Glen Mitchell's Blog

Priced to sell today! 3 blocks from ocean...

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:19:50 -0500

Glen Mitchell | RE/MAX | 831-588-8958

322 30th, Santa Cruz, CA

3 blocks from Pleasure Point! Priced to sell today!!

2BR/1BA Single Family House

offered at $600,000

Year Built	1942
Sq Footage	838
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	4,356 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

2 bed 1 bath home with bonus room and bonus cottage. In great shape and only 3 blocks to the ocean.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Bonus/Rec room	- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven	- Granite countertop	- Laundry area - garage
- Yard	- Sauna

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- New interior paint, hardwood floors, new carpet in bonus room, vinyl windows, seperate room

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1

Contact info:

Glen Mitchell

RE/MAX

831-588-8958

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 21, 2009, 9:47pm PDT

$8000 tax credit extension coming ???

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:37:20 -0500

Sounds like there is a chance credit may be still be available after November..... SAN DIEGO (MarketWatch) -- The expansion -- or, at a minimum, extension -- of the $8,000 first-time-home-buyer tax credit that is set to expire Nov. 30 is at the top of the legislative agenda for the Mortgage Bankers Association, with one of the MBA's leaders saying the trade group is "very close" to winning that battle in Congress. "We are pushing for expansion of the tax credit, and we are very close to winning this one," said David Kittle, MBA's outgoing chairman. The tax credit has been credited with boosting home sales, and mortgage applications, as first-time buyers came out in force this summer. "Hundreds of thousands of home buyers have come off the sidelines because of the credit, and if we lose it we risk losing the stability that is creeping backing into the housing market and the economy overall," said Robert Story Jr., a Seattle mortgage banker and the incoming chairman of the MBA, which opened its annual convention here Monday. Political analyst Paul Begala, an adviser in the Clinton administration, predicted the credit would be extended, in part because of a feeling among a lot of the American people that they have gotten little out of the financial bailout that kept large institutions afloat. "People have seen the bailout of the executives who caused these problems ... while the mom-and-pop operator is left to fend for themselves ... and that grates on people," Begala told the convention's opening session. "There is a lot of anger out there still over that." It's not clear what form legislation to extend the tax credit would take; at least 20 bills have been drafted in Congress regarding the credit. Some proposals would not only extend the first-time-buyer credit into next year but would expand it to include all buyers, remove income restrictions and raise the maximum value of the credit as high as $15,000. For those who purchase a home this year, the tax credit is for 10% of the purchase price, up to $8,000. Those who have owned a home in the past three years aren't eligible. Buyers also have to meet eligibility requirements regarding income; the current credit begins to phase out for singles who make more than $75,000 and couples who make more than $150,000. An extension on the tax credit would be a major victory for the housing industry -- the National Association of Realtors and National Association of Home Builders are also lobbying strongly for the move -- but would be of particular significance to mortgage bankers, who have taken it on the chin in the last two years as loan delinquencies and foreclosures swelled and regulators proposed thousands of pages of new rules to rein in an industry that many blame for helping create the financial crisis. John Courson, CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association, likened his industry's plight to that of Bugs Bunny being chased by Elmer Fudd. "There have been a lot of Elmer Fudds firing shotgun blasts our way -- regulators, legislators, media, consumer advocates -- in the last year. Mortgage applicants confront an array of paperwork throughout the loan process. Making the process more transparent is one goal of federal proposals. 'Regulate us, sure,' says a mortagage-industry leader, 'but don’t stop us from having the ability to make the best loans for borrowers.' "Our goal is to renew the faith and restore the confidence in our industry and we've gone a long way down that path this year." The mortgage bankers have made three major legislative proposals, trying to stay ahead of the financial regulatory reform they know is coming in the wake of the global meltdown that started in 2008. They have suggested their own set of reforms in a Mortgage Improvement and Regulatory Act, set out a new framework for the secondary mortgage market and come up with ideas for adding liquidity to the hard-hit warehouse lending business. "And we've done a darn good job of working with borrowers, with the odds stacked against us, to keep 2 million homeowners in their homes this year," he said. But major challenges lie ahead. New rules governing the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act are set to go into effect Jan. 1, and many mortgage bankers here are complaining that those rules, particularly modifications to the good-faith estimates that mortgage providers are required to prepare for borrowers, will complicate life for consumers and force up the cost of loans. The Federal Reserve is also soliciting comments on nearly 1,400 pages of regulations that update the Truth in Lending Act, with provisions that clamp down on compensation arrangements for loan originators and tighten disclosure requirements for consumers. "Regulation is coming," said David Kittle, outgoing chairman of the MBA. "Regulate us, sure, but don't stop us from having the ability to make the best loans for borrowers." Steve Kerch is assistant managing editor and personal finance editor of MarketWatch in Chicago.

