Growth in the Inland Empire

Some people may still have the misconception that the Inland Empire is nothing more than green prairies, rolling hills, and the scent of a cow farm. Although this is a welcoming image for country lovers, the Inland Empire does offer so much more than farmland alone. With new housing developments on the rise in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, more affluent communities are being brought to this region of Southern California. Additionally, with well-educated men and women seeking more affordable housing where family values are sustained, more jobs are being brought inland as well. With newer home developments, an increase in job availability, and a higher average income per household, higher end retail shops are now in demand. Because of this influx of people moving into the Inland Empire, lifestyle centers are being developed. Lifestyle centers are generally a mix of retail/entertainment, office, and housing. This so happens to be the new trend across the nation, and it is now available in the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. In Corona, Dos Lagos has been developed and in Chino Hills, The Shoppes at Chino Hills is being developed. Both are Lifestyle Centers and both are hoping to imitate the success seen in outdoor malls such as Victoria Gardens located in Rancho Cucamonga. The Inland Empire can no longer be known just as farm-land. According to Grubb & Ellis, by the year 2020, the Inland Empire's population will rise to 5 million, which is currently projected as 4.1 million. Additionally, Grubb & Ellis expects that with all the higher-end restaurants and shoppes being developed in the Inland Empire, by 2007 retail sales will increase 10.9% from 2006 to 51.7 billion, surpassing even Orange County for the THIRD year in a row. With more land availability, a steady population growth, higher-end retail centers being built, and constant new development, this is definitely a good place to purchase a home or invest in property, wouldn't you agree?

A Solution for First Time Home Buyers

According to the California Association of Realtors, the average mortgage for a first-time home buyer purchasing an entry-level home priced at $477,400.00 would be $3,230.00. That would be the monthly payment including taxes and insurance. For many first-time home buyers, this amount of money is just too overwhelming. Therefore, many people are forced to relocate out of California and into more affordable housing elsewhere if they want to purchase a home. Additional problems have also arisen because of the subprime lending industry as well as the rising cost of rent. To remedy this problem that many first-time home buyers face, Prosperity Homes, a developer known for its affordable housing developments, has started selling two new projects in Southern California. Circle City Villas is in Corona and Arbor Glen is in Riverside. Circle City Villas total 36 homes that are 2 bed/2 bath. Arbor Glen comprises of 70 homes that are either 2bed/2bath or 3bed/2bath. Both developments are priced in the mid to high $200,000's. Circle City Villas are condominiums while Arbor Glen are patio homes. Patio homes are basically 1-story homes that share at least one common wall and have a patio in the back and not necessarily a yard. Condominiums are essentially apartments that are individually owned. Thanks to Prosperity Homes, many recent graduates and newlyweds are now able to pride themselves as homeowners, and a renter's dream of becoming a homeowner is now within reach.

Pasadena dining is always a YUMMY experience

Earlier today, I had brunch with a girlfriend of mine and my 2-year-old son. We decided to eat at a little neighborhood restaurant in Pasadena called Green Street Restaurant. I had heard about this restaurant years ago and about their TO DIE FOR salad dishes. Since I haven't really been fulfilling my daily requirement of greens, I decided to give this well-known salad joint a try. My girlfriend and I had planned on grabbing a quick bite to eat and then heading out to do some credit card damage at Citadel, so we started our day a little earlier than expected. We need all the time we can get when it comes to outlet shopping of course! So when we arrived at Green Street Restaurant, they were still serving brunch and the lunch menus were not available yet. I was a little disappointed because I came here for a salad after all, but hey, sacrifices are needed to be made when it comes to a shopping-filled day. So, I decided on having "Charlie's Breakfast", which consisted of scrambled eggs and bacon, grilled onions and cheddar cheese served with sour cream and michoacan salsa. I even got zucchini bread on the side to accompany my breakfast platter. THE ZUCCHINI BREAD WAS TO DIE FOR!!! It was so stinkin' delicious! My friend ordered the "Spinach Omelette", so I was able to steal her greens, in addition to stealing her mushrooms and onions and extra chicken that she added onto the order (: She also got a side of Zucchini Bread with her meal. I would have taken pictures of our dishes just to show how delicious all the food was, especially the bread! But it was a little hard when I had one hand on my fork and the other hand on my toddler making sure he wasn't knocking over his milk or throwing food at the folks next to us. Anyway, it was no surprise that Green Street Restaurant was as good as I expected. After all, it is located in the city of Pasadena, home to the California School of Culinary Arts.