Real Estate By Kim

04/03/2017

Five tips for first-time buyers

No matter how much time you spend on researching and educating yourself about your home purchase, it's hard to cover every detail. Here are a few tips for avoiding rookie mistakes with your first home purchase.

Save as early as you can: Even if you think you're years away from buying your first home, try to start saving for your down payment. It makes a huge difference in your monthly payments, and helps avoid paying Private Mortgage Insurance.

Be thorough with mortgage shopping: There are countless resources out there that can help you get the best terms for your mortgage. It may seem like a lot of work to shave less than a point off your mortgage rate, but it'll save you thousands in the long run.

Consult a skeptic: You're likely to fall in love with a home, and that can make it difficult to take problems seriously. Bring along a skeptical friend or family member who can give you an honest opinion.

Be patient with getting settled: You'll be anxious to make your new home your own, but take some time to see how your budget truly shakes out. In other words, hold off on big furniture purchases and remodeling projects.

Make sure you're happy with the neighborhood: The house may be perfect, but don't discount the surroundings. You don't want to end up in the suburbs if you're going to miss walking to your favorite coffee shop, and you don't want to settle for the city if you're looking forward to some peace and quiet.

03/28/2017

April 2017
Ventura County Events

Step Up for Kids: A Comedy FUNdraiser Apr. 1
A comedy FUNdraiser for Step Up Ventura’s new child care and preschool for Ventura County’s homeless kids. Clean comedy!
Time/Place: 7-8:30pm / Ventura Harbor Comedy Club: 1559 Spinnaker Dr.
Contact: 805-665-3385 / www.stepupventura.org

ROUND-UP - A Rock ‘N Country Music Extravaganza Apr. 1
Music on 2 stages, food & crafts vendors, games & activities, non-stop dancing and 100% fun!
Time/Place: 10am-7pm / Rancho Simi Community Park: 1765 Royal Avenue
Contact: 805-807-5100 / www.roundupsimi.com

Great Race of Agoura Hills Apr. 1
Features the challenging Cheseboro Half Marathon (mostly trails), Pacific Half Marathon (roads), Old Agoura 10K and Olympic Bronze Medalist and Agoura High School Alumnus Deena Kastor 5K run.
Time/Place: 7:30-11am / Chumash Park: 5550 Medea Valley Drive
Contact: http://greatrace.run

Bark For Life - Hueneme, Oxnard & Camarillo Apr. 1
A Canine Event to Fight Cancer. Join us as we celebrate Relay For Life with our four-legged loved ones!
Time/Place: 9:30am-12pm / Richard Bard Bubbling Springs Park
Contact: 805-218-1266 / www.relayforlife.org

Scandinavian Festival Apr. 1-2
Will celebrate the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Sami people from the Arctic regions of Scandinavia. Music, dancing, food, lectures, demonstrations, vendors and activities for people of all ages.
Time/Place: 10am-5pm / California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks
Contact: www.scandinaviancenter.org

Holistic Health Festival Apr. 5
Holistic Health Practitioners, Mind-Body Movement, Yoga, Massage, Crafts, Pet Therapy, Food Share, Silent Auction.
Time/Place: 9am-2pm / MCE/MCW Quad
Contact: 805-289-6000 / www.venturacollege.edu

Moorpark College Career & Internship Expo Apr. 5
Moorpark College offers 1,500 classes a semester in 70 disciplines, including lower division preparation in a wide variety of transfer majors.
Time/Place: 10am-1pm / Moorpark College: 7075 Campus Road
Contact: 805-553-4845 / www.moorparkcollege.edu

Flashlight Egg Hunt Apr. 7
Bring your flashlights and baskets for the Conejo Recreation and Park District’s first-time Flashlight Egg Hunt. A separate egg hunt area will be set up for the younger ones. Flashlights and baskets will be available for purchase.
Time/Place: 7-9pm / Conejo Creek South Park, Thousand Oaks
Contact: 805-381-2791 / www.crpd.org

Ojai Centennial Celebration Apr. 7-8
Come join the 100-year celebration of Ojai! Festivities kick off on Friday, with a one-act play at Libbey Bowl - The Birth of A Notion: Ojai 1917. Then on Saturday, come prepared for lots of fun at the Centennial Picnic! Bring your own picnic to Libbey Park and enjoy live music, antique cars, speeches and more!
Contact: 888-652-4669 / www.ojaivisitors.com

Cottontail Day Festival Apr. 8
$2 Easter egg hunts are held every 30 minutes for ages 1-7 from 11 am–2pm. The Cottontail Bunny can be spotted hopping around giving children a chance to shake hands or grab a hug. Other activities include face painting, petting zoo, hands-on arts & crafts, pony rides and much, much more (weather permitting).
Time/Place: 11am-2pm / Ventura Harbor Village
Contact: 805-477-0470 / www.venturaharborvillage.com

