South County Sacramento Blog

Take a break from selling your home.

Hurray! It is the Holiday Season.     Friends, family and good cheer all around.   Who wants to be bothered with keeping your home ready for showing?

So just take it off the market right.

WRONG

Just as much as it is a pain for you to keep your home shiny, so is it a pain for potential buyers to shop for one.   The weather is not beautiful, other things (visiting, shopping, cleaning, football) are on the top of the to do list.   Did we mention traffic?

So who is going to take time away from their family, miss the game and muck around in the rain to look at houses.

PEOPLE  WHO  MUST  BUY A HOME.

This season takes away lookie-loos, dabblers, non committed œif it is a steal I™ll buy it people.   This season reveals the serious.

So do yourself a favor and amp up your commitment. Do not take a break and SELL THAT HOME.

œObstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal Henry Ford

Keep Going.   I tell myself this, I tell my friends this, sometimes I forget this and I need them to tell me.

Yesterday was one of those days.

I love my garden. I need my garden.   My garden is a huge part of who I am. It always amazes me that a tiny little seed can turn into a bushel of tomatoes.   My garden reassures me that miracles happen everyday and all the time.

So when I got there after a long, (productive, but long) day I was devastated to find that the sheep had gotten in and helped themselves to my abundant patch of heaven.     When I say sheep, I don't really mean "sheep" I mean Frieda.   She is the trouble making queen of the pack. I've had her more than 10 years, she comes when I call, and she watches everyday for any tiny laps in my garden security.   Yesterday she found it. I shut the gate, but I didn't CHAIN the gate. She can open any thing not chained.   So she had a party and invited her friends.

No tomato plants, tomato stubs.  No melon patch, squash patch, bean patch or sunflowers.   Just a bunch of  happy sheep with vegetable breath.

So what did I do?   Well first I called a friend, and properly grieved.   Then I rolled up my sleeves and started to re-plant. Not all at once, just a little, tomorrow a little more.   I think it is a good lesson about Real Estate, about life, about what is next for you.

Are you upside down on your mortgage?  Have you been working on a contract that just disintegrated?   Are you looking at a bunch of stubs where you use to have hope and take delight?   OK grieve, but not too much grief or you will forget where you are going.   Roll up your sleeves and go.

Regroup.

Plant the seeds of what you want your life to look like.   This season is temporary.   They all are.   Keep planting.

By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.

Charles Spurgeon

I LOVE living in the South County.   South County includes:   Sheldon, Wilton, Vineyard, Vintage, Slough House, Florin, Elk Grove and unincorporated Sacramento.   It is small enough to feel like home and big enough so there is always something going on.

With that said, I wanted to find some activities in Wilton this weekend, so I looked on the internet¦nothing.   Nothing?!    I found lots of things that have already happened, but nothing that was going to happen.    Then I had to laugh.     Nobody goes to the Internet for local information¦we go to Sheldon Feed, or the Dillard Store.   Both have huge community boards where you can find out what is going on.   You can find out who needs a room, who repairs fences, who has livestock to trade, or who just lost that dog you found.

The boards have been there since probably before automobiles.   I found my sheep shearer there 15 years ago.    I always post my open house flyers there.    If I need anything or have too much of something I automatically go to the boards.   This way to communicate lends a sense of community, of history.    It makes me feel connected.  It is the ultimate in old fashioned social networking.

Those boards are a TREASURE.    It made me realize that we have lots of treasures out here.     We have Sheldon Feed, Davis ranch, project ride, The Red Door, Silva™s¦.I™ve barely gotten started.   There are so many.     I™ll start spotlighting a new South County treasure every week.

I think I™ll start with Sheldon Feed.   I have to go there anyway to find out what is going on this weekend.

Live in such a way

that you would not be ashamed

to sell your parrot to the town gossip.

Will Rodgers

My favorite client can™t afford a house.

Why am I working with her?   Because her desire, her attitude, and her perseverance makes it worth while.    We met when I was going through her check out line.   She was extraordinarily friendly, we had a nice visit, and I gave her my card, with œif I can help you in any way, call me.

She called me.     She is working two jobs, she is saving, she is working on her credit.   She can™t swing a house payment right now, and to me that doesn™t matter.   She will be able to in the future.     Her desire is pushing her forward and making her strong.

I feel fortunate to be a part of it.   I will find her a house.   I will find her a GREAT house.   A house that she loves, a house that relieves some of her stress, a house where she can bloom and feel secure.   The minute her circumstance comes together with my diligent searching, she will be moving to a better chapter in her life.     I love being a part of that.

“Eagles come in all shapes and sizes,

but you will recognize them chiefly by their

attitudes. œ

Charles Prestwich Scott

The best part about living in South County Sacramento is the community.   I have always found an outpouring of support and encouragement here.   It is small enough to be connected, and big enough to be happy.   That said: a dear friend of mine is having a

    LAUNCH PARTY

LAUNCH PARTY for TranquillGardens.com  

Saturday May 16   11am-3pm

The Secret Garden 8998 Elk Grove Blvd.  686-2006

Meet local landscape designer Soleil Tranquilli & friends for a fun day of FREE workshops, demos & drawings at The Secret Garden in Elk Grove.

