/events/february-wake-up-newport-district-attorney-tony-rackauckas/.

Crystal Cove is a group of affluent developments perched high on the hillside overlooking Newport Harbor. Crystal Cove homes have commanding views, beach access and all Crystal Cove residents are invited to join the Canyon Club Recreational Center. Located at 24 Gondoliers Bluff, this 5,600 square foot home is part of the White Sails development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 2004. The home sits on a large, pie shaped, 15,000 square foot property. The home features large entertaining spaces both indoors and outdoors, a main floor office and a gorgeous master suite. Attention to detail can be seen in the use of imported stone, custom millwork and custom draperies. This highly customized home has a Mediterranean architectural style. The property and home has views of the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, white water and beautiful evening sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners’ will enjoy relaxing by the spa, in the barbeque and bar area and on the view terrace. White Sails is situated directly below The Tides neighborhood in Crystal Cove. The homeowners’ association provides residents with a community pool, spa, tennis courts and club house. Students attend the award winning schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically Harbor View Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.

Potential buyers look at two spaces in a home more than any others: the kitchen and master bathroom. The kitchen is the heart of the home and where tons of time is spent cooking, with family and entertaining.  The master bathroom can be a relaxing space in a home. These two spaces can make or break a home sale.  If a seller wants to fix up their home prior to listing it on the real estate market, these two spaces will give you the most bang for your buck.

The Orange County Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit by Olga Lah through February 28^th, 2016. This exhibit is titled Amass and Swell. This is a “major, site-specific installation by Long Beach artist Olga Lah.” The installation is made from thousands of stacked foam blocks. This installation will cover the length of many gallery walls creating a 65 foot exhibit. The installation is designed to create a “cavernous effect that will envelop and engage museum visitors.” This is an interactive exhibit. Olga is known for use of everyday objects such as bottle caps and pool noodles to make large scale sculptures and installations that explore the themes of spirituality, transcendence, perception and re-contextualization. The Orange County Museum of Art is located on San Clemente Drive in Newport Beach. For more information about this exhibit, see their website at: http://www.ocma.net/exhibition/olga-lah-amass-and-swell.

Crystal Cove is group of luxury neighborhoods in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. Crystal Cove is made-up of several exclusive developments known for their wonderful views. Located at 3 Shell Beach, this 9,200 square foot home is part of the Crystal Cove Estate Collection.  This six bedroom, eight bathroom home was built in 2015. The estate sits on a large 19,900 square foot property. This estate has a Mediterranean architectural style and has never been lived in. There is a detached one bedroom casita for guests. The views from this estate include the panoramic Pacific Ocean views, city night lights, the coastline, white water, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. The Crystal Cove Estate Collection, like all Crystal Cove developments, is a 24 hour guard gated community.  All Crystal Cove neighborhoods offer many amenities including pools, private beach access and clubhouses. Students in Crystal Cove attend schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically  El Morro Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School.

Michael Franco has finished 2015 on a high note with over 30 million dollars in real estate sales, earning him a Top Producer Title for another consecutive year. Among his sales in 2015, were a Watermark, Crystal Cove estate which closed at 7.6 million dollars and an oceanfront, South Laguna Property which closed for 6.3 million dollars. Michael strives to give each client his full attention while sharing is his local real estate expertise and passion for real estate. Let Michael help you find your perfect home in 2016, whether it be new construction or an existing property.

Selling your home in the winter time can be trickier because there is less natural light, as days are shorter.  If at all possible, schedule open houses and showings during daylight hours, so the home has as much natural light as possible. As this is not always possible, supplement natural light with extra lamps in areas of your home that you would like to feature.  During showings and open houses, turn on as many lights as possible. Light up the outside as well, so house numbers can be clearly seen and all pathways are lit.

Newport Beach Public Library will be having Sunshine Storyteller! sessions beginning Saturday, January 16^th, 2016. There will an extra session that same week, on Monday, January 18^th, in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Sunshine Storyteller will be Ina Buckner-Barnette. The January 18^th installment will feature a mixture of African and African American historical stories, folktales, poetry and songs. Sunshine Storyteller sessions will be held in the Children’s Room of the Central Branch. The program is free to attend.  Funding for the Sunshine Storyteller program is provided by the Friends of the Library. The Saturday sessions begin at 10:30am. For more information, see their website at: http://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/.

Crystal Cove is an exclusive section which is part of Newport Coast, along with Pelican Hill and several other luxury developments. Crystal Cove residences are perched above the Crystal Cove Beach State Park with 3.2 miles of beaches and 18 miles of trails.  Located at 37 South Sur, this 6,100 square foot home is part of the Crystal Cove Sea Point development. This five bedroom, six bathroom estate was built in 2008. The home has a formal Tuscan architectural style and was a former model home. Homeowners and guests are greeted by water feature at the front entry. Indoors, attention to detail can be seen the custom lighting, custom flooring and built-ins throughout the home. The chef’s kitchen features an adjacent wine room, wood ceiling beams and custom countertops. The home has views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island, the Harbor and spectacular sunsets. There are both indoor and outdoor fireplaces.  In addition, outdoors, there is a swimming pool and built in barbeque area. All Crystal Homes are part of the 24 hour guard gated community. Sea Point was built by Laing Luxury Homes and has just 27 homes. All Sea Point residents are invited to participate in all the resort style activities offered at the Canyon Club Recreational Center, which acts as the social hub for Crystal Cove.