Monthly news letters from March through June

I apologize for being delinquent in maintaining this blog.  I will certainly be more attentive from this point forward...

June... June is finally here! The Mariners are sucking it up and the weather is a little confused. But there is always good news. Summer will be here before we know it and we'll have to have warmer weather, with global warming and all.

On a Personal Note . IT'S A GIRL!!! . We are currently 21 weeks along proud to say it's a girl.  After a lot of thought we've decided to name our baby girl Kealia after a beach on the East shore of Kauai just North of Kapaa.  The area used to be a sugar plantation (go figure) with a train  depot and interisland "Steamer" port.  Today, with all the development on the island, the area is home to the only significant dunes on the windward side.  Most importantly though, it's an absolutely beautiful beach with simply awesome sunrises.  That coupled with the fact that we Honeymooned on Kauai makes it a truly fitting name for our little girl.

On a side note, my birthday celebration at the Mariners game was a blast.  Thank you so much to everyone who made it.  With friends, family, the great weather and the M's squeaking out a win it couldn't have been better.

A Note from Carly Hello everyone! For those of you I haven't spoken to yet, I am Cruz's assistant at Keller Williams Realty. I am going to call and formally introduce myself to you in the future and I look forward to speaking with you soon. I have one more week of school until Spring Quarter finals, and then I head back for an intense four week summer session after a week of "summer break". It's hard to complain about my limited free time, when next fall I will officially be a senior, and my sense of accomplishment is growing with every class.

What's New In Real Estate Housing market is up! Housing market is down! Two articles from two different Seattle based papers promising a tale of two very different cities. Both of these articles received their information from the same source, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. So let's take a look at the facts ourselves: The NWMLS reports that last month's median house price was $448,500. That's almost $19,000 above February and about $10,000 higher than March. It was up 2% from March. Market heading UP.

A total of 2,419 King County houses and condos were sold last month, up slightly from March. This shows a slight trend of prices going up. Market heading UP.

The county's median price, $448,500 was down 3.5 percent from the median price of $465,000 in April 2007. Market DOWN.

Seattle's median house price in April was $440,000, down 2.4 percent from March. This was after two months at $450,000. However, that's based on a relatively small number of sales - 516, about a third of the county's total. Market DOWN?

April's pending sales total for the 19 counties the listing service covers was the highest in eight months. Market UP.

April's pending sales fell 32 percent from April 2007, according to a news release accompanying the numbers. Market DOWN.

The  market is down from last year, but it is getting slightly better as the months pass by. Houses are continuing to sell but at somewhat lower prices.

In Other Local News There has never been a better time to head out to the beach on your lunch break. During the first week of June tides are going to be at their lowest for the season, allowing for the best beachcombing in the Puget Sound area right around lunch time. Nature guides will be at on hand for informational and fun discussions. To learn more click here

Now for "the Joke of the Day": (Picking on Dads, in honor of Father's Day on June 15^th) My father was completely lost in the kitchen and never ate unless someone prepared a meal for him. When Mother was ill, however, he volunteered to go to the supermarket for her. She sent him off with a carefully numbered list of seven items.

Dad returned shortly, very proud of himself, and proceeded to unpack the grocery bags. He had one bag of sugar, two dozen eggs, three hams, four boxes of detergent, five boxes of crackers, six eggplants, and seven green peppers. . .

May... April seemed to leave almost as quick as it came.  I don't know about you, but I always say I'm going to get our tax's done ahead of time.  In fact, as the 15^th approached this year we were ahead of the game.  Thankfully I came to my senses, filed an extension and sent everything to a professional.  Now don't get me wrong, we can use a big refund just as much as anyone else.  It's just easier to use the money on the outside of the little room with bars on the doors and windows they'd put me in if I filed our return myself.  So off to my favorite account they went. . As far as the family go's, we continue to be blessed with good news and a bright future.  This month's baby focus was the heart beat we heard for the first time.  Boom, boom, boom it went as the doctor pulled the monitor away too soon for my taste.  Confirmation of the gender is next and right around the corner.

