According to Redfin, the median selling price in August for an Irvine home was $660K or $388 per square foot. (The list price was $700K or $415 per square foot.) Redfin also provides some statistics for home that sold in Irvine in the last ninety days:

• Median sale to list price: 98.8%

• Average number of offers: 2.3

• Average down payment: 21.0%

• Number of homes sold: 707

Today we will take a look at a few of the homes in Irvine that have asking prices in the most affordable category. I find it interesting that two of the three homes highlighted here have had recent price reductions.

202 Springview

• $199,900 ($482/SF)

• 1 beds/1 bath

• 415 SF

• Condo built in 1977

• Northwood Neighborhood

• HOA Dues: $210/month

• Mello Roos: No

338 Streamwood

• $200,000 ($421/SF)*

• 1 beds/1 bath

• 475 SF

• Condo built in 1977

• Northwood Neighborhood

• HOA Dues: $260/month

• Mello Roos: No

*Reduced on October 3 from $229,000

128 Orange Blossom

• $239,500 ($468/SF)*

• 1 beds/1 bath

• 512 SF

• Condo built in 1976

• Orange Tree Neighborhood

• HOA Dues: $330/month

• Mello Roos: No

*Reduced on September 6 from $250,000

Note: For a look some July 2013 numbers, see my previous post.

“I am very excited, because to me this is very like securing an Olympics or World’s Fair.”—Beth Krom, Irvine council member and Orange County Great Park board member

Irvine, the “City of Innovation”, is about to score another first. A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) event will be held for the first time at a location other than Washington D.C. This biennial event started in 2002 and until now has always been held on the Washington Mall. This year it will be held at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

The event I am writing about is the 2013 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon and XPO. Here are some details from the U.S. Department of Energy:

U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an award-winning program that challenges collegiate teams from across the nation and around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. During the two weekends in October, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the houses, gather ideas to use in their own homes and learn how energy-saving features can help save money.

Energy XPO

“The XPO is a clean, renewable and efficient energy exposition, featuring visionary and innovative companies, products and educational opportunities, developed around the Solar Decathlon 2013 at the Great Park. Through fun, interactive exhibits and activities, the XPO will provide visitors with information about the broad spectrum of energy efficiency in home design, transportation, consumer products, food production and education. Visitors will experience actionable ways to implement energy efficiency today and into the future, with the goal that attendees will leave the XPO with tools and resources to live differently.”

One more first will be part of this upcoming DOE event. This will be the first time that the Solar Decathlon XPO will include a Transportation Zone. So, as part of the Green Streets Experience, you will have an opportunity to test drive some fuel-efficient hybrids.

Again, this will be the first time the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon and XPO is held at a location other than the Washington Mall. And not only that, it will be held in our backyard, the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

The Solar Decathlon and XPO will be held the weekends of October 3-6 and October 10-13 from 11 am to 7 pm. Entrance is free; parking is $5. The location is the Orange County Great Park. Car, bus, train, and shuttle options are available for getting to the Solar Decathlon.

For more information about Solar Decathlon 2013, see the U.S. Department of Energy site or the City of Irvine site.

According to Altos Research, the Market Action Index (MAI) for Irvine’s single-family housing market was 35.02 on September 13. That is down from the 37.21 MAI that was recorded about a month ago. The Irvine MAI made a steady climb upward starting at the first of the year but then started making a steady trend downward. However, as defined by Altos, this still 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 65 days as of September 13, 2013.

Following is Irvine’s August 2013 housing market data as provided by Redfin.

