Have you ever heard of Slow Food?  Most likely you're aware of fast food, but have you ever thought about what the opposite of that would be and why whatever the opposite of it is would be so inspiring to so many?

Just this past Labor Day weekend, San Francisco played host to Slow Food Nation.  This huge event was a gathering of people, food, market and music to celebrate the concept of Slow Food.  My wife is way into food, restaurants, and eating, so when I heard about the event I thought of her and decided to learn a bit about it. 

According to the Slow Food USA website, "Slow Food is an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment."  Very interesting. 

As I perused their site, I remembered reading an article about the concept of Slow Home.  Yes, they are interrelated.  In fact, the architect and academic, John Brown, that founded the concept of Slow Home has a rich website devoted to his movement, as well.  His site is extremely detailed and gives a thorough background and explanation of both his movement and Slow Food, the idea that started it all.  One section explains, "In the same way that slow food raises awareness of the food we eat and how these choices affect our lives, Slow Home provides design focused information to empower each of us to take more control of our homes and improve the quality of where and how we live."  Also very interesting.  Especially for us Realtors.

As I sat reading the background of the Slow Home and Slow Food movements on Brown's site, it got me thinking.  If we could tie these two movements in and add even more aspects of all of our lives that rush us around and make us crazy here in the Tri-Valley and all over the world, we could call it Slow Life.  I thought I was on to something. 

The more I thought about it, I really liked the idea.  For several years now, I have felt the need to slow down.  Actually, for me it is more about focusing on quality versus quantity.  That goes for everything that I experience, whether it be food, time with my kids and wife, business, free time, etc.

Sure enough, as I kept reading I discovered the Slow Food and Slow Home movements have already been studied and expanded.  There is a book out there by Carl Honore entitled, In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging The Cult of Speed.  From what I understand, Honore explains in his book the global Slow movement came about as a sort of backlash against our frenetic pace, the common mantra that faster is better and purposely towards an embracement of deceleration.  Even more interesting.

As I sit and reflect on what I've learned it comes to mind that some people might confuse Slow with backward.  I don't think this is what is meant by the movement at all.  I do think that technology and strategic thinking and "pushing the envelope" would all be welcomed by the Slow concept.  This isn't about denying yourself or your business advancements, but about concentrating on making what you have and what you appreciate better.

What do you think?  Is Slower better than faster?

Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do in the beautiful Tri-Valley?  Here are 10 great things to put on your list.

1. Hiking or Biking the trails on Mt. Diablo
2. Wine Tasting in Livermore Wine Country
3. Taking a Bike Ride or a Stroll on the Iron Horse Trail
4. Visiting one of the Tri-Valley's Local Parks
5. Attending the Alameda County Fair at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds
6. Taking a trip to the Sunol Regional Wilderness
7. Viewing the San Ramon Art and Wind Festival
8. Buying Flowers or Local Produce at the Farmer's Market in San Ramon or Pleasanton
9. Attending Dublin's Day on the Glen or Eggstravaganza
10. Taking Your Dog to one of the many Local Tri-Valley Dog Parks

Still don't know what to do for the month of March?  Here are a couple of local Tri-Valley suggestions. 

DANVILLE
Eggstravaganza, Saturday, March 22^nd, 9:30 am - 12:00 noon
Located at the Community Center, this event will have an egg hunt, crafts, games, face painting, and photos with the Spring Bunny. Rain or shine. Pre-registration required. (925)314-3400 for more information.

DUBLIN
Shamrock 5K Fun Run and Walk, Sunday, March 16^th, Registration: 7:15 AM, Start Time: 8:30 AM
Registration and start line take place on Dublin Blvd. in front of California Carpets. Parking Info: Follow Festival Parking Signs and park either on Clark Avenue or Sierra Court.
CLICK HERE FOR BROCHURE/REGISTRATION FORM

LIVERMORE
St. Patrick's Day Festival and Parade, Saturday and Sunday, March 16th
Two fun-filled days of Irish Music and Dance, Food and Drink, Artists' Booths, Commercial Vendors, Non-Profit Displays, Carnival Rides, Games and more!
Times:  Parade: 9:30am Saturday Festival:  10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Admission: Free
More info: St. Patrick's Day Festival and Parade site

