My Top 12 ways to ensure a successful real estate career - 07/31/10 08:08 PM
One of my comments in Richard Weeks' post was long enough to make into a nice blog post of my own, and that's what I'm going to do.
Richard is from Dallas, Texas. He will be teaching a Principles 2 class next week and had asked what advice he could pass on to new agents about being successful. Here are my Top 12 ways to ensure a successful real estate career:
Define success for yourself and your family. Don't let someone else's definition become your definition without truly analyzing it to see if it works for you and your family. Absolutely, positively … (13 comments)

Mission Valley condos in San Diego: The Courtyards offers pools, spas, sauna, fitness center, tennis courts, and a recreation room - 07/31/10 05:01 AM
Prices in Mission Valley have continued increasing throughout 2010, so if you enjoy the hassle-free condominium lifestyle, it's time to get into a Mission Valley condo while prices are right. You can enjoy everything that beautiful San Diego has to offer right from the central location of your condominium inThe Courtyards!
Why The Courtyards? Along with its central location, you've got pools, spas, a sauna, a fitness center, tennis courts, a recreation room, and great landscaping, including ponds and lakes. Along with common area laundry facilities, many units also have in-unit laundries.
There are 340 units built in 1988. Units range in … (7 comments)

Why Can't We All Get Along? - 07/29/10 05:18 PM
I watched this video a couple of times while laughing my head off. I think this little fawn forgot what mommy deer taught it, that you're supposed to run away from dogs, not play with them.
Via Joan Cox (Metro Brokers - House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate):
This is just the funniest video you have seen!     This deer and dog must really be having the time, and especially those who got the opportunity to see this!    Not an every day site!      I know my two kitties would not be doing this!     That deer does not act like a DEER!    … (0 comments)

Sometimes your rose-colored glasses need to be cleaned - 07/29/10 11:41 AM
A commenter recently stated that she loved to go fishing but the fish didn't like her bait.
It's like that in all aspects of life. Sometimes the fish bite, sometimes they don't. Just make sure you're using the right bait!
You'd love to go out with someone. They look but don't bite.
You need customers, and while you think you've done everything to reel them in, hook, line, and sinker, they just aren't biting.
This is where business analysis comes in handy. Not only are there hundreds of tools out there to help you analyze your business, there are even people … (16 comments)

Picture of the Moment — #12 - 07/28/10 09:45 PM
Feel free to leave comments, captions, etc.,which ensures that I'll be by to visit you and comment.



… (21 comments)

Breaking news hot off the press: San Diego refuses to participate in doom and gloom! - 07/28/10 01:30 PM

The good news just keeps on coming for us here in San Diego!
The latest Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Index released yesterday indicates that San Diego home prices increased 12.4% in May 2010 over May 2009. Although San Diego took second place behind San Francisco's 18.3% increase, San Diego is the only metro area in the Index to have price increases for thirteen consecutive months!
Increases were also noted in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, and D.C. That's 11 out of the 20 metro areas in the Index!
The experts (and I'm still … (8 comments)

Breaking news hot off the press: Find out the inside scoop direct from the White House! - 07/27/10 10:20 PM
If you'd like to keep up with the current administration, getting news before others get it, you can now subscribe to the White House Daily Snapshot.
The Daily Snapshot is a quick look at what's happening each day with President Obama and includes the President and Vice-President's daily schedules, a look at what's hot on the White House blog, the Photo of the Day, and other important updates.
I got my personal email from the President earlier today and signed up for the Daily Snapshot.
Just click on Daily Snapshot and you, too, can get the inside scoop.
♫♪♫♫♪♫
If you're … (17 comments)

Breaking news hot off the press: Better times appear to be here! - 07/27/10 01:10 PM
During the past 12-18 months, San Diego County has been receiving consistently good news about the real estate market and the general economy here.
I figure that since we were one of the first markets to go south, it's only fair that we are one of the first, if not the first, to turn around and go north.
Along with home sales consistently rising for the past 27 months and home prices consistently rising for the past 17 months, unemployment has been falling, and the consumer confidence index has been rising.
Breaking news hot off the press this morning tells us … (6 comments)

Create historic photos to market a historic house - 07/27/10 11:04 AM
One of the things that I always find funny when I'm watching big sporting events is the thousands of people taking pictures. You know they are taking pictures because you can see the camera flashes going off. I'm pretty sure that the camera flash has absolutely no effect on what they are taking a picture of, unless all of them are taking pictures of each other.
SLR cameras have always allowed the user to use flash in many different ways, and one of the ways that my new handy dandy Canon 550D lets me use flash is by setting the intensity … (15 comments)

Save Money and the Environment by Conserving Electricity - 07/27/10 01:25 AM
I have done, or do, these things, and I figure if I can do it, then so can other people. LOL
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Yvonne Martin (Keller Williams Realty Services):
You can save money and the environment by conserving electricity.  Here are four easy ways to start conserving electricity and saving yourself money today:
Don't just turn off; unplug.  Just because an appliance or device is turned off, doesn't mean it isn't using electricity.  Devices that … (0 comments)

