Fair Oaks Real Estate Tips and Advice

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.

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Speechless Sunday: Window Kitty

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:55:06 -0500

Window kitty at 2138 Bates Circle, El Dorado Hills CA

Looking for Open House guests?

This home is one I'm holding open today from 1-4 pm (kitty has moved out - sorry).

For more photos of the house, see my post announcing it as being back on the market.

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

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.

Gorgeous 4 or 5 bedroom home in El Dorado Hills CA with a dream kitchen!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:15:58 -0500

Gorgeous 4 or 5 bedroom home in El Dorado Hills CA with a dream kitchen!

This great home is back on the market, with reduced price! The previous buyer backed out while the short sale package is being negotiated, and we are looking for a new buyer to take their place. This home is absolutely gorgeous, and the only reason it is being sold is that the seller lost her job and cannot afford it any longer. She and her family have moved out and the home is now vacant.

Gorgeous 4 or 5 bedroom, 3 bath home!

This beautiful El Dorado Hills home has been substantially upgraded with

a true DREAM KITCHEN and elegant bathrooms!

Leaded stained glass entry doors, separate living room and family room, breakfast area in kitchen and separate dining room.

2138 Bates Circle, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Previous buyer backed out, you benefit! Short sale approval is in process.

MLS# 90047334 $399,000 Short Sale Map 242-D7

● Wonderful Open Floor Plan	● Lots of Storage, Roomy Drawers
● Beautiful Wood Laminate Floors	● Central Heating and Air
● Gourmet 5 Burner Gas Stove	● Dual Pane Windows Throughout
● Built-in Microwave	● All Guest Bathrooms Highly Upgraded
● Granite Countertops and Island	● Automatic Sprinklers Front and Back
● Warming Oven, Convection Oven	● Covered Patio, Beautiful Landscaping
● Wine Refrigerator	● 2 Storage Outbuildings in Side Yard
● Large Stainless Sink with Pot Filler	● 2621 Sq Ft on .356 Acre per Assessor

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

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.

Have you seen this amazing video?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:08:03 -0500

The Black Eyed Peas entertained on the season opener of the Oprah Winfrey Show, and if you haven't seen this production number done on the streets of Chicago, you should watch this. Truly amazing!

OOPS! Apparently, this video wasn't supposed to be on YouTube, but here is the link to it on Oprah's website. It is worth a peek over there if you haven't seen this!

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090908-tows-flash-mob-dance

This proves you can do just about anything if you set your mind to it.

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

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.

Wow! How did this happen?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:50:27 -0500

Wow! How did this happen?

I have never (that I know of) ever had a points number that was such an even number.

With the fact that points on my posts are all odd numbers because of the comments, and other odd point figures that show up - so what a surprise to go to my home page and find this number! I certainly couldn't have done that on purpose!

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

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.

Sell your own home or use a Realtor?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:58:27 -0500

Sell your own home or use a Realtor? This is a question that many sellers struggle with because they think that they will make more money when they don't have to pay any commissions. Unfortunately for those who choose the FSBO (for sale by owner) route, they often end up making less money and suffering much more aggravation.

Julie Martin wrote a post asking for FSBO stories to share. This is one I shared with her there, but this is a great issue to explore and I wanted to expand my thoughts into a full post of my own.

First, the story I referred to:

There was a FSBO in a Fair Oaks California neighborhood I had done some farming in. After seeing that sign for a couple of months I tried 7 or 8 times to go by and talk to them but never caught them at home, day or evening, weekday or weekend (maybe that had something to do with why it wasn't selling). They did post on the internet, but their home was not what I would call showing ready inside - not bad, just crowded looking. The sign out front limited the hours the house could be shown.

And the ads gave no phone number. I sent them a letter offering to drop off some articles with handy tips for sellers, but they didn't respond. I left some material about marketing property on their porch, but never heard from them.

