Terrylynn’s Real Estate Blog

FREE Scooter Rides (with helmet of course) at GreenFEST 2010, were one of the major attractions at the event on August 14, 2010.  Provided by Green Wheelin' Scooters, a Contra Costa County Green Certified Business located in Walnut Creek, CA., Green Wheelin' Scooters sells and services an assortment of LEV’s (Light Electric Vehicles), promoting the move to sustainable sources of energy, low emissions, and preserving the environment. LEV’s produce no emissions, use little energy to charge (They can even be charged with solar panels), and are very reliable and efficient.

The owner, Eric Johnson is the driving force behind the environmentally sound practices at Green Wheelin’ Scooters. For over 25 years he has been involved in sustainability in the workplace, encouraging recycling and reusing, as well as championing the purchase of products made from recycled materials. 

Green Wheelin' Scooters greatly enriches the community through education and demonstration. Whenever possible, Eric brings his business out to a show or event in which he showcases his products like GreenFEST which was held on August 14,2010.  Recently they have been to a local RV show, Bike to Work day in San Ramon, Cruiser Tuesdays in Danville,  Walnut Creek Art and Wine Festival. Info@GreenWheelinScooters.com , www.GreenWheelinScooters.com http://www.facebook.com/GreenWheelin, http://twitter.com/GreenWheelin . 

EarthTeam's initiatives include COOL SCHOOLS Climate Action Campaign which equips middle & high school students in the Bay Area & beyond with the knowledge, tools, inspiration, & support to take action against climate change in their homes, schools, & communities.

Students can get involved in different ways, depending on their interest & amount of time they have available, the choices are unlimited and include such things as Save the Bay, Indoor Air quality, restoration projects and other research projects designed to teach and increase awareness. Projects done by students are highlighted in the Green News Anthology.

You can now view the electronic version of our 5th Annual Green News Anthology. This publication includes a sample of the student submissions to EarthTeam's Green News during 2009 -- work that reflects students' passion for the environment and their desire to make a difference.

  2nd Annual Contra Costa GreenFEST!
1870 Olympic Boulevard in Walnut Creek, California
10am-4pm

Bring a donation for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties and receive a spin on the prize wheel. Lots of valuable prizes including gift cards, gift baskets from stores like Crate and Barrel, Aveda, Maria Maria and more.

Purchase raffle tickets to win an electric scooter or electric bike ($1,899 value each).

This event is presented by the Contra Costa Association of Realtors Make it Green Task Force and Sustainable Contra Costa. This free event will feature great food by Nature's Bounty (local, organic and delicious), music, a plant sale, educational demos including master gardening, easy green trips, green travel, a Kid Zone, and more.

Last year was a lot of fun and this year is going to be even better. 

1450 Bentley Street in Concord, offered at $415,000

• Move in ready
• 1642 square feet
• 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths
• Large living areas
• Formal dining room and family room with built in bookcases
• Well kept yard with large lawns, two patios, an orange tree and outdoor storage building
• Central heat and air conditioning
• Wood floors and new carpet
• Dual pane windows
• Updated roof
• Fresh paint
• Neighborhood located between Oak Grove Road and Bancroft for easy commute access

See more photos at www.1450Bentley.com!

Long time proponent of alternative transportation, Eric Johnson has run an electric scooter and electric bicycle company called Green Wheelin Scooters for a couple of years now in the Walnut Creek area of Contra Costa County.  A GREEN business, Eric is commited to the cause.  Just visit his showroom and you'll see the enthusiasm and glee he has when talking about his product.  Eric has generously donated a Sorrento GT Electric Scooter and an Electric Bicycle (each valued at $1899) to GreenFEST and SCOCO (sustainable Contra Costa) Gala event on September 29, 2010. Both GreenFEST and SCOCO are part of the sustainability movement in Contra Costa County, California and have nonprofit ID numbers for your donations to the raffle.    Tickets for the Sorrento at 1 for $10, 3 for $25 and 7 for $50...go to www.GreenFESTContraCosta.com to hear more about GreenFEST on August 14, 2010 and call or email info@GreenFestContraCosta.com for tickets to the raffle.  You need not be present to win.

Sorrento GT
Classic Italian Styling
Gear-reduction GT motor with hill-climbing capabilities
Reduced seat to handlebar distance optimized for smaller riders
Headlight assembly that turns when handlebars turn for added nighttime riding safety
Approximate range on a single charge: 35 mile
MP3 ready
With its prominent front fairing and classic Italian styling, the Sorrento GT will remind you of an Italian pop-culture icon.  Its shorter wheelbase and compact frame makes the Sorrento GT ideal for smaller riders, but still big enough for most adults.  Locking cargo hold and underseat storage, alarm system, locking handlebars and cruise control are all standard features. The unique headlight assembly on the Sorrento turns as you turn to spot potholes and road debris before it spots you.

Point Lobos

Well you may not think Point Lobos is local to San Francisco, but just a couple of hours down the coast is a day trip you won't believe...the sites are amazing and breathtaking, you will hike trails with views that are unparalleled and rare except for a few places on earth.  See what I mean?

For that Hawaii atmosphere, the pounding roar of the waves, whale watching, we have it all right here and you don't have to get on an airplane to get there.  For more information http://www.pointlobos.org/Information.html  a little info from the website tells about how Point Lobos got it's name:

"Deriving its name from the offshore rocks at Punta de los Lobos Marinos, Point of the Sea Wolves, where the sound of the sea lions carries inland, the Reserve has often been called "the crown jewel of the State Park System." Point Lobos has offered many things to millions of people who have visited it over the years. Point Lobos State Reserve has outstanding passive recreation values, such as sightseeing, photography, painting, nature study, picnicking, SCUBA diving, and jogging. In addition to the spectacular beauty, nearly every aspect of its resources is of scientific interest. There are rare plant communities, endangered archeological sites, unique geological formations, and incredibly rich flora an fauna of both land and sea."

