When selling your home during the winter months, use home staging to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Most staging techniques are used to make the space look larger and brighter, in the winter, it is important that the space feel warmer, as well. An example would be creating a cozy seating area in front of the fireplace. This not only draws attention to this home feature, but shows potential buyers a way to use the home during a cold winter night. In addition, add accessories in warm colors such as deep reds and caramels.

The Orange County Museum of Art in connection with Cinema Orange is presenting the movie NEON. NEON will be shown on Friday, January 13^th, 2017 at 7pm. NEON made its debut in 2015, which celebrates the history and color of the neon sign. Neon signs are celebrating their 100^th anniversary and over time not much has change in the craft and construction of these signs. Neon is one of the greenest forms of lighting. This film was directed by Lawrence Johnston. After the showing of the film, there will be a question and answer session with architectural historian Alan Hess. This movie will be shown on Free Fridays at the Orange County Museum of Art; tickets will be handed out at 5pm on Friday, January 13^th. The Orange County Museum of Art is located at 850 San Clemente Drive in Newport Beach. To reserve your movie ticket or to learn more about OCMA, see their website at: https://www.ocma.net/event/cinema-orange-neon.

Pelican Hill is situated in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. Newport Coast is also home to Crystal Cove, Crystal Cove State Park and several other luxury developments. Located at 16 Sunset Cove, this 2,600 square foot home is part of the Pelican Ridge development. This four bedroom, three bathroom home was built in 1997. With an open floor plan, the home is gem to entertain in. Attention to detail can be seen in the hardwood floors, crown moldings and custom cabinetry.  The chef’s kitchen features Carrera countertops and new professional grade appliances. This home has views of the Pacific Ocean and the city night lights.  The home sits a 7,300 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowner’s will enjoy entertaining in the professionally landscaped back yard with water features and a wood burning fireplace.  Pelican Ridge, as are all Pelican Hill developments, is a 24 hour guard gated community. Among the many amenities offered in Pelican Ridge are a swimming pool and spa, clubhouse and tennis courts.  There are not any Mello Roos fees in this neighborhood.

When you are selling your home, be prepared to put in a little extra work if you have pets. Everyone loves their pets very much; however, not all potential buyers are animal lovers. During open houses and showings be prepared to take your pets with you. You do not want potential buyers to miss seeing a room because pets are locked up in there. Have your carpets and floors professionally cleaned to deep clean and remove all pet smells and spots. Finally, clean up toys and pet clothes, just as you would with kids’ toys and clothing. Potential buyers will admire your attention to detail.

The Waterline restaurant at the Balboa Bay Resort is having a five course Christmas Eve dinner. The menu includes caviar with lemon crème fraiche, Calvados cured Salmon and a pasta appetizer. The entrees offer a selection of sea bass, duck breast or prime rib. Finish the meal with a bourbon apple or orange chocolate praline tart. Enjoy beautiful views of Newport Bay and piano music while you dine. Dinner is served between 5pm and 9pm. The Waterline restaurant is located at 1221 West Coast Highway in Newport Beach. For more information about this special Christmas dinner or to make reservations, see their website at: http://meritagecollection.com/balboabayresort/newport-beach-ca-hotels/southern-california-events/#event|five-course-christmas-eve-dinner-at-waterline|1589.

Pelican Hill is part of Newport Coast along with Crystal Cove, Crystal Cove State Park and other luxury developments. Newport Coast is located approximately half way between Los Angeles and San Diego. Located at 1 Shoreline, this 4,500 square foot home is part of the Pelican Point development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 1998. Attention to detail can be seen in the custom wrought iron banisters, stone fireplaces and travertine floors. The gourmet kitchen opens onto a dining area with garden views. This home has a view of the Pelican Hill Resort and Spa Golf Course. This home sits on a large 9,800 square foot piece of property with a large corner lot setting. Outdoors, homeowner’s will enjoy relaxing by the pool and spa and wandering the gardens and custom created landscaping. The Pelican Point development has 48 custom built homes.

