Pacita's Quick Bytes of Real Estate

When home buyers are timid about writing a stronger offer, it’s almost always about price.   Should they walk away?   Perhaps they should take a closer look at the numbers especially if they really like the house .   It helps to illustrate what the differences are in terms of total cash outlay an...

Life in Alameda.....wonderful duet opens to WATERFRONT. Fabulous home by San Francisco Bay Location: Brittany Landing in Harbor Bay Living in Alameda is quite a blessing. And to live in a home with direct access to the trail along San Francisco Bay....that's glorious!Having an extra large patio ...

Realtors’ bad behavior at another realtor’s brokers tour/open house    Broker’s tour Yesterday during a broker’s tour, I was reveling in the good and positive comments from agents and neighbors who came to see my newest Alameda listing. As always, I served Chinese dim sum, which helped provide a ...

Someone asked me how long it takes to prepare a property for sale. The usual answer is “It depends”. For the benefit of potential sellers, this should give you an idea of the process.   ONE DAY The shortest period of time I enjoyed from start to finish was just one day.   I was lucky enough to ge...

My newest client has a lot of things to do to settle his late mother's estate and affairs. Understandably, he would much rather delegate to trusted associates, including me, his REALTOR. Project Management Not many people realize that REALTORS are also project managers. It takes a lot of work and...

We need a REALTOR! Early morning of December 30, 2013, I received a call from someone I didn't know. She identified herself as the daughter of my mother's friend. She was the caregiver of another elderly lady who just passed away in her sleep. The son just flew in from out of state, and was going...

Whichever program one uses in the business, we are always told to watch those stats. Some programs count the number of phone calls whether one is prospecting or making follow up calls. Other programs advise you to classify your contact list, and focus your efforts on the A and B list, and then de...

Why do people wait until after the holidays to list their home for sale? We often wonder why people prefer to list their properties for sale in spring and summer --- and no, weather is not a factor here in Alameda CA --- because serious buyers don't stop looking. Some industry experts will say t...

Victorians in Alameda CA. There are more Victorians per capita in Alameda CA.  So we are quite proud of the many Victorian homes that define our island. However, there is a new Victorian style that has emerged. Will these start a trend...or should the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society pr...

It takes a village to develop a good REALTOR When I was just starting out as a REALTOR, I was fortunate enough that the company I worked with sponsored several classes offered by our affiliates. But being book smart is different from being street smart, and that’s where experience can make a diff...