Thousand Oaks Arbor/Earth Day Celebration Apr. 8
Family fun event featuring live entertainment, stunt dog team, wild animal exhibits, children’s activities, free biochar, compost and sustainable soil workshops, bike rodeo/bike valet, environmental exhibitors, food trucks and more.
Time/Place: 10am-3pm / Thousand Oaks Community Park
Contact: 805-381-7358 / www.toaks.org/GoGreen

Relay for Life of Camarillo Apr. 8-9
This is your opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember people we have lost, but also to raise funds and awareness to help save lives.
Time/Place: 9am-9am / Adolfo Camarillo High School: 4660 Mission Oaks Blvd.
Contact: www.relayforlife.org

California Jazz & Wine Fest Apr. 9
An eclectic mix of hot jazz and cool swing performed on two stages and unlimited sampling of wine, craft brews, boutique spirits and gourmet food. Proceeds will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley.
Time/Place: 1-5pm / Four Seasons Hotel, Westlake Village
Contact: 805-380-6010 / www.californiajazzwine.com

Diversity in Culture Festival Apr. 12-13
The Festival will feature speakers, performances, food, education, entertainment and a market place. The Ventura College Diversity in Culture Task Force is committed to recognize, celebrate, and promote awareness and appreciation of the value of diversity at our college and in our community.
Time/Place: 9:30am-5:30pm / Ventura College
Contact: 805-289-6000 / www.venturacollege.edu

Simi Valley Spring Egg Hunt Apr. 15
FREE event promptly starts at 9 am and ends just minutes after. Bring your basket. Rain cancels event. Hunters divided into age groups: 8-10 years, 6-8 years, 3-5 years, under 2 years.
Time/Place: 9am / Rancho Santa Susana Community Park
Contact: 805-584-4456 / www.rsrpd.org

Oak Park Egg Hunt and Arts & Crafts Show Apr. 15
The egg hunt is for ages 10 and under (BYOB - Bring Your Own Basket) Arts and crafts items! Dozens and dozens of vendor booths. Food, kids inflatables, slides, train and mini-ferris wheel. Also a free adult egg throw competition!
Time/Place: 9:30am-2pm / Mae Boyar Park: 130 N. Kanan Rd.
Contact: 818-865-9304 / www.rsrpd.org

Champagne on Main Apr. 15
A Spring Wine Walk & Street Fair.
Time/Place: 11am-6:30pm / Downtown Ventura
Contact: 805-641-1090 / www.downtownventura.org

The Spring BBQ Apr. 15
Music, food, drinks, tours, games and fun! Free Admission, $15 meals.
Time/Place: 12-5pm / Oxnard Historic Farm Park: 1251 Gottfried Place
Contact: 805-844-9877 / www.oxnardfarmpark.org

Oxnard’s Earth Day Festival Apr. 15
Live Music, Community Displays, Children’s Activities, Food and Fun. Admission is free. This increasingly popular event encourages each person to continue to act locally, while thinking globally about their impact on the environment.
Time/Place: 11am-3pm / Plaza Park
Contact: www.oxnard.org

Moorpark Easter Egg Hunt Apr. 15
The event includes Easter Egg hunts, pony rides, petting farm, carnival games and more!
Time/Place: 10am-1pm / Arroyo Vista Community Park
Contact: 805-517-6300 / www.moorparkca.gov

Camarillo Eggstravaganza & Craft Fair Apr. 15
Event is free of charge and will feature egg hunts, the Easter Bunny, entertainment, carnival games, petting zoo, craft and food vendors and much more!
Time/Place: 10am-3pm / Camarillo Community Center Park: 1605 E. Burnley Street
Contact: 805-482-1996 / www.pvrpd.org

For The Troops Fundraiser Apr. 18
Proceeds help pay shipping costs of Our Care Packages sent to our Servicemen and women overseas.
Time/Place: 4-9pm / The Habit Burger Grill, Simi Valley
Contact: 805-306-0830 / www.forthetroops.org

Oxnard State of the City Address Apr. 20
We will look to Mayor Tim Flynn to highlight our assets and challenges in the annual State of the City address.
Time/Place: 11:30am-1:30pm / Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort
Contact: 805-983-6118 / www.oxnardchamber.org

The Super Run! Apr. 22
The Super Run is a national series of 5k running events that partners with non-profit organizations to put on superhero themed events to help raise funds and awareness for their cause. Packet Pick-Up: Road Runner Sports, Thousand Oaks.
Time/Place: 8-11am / San Buena Ventura State Park
Contact: www.thesuperrun.com

2017 Spotlight Awards Apr. 22
This incredible evening of entertainment raises funds to support the arts in Simi and our Cultural Arts Center. Join us for cocktails, a silent auction, dinner and live entertainment!
Time/Place: 6-10pm / Grand Vista Hotel, Simi Valley
Contact: 805-583-7905 / www.simispotlight.com