19th Century California Gold Rush Era, Thursday, March 20th
Jody Hornor will give a lecture on the "19th Century California Gold Rush Era" at 7 p.m. This is part of the Ed Kinney Lecture Series. Step back in time to the 19th century through the images from Jody Hornor's award-winning Golden History Books (The Golden Corridor, The Golden Quest, The Golden Highway 49). Wander from scene to scene by foot and by stage. Sail around the horn. Visit the vibrant city of San Francisco in its infancy. Pass through the Hub of Sacramento on the way to the mines. When the presentation is completed, Hornor will talk about the technical and research aspects of producing these kinds of works. Hornor's books will be available for purchase.
Sponsor: ALVHS (Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society)
Location: Museum on Main, 603 Main St. Pleasanton
Times:  7:00pm
Admission: $10 donation ($5 for ALVHS members).  Reservations Recommended.
More info: at the Museum on Main  462-2766  Museum on Main Street

Wente Vineyards Winemaker's Dinner, Thursday, March 20th
Enjoy fine food and wine with Karl Wente, fifth generation winegrower. Karl, in the small lot winery, creates hand-crafted special releases and takes this opportunity to pull out some special wines from the library for the evening. The gourmet four-course dinner and accompanying wine pairings present a unique and delicious chance to experience the best of Wente Vineyards.
Location:  Wente Vineyards Event Center, 5050 Arroyo Road, Livermore
Times:  6:30pm - 9:00pm
Admission: $89 Club Wente Members, $109 Public, plus tax
More info: Wente Vineyards  925 456-2012.

SAN RAMON
Cirque D'Amour featuring the Zunyi Acrobats of China,  Saturday, March 29th at 8:00pm
Presented at the Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center
"Cirque D'Amour" recounts ancient Chinese tales through songs, dance and mind-blowing acrobatics. Join this fabulous journey of discovery with colorful dragons, fire-breathing lizards, mischievous fairies and giant playful bugs. Performed by the award-winning 35 person Zunyi Acrobatic Troupe, assisted by creative costumes and stage props, the troupers bring together the best of traditional Chinese and modern Western acrobatic movements and choreography. Single Tickets: $40

Run Like the Wind ½ Marathon and 5K, Sunday, March 30th
Presented be Windemere and designed by and for residents of the Bay Area, the "Run Like the Wind" in San Ramon Half Marathon and 5K race promotes a healthy, active lifestyle for all ages and fitness abilities-from first timers to elite runners. With a variable, fun course through the beautiful rolling hills of the San Ramon Valley, the first of its kind "Run Like the Wind" in San Ramon Half Marathon and 5K race is poised to become the signature Spring race of the East Bay. Come support the community and encourage physical activity among children and teens, a portion of the proceeds from this race will go to local middle and high school athletic programs who provide student volunteers.

PLEASANTON
City of Pleasanton Civic Arts Presents Series
Bill Harley, Thursday, March 20^th
Don Lewis & Young Expressions, Saturday, March 29th
Civic Arts Tickets is located at the Amador Theater's box office, 1155 Santa Rita Road, on the Amador Valley High School Campus.
Hours are Monday - Friday, 10 AM - 2 PM.
caboxoffice@ci.pleasanton.ca.us
(925) 931-3444

In most Buyer-side real estate transaction that I handle, the question about school location and their respective ranking comes up. This is a very important factor to consider not only for buyers who have kids but for those without children, as well.  Tri-Valley resale values can be impacted by the strength of the school that a home feeds into. There are a number of great resources at your disposal for finding out rankings, district information, and additional details about a school. 

I have provided those resources below:

Danville School Rankings

Danville School Guide

Dublin School Rankings

Dublin School Guide

Livermore School Rankings

Livermore School Guide

Pleasanton School Rankings

Pleasanton School Guide

San Ramon School Rankings

San Ramon School Guide

This is the Part 2 of my report on the City of Dublin's Developments.

How many of you find yourself waiting to get to work or the BART station at the intersection of Dublin and Dougherty roads? Don't worry, help is on the way.   New turn lanes and through lanes will be added to the intersection to accommodate the traffic that has been created by the residents descending upon BART. Expected completion date is mid-2008.

