I work for Better Homes and Gardens, and I wanted to share their new campaign here because I think it is pretty cool! They are sharing ads like the one in the video below to encourage clients and potential clients to see why Better Homes and Gardens knows homes better, and how that can help YOU!
As an employee of Better Homes and Gardens Reliance Partners, we are the only company under the Anywhere Brand that is under the BHG umbrella and thus associated with the BHG Magazine. We got a new CEO this year named Ginger Wilcox and I have to admit she is really on point with updating the brand. The magazine is iconic and melds so nicely with real estate, thus our new tagline. I am excited what new ideas she will bring to the table. I am proud to work under this brand, I now think it is cool and promotes the lifestyle clients want to lead. We act as personal property curators. We pay attention to all the little details that make a future home a source of joy and pride, whether it’s a fixer with tons of charm and potential or a fully remodeled estate. A BHG real estate sign is a sign of a home where better living begins.
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I recently went to Sebastopol for a paella lunch at Marimar Winery. My friend from Reno who knows the owner and is a club member asked if I wanted to come. We got to stay at a guest house for two nights and had a wonderful time. Marimar Winery is a beautiful place and Sebastopol is one of those cute little towns that gets lost in the shuffle of all the cute little towns around us, but so worth a visit!
We started our road trip Friday evening and stopped in Graton at the Underwood Bar & Bistro for a drink and heavy appetizers that were absolutely delicious and surprisingly busy for a small town.
The next day was the actual paella lunch. For those that haven’t had paella, it’s a famous Spanish cuisine made of rice, chicken, and seafood (or other meats, depending on the chef). It’s cooked in a large wok-like pan (a paella dish) and served family-style. It’s truly a cultural cuisine experience and one of the tastiest things you’ll ever eat! This recipe was out of the Marimar cookbook and was served with some tasty tapas and a wine pairing. She comes from a Castilian family raised in Spain, where her family also has a winery. In the 1970s, she bought land in Sebastopol and started growing grapes in the European style and now has her adult daughter helping her run the winery.
As you can see from these photos, it was a wonderful visit to Sebastopol. There was a robust and diverse crowd, which gave me a chance to meet and talk to some folks and make connections, and of course, the wine was wonderful. I highly recommend a visit to Marimar Winery (and check out some of their annual events!), but you have to wait until next October to get you some paella!
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With two weeks to go until the Presidential Election, you are probably very tired of hearing about it. However, I think this is an angle that you should take a moment to think about when casting your vote. How does the election impact the housing and real estate market?
According to the below video, the result of this election is very unlikely to alter the market much in either direction. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, has proposed federal grants to increase the amount of housing available, as well as to credit first-time homebuyers and make buying easier. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has said he would continue Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s term.
Analyses of those respective platforms say that little movement would be expected, as is historically normal in presidential election years. One thing that does tend to happen is that home sales slow during the election month (November), but quickly bounce back and rise the following year, with prices climbing steadily. Mortgage rates typically come down slightly.
So, why should that matter to you as a voter? Well, if you have any plans to buy or sell a home in the next year or so, it can just add a layer of uncertainty to the whole process, however there is always something going on. Luckily, that’s where I come in! Let me use my expertise to help you navigate the market and find you your dream home or get the best return on selling your home.
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I recently had the pleasure of working with amazing relocation clients moving from Minnesota to Livermore. With only three days to find their perfect home, we toured 10 homes in a single day. It was a long day, but well worth it in the end. They really wanted a pool, and the property on Empress Ln. in Brentwood checked all their boxes.
The seller did quite a bit of work refinishing hardwood floors, replacing windows with broken seals, and painting. There was still some work to be done at the end, so we got a $15,000 credit (the water heater, for instance, needs to be replaced and there was a leak in the pool).
The biggest issue we found was that the solar was only producing about one-third of the energy it was supposed to, and the bills were still very high. We had to search high and low for someone to do an inspection on that, and someone finally come out and give us some details. Older solar panels, when you don’t know who installed it, got bought out and the owner did not have the name of the new company is never an easy task to get resolved or find someone to repair.
