Fair Oaks Real Estate Tips and Advice

Have you ever seen water bounce?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:50:04 -0600

I love learning something new. And if you are a sucker for interesting scientific facts like I am, then you might like this fun video. It is water droplets filmed at 2000 frames per second -- and they bounce!

And now you've seen water bounce, and you even know why.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

GOOD NEWS! Nine Consecutive Gains for Pending Home Sales

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:52:31 -0600

This is from an article in Realtor Magazine, and gives a picture of a housing market that is improving. I have noticed things improving greatly in our area, both for sellers and for buyers. It is beginning to feel more like a normal market than it has in at least 18 months.

The figures are national, which is hard to relate to local areas, but they also broke it down by region. The west region is where I'm located, and I know that even within that region, different parts of our state and neighboring states have different markets. I'm pleased with the way our market is progressing and coming back, and I hope that other areas are experiencing a similar upturn.

Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent to 114.1 from 110.0 in September, and is 31.8 percent above October 2008 when it was 86.6. The rise from a year ago is the biggest annual increase ever recorded for the index, which is at the highest level since March 2006 when it was 115.2.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home sales are experiencing a pendulum swing. "Keep in mind that housing had been underperforming over most of the past year. Based on the demographics of our growing population, existing-home sales should be in the range of 5.5 million to 6.0 million annually, but we were well below the 5-million mark before the home buyer tax credit stimulus," he said. "This means the tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, much more than borrowing sales from the future."

By Region

Pending sales in the Northeast surged 19.9 percent to 100.2 in October and is 44.2 percent above a year ago.
In the Midwest, the index rose 11.6 percent to 109.6 and is 36.6 percent higher than October 2008.
Sales in the South increased 5.4 percent to an index of 115.4, which is 31.6 percent above a year ago.
In the West, the index fell 11.2 percent to 127.7 but is 21.9 percent above October 2008.

Not Out of the Woods Yet
Yun cautioned that home sales could dip in the months ahead. "The expanded tax credit has only been available for the past three weeks, but the time between when buyers start looking at homes until they close on a sale can take anywhere from three to five months. Given the lag time, we could see a temporary decline in closed existing-home sales from December until early spring when we get another surge, but the weak job market remains a major concern and could slow the recovery process."

"Still, as inventories continue to decline and balance is gradually restored between buyers and sellers, we should reach self-sustaining housing conditions and firming home prices in most areas around the middle of 2010. That would mean broad wealth stabilization for the vast number of middle-class families," Yun said.

Inventories are down from 6 months ago here.

Sellers should know that now is the time to list, to catch the buyers who are looking to take advantage of the tax credit.

Buyers should be urged to start their home search in earnest ASAP, so they can have an opportunity to see the best inventory and be sure to get their tax credits.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

How about this snazzy laptop?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:16:42 -0600

How about this snazzy laptop? I understand that it is supposed to be coming out in 2011, if not before, but then they already showed this video at the January 2009 electronics expo in Vegas, so who knows?

I know I'd like it!

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

10 tips for marketing your home this holiday season

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:50:22 -0600

Now that the market is improving in many areas of the country, there are a number of listings coming on the market just as the holiday season gets under way. There are some who believe that this is the wrong time to sell your home because people allegedly do not househunt in December. I have not found that to be true, and December has always been a busy month for me.

If you are marketing your home this holiday season, your chances of finding someone who will fall in love with it are greatly increased if you remember a few things:

1. Be very sparing with perfumes and fragrances. One bottle of essential oil with bamboo sticks can infuse your entire home with a subtle aroma. Although it may not seem as "Christmasy", a light vanilla fragrance is probably the best to make your home fresh without affecting so many allergies. And if you are a smoker, it may be helpful for you tl restrict your smoking to the back yard until the home is sold.

2. While on the subject of scents, remember that the holidays can be stressful for your pets, and may trigger "accidents" that would not otherwise occur, or bouts or diarrhea. The best behaved dog or cat will sometimes become overexcited or nervous, and you should do what you can to keep them calm. It is best to have them gone, if possible, for any showings. If you must lock your dog in the garage during a showing, be sure to put a note on the garage door to alert the agent and prospect not to open that door.

3. We all look forward to decorating our homes with trees, lights, stars, snowmen and Santas, but when potential buyers tour you home, you will want them to focus on the wonderful features of your home and not on how pretty your tree is or your cute snowman. Some decorations will brighten your home and put buyers in a good mood, but cut your normal decor in half while your home is on the market.

4. A Christmas tree will crowd your home to some degree, and you may have to remove a few pieces of your regular furniture. Buyers are interested in large comfortable rooms and will want to imagine their furniture fitting in your home. If the house looks too crowded, it will seem smaller than it actually is, and buyers may not feel their things will fit.

5. When you are expecting a showing, go through the house and turn on all lights so your home will look bright, cheery and welcoming. And if you usually like your home a bit chilly, turn the thermostat up just a couple of degrees until after the showing.

6. I don't recommend lighting a wood fire in the fireplace if you will be leaving the house, but if you have an insert or other safer fireplace, and if you will be gone only minutes, you might want to have a welcoming fire. If you will not have a fire, please be sure that the fireplace is cleared of ashes.