Tip for Sellers: Remove ALL signs of smoking including ash trays! - 07/27/10 01:05 AM
When it comes to smoke, I have a very sensitive nose, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. Since smoke is not the most pleasant smell, along with removing ash trays, cooking some chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies, or an apple pie, can go a long way to eliminating, or at least overpowering, the smoke smell.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, … (0 comments)

Tip #2 for Sellers: You might have to do some "volunteer" work - 07/27/10 01:02 AM
I'll never forget my very first listing. My marketing guru, a plant expert and a home inspector as well, visited the property and convinced me that my listing would show better if we had a little conversation with the neighbors on each side. We wound up volunteering to do some pruning and minor landscaping at their homes. Now I don't know if that really helped or not, but my listing did sell in just a couple of days.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to … (0 comments)

Tip #3 for Sellers: Remove ALL evidence of Pets - 07/27/10 12:57 AM
As much as I love Zoey the Cool Cat, and all other cats, when it comes to selling a home, remember that your home becomes a marketable property, and that marketable property should not smell like a veterinary clinick!
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
Here is a quick tip for selling your home.  Be sure to remove ALL evidence of pets … (0 comments)

Tip#4 for Sellers: Edge your sidewalks - 07/27/10 12:54 AM
We don't have a lot of grass here in our Mediterranean desert climate, but pruning bushes and trees, as well as pulling weeds and dead plants, can also go a long way toward creating curb appeal.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
When you are selling your home you are in competition with all the other homes on the market.  One of … (0 comments)

Tip#4 for Sellers: Edge your sidewalks - 07/27/10 12:54 AM
We don't have a lot of grass here in our Mediterranean desert climate, but pruning bushes and trees, as well as pulling weeds and dead plants, can also go a long way toward creating curb appeal.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
When you are selling your home you are in competition with all the other homes on the market.  One of … (0 comments)

Tip#5 for Sellers: Windex a glass door's best friend! - 07/27/10 12:52 AM
Along with Windoex, I can highly recommend WD-40 for glass that is in wet locations. It seems to help prevent water spots and hard mineral buildup.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
Here is a something very minor that will get often get overlooked by a seller.  As an agent opens the lockbox the front porch area is under scrutiny.  Don't forget to … (0 comments)

Opening a "Branch" Office - 07/27/10 12:49 AM
I thought this was a great idea. While I know that an office at street level in a high-traffic location does bring in extra traffic, I happen not to be in such an office. It might be pretty neat for a bunch of us to get together and have dozens of open houses one Sunday.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
Some … (0 comments)

Tip#6 for Sellers: Have the furnace serviced by a HVAC technician - 07/27/10 12:45 AM
This is a great suggestion, and I might also add that the same thing can be done with the water heater and the air conditioning compressor.
This is a reblog, and I disable comments on reblogs so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the original author's blog and comment.
Via Omaha, NE Real Estate | Omaha, NE homes for sale ~ David Matney, CRS (Alliance Real Estate):
Here is a tip for sellers preparing to put their home on the market.  Have the furnace serviced by a licensed HVAC contractor before going on the market.  Also, make … (0 comments)

One of the most beautiful creatures - 07/26/10 09:18 PM
Has to be one of the most beautiful creatures on Earth.



… (12 comments)

Breaking news hot off the press: New home sales surged in June 2010 - 07/26/10 11:47 AM

MSNBC is reporting this morning that, according to the Department of Commerce, sales of new homes surged unexpectedly in June 2010, up 23.6% to an annual rate of 330,000. The number of new homes on the market dropped to 210,000, the lowest level since September 1968.
Pundits had been predicting a wholesale collapse of the real estate market when the federal tax credit expired at the end of April. It looked like they were going to be right when May figures showed that new home sales fell to their lowest level since 1963, which is when records started being kept.
Couple this … (9 comments)

You CAN be successful, if you'll be practical! - 07/26/10 07:57 AM
You CAn be successful, if you'll be practical!
Be practical in all that you do.
Wanna be a millionaire overnight? Not practical. Wanna be a millionaire next week? Not practical. Wanna be a millionaire next month? Not practical. Wanna be a millionaire next year? Not practical. Wanna be a millionaire in five years? Now you might be on to something. Practical planning means long-term planning. Where do you want to be at age 65? How old are you now? I'm 50, so I have 15 years to get there. Consequently, I have a 10-year plan, a 5-year plan, a year one plan, a … (14 comments)

My Top 10 new laws "for the good of the people" - 07/25/10 10:06 PM
I always get a kick out of reading all the new laws that go into effect each January and July.
Why new laws don't go into effect immediately is something I've never understood. Nonetheless, following are my Top 10 new laws some that recently went into effect here in San Diego and California. Remember that these laws were created for the good of the people.
Restaurants are prohibited from cooking with trans fats. This law will apply to bakeries in 2011. Why not now? Utilities must pay customers who generate excess power (think solar and wind systems) that is then returned to … (12 comments)