Half Moon Bay condo rental

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:04:31 -0500

Glen Mitchell | RE/MAX | 831-588-8958

468 Laurel, Half Moon Bay, CA

Half Moon Bay Rental

2BR/2BA Condo

$1,900/month

Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Sq Footage	1,090
Parking	2 dedicated
Pet Policy	No pets
Deposit	$1,900

DESCRIPTION

Great Half Moon Bay Location westside of Hwy 1
Common pool and bbq areas.
Spacious 2 bedroom 2 bath, new carpet and newer paint

see additional photos below

RENTAL FEATURES

• Central heat	• Fireplace	• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator	• Microwave	• Washer
• Dryer	• Laundry area - inside	• Swimming pool
• Cable-ready	• High-speed internet

COMMUNITY FEATURES

• Garage parking

• Storage space(s)

• Secured entry

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1

Contact info:

Glen Mitchell

RE/MAX

831-588-8958

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 9, 2009, 6:55pm PDT

Important new short sale info

Fri, 15 May 2009 00:23:35 -0500

New short foreclosure alternatives were released today. Here is a summary...

The Obama Administration has added new incentives and standard procedures for short sales 5/14/2009. This is through the new Foreclosure Alternatives Program (FAP), part of the Making Homes Affordable plan.

If your home loan isn't eligible to be modified on a permanent basis loan servicers may consider short sales or deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure instead.

Borrowers must meet minimum eligibility requirements for the Home Affordable Modification program, but don't actually qualify for a modification. Before foreclosing, servicers must determine if a short sale is appropriate.

Incentives given include... $1,000 for servicers completion of a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, $1,500 for borrowers to help with relocation expenses, and as much as $1,000 toward the cost of paying second lien holders to release their liens

The program will include standardized documents, including a Short Sale Agreement and an acceptance letter.

The price servicers place on the property value may be determined based on an appraisal or broker price opinions issued within a certain time frame.

In the Short Sale Agreement, servicers must give homeowners minimum 90 days to try to sell their property, or as much as a year, depending on conditions for that area. Property must be listed with a licensed real estate professional. Foreclosure can not take place during the minimum 90 day marketing.

Good point for realtors... Servicers will not be able to negotiate lower commissions after an offer has been received. And a good point for homeowners servicers can not charge fees for participating in the foreclosure alternative program which will last through 2012.

Servicers do have the ability to require homeowner to deed the property to the servicer in exchange for a release from the debt if the property does not sell within the time allowed in the Short Sale Agreement

Hopefully these programs will give those in trouble more means to recover.

Economists say US homes are undervalued but....

