COMMITMENT IS VITAL TO THE PROCESS

How many times have the words "It's a great time to buy" been said? More than any of us can fathom. Is it true? For those who are considering purchasing, the answer is a resounding "YES".

Having said this, if the decision is to purchase, then commit to it. Put your heart and soul into it

• Prequalify with a reputable lender first. If you don't do this first, you are not committed because you have no idea what price range you are in...and don't trust on-line qualifying programs.




• Next, interview and retain a Realtor to represent you. If you don't do this, then you are not committed. Realtors are your best advocate and know the ins and outs of a very volatile market.




• After you have retained your Realtor, ask them to set up a tour for you of available homes in your price range. If your agent doesn't do this then your agent is not committed. Get another Realtor who will. Don't go out on your own to do all of your searches and then contact a Realtor to write up an offer...you may have missed many of the possibilities out there.




• Once you find the house of your dreams, listen to your Realtor and their suggestions as to how the contract should be written. They know what needs to be done to get you that house. Commit to that house and don't "test" the sellers to see what you can get away with.




• Once you are in escrow, commit to the purchase. Be realistic in your repair negotiations. Your Realtor will know what is reasonable and what isn't. Listen to them.




• Commit to time lines. When asked for something from your lender, get it to them as soon as possible. When asked for signatures, get them to the other party as quickly as possible.

Finally, be sure you are committed to the process. Nothing will discourage your Realtor quicker than to discover that you are still in the "considering" stage. Your Realtor will prioritize their clients and if they get a sense you are not serious, you will be lowered on their list. Good luck and good house-hunting!

I MISS WARM AND FUZZY!

I was struck by an article I just read in Inman News. It was speaking of the need to adapt to new technology. One agent said that they were sold on electronic signatures because their client didn't want the agent to come to their house. This speaks volumes about the changes in our industry.

We can actually complete an entire escrow without a face-to-face with any of the principals or agents. Predominantly, it is the listing and selling agent who never meet. Certainly, there are benefits. Clients and/or agents can go out of town and contracts can still be signed. Lists of prospective houses can be sent to buyers without the selling agent lifting a finger after the initial search set up in the Internet.

However, I miss the warm and fuzzy. I miss putting a face to the person I am e-mailing or texting. I love explaining the contract to my buyers and sellers as they sit with me at a conference table. I want to be able to recognize the other agent when we meet at an event.

E-mails and texts carry with them the very strong possibility of misunderstanding the intent. There is no voice inflection...no sympathetic tones, no laughter. It is easy to misinterpret what was meant when you can't read a persons face.

I am the first to enjoy the perks of the technology age...I just want a little touchy feely along with it!

EXCITING NEWS FOR LAND PARK AND SOUTHSIDE PARK!

For a change, the Sacramento City Council finally got it right! After heavy lobbying by the Land Park Community Association, the Broadway Partnership, the Land Park Volunteer Corp and both Land Park and Southside neighborhoods, the city council made a major step towards a Sacramento River crossing!

Over 15 testimonies were made by these groups and others last Tuesday night. With the exception of one neighbor who saw no problem with a W/X bridge, all were in agreement. Here are the highlights of the decision made:

A crossing at Sutterville Road is simply a bad idea...traffic similar to in front of Arden Fair using Land Park as a short cut to downtown, the disaster it would be for William Land Park, and the number of homes that would have to be eliminated to allow for the base. Sutterville Road was taken off of the list of potential river crossings.
A crossing at Broadway, as originally planned (a 4 lane commuter bridge) is a bad idea...the same said traffic cutting through Southside Park as a short cut to downtown, businesses being disrupted due to the amount of traffice, the elimination of the pedestrian feel of Broadway. It was decided that a smaller, neighborhood friendly bridge just might work.
A definition of what a "neighborhood friendly" bridge will be supplied by the city staff within 3 weeks to ensure the understanding of the scale that is being discussed.
The primary site that should be researched is a northern bridge at the Railyards. Councilwoman Ashby, in whose area this would land, is enthusiastic about this priority. All who spoke agreed that the first bridge developed should be a northern site.
This is truly exciting news. While the funding is still not there, it is important to have a future plan that will benefit both Sacramento and West Sacramento. The head of SACOG insinuated that if we direct them to place a priority at the northern end of the river, they cannot guarantee funding. Councilman Fong said it best...."I am okay with not getting funding for something we don't want", meaning a 4 lane commuter bridge at Broadway should also be off the table.

Sacramento took a big, and positive step Tuesday, by putting the interests of their constituents first...what a novel concept!

A HEADS-UP...ANGIE'S LIST = YELLOW PAGES

The first time I heard about Angie's List, it was from a client. Interestingly, he was telling me that he no longer is going to subscribe to Angie's List....he is just going to go on my website. Don't worry...this is not about my website. What it is about is Angie's List.

I am now seeing national advertising for this on-line reference to find service people. In fact, somehow, I got on their internet list. After receiving many offers to be on Angie's List, I decided it was worth looking into. Here is what I discovered...

ANGIE'S LIST IS EXPENSIVE...I mean really expensive...like hundreds of dollars a month! And no...you cannot be included unless you pay. Interestingly, it appears that the more you pay, the higher up on her list you are. Now knowing this, I have to wonder...what is the difference between the yellow pages (either on-line or the actual book) and Angie's List?

The conclusion that I came to was that you have to subscribe to Angie's List to even use it. The internet and the book...well they are free.

So...next time you need a referral, what are you going to do? You might as well go to the yellow pages and pick the contractor with the biggest ad!

THE SUCKER PATROL

In a time when jobs are an envied commodity, when "upside down" has taken on a scary and all new meaning, when retirement has adopted a new horizon and a college education carries with it no guarantees, there is a silver lining.

These economic times have forced, at the very least, a review of how things were done in the past as opposed to how they need to be done in the future. People have drawn together and, rather than have some lose their job, have taken an across the board pay cut. Some, who lost their jobs, found their passion and have found a new and joyful way to support themselves and their families. Owners of businesses have taken no salary to ensure the health of their businesses and the continued employment of their workers. We have learned how to get by with less.

Now, you may be wondering how this applies to the sucker patrol. William Land Park, a beautiful, 144acre park in the heart of Sacramento has had their maintenance workers dwindle from 50+ to 6. You can imagine that this gem of Sacramento simply cannot be maintained with such a drastic cut in care. Well, a man with some foresight saw a solution in creating the Land Park Volunteer Corp. He called upon the adjoining Land Park residents to step up...and we have...typically 60 strong, the first Saturday of every month.

Today, we trimmed ivy off of the Funderland wall. We maintained 4 flower beds that we re-created when they were let go. We weeded, we raked and we trimmed. Me? Well, I got to help one of the 2 "Sucker Patrol" teams. The trees were doing their very best to create little trees and new branches all around their base and trunk. We got to attack those volunteer "suckers" with a vengeance. Now, with the 2 and 1/2 hours that we were allowed, we only got to about a third of the trees that needed trimming, so I think we will be attacking again in August.

The best part is that this program has been such a success, that other neighborhoods that adjoin city parks are adopting the program as well. So, just when you think that good can't possibly come out of these difficult times, think again. The silver lining? People are working together to save what is really important in our lives. There is a new clarity...and isn't it wonderful?