Bayside by Bosa: Downtown San Diego condominium resort living at its finest - 07/25/10 09:43 PM
I've lived in San Diego since 1988 and have been able to watch many buildings go up along the San Diego Bay.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the previous building boom was going bust, but in the mid-1990s, things picked up again and lasted until around 2006.
One of the new buildings that opened within the past year is what I consider one of the more beautiful buildings downtown. It is Bayside by Bosa:
 
Bayside by Bosa opened in November 2009, offering 232 unique homes on the front row of San Diego's beautiful harbor. These are one- and two-bedroom condominiums … (4 comments)

Excessive funding of children's wants: The true cause of our federal deficit - 07/25/10 09:03 PM
I've never had children — never wanted children — so maybe I'm not the proper person to speak on how to raise children.
However, maybe I can phrase child rearing in terms of our federal deficit, which currently is somewhere around $12 trillion, give or take a few trillion dollars.
I think child rearing in America is the cause of our federal deficit. To wit, our children here in America seem to be spoiled kids who then turn into spoiled teenagers who then turn into spoiled adults. Parents try to appease their children by giving them anything and everything they want, … (9 comments)

How to complain better - 07/25/10 08:40 PM
There are many bloggers here at ActiveRain who regularly always blog about politics.
There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but rarely do they offer a solution, and that's what I have a problem with, complaining simply to complain.
Since I'm here complaining about the complainers, I thought I would offer a solution, so here it is, short, in plain English, easy to comprehend, and even in a different color font:
If you complain, offer a solution to that which you complain about.
Here is what I think is a good format, which I picked up from my four years working as … (15 comments)

"And now, the rest of the story" — What does "as is" really mean? - 07/25/10 08:24 PM
Every time I hear, or read, a one-sided story, such as when listening to Fox News or reading some Featured ActiveRain posts, I always think of Paul Harvey and go digging for "the rest of the story"?
Today I'm thinking of Paul Harvey because of Barry Owen's currently Featured Post titled What we have here is a failure to communicate. That got me to thinking about how beautiful the English language is, how ugly some people can make it, and how fluent it is as definitions and spellings of phrases and words change over time.
After reading Barry's post, it's painfully … (9 comments)

Does Sean Hayes have the secret to life? - 07/25/10 01:41 AM
In the overall scheme of the things, i.e., the timeline of the universe, each of us is here on Earth for just a few seconds.
When I think of it like that, I'm kind of encouraged to make the most of those few universal seconds.
I was reading an article about Sean Hayes, the actor who played Jack McFarland on Will & Grace. Since Will & Grace ended in 2006, Hayes has been in movies (The Bucket List), television (Martin and Lewis), formed his own productoin company which produces the new sitcom, Hot in Cleveland, starring Betty White, and stars in … (10 comments)

Ribbett.... - 07/24/10 10:25 PM
Feel free to leave a comment, and a caption if you can think of one.

… (10 comments)

Are there really 739,233 real estate agents in California? - 07/24/10 12:39 AM
I'm pretty sure I'm one of the few people who enjoys getting junk mail.
There is, however, a method to my madness.
Much of my junk mail is advertising.
One piece that arrived today really has me wondering:

I thought the advertisement was cute and effective, but I have to wonder about the statement that one in fifty Californians are real estate agents. Hmmm.
The 2009 estimated population for California is 36,961,664. If one in 50, or two percent, are real estate agents, that's 739,233 people. San Diego County has about 24,000 people who participate in the MLS, not all of … (22 comments)

What do YOU think he's saying? - 07/22/10 07:26 PM
Feel free to leave a comment, and a caption if you can think of one.

… (16 comments)

Thank you, John! (All is NOT doom and gloom!) - 07/22/10 03:34 PM

Every time John Mulkey, the Housing Guru in Waleska, Georgia, gets a Featured Post announcing the latest doom-and-gloom news, I find great news in the San Diego Union-Tribune, our arch-conservative newspaper.
John's current Featured Post is titled The housing marketing has fallen and won't get up.
We seem to be doing well over here in San Diego, which might just prove yet again that all real estate is local. Sales have been steadily increasing for 29 consecutive months, and prices have been steadily increasing for 17 consecutive months.
Unemployment is down, the economy is up, consumer confidence index is increasing, … (16 comments)

Why are agents who complain about low-ball offers the ones who write all the low-ball offers? - 07/22/10 01:25 PM
I don't like the term low-ball offer because I believe any offer is good enough to get the ball rolling. Without an offer, there can be no negotiations. In fact, without an offer, there can't even be a sale!
I understand what is meant by the term, but what always puzzles me is why the agents who do the most complaining about low-ball offers on their listings are the agents who turn around and write nothing but low-ball offers when they are representing buyers.
Am I missing something here?
Are you one of them?
If I'm writing an offer for a … (52 comments)