This was a whirlwind process from start to finish, but them through the process and working with amazing clients made it all worth it. The home is a 5-bed, 3-bath, 3,844-square foot home and they couldn’t be happier! Whether relocating or buying locally, I’m here to make your journey easy and stress-free!
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My writer and his family were startled awake by a storm that carried much more power than expected last week. They live in Asheville, NC, one of the hardest-hit areas by Hurricane Helene. Though he and his home escaped any major damage, his entire neighborhood was filled with downed trees, smashed roofs, and other destruction.
The worst of the damage to my writer’s home in Asheville: a smashed A/C unit, a fence, and one gutter. He says they are much luckier than most people they know in the area!
Here in California, we deal with the effects of wildfires in many of our communities and live amid the fear of “the big one” hitting a major fault and triggering a massive earthquake. Beyond all the loss of life and property that results from these disasters, the real estate market can take a big hit. Here’s some info on how those markets are affected, paraphrased from this real estate blog:
There is typically a sharp decline in property values immediately after a natural disaster. Homes can suffer serious damage and be in need of repair. Those repair costs, plus a perceived increased risk of future disasters, diminishes appeal and demand. If many in the area were underinsured or uninsured, there could be financial difficulties that lead to foreclosures and an even longer-term depressive effect on market prices.
Of course, investors might see a place hit by disaster as a strong bet for long-term recovery and appreciation and could swoop in and purchase properties at low prices. This can provide much-needed capital for rebuilding efforts but also lead to gentrification and displacement of residents who are now priced out of their communities.
In the long term, markets tend to adapt to the reality of natural disasters, including new building codes and zoning laws to mitigate future risk (think, elevating homes in flood-prone areas or enforcing stricter fire-resistant materials in wildfire zones). That can lead to increased building costs likely passed on to buyers and raising overall market values.
Finally, how quickly and competently the government responds to a natural disaster has a huge influence on the market’s trajectory. Timely and robust support can help stabilize markets and reassure potential buyers, but the opposite response can exacerbate the negative impacts on property values and investor confidence. If the variables align positively, a destroyed market can bounce back, sometimes even stronger.
One other issue the housing market in California is currently facing is the lack of insurance companies willing to insure new homeowners. Insurance has now become a contingency in the contracts because if you can’t get insurance, you can’t close on a loan. Rossmoor, our senior community, currently has a fire insurance coverage issue and can’t find lenders that will finance the homes in that community, thus they are all-cash closings.
I have referred a handful of clients to a current lender that seems to get buyers insured. However, my most recent closing he could not and they found only one company (Mercury) that would insure in Brentwood. I think they have quotas for specific areas and this problem was not helped by California putting limits on how much an insurance company can charge. It is this point that has caused so many insurance companies to leave California and I am unsure what the solution is.
Understanding all of these possibilities and variables can help buyers and sellers make informed decisions. There is no foolproof way to insulate a market from the effects of a natural disaster, but being diligent about preparedness, recovery effort, and strategic planning can pave the way for growth later. On a side note, I just saw an article about one home that did not burn in the Lahania fires while everything else burned around it. It was a newer build and had some fire hardening; maybe a wave of future possibility?
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I first met Matt through his brother, Dean. They were on the hunt for a fixer-upper in Hayward/Freemont area and the first house we put a bid on was a probate property – a complete burnout home, listed in the low $ 400,000s. When it went to court, the bidding shot up to $747,000, which just didn’t make sense to them.
Matt (front) and Dean (gray shirt in back).
After that, I showed them several more homes, all with significant issues and price tags in the $800,000 + range. Then we found Brandywine, a house that had been sitting for six months. It came with a massive $45,000 pest report. The trim and deck were completely rotted – the original wood was cheap, and the house hadn’t been maintained (likely rented out to students at Cal State Hayward).
We got bids from contractors, ranging from $12,000-$18,000, but they ended up going with Dean’s guy. He did all the section 1 work (damage to wood), even found a bunch of termites inside the framing of one window. Now, they’re gutting all three bathrooms, painting inside and out, installing a new dishwasher, and building a brand new deck. The last sale in that development was $904,000. This home started at $908,000 but had dropped to $799,000. After some back-and-forth negotiations, Matt bought it for $750,000.
