Real Estate Information Archive

We will be adding more videos to our website. We hope this and our future videos will give you a small taste of what the City of Brea has to offer. For more information about Brea or Brea Real Estate you can contact us via website at NOCRES.com or email us

Over the coming months we will be adding more videos to our website. We love our town Brea and we hope this and our future videos will give you a small taste of what the City of Brea has to offer. For more information about Brea or Brea Real Estate you can contact us via website at NOCRES.com or email us

Home Buyers love Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. These sites have all the homes for sale! They also have a lot of old information.  That is wherein the problem lies. Carol loves working with buyers and has for 27 years. She is just as excited about finding the “right home” for her buyers now as she was when she first started selling real estate in 1986. The single biggest waste of time for her is looking up properties that buyers have found on one of three mentioned websites above, just to find out that they are either in escrow or have closed escrow, and some of them even months ago.

 I looked up properties for sale in Brea on Zillow this morning (May 14, 2013, 6:20 AM) and it said there were 220 properties (results). Now when I go on our local MLS board (CRMLS) we have 33 properties that show as active listings for sale (May 14, 2013, 6:23 AM).  Zillow shows 7 times more properties for sale and 7 times more the disappointment for buyers when they call on a property and find out it’s either in escrow or has sold months ago.

No wonder buyers are confused and don’t know who to trust when looking for a home.  The buyer calls an agent about a property or properties only to find out it’s sold. I know I would begin to wonder who’s telling the truth, or why an agent doesn’t want to show me these homes. Sit down with the agent you are working with and have them look up properties for you on the websites above and then on his or her local MLS provider.  You will be shocked at the discrepancy; I guarantee it will be an eye opener.

Buyers, don’t give up hope, most agents have links to their local MLS providers where the information is up to date. On our website (NOCRES.com) all property searches will have a listing status:  Active, Taking Back Ups, Pending, or Hold do not show.  If the listing status is active the odds are pretty darn good you can make an offer on the property.  A listing status of “Taking Back Up” and “Pending” means that an offer has been accepted by the seller and it is under contract and in escrow. A “Hold Do Not Show” status means that the property is effectively off the market for any of a number of reasons and thus, not available for an offer.

If you are looking for a great agent in Brea or North Orange County CA I highly recommend my wife Carol Chamberlain at Carol@carolandjim.com or 714-726-3166/text

Come to the 5th Brea Baptish Church Car Show to be held March 23, 2013 at Birch and Flower in Brea CA 9AM to 3PM.

You will see 100 hundred of the finest pre 1976 cars, hotrods, Woodys, Panels, Muscle cars, Lead sleds, etc.  There will be gourmet food trucks, vendors, Blues Brothers & original film car, The Tank one of kind motorcycle, working farm and big trucks, and much more.  Its a fun day for the whole family.

If you would like to show your vehicle click here to download a printable flyer with registration form. 

1912-2012 Field House
100 Years Celebration
Saturday, October 6, 2012

10AM to 3PM

4025 Santa Fe Road Brea, CA 

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail will be opening its door for the hundred year celebration. Free to All! Period music from the 1900s, A celebration cake, 1915 T Ford Tank Truck, tours of the field house museum with a guide. The field office was once the headquarters and operations for all the oil fields in Brea. The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail sets on 12 acres with nature trail, the field office is filled with items from the oil field. In the early 1900s Olinda was a large oil producing area. California State Parks will be giving walking tours of the nature trail. For more information, call 714-671-4447 or visit cityofbrea.net. For more information on Brea, California Real Estate and Community Information.

Equal parts nature trail, educational exhibit, and piece of living history—the Olinda Oil Museum and Trail in Brea is a must-see for history buffs and avid hikers alike. This 12-acre historical park features the original Olinda Oil Well #1. Drilled in 1897, this is one of the oldest working oil wells in the state. There is also a jackline pump, the original field house for the Olinda Oil operation, various pieces of field equipment from the past, a vault and warehouse. Here you can browse a collection of old photos depicting life as an oil worker, or “wildcatter” as they were commonly known back then. Interpretive exhibits in the field house explain the oil drilling process and the geologic significance of the area.

Once you’ve finished exploring the museum, it’s time to take an enjoyable, mild hike along the two-mile trail. Follow the footsteps of early pioneers who came to Olinda in search of oil. Placards along the trail show how things used to look. But perhaps most impressive are the panoramic views of Orange County the trail affords. On a clear day you can even see the ocean!