Out & About with Jim Frimmer, your Realtor in Mission Valley — No telling what you'll see at Comic-Con - 07/21/10 04:56 PM
This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
One of San Diego's largest annual conventions begins tomorrow and plays through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center downtown. The convention has been sold out since for a year now, so unless you have a ticket, you won't be getting in. However, you can go downtown, eat in the Gaslamp Quarter or sit at the Trolley stops, and do some people watching, which is what I'm going to do. There is no telling what you'll see.
Attendance at Comic-Con this year is … (7 comments)

Out & About with Jim Frimmer, your Realtor in Mission Valley — San Diego's 36th Annual Gay Pride Parade - 07/20/10 08:46 PM
This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
The annual LGBT Pride parade is one of San Diego's largest civic events with around 150,000 lining the streets to watch over 150 colorful parade entrants go by. This year's parade was no exception. Following is a 50-picture slide show of the 2010 Parade. Hope you enjoy it.

 
 
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If you're looking for a great real estate agent in San Diego, well,let me Google one for you. I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by … (9 comments)

Picture of the Moment - 07/20/10 06:46 PM
This is a picture of the front of the Santa Fe Railroad Depot in downtown San Diego. I love water fountains, especially this one.

… (11 comments)

Don't want to do the work? Don't be surprised at the results! - 07/20/10 04:34 AM
Don't want to do the work? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to have the oil changed? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to have the tires rotated? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to track your income and expenses? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to go to work today? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to study? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to eat right? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to exercise each day? Don't be surprised at the results!
Don't want to … (23 comments)

Need a caption - 07/19/10 09:35 PM
Need a caption
Feel free to leave a comment with your caption.

… (16 comments)

Out & About with Jim Frimmer, your Realtor in Mission Valley — Azalea Park: How gay SINKs and DINKs revitalized a neighborhood - 07/18/10 06:54 AM
Picture it: May 1980. Azalea Park, San Diego, California. Inflation is 14% and unemployment is 7½%, and that includes your wife who got a pink slip from the San Diego Unified School District just last week. Times are tough.
You are offered a great promotion at work, which comes just at the right time for you and your family. After long talks with your wife, you decide that you have to turn it down. Why? Because it means you would be doing a lot of traveling and that would leave your wife home alone during some days and nights.
The last thing you … (8 comments)

What's good for the goose must be good for the gander - 07/17/10 12:05 PM
All of us have heard about strategic default by home owners, but what about strategic default by businesses?
Last year, Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. announced that they would walk away from their W Hotel in downtown San Diego. Their reasoning was that the property wasn't worth anywhere near the $65 million that they owed on it, as well as the $20 million in operating costs and debt. Their strategic default was just announced as being complete; the lender now owns the W Hotel.
Sunstone bought the hotel in 2006 for $96 million, and most recently had it listed as a $35 … (14 comments)

Picture of the Momen - 07/17/10 11:15 AM
Picture of the Moment
 
Feel free to leave a comment with your caption.

… (19 comments)

Don't lose sight of your goal! - 07/16/10 11:40 AM
Don't lose sight of your goal!
When things look desperate, don't lose sight of your goal!
When things don't go right, don't lose sight of your goal!
When someone does something unethical, don't lose sight of your goal!
When someone says you can't do something, don't lose sight of your goal!
When someone steals your thunder, don't lose sight of your goal!
When things appear to be out of control, don't lose sight of your goal!
When an accident happens, don't lose sight of your goal!
Even when great things happen, don't lose sight of your goal!
Don't have any goals? … (18 comments)

Out & About San Diego with Jim Frimmer, Your Realtor in Mission Valley — 36th Annual San Diego Pride Parade and Festival July 17-18, 2010 - 07/16/10 10:39 AM

This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
San Diego's annual LGBT Pride Parade and Festival began 36 years ago as a small protest parade. Today it is one of the premier LGBT Pride events in California, and is also the fifth largest LGBT Pride event in America (behind San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago).
The parade starts at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday and is scheduled to end at 1:00 p.m. Plan on it going a little longer; it always does. There are usually … (4 comments)

Picture of the Moment — #2 - 07/15/10 10:23 PM
Picture of the Moment — #2
This is the second in my Picture of the Moment series.
Feel free to leave a comment with your caption for Picture of the Moment #2: 

… (19 comments)

Should you pressure wash your deck? IT DEPENDS! - 07/15/10 12:29 PM
I think it's unfair that one person has his opinion featured without opposing views also being featured, so I've suggested this post by Russel, who is out somewhere doing a home inspection right now, be featured, and it's well worth reblogging, too.
I disable comments on re-blogs, so click on the link below and you can comment directly on Russel's blog.
Via Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Russel Ray, Property Consultant):
A currently featured post by Jay Markanich, a home inspector over in Bristow, Virginia, states in its title, "NEVER pressure wash a deck!" Of course, anytime you say NEVER, you'll … (0 comments)

