Be Forewarned ... Tomorrow is April Fools Day - 03/31/11 09:55 PM

This is for all of you "newbies" on Active Rain. Unless you have had your head buried in the sand, you have probably noticed there are quite a few characters and practical jokers here on Active Rain.
Tomorrow is April 1st ... April fools day. Undoubtedly you will be reading blog posts that will make your mouth drop. Last year on April 1st, I had only been on Active Rain for 2 months. I remember reading posts, shaking my head and thinking "SAY IT ISN'T SO!!".
Well, it wasn't so. So grab a cup of coffee tomorrow morning, log onto … (15 comments)

Remember when FLIPPING meant pancakes? - 03/31/11 05:34 PM
 
Last year I wrote a post called Looking Past The Trash To Find The Treasure. It had to do with a bank owned property I was assigned to that was filled with trash. Go there and check it out if you want to see the photos prior to the trash-out.
I sold this property for $235,000 in October. Today, it is on the market for $499,000. The transformation is phenomenal. The "Before" photos were posted on the MLS primarily to show the condition of the property. I had 8 offers in 72 hours. The "After" photos were taken yesterday.
This … (16 comments)

LET IT RAIN t-shirt ... talk about ill timing! - 03/30/11 04:23 PM
Yesterday I needed to run to Costco for some batteries, a soda and a dog before doing my agent visual for a house I'm selling. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, we (California agents) have to go completely around and through a house and state everything we observe. Stains on carpet, cracked tile, missing downspout ... you get the idea.
I dress down for these inspections because it's easy to get dirty. What to wear ... what to wear. Oh, I know, I haven't worn my new "let it rain" t-shirt yet!
So I'm in the … (56 comments)

Garza Plumbing in Sonoma County - A Fabulous Find - 03/28/11 06:47 PM
You know how it is when you stumble onto something that is FABULOUS? It makes you want to climb to the top of a mountain and announce it to the world. Garza Plumbing is one of those fabulous finds.
I met Kerry Garza a couple of years ago when I needed work done on a condo that was owned by a bank. He was the only plumber I could find in Sonoma County who would provide a FREE ESTIMATE. All of the other plumbers wanted to charge me $85.00 or more just to show up!
Garza Plumbing is the absolute best … (13 comments)

How many IF's does it take to get a YES and an OFFER? - 03/25/11 08:34 PM
An agent called me today to inform me her buyer was a contractor and was interested in making an offer on one of my listings. The question was ... IF that spongy floor (bouncity, bouncity, bounce) is an issue with the lender, will you let my buyer fix it at his expense so the loan will fund?
Let me ask my seller. I sent my BEER-A-MID seller a text message and we proceeded to have a fun conversation.
First, we decided there was no use having this conversation IF the offer never materializes. Then, the offer would have to be acceptable. … (28 comments)

Sonoma County Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - Single Family Residences - 03/25/11 05:53 PM
 
Sonoma County Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 – Single Family Residences
 

 
Sonoma County, with a population of approximately 475,000 residents is located in Northern California. If you love great wine, you have come to the right place. Wine grapes and dairy products are the two top agricultural bounties in Sonoma County, with the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen.
The graphs below will help you understand recent trends in the Sonoma County Real Estate Market - Single Family Residences. Data for these graphs is derived from the Bay Area Real Estate Information System (BAREIS). … (2 comments)

Sonoma County Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - Condos - 03/25/11 05:53 PM
 
Sonoma County Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - Condos
 

 
Sonoma County is located in Northern California and has approximately 475,000 residents. Sonoma is known for great wine and beautiful vineyards. The Western border offers breath taking views of the Pacific Ocean, a fisherman's paradise for crab, salmon and abalone. Redwood forests, rivers, wine tasting and Sonoma grown food. What are you waiting for?
The graphs below will help you understand recent trends in the Sonoma County Real Estate Market - Condos. Data for these graphs is derived from the Bay Area Real Estate Information System … (0 comments)

The latest craze in staging - 03/23/11 11:20 AM
Every once in awhile, I get to work with a seller who possesses a GREAT sense of humor. I especially love it when they share their information about the benefits of staging. With a plethora of information on HGTV, everyone is a staging expert ... right?
My current staging savvy seller decided to help me out in her kitchen the other day, just prior to slapping a lockbox on the front door. Plastic flowers and a six pack of Coors Light seemed to do the trick.
Ladies and Gentlemen ... the latest craze in staging ... the BEER-A-MID!
 

 
… (88 comments)

Santa Rosa Homes for Sale - Santa Rosa Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - 03/22/11 10:16 AM
 
Santa Rosa Real Estate Market Report for February 2011
 

 
Santa Rosa is the largest City in Sonoma County, with a population of approximately 160,000. Santa Rosa is located 55 miles North of San Francisco and 23 miles East of the Pacific Ocean.
There was a lot of buyer activity during February 2011. The number of properties that went under contract surpassed April 2010, which was at the height of the first-time home buyer tax rebate.
The graphs below will help you understand recent trends in the Santa Rosa Real Estate Market. Data for these graphs is … (7 comments)

Petaluma Homes for Sale - Petaluma Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - 03/18/11 08:50 PM
 
Petaluma Real Estate Market Report for February 2011
 

 
Petaluma, CA is located 40 miles North of San Francisco and 23 miles East of the Pacific Ocean. Some think of Petaluma as two towns, the West side and the East Side, separated by Highway 101.
West Petaluma shares its history of the 1800's while, for the most part, East Petaluma emerged after World War II in the early 50's. When buyers visit Petaluma, they usually find one side more appealing than the other almost instantly. With almost 55,000 residents, this Southern most city in Sonoma County is appealing … (3 comments)

Starkle Starkle Little Twink - 03/18/11 07:36 PM
Oh dear, I found another glorious photo in the MLS today. And I have to say, after my initial moment of horrified shock, this poem came to mind.
 
