Lunar New Year Events - 2012

Happy New Year! OK, Happy Lunar New Year! In the Chinese calendar, the longest chronological record in history dating back to 2600 B.C., this year marks the lunar year 4710 -- Year of the Dragon. The first day of the lunar year is January 23, 2012. For the Tet Vietnamese New Year it will be the same, Year of the Dragon!

Famous people born in the Year of the Dragon include: Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Mae West, John Lennon, Bruce Lee, Keanu Reeves, Orlando Bloom, Colin Farrell, and Sandra Bullock.

Here are selected local events celebrating the Lunar New Year in Santa Clara and San Francisco counties.

Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County:

Saturday, January 28, 10:00am-5:00pm - Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose (www.cdm.org/)

Sunday, January 29, 12:00pm-5:00pm - Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose (www.cdm.org/)

Saturday, February 18, 1:00-4:00pm - Chinese New Year Celebration, Santana Row Park, San Jose (http://www.santanarow.com/events/item/chinese_new_year_celebration/)

San Francisco/San Francisco Chinatown:

Saturday, February 4, 10:00am-4:00pm - Basketball Jamboree, Francisco Middle School - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=basketball_jam)

Saturday, February 4, 7:30pm - Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/pageant.asp)

Saturday, February 11, 10:00am-4:30pm - Chinatown Community Street Faire, Chinatown - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=community_fair)

Sunday, February 12, 9:00am-5:00pm - Chinatown Community Street Faire, Chinatown - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=community_fair)

San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade began in 1860 and was named by the IFEA to be one of the top ten parades in the world! It is also one of the remaining night illuminated parades left in the country. Since 1958 the parade has been organized and directed by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Sunday, February 12, 5:15pm-8:00pm - 2012 Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, Market and Second Streets to Kearney and Jackson. Check out "Gum Lung", the 201-foot-long Golden Dragon! (http://www.chineseparade.com/)

Sunday, February 19, 7:00am, run starts at 8:00am at Sacramento and Grant, YMCA Chinese New Year Run (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=10k)
This event raises funds for the YMCA's youth and teen programs. This year's proceeds will benefit the Chinatown YMCA Community Center, which serves more than 1,200 youth and their families from Chinatown and the surrounding neighborhoods. The event expects 2,000 participants and 300 volunteers. For more information or to register, please go to http://www.ymcasf.org/Chinatown) or call 415.576.9622

More Thank A Hundred Years of the Chinese Calendar (1924 to 2031) --

The Chinese Calendar names each year after an animal and legend has it that a person born under a certain animal will display traits of that animal. What sign are you in the Chinese 12-year calendar cycle? Look up in the table below what year you were born and the corresponding animal.

Rat: 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008 2020

Ox: 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 2021

Tiger: 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 2022

Rabbit: 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011 2023

Dragon: 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 2024

Snake: 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013 2025

Horse: 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 2026

Ram: 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015 2027

Monkey: 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016 2028

Rooster: 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017 2029

Dog: 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 2030

Boar: 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019 2031

Gung Hey Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Dragon!

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Happy Year of the Dragon!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Lunar New Year Events - 2012

Happy New Year! OK, Happy Lunar New Year! In the Chinese calendar, the longest chronological record in history dating back to 2600 B.C., this year marks the lunar year 4710 -- Year of the Dragon. The first day of the lunar year is January 23, 2012. For the Tet Vietnamese New Year it will be the same, Year of the Dragon!



Famous people born in the Year of the Dragon include: Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Mae West, John Lennon, Bruce Lee, Keanu Reeves, Orlando Bloom, Colin Farrell, and Sandra Bullock.


Here are selected local events celebrating the Lunar New Year in Santa Clara and San Francisco counties.

Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County:

Saturday, January 28, 10:00am-5:00pm - Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose (www.cdm.org/)

Sunday, January 29, 12:00pm-5:00pm - Children's Discovery Museum, San Jose (www.cdm.org/)

Saturday, February 18, 1:00-4:00pm - Chinese New Year Celebration, Santana Row Park, San Jose (http://www.santanarow.com/events/item/chinese_new_year_celebration/)



San Francisco/San Francisco Chinatown:

Saturday, February 4, 10:00am-4:00pm - Basketball Jamboree, Francisco Middle School - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=basketball_jam)

Saturday, February 4, 7:30pm - Miss Chinatown USA Pagent, Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/pageant.asp)

Saturday, February 11, 10:00am-4:30pm - Chinatown Community Street Faire, Chinatown - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=community_fair)

Sunday, February 12, 9:00am-5:00pm - Chinatown Community Street Faire, Chinatown - San Francisco (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=community_fair)

San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade began in 1860 and was named by the IFEA to be one of the top ten parades in the world! It is also one of the remaining night illuminated parades left in the country. Since 1958 the parade has been organized and directed by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Sunday, February 12, 5:15pm-8:00pm - 2012 Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, Market and Second Streets to Kearney and Jackson. Check out "Gum Lung", the 201-foot-long Golden Dragon! (http://www.chineseparade.com/)

Sunday, February 19, 7:00am, run starts at 8:00am at Sacramento and Grant, YMCA Chinese New Year Run (http://www.chineseparade.com/parade_events.asp?pEvent=10k)
This event raises funds for the YMCA's youth and teen programs. This year's proceeds will benefit the Chinatown YMCA Community Center, which serves more than 1,200 youth and their families from Chinatown and the surrounding neighborhoods. The event expects 2,000 participants and 300 volunteers. For more information or to register, please go to http://www.ymcasf.org/Chinatown) or call 415.576.9622



More Thank A Hundred Years of the Chinese Calendar (1924 to 2031) --

The Chinese Calendar names each year after an animal and legend has it that a person born under a certain animal will display traits of that animal. What sign are you in the Chinese 12-year calendar cycle? Look up in the table below what year you were born and the corresponding animal.