7. Since winter weather means that trees are not as leafy, flowers are not blooming and skies are gray, your home might not feel as cozy. Brighten it up with a couple of red throw pillows on the couch, a red tablecloth or place mats on the table, and a few subtle touches of red in the other rooms. Nothing overwhelming, but enough to make your rooms seem warmer and cozier.

8. As usual, watch out for clutter. If you have collections, you may want to pack them up until your home is sold. Once you sell and move, you will need to pack them up anyway. This will give the appearance of more romminess in your home, and will keep your prospects focused on the architecture and not your personal items. Also, this will help to protect them from breakage while people are touring your home. The same thing goes for family photos. I once previewed a home for a buyer client where the sellers had 47 framed photos of their wedding on display! I showed it to my buyer anyway, and sure enough - she was so fascinated by counting the wedding pictures that she couldn't remember much of anything else about the house. She counted 48, so she must have spotted a couple that I missed.

9. If you have presents under the tree, it may be best if you keep the smallest and most expensive ones stashed in a dresser drawer or somewhere safe. Most people are honest, but it is better to be safe than sorry. All Realtors I know are sensitive to this, and will do their best to see that their clients behave themselves in your home, but just keep this in mind anyway. Keep in mind that buyers will look in your closets to check their size and features, but have no business looking in your dressers or other furniture that will not be sold with the house.

10. Have a wonderful holiday season. The economy this year has everyone more stressed than usual, so find moments to relax and have some quiet time every day - even if it's just a few minutes. Please understand that none of these tips are meant to upset anyone or hurt your feelings, but are simply tips which may help you to sell your home more quickly and at a better price.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Watch out for this scam!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:47:54 -0600

Today was a busy day, punctuated by a number of calls from people asking whether my listing in El Dorado Hills was for rent or for sale. They had seen it advertised on Craigs List for rent by the owner, but when they searched the internet to see if they could find more photos of it, they saw that I had it listed for sale.

Confused, they call to ask if they could still rent it, and I told each of them that the house is not, and never has been, for rent, and that the ad is a scam by a vulture preying on innocent foks just trying to find a home. The real owners are friends of mine, they have downsized and still live in the area and have no interest in renting the home. Two of the intended victims forwarded to me the email exchanges between them and the scammer, including the posting ID number. I notified Craigs List and called to report the guy to the Federal Trade Commission.

This guy sent emails with a story how he had been transferred to (surprise!) Nigeria, and would be there for 4 years, wanted to be able to move back later, so he didn't want to sell his home. He was supposedly going to rent it at $1500 per month (about half what it would really rent for if it were for rent). He wanted them to fill out a rental application, which he emailed to them, and return it with their security deposit of $1300, and then he'd send them the keys.

The scary part is that all of the people who called me today were ready to provide their personal info and send the money, if I would just clarify to them that it was not going to be sold out from under them as soon as they moved in!

Make sure you do searches periodically for your listings to make sure they are not being advertised by people who have no interest in them. If this happens to you or your clieints, send whatever information you have about the ad to abuse@craigslist.org and they will remove the ad immediately. If you call the FTC at (877) 382-4357, they will take a report and investigate, as they are anxious to catch these guys. Be sure to give them as much information as you can, including the posting ID number on CraigsList or the contact info provided on the ad.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Speechless Sunday: View from my front porch

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:22:23 -0600

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Persistent Kitty

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:12:18 -0600

Here is one very persistent kitty. He'd better watch out, though, or he might be charged with interfering with a police officer!

The officer treats the cat a bit rough, but I can hardly get too mad at him. This is one persistent cat, and he clearly likes people.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

AR's Virtual Thanksgiving Party is going on NOW! Bring something. Invite friends! And earn points!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:07:07 -0600

Hey everyone! Welcome to the progressive Thanksgiving party. The "rules" (easy ones) are below in Mike's original invitation, and the last one to comment to this post tonight will be the host tomorrow. Join the fun!

Via Mike Michaud (North Texas Help-U-Build):

OK folks, here it is, that time of year: Thanksgiving.

And its time for AR's first virtual Thanksgiving party.

A blog party is similar in concept to a progressive dinner party. In a progressive dinner party, each course is held at someone else's home. In this case, each day of a party theme will be hosted by the last person to post a comment on each day's party.

This will be run along the same lines as the AR Halloween party: (In case you missed that party, you can follow that thread and see what people brought here: First AR "Blog" Party: Halloween )

Here's the rules for a Blog Party:

1. When you make a post, you have to "bring" something to the party.

It can be a picture of food, drink, decorations, a video, music, costumes.

2. In addition, you have to post something that you are thankful for.

3. Click on the "Notify me of comments" when you leave your post. That way you'll know who else is coming to the party and you can engage in mingling!

4. The last person to comment on this post by midnight, will "host" the party by either re-blogging this post -OR- starting their own post and linking back to this one.

5. Everyone who commented on this party post will go the next host's party and bring something to that party.

6. The party will continue at each host's blog until Thanksgiving.

So, to start this off, here's a little place to sit and enjoy each other's company:

BTW, join the AR Blog Party group and host your own party for what ever reason you like! Celebrate something with all of AR!

(If you like this party, flag it below!)