Type	List Price/# Homes Listed	Sold Price/# Homes Sold	List Per SF	Sold Per SF	% Chg Y-O-Y Sold Price/SF
Houses
13-Aug	$1,075K/235	$908K/114	$459	$406	17.70%
13-Jul	$1,125K/210	$900K/122	$459	$435	16.90%
13-Jun	$1,112K/186	$855K/99	$462	$414	16%
13-May	$1,030/167	$890/113	$457	$411	21.60%
13-Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
13-Mar	$1,020K/101	$904K/62	$443	$381	13.40%
13-Feb	na/109	na/272	$415	$354	n/a
13-Jan	na/113	na/274	$409	$357	n/a
Condos
13-Aug	$590K/295	$564K/146	$406	$384	24.30%
13-Jul	$588K/295	$522K/135	$416	$394	28.80%
13-Jun	$585K/235	$540K/130	$418	$391	24.90%
13-May	$599K/177	$539K/144	$406	$386	30.40%
13-Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
13-Mar	$570K/111	$476K/88	$375	$344	21.60%
13-Feb	na/100	na/301	$369	$325	n/a
13-Jan	na/106	na/324	$377	$327	n/a
All
13-Aug	$710K/579	$660K/278	$418	$389	18.20%
13-Jul	$709K/545	$659K/283	$423	$401	24.10%
13-Jun	$734K/456	$638K/249	$422	$395	20.80%
13-May	$750K/371	$659K/274	$416	$393	26.80%
13-Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
13-Mar	$703K/219	$588K/151	$392	$359	18.90%
13-Feb	na/209	na/573	$389	$334	n/a
13-Jan	na/219	na/598	$389	$338	n/a

Some of my recent posts have highlighted features that make Irvine Irvine: innovation, well-maintained streets and public spaces, and a safe environment. Today I am going to highlight an annual Irvine event that displays another quintessential Irvine characteristic, which is its diversity.

The Irvine Global Village Festival is the city’s annual multicultural festival featuring international cuisine, live entertainment, a kids’ village with crafts and activities, cultural and religious exhibits and an international marketplace.

In addition to highlighting Irvine’s diversity, the Irvine Global Village Festival also highlights Irvine’s habit of being on the cutting edge of innovation. This information from Irvine’s Global Village website tells this story:

“Creating a Sustainable Festival

The Irvine Global Village Festival strives to reduce, reuse and recycle as many resources as possible. Our goal is to eventually be a zero waste festival. Through the exploration of new technologies, environmentally responsible initiatives and encouraging new ways of thinking, we are moving closer to this goal each year.

Below are some of our eco-friendly initiatives:

• Green Transportation – Festival shuttles are powered by natural gas and provide lower emissions when transporting guests to and from the event. Shuttle services are provided by the City’s iShuttle transportation program. For more information, visit irvineshuttle.net.
• Zero waste stations, which promote recycling and composting, in conjunction with compostable products, help inform guests about recycling options and divert garbage from local landfills.
• Event signage, banners, staff and volunteer shirts are designed with reuse in mind. One-time use banners are made with biodegradable material.
• Event programs are printed on recycled paper utilizing soy-based inks and are also available for download to mobile phones.
• Every plate, fork, spoon, knife, cup, bowl and napkin is either recyclable or compostable.

o Greenwave Paper Plates – Primarily composed of annually-renewable plants, sugar cane, and reeds.

o Eco-Products Cold Cups – Made from PLA, (polylactic acid), plastic derived from corn. PLA plastic is a compostable material that when placed in a commercial environment will naturally decompose back to organic elements. Unlike regular cold cups that are made using petroleum, PLA plastic products are made using US-grown corn!

o Eco-Products Utensils – Biodegradable cutlery is made from non-GMO (genetically modified organism) vegetable starch. It not only exhibits superior performance over other biodegradable utensils, but is OK Compost certified. These biodegradable utensils break down under commercial composting conditions in about 95 days.

o Napkins – 100% recyclable paper products

What You Can Do:

• Bring reusable items such as coffee mugs, water bottles and plastic cups for beverages.
• Reduce carbon emissions by carpooling or taking public transportation to the event. Ride your bike and take advantage of the Festival’s free “Bike Valet” area – it’s great exercise and the perfect way to avoid parking congestion.
• Utilize recycling and composting bins at event to help divert garbage from landfills.
• Bring your own reusable shopping bag if you are thinking of purchasing items.”