Pride and ego are not the same - 07/14/10 10:44 AM
Pride and ego are not the same
Sometimes the most difficult task is finding a product that you can take pride in. I submit that there might be at least one person reading this who should not be a real estate agent, not because you can't be a good real estate agent, but because you just don't have any pride in what you do, for whatever reason. And that's not necessarily wrong, per sé. It's only wrong if you don't recognize that fact and, instead, continue trying to be something that you really don't want to be.
Something that many people don't … (14 comments)

It takes work to make a house a home, and it also takes work to make a home a house. - 07/14/10 01:04 AM
There are many ActiveRain blog posts and Internet articles about what Sellers should do to make their home more marketable, to help the real estate agent sell it, to help Buyers see the possibilities if they were to buy it.
They include things like:
Freshen up the landscaping, pruning overgrown bushes and trees, and planting some seasonal flowers. Painting the trim around the doors, windows, and roof eaves. Replacing dated lighting fixtures. Fixing the hardware on the cabinets, drawers, doors, and windows. Letting Grandma keep the pets when the house is going to be shown or held open. Keeping the beds … (16 comments)

Out & About San Diego with Jim Frimmer, Your Realtor in Mission Valley — How would YOU like to name a baby elephant? - 07/13/10 11:33 PM

This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
Up at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the elephant herd welcomed another little one (relative to the size of the big ones) on May 12, making three new pachyderms this year. The Wild Animal Park is taking suggestions for naming the new one. See if you have what it takes to come up with an appropriate name for a 302-pound animal by going to Name the Calf.
If it helps you any, mom's name is Umoya, which means … (4 comments)

Does a power transformer in front of one's house result in a 10% devaluation? - 07/13/10 10:46 PM
Today's San Diego Union-Tribune had an interesting story about real estate.
The City of San Diego and San Diego Gas & Electric Company have been very aggressive in moving overhead utility lines underground. Most people and neighborhoods are only too happy when undergrounding happens because their views are cleared up with the removal of the poles and wires, and there are a lot of properties with views in San Diego County.
The removal of poles, though, means that the power transformers have to be moved to the ground as well. This is what a power transformer looks like:

I'll be … (13 comments)

Fun with Russel Ray — "The Book of Eli" (a movie review) - 07/13/10 10:01 PM
I have a great variety of interests, some of which are also avocations. One of those is history, and since much of history is connected to various religions, The Book of Eli piqued my interest.
I wound up watching it more than once. In fact, I watched it four times while I was doing home inspection reports before returning it to Blockbuster.
The movie takes place thirty years after some sort of apocalyptic event. Eli — Denzel Washington in another great Denzel Washington role — is a lone survivor traveling on foot to somewhere on the West Coast, his purpose being … (12 comments)

San Diego County real estate market refuses to collapse after the federal tax credit expired - 07/13/10 07:43 PM
Many experts were predicting a collapse of the real estate market beginning in May 2010 since the federal tax credit expired in April. Such has not proven to be the case here in San Diego County. Both the number of sales and the median home price are steadily increasing, and interest rates are still low!
The median home price of $335,500 in June was slightly lower (1.3%) than May but was up 6.8% from June 2009, the ninth consecutive month of year-over-year increases. January 2009, when the median home price reached a low of $280,000, appears to be the bottom of the San Diego … (4 comments)

Mission Valley condos in San Diego: Presidio Place offers pool, spa, tennis courts, and a club house - 07/12/10 08:46 PM
Prices in Mission Valley have continued increasing throughout 2010, so if you enjoy the hassle-free condominium lifestyle, it's time to get into a Mission Valley condo while prices are right. You can enjoy everything that beautiful San Diego has to offer right from the central location of your Presidio Place condo!
If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley that has a pool, spa, tennis courts, and a club house, take a look at Presidio Place.
Presidio Place has been a very popular condominium complex during the 2000s because of its location, excellent property management, and strong HOA. There are 402 units built from … (4 comments)

Popcorn is for the birds! - 07/12/10 01:59 PM
Just a half mile from where I live and work is Lake Murray, part of the huge Mission Trails Regional Park. I will often go to Lake Murray and walk.
Also not too far from Lake Murray is San Diego State University to the southwest and an 18-theater movie complex to the northeast. Lake Murray is about halfway between the two.
I'm thinking that a bunch of college students went to the movies, bought a little too much popcorn, and found something to do with it on the way home.