And for all you "point hounds" there are points in this party. Not bonus points or extra points. With everyone carrying forward to the next party, the more comment points you get. Who ever winds up hosting for the last day will have the most attendees (if everyone that shows up actually participates all the way through.

Mike Michaud,

Builder of zero-energy homes Texas and Oklahoma -

Custom homes AT COST! ™                       part of

            by

North Texas Help-U-Build

Real Estate brokerage services for North Texas Residential and Farm, Ranch & Recreational Properties and developments.

Agents and sellers: Get the Green marketing edge with your listings

Selling Homes with Sunshine!

Solar Certified Homes

www.solarcertifiedhomes.com

                        by

M. G. Michaud & Associates

Innovative Marketing

This weekend is the Mountain Mandarin Festival in Auburn, CA!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:44:36 -0600

This weekend is one that my husband and I look forward to, because we love Sasuma mandarin oranges! It is time for the annual Mountain Mandarin Festival in nearby Auburn, California. Ths festival is held annually the weekend before Thanksgiving, and it celebrates the harvest of the Owari Satsuma Mandarin oranges that are grown in Placer County, right next door to Sacramento County.

In addition to the great taste of these delicious little fruits, the USDA has extolled the wonderful health benefits of them. If you will be within an hour's drive of this great celebration, I recommend you come on by. It is a lot of fun. And if you spot me there, stop and say hello. I'll be bouncing from vendor to vendor, and sampling the wares of the dozen or so orchards that will be represented, checking out the crafts, and picking up so new recipes that include Mandarins.

There is something for all ages, including for everyone, some great cooking demonstrations by professional chefs (and sampling of the food prepared), a cooking contest, and booths, booths, booths!

Proceeds from the Festival fund three scholarships presented each year by the Newcastle Area Business Association. Crowds have grown from 1,500 in 1993 to 40,000 in 2008. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend this major agriculture festival.

November 20, 21 and 22, 2009
Gold Country Fairgrounds, 1273 High St., Auburn, CA

Admission: $5, Seniors $3, children under 12 free.

Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
For more information: (916) 663-1918

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

How To Avoid the 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Make

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:59:16 -0600

This is the list I go over with my sellers, but this is the first time I have seen this video - very well done.

Via Melinda Peterson Grants Pass Southern Oregon Real Estate Cafe (Real Estate Cafe):

How To Avoid the 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Make

You'll sell your home faster - and for more money - if you avoid these common pitfalls.

How To Avoid the 10 Biggest Mistakes Home Sellers Make on Howcast

You Will Need

A thorough housecleaning

An open mind

Home improvements

Step 1: Declutter your home

Get rid of as much clutter as possible. Stuffed closets, extraneous furniture, exercise equipment in living quarters, crowded countertops, overflowing cabinets, and endless knickknacks make homes seem smaller than they are. Consider putting some things in storage.

Step 2: Hide your pets

Hide all evidence that you own animals. Just because your potential buyer loves his own pets doesn't mean he wants a house that reeks of yours. Get rid of pet stains and odors (pay a professional if you have to) and send the four-legged family members to a neighbor's house when you show your home.

Step 3: Be scarce yourself

And, while you're at it, make yourself scarce during home showings. You know how you feel about those annoying salespeople who follow you around the store, making you uncomfortable? That's how potential home buyers will feel about you.

Step 4: Don't discount the first offer

Think carefully before you reject the first offer on your home; studies show it is usually the highest bid you get. And the longer you hold out for a better offer, the lower your chances are of getting it, because people start to think that something must be wrong with a house that's been on the market for so long.

Step 5: Always negotiate

Don't take lowball offers personally, or you'll lose a lot of potential buyers. Instead of viewing them as insults, look at them as starting points for negotiation.

To attract the most buyers, list your home a few thousand dollars below a major round number. If you're hoping to get about $200,000, for example, list it as $199,000, not $205,000. You don't want to miss out on buyers who have set $200,000 as their cutoff point.

Step 6: Out with the old

Toss or change anything that makes your home look tired - worn carpeting, old throw rugs, dirty light switch covers. Give every room a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color. Don't let cost deter you; this is truly a case where you've got to spend money to make money.

Step 7: Remember curb appeal

Don't discount the importance of a good first impression from the street. Trim hedges, reseed the lawn, plant some flowers, wash the windows, scrape and repaint the front door and windowsills, and put some oversized potted plants at the entrance.

Step 8: Depersonalize your home

Rid your home of all your treasured personal touches - family photos, the kids' artwork on the fridge, religious artifacts, bowling trophies, your ceramic pig collection, the shrine to Elvis. They will only make it more difficult for potential buyers to imagine themselves in your home.

Step 9: Aim for light and bright

Because home buyers are nearly unanimously looking for a light, bright house as opposed to a dark, dreary one, do what you can to make that happen. Ditch the heavy drapes, take down dark wallpaper, put in high-wattage light bulbs, and get rid of wood paneling.

Step 10: Fix anything that's broken

Fix whatever is broken before you list your home. It's almost always cheaper to do it yourself than to let the buyer use it to bring down the price.
Melinda Peterson, Broker/Owner

Real Estate Cafe

Grants Pass, Oregon ~ Southern Oregon Real Estate

Time for Christmas in the Village of Fair Oaks California, December 5

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:37:00 -0600

It’s time again to get ready for Christmas in the Village of Fair Oaks, California. This year the celebration will be on Saturday, December 5^th, and it is a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season.

