ca: The 47th Transpacific Yacht Race started today in Long Beach, CA
- 07/08/13 06:09 PM
Today, the first boats in the Transpacific Yacht Race left Long Beach, California on their way to Honolulu, Hawaii. After crossing some 2,225 nautical miles from Point Fermin, they will be received with much fanfare at this year's host, the Hawaii Yacht Club. I understand that this year, 59 sailboats are entered and the first ones are expected to come around the Diamond Head Lighthouse as early as Friday, July 19th--this from a reliable source, my "nephew" Mike Rothwell. Since the boats are of varying sizes, the race starts are staggered. The smallest boats left today,Monday; mid-sized boats take off on Thursday; and the largest … (12 comments)
ca: Laura Wiens, Artist at Highground Gallery & Studio, Crescent City, CA
- 12/16/12 12:51 PM
My friend Laura Wiens is an awesome artist here in Crescent City, California. She is very versatile, landscapes are what she really likes to paint, also animals. I have also seen her paint cottages, homes and store fronts in Carmel-by-the-Sea. She paints them from photos and owners have been really pleased with them. What I am saying is that if you wanted to give a gift to your clients of their new home, just send her a photo and she could paint a wonderful move-in gift. Recently, Laura opened up her own gallery, Highground Gallery and Studio, For Christmas she produced … (7 comments)
ca: Listings all renewed and ready for the Summer Season.
- 06/30/12 01:22 PM
I make it a point to have my listings expire either on June 30 or December 31. Why? After JUNE and for the summer season, we get so many calls from buyers actually showing up at the property and calling from the yard sign. I need to be sure that the SELLER has his CURB APPEAL down. Usually buyers want to see the property within a SHORT time, often that day. The seller needs to be on board with that. In DECEMBER and for the first quarter of the new year, it's a totally different story. If the property hasn't sold during the previous … (6 comments)
ca: Listing a property over market price - let's be frank.
- 11/16/11 01:43 PM
I know, we talk about this a lot, how we are very professional, how we can prove to the seller that his property is only worth so much in this market, and SAY we won't list it if it's overpriced. Or the seller is so turned off by OUR inflexibility, that we won't get the listing. How many listings have been lost to you, that did sell later, but by someone else. So maybe consider this 1. Is the list price really so high that it won't sell AT ALL? 2. Is the seller willing to lower the price if it hasn't … (6 comments)
ca: More buyers are calling me since my latest marketing move
- 07/24/11 01:18 PM
I used to feel that I should have a few low priced listings, like loss leaders in retail, to help my marketing. I am not talking about REOs which get snapped up very quickly here, but those that sellers who are not underwater want to sell. NO MORE. The reasons: 1. In California we have dual agency so brokers/agents use listings as part of their marketing campaign to attract both buyers and sellers. 2. To attract BUYERS, it would make sense to have a selection of listings including those that are very low priced. 3. So I had a few of these equity listings, got … (4 comments)
ca: Why buyers and sellers should not meet
- 04/10/11 08:27 AM
Although sellers have to fill out the Property Questionnaire and otherwise let the buyers know what is "wrong" with their properties, there are other areas that can be ticklish. Not only that, but if you stand between them when the seller says these things, you are in my opinion, obligated to CORRECT the seller. For example, the seller in ordinary conversation might say things like:
"It's a very safe neighborhood" - an actual no-no for a Realtor. How can you guarantee that? "We have not had problems during the rainy season" - when in actuality there may have been puddling, but … (2 comments)
ca: I'm hella proud to have this name
- 03/24/11 03:07 PM
During my early years when I first arrived on your shores from Europe, I was always asked "what is Hella short for"? Is it another version of Helen, Helena, etc? Well it's hella not. Along came my friends and those I didn't know hella well at all, with comments like "you are a hell-of-a gal" or "do you travel for the hell-of-it" - each thinking I had not heard hella all of them! But I forgive them, each and every hella time, they can't help themselves. Guys always thought it was fun to ask if I was named for the Hella Headlights. … (6 comments)
Today, the first boats in the Transpacific Yacht Race left Long Beach, California on their way to Honolulu, Hawaii. After crossing some 2,225 nautical miles from Point Fermin, they will be received with much fanfare at this year's host, the Hawaii Yacht Club.
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