Speaking of mid May, my birthday lands on Saturday the 17^th.  Consequently I thought that with the Mariners in town I'd like to invite everyone to come help me celebrate at the game.  We're working with the ticket office to get bulk ticket pricing.  So if you'd like to go just let me know how many you'd like and I can get you a total.  The more the merrier so bring the family.  We'd love to see you there.

A Note from Carly Hello everyone! For those of you I haven't spoken to yet, I am Cruz's assistant at Keller Williams Realty. I am going to call and formally introduce myself to you in the future and I look forward to speaking with you soon. April was such a whirlwind of a month! Between the snow and the hail, I did manage to attend most of my classes and I am at the halfway mark for the quarter. Not that I'm counting. In other, more exciting, aspects of my life, I became an aunt on April 6^th to a beautiful little girl named Brennan Leia Saade. Yes, her middle name comes from Star Wars, because, as my brother puts it, she is now the Princess of the Universe! I didn't know my family could become any closer, but somehow she managed to do that, even though all she's done so far is sleep!

What's New In Real Estate Rising inventories, tougher lending restriction, and lowering home values are making home sellers nervous and impatient. The first step is to ensure that your home is priced correctly to help entice buyers. Here are a few tips to keep your cool and your sanity:

Home sellers need patience Here are some tips on how to price a home you're selling:

• Don't base the price on what you paid or what your neighbor got a few years ago.

• Do examine the prices of homes for sale in your neighborhood, as well as the prices of comparable homes that have sold in the past three to six months.

• Don't pick an agent simply because he or she suggested the highest list price.

• Do pick an agent who offers a thoughtful explanation for the price he or she is suggesting.

• Don't go overboard with remodeling. Rarely can you recoup the cost.

• Do make minor improvements so your home is in as good as, or better, shape than the competition.

• Don't set your price based on emotional attachments and cherished memories.

• Do ask your agent to reassess the competitive landscape every few weeks to make sure your asking price is in sync with the market.

• Don't be stubborn. If weeks go by without any offers, the price most likely does not reflect the value of the home. It's time to consider cutting the price.

• Do be patient. You might have to wait longer for buyers to pull their money together now that lenders have toughened their standards. - The Washington Post Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

In Other Local News The Government Stimulus Package has officially begun to take effect as of Monday April 28^th for those people who elected to receive their refund by direct deposit. For those of you who filed before April 15^th you should be receiving your refund before July 11^th 2008, assuming you in good standing with taxes, child support, student loans or anything else that would allow the government to garnish your wages. If you filed an extension on your 2007 taxes it is important to file them by October 15^th in order to receive your stimulus rebate check. Below are the schedules for economic stimulus payments related to tax returns processed by April 15, 2008: .

Now for "the Joke of the Day": Two confirmed bachelors sat talking, their conversation drifted from politics to cooking. . "I got a cookbook once," said one, "but I could never do anything with it." . "Too much fancy work in it, eh?" asked the other. . "You said it. Every one of the recipes began the same way - 'Take a clean dish." . .

April... Brrrrr! Spring certainly came in like a lion this year, which can only make one hope it will leave like a lamb. Reports of snow and power outages the last week of March was a surprise for almost everyone. Hopefully April will bring warmer weather, and won't need too many showers to bring those May flowers!

On a Personal Note It seems as if I gave the impression that I was giving up the real estate business to pursue law enforcement in last month's newsletter.  While it is true that I applied for the reserve program in Lynnwood, this was to be on a part time basis only and couldn't be further from the truth.  I absolutely love real estate and can't imagine doing anything else.  There's nothing else quite like it.  In fact, with business picking up, summer around the corner and a baby on the way, I've decide to put my aspirations of being a part time officer on hold.  I was hoping to balance everything and it seems obvious to me that building our family, not to mention our real estate business, takes up every minute of every day.  Simply put, that leaves the Lynnwood PD out of the picture.  They will have to serve and protect without me. .