Rat: 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008 2020

Ox: 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 2021

Tiger: 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 2022

Rabbit: 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011 2023

Dragon: 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 2024

Snake: 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013 2025

Horse: 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 2026

Ram: 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015 2027

Monkey: 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016 2028

Rooster: 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017 2029

Dog: 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 2030

Boar: 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019 2031


Gung Hey Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Dragon!

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Happy Year of the Dragon!

January Silicon Valley Real Estate Market Comments

Here are my observations of the most recent December transactions for Santa Clara County real estate and San Mateo County real estate. Your comments and questions are always welcome. If you see something in your neighborhood that you are curious about or have a question, please don't hesitate to share with us. If you have questions or a comment, please leave them here, or feel free to contact me through my website.

> General Market Observations and Comments -- The amount of homes (single family and condos and townhouses) available for sale continued their downwards trend in December. The most interesting thing about this trend toward fewer homes on the market is twofold: one, this occurs every year but this time the level is at its lowest since 2005; and two, the portion of lender-controlled homes (short sale and bank-owned) has diminished. Inventory, or the number of homes available for sale (supply) resembles what it was in December 2005. Many of will recall that the real estate market was super active then with almost no lender-controlled listings.

Still the case is a bifurcated market condition. Homes available for sale have a median days on market of about 70 days whereas those homes that closed escrow have a median days on market of less than 35 days. Homes priced well and in good condition, sell quickly and get the most activity (i.e., higher prices, quicker sale). Overpriced homes or those in poor locations or in poor condition (bank-owned or short sale homes are mainly in this category) stay on the market far longer.

Mortgage rates remain very favorable for buyers in the range in the high 3% to low 4% area. Since most buyers need a loan to purchase a home, mortgage rates are a major consideration in the decision and ability of the buyers to purchase. Even with lowered sales figures, escrow companies seem to be busy with loan refinance or refi activity. I've advised those buyers who purchased last year to refinance their "low" 4 3/4% loans and lock in a high-3% loan rate for the long haul.

For December, median price for single family residences, half above and half below or the middle transaction, stood at $530,000, a slight decrease from November and down about 1% from December 2010. Not too much you can make of this as the mix of homes is in constant change mode. Better to look at a smaller area or even neighborhood to get an idea of the price trends. When you do this analysis of various areas, we find prices actually increased a bit in a range of 4-8%!

Got that "love" note from your landlord or property manager yet? Rents have been impacted by demand from those who lost homes to foreclosure, new family formations and an improved employment picture in Silicon Valley. So much so that rents have increased about 12-15% from last year. Any end in sight? I don't think so as available homes to rent which has been steady in recent times will go up a bit as there are some developments of apartments going. The amount is insufficient to offset the increased demand that has and is taking place. Time for investors? That's what I've been saying for a while now.

Thanks for reading my blog. I'm Tom McEvoy, Realtor with RE/MAX Santa Clara Valley -- Let me know your comments, questions, observations you may have or any future topics you'd like me to address.

January Silicon Valley Real Estate Market Comments

Here are my observations of the most recent December transactions for Santa Clara County real estate and San Mateo County real estate. Your comments and questions are always welcome. If you see something in your neighborhood that you are curious about or have a question, please don't hesitate to share with us. If you have questions or a comment, please leave them here, or feel free to contact me through my website.

> General Market Observations and Comments -- The amount of homes (single family and condos and townhouses) available for sale continued their downwards trend in December. The most interesting thing about this trend toward fewer homes on the market is twofold: one, this occurs every year but this time the level is at its lowest since 2005; and two, the portion of lender-controlled homes (short sale and bank-owned) has diminished. Inventory, or the number of homes available for sale (supply) resembles what it was in December 2005. Many of will recall that the real estate market was super active then with almost no lender-controlled listings.

Still the case is a bifurcated market condition. Homes available for sale have a median days on market of about 70 days whereas those homes that closed escrow have a median days on market of less than 35 days. Homes priced well and in good condition, sell quickly and get the most activity (i.e., higher prices, quicker sale). Overpriced homes or those in poor locations or in poor condition (bank-owned or short sale homes are mainly in this category) stay on the market far longer.

Mortgage rates remain very favorable for buyers in the range in the high 3% to low 4% area. Since most buyers need a loan to purchase a home, mortgage rates are a major consideration in the decision and ability of the buyers to purchase. Even with lowered sales figures, escrow companies seem to be busy with loan refinance or refi activity. I've advised those buyers who purchased last year to refinance their "low" 4 3/4% loans and lock in a high-3% loan rate for the long haul.

For December, median price for single family residences, half above and half below or the middle transaction, stood at $530,000, a slight decrease from November and down about 1% from December 2010. Not too much you can make of this as the mix of homes is in constant change mode. Better to look at a smaller area or even neighborhood to get an idea of the price trends. When you do this analysis of various areas, we find prices actually increased a bit in a range of 4-8%!

Got that "love" note from your landlord or property manager yet? Rents have been impacted by demand from those who lost homes to foreclosure, new family formations and an improved employment picture in Silicon Valley. So much so that rents have increased about 12-15% from last year. Any end in sight? I don't think so as available homes to rent which has been steady in recent times will go up a bit as there are some developments of apartments going. The amount is insufficient to offset the increased demand that has and is taking place. Time for investors? That's what I've been saying for a while now.


Thanks for reading my blog. I'm Tom McEvoy, Realtor with RE/MAX Santa Clara Valley -- Let me know your comments, questions, observations you may have or any future topics you'd like me to address.