May 16, 2025
Quote of the Day
Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value.
– Albert Einstein
This Day in History
May 16, 1929: The first Academy Awards are held. On this day in 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out its first awards, at a dinner party for around 250 people held in the Blossom Room of the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California.
The brainchild of Louis B. Mayer, head of the powerful MGM film studio, the Academy was organized in May 1927 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of the film industry. Its first president and the host of the May 1929 ceremony was the actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Unlike today, the winners of the first Oscars – as the coveted gold-plated statuettes later became known – were announced before the awards ceremony itself.
At the time of the first Oscar ceremony, sound had just been introduced into film. The Warner Bros. movie, The Jazz Singer – one of the first “talkies” – was not allowed to compete for Best Picture because the Academy decided it was unfair to let movies with sound compete with silent films. The first official Best Picture winner was Wings, directed by William Wellman. The most expensive movie of its time, with a budget of $2 million, the movie told the story of two World War I pilots who fall for the same woman. Another film, F.W. Murnau’s epic Sunrise, was considered a dual winner for the best film of the year. German actor Emil Jannings won the Best Actor honor for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh, while 22-year-old Janet Gaynor was the only female winner. After receiving three out of the five Best Actress nods, she won for all three roles, in Seventh Heaven, Street Angel and Sunrise.
A special honorary award was presented to Charlie Chaplin. Originally a nominee for Best Actor, Best Writer and Best Comedy Director for The Circus, Chaplin was removed from these categories so he could receive the special award, a change that some attributed to his unpopularity in Hollywood. It was the last Oscar the Hollywood maverick would receive until another honorary award in 1971.
The Academy officially began using the nickname Oscar for its awards in 1939; a popular but unconfirmed story about the source of the name holds that Academy executive director Margaret Herrick remarked that the statuette looked like her Uncle Oscar. Since 1942, the results of the secret ballot voting have been announced during the live-broadcast Academy Awards ceremony using the sealed-envelope system. The suspense – not to mention the red-carpet arrival of nominees and other stars wearing their most beautiful or outrageous evening wear – continues to draw international attention to the film industry’s biggest night of the year.
Ojai Weather
Partly sunny – High 70 / Low 47
Total rainfall for the season – 9.59 inches
Lake Casitas water capacity – 95.7%
Friday, May 16, 2025
1:10 p.m.
There are six new listings on the market:
40 Almond Avenue – $929,000
12986 MacDonald Drive – $3,800,000
1503 San Gabriel Street – $2,550,000
1141 Anita Avenue – $795,000
1273 S. Rice Road #59 – $325,000
314 W. Aliso Street #A – $1,100,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 431 Montana Circle – $4,500,000 (this had recently expired on 4/9).
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated! I also want to remind you that we’re having an open house for our listing at 600 Good Hope Street on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00. It’s ready-to-move-into home on a great street, so come on by and take a look!
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
2:20 p.m.
Two new listings have come to the market since Monday:
10971 Alto Court – $3,990,000
754 Fernando Street – $1,275,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Monday, May 12, 2025
12:40 p.m.
One new listing has come to the market since Friday:
205-209 N. Signal Street – $3,250,000
The All Listings page has been updated, as has the 2025 Libbey Bowl schedule!
Pic of the Day
Friday, May 9, 2025
9:20 p.m.
As promised, here’s the second update for today. Seven new listings have come to the market (including ours from earlier today):
600 Good Hope Street – $759,000
10440 N. Karen Avenue – $980,000
4158 Grand Avenue – $4,300,000
291 Saddle Lane – $5,950,000
1125 Shippee Lane – $2,395,000
108 E. Matilija Street – $3,650,000
546 S. La Luna Avenue – $925,000
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated. Have a good night, and enjoy the warm weekend!
8:30 a.m.
This is only a partial update for today, as I don’t have time to do a typical Friday update with the updated Open House and All Listings pages. I will get to it this afternoon following our open house from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at 600 Good Hope Street in Oak View. (I teased about this new listing yesterday.) It’s a quaint and refreshed 2 bedroom/1 bathroom, 1,123 square foot home on .11 acres, with recent interior paint, lighting fixtures, new roof, and new garage door & opener. It has a bright and open floorplan, with a cozy back patio off the main bedroom. Come on by and take a look!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, May 8, 2025
10:25 a.m.
Apologies for skipping the last two day’s updates, but things have been really active around here! Seven new listings have come to the market since Monday, and we’ll have an 8th new one (one of our own) for you later this afternoon:
3328 Matilija Canyon Road – $1,200,000
591 Katherine Avenue – $875,000
11380 N. Ventura Avenue – $1,350,000
7205 Rose Valley Road – $1,200,000
1273 S. Rice Road #37 – $299,000
3390 Matilija Canyon Road – $1,250,000
5650 Reeves Road – $1,780,000 (sold)
(This property had already been sold before it was listed in the MLS.)
The All Listings page has been updated as well!
Pic of the Day
Monday, May 5, 2025
10:50 a.m.
One new “coming soon” listing has come to the market since Friday:
2800 Hermitage Road – $5,750,000 (coming soon, 5/7)
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Friday, May 2, 2025
3:45 p.m.
There are five new listings on the market:
150 N. Donna Street – $899,000
294 Mahoney Avenue – $845,000
1010 Fairview Road – $1,250,000
1585 Loma Drive – $1,499,999
848 Woodland Avenue #19 – $450,000
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated…have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, May 1, 2025
11:55 a.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
1920 Tiara Drive – $1,695,000
The All Listings page has been updated.
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
4:30 p.m.
Two new listings have come to the market since Monday:
914 Palomar Road – $6,500,000
1202 Loma Drive #91 – $259,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
(See music; 1975; C.W. McCall)
Monday, April 28, 2025
1:30 p.m.