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:14:41 -0600

Well here goes are favorite economists with their words of wisdom.. this time home prices are undervalued, but likely to fall further. Hmmn maybe they aren't really undervauled then?? Oh well lets give them their paychecks for the week and wait until their next notice. ECONOMIC REPORT U.S. homes now undervalued, economists say Prices fall in 241 metro areas in third quarter, and are likely to fall further By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch Last update: 11:47 a.m. EST Dec. 3, 2008Comments: 117WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The U.S. housing market is now slightly undervalued after rapid price declines have overshot fundamentals, economists for IHS Global Insight said Wednesday. House prices fell at a 6.9% annual pace nationwide in the third quarter, with prices falling in 241 of 330 metropolitan areas. Prices are down 6.5% from their peak in 2007. Compared with their long-term fundamental values, U.S. homes are now 3.8% undervalued, the economists said. "With no end in sight to the downward spiral of house prices, it is likely that the long-anticipated market correction will now overshoot fundamental valuations on the downside," said James Diffley, head of regional economics at Global Insight. "Weak economic conditions and wary consumers continue to hold the housing market back," said Jeannine Cataldi, senior economist in charge of Global Insight's regional real estate analysis. "Although many areas are seeing home sales increase, it is largely due to foreclosure homes being snapped up at significantly discounted prices. As the inventory of these homes is removed from the market, prices will remain on a downward path." However, another economist said home prices are still too high in many bubble areas. "Prices in many markets are still hugely out of line with trend levels, as measured by price-to-rent ratios," said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. "As long as house prices remain inflated, there is no way that the market can stabilize since there will continue to be a large excess supply of housing putting downward pressure on house prices." Baker suggested that the government order Fannie Mae (FNM:Fannie Mae Last: 0.77-0.05-5.90% FNM 0.77, -0.05, -5.9%) and Freddie Mac (FRE:Freddie Mac Last: 0.78+0.01+1.30% to refuse to buy mortgages in areas where prices are still out of line, thus forcing prices to correct quickly. Capital should flow to cities with fairly valued homes, Baker said. The quarterly report from Global Insight and National City Bank compares observed home prices with fundamental values based on differences in population density, relative income levels, interest rates, and historically observed market premiums or discounts. According to the Global Insight report, only three metro areas are extremely overvalued: Atlantic City, N.J., Bend, Ore., and St. George, Utah. In 2005, 52 metro areas were deemed to be extremely overvalued. Home prices fell more than 10% in nine metro areas in central California during the third quarter, Global Insight said. Prices in Merced, Stockton and Modesto are down more than 50% from their peak, while 26 other cities in California, Nevada and Florida are down more than 30%, they said.

New loan limits for 2009 released today

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:26:16 -0600

For a pdf version of the new loan limits for 2009 click on the link below. If you live in an area where current rates are higher, you may want to look at buying or refinancing now.

http://www.fhfa.gov/GetFile.aspx?FileID=134

Here is the summary of how the new rates were calculated.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conforming loan limits for the high cost areas below may not exceed the corresponding levels listed. These loan limits apply to

loans purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. For a one-unit property, the maximum loan limit is calculated as 1.15 times the median

house price for the highest priced county in the property's metropolitan or micropolitan area or the median house price for the property's county if it is in a

rural county. Regardless of the area median home price, the loan limit cannot, in general, exceed $625,500 (1.50 times the 2009 conforming loan limit). The

exceptions are properties in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, where that range is 50 percent higher ($625,500 to $938,250). The 2009

conforming loan limit of $417,000 is in place everywhere else. Loan limits for 2-4 unit properties are proportional to the 1-unit limits.

www.mitchellinvestmentslp.com

Whats the oldest age you went trick or treating at??

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:09:31 -0500

How old were you when you stopped trick or treating? I kind of hate to admit, but last went in college. Kind of a spur of the moment thing. Several guys in the dorm had gone to a thrift store and bought old clothes and ties and were dressing up as used cars salesmen. I didn't want to be left out, but didn't have a costume. One of the guys was an engineering major and had lots of blueprints, so it was decided that we would tape the blueprints all over me including a blueprint cape. We also had a paper mask of a sea captain. What was I you ask?? Captain Blueprint of course. As we headed off in search of candy the rest of the dorm laughed at us. Growing up in a neighborhood where we used to go to about 5 houses and got about as many kids at our place, the big city thing was amazing. We filled up pillow cases with candy very quickly, and yes every house asked me what/who was I? With a couple of us being over 6 feet tall we got a lot of other comments too, like "ok guys do you think you are a little old??" When we got back to the dorms and everyone saw our loot, nobody was laughing any more. We were generous though and emptied it out for everyone. Even though I was a little on the old side, it completed Halloween for me in terms of trick or treating like you see in the movies with tons of homes and lots of kids running everywhere. I wish I had a picture of Captain Blueprint, but to my knowledge none exist.

Looking for property management in Santa Cruz County?

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:27:51 -0500

We will manage your property to its full potential, saving you both time and money.