Starkle, starkle, little twink, Who the hell I are you think. I'm not under what you call The alcofluence of incohol. I'm just a little slort of sheep, I'm not drunk like thinkle peep. I don't know who is me yet, But the drunker I stand here the longer I get. So one more drink to fill my cup, 'Cause I got all day sober to Sunday up.
Author: Anonymous
 

… (27 comments)

Rohnert Park Homes for Sale - Rohnert Park Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - 03/18/11 06:39 PM
 
Rohnert Park Real Estate Market Report for February 2011
 

 
Rohnert Park, CA with a population of approximately 45,000 is located 50 miles North of San Francisco and 23 miles East of the Pacific Ocean. Rohnert Park is a bedroom community made of of distinct neighborhoods, each beginning with a letter from the alphabet.
If you ask a resident of Rohnert Park where they live, don't be surprised if they say "In the 'C' section". Every street name in the 'C' section begins with the letter 'C'. It helps to find a neighborhood, but finding the street is … (0 comments)

Should I buy a Short Sale, Foreclosure or a Traditional sale? - 03/15/11 04:34 PM
Should I buy a Short Sale, Foreclosure or a Traditional sale? In today's market I get asked that question quite frequently, and the answer is "it depends". In order to determine what "type" of sale might be best for you, you will need to ask yourself these questions first.
How much time do you have to purchase a property? If you have a limited time to purchase, perhaps due to a job relocation, that would rule out most short sales. What type of financing are you qualified for? If the answer is FHA or VA, that will rule out many foreclosures … (11 comments)

Cotati Homes for Sale - Cotati Real Estate Market Report for February 2011 - 03/14/11 06:14 PM
 
Cotati Real Estate Market Report For February 2011
 

 
Cotati CA, is situated 50 miles North of San Francisco and 23 miles East of the Pacific Ocean. Considered the "Hub of Sonoma County", Cotati was incorporated as a City in 1963, largely due to an effort to NOT become part of neighboring Rohnert Park. Today, Cotati has approximately 7,500 residents.
Cotati is a unique town, as unique as its Hexagonal Plaza, one of only two in the United States. Cotati's Plaza is a gathering place for locals and home to many celebrations and festivals. With the motto "Keep … (1 comments)

Tsunamis and Cheerios - 03/13/11 08:43 PM

I almost lost my brother on Dec. 26, 2004 when a 9.3 earthquake hit near Sumatra, Indonesia. That quake and resulting Tsunami killed over 230,000 people. My brother was one of the lucky ones.
Tom was living in Patong Beach, Thailand on the island of Phuket (Foo-ket). It was just before 9:00AM, he and his wife were eating breakfast.
They had plans that morning, Tom was going to walk with Chom (rhymes with home) to her hair salon, then he was going to shop for groceries. The grocery was underground, literally a basement.
For some reason, one bowl of Cheerios … (25 comments)

New disclosure for rural property ... Pizza Delivery (Y/N) - 03/08/11 04:24 PM
I just finished visiting Judi Barret's post, "Two of the things to consider when you go rural". Judi skillfully explains water (well) and sewer (septic) options that a city dweller needs to strongly consider before giving up their public or mutual arrangements.
I will add a third consideration to that conversation. Pizza delivery. This may sound trivial, but more than once I have said "you know you can't get pizza delivered out here, don't you?" and have received some serious OH NO! looks.
Living in the country is not for the meek or mild. I know, I grew up on a … (29 comments)

Can you find out how much the other buyer has offered? - 03/07/11 08:34 PM
With so many REO's on the market, when a really nice home comes up for sale it especially shines. There are buyers out there ... lots of them. And the really nice homes that show pride of ownership will enjoy multiple offers.
Buyers hate it when they find themselves in a multiple offer situation. They will either walk or they will reluctantly stay in the game, stressing over a possible bidding war.
Whenever I am representing the buyer, and we are informed the seller has already received one or more offers, I always get asked the question "Can you find out … (33 comments)

Sonoma County wedding mishap - What you should NEVER do at the Ocean - 03/07/11 06:37 PM
I have a love hate relationship with this video. The newlywed couple is really cute and they are very good sports about all of the mishaps (there were many) that occurred during their wedding weekend. But I cringe whenever I see someone turn their back on the ocean.
The Sonoma County coastline is gorgeous ... but it is also deadly. Every year there are multiple deaths that occur here because of the lure of the beauty and the lack of knowledge of how powerful the ocean is. Most of the deaths happen to those who did not grow up near the … (10 comments)

 
Bw_cynthia_larsen Rainmaker_large

Cynthia Larsen - Sonoma County Real Estate Broker

Cotati, CA

More about me…

707-332-2560 www.safehavenrealty.com

Address: 8745 Fehler Ln, Cotati, CA, 94931

Cell Phone: (707) 332-2560

Email Me



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