© photopaige

Family home prices of single units in the Santa Clarita Valley have increased in January after touching the bottom of a 9 year downslide. A typical family home changed ownership for $360,000 in January, almost 6 percent higher than prices in December 2011 and relatively 4 percent higher than the median price of a family home sold in January 2011.
However condominium prices have dipped to levels as low as in July 2002 and prices in January 2012 were at $184,000 as compared to $203,800 in December 2011.

A cause of concern is foreclosures and short sales wherein a home is sold for an amount less than the loan outstanding. In January there were 146 escrow closures in the single family home category. However unlike other areas Santa Clarita has very few family home property put up for sale. According to the CEO of Southland Regional Association of Realtors there are a large number of prospective buyers but number of homes put up for sale are limited and few. Statistics given show a family home supply lasting 4 to 5 months as against a 5 to 6 months' supply which the realtors would prefer.
Banks also need to be proactive as they have been slow in disposing off foreclosure properties and need to improve on the time taken to respond to them.

© MikeLove

The Frazer Community Garden in the Rose City Park neighborhood will be open for public after almost a 3 years gap. The Frazer community garden is one of the five Portland Parks Recreation community gardens which are set to open this spring and summer season. This initiative is a part of the city's determination to come up with at least 1,000 new garden plots by the year ends.
Tamara Deridder, a Northeast Portland citizen who initiated the idea and has been a part of it till the end expressed that "It was a labor of love". A work party was conducted on Saturday which had almost 25 volunteers who assisted to manure and make the garden ready for its opening to public on 28th of April.
According to Deridder, community garden is not just a get-together place but as the economy is low and there are a number of people who have less income, this activity of growing veggies will help people who do not own any land properties.
Out of 39 community gardens, almost 15 are in huge demand, for which there is a three year waiting list, as people usually hang on to their plots for a long time.

A daybed = sofa bed is typically is a sofa which has underneath its seating cushions a metal frame and thin mattress that can be unfolded or opened up to make a bed. Not to mistake a sofa bed for a futon this one differs from a sofa bed, although sofa beds using futon mattresses are common. You can find out more about daybeds (sofa beds) at this link.

How are these daybeds so advantageous in a home ? This type of furniture is very nice to have especially for a small apartment due to its size. This wonderful piece of furniture works well as a bed and a sofa (usually three person couches). It's superb being able to find a way to sit down during the day and then turn it into a bed at night. Now do you want a piece of furniture that's quite versatile too!

There are many different styles, sizes and colours. Sofa bed's come in leather, microfiber or fabrics and it's frame can be made out of strong solid wood or metal. It can be quite expensive but also inexpensive. But for sure you won't have to spend anywhere near as much money for a sofa bed than a king-size bed and a couch together.

© gardener41