… (9 comments)

Determining your product - 07/12/10 06:15 AM
Product
It's usually fairly easy to find a product, whether it be services or something physical. Differentiating your product or services from your competition is a little more difficult, but it can be done.
I'm reminded of a hamburger joint in west Houston called Dead Solid Perfect. They had been around for years when I was in college, and their sign outside said, "Dozens of hamburgers sold," a play, of course, on McDonald's "Millions sold" (at that time). The last time I was in Houston, a McDonald's, a Wendy's, and a Burger King had built restaurants close by, all so close … (36 comments)

Where does Zoey the Cool Cat rank? - 07/11/10 10:02 PM
According to Veterinary Pet Insurance, the most popular name for pets is Max. Whatever happened to Spot, Rover, Fido, and Lassie?
Apparently classic pet names have given way to human names, possibly because human names make our pets seem more like part of the family.
However, Veterinary Pet Insurance also reports some of the more unusual names, such as Snag L. Tooth, Ginger Snap, and Munchie. Then, of course, there are the typical pet names provided by college students: Cold One, Brew, Little Sh*t, Pizza, and Cheeseburger.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the complete list so I don't know where Zoey the … (9 comments)

Is the home you're selling walkable? - 07/11/10 09:29 PM
One of my requirements whenever I bought a home was that the neighborhood had to be walkable.
I had no idea until recently that many other people have similar requirements.
There is even a web site, Walk Score, that calculates how easy it is to walk to libraries, parks, stores, schools, and restaurants. Walk scores range from 0, obviously the worst, to 100, the best.
Interestingly, a study commissioned by CEOs for Cities found that a home located in a more walkable neighborhood sold for more than a similar home in a less walkable neighborhood. In 13 out of 15 metro … (7 comments)

Why? — Episode 1 - 07/11/10 08:44 PM
There are many things in life that I still don't understand, even though I'm going to be half a century young on July 18. It seems that even though we all grow older day by day, there's never a lack of things going on that puzzle we the (normal?) people.
When I read them, hear about them, or see them on the news, or YouTube, or the Internet, I just shake my head and ask, Why?
A few of the interesting tidbits that have shown up on the news recently that puzzle me:
Why the overly wealthy (i.e., sports and movie … (6 comments)

How to clean up your house using your digital camera - 07/11/10 04:21 PM
Is your home turning into piles of magazines and newspapers?
For those of us who still read books, newspapers, and magazines, here's a handy dandy little tip on what to do with interesting articles about things to do and places to go.
My marketing guru, whom I've known for sixteen years, is an article cutter-outer.
Unfortunately, he also refuses to throw something away that he has subscribed to unless he has read it first to see if there are any articles that should be cut out, which is why our home looks like this:
    
    
Now don't get … (13 comments)

Did you know? — The first American ship to enter San Diego Bay - 07/11/10 02:52 PM
This is the first in my new Did you know? series. This series will be mostly about San Diego, but occasionally I might visit other areas in Southern California, California, and the United States, the world, and the universe. I hope to make this series about the little known things, little known but interesting. I hope you enjoy it.
Most of the pictures that I'll use in this series are from Russel Ray Photos. If you need inexpensive, high quality, royalty-free photographs, check him out. His prices are very competitive with all the other stock photo sites, and he's the only one I … (6 comments)

Herewith I release the Sun god into the ActiveRain community - 07/10/10 12:21 PM
On The Border had always been one of my favorite places to eat Mexican food and drink margaritas.
Until late last year.
That was when they discontinued their excellent raspberry margaritas. Their reason was that "no one ordered them." Hmmm. My marketing guru and I ordered four every Sunday at 7:00 p.m.
Since we knew where we ranked with On The Border, we've been visiting different Mexican restaurants throughout the area, and I'll be doing reviews of them in the future.
Today, however, I'll just leave you with this picture of the Sun god that I took at the restaurant we … (14 comments)

A Stager's Advice to Realtors - 07/09/10 09:59 PM
This is a re-blog. Original author is Patsy Overton. I disable comments on re-blogs so that you can click on the link below and visit Patsy directly and comment there.
Via Patsy Overton (Stage, Show & SELL Home Staging Co. Atlanta, Georgia):
A Stager's Advice to Realtors
Lately I've been on the agent circuit, having done recent home staging presentations for local Keller Williams, Re/Max and Prudential GA Realty offices.  On the third presentation I realized that there are several key points that I always emphasize when I have the chance.  I'd like to share them with you.  Here they are:
Never lose … (0 comments)

Beat the summer heat in a "cool zone" - 07/09/10 01:16 PM
The heat waves throughout the country haven't hit here in San Diego, but past history indicates that we'll get ours.
However, this is the latest in the year that I can ever remember not using the air conditioning system at all, and May Gray and June Gloom seem to be holding over into July.
Temperatures in East San Diego County regularly climb into the 90s during the summer, and it's not unusual to find daily temperatures of over 100 degrees in the deserts.
For the tenth consecutive year, San Diego County will have "cool zones" where people can go and cool … (11 comments)

The Top 17 Features Generation Y Looks For When Buying A Home - 07/09/10 04:44 AM
I always disable comments on posts that I re-blog so that you can click on the link below and go directly to the author's blog to comment there.
Via Bea Fields (Bea Fields Companies, Inc. ):
I want to start this post by saying that, as with all demographics, not all Generation Y home buyers are going to want the following list in a home.  But, the trends with this age group seems to be leaning in the  direction  for certain amenities and features when buying or renting a home.
I also will just add that as Generation Y begins to marry and … (0 comments)

