by Blake Mashburn | Sep 20, 2018 | News
This Saturday, September 22nd, is the official last day of summer! Come celebrate the season with some incredible live music throughout beautiful Ventura County. There are 2 fantastic music festivals planned for this weekend that you do not want to miss!
First Annual Folk Festival | Santa Paula
Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Agriculture Museum (926 Railroad Avenue)
Cost: FREE Admission!
Come check out the inaugural Folk Festival being held in the gardens of the AG Museum in charming Santa Paula. This new event will feature all area musicians performing their original works of American folk music. While you listen to the music, enjoy delicious food from Cowboy John’s Smoken BBQ Food Trailer and adult beverages from the bar.
Performers
Bowlful of Blues | Ojai
Time: 4:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Location: Libbey Bowl (307 East Ojai Avenue)
Cost: $40 General Admission (in advance – Purchase Tickets HERE!) | $45 General Admission (at door) | $20 Youth Admission (ages 7-15) | FREE for children 6 & under
Head over to stunning Ojai for the 25th annual Bowlful of Blues. This favorite community event celebrates American roots music with award winning performers from across the country. Find the perfect spot on the lawn to enjoy the music while you dine on mouthwatering food from Rondia’s Kitchen and sip on refreshing beverages from Ojai Valley Brewery and The Ojai Vineyard.
Music Lineup
Image Credit: Ojai Arts Commission
by Blake Mashburn | Aug 30, 2018 | News
81649076 – labor day banner, patriotic background
Labor Day Weekend is Here! This long holiday weekend is traditionally filled with family gatherings, cook outs, outdoor recreation, and more. Looking for something unique to fill your time this weekend? We have found a fun event for you and your family to check out each day! Explore the best Ventura County has to offer at these incredible community events taking place this Labor Day Weekend!
16th Annual Ventura Nationals
Date: Saturday, September 1st
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Ventura Fairgrounds (10 West Harbor Boulevard, Ventura)
Cost: $15 General Admission | FREE Children 12 & Under | $10 Active Military
Check out the most incredible hot rods, kustoms, and motorcycles at this incredible annual show! You will find some of the best automobiles and bikes in the entire country, from antiques and classics to modern kustom builds. Do not miss the fun Pedal Car Contest as they cruise their way through the fairgrounds for the 5th year. Enter for your chance to win a Buick Riviera and more! Enjoy great live music by Gamblers Mark, Blazing Haley, Hard Six, Abby Girl & the Real Deal, and Lance Lipinsky & the Lovers. Tickets are available for purchase at the fairgrounds (Cash Only).
Aloha Beach Festival
Dates: Saturday, September 1st, & Sunday, September 2nd
Time: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Location: Promenade Park (Harbor Boulevard, Ventura)
Cost: FREE Admission!
For the 13th year, pretend you are celebrating Labor Day in Hawaii without ever having to leave Ventura! This fun community festival brings the Hawaiian islands to our beach with great live music, delicious food, canine frisbee, and so much more. Check out the full entertainment and activities schedule HERE!
13th Annual Santa Paula Labor Day Parade
Date: Monday, September 3rd
Time: 10:00 am
Location: Main Street (Between 7th & 10th Streets), Santa Paula
Cost: FREE Admission!
Find the best spot along the parade route and enjoy the best Labor Day parade in the area! This year’s theme is “Honor the Labor Force”. Check out all the great floats, musical groups, and more.
A Tribute to Tom Petty
Date: Monday, September 3rd
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Conejo Community Park (1175 Hendrix Avenue, Thousand Oaks)
Cost: Free Admission!
Grab your blanket and find the perfect spot in the park to enjoy a great concert by The PettyBreakers. Refreshments will be available or pack a picnic!
The Blake Mashburn Group wishes everyone a very Happy & Safe Labor Day Weekend!
by Blake Mashburn | Aug 9, 2018 | News
41382177 – school kid in class. happy child holding blackboard blank. education concept
The first school bells of the year are about to start ringing throughout Ventura County! It’s time to head back to school! The excellent public school districts in our area will all be returning to school at different dates over the next few weeks; to make sure you have your young scholars ready to go with their backpacks packed, here is a list of the first days of school for all local districts!
