When selling your home during the chillier winter months, make sure the home is comfortably warm upon entering.  The temperature is most comfortable for the largest number of people between 65 and 70 degrees. It is not necessary or safe to light a fire in fire place (if it is unattended) but do highlight the fireplace area by placing a piece of art of the mantel or putting a seating vignette in front of the fireplace. Potential buyers are sure to feel welcomed into the home.

There will be several cruise options to celebrate the New Year and New Year’s Eve. Cruises offer champagne, delicious food, dancing and spectacular views. Hornblower Cruises offers both evening cruises on New Year’s Eve and brunch cruises on New Year’s Day.  The Wild Goose New Year’s Eve cruise includes dessert, cocktails and music. The Nautical Gala Dinner has DJ entertainment with dancing, gourmet dinner and a midnight champagne toast.  The New Years Day brunch cruise starts with a champagne toast and a large selection of brunch items.  There is even a dinner cruise on New Year’s Day with music. Each cruise is approximately 3 to 3 ½ hours with a boarding glass of champagne and party favors. For more information, see their website at: https://www.hornblower.com/port/category/nb+NYECelebrations.

Crystal Cove is one section of Newport Coast along with Pelican Hill and several luxury developments. Crystal Cove is just north of Laguna Beach and situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway. Located at 12 Waves End, this property is a perfect place to build your dream home.  The large lot is 23,600 square feet and located in the Crystal Cove Estate Collection. Views from a home built on this property include the surrounding mountains, green space, the Pacific Ocean and gorgeous evening sunsets. The Crystal Cove Estate Collection is near the wonderful shopping and dining options at Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza. All homes in the Estate Collection are custom built. Students attend schools in the Newport Mesa Unified School District, specifically Newport Coast Elementary, Ensign Intermediate School and Newport Harbor High School.

When selling your home during winter months, keep the home staging warm and cozy. If necessary, turn the heat on or start an inviting and warm fire in one of the homes fireplaces. Add warm, plushy afghans and pillows to couches and beds. Pick colors such as deep reds, oranges and caramel colors. During open houses and showings, let as much natural light in as possible. Potential home buyers are sure to feel warm and invited into the home.

The 107^th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade will take place each evening from Wednesday, December 16^th through Sunday, December 20^th. The theme for this year’s parade is “Seas the Holidays.”This is the oldest continually running lighted holiday boat parade in the United States. There will be over 100 vessels, of all types, participating in the parade. The parade begins at 6:30pm from Bay Island and continues to approximately 9pm.  The Conde Nast Traveler has called the boat parade one of the “World’s Best Christmas Parades.” The New York Times named the parade one of the “Top Ten Christmas Happenings in the Nation.”  The annual boat parade is sponsored by the commodores club of the Newport Beach Chamber of commerce. For more information about this fabulous annual event, see their website at: https://www.christmasboatparade.com/.

Crystal Cove is a highly sought after area in Newport Coast set between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove is home to the Crystal Cove State Park which is home to 2,400 acres of bluffs, canyons and beach. Located at 12 Archipelago Drive, this 4,200 square foot home is part of the Windward development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home has a Mediterranean architectural style. This home features high ceilings, detailed woodwork and cabinetry and a Creston Smart Home System. The homes views include the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. Outdoors homeowners will enjoy mature, lush landscaping. Windward is 24 hour guard gated neighborhood. The Windward homeowners’ association provides many amenities including an Olympic size swimming pool, spa, tennis courts and clubhouse.  All residents of Windward and Crystal Cove are invited to enjoy all the resort style activities offered through the Canyon Club Recreational Center

During the fall and winter the days are shorter.  Homes show best is the daylight, when flooded with natural light.  It is not always possible to schedule an open house or a showing during daylight hours, however, whenever it is possible to schedule as much as possible during daylight hours.  For evening showings, make sure the outside is well lighted and the house numbers can be seen easily.  On the inside, add lamps and turn all the lights on, make sure the homes best features are lighted well.

The All American Boys Chorus is performing at Roger’s Gardens on Sunday, November 29^th.  Roger’s Gardens Holiday Boutique is open, enjoy some weekend after Thanksgiving shopping, to the joyful sounds of the world acclaimed All American Boys Chorus.  There will be three performances; 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm. The All American Boys Chorus is based in Costa Mesa and has been entertaining audiences for the last forty years. The chorus is made-up of over 100 boys ages 8-15.  All performances on November 29^th at Roger’s Gardens are free and open to the public. For more information, see their website at: http://rogersgardens.com/seminars-events/the-all-american-boys-chorus/.