After about 3 months with their FSBO sign out, a Realtor sign appeared on the lawn. I don't know how he managed to get through to them, but good for him! I looked it up in MLS and he had listed it at $50,000 more than the FSBO had been listed for, and it was put on caravan for the Realtors in the county and held open on the weekend. The photos in MLS showed the clutter had been removed, along with a few pieces of furniture - giving the rooms a more spacious look.

SOLD at full price in less than 2 weeks!

With the Realtor's help they got more than enough to cover commissions and had his help to work through all the required paperwork that they would have had to handle on their own. Our transaction docs (not including loan docs) are over an inch thick, and are difficult for a lay person to wade through - or even to know what documentation is required. In most cases, this means that an agent who represents the buyer would have to do all of the paperwork for both sides and then fight with the seller to try to get a commission. Fat chance!

And if it is a straight seller-to-buyer transaction with no agents involved, this could turn into a nightmare transaction, with inadequate protections for either side. The escrow officer might wind up trying to provide all of the necessary documentation, and will be nervous that she may be overstepping her area of responsibility if she gives advice or aid to either side.

It's too bad the sellers described above didn't go with a Realtor right away - they could have saved making at least 3 house payments, made more money, and had someone working for them!

So:

Sell your own home or use a Realtor?

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

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.

Every Seller Needs To Know, What Sells a house?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:24:36 -0500

Several other agents have reblogged this article too, but its message is so important and says what I have told my sellers, that I had to post this for my readers to benefit from.

Preparing your home and understanding these factors will result in a quicker and more pleasant sale that is more profitable for the seller, while resulting in a happy buyer as well.

Via Carra Riley CRB, CRS, GRI (Carra Riley Inc.- Real Estate Consultant, Author, Speaker ):

Every Seller Needs To Know, What Sells a house?

There are four varibles that sell a house.

1. Price

2. Terms

3. Condition

4. Location

All four of the variables go together to create the "perfect sale." Each aspect must be taken into consideration if you want a property to sell.

1. Price fixes everything! Don't let anyone tell you different. When the buyer perceives there is a value because of the price, they will buy the home.

The other three varibles always can effect the price.

There are circumstances where a buyer has lost the ability to qualify for a traditional loan because of a foreclosure or bankruptcy and the buyer needs owner financing. With Owner carry Terms that particular buyer may be willing to pay more because they have ownership with possibly a small down payment.

Conversely, if the Condition is bad the price will have to be reduced to reflect a value in the home where a buyer will have to come in and do repairs or cosmetic updates.

Location is the toughest variable in the sale to compensate for. Most people have heard about in Real Estate the terms Location, Location, Location. If the location is bad.. ONLY price will sell the property possibly combined with terms so exciting that a buyer will not be able to pass up the deal.

2. Terms. If the Terms are attractive, sometimes a seller can get more money for the home. For example: a home with a value of $325,000 listed with owner carry terms of $25,000 down and no bank qualifing might be able to sell at $350,000 because of the terms.

Under any owner carry situation, it is important the seller speak with their accountant and attorney before accepting any contract and agreement to finance. The seller should be completely aware of the liability and consequences in owner financing. This is just an example how price can increase with the right terms.

3. Condition is a key factor in selling a home. When the property is in top condition, looking like a show home the seller may get top market value for the property. In times where homes are selling at a slow pace, in order to procur a sale, the home should be the BEST property at the Lowest price to get to the closing table.

Taking a seller on a preview tour of the homes in the area similar to their property can save months of discouragement with a home not selling. When a seller can see the competition and accepts the fact their home needs to be the Best house at the lowest price to sell, the home will sell and the seller will see what they are up against in comparison.

Carpet or paint allowance does NOT work in selling a home. If the home needs carpet, put it in. If the home needs painting, get it painted. Many times this can cost a seller $5,000 to $8,000 to do those upgrades. Investing, yes, investing is the correct term, for getting the house sold. The money invested will come back in the form or a quick sale at full market value.

A picture is worth a thousand words so think about how the property looks and even take some pictures to see what a buyer is looking at. Sellers should look at the pictures like they were a buyer and ask, "would I buy this house in this condition for this price?" Are the kitchen counters cluttered? Are the closets a mess? What does the front door look like and the yard when people drive up to the house?