Festivities begin at 1:00 pm with Santa and Mrs. Claus on hand for children to visit. They will be available until about 3:30. Meanwhile, from 1:00 – 2:00 and again from 3:00 – 4:00, there will be holiday music filling the area.

And don’t forget to check all of the vendors of arts and crafts, holiday decorations and gifts and some business services. Those booths will be open from 1:00 until dusk. A good place to do some of your Christmas shopping.

The Village Amphitheater will be putting on a production of “Winnie the Pooh” beginning at 2:00. Admission is FREE with a can of food, which will be donated to the needy.

At 4:00 the parade begins for more great fun, followed by the announcement of the award winners in the merchants’ decorating contest.

Then comes the grand finale at 5:00 – the tree lighting ceremony and singing of Christmas carols.

This is great fun for the whole family, and something that those of us living in our “small town” look forward to every year. And admission to everything is completely free. All events will go on, rain or shine, so make your way to the Fair Oaks Village and join us in Plaza Park for Christmas in the Village of Fair Oaks, California!

Directions: From Sunrise Blvd, go east on Winding Way one block and the park is just south of you, at Fair Oaks Blvd and California Avenue. The street to the park will be blocked off, as the vendor booths and other activities will be both in the park and in the street. There is free street parking on surrounding streets.

For more information, call (916) 967-2903.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

FEELING STUPID?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:32:49 -0600

It isn't always the beauty contestants who say things that make you say, "Huh?"

I have to giggle at myself once in awhile when I hear something I have just said and have to rearrange the sentence a bit to make sense!

Here are some real goodies. Enjoy!

Via Terry Chenier (Homelife Glenayre):

When you have one of those days when your feeling

particularly stupid for having said something with your foot

in your mouth, whip this out and read it and you'll think your a genius.

MEMORABLE QUOTES:

Q. If you could live forever, would you and why?

A. "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever,

because if we were supposed

to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever,

which is why I would not live forever.

(Miss Alabama-1994)

"Whenever I watch T.V. and see those poor starving kids all over the world,

I can't help but cry I mean I'd love to be skinny like that,

but not with all those flies and death and stuff"

(Mariah Carey)

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of life".

(Brooke Shields)

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body"

(Winston Bennett)

"Outside of killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country"

(Major Marion Barry)

"The lowdown scroundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass,

and I'm just the one to do it"

(Congression candidate in Texas)

"Half this game is ninety per cent mental"

(Phillies manager Danny Ozark)

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment.

It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it"

(Al Gore)

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix"

(Don Quale)

"We got to ask ourselves: how much clean air do we need?"

(Lee Iacocca)

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people"

(Gerald Wellman-ROTC instructor)

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March because we received

notice that you passed away. May God bless you.

You may re-apply if there is a change in your circumstances"

(Dept. of Social Services-Greenville, S.C.)

"Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas"

(Keppel Enderberry)

"If someone has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed

and it will monitor their heart throughout the night.

And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record"

(Mark Fowler-FCC Chairman)

"The word 'genius' isn't applicable in football.

A genius is a guy like,

Norman Einstein"

(Joe Theisman-NFL Q.B.)

Good news! First time homebuyers tax credit extended and expanded to existing homeowners!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:33:57 -0600

Good news! First time homebuyers tax credit extended and expanded to existing homeowners!

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by an overwhelming 403–12 margin to approve the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act (H.R. 3548) that included, as an amendment, the extension and expansion of the Homebuyer Tax Credit. The bill already passed in the U.S. Senate yesterday, so now it will advance from Congress to the White House for President Obama's signature. The Administration already has signaled its support of the Homebuyer Tax Credit amendment as well as the President's intention to sign the bill into law.

Many of us called, wrote and emailed our Senators and Congresspersons to urge the extension of the credit, and some of those who weren’t sure the first time homebuyers’ credit should be continued had argued that nothing was being done to help those buyers who weren’t first-timers.

The terms of this extension will not only extend the first-timers’ credit to the end of June, but will also provide existing homeowners a tax credit when they buy a replacement residence. To qualify, the contract must be dated by May 1 and it must close before July 1. There are many homeowners who have thought of downsizing and some who have wanted to buy a larger home while prices are down. Those buyers will now be helped to move to the home that will fill their needs.

And the extension of unemployment benefits will help prevent even more families from becoming homeless while they search for new jobs. Unemployment checks are not as good as a full paycheck, but certainly better than nothing, and a lifesaver for many families.

Our voices were heard in Washington, D.C., and we should be proud that our government is taking strong action to help our industry and the economy. Having an extended and expanded Homebuyer Tax Credit available to qualified home buyers in the first half of 2010 undoubtedly will benefit our business and the U.S. economy.

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Trick or Treat Safety Tips!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:44:45 -0500

These are such great saftey tips that I thought it was worth reblogging, even if it is late to inclulde them in this month's newsletters. Keep your kids and those in your neighborhood safe.

