The Z Team on Ventura County Real Estate

California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard

California leads the nation in strawberry production. In fact, we provide almost 88% of the nation's strawberries here. So, it makes sense that one of Ventura County's largest events, the California Strawberry Festival, will be coming to Oxnard the weekend of May 19 & 20, 2012. Strawberry Meadows (3250 S Rose Ave) will play host to more than 250 arts and crafts exhibits and vendors, live music, games, rides, pie eating contests and, of course, strawberries galore!

From 10am to 6:30pm each day, the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard will showcase strawberries in just about every concoction imaginable: chocolate covered, shortcake, jams, powdered and even on a pizza. Several live musical acts will be serenading visitors throughout the entire two-day event. Whether you like Reggae or Ska, Latin Pop or Big Band, there's something to keep your ears happy while your taste buds enjoy the fruits of other people's labor. The Strawberry Promenade features cooking demonstrations, a recipe contest and exhibits about the life of the strawberry. Strawberryland for Kids includes fun rides, games, a bounce slide and puppet shows. Artisans from all over Ventura County and beyond descend upon the festival to sell their jewelry, soap, candles and other handmade arts and crafts.

On-site parking is limited and will cost $10. However, free shuttles are available from Camarillo Premium Outlets, Channel Islands Harbor, Centerpoint Mall, the Oxnard Transportation Center and The Palms Shopping Center. Admission is just $12 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and active military (with ID) and their dependents, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and free to kids under 5 years old with accompanying paid adult. All proceeds from the event (including ticket sales and food booths) benefit local Ventura County charities. We hope you can make it to the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard on May 19 & 20, 2012. Eat some sweet treats, listen to some sweet music and help raise money for charity while spending a glorious day in the Southern California sunshine. Is there anything better than that?

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Ventura County real estate blog here: http://thezteamrealtors.com/california-strawberry-festival-in-oxnard/.

Ventura Family Festival

Now in its ninth year, the Ventura Family Festival in the Park takes place from 9am to 5pm on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the Barranca Vista Imagination Center (7050 Ralston St). This free all-day event is fun for the whole family. There will be face painting, fine food, train rides, community information booths, arts and crafts, science projects and live entertainment.

The day begins with a Kids Swap Meet from 9am to 1pm. This is a "by kids/for kids" swap meet (under 18 years old). While new items, food and products that are part of a business are not allowed to be sold here, kids can bring their slightly used clothing, bikes, toys, books, games, etc to sell to earn some extra cash. Churches and community youth groups also use this as an opportunity to raise money for special events, trips and camps while other kids raise money for specific charity organizations, such as children's cancer hospitals, MS or disaster relief. It only costs $15 to rent a 10'x10' space. Click here to download the application. The deadline to apply for a rental space is April 30, 2012.

All Ventura Family Festival in the Park attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and/or lawn chairs as well as a nice picnic to the event so they can spend all day there in comfort. You definitely don't want to miss out on the Gypsies in a Trunk's performance of "The Adventures of Peter Pan" that will mark the end of the day's fun at 4pm. This professional troupe will be performing for free to the public at many Ventura Parks throughout the summer. Have some fun, spend a day with the family in the beautiful Southern California sunshine and create a lasting memory at the Ventura Family Festival in the Park on Saturday, May 12, 2012. There's nothing else like it here in Ventura County.

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Ventura County real estate blog here: http://thezteamrealtors.com/ventura-family-festival/.

Celebrate Earth Day in Ventura

The annual Earth Day celebration in Ventura will take place at Promenade Park on Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 10am to 5pm. In an effort to spark an interest in living a more eco-friendly lifestyle amongst the younger generation, the Ventura Earth Day Eco Fest is geared specifically towards families and kids.

This family-friendly event includes arts and crafts, kids activities, live music, storytelling, face-painting and other wholesome entertainment. But it's not just for kids. Local Ventura County businesses will be available to discuss their use of green materials. Booths will also be set up for visitors to learn about how to incorporate a greener lifestyle into their everyday activities. Find out what's going on with eco-friendly projects in the Ventura area. A silent auction and raffle will take place to help raise money for the Ventura Charter School's enrichment programs which are geared towards school children ages kindergarten through 8th grade. In fact, all profits from the day's events will go towards helping fund enrichment programs at the Ventura Charter School.

This year, the Ventura Earth Day Eco Fest is going to be doing something new. They are partnering up with Compete Green, a company who specializes in eco-friendly clothing as well as event management, to hold a "fun run". There will be three legs of the run: 1k, 5k and 10k. The fun run begins at Promenade Park before the official Earth Day celebrating begins and will end back at the park just in time for the Eco Fest. Find out how you can be more eco-friendly, learn about green products and just enjoy a fun day in the beautiful Southern California sunshine with your family while you celebrate Earth Day in Ventura!

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Z Team Realtors' Ventura County real estate blog here: http://thezteamrealtors.com/celebrate-earth-day-in-ventura/.