Old-fashioned service - Modern technology - 07/08/10 10:57 PM
Sometimes I'll find a business whose on-street marketing is so good that I want to use them as soon as possible. Today was such a day.
I was taking a shortcut, something that I enjoy doing because I always have my handy dandy Canon 550D camera with me, and there are a lot of interesting things to take pictures of when you slow down by taking a shortcut.
Does that make sense? ☺☻☻☺
Here is what I saw today:


Can you guess what type of business this was?
No?
Here's what was on the side of the door in … (16 comments)

It is a lot easier than you thought - 07/08/10 12:52 PM
We often hear about the power of mind over matter and the power of positive thoughts, but thoughts alone aren't going to do it.
Thoughts in and of themselves have little power at all, except, perhaps, in Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie.
To prove it, just try to do anything using just your thought. For example, when you get to the bottom of your screen while reading this post, just think, "Scroll down" and see what happens. Nothing, right?
Now just reach over, grab your mouse (providing your cat is not sleeping on it), point it at the scroll bar, … (8 comments)

If you move to San Diego, be prepared for a little rock 'n' roll - 07/07/10 11:50 PM
San Diego got rocked by another earthquake today, this one a 5.4 magnitude earthquake located just 58 miles north northeast of downtown San Diego. That's just about 40 miles from where I live.
Ever since Easter Sunday, when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck in Mexicali, Mexico, about 115 miles east of downtown, earthquakes have become more prevalent, most of them aftershocks of that 7.2 earthquake.
The occurence of the largest ones seem to be moving north northwest, which is the general direction that the San Andreas fault system runs. That's the fault system that created the 1989 World Series earthquake in … (18 comments)

Mission Valley, San Diego, California: The central location of Mission Valley makes it a great place to live and work! - 07/07/10 04:48 PM
The central location of Mission Valley makes it a great place to work and live!

Mission Valley has been a significant part of San Diego ever since 1769, when the first California mission, Mission San Diego de Alcala, was located there. Even before that, though, the Kumeyaay Indians lived in the area for more than 10,000 years. Most of the area was dairy farms and other agricultural activites up until the end of World War II in 1945, when San Diego began expanding. The last farm closed in the early 1960s.
Mission Valley development began in earnest in 1953, when the … (8 comments)

Fun with Russel Ray — There's a party going on for Bob Stewart, who is retiring - 07/06/10 07:17 PM
Bob Stewart got married! I thought he was married to ActiveRain!
Click on the link below and leave Bob and his new wife a lovely gift, words of wisdom, something to eat, or just some congratulations.
Via Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector (Russel Ray, Property Consultant):
I don't know if I'm letting the cat out of the bag, but I heard some news from a little birdie today, so it is with great sadness that I announce that Bob Stewart is retiring....
....from bachelorhood!
With that done, it's with great gladness that I welcome Bob Stewart and his lovely wife to … (0 comments)

I wasn't offended - 07/06/10 11:55 AM
I, however, was thrilled.
Those who follow me regularly probably know that occasionally I'll have some extra time on my hands and just want to do something kind of quirky.
July 4 was one of those times.
I decided that in addition to making my daily minimum 11 comments (yes, 11), I would create an Independence Day graphic and see how many blogs I could leave that graphic in as a comment.
The graphic looked like this:

 
I got to 208 blogs on July 4 and left that graphic as a comment, so if you got one, well, it … (28 comments)

No pain, no gain - 07/06/10 10:24 AM
I run my life using a five-year plan. Where am I today? Where do I want to be in five years?
I use five years because that's what I learned from my marketing guru. Anything longer than five years gives you too much time for third parties to interrupt you, and anything less than five years might not give you the inspiration and motivation to really do something with your life or business. Just my take on time.
Once I know where I want to be in five years, I determine how best to get there. All those incremental steps. Education? … (14 comments)

Get started right now - 07/06/10 03:15 AM
I just finished reading a lot of blog posts written by people who didn't make their second quarter goals, or their first half goals, or don't know how or where to get started since the year is half over, or they are just getting started but don't know how to create their first year plan since there's only six months left in this year.
There is no secret to getting started:
Start a new day right now. Start a new week right now. Start a new month right now. Start a new year right now. There's no reason why you have … (21 comments)

Mission Valley condos in San Diego: Mission Village offers pool, spa, fitness center, and tennis courts - 07/05/10 09:32 PM
Prices in Mission Valley have continued increasing throughout 2010, so if you enjoy the hassle-free condominium lifestyle, it's time to get into a Mission Valley condo while prices are right. You can enjoy everything that beautiful San Diego has to offer right from the central location of your Mission Valley condo!
If you're looking for a great condominium in the western end of Mission Valley, one that has a pool, spa, fitness center and tennis courts, Mission Village is worth a look. This is one of the few Mission Valley condominium complexes that is on the south side of Interstate 8.
… (4 comments)