I have one to add:

Please back into your driveway today so that if you have to leave, you won't back out over scurrying children in costumes that may restrict their vision and your ability to see them.

And Happy Halloween!

Via Sharon Senger (Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC Virtual Assistant Services):

Wondering what to send out in your newsletter for this month? Here are some safety tips for Halloween that you may want to include:

Always set rules for the night out and make sure each of your children understand them thoroughly.

Make sure children are accompanied by an adult (if very young) or are walking in groups of 4 or more.

Check all flashlight batteries before they leave and give them an extra set.

Set a return time, if possible give them a watch with an alarm on it set to that time.

Make sure that at least one child in the group has a cell phone for emergencies and it is fully charged.

Put reflective tape on their costumes, as many are dark.

Instruct them not to eat any candy until they have come home and you have been able to inspect it.

Make sure they know not to enter any house. They should only accept treats at the doorway.

Give them street boundaries for their route and drive it with them before they go out.

Instruct them to walk on the sidewalk at all times and to not cut across yards or take shortcuts.

Do not let them run. Yard props and darkness make it easy to trip and fall.

For small children, make sure they hold your hand at all times and walk to the front doors with them.

Dress in layers, temperatures can drop fast.

Make sure your children's costumes are not dragging on the ground, making it easy for them to trip and fall.

Carry bandages (for falls), umbrellas and a spare bag, in case one rips.

Have a save and fun Halloween.
I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

Real Estate Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

Please pick up those batteries!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:47:18 -0500

When you run out to get that last minute bag of candy for the trick-or-treaters, pick up a few batteries too!

Halloween night is the night to turn the clocks back an hour, and it is also the best time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. I had someone ask me why the batteries should be changed on the specific days that the clocks are changed forward and backward.

There really is no reason to do it on those days, except that we change the clocks every 6 months, and you should change your batteries every 6 months. Changing the clocks is easy to remember (or if you forget, you will have an unpleasant surprise when you show up an hour late or an hour eary for church or an appointment the next day).

It is harder to remember to change your smoke detector batteries, yet that could be a matter of life and death, so why not tie it to something you will remember?

Please don't ignore this - the family you save will be your own.

And Happy Halloween!

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

You can find joy in overcoming obstacles

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:40:58 -0500

"Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the
success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult
task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy
in overcoming obstacles."
-- Helen Keller (1880-1968)

This is so true. I have gone through some pretty tough times in my life, but I have worked my way back each time. I am able to take pride in my achievements because to some, my predicaments or situations may have seemed hopeless. Whether dealing with health issues, financial disasters or the losses of loved ones, I allowed myself a brief time to feel sorry for myself, but not so much time that I couldn't pull myself back up. It sometimes took scratching kicking and fighting against depression, but I never sank into it and continued to put on a happy face and keep on keeping on. I am so happy now, and could never have imagined how good I would feel now or how comfortable I'd be.

I do feel sympathy when others are going through little disappointments from day to day, but I have to confess that a part of me wants to say, stand up and get over it. Keep your eye on the prize and get past this. Most times, though, if I ever said that sort of thing aloud, it would probably be perceived as being unfeeling or uncaring. Far from it. I just don't want anyone to let their problems take over their lives and give up on their dreams. What Helen Keller said so eloquently is what I would like to share with others.

Think of what Helen Keller's life was like. She was completely deaf from birth, completely blind from birth, never learned to speak, and yet she learned American Sign Language and learned to understand what people were saying by putting her hand on their throat when they spoke. She "heard" through her fingertips by interpreting vibrations. She learned to type, was a prolific and inspirational writer, and taught other blind and deaf children. If she can overcome her obstacles, there is nothing we cannot do if we simply decide to get it done. We will stumble and fall along the way, but if we keep getting up and moving forward, we will reach our goals.

Don't let any failures and disappointments define you or discourage you. If things come easy to you, you will not appreciate them half as much as you will appreciate and want to celebrate the hard-won victories. You will find joy in overcoming your obstacles.

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Are you putting the right GAS in your tank?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:43:18 -0500

I just read a great article by sales coach John Mayfield on Realtor.com that asks "Do You Have the Right GAS in Your Tank?" The premise of the article is that you need to fill your tank with the right GAS to reach your destination, which is success. I never thought of using the word "gas", but it does fit perfectly with my beliefs and the way I used to teach when I was mentoring some entrepreneurs. So I'll use his GAS acronym to explain my own philosophy.

The first ingredient of GAS is setting GOALS.

This is something we all know, even if we don't think much about it. I have long been a proponent of setting goals, writing them down and using them as a roadmap to move me in the direction I want to go. Clearly if you don't know where you're going, it will be hard to chart a course to get there, and you will miss the important road signs.

It is important to make your goals specific and set a date for reaching them. That will keep you moving forward and planning your time and energy to reach the deadline you have set. You might say that you want to make $200,000 this year. This is not a bad goal, but it needs to be meatier. To accomplish this, break it down to its components.

For example, to make $200,000 in commissions, how much in gross sales will you have to close? Don't forget to estimate the deductions from your commission before you receive it. If you have desk fees or share commissions with your broker, have E&O, risk management or other costs taken out before you get paid, make allowance for those.