Spring Home and Garden Show in Ventura

This weekend (March 16-18, 2012), the fairgrounds will play host to the 20th annual Spring Home and Garden Show in Ventura. From 12pm to 6pm on Friday, 10am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday, the Ventura County Fairgrounds will be buzzing with ideas and show specials on all sorts of things for your home and garden. Pick the brain of lawn and garden experts as well as home improvement specialists to see how you can create the perfect atmosphere in and around your home.

Get special home and garden show deals and ideas on cabinetry, landscaping, fencing, pools and spas, pottery, indoor furniture, outdoor furniture, shutters, windows and more. Need something to brighten up a room in your Ventura County abode? Pick up a piece of fine art. Know you want to get rid of your dingy carpet but not sure what to replace it with? Check out the latest and greatest in flooring of all kinds, including hardwood, laminate flooring, tiles and more. Learn how to make your Ventura home more energy efficient. Watch live product demos. Grab something to eat at one of the convenient snack food vendors. Start planning your spring garden today.

General admission is just $5, with kids ages 12 and under allowed in for free with an accompanying paid adult. Click here to print out a special $2 admission coupon and save even more money. The 20th annual Spring Home and Garden Show in Ventura is just the place to get ideas for creating the perfect lifestyle for you and your family. You don't want to miss it!

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Ventura County real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3047697/spring-home-and-garden-show-in-ventura.

Quick and Easy Energy Savers

Reducing the energy you use in your Ventura County home helps save you money while reducing the strain on our planet's resources. Even small changes can make a big difference in the long run. But where do you begin? It's simple with these quick and easy energy savers.

Get rid of your old incandescent lightbulbs. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a more energy-efficient CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulb can save 85 kWh per bulb per year. Think about all the lightbulbs you use in your home. That savings can add up quickly. Some CFLs (like the Philips brand) can last up to 25 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb. Also, LED lights are the most energy-efficient models of lighting you can find.

Another quick, easy and inexpensive way to save energy is by replacing the old showerheads in your Ventura County home with a real water-saving showerhead. These are available at your local home improvement stores, discount stores (WalMart, K-Mart, etc) or specialty stores (such as Bed, Bath and Beyond). A 1.6 gpm showerhead will save approximately 3500 gallons of water per year.

This tip is simple and doesn't cost you a cent: UNPLUG. Even when an electronic device is turned off, it is still drawing energy (5-10% of your Ventura home's total energy consumption) while it is plugged into the wall. Coffee makers, toasters, blenders, TVs, DVD players, computers, monitors, etc, all use energy (even in energy-saving modes) while they are plugged into the wall. Unplug the small appliances. Use a power strip for your other electronics. Power strips are not just great protection against a power surge, but they also double as an easy way to safely power off and on your electronic devices with a single button.

Saving energy in your Ventura County home doesn't have to be difficult, time-consuming or even cost you anything to implement. These quick and easy energy savers reduce your energy consumption, eliminate wasteful usage and increase the money you put in your wallet. That's good for the environment as well as your bottom line.

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Ventura County real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2992353/quick-and-easy-energy-savers.

Often Overlooked Home Staging Areas

Smart Ventura County home sellers stage their homes to highlight its assets and minimize liabilities. De-cluttering, removing and/or rearranging furniture are just a couple of ways home staging can transform an ordinary room into an extraordinary one. This is all well and good for the areas you do see (kitchen, bedrooms, living room, bathroom, etc). But there are some areas that need home staging that aren't necessarily visible right away. These are the often overlooked home staging areas.

Closets are one area often overlooked during the home staging process, especially if you aren't using a professional. Ventura home buyers are notorious for opening up cabinets, looking through drawers and even opening the stove to peer inside. Walk-in closets, in particular, are a highly sought-after item on a buyer's checklist. You want yours to look its best. Minimize clutter by getting rid of all the old stuff you don't wear. Smaller luggage pieces can be stored inside bigger items. Shoe racks keep shoes organized. Even adding a couple of shelves can impress a buyer.

I guarantee your kitchen cabinets and pantry will be given the "once over". Stack plates, bowls, etc, neatly inside. When organizing your pantry, think about what a grocery store shelf looks like as inspiration. Before anyone sees your house, empty out the trash bin. Smelly garbage is not what you want potential buyers remembering.

Ventura County buyers also check out the garage. Store all boxes neatly. Keep tools put away in tool boxes or organized on the shelves/wall unit. Extra items that are rarely used can be kept up in the rafters. Even the garage needs to be neat and tidy when selling your Ventura home.

It's not just the stuff you see right away that needs to be addressed when selling your home. There are a few common areas that are often overlooked during the home staging process. In a competitive market like Ventura County real estate, you need to make your home stand out from the rest. As they say, the devil's in the details. Don't let your home be the devil of you.

Dave and Pat Zumbrun, Your Ventura County real estate specialists

Originally posted on our Ventura County real estate blog here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2852139/often-overlooked-home-staging-areas.