According to Altos Research, the Market Action Index (MAI) for Irvine’s single-family housing market was 38.30 on April 4, 2014. This means that the Irvine MAI moved up just a tick from where it was about this time last month. As defined by Altos, this puts the Irvine single-family housing market in the seller’s market category. (Above 30 is defined as a seller’s market; below is defined as a buyer’s market.) Altos also states that the average single-family home in Irvine has been on the market for about 105 days as of April 4^th.

Overview of Irvine Real Estate Trends Provided by Redfin (redfin.com)*

• Median List Price: $800K
• Median Sale Price: $690K
• Median Sale $/Sq Ft: $408
• Median Sale / List: 98.5%
• Average Number of Offers 3.1
• Average Down Payment: 24.4%
• Number of Homes Sold: 503

*These figures include the house and condo numbers combined and are calculated over the ninety days prior to April 20, 2014.

Last week I wrote about the Orange County Transportation Agency (OCTA) bicycling safety workshop that was to be held at Irvine City Hall. This week I am continuing the theme of bike riding in Irvine and Orange County.

Irvine has been recognized as “best” in many categories, and, at times, this has included the accolade of best bicycling city. This might be due to Irvine’s Bicycle Transportation Plan, which resulted in an extensive system of bike trails—over 300 lane miles of on-street and 54 miles of off-street bikeways.

If you like bicycle riding, you might try one of the Irvine bike trails found in the map above. You might also be interested in some other Orange County bike trails. And for the hardcore bike enthusiast, you might be interested in joining the Bicycle Club of Irvine (BCI), which is open to residents of Irvine and other areas.

You can find other information related to bike riding in Irvine and Orange County, including the City of Irvine Interactive Bikeways Map and the

OCTA Bikeways Information Page and Interactive Map, at this link.

“[A]cross America, biking and walking account for 12 percent of all trips but receive only 1.6 percent of federal funding.”—Jay Walljasper, Fellow of Project for Public Spaces, Senior Fellow at Augsburg College’s Sabo Center, and Senior Associate at Citiscope

An Irvine Bike/Walking Trail

If you want to participate in shaping bicycling in Orange County, you might attend an upcoming open discussion and workshop on bicycle safety at Irvine City Hall on April 14. OCTA Chairman Shawn Nelson, Vice Chairman Jeffrey Lalloway, Director Todd Spitzer, and CEO Darrell Johnson will attend this workshop.

“Cycling is an increasingly popular transportation option for work and play. To help Orange County become a ‘roll’ model for cycling safety, OCTA has invited bicycle advocates, law enforcement, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders to take part in a bicycle safety workshop at Irvine City Hall on April 14.

Following comments by OCTA, cities, and agencies regarding plans to make cycling a viable and safe choice for commuting and recreational travel, there will be an open discussion to begin the process of developing workable, collaborative solutions to benefit the entire community.”—OCTA

If you think that this is a frivolous issue, here are some quotes that explain why this is an economic and quality of life issue:

“Talented people are moving to Billings in large part because of our trail system that creates the quality of life they are expecting. …Trails are no longer viewed as community amenities; they’re viewed as essential infrastructure for business recruitment.”—John Brewer, CEO of the Billings, Montana, Chamber of Commerce at a Congressional hearing last year

“I certainly recognize the environmental, public health and quality of life benefits that more bicycling can bring our city, but I also value the contribution to the economy that comes with the provision of smart transportation options that attract major employers to Austin.”—Mayor Lee Leffingwell of Austin, Texas

“My job is to convince emerging companies that they can get the workers they want to come here. The bike is part of the overall strategy to compete for talent.”—Dr. Steven Bares, President of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, an initiative to bring emerging health companies to Memphis

In honor of National Ag Week (March 23-March 29), I previously wrote (https://www.irvinehousingblog.com/blog/comments/irvines-tanaka-farm-and-our-agriculture-past) about Irvine’s Tanaka Farm. Today, I’ll continue the theme by highlighting Irvine’s farmers markets, which are outdoor markets at which you can buy many fresh fruits and vegetables that are often organic and from local farmers. In addition, other items are frequently available.