Crystal Cove is a part of the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach, along with Pelican Hill and other luxury developments. Crystal Cove is also home to the Crystal Cove State Park with miles of beaches, trails and acres of canyons to explore. Located at 20 Shell Beach, this 13,000 square foot home is part of the Crystal Cove Estate Collection. This home sits on one of the largest lots in Crystal Cove at over 29,000 square feet.  This custom built estate was built by Rodeo Homes with six bedrooms and eleven bathrooms in the main residence. There is also a one bedroom, 1.5 bathroom guest home. All levels are serviced by an elevator.  The home features two kitchens, an indoor basketball court, gym and subterranean eleven car garage.  Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a pool, spa, outdoor kitchen and lush, formal gardens. The Crystal Cove Estate Collection is a 24 hour guard gated development, like all Crystal Cove neighborhoods.  The Crystal Cove Promenade is within walking distance with world class shopping and dining choices.

Fall and winter are terrific times of the year to decorate the house. It is important to not overdo the decorating if your home is for sale. You do not want potential buyers to spend their visit looking at the decorations and not the homes features. Simplify decorations to items such as a festive wreath on the front door, a tastefully decorated Christmas tree for December and a pretty fall wreath and container of mums by the front door for November.

The 2015 Balboa Craft Beer Festival will be held on Saturday, November 14^th in Balboa Village.  Twelve breweries will be onsite with dozens of beers on tap. Festival goers will enjoy unlimited beer tastings and unlimited food from local restaurants. There will be unlimited peanuts roasted fresh onsite. The festival will be held from 1pm to 5pm. Live entertainment will be provided by rock and roll band, The Strangers. There will be beer games, hot wing eating contest and raffles happening throughout the day. Tickets are $55, and are good for unlimited beer and food. For more information, see their website at either: http://dinenb.com/events/balboa-craft-beer-festival/ or http://www.balboabeerfest.com/.

Crystal Cove is a rare combination of luxury living and extraordinary natural beauty. Crystal Cove is made-up of 14 developments which are situated above the Crystal Cove State Park. Located at 66 Twilight Bluff, this 3,800 square foot home is part of The Strand development. This five bedroom, six bathroom home has an open floor plan with a large great room. Attention to detail can be seen in the high wood ceilings, built-in cabinetry and hardwood floors. The chef’s kitchen features a large center island and top of the line appliances. This home has amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Newport Harbor, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a private courtyard, outdoor built in kitchen, fireplace and water feature. The Strand has just 42 homes and is a 24 hour guard gated community. Residents of The Strand are encouraged to participate in all the resort style activities offered through the Canyon Club Recreation Center, which acts as the social hub of Crystal Cove.

A cluttered driveway and sidewalks can be a real turn off to potential buyers. Often times, potential buyers have a hard time looking beyond the clutter and be able to picture themselves in the home.  Do not park extra cars in the driveway during open houses and showings, buyers will get the impression the house does not have enough storage and storage areas were moved to the garage and the cars were moved to the driveway. Rent a storage unit for to collect the clutter and park the cars in the garage.

The American Legion Post 291, Newport Beach is having its Annual Halloween Party on Friday, October 30^th from 5pm to 10pm. The theme of this year’s Halloween Party is Eat, Drink and Be Scary.  Come dressed in your most creative Halloween costume, there will be a costume parade and prizes for the best costumes. The evening begins at 5pm with a social hour. The restaurant will be serving a “Spooky Buffet” from 5pm to 8pm. From 6pm to 10pm enjoy danicing to “Full Spectrum.”  Costumes are not required. Buffett tickets are $20 per person.  Reservations are highly suggested. For more information or to make reservations, see their website at: http://www.al291.org/index.php?id=116.

Crystal  Cove is a a group of 14 luxury developments in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. The Crystal Cove State Park has miles of white sandy beaches, tide pools for exploring and 18 miles of trails for biking, hiking, walking an horse back riding. Located at 9 Ocean Heights Drive, this 4,000 square foot home is part of the Strada community. This three bedroom, four bathroom home is situated on a very private 10,000 square foot lot. The gourmet kitchen features a large center island, wine refrigerator and professional grade appliances. The inner courtyard is the perfect spot for entertaining with a fireplace and water feature.  This home has amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, Newport Harbor, Catalina Island, the surrounding mountains, city night lights and breathtaking sunsets. Strada is a 24 hour guard gated neighborhood, as are all Crystal Cove developments. The homeowners’ association provides residents with a community swimming pool, spa, tennis courts and clubhouse. Strada residnets are encouraged to participate in all the resort style activities at the Canyon Club Recreation Center.