Santa Paula Unified School District | 201 South Steckel, Santa Paula
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 15th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Fillmore Unified School District | 627 Sespe Avenue, Fillmore
First Day of School: Thursday, August 16th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Oxnard School District | 1501 South A Street, Oxnard
First Day of School: Thursday, August 16th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Ojai Unified School District | 414 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 22nd
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Ventura Unified School District | 255 West Stanley Avenue, Ventura
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 22nd
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Hueneme Elementary School District | 205 North Ventura Road, Port Hueneme
First Day of School: Tuesday, August 28th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Oxnard Union High School District | 309 South K Street, Oxnard
First Day of School: Tuesday, August 28th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
Pleasant Valley School District | 600 Temple Avenue, Camarillo
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 29th
2018 – 2019 District Calendar
The Blake Mashburn Group wishes a successful and fun 2018 – 2019 school year to all students in Ventura County!!!
If you are interested in BUYING a home in one of these excellent school districts, give us a call today or visit our Website!
by Blake Mashburn | Aug 2, 2018 | News
A home purchase is a big decision that affects everyone. Before you begin to look, figure out what amenities are most important to you and your family in the neighborhood of your choice?
- Schools– Whether or not you have children the schools in your neighborhood are of great importance. Great schools add value to your home as well as a solid educational foundation for your children
- Conveniences– Are there a number of grocery store options close by? Is your bank close? How about playgrounds for the kids? Where are your doctors located? All these things play into the likeability of the location of your home.
- Dining and entertainment– While this may not be on the top of your list, your hobbies, dining preferences and entertainment options and the distance from your home will be important.
- What amenities does the home itself offer? Big backyard, outdoor pool, extended patio or deck for outdoor living space?
- If it is a relatively new neighborhood, what was it built upon? Some areas have been built over wetland and filled. This could cause unsettling in your home resulting in cracked foundations and walls.
Before you begin your home search, partner with a real estate agent that is an expert in the area and has lived or worked there for a good number of years. Their experience and knowledge could be a lifesaver for you and can save hours of viewings in areas that don’t meet your needs.
Need more information about our area? Contact us today. We’ll help you find the perfect home in the best neighborhood to suit all your needs.
by Blake Mashburn | Jul 30, 2018 | News
You’re pre-approved for your mortgage and are now beginning your home search. Congratulations! Here are some 7 tips on things to ignore when viewing homes so you don’t let the perfect home in the best location get away from you:
- Home Staging is done to highlight the best that a home has to offer. But you need to remember that it’s the homeowners and designers choices to utilize the pieces they’ve chosen. Your ideas for a room might be totally different, so look past the design choices and envision your own furniture, colors and personal touches in the home instead!
- Carpeting! Don’t be turned off by a home that is filled with carpeting! Updating floors is an inexpensive update to a home you truly love. Plus, many homes will have beautiful hardwood floors beneath the carpeting in that room.
- Wallpaper. This decorating gem has made a comeback over the past couple years, and in many cases, when done right, can really accentuate a room. However, if the wallpaper isn’t your cup of tea, don’t sweat it! A good steam and elbow grease will have this off in no time; giving you a blank canvas to create the atmosphere you’re looking for.
- Bright and bold paint colors. Are you the type of individual who prefers a more neutral canvas for your walls? It’s a very easy change to make and refresh the home at the same time. Keep in mind that paint colors are personal choices of any homeowner, not something that needs to stay in place once the home is purchased.
- Bathroom or Kitchen hardware and sink styles. You walk into a home with your heart set on the new brass/black faucets and bowl sinks, but you find stainless steel and basins of yesteryear. Again, this isn’t a big problem. Swapping out faucet hardware and even upgrading your basins can be done very cost-effectively.
- Kitchen cabinet colors. Individual opinions vary deeply when it comes to a dream kitchen. If you’re looking at a home that has a great layout, island and lots of cabinets to suit your needs but they are in black and you’d like gray… not a big deal! There are plenty of interior decorating services that can spray and paint your existing cabinets to the color you desire; without totally remodeling the entire kitchen.
- Landscape. Curb appeal is critical whether you’re buying or selling a home, but again, each person has their own tastes as to what looks beautiful. If you’re seeing a yard that has lots of crazy bushes or too much maintenance, look at it as an opportunity to create your own backyard oasis. Simply axing a home because the yard and garden isn’t to you liking can cost you a great home.
Better to concentrate on the home’s more important aspects; How is the roof? Electrical? HVAC? Foundation? These are the non-negotiable parts of the home that need to be in great working order, or can cost you dearly. Cosmetics are just the choice of the homeowner and can be tailored to your own likes and needs.
Bowlful of Blues