We pro actively manage properties to achieve maximum value for our property investors.

Let our experiences and professionalism simplify your life.

Property Management
Through our management plan we will:

* Obtain qualified tenants
* Collect rents

* Handle any repair problems (see remodel photos)
* Monthly statements and year end 1099 statements
* Property inspections

and so much more...
For complete details and a free property analysis please call us at

800-688-5875 (ext 0)

831-588-8958

Glen and Kristi Mitchell Team

www.coastalrentalslp.com

Real Estate Broker Licensed in California and Hawaii

Serving the following Santa Cruz County areas....

Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Aptos, Soquel, Capitola, Felton, Boulder Creek, Watsonville and more

www.maui4rent.com

Looking for property management in San Mateo County?

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:18:17 -0500

www.coastalrentalslp.com

We will manage your property to its full potential, saving you both time and money.

We pro actively manage properties to achieve maximum value for our property investors.

Property Management
Through our management plan we will:

* Advertise
* Obtain qualified tenants
* Collect Rents
* Handle any repair problems (see my own home remodel photos)
* Monthly statements and year end 1099 statements
* Property inspections

and so much more...

For complete details and a free property analysis please call us at

800-688-5875 (ext 0)

Glen and Kristi Mitchell Team

Real Estate Broker Licensed in California and Hawaii

Serving the following San Mateo County areas....

San Mateo, Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, Pacifica, Daly City, San Bruno, San Carlos, South San Francisco, Belmont, Stanford, Hillsborough, Redwood City, Atherton, Brisbane, Colma, Foster City, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Portola Valley, Woodside, and Pescadero

Want to get into the housing market for under $2 ???

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:18:50 -0500

So even with housing prices coming down, loans are harder to get, and you still haven't saved up for the down payment, is there really a way to get in for less?? Some how??

Well, what about buying stock in a manufactured home building company. Like many other builder stocks prices have come way down. As of today you can get into Champion Homes for $1.61 a share or Fleetwood for only .27 cents a share. A fraction of the price of Palm Harbor which closed at $6.31 a share and miles behind Cavco at $30.34 a share.

Who would invest in manufactured home companies you ask? Well, a few years back Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchased Clayton Homes. Warren did lose a few billion last week, but over the years he's made investments in industries that hold strong and make a profit.

In the case of Fleetwood and Champion they both trade below their book value. Once again maybe not the strongest argument as many stocks probably do these days.

So here's the plan for about $1000 you buy a few thousand shares of Fleetwood. Stock goes to $10 and you are up $30k and in the bottom price range for a Fleetwood home.(some final assembly required with the set up) You don't have to worry about the price going much lower. Most you can lose is the $1000. You don't have to worry about a loan and when you sell you're paying cash for your new home so no worries down the road either. What you do need to do of course is buy that manufactured home through me as a thank you for getting you into the housing market for under $2.

I should ad this post is just for fun and you need to talk to a financial advisor before buying any of the stocks mentioned here. There is a risk of loss in the stock market :) Just look below as anyone who recently bought Champion at $12 could tell you so.

I must have done something right!

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:32:48 -0500

I just had to post this even though it doesn't really relate to real estate. I came in the other evening to an incredible smell. OK, so it does relate to real estate as you want your house to smell good if you are selling it. Any ways there on the counter was a freshly cooked apple pie that my wife had made for me. Apples were home grown so it just didn't get any better. My only hesitation in making this post public, is the fear that someday my kids will read it and realize their wonderful father ate the pie without sharing!

Which house is a modular??

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:49:57 -0500

It's time for everyone's favorite game! Guess which house is modular??? 3 choices this week. Leave your guess in the comments section and we will let you know whose right. If you can't stand the suspense email me and I'll let you know sooner. 2 of these homes are currently on the market for close to a million, so if you want to find the modular just look for the inexpensive one right??

Guide to Manufactured Homes

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:48:54 -0500

Trying to figure out which manufactured home might be right for you? Trying to locate a manufactured home builder in your state or area? Want an independant parties opinion on manufactured homes and how they are constructed? Then check out this book. A great resource to add to your library. One item to note - price ranges are not always correct, but a good starting point.