No new listings have come to the market since Friday, but the All Listings page has been updated.
Pic of the Day
♫ Sleeping on a park bench,
better suited if it were a tent ♫
(Apologies to Jethro Tull)
Friday, April 25, 2025
3:35 p.m.
In what is increasingly becoming a more active market, there are four new listings on the market today:
1401 Meadowbrook Road – $1,125,000
714 Mercer Avenue – $1,385,000
11065 Creek Road – $1,750,000
131 Larmier Avenue – $789,900
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated…have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, April 24, 2025
2:00 p.m.
Seven new or “coming soon” listings have come to the market since Tuesday:
1109 Daly Road – $1,875,000 (coming soon, 4/28)
232 Prospect Street – $879,000
614 Crestview Drive – $1,595,000
658 S. La Luna Avenue – $2,800,000
950 Woodland Avenue #115 – $349,000
176 Vega Way – $319,000
950 Woodland Avenue #16 – $322,900
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 1641 Garst Lane – $2,795,000 (this was recently cancelled on 3/25).
- 930 Fairview Road – $2,425,000 (this had recently expired on 4/22).
The All Listings page has been updated (with a ton o’ changes)…
Pic of the Day
“The eye of a human being is a microscope, which makes the world seem bigger than it really is.”
– Khalil Gibran
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
10:40 a.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
1157 Woodland Avenue – $1,100,000
The All Listings page has been updated.
Pic of the Day
Monday, April 21, 2025
1:35 p.m.
One new “coming soon” listing has come to the market since Friday:
924 Fairview Road – $1,978,000 (coming soon, 4/25)
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Friday, April 18, 2025
1:50 p.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
11684 N. Ventura Avenue – $1,589,000
669 Highland Drive – $1,700,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 283 Burnham Road – $1,150,000 (this listing was recently cancelled).
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated. Have a great weekend!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, April 17, 2025
11:55 a.m.
There are four new or “coming soon” listings on the market:
16749 Maricopa Highway – $2,350,000 (coming soon, 5/7)
921 Topaz Court – $1,200,000
1080 Serenidad Place – $1,800,000
201 Fox Street – $1,300,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
2:40 p.m.
There is a new “coming soon” listing on the market:
10562 Creek Road – $2,349,000 (coming soon, 4/18)
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 1068 Cuyama Road – $1,950,00 (this listing had expired on 3/24)
- 3359 Reeves Road – $8,750,000 (this listing had been cancelled on 2/25)
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
And chairs are for eating staff?
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
11:40 a.m.
Three new listings have come to the market since last Friday:
52 Prospect Street – $799,000 (coming soon, 4/18)
11100 Sulphur Mountain Road – $8,750,000
474 N. Arnaz Street #11 – $119,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Friday, April 11, 2025
12:15 p.m.
Surprisingly for a Friday, there are no new listings on the market. However, the Open House and All Listings pages have been updated. Also, here’s a quick check-in on mortgage rates:
30-yr fixed: 7.10%
15-yr fixed: 6.50%
30-yr Jumbo: 7.20%
30-yr FHA: 6.52%
30-yr VA: 6.54%
Enjoy the beautiful weekend!
Pic of the Day
Picasso would be proud!
(This is the plat map for a current listing in Ojai)
Thursday, April 10, 2025
12:55 p.m.
Four new listings have come to the market since Tuesday:
213 Drown Avenue – $799,000
512 N. Fulton Street – $1,000,000
275 Fairview Road – $1,599,000
216 E. Matilija Street – $2,995,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic (video) of the Day
Vintage kitchen features that barely exist today (8-minute YouTube video). I still don’t understand how a “meat safe” works.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
9:50 a.m.
Four new or “coming soon” listings have come to the market since last Friday:
1417 Foothill Road – $4,950,000 (coming soon, 4/11)
276 Avenida Del Recreo – $1,045,000 (coming soon, 4/11)
403 E. Topa Topa Street – $1,995,000
143 Don Ricardo – $310,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
Friday, April 4, 2025
1:50 p.m.
There are four new listings on the market:
616 Lark Street – $925,000
12190 Grape Hill Road – $1,750,000
308 Topa Topa Drive – $1,499,000
0 N. Rice Road – $350,000
The Open House and All Listings pages have been updated. Have a wonderful weekend!
Pic of the Day
Thursday, April 3, 2025
11:00 a.m.
There are three new or “coming soon” listings on the market:
824 Foothill Lane – $3,095,000 (coming soon, 4/7)
117 Don Felipe Way – $329,000
1273 S. Rice Road #42 – $349,000
The All Listings page has been updated.
Pic of the Day
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
12:35 p.m.
There are two new listings on the market:
1982 Country Place – $800,000
518 S. Ventura Avenue – $1,599,000
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
If you think Ojai prices are high, check out what’s going on in Sunnyvale. The top property was a 3 bed/3 bath, 1,651 sq. ft. home that sold for $2,730,000. The bottom property was a 3 bed/3 bath, 1648 sq. ft. home that sold for $2,980,888. We now have the new definition of insanity. (Let’s throw out the commonly referred-to example, that “insanity” is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. The true definition is, “The condition of being insane; a state of mind that impedes the ability to think, reason, or behave in ways that are considered normal, esp. one caused by mental illness.”)
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
11:55 a.m.
There is a new listing on the market:
930 Fairview Road – $2,425,000
Recently cancelled, withdrawn, or expired listings – back on the market as “new:”
- 1169 Tico Road – $1,990,000 (this was previously listed from 1/23/25 to 3/25/25 – when it was then cancelled.)
The All Listings page has been updated!
Pic of the Day