Here are the details for attending this event that is “Celebrating Irvine’s Cultural Diversity” as well as displays the city’s innovation:

• What: Irvine Global Village
• When: September 28, 2013; 10 am-6 pm
• Where: Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA
• Parking information

Much of money in a city’s general fund comes from taxes paid by the businesses that are located in that city. Irvine’s deliberate welcoming of businesses is part of what allows the city to offer the many amenities that Irvine is known for, such as the well-maintained streets and public spaces, the high quality police service that often lands Irvine in the FBI’s safest big city category, and the many community parks. And as I have said before, Irvine is known for its innovation. Some are happy with the results that this innovative spirit has brought, others are not so impressed. But wherever you fall on this spectrum, Irvine’s history, from the James Irvine ranch days to the present, is one of innovation. The annual CleanTech OC conference, which will be held in the “City of Innovation”, highlights the city’s welcoming of businesses as well as innovation.

“CleanTech OC 2013 is the fourth annual conference and expo promoting economic growth in the Orange County clean technology industry, likely to be one of the most significant engines for job growth over the next decade. Attended by cleantech entrepreneurs & industry leaders, investors, policy makers, and many others, this is the only annual conference in Orange County dedicated to covering the clean technology space and connecting industry stakeholders from throughout the region & state.

• What: CleanTech OC 2013
• When: Monday, September 16. 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Where: Hyatt Regency Irvine – 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine 92614
• Information: http://cleantech-oc.org/conference2013/ and scott@CleanTech-OC.org at 949-585-2988

CleanTech OC 2013 Conference Agenda

8:00 – 5:00	Registration, Coffee & Networking – Grand Foyer and Exhibit Hall
8:00 – 5:00	Exhibits for CleanTech Companies and Sponsors – Grand Foyer and Exhibit Hall
9:00 – 9:05	Welcome: Greg Trimarche, President and Chairman, CleanTech OC
9:05 – 9:20	The Coming Explosion in California CleanTech: Stephen Johnson, Former EPA Administrator
9:20 – 9:40	Investors Coming Back & Beyond the Numbers: Catherine Jhung, Vice President, The Cleantech Group
9:40 – 10:35	Panel 1: Hot Topics in Orange County CleantechThe Irvine Microgrid Update: Dr. Scott Samuelsen, Director, Advanced Power and Energy Program at UCI County Power Plant Partnerships on the Rise: Ryan Baron, Senior Deputy County Counsel, County of Orange Solar Decathlon: Cliff Wallace, Deputy CEO, Orange County Great Park Tentative: Hydrogen Fuel Generation: Orange County Sanitation Department
10:35 – 10:45	Break: Technology Showcase – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes
10:45 – 12:00	Panel 2: Military/Government Adoption/Procurement of Cleantech Bob Gilleskie, Regional Energy Program Manager, Marine Corps Installations West, Camp Pendleton Dan Cohee, Vice President, PDE – 29 Palms ParticipantTBATBA
12:00 – 12:30	Keynote: Andrew Littlefair, CEO, Clean Energy Fuels
12:30 – 1:30	Networking Lunch – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes
1:30 – 2:45	Panel 3: The Natural Gas Boom and its Effect on Cleantech TransportationHarrison Clay, President, Clean Energy Renewable FuelsJoe Pike, Vice President, Agility Fuel SystemsTentative: Quantum Corporation TBA
2:45 – 3:00	Break: Technology Showcase – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes
3:00 – 4:15	Panel 4: The Intersection of Energy Efficiency, Building Intelligence & Smart Gird
3:00 – 4:15	Peter Weigand, CEO, Skipping Stone (Moderator)Scott Duncan, CEO, EnerlianceMichel Kamel, CEO, MelRokMark Martinez, Manager, DSM Strategy and Policy, Southern California EdisonErron Williams, Senior Director of Engineering Operations, The Irvine Company
4:15 – 4:30	Cox Communications Presents Cox Cares Conserves Heroes Award
4:30 – 445:	Local Government Excellence in Cleantech
4:45 – 5:00	CleanTech OC Company of the Year Award Presentation
5:00 – 6:30	TEST DRIVE MANIA: Test drive 4 to 5 of the most popular electric and alternative fuel vehicles