Clayton, California Oakhurst Country Club walk

On a walk through Oakhurst Country Club, Clayton California...you miss a lot when you just drive through Oakhurst in Clayton.  The area is a well thought out series of communities surrounded by greenbelts and beautiful scenery that is part of our Mt. Diablo Foothills experience here in Clayton, California.

For example.  The waterfall that is part of the golf course. The waterfall is not running every day so it's a treat to see it flowing . 

Here I am just about to climb the BIG hill which is what we walkers call it...along side the golf course going up toward the SEENO home at the top of the hill and several luxury home subdivisions in the country club.

Some golf course shots seldom seen if you don't walk just about 10 steps off the trail...

A friend and fellow Realtor, Lori Hagge, passed this along from one of her clients.  I'd lolve it if we could find this dog a home so her owner doesn't have to surrender her to a shelter.  She can't find a no-kill shelter!

Terrylynn

Wall Street Journal says - Sellers Dry your eyes and lower the price!

I found this website recently which quotes some leading financial companies in the know about our 2010 real Estate Market... www.KeepingCurrentMatters.com  February, 2010.  The quotes are below in this post.

There are some good blog posts as well pertinent to our current market.  This is a particularly good one based on a New York Times Article about seller's drying their eyes and lowering the price.  I've used it personally.  http://kcmblog.com/2010/02/25/dry-your-eyes-and-lower-the-price/

I think the blog post is on the money and looking at the statistics which reveal there are more home sales in our area than last year at this time it is clear that sellers are getting the message.  Of course those who were "hanging on" are no longer able to which makes a difference.  BUT our sales are up and in some of the zip codes locally that I monitor our Bank owned and shortsales (REO's and short sales)  are about 40% of the most recent sales. That number was much higher last year. 

David M. Blitzer, Chair of Index Committee and Standard and Poors says "Coming after a series of solid gains, these data are likely to spark worries that home prices are about to take a second dip."

Patrick Newport, HIS Global Insight says "We believe that prices have further to fall-about another 5-10%".

Deutsche Bank reports "home prices will drop a further 10 - 12% from current levels".

Moodys "We expect another 11% national decline likely before the worst is over".

Morgan Stanley "Home prices should continue to decline 10-15% through 2010".

Keeping Current Matters is a website of Steve Harney, real estate

       They have a free monthly report if you are interested so I   signed up to see what content I'll be receiving.

Click Here to find our more information and sign up for the free Quick Report.

Free Monthly Quick Report for Agents

KCM organizes its research and offers some insights with the Free Monthly Quick Report. A precursor to Keeping Current Matters^TM, the Quick Report gives a simple outlook on a complex market.

Sign up here to get KCM's monthly Quick Report for free.

Use a Home Warranty?  They can tell you how to unplug your drain!!!

Most Realtors are SOLD on home warranties for their listed properties.  We've all had the horror stories of the home inspection a few weeks after contract is accepted and the heat exchanger cracked or a water heater blows...and the seller who has just sold as is not wanting to invest any more money in the property or wants to "fix it himself"...Home warranties can smooth over a myriad of escrow challenges like these and many more.

BUT have you thought about a home warranty for your rentals, your clients rentals or your client's or senior citizen parents own homes?  You can get a home warranty today for any home, mobile home, duplex or apartment.  And it protects you in the same way.  Here is what my home warranty of choice does when you place an online claim (perfect for tracking and accountability as you have a receipt of what you said, and when you said it...and don't have to check to see if the input person who took your phone call put in what the problem in accurately and/or got the note to call your tenant first or to bill you for the deductible.) 

Old Republic Home warranty has the feature that as I put in the information about the clog in the washer line, backing into the sink, it pops up with suggestions for perhaps solving the problem before they come out, thereby avoiding the $55 deductible fee, or getting the tenant relief more quickly.  I did have a recent instance where the tenant had a plugged sink and I relayed this exact info, (see below recipe for slow drains) and she called me back within an hour saying it was a  miracle and had worked.  My client was happy, the tenant was happy and it was such a proactive little thing.  I love this company and put all my property management client warranties through them as well as my mother's home and a couple of senior clients who need to limit their repair costs.  They renew year after year and have peace of mind about their home being in good order. 

We may have a Quick Fix solution that you can try to resolve your problem quickly and without the expense of paying a trade call fee.

Try liquid drain cleaner
Slow drains are typically caused by 'sludge' buildup that can be cleared by a liquid drain cleaner. A 1/2 gallon container is about $3 - $4 at your local grocery or hardware store.

Try our home recipe for slow drains
You will need the following ingredients: -1 cup baking soda -1 cup salt -1 cup vinegar -1 pot boiling water Pour baking soda & salt into drain, immediately followed by vinegar. Let it sit for approximately 15-20 minutes. Pour the pot of boiling water down the drain to flush the pipes out. NOTE: DO NOT try this remedy if you have already used a store-bought remedy in the same drain.

Best of all is our local rep.  Riz Nauman... mailto:RizN@orhp.com if you are in the San Francisco East Bay, is #1 for customer service and realtor service.  She takes care of my problems before they become big problems, she laiasons with my clients to be sure they feel taken care of and I can't thank her enough.  OH I just did.  Riz, this blog's for you.  THANKS from the bottom of my heart for making my real estate business less stressful in so many way.  I appreciate your professionalism and the company that stands behind you. 

THANKS Old Republic, a very satisfied Realtor...

Terrylynn