Here is the link to Amazons info...

http://www.amazon.com/Grissim-Ratings-Guide-Manufactured-Homes/dp/0972543619/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225060776&sr=8-2

Do mobile and manufactured homes appreciate in value???

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:28:38 -0500

Do mobile homes and manufactured homes increase in value or decrease??? This is a question often asked when talking about manufactured homes. In fact, on a recent web post I saw the following as a realtor's answer to a potential buyers question about value....

"No, do not buy a mobile/manufactured home! Rent instead. Mobile homes don't appreciate and they are difficult to sell. Check Craig's list, there are quite a few for sale and no buyers. Don't throw your money away."

He must know what he's talking about. He's licensed right? Why don't we help out and provide some actual data and see what the results are... the Realtor happens to be in the Santa Clara County area, so we will start there. I was able to get Sold averages since 1998 from the multiple listing service. We need to compare against other types of property to get a good idea if the numbers are good or bad, so let’s find out the appreciation or depreciation of single family homes, condos, and mobile/manufactured homes,(in community park settings, both owner and non owner owned parks) from 1998 to the second half of 2008.

Here's the results for Santa Clara County.... Drum roll please....

Single family homes appreciated 128%

Condos appreciated 126%

Mobile/Manufactured homes appreciated 83%

So each form of housing appreciated a fairly decent amount although manufactured homes trailed in 3rd place. Maybe this is just a fluke?? Lets look at the counties to the north and south and compare.

San Mateo County to the north....

Single family homes appreciated 152%

Condos appreciated 117%

And mobile/manufactured homes 143%

Single Family homes win again, but not by much. Sorry condo owners you take third place this time.

Maybe our agent above was referring to Santa Cruz county, so same time period we have...

Single family homes appreciate 152%

Condos appreciated 92%

And Mobile/manufactured homes 144%

Pretty similar to San Mateo County numbers, and unfortunately condos come in third again. Granted this is the California Bay Area we are talking about, but it appears all forms of housing increased a large percentage over the time period we have data for. It also appears that returns on mobile/manufactured homes in two counties were even higher than returns on condos and within 9% of the returns on single family homes in two counties. Is our data flawed? What would happen if we took out mobile homes built prior to the HUD code? We will save that for a future post, but I'm guessing our manufactured home returns may go up even higher. Is someone trying to sabotage the manufactured home industry? Did we not have a big enough sample? In Santa Clara we are talking about 6082 mobile/manufactured home sales. If we average that out over 10 years and then divide by 4 to get an even quarterly number we come up with 152 sales a quarter are needed to keep this pace. So we have to have at least that may homes listed. 152 Craigslists ads which might represent a lot from our realtor quote above. It sounds like a lot. As a side note and scary thought right before Halloween, the approx return in the Dow Jones Industrial average over the same time period ending today was 1.5%. Yikes, I bet more investors wish they had parked their money in mobile and manufactured homes.

Speaking of money, and being a former equity options floor trader, at first glance it looks like there are some good spread opportunities here. IE sell Santa Clara Condos and buy Santa Clara homes or maybe sell San Mateo manufactured homes and buy Santa Clara manufactured homes. Ok, so we are probably getting carried away here and need to do some more research, but I would really consider the Santa Clara one if I owned a condo there.

I hope you liked this data and if you have data from other parts of the United States I hope you take the time to post so we can compare. Sign up for new posts to the manufactured and modular home group. I'm sure there are lots of info and ideas for us all to learn from.

Thanks, Glen Mitchell

Info on average prices for blog taken from mlslistings is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

2009 Congress & Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:23:41 -0500

April might sound like a long way off, but its right around the corner, and with it comes the 2009 National Congress & Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing. The event is the largest annual national trade show for the manufactured and modular housing industry.

Held April 14-16, 2009 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. For pricing go to the National Congress and expo site. In addition to guest speakers, floor show exhibits, golf tournament, casino activities you will get the chance to meet and network with 100s of industry leaders, community owners and operators, builders and developers, and manufacturers.

Hope to see you there.