Temperature can be a tricky issue when you are selling your home, especially during the winter season. Most sellers’ first instinct is to turn up the heat, so that it is toasty warm, however, potential buyers will be coming in dressed for winter. Potential buyers will also most likely be looking at more than one home and be in and out cars. You do not want your home so warm that it is uncomfortable and have potential buyers make a hasty retreat. The majority of people are comfortable in the temperature range of 65 to 70 degrees. It would also be welcoming to provide a space for buyers and realtors to hang their jackets.

Fashion Island is hosting several upcoming holiday events. Photos with Santa will be taking place from November 18^th through Saturday, December 24^th. Photos will be happening in Santa’s custom built house on the Atrium Lawn. Santa hours vary be date, and Santa will be taking a lunch and dinner break each day, so check their website for exact times. The Salvation Army Toy Drive will be occurring everyday from November 18^th through Sunday, December 18^th.  Bring an unwrapped toy to the Fashion Island Guest Services area in the Atrium Court. The Menorah Lighting Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 28^th. This annual event will be held at 5:30pm with Rabbi Mintz. For more information about all the goings-on at Fashion Island, see their website at: http://www.shopfashionisland.com/events/santa-photos-2016/.

Pelican Hill is part of Newport Coast, along with Crystal Cove and other luxury developments. The population of Newport Coast is 10,000 residents, while the population of Newport Beach is 85,000 residents, giving Newport Coast a close-knit, small town feel. Located at 9 Shoreridge, this 10,000 square foot home is part of the Pelican Crest development. This six bedroom, nine bathroom home was built in 2009. You will enter this custom built estate through double glass front doors and be greeted by vaulted ceilings and a floating staircase. The open floor plan makes entertaining a breeze. Attention to detail can be seen in the French limestone flooring, floor to ceiling windows and an onyx fireplace. The home features a wine cellar, gym and sauna. Both the property and the home have views of the Pacific Ocean, white water and the surrounding canyons. This home sits on a large 17,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowner’s will enjoy the resort style backyard with its infinity edge pool, spa, fire pit and built in barbeque area. Pelican Crest is a 24 hour guard gated community. There just 166 custom built homes in Pelican Crest.

When you are selling your home, using scents can be a tricky issue. The best place to check which scents to use and how much scent to use, is with your realtor. Scents can be tricky because many potential buyers can be allergic or sensitive to strong or perfume type odors. That said people want their homes to smell fresh, clean and inviting. Start with a deep cleaning and a professional carpet cleaning, this will go a long way in reducing odors in a home especially from pets and cooking. To add a pleasant aroma to the home try simmering a pot of apple cider with cinnamon sticks in it.

The 38^th Annual Corona del Mar Christmas Walk will be held on Sunday, December 4^th. This is one of Corona del Mar’s most popular events of the year. The day is filled with festive holiday activities for the whole family and is also a great place to begin your holiday shopping. There will many merchant promotions available during the walk. The Newport Beach Fire Department will provide their very popular Fireman’s Grill Barbeque. In addition, there will be restaurant tastings, pictures with Santa, live performances and the annual Opportunity drawing. The Walk gets underway at 11am and continues until 4pm. The Christmas Walk takes place in the Villages of Corona del Mar on the Pacific Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. This event is open to the public and is free to attend. The event is sponsored by the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce. For more information about this event, see their website at: https://www.cdmchamber.com/events/christmas_walk.asp.

Pelican Hill is part of the Newport Coast community which was annexed by Newport Beach in 2001. Pelican Hill is a luxury community made up of five residential developments and the Pelican Hill Resort, Spa and Golf Course. Located 3 Rim Ridge, this 11,000 square foot home is part of the Pelican Hill development. This six bedroom, nine bathroom home was built in 2001. Attention to detail can be seen in the inlaid limestone, rock crystal chandeliers and custom iron work. The amazing views from this home include views of the Pacific Ocean, surrounding canyons, the golf course, the bay, Catalina Island, city night lights, and stunning sunsets.  This home sits on an extremely large 27,000 square foot piece of property with 225 feet of panoramic view. Outdoors, there is 1,700 square feet of protected and covered decks and loggias. In addition, there is an infinity edge swimming pool, spa and half sports court in the large backyard. Pelican Hill is near the Crystal Cove State Park, with three miles of sandy beaches, 2,400 acres of canyons and over 18 miles of trails.