The largest shopping center with tenants such as Target, Expo and Pets Mart is getting some new neighbors. The former El Torito property has been leased to Elephant Bar. It is slated to open mid to late 2008.  Work is also proceeding on...

Click here to read more about Part 2 of Dublin Developments

The Fed made a significant move the other day with an emergency Federal Funds rate cut of 75 basis points.  The move was made after global financial markets sold off in dramatic fashion and the Dow Jones industrial average opened down 450 points.

It appears that finally the Fed is taking significant action to prevent dropping into a formidable recession.  There is also talk out on the street that the Fed might take another 25 to 75 basis point cut at the end of the month during their formal meeting.

The big question is what effect does the lowering of the funds rate have on consumers? Specifically, how does it affect items such as mortgage interest rates, real estate in the Tri-Valley, the ability to borrow money, consumer spending, etc. I found an article that clearly breaks down the impacts of the rate cut by the Fed.

Every year I participate in the City of Dublin's Real Estate Tour.  It is a great way for me to keep abreast of all the planned commercial and residential changes occurring within the Tri-Valley, and specifically, the dynamic City of Dublin.  This year, the tour covered a broad range of exciting developments, from a westside creation to dreams for many new communities out east.  I am going to focus on two major developments under construction in this post, and I will feature other planned projects in upcoming posts.

One new development is creating a space for itself in the western Dublin hills.  Schaefer Ranch, a Discovery Homes community, is currently under construction, and has already seen an approximate one-mile extension of Dublin Boulevard to the west.  Discovery Homes is proposing the following neighborhood elements:

• 284 single family residential units
• 18 estate lots
• 5.3 acre commercial parcel (this may change to approx. 100 smaller homes)
• Day-care site
• 10 acre neighborhood park - Schaefer Ranch Park will total 10.6 acres.  Construction begins in 2009-10 by Discovery Homes and completes in 2010-11.

The second exciting project is Grafton Station, a 318,000 sq.ft. retail project located on Dublin Blvd., east of Brannigan. The project will be developed in phases, and the first phase includes the recently completed and now open Lowe's Home Improvement store.

What desperate times we are in.  And desperate times call for desperate measures. Sellers and Realtors are coming up with new and creative techniques to get their homes sold.  It's been customary during a tough Buyer's market to offer incentives on top of already well-priced listings. Traditional incentives have included interest rate buydowns, paying a buyer's closing costs, or covering a year's worth of Home Owner's Association fees. 

The list mentioned above hardly compares to the wild and wacky techniques that some people are employing down in Arizona where nearly 60,000 homes are currently for sale on the market.

About a month ago, I was interviewed for an article on Building Relationships in the Internet Age.  I was able to speak with the interviewer in advance and she prepped me with her intended direction for the article. The interview was the following day, which left me a few hours to gather my thoughts.  The interviewer's plan for her story was to show how Realtors differ on what marketing and technology they use to communicate with their clients depending on their client's age and generation.  She wanted to show that a real estate agent's form of communication differed between Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Civics Generation.

As I really thought about her questions, though, I quickly came to realize that her emphasis for the story was not in line with how I communicated with my clients.  I have never assumed that just because someone falls into a certain generation, I would communicate with them in one way or another.  Needless to say, the interview the following day took a drastic 180 from its original storyline.  

I believe that the heart of how Realtors communicate with their clients begins with understanding their clients' needs.  This is regardless of which generation the client falls into.  I have encountered clients who are in the Civics Generation and prefer contact via email and text messaging.  On the other side of the spectrum, I have clients who are in their 20's and prefer contact via phone and don't have an email address. The point is never to assume.  The savvy Realtor simply asks which method of communication is preferred.  It is always in a Realtor's and their client's best interests to communicate about how they prefer to communicate early in their relationship.

As a Realtor, I must be educated on all of the new ways to communicate with my clients.  Different forms of marketing and technology are quickly entering the marketplace. Right now, texting, social networking and blogging are some fresh communication and marketing techniques that are becoming norms. Keeping informed by checking web resources and talking with friends and fellow Realtors about the latest and greatest tools out there is essential.  The web has a plethora of real estate technology sites to help Realtors stay ahead of the game and keep on top of the latest and greatest trends. 

For more information, visit The Tri-ValleyReal Estate Source.