Twitter update - 07/04/10 09:04 PM
After reading soci@l and doing a review on Chapter 3, I now understand why people Tweet such useless information as:
going fishing at my favorite Lake Wassabee fishing spot. on my way to the downtown San Diego library to read the Washington Post if I don't get this door open quickly, I'm going to pee my pants (open the door instead of Tweeting! duh) I haven't set up a Twitter account yet, but I'm encouraged. I think I'll practice right here at ActiveRain:
Leaving now to catch the San Diego Trolley to Old Town for some Mexican food and a margarita … (10 comments)

Speechless Sunday: If you're out of place, just make sure you're bigger than everyone else - 07/04/10 08:53 PM
Courtesy of my marketing guru who got me involved here at ActiveRain, and my husband who bought us a "handy dandy Canon" digital SLR camera, I find myself more and more looking at the things around me.
Pictures can not only inspire you, but the mere act of taking pictures seems to be very relaxing.
Following is one of my favorite pictures from this last week. I tagged it, "If you're out of place, just make sure you're bigger than everyone else." 

 
♫♪♫♫♪♫
If you're looking for a great real estate agent in San Diego, well,let me Google one for … (10 comments)

Let's get soci@l — Growing your online audience: Friends, followers, and connections - 07/04/10 08:26 PM
My marketing guru told me about a great free book that he wanted me to read and then pick one chapter to write a review about. I'm always up for reading, but with his love of horror and science fiction, I wasn't sure what he was asking me to do or what I was agreeing to do.
Looking at the Table of Contents didn't help me any; all the chapter titles sounded worthwhile. Ultimately, I first skimmed looking at subtitles, bullet lists, and pull quotes. From that it was pretty easy to decide which chapter I wanted to read first: Growing … (6 comments)

Arson strikes too close to home. Thank you La Mesa Fire Fighters! - 07/04/10 04:34 PM
At 11:10 this morning, a fire truck drove by our place. That's not necessarily unusual since we have quite a few elderly people living nearby. However, he still had his lights on, and that is unusual when they are heading north.
Just a few minutes later and several fire fighters were unrolling hoses to the fire hydrant two doors down.
Just 50 feet away, but hidden behind another building, was a hillside brush fire. The wind was blowing the smoke to the east, which is why I didn't see it. I got pictures and found out that four eyewitnesses saw someone … (8 comments)

Out & About with Jim Frimmer, Your Realtor in Mission Valley — A short history of the German Colony of Olivenhain - 07/03/10 11:00 PM

This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
About 25 miles north of downtown San Diego is the City of Encinitas:

In the 2000 Census, Encinitas had about 58,000 residents. The 2005 estimate of median household income was $86,520. It's one of San Diego County's more affluent cities.
On the eastern side of Interstate 5 in Encinitas is the somewhat rural community of Olivenhain, featuring two-lane roads, wood rail fences, and parks and trails for pedestrians, bicycles, and even horses. Most of the homes are single … (7 comments)

Out & About with Jim Frimmer, your Realtor in Mission Valley — The San Diego Nighttime Zoo - 07/03/10 01:49 PM

This is one of a series titledOut & About with Jim Frimmer,your Realtor in Mission Valley.Read others in this seriesright here.
The San Diego Zoo just started its summertime hours, which means that, through September 6, the Zoo opens every morning at 9:00 and closes every night at 9:00. Twelve full hours of fun in the San Diego sun with wildlife from throughout the world!
If you go at dusk, you can often find that many of the animals that sleep during the day are waking up in natural preparation for doing their hunting. The owls are out of their box nests, … (5 comments)

You can catch several fireworks shows from your Mission Valley condo! - 07/02/10 10:40 PM
One of the great advantages of condo living in Mission Valley is that you don't have to go far when it comes time for those Fourth of July fireworks shows.
In fact, in many cases, you don't have to do anything other than simply go outside.
San Diego has a large contingent of military personnel and military bases, so our cities like to put on great fireworks shows to celebrate our country and our military.
Following are the fireworks shows that are in, near, or visible from Mission Valley:
Big Bay Boom, downtown San Diego. Mission Bay Yacht Club. Paradise Point … (7 comments)

You have control over your time - 07/02/10 08:15 PM
I always find it interesting when I hear other real estate agents complain about Clients who spend too much time looking at properties that they can't afford.
What's particularly puzzling is that the real estate agent actually took them to look at all those properties that they couldn't afford.
You have control over your time, and if you let people make demands on your time that are not reasonable, you only have yourself to blame.
The best thing to do is get your Clients pre-qualified and/or pre-approved so that you'll know exactly what they can and cannot afford. Then if they want to look … (7 comments)

If Santa calls again - 07/01/10 09:47 AM
Around Halloween of last year, the San Diego Zoo's reindeer mysteriously disappeared.
There were rumors that Santa needed some extra help with the state of the economy being what it was, and our San Diego Zoo reindeer volunteered.
I'm happy to report that they are back from the cold north and losing that thick coat of fur that kept them warm up there. After all, here in sunny San Diego they can bare it all, so to speak.
 

 
I'm sure after spending the summer here relaxing and getting refreshed, they'll be ready to go again if Santa calls them … (18 comments)