Historic Homes Blog

When you think about Floral Park, you always think of the charm and ambience of the 20’s and 30’s and a “kinder, gentler” lifestyle.  And if you ever dreamed of living in a true Tudor, now is your chance.  This beautiful 4 bedroom 2 bath home has been beautifully cared for and loved and maintains the charm of yesterday.  Sparkling Hardwood Floors greet you as you enter the foyer; the expansive living room has beautiful ceiling details and an arched fireplace.  The Formal Dining Room is perfect for entertaining and has loads of windows.  The ceramic tile kitchen opens to the huge, sunny breakfast room.

The park-like grounds are exquisite and so inviting and have a brick patio and separate barbeque area. Upstairs the Master Bedroom has a private deck overlooking the back gardens as well an expanded walk in closet.  In addition to all this, there is a mammoth walk-in attic which provides for great storage and expansion possibilities beyond belief as it has high ceilings and skylights.  Let your imagination go wild!!

Lenders are sending out the alert! Now is the time to Lock Your Rate!! The Feds are on the move and we cannot expect these excellent rates to last!! Jeff Parks at Home Security Financial has been talking about this for weeks and Brian Brady of Mortgagerates.com posted a video yesterday on Youtube saying now is the time. See Brian at http://www.longbeachrealestatehome.com/long-beach-mortgage-rates-report-june-19-2008 in a one minute video as he explains the market in a capsule.

We are advising all our buyers who are looking at Historic properties in Floral Park and all other areas to Lock in the best rate they can today!!

Currently 9 listings in FLORAL PARK for sale - Average price is $841,877 and the Average days on market is 124 (Soon to be one more listing - stay tuned!)

Currently 18 listings in WEST FLORAL PARK for sale - Average price is $630,588 and the Average days on market is 93

Currently 32 listings in PARK SANTIAGO for sale - Average price is $558,288 and the Average days on market is 125

Currently 5 listings in FISHER PARK for sale - Average price is $740,560 and the Average days on the market is 58

In all 4 neighborhoods the Average price is $631,181 and the Average days on the market is 105. The range of Price in these neighborhoods is from $325,000 to $2,749,900.

In addition, there 2 spectacular Estate Homes for sale in Floral Park, one for $2.650,000 and one for $2,749,900 million! These are both completely unique and remarkable.

It was a delightful surprise to be asked to be interviewed by an Activerainblogger. Amanda was looking for veteran agents to comment on this market and real estate in general. It was amazing in reading it, some of the things that came to mind.

Check out this link to read the interview and I invite your comments. http://activerain.com/blogsview/526323/Interview-with-Sandy-De

Summer Carnival in Floral Park! Okay, so it is still officially spring until June 20th this year. But since it is supposed to be hot as summer this weekend, bring your kids or be a big kid yourself for this Mother of Floral Park yearly event in Fisher Park.

It is so much fun to see the kids faces light up with the excitement at this old fashioned carnival. According to the MOFP Newsletter some of the things you will find for the price of an $8 ticket per child (2 and under are free) are….

“GAMES, PONY RIDES, FACE PAINTING, CRAZY HAIRDOS, TATTOOS, SHOWS and more! The Yo-Yo man will be joining us this year and putting on a Yo-Yo demo and teaching you his cool tricks! The Crazy Hair Booth, sponsored by our friends at Salon reBelle, is the place to be for what else…wild and crazy hairdos! And don’t forget to visit the face-painting booth, sponsored by the National Arts Honor Society of Mater Dei High School. Of course we’ll have all of usual carnival games on hand that give the children a chance to win tickets and earn great prizes!” May 2008 MOFP Newsletter excerpt

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As temperatures were in the 90’s+ and the weather sizzled, nearly 3,000 guests found their way to gorgeous historic Floral Park for the annual “sizzling” Home and Garden Tour!!  Six incredible homes and three lovely garden were displayed as docents directed visitors in a walk through the beauty and peace of yesterday.  The flowers and gardens were bursting with color and we even had an herbologist speaking in one of the gardens regarding health and well being. 

Nearly 70 vendors displayed their wares, everything from custom ceramics to hand made jewelery and antique furniture and collectibles. The Mothers of Floral Park were serving up fresh lemonade made from the trees of Floral Park as well as fresh baked goods and pizza. We even had a hot dog vendor and snacks. Young entrepreneurs even sold avocados and iced cold water and sodas from their home-made stands and wagons which they pulled around. 

It was truly a day full of the joys and excitement of yesteryear as Floral Park strutted its stuff!  Everyone took a moment to “smell the roses” in the truest sense of the word!  And, all of this hustle and bustle under what were mid-summer skies goes to benefit the neighborhood and several local charities.

If you missed it, come next year on the last full weekend of April.  Mark your calendars now!   

In the movie “Father of the Bride,” the parents of the bride could have lived in this exquisite Floral Park Cade Cod home. From the center hall entry to the elegant stairway to the wall of French doors which open to the pool and back yard, this home has it all. Even a private sauna! A newer granite counter top kitchen with a commercial stove and built in refrigerator and even a basement!

Who would have thought you could find such a spectacular Cape Cod in Historic Floral Park, Santa Ana, California? Click on the photo for more information and call for a personal tour!

I look forward to seeing you at the Floral Park Home and Garden Tour on April 26th and 27th from 10-4pm. This home will be open as an added attraction!

It is hard to believe that a fabulous Historic Art Deco home in Floral Park California can be improved upon, but it is true. Floral Park is known for its cornucopia of homes from Cape Cod, Spanish, California Monterey, English Tudor to French Mansard, but an Art Deco home is a rare treasure. And one that has been lovingly and painstakingly restore and enhanced is even rarer. The owners of this home have expanded the kitchen, added a family room with a wall of French doors to the beautiful back yard. They also added a state-of-the-art office behind the garage. From the lush landscaping to the artistic railings on the master suite balcony, this Art Deco home is a dream come true.

And if that is not enough — this home is on the Santa Ana Historical Registry and, therefore, qualified for the Mills Act. This means that the property tax is greatly reduced — about 25% of the regular property tax bill.

The Bowers Musuem, just a block or two from Floral Park, is excited to announce the arrival of the “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor” on May 18. The exhibit will be open until October 12, and tickets are selling fast. This is said to be one of the most significant artifacts ever to travel to the U.S. from the First Emperor’s enormous mausoleum. The exhibit will include over 100 sets of objects which include 20 complete life-sized terra cotta figures respresenting all aspects of the emperor’s army.

So, come to Floral Park and see what is considered one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th Century!! Check it out and order your tickets now.

As a member of the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society  and a lover of historic architecture and detail, I find historical preservation is a natural for me.  Having lived in vintage house, I have a sincere appreciation for the craftsmanship and quality of yesteryear. 

In addition to the sheer joy of living in an historic home, there are major financial advantages also, namely the Mills Act.  This is a federal program that allows for you to reduce your property tax drastically, as much as 60-75%.  Check out the web site for more information. 

And if you want to tour and enjoy historic homes in beautiful Floral Park, be sure not to miss the Floral Park Home and Garden Tour on April 26th and 27th.  See my earlier post for details, and check out www.floral-park.com for full details and to purchase your tickets on line.  I look forward to seeing you there!!