• The Orange County Great Park farmers market is operated by the Orange County Farm Bureau and is open on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. It is located in the Great Park on Marine Way near Sand Canyon. The contact number is 714-573-0374.While you are there you might also visit the nearby Great Park Farm and Food Lab.

• The Orange County Farm Bureau farmers market at University Center is on the corner of Bridge and Campus (across from UCI). It is open Saturdays from 8 am to noon, rain or shine. This is the largest farmers market in Orange County.

• The Kaiser sponsored farmers market is located at the Irvine Medical Center (6640 Alton Parkway 92618). This small farmers market is held year round in front of the Medical Office Building on Wednesdays at 9 am to 1 pm. This link gives some information on why Kaiser and other medical groups think good nutrition is part of good health.—Nutrition in Cancer Care (PDQ®): Supportive care – Health Professional Information [NCI]

In honor of National Ag Week, I’ll end with some “food for thought” on our agriculture, food, water supply, and environment:

“Absent carbon and critical microbes, soil becomes mere dirt, a process of deterioration that’s been rampant around the globe. Many scientists say that regenerative agricultural practices can turn back the carbon clock, reducing atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and increasing resilience to floods and drought.”—Soil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight?

“According to the Ohio State University Extension, the number of microbes in a teaspoon of soil is larger than that of people on Earth. Microbes in the soil are important in providing organic nutrition to plants, allowing them to grow.” —Microbes in the Soil

Note: The Orange County Farm Bureau farmers market that is currently held at the Irvine Regional Park in Orange will eventually return to its former location in Irvine. This location is in the parking lot of the Katie Wheeler Library. It is held on Tuesdays from 9 am to 1 pm. The library is located on Irvine Boulevard between Jamboree and Tustin Ranch Road.

Before the Irvine Ranch was a land development company, it had a long history in which the land was used for grazing and farming. In fact, at one time, the Irvine Ranch covered about a third of Orange County, not just Irvine. James Irvine, who immigrated from Ireland to the U.S. in 1846 and made his money as a merchant in the San Francisco area during the California Gold Rush, bought land with partners from three southern California rancheros and became the sole owner by 1878. By 1910, the Irvine Ranch was considered California’s most productive farm and was its largest producer of beans and barley. By 1930, the ranch's crops included beans, oranges, cauliflower, grapes, barley, and papayas as well as other crops. In the 1940’s, the Irvine Ranch started making its transition from a mostly agricultural endeavor to a mostly land development company.

In honor of Irvine’s rich agricultural past and the upcoming National Ag Week (March 23-29), following is some information on a bit of Irvine land that helps us maintain a connection to our agricultural past. This is Tanaka Farms, which is located in Irvine at 5380 3/4 University Drive 92612.

Here is the description of Tanaka Farm as provide on their webpage:

“[Third-generation Orange County] Farmer Tanaka, his wife, Shirley, and his son, Farmer Kenny, own and operate Tanaka Farms, which is an authentic working farm. Our 30-acre farm produces fruits & vegetables that supplies our produce stand, provides for our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program and our various educational tours….Tanaka Farms strives to provide quality produce and to educate the community on the values of healthy eating.”

And here are some ways to enjoy Tanaka Farm and celebrate our agricultural past:

• Participate in one of the activities or tours: Strawberry Tours (March-June), Watermelon Tours (July-August), Harvest Tours (March-August), Cookout Tours (Mid-March to end of August), U-Pick Pumpkin Patch (October), Christmas Tree Sales (December).

• Walk the Farm, which is coming this June and supports Japanese farmers affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

• Buy fresh, organically-grown fruits and veggies every week through the Tanaka Farm CSA Program, For more information, visit their website or call 949-653-2100 ext. 201.

• Celebrate with Tanaka Farm as it joins in recognizing the importance of agriculture on National Ag Day- March 25th.

• Visit the Market Stand and pick up some of this farm’s local produce (as well as produce from other locations), fresh-baked breads and cakes, and chips and salsa. The stand is open every day 9 am-5 pm, except for a few holidays during the year and a break near the winter holiday season.