A seller has 8 seconds for a buyer looking at a home to decide if they really like the house and if it will go on the A list. The buyer starts the decision making process when driving up to the home while looking at the surrounding properties and the entrance to the home.

There are many agents are trained in "staging" a home and there are "staging services" which help a seller to understand what needs to be done to create a "marketable product." Listen to these people if you want to get the house sold.

The seller needs to separate from the house and see it as an investment or product that needs to be sold. The seller needs to take all the emotions out of the happy memories in the home if they are serious about selling.

4. Location is the only variable which cannot be changed. A bad location, is a bad location so only price and terms are going to help this situation.

It does not matter that the same model home across the street sold for thousands more, because it was ACROSS THE STREET and did not back to the highway. A seller needs to get a reality check on location and think about when they purchased. If the seller got a good deal when they bought because it had a bad location then they have to give the new buyer the same good deal to sell.

Sellers should take all the emotion out of the business of selling a home and treat the transaction as an investment decision.

If the goal is to get the home sold then listen to the professionals and let them do their job.

As Donald Trump would say, "It's only business."

Cosmic Cow Pie

Carra Riley

Speechless Sunday: Fiesta for his 90th

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:13:17 -0500

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

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.

FREE Online Technology Tools and Services for Your Business - 2009

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:31:41 -0500

If you missed this post by Brad, check it out here. There are some really great FREE tools that will allow us to do some great stuff and save tons of money that we may now be paying for some of these services.

Via Brad Andersohn ~ Community Manager (ActiveRain):

Top FREE Online Technology Tools and Services for Your Business - 2009

Last year around this time, I created a Blog post with links to the "Top 200+ FREE Sites and Tools" for your Business. Hard to believe that was a year ago. This year is focused on some sites and tools I actually use more frequently, and think you might too. There are so many great sites that offer some fantastic services, it's a challenge to keep up with all of them, and try to tell you which ones are the best. You could spend more time learning and playing on the computer than actually getting your work done. (so be careful if you check out my top 200 from last year..)

With that in mind, I tried to focus these "Top Sites" on things you can actually use and apply to your business. For every site and service I mention here, there are probably 4 or 5 others that offer the same type of tools or service, and that's not to say they aren't fantastic, these are just my selected choices to share. The slide-show below (using slideshare.net) has the name of the site, a quick overview of each one, then a link to their site using their logo. Some of these you will have heard of, and might even be using already.

Top FREE Real Estate Tools 2009
View more presentations from Brad Andersohn.

You can download a copy of this from Box.net, a great site to store and share files with others. If you've come across some great sites, on-line tools, or FREE services yourself this year, and you'd like to share them here, feel free to do so. On many occasions, I have found some of the best stuff by just reading Blog comments on others posts.
In these tighter economic times, I hope some of these sites and tools will help save you some money, time, and contribute to improving your Blogs, Websites, and Service to your clients. Enjoy! :-)



"RainMaker" Special - Signup Here and Get New Member Discount

Energize your business: Take a weekend away from it and laugh!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:43:13 -0500

Energize your business: Take a weekend away from it and laugh!

Some of you may remember my post last year about getting together with some of my old high school girlfriends. We have made it an annual event, and last weekend was our girls getaway for 9 of us.

This idea started at one of our big fancy high school reunions. There were so many people there that we didn't even get to see some of the folks we had wondered about. It was very nice and lots of fun, but expensive and crowded. The group with whom I was closest with in school got together and decided that we should try to get together in smaller groups, less formally and more often than every 10 years! It would be less expensive and just as much fun for us.

About 2 dozen of us (guys and gals) got together in Los Angeles a few times and we all chipped in to fund a scholarship for a worthy student graduating that year from our high school. We have repeated that as an annual event, but my closest girlfriends and I wanted to also do some fun get-togethers for girls only, since we tend to giggle like teenagers when we all get together. And we have kept that tradition as well.