This wasn’t a flip – Matt and his family are moving in. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
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The City of Walnut Creek is bringing back a popular initiative this Fall: the Citizens Institute. I learned a lot about the city when I did it. Participants in the Institute can learn about city operations, tour facilities not often open to the public, and meet City Council Members and key staff.
Applications are being taken through September 20 and the first session will take place on October 8. There is a City Council meet-and-greet TOMORROW (Sept. 11) at my house in Parkmead. My address is 190 Arlene Drive. Please be sure to come by and take advantage of this opportunity. See more below.
Sessions will take place:
Tuesday, October 8
Saturday, October 19
Tuesday, October 22
Tuesday, October 29
Wednesday, November 6
Wednesday, November 20
Anyone who lives or works in Walnut Creek and has an interest in local government is invited to sign up for the Institute. Each class is designed for 25-30 students to encourage discussion, involvement, and interaction.
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I came across some great advice in an email from Super Home Warranty recently, that I wanted to share here. They listed seven great tips to tell a new homeowner. They may seem simple or obvious, but as a new home owner, one may not think about all these things. I agree with all of the tips, some may have been noted in the home inspection such as water leaks and where is the main and circuit breaker and yes do a deep clean before you move in with all your stuff, often a seller will clean, but may not be as detailed as you would like.
Check your smoke detector and CO2 alarms: always test your alarms and put fresh batteries in!
Update your address: this is probably the first thing most people do upon moving, but it’s good to remember not to put it off too long.
Change the locks: you never know how many spare keys are out there from previous owners, so change the locks for peace of mind.
Check for water leaks: early detection of leaks can save you tons of stress and money down the line.
Locate the water main and circuit breaker: I’d add the gas main, too, because the last thing you want is to have an emergency and not know where any of those things are!
Clean the house: this is a good opportunity to make it feel brand new, all like yours, and get difficult-to-clean areas like appliances and air vents looking clean as a whistle.
Transfer utilities: just like updating your address with USPS, you’ll want to transfer any utilities necessary to your name at the new home. The longer you wait, the longer you’ll go without electricity, water, internet, etc.
Are there any other tips for new homes and homeowners you can think of? Comment below with the things you wish you had known!
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Have you checked out the Market by Rooted next to Larkey Park? It used to be a deli but their refrigeration went out and the people who own Rooted bought it. Speaking of, you may remember that Rooted Coffee is owned by a Las Lomas alumnus named Jon Gilmore.
Jon and his wife, Jenny, started Rooted and focus on making a difference in the local and global farming communities. For example, they donate 10% of profits to local and global charities. They source organic and fairly-traded coffee beans, only use plant-based milks, and only use compostable, petroleum-free cups.
Based on their menu, it seems The Market by Rooted is following the same plan. It has been open for about three months and I enjoyed what I ate while visiting recently. They have sandwiches, many vegan items, and other various healthy snacks. They also have two coffee shop locations in both Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill, which have some good options, but mostly coffee. Check out our past coverage on Rooted here.
I want to congratulate them on their success, as I remember when they started by selling coffee at the Walnut Creek Farmers Market, along with their wonderful vegan waffles! They were looking for a building and got rejected for the library location, but persevered with two better locations. For guilt-free and healthy eating, check out The Market by Rooted next time you’re in the Larkey Park area.
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I was covering for another agent who was on vacation and got a message from someone referring Mitch and Mallory to her. With that agent unable to be there, I stepped in and showed Mitch and Mallory a house that we wrote an offer on but did not get. We went to look at another house and it all came together!
That house was 2126 Vaquero Way in Antioch. It actually had another offer on it when we arrived but we offered what was recommended (basically asking price) and ended up winning the bidding. Mitch and Mallory also got a $3,500 credit after inspections.
Luckily, Mitch is an electrician so knows many people in the trades and can do quite a bit of work himself. I’m sure they will get this place in tip-top shape for their first home! I love working with first-time home buyers and seeing all the possibilities a new home brings to people.
I’m thrilled for Mitch and Mallory on their new adventure and can’t wait to see the finished product. There is something about when a buyer is ready, they are really ready. They had been thinking about this for months and finally acted, so it’s no surprise it happened so quickly!