When it is time to sell your home, it is always best to have it looking fresh and updated. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to completely renovate your home. A great place to begin is with a general de-cluttering, de-personalizing and a deep cleaning.  From there work with your realtor to decide which rooms need updating and which rooms just need staging. Your realtor can recommend a stager. Updating can be just improving light fixtures and cabinet hardware, not necessarily putting in all new appliances and countertops. Your realtor will know the best options for your home and neighborhood, so that you get your best return on investment.

On Thursday, November 15^th, the Sherman Library and Gardens will be having a lecture on how they got their name. The library director, Paul Wormser will be talking about Moses Hazeltine Sherman, who the garden is partially named for. He will also be discussing Sherman Oaks and Sherman Boulevard in San Fernando Valley. Mr. Sherman was a government official, financier, real estate developer, railroad executive, steamship company official and educator. Mr. Sherman was instrumental in the development of Southern California and Arizona. Sherman Library and Gardens is perfect to explore before or after the lecture with a mixture of plants, exotics, gardens and walkways. The garden is open from 10:30am to 4pm daily. Admission is $5. Sherman Library and Gardens is located at 2647 East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. For more information or to register for this event or see a list of their many others, see their website:

Pelican Hill is a luxury community made-up of five smaller neighborhoods; Pelican Point, Pelican Hill, Pelican Crest, Pelican Ridge and Pelican Ridge Estates. Located at 3 Longboat, this 5,000 square foot home is part of the Pelican Ridge development. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 1995. With a Mediterranean architectural style, this home welcomes guests with European style sophistication. The home was remodeled in 2012. Enter the home through a courtyard with a fountain and then through glass and iron doors. The home features a two level grand entry, great room and formal living room and dining room. There are near panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, surrounding canyons, city night lights and outstanding sunset views.  This home sits on an extra large 13,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the swimming pool and spa.  Enjoy entertaining your guests around the fountains, fire pit and in the outdoor barbeque kitchen. Pelican Ridge is a 24 guard gated development. The homeowners’ association provides many amenities including a clubhouse, pool and tennis courts.

One of the most difficult things to do when selling your house is to pick the correct listing price. If you price your home to high, you will miss out on some potential buyers and there is a chance the home will sit on the market with less and less viewings. If you price the home to low, you chance leaving money on the table. The best results come when you work with local, professional realtor with experience in your area, such as those of the Franco Team. A professional realtor will show you comparable listings in your area, explain what repairs and updates to make to get the best return on investment. In the fall you don’t want your home to sit on the real estate market, you want it to sell, your realtor is your best resource.

Roger’s Gardens is having their Annual Children’s Halloween Festival on Sunday, October 30^th. The festival will include a costume parade, spooky Halloween crafts and lots of activities. Come dressed up for the parade, share in all the Halloween spirit and spooky creativity happening at the festival. There will be interactive crafts and activities for children to participate in. In addition, there will be a trick-or-treating costume parade throughout the gardens. Parents, remember to bring your cameras to capture all the excitement and smiles. Roger’s Gardens is located at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road in Corona del Mar. The fun gets underway at 3pm and continues until 4:30pm. This event is open to the public and free to attend. For more information about this fun Halloween event or the many others offered at the garden, see their website at: http://rogersgardens.com/seminars-events/childrens-halloween-festival-costume-parade-crafts-activities/.

Pelican Hill is part of the Newport Coast area of Newport Beach along with the luxury residential developments of Crystal Cove and the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach. Pelican Hill is made-up of five exclusive communities placed around the world class Pelican Hill Resort, Spa and Golf Club. Located at 21 Island, this 7,800 square foot home is part of the Pelican Crest development. This five bedroom, seven bathroom estate was built in 2000. Named Villa Paraiso, this home has a bluff setting giving it awe-inspiring views of the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, city night lights and vibrant evening sunsets. The three level estate has a Mediterranean architectural style.  The home sits on an oversized 13,000 square foot piece of property with a corner lot setting. Outdoors, homeowner’s will enjoy entertaining around the saltwater pool with its outstanding views. Pelican Crest, like all Pelican Hill developments, is a 24 hour guard gated community.  Pelican Crest has just 166 custom built estates. Residents are very near Fashion Island with a large variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options.