When that is done, look at the average sale price of homes you sell, so that you will know how many homes you will have to sell to meet your goal, then you can figure from there how many you have to average per month. If you can meet or exceed your monthly average, the annual income will take care of itself and tackling monthly goals allows you to know where you are at all times on your road to success.

The second ingredient is ATTITUDE.

The one thing that we can control is our attitude. We might not be able to control the ups and downs of life and the disappointments that may confront us, but it is up to us to decide how we handle them. I have found that putting on a happy face, as the song goes, will encourage others around me to smile and be upbeat, and before I know it, my smile is an accurate representation of how I feel.

If I were to mope around and react grumpily to those around me, I would infect those around me with my grumpiness and have a lousy day. I don't need any lousy days, so I won't do that.

By the same token, I don't surround myself with grumpy people, naysayers, and those who may try to tell me "for my own good" that I am not going to reach my goals. I believe in myself, and if others don't believe in me, I'm afraid I can't be around them. My attitude is too important to my professional and personal success and my physical well-being.

If you have trouble with this, try reading uplifting and motivational books, a chapter each night as you calm down for bedtime, and think about what you read as you go to sleep. Think about Robert Schuller's motto: If it's to be, it's up to me. And realize that you truly are the only one who can control your attitude. Don't let others govern how you feel about life and yourself. A positive person will always be more successful, as others want to be around you.

The third ingredient of GAS is SELECTIVITY.

This actually fits very well with the discussion of attitude, as you select those with whom you associate. Remember your parents warning you not to hang around with the troubled kids or you'd wind up troubled too? It's the same concept. If you surround yourself with unmotivated folks, you will have a difficult time keeping yours strong.

If you watch some television shows, hang with certain people and read certain books and newspapers, you will be convinced that the world is "going to hell in a handbasket" and there is nothing you can do about it. That is depressing. Immerse yourself in positive thoughts, surround yourself with positive people, and you will believe that anything is possible, and for you, it just might be!

This is a long post, but is only a small part of how important I feel that these three ingredients are. They are not the only ones, of course, but Mayfield's use of the GAS acronym inspired me to discuss these three factors.

So, are you putting the right GAS in your tank?

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

First AR "Blog" Party: Halloween

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:42:17 -0500

Welcome to the Halloween Party! In your comments, show me that you have brought something fun to the party.

Got refreshments? A costume? A pumpkin? Decorations? Post it in your comment and have fun!

Via Mike Michaud (North Texas Help-U-Build):

Ok folks, its that time of year. Halloween. And what a great excuse to start a new "Blog" party group.

Party reviews are coming in: Ruth says: "HOW FUN IS THIS!!!"

Marie says: "Now this is just too much fun!"

A blog party is similar in concept to a progressive dinner party. Each course is held at someone else's home. In this case, each day of a party theme will be hosted by the last person to post on each day's party.

So, in the case of this AR Halloween party, the last person to post today will either reblog this party or create their own post and link back to this party. This will continue until midnight on Halloween.

Its a great viral way to mix things up, do some networking and have fun.

In order to participate, you MUST BRING SOMETHING to the party. What kind of guests don't contribute to a party?

So, in order to leave a comment, you have to bring something theme related. In this case, post your halloween pics, pumpkins, costumes, candy, party foods, music, entertainment, be the designated driver, whatever helps a party along.

No goodies to bring, no post. This is all about getting to know each other and doing some non-business related networking. (The business will follow).

For clarification: Don't repost this party unless you are the last one to post tonight by midnight. The last one to post tonight will be the party host tomorrow. Then the last to post on tomorrow's party will host the following day. And so it goes until Halloween! Sort of like a chain letter, only this one is just for fun!

P.S. Don't forget to join AR Blog Party. You can throw your own party for what ever reason you like! Celebrate milestones, Fridays, Closed deals, Holidays, Anniversaries, KWANSA, Saint Swithens day, anything you feel like celebrating and sharing.

How many of these words do you know?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:52:01 -0500

How many of these words do you know?

When I was about 12 years old I developed an unusual hobby of sorts. I would pick up a dictionary, pick out a word that I wanted to add to my vocabulary, and the next day at school, my self-imposed challenge was to find three opportunities to use the word in conversation. By that evening, the word was one I would never forget, and I would be able to use them all the time.

Once my friends realized what I seemed to be doing, they would try to figure out what the definition of the word was from how I used it, and pretty soon we were all coming to school with new words. I know ... it sounds like we were a bunch of nerds, and maybe we were. We were a group of about a dozen who did earn excellent grades in school, but we also had lots of outdoor fun and played sports.

I started thinking about those days the other day when someone complimented me on my vocabulary. Apparently I use words that I think everyone knows, but many people don't. Now I feel a bit self-conscious, because I do not want to be perceived as one of those nasty people who deliberately use their vocabulary to intimidate others. I think the trick is moderation, which I think I do.

Anyway, I remember some of the words that were on my list of new daily words all those years ago. How many do you know? And what would you think to have a 12 year old kid using them in regular conversation?

Threap

Claptrap

Quincunx

Kerf

Mélange

Saccade

There were, of course, many others, but those are ones I recall of the top of my head as being ones I came to school with. I think I had the most fun with claptrap, both because of its meaning, and because it was just fun to say.

