Press Release RE: New Fire Risk Maps/Prediction

In response to media coverage of the San Diego fires and the fires' devastation to homeowners, the SurfTheTurf.com Real Estate Team has combined various map data to allow homeowners to see fire zone risks, recent fire destruction, and climate zone data all on a single map. The Team has also released a prediction of possible high-risk areas that may be subject to devastation in the near future for current homebuyer consideration. The map may be viewed at www.EncinitasCarlsbad.com/page.cfm?page=InfoWildFires.

Developed by John Hokkanen, lead realtor of the Team, the map combines fire zone risk data with 2003 and 2007 fire season burn data. It also overlays climate zone data showing the relationship of the marine, coastal, and transitional climate zones to the fire risk zones. The discussion of the map also identifies two areas that may have extraordinarily high risk for home destruction due to a combination of high fire zone risk and buildup of flammable material. The page also provides a summary of the major strategies that homeowners can use to reduce the risk that their homes will burn due to a wildfire as well as links to other resources.

"As head of one of the leading real estate teams, we felt that buyers and sellers both wanted this kind of actionable information," explains Hokkanen. "Home buyers saw dozens of their neighbors homes burn on the TV news, and they want to know 'Where are the riskiest areas?' That is the question that we have sought to answer with an easy-to-understand map based on real data."

Recognized as an national expert in real estate Internet development, Hokkanen has created rich local web sites that are used by thousands in San Diego County. Hokkanen's expertise as a software developer, real estate broker, and former chief knowledge officer, has allowed him to create comprehensive web resources that help local home buyers and sellers answer critical questions about the real estate market. The Team's web sites extensive used of mapping extends back to 2002 when he developed his own real estate mapping system because other web-based mapping tools were not available at the time. Color-coded, enriched maps of all sorts can be found on the Team's sites.

About SurfTheTurf.com Real Estate Team:
The SurfTheTurf.com Team is a group of Casa Bella Realty & Mortgage agents who came together under the leadership of John Hokkanen. Their business model focuses on developing high-value information products for their clients and using technology to offer new services to their clients. All of their service is focused around local expertise. Instead of organizing into buyer/listing agents, the SurfTheTurf.com Team agents each specialize on a particular area and serve both buyers and sellers. Clients benefit because they always work with a local expert.

To contact John Hokkanen, call the SurfTheTurf.com Team at 760-634-0300. To visit any of the Team's San Diego County web sites , visit www.SurfTheTurf.com.

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Press Contact: John Hokkanen
Company Name: SurfTheTurf.com Real Estate Team, Casa Bella Realty & Mortgage

Phone: 760-634-0300
Website: www.SurfTheTurf.com

Our New Blog

For years we have always posted all of our content on our web sites. However, now we are planning to talk about innovating change within real estate practice. That topic does not really relate to the kind of home buying and home selling information that we provide on our web sites (see, for example, our Encinitas/Carlsbad web site), and so we decided to have a blog in addition to our sites.

For us, innovating change has occurred along a number of different vectors. First we have sought to create a different kind of relationship with our clients where the goal is to empower our clients with information rather than keep it from them. Second, we have attempted to change how homes can be marketed for sellers using a lot of new technologies or changes to old technologies. Last, we have attempted to change the underlying business model so that we can adapt to the new world of real estate and our clients better than the old business models. Sharing some of our insights about those topics is what this blog will be about. Along the way, we (read: John) might nerd out a bit on technical matters.