You've heard the saying, "If you think hiring a pro is expensive…just wait ‘til you hire an amateur."
That's true for real estate agents, too. Most of my clients come from
referrals given by happy past clients who recognize that I'm a pro at
what I do. Feel free to call with any kind of real estate question...you don't have to be buying or selling right now. I'm here for you and anyone you refer to me.~Mardin, (408) 210-2073
Happy Easter
What’s the Difference between a Bunny and a Hare?
Hares and bunny (rabbits) are both in the family Leporidae, but they’re
separate species. Both animals have long ears, powerful back legs, and a
divided upper lip. But hares are larger and stronger than rabbits. And,
instead of creating burrows underground like rabbits, hares make nests
in the grass. Make you think...with their greater strength, size, and
affinity for nests, maybe hares should be delivering our Easter eggs
instead of bunnies.
Mardin's Real Estate Q&A
Should I buy a Second Home before buying my First?
If you do, you're not alone.
With property prices so high, many first-time buyers and down-sizers are
choosing to buy a home somewhere else, while continuing to pay rent for
their main home. They're buying condos, homes in down markets, vacation
homes, or homes in exurbs with long commutes. After buying, they rent
the homes to others, either as Airbnbs or full time rentals.
It's a way to build equity, even though you're still paying rent in your
current location. It's also a way to buy into a community that might
rise in value. And it offers the peace of mind that comes with having a
place to go if needed.
To make this work, you may need to put 20% down, and you'll need to buy
'right' based on the rental market in your target location. If it's out
of our area, you'll want to connect with a local Realtor there (I can
refer someone, if you like). And if it's local to our area, I can help
you do the analysis. This method of "buying the second home
while still renting your first" does open up the entire country for
buying without moving. Let me know how I can help.
April Quiz Question
Before Mt Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on earth? Yep, it's a trick question!
Send your answer for a chance to win a $5 COFFEE CARD. Last month's Q&A: What is the national symbol of Ireland? The harp. Congratulations to last month's winner!
Tolerating Clutter Might Be Driving You to Distraction
Our world is filled to the brim with distractions. Texting, emails,
zoom, traffic, kid's activities, shopping, politics, house cleaning,
money, online schooling, COVID, etc, etc! It's no wonder we're so
stressed, cranky, and unfocused.
Now, throw in “tolerations.” Tolerations are little, persistent
distractions that we try to ignore. They're mostly physical things
around the house, like dangling computer cords we never bothered to tie
up, items that don't have a home so they just sit on the countertop,
clothes that don’t fit anymore but stay in our closet, ugly art we wish
we hadn't bought, a ding in the drywall we never got around to patching,
and so on.
Tolerations sneakily add to our stress, and most of the time we don’t
even notice the stress until we remove the distraction. Then we breathe a
sigh of relief and wonder why we didn't do that sooner. That's why home
staging works so well -- it creates a calming, distraction-free
environment that makes buyers feel good.
You can grab a little of that peace by doing this simple exercise: Sit
in one spot in your home, office, or car. Make a note of everything
you’ve been tolerating…anything out of place, cluttered, dangling, ugly,
or annoying. Then tackle as many items as you can in an hour.
You’ll get a lot of quick, easy wins that make you feel “ahhh.”
Road Trippin’ with Fido
Some of these may seem obvious to you, but there might be a gem or two you can use here.
Teach
them to love the car. Long before your road trip, take them on as many
local drives as possible, and give them treats and toys to make the car
fun.
Consider
comfort from multiple perspectives. Make sure they'll be cool I'm the
backseat. Give them a blanket from their own bed. Offer water several
times during the trip.
Expect your trip to take longer. Dogs will need a break every couple of hours to walk around and sniff. Make sure to leash them securely before opening the car door, as even the most docile dogs can get frightened and bolt.
Plan ahead so you know where an emergency vet can be found along the way.
Consider
what you'll do with your dog at your destination. For instance, if
it'll be locked in your hotel room while you go to dinner, you'll want
to do a long walk first. If it's a barker, you may need to plan to eat
in, or find a pet friendly patio eatery so it can accompany you.
The Wrong-Way Driver
An elderly woman is watching the news on
TV. They're reporting on a wrong-way driver that's making cars swerve
all over the road to avoid him. The woman quickly calls her husband's
cell to warn him. When he answers, she shouts, "Don't take your usual way home today, dear. There's a crazy wrong-way driver on that road."
He shouts back, “Just one? Heck, there’s a whole bunch of them!”