The City of Brea maintains the Olinda Oil Museum and Trail. Brand new restrooms, a paved parking lot and picnic tables have been provided for visitors’ comfort and convenience.

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail is an important piece of history, and while entry to the park is free, donations at the gate are greatly appreciated. The park is always in need of volunteers to give tours and to staff the field office. Volunteering is a great way to deepen your historical knowledge while giving back to the Brea community. Training is provided.

For information on volunteering or to schedule a group tour, call Sean Matlock at (714) 671-4447.

The Olinda Oil Museum and Trail is located in the Olinda Ranch neighborhood, at 4025 Santa Fe Road in Brea. The park gates are open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Located at the corner of Randolph and Madison, the Brea Community Center is a place where fun, fitness and friendly smiles converge. Whether you are interested in joining a sports team, finding a fun and safe place for your child after school, helping your teenager connect with peers in a healthy way, or simply getting in shape—the Brea Community Center has a wide range of programs and resources for you and your family. Between the onsite Fitness Center, Family Resource Center and a whole host of special events throughout the year, the Brea Community Center is really many facilities in one!

For adults, Brea Community Center offers a number of competitive basketball, volleyball, softball and flag football leagues year-round. Sports leagues are a great way to get exercise and make new friends—something you’re never too old to do. For younger athletes, the Community Center has basketball and soccer leagues for boys and girls.

Looking for a positive hangout for your teen? Bring them to “The Zone,” a fun space designed for teens by teens. There are plenty of activities at “The Zone,” such as foosball, board games, pool, video games and computers. “The Zone” also sponsors special events, such as dances and game tournaments throughout the year. Teens are free to choose their own activities and come as go as they please, allowing them to feel independent. And because “The Zone” is always supervised by an adult staff, parents can maintain peace of mind.

There are also a number of programs and activities for the little ones. Whether you are looking for after-school care, fun summer camps, or a safe place to drop off your child while you work out, Brea Community Center is committed to happy, healthy kids!

Looking to get in shape? Whether you prefer a solitary workout or thrive on the energy of group exercise, The Brea Fitness Center has what you’re looking for. In addition to a full-size gym and a cardio/weight room, the Fitness Center has numerous fitness classes—everything from Belly Dance and Cycling to Yoga and Zumba. Check out the Group Fitness Schedule to find the class that fits you. There are also personal trainers available to help you meet your fitness goals, nutrition experts to help you tackle your eating habits, and massage therapists to help work out the kinks after a rigorous workout.

The Brea Community Center also provides important classes and services through its Family Resource Center. Here, members can take parenting classes, receive individual and family counseling, attend personal finance workshops, find support groups and receive health screenings.

For more information about the Brea Community Center, call (714) 990-7100. For a map and directions, click here.

It’s been a long time since anyone has built any executive homes in Brea. Standard Pacific is building 38 elegant residences at one of the highest locations in Brea with some homes having views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina. Homes are open daily for viewing now. There are 3 models Mirada, Seville, Valencia, ranging in size from 4,200-5000, 4 - 5 bedrooms, 4 - 5.5 baths, 3 car garages. There will only be 38 homes built at Castillian at Blackstone.  Just West of the 57 freeway at Lambert Road, Turn Right on State College and follow the signs.  There are 3 other new tracts of homes for sale that have opened recently in Brea. I will add information on these tracts in a few days.

I received this in an email from the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.)

C.A.R. is OPPOSING AB 2678 (Núñez) which among other things, requires that ALL homes and commercial property in California have an energy audit at point-of-sale and that mandatory energy efficiency investments be made. While C.A.R. appreciates the goal of AB 2678 C.A.R. strongly opposes the point-of-sale requirements in AB 2678 because they fail to achieve the bill?s objectives and, such mandates will further weaken the housing market. If enacted, AB 2678 could add thousands of dollars to the cost of purchasing a home, including up to $400 just to have a home audited. AB 2678 was passed by the Assembly Utilities committee. It will have a vote in the Assembly Appropriations committee before heading to a vote by the entire Assembly.

Don't kid yourself this will effect all home owners and home buyers. Call Your Lawmaker Today to Ask that  the Point-of-Sale Provision be Removed from AB 2678!

To read more AB2678 click here