Fall is a fun season filled with many colorful holidays.  When selling your home during this season, try to strike a balance between decorating to invoke a holiday feel without over doing it.  Halloween and Thanksgiving are terrific holidays to decorate for and it is important to add some festive decorations to your home even if it is for sale, so that potential home buyers can picture themselves enjoying the holidays there. Just remember to keep silly monsters and large decorations to a minimum and use pretty wreaths, mums and un –carved pumpkins to invoke a seasonal/holiday feel.

The Kick-Off Dinner for the Newport Beach Historical Society will be held on Wednesday, October 21^st at the Haborside Restaurant, inside the Pavillion. There will be a presentation about the history of the Newport Beach Dory Fleet. Speaker Stephanie Mutz will talk about her sea urchin business and the evolution of the fishing in Newport Beach since 1891. The dinner event will begin at 6pm. Tickets are $35 per person. The Newport Beach Historical Society’s mission is to connect people to the past, present and future by educating, collecting and preserving the history of Newport Beach. For more information about this presentation and dinner, see their website at: http://www.newportbeachhistorical.org/.

Crystal Cove is situated between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach. The Crystal Cove State Park is part of Crystal Cove with beaches, miles of trails, an underwater park and acres of canyons. 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 home is a former model home.  The home has a formal Tuscan architectural style. Guests are greeted with a fountain as they enter the home. Attention to detail can be seen throughout the home in the smooth coat drywall finishes, wood beamed ceilings and custom built wine room. The home has incredible views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island, Newport Harbor, city night lights and spectacular sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners’ will enjoy several outdoor fountains, swimming pool and built-in barbeque area. Sea point is a 24 hour guard gated community with just 27 estate style home. Sea Point was built by Laing Luxury Homes. There is a wide variety of shopping and dining choices at the Crystal Cove Promenade.

During the fall season, it is fun to accent your home with fall colors and decorations. However, often times when you are selling, less is more.  Too many decorations or colors can distract potential buyers from the homes best features. Choose a few simple and tasteful decorations to display in your home, during a home sale. Try clear vases filled with fall foliage, mums or a bowl of fall fruits, such as pomegranates.

The Newport Beach Public Library foundation is holding a creative writing contest. The contest is open to high school students, regardless of school, public, private or school district. The theme of this creative writing contest is the library; stories can take place in the library, feature a library element or in some way involve the library. Manuscripts should be short stories with between 300 and 1,500 words.  The top prize is having the manuscript published on the Newport Beach Library Foundation website and in The Bookmark, their quarterly publication.  In addition, the winner received $250. The runner-up will receive $100. Winners will be contacted by October 31^st, 2015. For more information about the contest or the many other programs offered through the library foundation, see their website at: http://nbplfoundation.org/content/Creative-Writing-Contest.html.

Crystal Cove is a group of luxury developments located on the bluffs in Newport Coast.  Residents are near the Crystal Cove State Park with beaches, tide pools, miles of trails and canyons. Located at 96 Archipelago Drive, this 4,000 square foot home is part of the Nautilus development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home sits on a very private 10,400 square foot lot. Attention to detail can be seen in the beamed ceilings, built-in cabinetry, crown moldings and French doors. The home has a Santa Barbara architectural style.  Views can be seen from nearly every room, including views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, city night lights and spectacular sunsets. Nautilus is a guard gated community, as are all Crystal Cove communities. Among the many amenities offered in Nautilus are a community pool, fitness center, clubhouse and tennis courts. In addition, residents are invited to enjoy all the resort style activities offered at the Canyon Club Recreation Center.

Fall home buyers and sellers tend to be more motivated than spring home buyers and sellers, therefore competition can be high on both sides. New homes are being listed for sale every day; it is a good idea for buyers to check listings regularly, so they don’t miss out on that perfect home. As a buyer be ready to check out several open houses over a weekend. Choose your realtor and mortgage broker prior to beginning your search, so when you are searching, you can act quickly.

Green on the Green, the Newport Beach Eco Expo will be held on Saturday, September 19^th.  The Eco Expo will be held on the Green at the Newport Beach Civic Center. Many local organizations and businesses will be showcasing their “Green” products, practices and innovations. The City of Newport Beach will provide an interactive sea life outreach touch tank (ISOpod). Local car dealerships will have electric and hybrid cars on display. Bring your electronics for free recycling.  There will be “green” educational displays, as well.  The event will begin at 10am and end at 3pm. This event is free for the public to attend; parking is free. For more information, see the Chamber’s webpage at: https://www.newportbeach.com/events/green-green-newport-beach-eco-expo/.