If you are selling your home during the fall season, keep the yard and garden clean and neat.  Potential buyers begin forming opinions about the house, as soon as they pull up to the curb; create a space that forms positive opinions. Prune back trees and shrubs so that the home is visible, house numbers are easy to see and walk ways are clear. Remove fading summer annuals and trim back spent blooms on perennials. Add a fresh container of blooming plants near the front door.  Finally, keep the driveway and sidewalks clean and free from toys, hoses and other outdoor items. Potential buyers will be excited when they pull up to the curb and won’t be able to wait to get inside.

The Inspire: Women in Business Event is being held on Tuesday, October 11^th. The workshop begins at 11:30am and ends at 1pm. The Inspire event will be held in the Hoag Womanology Center. This workshop will feature speaker Michelle Bergquist. Bergquist is an award winning entrepreneur, speaker and author. Her topic of discussion will be “insights that can move professional women from invisible to invaluable.” Newport Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring this event. Tickets are $35 for chamber members and $45 for non-chamber members and will include lunch. The Hoag Womanology Center is located at 500 Superior, suite 315 in Newport Beach.  For more information or to register for this workshop, see their website at: https://www.newportbeach.com/events/inspire-women-business-event/.

Pelican Hill is situated in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach.  There are five luxury developments in Pelican Hill; Pelican Crest, Pelican Point, Pelican Hill, Pelican Ridge, and Pelican Ridge Estates. Located at 22 Pelican Point Drive, this 7,800 square foot home is part of the Pelican Point. This five bedroom, seven bathroom home was built in 1996. This Mediterranean style estate has three levels all accessed by an elevator. The custom built home has a grand foyer complete with a grand staircase and a crystal chandelier. There is a wood paneled library on the first floor. Attention to detail can be seen in the recessed lighting, high ceilings and stone floors. The home sits a large, 12,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, the rooftop deck has views of the Pelican Hill Golf Course, the Pacific Ocean, the coastline, Catalina Island and gorgeous evening sunsets. Homeowners will enjoy entertaining poolside, by the fire pit or at the built in barbeque area. Pelican Point, as are all Pelican Hill developments, is a 24 hour guard gated community. There are just 48 custom built homes in Pelican Point.

When selling your home during the fall season, there are many things you can do to create autumn curb appeal.  If necessary, give your home a fresh coat of paint; try a warm, neutral color for the autumn season. Re-painting or staining the front door can also increase curb appeal.  Add a fresh doormat, wreath and pot of flowers to the front porch. Potential buyers begin forming opinions about the home as soon as they pull up to the home, so use this fact to your advantage and create curb appeal.

The Third Annual Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival will kick-off on Thursday, September 29^th. On Thursday and Friday of this week, the event gets underway with the first ever Taste Around the Town event. Beginning Thursday, try the special menus at local Newport Beach restaurants offering cuisines prepared by celebrity chefs, local chefs and wine lists prepared by master sommeliers. Special menus are available for both lunch and dinner. This will be followed by the Daytime Festival on Saturday and Sunday at the Newport Beach Civic Center. There are VIP tickets available for Daytime Festivals. The restaurants are located throughout Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Civic Center is located at 100 Civic Center Drive. The Taste Around the Town series is presented in partnership with SCANPAN. For more information about these events or to purchase tickets, see their website at: http://www.newportwineandfood.com/.

Pelican Hill is part of the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach.  Newport Coast has a population of just 10,000 residents, compared with 85,000 of Newport Beach, giving it a close-knit, small community feeling. Located at 11 Pelican Vista Drive, this 7,600 square foot home is part of the Pelican Crest development. This four bedroom, nine bathroom home was built in 2001. As you enter the home, your eye is immediately drawn to the thousand crystal chandelier in the entry way. There is a customizable LED system throughout every room of the house. Attention to detail can be seen in the Miele appliances, Dorn Bacht fixtures and Bang and Olufsen multimedia equipment. This custom built estate has wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, Newport Harbor, city night lights and vibrant evening sunsets. The estate sits on an oversized 19,000 square foot piece of property.  Pelican Crest is a 24 hour guard gated neighborhood with just 166 custom built homes. Residents in Pelican Hill are very near the Fashion Island Shopping Center with a large variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options.