Ventura Earth Day Beach Cleanup Apr. 22
Join the Ventura County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation as we celebrate Earth Day with a beach and park cleanup of one of Ventura’s busiest local beaches!
Time/Place: 9-11am / Ventura Beaches
Contact: 805-652-4555 / www.cityofventura.net

Ventura Earth Day EcoFest Apr. 22
It is a showcase for green technologies, sustainable living practices, and lots of local businesses. The event is free with live entertainment, food trucks, hourly raffles, kids’ activities and face painting.
Time/Place: 10am-5pm / Plaza Park, Downtown Ventura
Contact: www.venturaearthday.org

Ojai Half Marathon, 5K and 10K Apr. 23
A one loop course along the Ojai bike trail and Lake Casitas. A rolling hills course that has something for everyone.
Time/Place: 8-11am / Mira Monte Middle School
Contact: www.ojaihalfmarathon.com

Simi Valley State of the City Apr. 26
The City of Simi Valley and the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce cordially invite you to attend this annual signature event for the Simi Valley business community.
Time/Place: 11:30am-1:30pm / Grand Vista Hotel, Simi Valley
Contact: 805-526-3900 / www.simichamber.org

Ojai Tennis Tournament Apr. 26-30
“The Ojai” is the largest and longest running amateur tennis tournament in the United States.
Contact: 805-646-7241 / www.ojaitourney.org

Ride For Hope Bicycle Ride Apr. 29
Raises funds for The Samaritan Center. Cyclists, Vendors, Raffle, Family Fun, Jolly Jump, Live Entertainment.
Time/Place: 7am-5pm / Alamo and DMV Parking Lost
Contact: 805-579-9166 / www.thesamaritancenterofsimivalley.org

HOPE4KIDS Run & Festival Apr. 29
Sign up for the 5k or 10k run and raise money and awareness for foster youth in Ventura County.
Time/Place: 6:30am / Camarillo Community Center Park: 1605 Burnley St.
Contact: 805-491-5439 / www.raisinghope.org

Ventura County Blues Festival Apr. 29
Featuring Phantom Blue Band. Event is presented by the Ventura County Blues Society and proceeds will benefit a local charity. Bring a food item to donate.
Time/Place: 10am-7:30pm / Studio Channel Islands Art Center, Camarillo
Contact: 805-501-7122 / www.venturacountyblues.com

Railfest 2017 Apr. 29-30
Frontier gunfighters, antique farm equipment, speeder rides, arts & crafts booths, model train displays, turntable display.
Time/Place: 9am-5pm / Fillmore & Western Railway: 351 Santa Clara St.
Contact: 805-524-2546 / www.fwry-blog.com

Gator Run and Health and Fitness Expo Apr. 30
Organized by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunset, The Gator Run has 3 different runs — 10K, 5K, and the Healthy Kids 1 Mile Fun Run.
Time/Place: 7am-12pm / Rancho Santa Susanna Community Park
Contact: 805-613-7277 / www.GatorRun.org

Thousand Oaks Rotary Chili Cook Off and Classic Car Show Apr. 30
Chili Cook Off, sanctioned by the International Chili Society, Classic Car Show, live music, food, beverages and fun activities for the whole family.
Time/Place: 11am-5pm / Conejo Creek Park North
Contact: 818-515-7131 / www.chili-cook-off.com

11/18/2015

Kim Plisky - Realtor/Owner - I work with home sellers and home buyers. I have been in business for over 20 years and serve Southern California

02/04/2015

If you are unfamiliar with the home buying process, these terms and procedures may be of value in your quest to buy your own home.

When you own your home you can deduct the cost of your mortgage loan interest from your federal income taxes, and usually from your state income tax.

02/02/2015

Take some stress out of moving with a little planning! Check out our 8 week Moving Countdown :)

8 Weeks Before the Move
Contact a professional mover or truck rental and get estimates: make early reservations.
Decide what furniture stays and what furniture goes.

01/30/2015

Here are some to help you with the process of becoming your own landlord.

Whether you have spent years saving and preparing to buy a home, or you still are not sure if it is something you can even dream of, the questions surrounding a first-time home purchase can feel endless.

01/29/2015

Here's just a small sampling of the wonderful compliments I've received from past clients, noting the communities I service.

"Once Kim closed our first escrow, she quickly located a beautiful large single story Spanish style home located on a golf course that we absolutely fell in love with. Guiding us through both the first and then the second escrow made us appreciate what it means to have a sales professional handling one of the largest decisions of our lives."
- Charlotte and John P. ~ Newbury Park

View more Client Testimonials -> http://www.pliskyandassociates.com/learn-more/testimonials/

01/09/2015

FAQ: Choosing a Realtor

A realtor can help you every step of the way towards buying your own home. Realtors subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge. The home buying process is very detailed with important financial, disclosure, and insurance elements to protect your investment. A realtor can guide you through the entire process and make the experience easier and more enjoyable.

Learn more: http://www.pliskyandassociates.com/faq/buying-a-home/