Crystal Cove is a one of a kind gated community situated in Newport Coast.  Crystal Cove sits on the coastal hills above the Crystal Cove State Park, giving residents panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Located at 37 South Sur, Newport Coast, this 6,100 square foot home is part of the Sea Point development. This five bedroom, seven bathroom home was a former model home. Guests are welcomed by a graceful fountain at the entry. Attention to detail can be seen in the reclaimed wood beam ceilings, custom glass work and multiple fireplaces. The home has a formal living room, formal dining room and glass enclosed wine room. This home has extensive views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Newport Harbor, city night lights and vibrant evening sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the private courtyard, swimming pool and built-in barbeque.  All Crystal Cove developments, including Sea Point, are 24 hour guard gated communities. Sea Point is a small neighborhood with just 27 homes built by Laing Luxury Homes. Residents of Sea Point are encouraged to participate in all the recreational activities offered through the Canyon Club Recreational Center.

Congratulations to Michael Franco of Keller Williams, Newport Beach who recently sold a Watermark, Crystal Cove estate, as the realtor representing the buyer. The property located at 6 Timor Sea, Newport, closed today, 9/10/15, for 7.3 million dollars. Watermark is part of Crystal Cove, which is a 24 hour guard gated community. This 5,800 square foot home sits on a large, 11,570 square foot lot. Watermark homes were by Taylor Woodrow Homes in 2001. This home is a pleasure to entertain in with a family room, formal living room, dining room and gourmet kitchen, all with ocean views. There is separate casita, which is great for overnight guests.  The amazing views from this estate include the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, the coastline, city night lights, golf course, surrounding canyons and gorgeous evening sunsets. Outdoors, homeowners’ will enjoy the in-ground swimming pool, spa and built in barbeque island. The private courtyard features a Spanish tile fountain. Watermark students attend schools in the award winning Laguna Beach Unified School District.

Michael Franco specializes in representing sellers and buyers in the luxury real estate markets in Newport Beach, Newport Coast and Laguna Beach. Newport Coast includes the exclusive developments of Crystal Cove and Pelican Hill. Watermark residents, like all the residents of Crystal Cove, are encouraged to participate in all the resort style activities of the Canyon Club Recreation Center. The Canyon Club is the social hub of Crystal Cove. The Watermark homeowners’ association offers residents amenities including a community pool, spa, tennis courts and clubhouse. The Crystal Cove Promenade is nearby, with several choices for shopping and dining. For more information about selling or buying a home in the Newport Beach and Laguna Beach communities, please call Michael at 949-200-2383.

When planning to sell your home, clean the closets and kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Buyers will look inside both, to see how much space there is.  Remove any out of season clothing or items that you do not regularly use; to make these areas look more spacious. Also, stack items neatly, hang clothing facing all the same direction and in general organize all these areas, buyers will notice your attention to detail and understand that you have taken care of the rest house, as well.

The Orange County Museum of Art is hosting an event focusing on contemporary Chinese Politics. This discussion panel is being held on Friday, September 11^th from 6pm to 8pm. The OCMA is holding this talk in conjunction with their My Generation series. This discussion panel will be made-up Chapman University professor Jia Wenshan, CSULB professor Teresa Wright and University of California, Irvine Professor Catherine Liu. The conversation will focus on President Jinping’s Chinese dream discourse, class struggle and migrant workers. Admission is free and this is open to the public. The Soho Taco Food Truck will be onsite from 5pm to 8pm.  For more information about this series or discussion panel see their website at: http://www.ocma.net/event/contemporary-chinese-politics.

Crystal Cove is a group of luxury developments in the Newport Coast area of Newport Beach. Crystal Cove has sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Located at 96 Archipelago Drive, this 3,900 square foot home is part of the Nautilus development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home is situated on a large, 10,400 square foot lot. This home has views of the Pacific Ocean from nearly every window. The entry courtyard is completed with a Spanish style fountain and fireplace. Once you enter the home, you will see attention to detail in the beamed ceilings, distressed hardwood floors and crown moldings. Nautilus was built and designed by the Irvine Company. The homeowners’ association provides residents with a swimming pool, spa, clubhouse, fitness center and barbeque area. In addition, Nautilus residents, like all Crystal Cove residents are invited to participate in all the recreational activities offered at the Canyon Club Recreational Center.