Understanding the 3 Ms

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:43:15 -0500

I thought a great way to kick off a manufactured home group would be to discuss the 3 Ms…

1. Mobile

2. Manufactured

3. Modular

Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they are very different and it's important to understand what type of home you are actually talking about.

•1. Here is the definition for a mobile home...

A large trailer, fitted with parts for connection to utilities, that can be installed on a relatively permanent site and that is used as a residence.

My definition would add the home your grandmother lived in back in the 70s, metal siding and typically found in a park setting with other mobile homes, and a big trailer hitch off the front implying that it could be towed if you really wanted too. Hence the term mobile, a home that could be moved from location to location.

•2. Here is the definition of a manufactured home...

In the United States, the term "manufactured housing" specifically refers to a house built entirely in a protected environment under a federal code set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The term describes factory-built homes produced after the 1976 HUD Code enactment.

My definition would reiterate a home built in a factory environment to the HUD code. Some of the companies that build these are Silvercrest, Palm Harbor, Karston, Champion and Fleetwood to name just a few. These homes are brought in on wheels but sometimes attached to permanent foundations, and are still classified as HUD homes.

•3. Here is the definition of a modular home...

Modular homes are homes built in modules at a factory. Modules are transported to the home site on flat bed trucks. Unlike manufactured homes, modular homes conform to all state, local and regional codes where the home is to be located.

My definition would be simply, modular homes are built in a factory to the local codes where placed, not to the HUD code.

So in reality they are three very different homes. Probably the most similar characteristic is they all start with an M. Outside of that its important to use the right terminology when talking about these homes so others know what you are really referring to.

www.maui4rent.com/building-development.html

Caldwell 2 bedroom 1 1/2 bath for rent ... available now

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:33:19 -0500

Glen Mitchell | RE/MAX | 831-588-8958

2710 S Georgia, Caldwell, ID

Available Now

2BR/1.5BA Townhouse

$560/month

Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Sq Footage	1,100
Parking	1 dedicated
Pet Policy	Cats, Small dogs (< 25lbs)
Deposit	$0

DESCRIPTION

2 bedroom 1 bath upstairs
living area, kitchen, dining and 1/2 bath down

see additional photos below

RENTAL FEATURES

Air conditioning	Central heat	Living room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio
Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

New property (< 5 years)

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Renter contact info:

Glen Mitchell

RE/MAX

831-588-8958

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 19, 2008, 10:19am PDT

Bathroom remodel before and after

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:12:15 -0500

A friend asked if I would help out with a bathroom remodel project. Knowing I was busy with real estate deals, I wasn't given a deadline. Looking at the before and after pictures you can see the wait was well worth it. Nothing too fancy here as this was going to be the boys bathroom. We knew there was some water damage, but after demolition it became apparent how extensive. the toilet leaked, the sink leaked, and the tub shower wall leaked. All that equaled a lot of extra work.

Owner was happily referring a couple more real estate deals to me as well. I think my motto would be if you like my remodel work, you should use my real estate services which are far better!

Seriously though, there is more to real estate than knowing how to fill out contracts. Understanding how a house works... why it's plumbed the way it is, where electrical wires are run, what holds it up, what needs to be maintained regularly, etc are just some of the areas I have knowledge in and am able to help clients better understand what they are buying and selling.

To see some of my other projects, go to www.maui4rent.com/remodel.html

www.maui4rent.com

Teal Versus White

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:22:21 -0500

Ok so this post is two weeks late in coming, but I wanted to acknowledge my friend Kevin O'keefe owner of Universal Structural Engineers. He called me up with an extra ticket to see the sharks play the sharks in a preseason game. Teal versus White. Not only did we get to see the game(sharks won... surprise surprise), but were served dinner ahead of time. Didn't win anything at the dinner raffle, but got a free shirt and poster to bring home to the kids.

At this point we can fast forward a couple weeks and say the sharks are already up 3-0. Not a bad way to start. Here is my prediction... Sharks win 2008-2009 Stanley Cup. Ok so that's my prediction every year. For more info on the sharks check out their great website at http://sharks.nhl.com/index.html. Games are at the HP Pavilion http://www.hppsj.com/index2.htmlwhich is easy to get to from just about anywhere in the Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Francisco Bay areas. All the seats offer great views of the action. Get your tickets now!! If the sharks keep winning it may be hard to get them later.

photo shark home page http://sharks.nhl.com/index.html

Glen Mitchell

REal Estate Broker

Manufactured Modular Home Dealer

Need to easily send out cards??