11 Am Butterflies & Hummers w/ Soleil: Learn what plants are the best for drawing in hummingbirds and butterflies, as well as other pollinators. Colorful combinations for pots and more¦ Tranquill Gardens design & consultation

11:30 Am Green Homes w/ Kathleen: Realtor & Herb Farmer Kathleen Frawley talks about energy efficient homes and finding them on the market. Ideas on how to retrofit your own for money savings and more eco- conscious living. Kathleen Frawley, Realtor Keller Williams

12 Pm Disappearing Water Features w/ Fawaz: How to install a disappearing water feature in your garden. Two styles will be addressed using in-ground water reservoirs. The Secret Garden

1 Pm EZ Eco Yards with Soleil: How to save money on your water bills, reduce yard work and have a gorgeous garden too? No mow native sod, native plants, recycled glass, herbs and edibles, and permeable paver demos¦ Eco-friendly garden design. Tranquill Gardens design & consultation

1:30 Pm Recycled Furniture Magic w/ Michelle: Is your old garden bench looking shabby? Learn how to make it garden chic!  Recycle, refinish, and now reuse in a few simple steps for beautiful designer results. See a project demonstration and a fabulously finished garden bench. Design FX Home Staging and Redesign

2 Pm Summerizing Your Pool w/ Sergio: Five trade tricks to save money on your pool care. Ask the expert anything, I dare ya!  Tropical Pools

2:30 Pm ˜Scent™sational Gardens Plus Q & A w/ Soleil: Delightful scents for outdoor spaces¦ Pick the brain of a local designer who knows your challenges¦ Problem solving on the spot! Plus tons more ideas for making your yard eco-friendlier and lazy gardening techniques, most are personally tested!

Live guitar music by Elmer. Featuring native plants from Cornflower Farms.

Bring a Food Bank donation and refreshments are on us!  

How important it is to recognize and celebrate

our Hero™s and She-roes!   Mia Angelou

Finally, it’s not too hot or too cold.   Everything is in full bloom and the birds are on full time song duty.   It is vital to go on a picnic.

South County Sacramento has some BEAUTIFUL parks.   You can find one in about 15 minutes from just about anywhere.

Park Maps: Sacramento county Park maps

You can pack some wonderful food: Picnic recipes     Or just make it casual.   There are about a millon Great reason to live in the south area.

The parks are just one of them.

A little madness in the Spring is wholesome even for the King.

Emily Dickenson

# 1 biggest mistake:   Waiting untill the market hits the bottom.  

Are you kidding? First of all we won’t know the bottom was hit untill about 60 days after it happened.   Second of all, Sellers will get the news flash the same day you do.   So guess what…prices will increase.   (probably dramatically and immediately)   So sitting on the couch biting your nails and waiting for “the bottom” won’t help any one.   If you need a house, and will have comfortable payments, by all means get it.   You don’t want to tell your friends in a couple of years you missed the boat.   (would-a could-a should-a)

Mistake #2:   Not being preapproved.

Prequalified is NOT the same as preapproved.   If you submit an offor on a house you love with only a prequalification, in this market, you probably won’t get it.   In fact, banks look at a prequalification as only a maybe-long shot-risk-gamble-slight possibility of qualifying.   in fact if they have multiple offers (which is very common) they may use your contract for a dartboard or to line the bird cage.

Preapproval is golden.   Harps will play in the background when your offer is submitted with a preapproval.   It will let you know exactly what you qualify for, and helps the process flow much smoother.   No brainer…get preapproved.

Mistake #3 Betting on resale.

As a rule real estate increases in value.   As a rule over any 12 year period, real estate increases in value.   READ that:   12 year period.   The numbers, statistics, history, gurus, and geniuses say 12 years.   Not two weeks, not 6 months, not a year.   12 years.   Bottom line here: don’t over extend yourself.   If the payments are comfy cosey buy it.   If it will rent for more than your payments, buy it.   (easy to do in this market) if cash-flow is positive right now, or you are prepared to wait 12 years for capital gains buy it.

If you think you need it right now because it will double in value immediately, and you will over extend yourself or bet the farm to get it, Call me- I’ll talk you down.   That is not a smart way to live your life, or invest your money.

Those are the three mistakes I see most often, and the ones I can think of right now, but likeley, i will post more later.

“Mistakes are part of being human.

Appreciate your mistakes for what they are:

precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way.

Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which at least others can learn from.”

Al Franken

Surprise, two weeks ago I didn™t know what a blog was, and now I have one.   I™m looking forward to this new project.     Web log, online journal, visit fest, soap box¦what ever.   It will be a great way to remember what happened and keep in touch .  

Imagine, my great great grandmother would hand write a note to someone,   wait forever to give it to some one else who would  give it to someone else who would give it to someone getting on a boat and 6 months later, it would be delivered.         Now I can have a thought,   write it down,  and moments later, someone in Ireland can read it.   Wow.     I guess now I should go have some thoughts.

Without change, something sleeps inside us,

and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.
Frank Herber

Welcome to Kathleen Frawley’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Elk Grove.