So how many of these words do you know?

I'll give the definitions in a comment. How about taking any of them that you don't know and seeing how often you can work it into a conversation? Or find a different one in your own dictionary search and start using it, and see how much fun it is to increase our vocabularies. I'd like to learn some of yours too, so please share.

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Welcome Haeli!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:40:21 -0500

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Proof that what you write will allow others to know you

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:50:42 -0500

Here is proof that what you write will allow others to know you.

I know that many of us here on Active Rain blog at least partially to get business. The more our name is in front of others, the more apt we are to get that call when someone needs our services. But what do you blog about?

Some have a strictly business-like blog, with every post a meaningful and informational article to inform readers about some aspect of their business. Others post nothing but commercials about their rpoducts or services.

Some of us have a mixture of these things, along with funny or interesting stories and anecdotes, photos both lovely and funny, and a bit of personal informatoin about our families. We may share information that we find interesting or educational that has nothing to do with our business.

I believe that mixing it up can present a well-rounded profile of who you really are as a person, and readers do feel that they get to know you. Callers I have had who retain my services after reading my blog say that they feel like we are already friends. They might feel that I will understand a situation they have because they know I have experienced it or have written about another who has the same circumstances.

And some calls are just to discuss something I have written about. This morning I heard from a very nice lady who called me from New Jersey. She is a third grade teacher, and when she arrived at school yesterday morning, she found two praying mantises mostly frozen in her school parking lot. She scooped them up and brought them into her classroom, fashioned a "cage" for them and caught some insects to put in there. They warmed up and ate everything she fed them and are doing well. The kids want to keep them as classroom pets, and she agreed.

When a couple of other teachers heard about this, they told her she had to release them into the cold because it was illegal to keep them. She was distraught and the kids were upset, so what did she do? She called me and told me the story, and because I had written a post about a praying mantis in my yard, she asked me whether I thought she could keep them. She felt I was a nice person from the things I write, and that I might be willing to help her.

I did a little more research, called her back and told her that there are a couple of imported praying mantises that are endangered, but not the native American species. She was funny, saying they hadn't spoken so she didn't know if they had an accent and were foreign. Our native mantises are plentiful and are not endangered at all. She decided that she would keep them and thanked me for making her feel better for rescuing them.

I know this has nothing to do with my being a Realtor, but you just never know who will be reading what you write, so keep that in mind when you write, and make sure your blog does not depict you as something you do not want to be known as.

I have no criticism of the way anyone wants to blog. We have free expression here, and I have learned from all types and appreciate them all. I personally just find that I interact with a lot more consumers with my crazy mixed-up blog than when I used to write only about real estate.

Proof that what you write will allow others to know you.

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

OPEN HOUSE Sunday 10/18, 1-4, El Dorado Hills CA

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:15:49 -0500

Susan Neal | Century 21 Noel David Realty | (916) 705-8951

2138 Bates Circle, El Dorado Hills, CA

Gorgeous 5 bedroom home with DREAM kitchen!

5BR/3BA Single Family House

offered at $399,000

Year Built	1993
Sq Footage	2,621
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	.356 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

The beautiful home has many upgrades, including a dream kitchen with spectacular granite surfaces, huge stainless sink, stainless appliances, regular and convection oven, microwave, warming drawer, wine refrigerator, cupbaords with pull out drawers, cabinets have lots of deep drawers for easy access to stored items. Central vacuum system has been upgraded and is a real time and labor saver.
Windows all have been replaced and are double pane. Front door and door to patio are leaded stained glass. Guest baths are so beautiful they look like a resort.
Large covered patio and lovely landscaped yard will add to your enjoyment of this great home.

This is a short sale, with approval in process. Previous buyer backed out and you get the benefit!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C	- Central heat	- Fireplace
- High/Vaulted ceiling	- Hardwood floor	- Tile floor
- Family room	- Living room	- Office/Den
- Dining room	- Breakfast nook	- Dishwasher
- Stove/Oven	- Microwave	- Granite countertop
- Stainless steel appliances	- Laundry area - inside	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio
- Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Gourmet 5 burner stove, wine fridge, double ovens

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front of home	Kitchen
Dining room	Family room
Master bedroom	Patio

Contact info:

Susan Neal

Century 21 Noel David Realty

(916) 705-8951

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 10, 2009, 4:41pm PDT

Susan Neal
Century 21 Noel David Realty
(916) 705-8951
SusanFNeal@comcast.net

www.SusanNealFineProperties.com

Check out my blogs at http://susanneal.activerain.com and http://localism.com/neighbor/susanneal

What can each of us do to reduce greenhouse gases?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:03:52 -0500

Are we headed into a climate change that will escalate through the years? Many top scientists think that conclusion is inescapable. One major contributor to the progress of a climate change that could be catastrophic over time is the increase of greenhouse gases that are burning away the ozone layer protecting us from deadly rays.

What can each of us do to slow that catastrophe? There are many simple things that we can do to reduce the greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere. Some of the easiest and most effective are:

• Change your lightbulbs to those with the Energy Star. According to the EPA, changing just 5 bulbs in your home will prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to removing nearly 10 million cars from the road. And ... you will save money on your energy bills!