AND NOW LET THE GUSHING BEGIN!!! This past month has been a busy one.  With all that's going on we don't seem to have a dull moment.  Most importantly, our pregnancy is moving along most splendidly.  We had our first sonogram a couple weeks ago and confirmed the kido is indeed in there.  In fact, this baby is especially active.  As soon as we had everything in focus it became apparent to all that there's some sort of training going on.  We watched as sets of pushups and crunches were followed by rounds of shadow boxing.  It's either that or the little one was a bit perturbed being awoken from beauty sleep.  That being said, the big event is still scheduled for 10/9/8 and both Mom and baby will be ready. . Our daughter continues to amaze us with her growth as well.  It's great to have her around to answer any questions as she of course knows everything or has an opinion about it if you dare ask.  If you don't have a 14 year old, I recommend getting one.  They're great in a pinch when you don't know what to do.  We of course love ours.  All kidding aside, she's doing great and excited for this next round of Tennis lessons. We continue to be very lucky in life and I hope it never runs out... Cruz

Check this out,... it will put a smile on your face and a hug in your heart.  Click here

A Note from Carly Hello everyone! For those of you I haven't spoken to yet, I am Cruz's assistant at Keller Williams Realty. I am going to call and formally introduce myself to you in the future and I look forward to speaking with you soon. March was a very busy month for me, with two weeks' worth of papers and finals crammed into two days. Luckily, I left the day after for spring break which consisted of visiting my family in New Orleans, and a day trip to Florida for Easter. I started school again March 31^st, and it is full time for the next year until I graduate in spring of 2008.

What's New In Real Estate Global awareness has been increasing steadily over the years, and many people have been trying to make any changes they can in an effort to "go green". The following tips can help your home become more energy efficient and slow the rate of carbon emissions leading to global warming:

1.     Change your lighting. Florescent lights can last for years, out weighing the concerns of the small amounts of mercury in them.

2.     Keep your windows well insulated with shades and curtains.

3.     Keep your appliances serviced, so that they don't put out more electricity than necessary.

4.     Use weather stripping on every door and window in your home to hold in warmth or keep it out.

To read this complete article click here .

In Other Local News Bellevue is beefing up their local economy by beginning direct trade with China. Bellevue currently has the highest number of Asian residents in comparison to all other Washington cities, and the influx of Asian products will be well received. The independent trade relations made by Bellevue should create other avenues of income when and if local economy dips, as well. . To learn more about the tentative trade plan click here

Now for "the Joke of the Day": According to a news report, a certain private school in Victoria,
BC recently was faced with a unique problem.

A number of grade 12 girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.

Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back.

Finally the principal decided that something had to be done.
She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.

He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.

Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. . .

March... February flew by and a new month has already begun. March is a month of new beginnings, spring officially starts on March 20^th and baseball season starts on March 31^st. Also, don't forget to spring forward on March 9^th at 2:00 am. Remember, this is also a good time to check your smoke detectors, and while you're at it, may as well call and schedule an appointment with your dentist too. . For the complete Mariners schedule click here

On a Personal Note

WARNING!!! WARNING!!!  If you're not interested in hearing about our pregnancy, go ahead and skip the next couple of paragraphs as I gush and pontificate about or pregnancy. As you may already know, my wife and I are expecting a baby or babies in October.  That's right, October and yet I already found myself dumbfounded while shopping last week by how cool baby toys are these days.  No, I wasn't there for toys but I was irreversibly drawn.  It was as if they those toys had never been there before.  Everything was bright and new and yet I know they had been there the whole time.  They've been calling me and I finally listened.  I guess life is that way.  Sometimes you have to stop and listen so you don't miss what's most important. My wife is awesome and doing well.  She is a true champion who is glowing with anticipation.  In fact, she has developed a ferocious appetite for reading everything from the proper diet to debates on what cribs are best and everything in between.  If it has something to do with being a good mom and having happy healthy babies, she has read it at least once and is looking for the supplemental articles.  She is simply incredible and it is without a doubt that I can say "I'm the lucky one".