When you are selling your home; draw attention to the fireplaces. There are many ways to do this. Begin by cleaning the fireplace out, vacuum out cob webs and ashes. Add a fabulous piece of art to the mantle. Try for one eye catching item on the mantle or above the fireplace, avoid clutter on the mantle.  Create a seating area around the fireplace. Set-up a fire or fill the fireplace with scented candles. Do not light the fire or candles during open house or showing for safety reasons. Potential buyers will be able to picture themselves spending cool evening in front of the fireplace.

The Annual Priceless Luncheon to End Human Trafficking will take place on Saturday, September 17^th. The luncheon is presented by Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice.  The Island Hotel in Newport Beach is hosting the luncheon event. The program is designed to honor victims, community members and educate guests about human trafficking. Ernie Allen, former President of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be the key note speaker. Last year, more than $230,000 was raised for advocacy and education programs. The luncheon begins at 11:30am. The Island Hotel is located at 690 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach. Tickets are $175. For more information about this luncheon, see their website at: https://connect.vanguard.edu/event/priceless.

Pelican Hill is situated in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. Pelican Hill is comprised of five exclusive developments: Pelican Point, Pelican Ridge, Pelican Ridge Estates, Pelican Hill and Pelican Crest. Located at 3 Longboat, this 5,000 square foot home is part of the Pelican Ridge community. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 1995. This custom built estate has a Mediterranean architectural style. A fountain greets you as you come up to the entry with custom made glass and iron doors. The home features a library, game room and great room. The home and property have near forever views of the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, white water, surrounding canyons, city night lights and colorful sunsets. The home sits on a large 13,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy entertaining by the swimming pool, spa, fire pit, multiple fountains and in the outdoor barbeque kitchen. Pelican Ridge, like all Pelican Hill neighborhoods, is a 24 hour guard gated community. Pelican Ridge is situated directly across from the Pelican Crest development.

No matter what type of real estate market you are living in staging your home will make a difference. If it is a buyer’s market, you will need every advantage you can get and in a seller’s market, staging your home will help get you’re a quicker sale at or above your asking price. Staging will help you to think like a buyer and this puts you in the right frame of mind for de-personalizing the house and keeping clean and picked up throughout the home sale process. Another plus to staging is generally homes stay on the real estate market for a shorter period of time, thus disrupting your life for a shorter period of time.

The Newport Beach Library is having a back to school craft session. To get students ready to head back to school this fall, the library will have a fun and interactive craft making session. On Saturday, September 3^rd, join in all the fun at the Central Branch of the library. The craft making session is perfect children ages 3 to 8. There is no registration required for this class. The event is being held in the Children’s Storytime Room. The craft making session will start at 12noon and run until 3pm. This program is provided through funding from the Friends of Library and it is free to participate in. The Central Branch of the Newport Beach Library is located at 1000 Avocado Avenue. For more information about this program or the many other programs held at the library, see their website at: http://www.newportbeachlibrary.org/.

Pelican Hill is situated in Newport Coast, along with Crystal Cove and several luxury developments. Pelican Hill is made-up of five residential developments. Located at 3 Shoreline, this five bedroom, six bathroom home is part of the Pelican Point development. This custom built 5,200 square foot home was built in 1998.  The architectural style of the home is Italian inspired. One bedroom suite is on the main level. The home has views of the Pacific Ocean and the Pelican Hill Golf Course. This home sits on a large 11,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy relaxing by the swimming pool and spa and entertaining in the barbeque area and by the outdoor fireplace. Pelican Point, along with all the Pelican Hill developments are a 24 hour guard gated community. Students living in this neighborhood attend Harbor View Elementary School, Lincoln Middle School and Corona del Mar High School. There are just 48 custom built homes in Pelican Point.