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:40:17 -0500

If you are looking for a quick easy way to send out cards (not e-cards) then check out Christine Chen's website at http://www.soclink.com/PoweredByCards. She is a Distributor with SendOutCards. She also gives a free gift account and training.

SendOutCards is very easy and inexpensive. Its a web based program that allows you to go online and choose from over 12,000 pre-printed greeting cards or create your own customized picture plus card, write out a personal message in your own handwriting and add your very own signature. SOC will print, stuff, stamp and mail it for you, all for about $1 per card (includes postage).

Its an easy way to build relationships by keeping in regular touch with customers and clients. SOC allows you to do this quickly, effectively, and economically.

Here is a quote from Christine...
I work with busy business owners to solve that problem. We provide an automated, yet highly personalized card system for customer follow-up, thank-yous, birthdays, product or event announcements, and even for generating referrals.
With SOC you send your customers highly personalized cards through the mail using our unique website technology without ever leaving your office! So using our product does NOT add to your busy day, yet it gives you an easy way to have that personal customer contact. You could send 5 or 500 cards in 5 minutes, in your own handwriting, and even upload a picture or your logo into the card.

Our motto: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will Never forget how you made them feel. With SendOutCards you can make your customers feel special and appreciated, and they will never forget you.

The referrals I'm looking for are:
*Business owners that want to organize their referral base so that they can stay in touch on a regular basis.
*Those people that own and operate a home based business. SendOutCards can help them organize their contacts and keep in touch in a unique way.

If your friend, sister, mom, or aunt loves to take pictures and scrapbook, chances are that even they are going to love SendOutCards!

Give it a try and contact Christine via info below... Tell her Glen sent you.

If you would like a free gift account to try our card system out, please contact me today:
Christine@PoweredByCards.com
or go to http://www.soclink.com/PoweredByCards
I'll offer a FREE gift account and training to anyone who wants to check it out.
With SendOutCards we're changing lives one card at a time.

Glen Mitchell

Real Estate Broker

Licensed in Calif. and Hawaii

licensed Manufactured Home Dealer

800-688-5875 (ext 0)

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:26:40 -0500

If you are in the Half Moon Bay area October 18-19th don't miss the art and pumpkin festival. If you don't like crowds then don't be in Half Moon Bay on t he 18th and 19th. This is the 38th year of this large and popular event. Although cooler, it is also a great time to visit the coast. Cool and crisp air and blue skies, a change from the summer fog.

At the festival you will be able to see pumpkin sculptors, the weigh off of the extremely large pumpkins($20,000 in prizes), parade, crafts, pumpkin pie and many other great food booths. Lots of art work and hand crafted items will be available to view and buy.

There will be tons of entertainment too with lots of different Bay area musicians. What would a festival be without a haunted house or costume party? Well of course there will be those too with the haunted house located behind the old jail in the Johnston Barn. $5 admission. The costume contest will be at 10:am on Saturday at the Half Moon Bay library. The parade will follow at noon down Main Street.

Hours are 9:00 to 5:00 both days, and its free. In addition to the festival there are plenty of pick your own pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hay mazes etc to spend lots of time at. Take a drive down hwy 1 to get some great fall beach views too!

For more detailed information check out http://www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest/about_show.html

and if you fall in love with Half Moon Bay area, go to http://www.maui4rent.com/remax-glen-san-mateo-county.html for real estate information.

I'll check back and add more photos later.