Our daughter is pumped about the new arrival(s) too.  In fact, she has done the math and has expressed concern about how she's going to be in college before they're in preschool.  She can hardly wait herself.  As far as she goes personally, she finished her first set of Tennis lessons (finishing at the top of her class), doing well in school and continues her volunteer work with the Rainbow Girls.  She has grown leaps and bounds over the past six months.  Luckily my wife and are ready to "handle" the teenage boys appropriately.

As for myself, I have always wanted to serve my community and am excited to announce that my polygraph to join the Lynnwood Police Department Reserves Program is scheduled for early this month.  It's a very long process and I am thankful that this step is finally just around the corner.  Hopefully, if everything goes well, I will be entering the Reserve Academy sometime in May.

So much going on personally and professionally has me running all the time.  Thankfully I set aside time every day to take it all in.  You should never forget to "listen".  It's a lesson that has been made abundantly clear to me over and over again.

2008 is shaping up to be better than expected and I am expecting a lot.  My family is incredible, my business is incredible and I am unmistakably exhilarated and excited for the future.

A Note from Carly Hello everyone! For those of you I haven't spoken to yet, I am Cruz's assistant at Keller Williams Realty. I am going to call and formally introduce myself to you in the future and I look forward to speaking with you soon.  I've very excited that it is already March! Spring is coming soon, meaning warmer and sunnier days, as well as two weeks off for spring break! I'll be leaving March 19^th to visit my family in New Orleans, and will be returning on March 25^th. It will be a nice reprieve after finals, and the perfect way to recharge before returning to school full-time.

What's New In Real Estate As winter comes to a close it's time to start thinking about how to market your home for a summer sale. Starting early means that you have plenty of time to clean, make repairs and de-clutter your home for potential buyers. This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the amount of "stuff" you have and the amount of free time you can devote to it.  Get ready to clean house for spring sales. . By Mary Ellen Slayter The Washington Post . WASHINGTON - It's winter, time to hang the "For Sale" sign.  Homeowners shouldn't dally if they want to sell their houses in spring, the peak season for real-estate transactions, real-estate agents say.  "If they know they want to move by summer, now is not too early to bring somebody in," said Barbara Nowak, an agent with Long & Foster in Burke, Va. Now - not when the tulips are in bloom - is the time to start decluttering, cleaning, making repairs, getting paperwork together and interviewing real-estate agents.  Homeowners with a lot of junk can take two to four weeks just to get through this step, Nowak said, meaning now is the time to get rid of any books, videos or toys you don't use.  "You can either donate them or put them away." . To read the rest of the article click here

In Other Local News Lock bumping, a particular way to pick a lock, is a growing concern around the country. Would be burglars have created a special key that, when used correctly, can be used to open almost any lock on your home. There are ways that you can protect your home and family from a dangerous break in, and locks made to be "bump" resistant. The first step is to be well educated on the subject. For your protection I have included more information courtesy of Wikipedia, as well as a YouTube video for you to check out yourselves.

Click here to read more

Click here to view video

Now for "the Joke of the Day": An 80 year old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them.

When they arrived at the doctors, they explained to the doctor about the problems they were having with their memory. After checking the couple out, the doctor told them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and make notes to help them remember things.

The couple thanked the doctor and left. Later that night while watching TV, the man got up from his chair and his wife asked, "Where are you going?" He replied, "To the kitchen." She asked, "Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" He replied, "Sure." She then asked him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" He said, "No, I can remember that."

She then said, "Well I would also like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down because I know you'll forget that." He said, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries." She replied, "Well I also would like whipped cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down."

With irritation in his voice, he said, "I don't need to write that down! I can remember that." He then fumes into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes he returned from the kitchen and handed her a plate of bacon and eggs. She stared at the plate for a moment and said angrily: "I TOLD you to write it down! You forgot my toast!"