Foothills Sentry July 2020

Foothills Sentry Page 14 July 2020 As of this market update, it certainly has! During these chal- lenging times, with our invisible enemy known as COVID-19, the housing market is reacting. There are many questions out there that I’ve encountered over the last few months. Do we show properties, and how? Do we list homes for sale? If we allow people in our home, how do we stay safe? Do we allow photos or videos inside our homes? How do we navigate inspections and repairs while so- cial distancing? Now that we have sheltered in place for some time, some states are opening back up, with cau- tion. Buyers are eager to shop and take advantage of incredibly low interest rates. Here is what I’m noticing as the state begins to open: there are lots of buyers ready to make offers, but some sellers seem not quite ready to list their homes. This Has COVID-19 affected listings? is causing our market to experi- ence a housing shortage, or lack of inventory. Buyers thought that waiting out the pandemic would result in huge price reductions on homes on the market; however, we are seeing the opposite. There are fewer homes on the market, amazing interest rates, and pent-up buyer demand. The number of homes on the market now is comparable to the 2013 housing market, the last time in- ventory was notably low. In short, if you’ve been con- sidering the sale of your home, now just might be the best time. Be ready for a new market if in- ventory continues to stay low. As a seller, you might be surprised at what your home could sell for. Buyers might be just as happy as sellers when they take benefit from a great interest rate. This just might be a great time for both buyers and sellers. By Andie Mills Villa Park Elementary School’s Dad’s Club was not going to let the pandemic stand in the way of hosting its annual on-campus camp out. For over 15 years, the Dad’s Club has planned, coordi- nated and hosted over 400 parents and students on the VPE campus for an overnight camp out. This year, Camp Bobcat Co- ordinator Mike Urbanski, Dad’s Club President Ryan Dierking and graduating dad Mark Kuli wanted to put something fun and special in place for the students despite everything. Camp Bobcat has, and always will be, an event to bring out fam- ilies and celebrate the end of the year -- and they were determined that this year would be no differ- ent. Going with the popular theme of video conferencing, a team of dads began orchestrating seg- ments to entertain families vir- tually. The idea of camping in your backyard with family with an entertainment portion came to Camp Bobcat goes virtual life. Segments included a popu- lar “Teacher’s Pet” bit where students guessed the pet of their teachers. They also had a special tribute to sixth graders, “snore awards” videos of loud dads snor- ing, and a “live” portion of fami- lies showing off their backyard camp set ups. Of course, no Camp Bobcat would be complete without can- dy, popcorn and a raffle, but the dads took care of that by mak- ing and distributing over 200 gift packs, complete with magnets, goodies and T-shirts to families. Over 30 items were raffled off to families who purchased gift packs, and numbers were drawn out of the traditional drum throughout the program, and kept the crowds engaged. In total, the Zoom virtual event had over 150 logins total- ing somewhere over 500 people. For 90 minutes, students and their families were glued to their TVs, laptops, tablets and phones to close out the year. For some, this was their first Camp Bobcat. For others, it was their last. Brandt (6) and Bailey (8) Willis show off their Camp Bobcat T-shirts. Margo (6) and Greg (8) Jendreas roast s’mores over their fire. Camp Bobcat coordinator Mike Urbanski and his kids Kyle (8) and Abby (10) at command central. The Orange Blossoms Auxilia- ry, an extension of the Assistance League of Orange, is a network of self-driven problem solvers who enjoy volunteering and serv- ing the community. Despite the cancellation of their annual pre- miere fundraising event, Taste of Orange, which showcases local restaurants, breweries and busi- nesses, the Orange Blossoms piv- oted to support local restaurants with a virtual contest featuring take-out orders. During the month of May, the auxiliary hosted “Best Taste of Orange” where the community could vote by posting a photo of their favorite vendor, dish, drink or dessert. The Best Taste of Or- ange 2020 winners were declared: Gonzalez’s, for Best Food; OC Wine Mart, Best Alcohol; Chap- man Crafted, Best Beer; Sweets Party Treats, Best Dessert; and Brot Coffee, Best Coffee. Taste of Orange winners announced Orange Blossoms Alison Martin and Michelle Malloy, left, and Chris- tine Deihl, far right, flank KS Gonzalez, owner of Gonzalez’s restau- rant, voted Best Food winner in Orange. Bobcats Darla (10), Lucy (12), Nate (7) and dad Victor Flynn camp- ing at home. Foothill High offers summer athletics Tustin Unified School District has transitioned its 2020 sum- mer sports programs for Beck- man, Foothill and Tustin High Schools, following Phase 1 guidelines. Gatherings are limited to 10 participants (indoor and out- door); six-feet distancing main- tained at all times; no shared equipment; no equipment touched by more than one player without cleaning. Entry and exit protocols must be established and monitored by coaches so students do not gath- er, in staggered times to space out student groups. Coaches will monitor and supervise student athletes at all times; coaches will ensure athletes stay hydrated with personal water bottles and cups that are never shared; stu- dent personal belongings will remain separate and secure; coaches will temperature-check athletes upon arrival to practice; staff will use non-touch ther- mometers. For additional information, see Tustin .k12.ca.us/foothill.