Tioga Lake

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:38:11 -0500

It came and went quickly. Too quickly as usual. My annual Fall extended weekend fishing trip to Tioga Lake. One of my most favorite places to go, located on the far side of Yosemite. Just past the exit gate in the Eastern Sierras. Sometimes I wonder why I like it so much as its also home to the location I give to two of my top 5 worst nights of sleep. A combination of the altitude(about 9700 feet) and below freezing temperatures(late Sept and Oct.) This year fishing was a little slow, but I think the trade off came with warmer weather. Since the fishing was slow it also motivated me to take a break from the lake and hike up to the top of one of the nearby mountains. At one point along the hike a couple friends and I decided to go straight up the mountain side and were rewarded by an incredible view. See photo below. Two of us brought along fishing poles and found a couple small lakes with Brook Trout. We caught and released a few of those before heading back down the mountain, scaling many boulders left over from a glacier. When I got home I realized I had taken far too few photos, but they don't really do Tioga justice and I can still mentally picture it in 360 degrees :)

Waren, Darin and Glen at the top.

Not too long ago there were 6 of us that went. This year we had 33 guys including some sons.

We made it to the top of the left hand side and then scaled back down the rocks in the background to find some trout in this small but deep little pool.

Half Moon Bay Golf Links Womens Tournament

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:29:36 -0500

For all you avid golfers out there in the Bay Area don't miss seeing the 20 best female golfers of 2008 play at the Half Moon bay Golf Links. This is the first time Half Moon Bay has hosted the tournament in which players are competing for $1 million at the Samsung World Championship from Oct. 1-5.

The Samsung World Championship includes the winners of all four LPGA major tournaments this year, the leading money winner on the Ladies European Tour and the leading LPGA money winners. Defending champion, LPGA Player of the Year, Money List and Vare Trophy champ Lorena Ochoa, will compete against the World No. 1, McDonald's LPGA Championship teenage winner Yani Tseng, U.S. Women's Open champion Inbee Park and Ricoh Women's British Open champion Ji-Yai Shin in addition to others.

If you can't make it to Half Moon Bay then catch the game on the Golf Channel. It will be broadcast from 3:30-5:30 p.m. (PT) on Thursday and Friday (Oct. 2-3). NBC's live coverage is 9:30-11:30 a.m. (PT) Saturday, Oct. 4 and 1-3 p.m. (PT) Sunday, Oct. 5.

In person daily tickets, five-day grounds passes and corporate ticket packages for the Samsung World Championship are available for purchase by calling 888-345-LPGA (888-345-5742), and are available online at the tournament Web site, www.samsung.com/golf. If you are looking for the best bargain get a five-day grounds pass, which allows you admission to all five days of the tournament. This series of tickets must be purchased pre-event (before Sept. 30) for $83 ($43 savings from ticket prices at the gate).

Daily tickets to Thursday's first round and Friday's second round are $24 when purchased pre-event (before Sept. 30), $29 during the event. Admission is free to the Samsung World Championship Pro-Am on Wednesday, Oct. 1. Children 17 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a paid adult. For more information on acquiring corporate ticket packages, call the Samsung World Championship tournament office at 650-712-8060.

If you want to get in for free try being a volunteer. Some help still needed. To volunteer you can call 712-8060.

Men I need your help

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:47:25 -0500

Ok guys and ladies too. I need your help. A while back I went out and bought the hull of a boat that needs a lot of work and parts. For some reason my wife doesn't think its the best investment I've ever made. But I figure if I can get a real estate deal done from someone that says they wanted to give me business so I could afford boat parts, she would have to give in a little. Sound like a plot... I mean a plan? The boat in question is a Vietnam era river patrol boat. Aka PBR MK2. So if you are, or know a military vehicle enthusiast, or collector that needs real estate help of some kind in California or Maui send them my way. Just remember the code words... I'm doing it for the boat project. Don't worry before you talk to my wife we can practice. Besides helping out, you will also get extreme real estate service. It's what we call the win win :) Anyone else out there ever done a real estate deal through some other wild idea? Any one out there have a good deal on a 32 foot boat trailer?

Chicks are taking flight

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:31:36 -0500

So its been almost three weeks since my pheasant chicks arrived and I started this crazy hobby. Wow, no idea they would grow so fast and I don't have their permanent home built yet. I increased their garage home quite a bit. Enough room for them to move around and even fly! They were doing that last week. I put a couple little roosts in for them to get up higher if they want. Had I known things were going to go this fast I might have thought more carefully about this project. I put the word out that I needed some wood and have had a few offers on a decent amount so I think that counts as building green.