So twice a year at least, I run away from home and play with my old buddies and try to put business aside. I warn my clients so they won't expect me to be here, although I let them know they should call me if there is an emergency. My cell is always with me.

Three of us gals live in Northern California, within an hour of each other, another spends half the year at LakeTahoe, which is about 1 1/2 hours away from us, and the rest are in and around Los Angeles. So some of our trips are to Southern California, but for those that are up in this area, one of the other gals and I pick up the others at the airport and we are the designated drivers to get to our ultimate destination. This year one of the girls met us along the way so we had three cars for the nine of us.

Last fall we went to Lake Tahoe. This year we went to Grass Valley and Nevada City, California. We had people coming in on three different flights, so we settled in at the Starbucks and waited for our whole gang to get together. While we waited, we made the acquaintance of a very nice member of the Air Force who was returning home from Baghdad. He was between flights, and was loaded down with duffels and satchels and one hard case that contained his weapons. Believe me, he never turned his back on that one! I didn't get his picture, but he took one of us. His last name was Vincent and he was on his way to his home base in Colorado. I hope he gets to stay home now.

As for us, as you can see from the photos here, we ate, enjoyed some wine and cheese, we shopped and toured places most of us hadn't been before with our guide Jana, who lives in the area. Jana was a wonderful host to all of us, and this weekend was full of good food, good company, good laughs, interesting sights and fun shopping, and I returned energized and feeling eager to get back to business.

I wonder where we'll go next!

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

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.

So you think blogging is hard?

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:49:48 -0500

So you think blogging is hard? You think making phone calls is hard? You don't have the energy to go door-to-door to meet people or to invite neighbors to open houses? Or it's just too scary?

What if this was your job?

Or maybe this was your way to get to work?

You have been told by most regular bloggers here that they didn't know if they could be good bloggers either, but they just kept at it anyway, picking up tips and learning as they posted.

You don't believe that practicing a skill can make you better? What if these girls thought that?

Those of us in the real estate profession can make our jobs easy and fun, or depressing and hard. We can be afraid to try new things, or we can embrace the challenges and take on the adventure.

If you are new to blogging or have wondered if you should even try, please join us at Active Rain and share your thoughts, ask questions, and read and comment on others' posts. You will be inspired, you will learn a lot, you will make friends, and you WILL become a great blogger!

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

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 a difference one comment can make - 100,000 points at last!

Susan Neal, Fair Oaks CA Real Estate Broker (Century 21 Noel David Realty) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:34:59 -0500

What a difference one comment can make - 100,000 points at last!

As I sat down to the computer tonight and checked in at active Rain, I noted that I was just one comment short of breaking 100,000 points! Knowing that I can always count on Sally Cheeseman to brighten my day (or evening), I popped on over to her blog, and sure enough. A great post as usual and easy to comment on. Back here and there is the magic 6 figure number that I've been working toward. Now on to 200,000!

Those of you with just a few points may wonder how high point scores are earned. I can't speak for others, but I know that in addition to posting advice to buyers and sellers, and tips for other real estate professionals, I enjoy posting things about my personal life, my pets and local events and businesses, as well as posting to Localism and entering some contests that have been a lot of fun. And I read and read others' posts and comment on them. Points are awarded for up to 10 comments a day, and I usually make at least that many comments each day.

I don't blog for points, but I certainly do enjoy the points that come with blogging. For some time I have been #1 in Fair Oaks and in the top 10 in my county (I was #7 last time I checked). The reason this is a good thing is that when buyers and sellers are looking for an agent in Fair Oaks or Sacramento County, and they check the Active Rain site, they will find me at or near the top of the list. Due to this placement, I get enough calls to keep me pretty busy most of the time when combined with the Google juice and other benefits of being a blog leader in my area.

So if you are wondering what all the fuss about points is for, I hope this will give you some ideas, and blog away. The more you write, the easier and more fun it grows, and I know you will enjoy the benefits as I am.

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

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.