• When buying appliances and other products, look for the Energy Star logo. There are Energy Star products in more than 50 product categories. And again ... you will save money.

• Insulate your home, including ducts in attics and crawlspaces, and seal all air leaks. Check for drafts around windows and doors, seal ducts that might have gaps. If you can seal off any drafts, you will use less energy to heat and cool your home. If you have older windows and using weatherstripping is not enough, you may want to replace you windows with those that are Energy Star qualified. You can schedule a home energy audit with a professional auditor or conduct your own audit. This can tell you where you need to focus your efforts.

• Reduce, reuse and recycle. You can recycle newspapers, other paper, drink containers and probably other categories of items that you might be discarding. You can also look for recycled products and/or those in recycled packaging. Consider repairing products rather than discarding them and buying replacements. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.

• Recycle used electronics because they contain substances that should be disposed of properly, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. In addition, electronics contain other valuable materials that can be recovered during recycling process (such as glass and plastics). Recovering these materials through recycling, rather than manufacturing new materials, conserves natural resources and avoids the pollution caused by manufacturing virgin materials. Go to Earth 911 to find where to recycle electronics in your community. In our area a local television station sponsors an electronics cleanup day. Nothing could be easier - you simply drive up and pop your car trunk open. They will come to your car and take your electronic equipment. You don't even have to unload it.

• Clean air filters regularly - a good rule of thumb is to change them at the beginning of air conditioning season and at the beginning of heating season. Your heating and cooling systems operate more efficiently with clean filters, saving energy. Your system should also be checked annually and serviced if necessary. If it becomes necessary to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model.

• Saving water around the home is simple. Look for products with EPA's WaterSense label; these products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to save water: When irrigating your landscape, water only when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water a day. You can also find more details on the Fuel Economy Guide Web site.

Some other places to look for helpful information:

Kids' site about climate, climate change and the greenhouse effect: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html

List of Energy Star items you can buy to get a Federal Tax Credit while you help the environment: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

Information about home energy audits:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_audits

For more on Blog Action Day:

www.blogactionday.org

There are many other things you can do to reduce greenhouse gases and thereby protect the earth, but those I have listed are simple, inexpensive for the most part, and you can start immeditately.

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Neighbors shared their tree with us

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:37:07 -0500

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Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.

What ever happened to the 2 day work week I was promised?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:20 -0500

What ever happened to the 2 day work week I was promised?

Paul Cutajar wrote a post about how the Blackberry has impacted his life. I got to thinking about the devices and gadgets that have changed mine through the years.

I remember when I was a kid, reading a newspaper article about what life would be like in the 21st century. It predicted that there would be so many labor-saving devices, that instead of working 5 days and having 2 days off, we would all be working just 2 days a week and taking 5 off. I could hardly wait. I knew that when I grew up I wouldn't have to work the long hours and my dad did. I'd have it easy, and I'd travel or otherwise goof off 5 days a week!

Fast forward: I remember when I had just been working in a law office for a short time and we got one of the first fax machines of anyone we knew. Once our clients found out and got their own fax machines, our work become much more difficult. We could not plan our days the same way because if you wanted to work on Client A's project and Client B called and asked where his document was, you'd have to drop A's and get B's done so you could fax it over. Since I had a caseload of anywhere from 30-50 open files, this was often difficult to juggle. Everyone thought his work should get done first - and right now while he waited.

Even then, however, the attorneys didn't type their own documents. We would dictate them and hand the tape to a secretary to type. This gave a little excuse for getting a document out in a few hours. It couldn't be typed until it was dictated, then had to be proofread and reprinted before it could be faxed. Before fax machines, the client never expected to get his document in less than a couple of days.

Next came attorneys having computers on our desks, so that the turnaround time was cut further - no need to dictate it wait for the secretary to type from dictation. That forced even more pressure to get the "urgent" things out more quickly. Anything that wasn't most urgent got done by working late because even they were expected to be ready first thing in the morning.

We figured that was about as far as it could go, and then we all got email. Why wait for a fax when we could send everything directly through the computer - and it was more legible as well. At least we had to be at the office to receive the calls from clients and work on our matters.

Then - you guessed it - we got smart phones. Now our clients could reach us at night, on weekends, or any time the mood struck, and since we all had state of the art computers at home, and since they could email to our phones, we needn't wait until office hours to review a document, did we? "Surely it would take just a few minutes to look at it and let me know what you think while I'm on the phone."

Now since I began working full time in real estate and shut down my law office, I have become completely dependent on my phone, my computer, my newly acquired netbook, and my other gadgets that didn't even exist when I started practicing law. Most of the time I don't mind hearing from my real estate clients in the evenings, as it is far less stressful than when I practiced law. The only trouble is, that is my time for blogging and posting on the other social media sites.

What can we expect next? I'm excited to find out.

But ... what ever happened to the 2 day work week I was promised? I often feel that I work a 10 day work week!

************

Full time real estate services in Fair Oaks CA, with friendly professionalism, 20+ years experience. I work hard to give my buyer or seller a low-stress transaction. "Happy clients make me happy."

For all your real estate needs or questions, call me at (916) 705-8951 or visit my website at www.SusanNealFineProperties.com.