Custom Real Estate Blog

On Netflix, there is a movie with Kurt Russell as Santa Claus.  So I watched it (with the kids of course), but it had a slightly different twist on how Santa is able to get to ALL the kids of the world in one night.  “The Christmas Chronicles” movie used a time machine gimmick to slowww time down to get the presents delivered.  And THAT got me thinking… How can we slow down and enjoy this season? Option 1:  Study the Department of Motor Vehicles, libraries and school detention to find out how they have mastered the art of making time drag on and on. Option 2:  Tap into Einstein's theory of relativity to change how we perceive time and simplify our focus on the best parts of this Christmas. Ahaaa! Courtesy of LiveScience.com, the theory of relativity.... " The theory is deceptively simple. First, there is no "absolute" frame of reference. Every time you measure an object's velocity, or its momentum, or how it experiences time, it's alwa...

Where Do Family Holiday Memories Happen? Written by Gloria Vester This time of year we tend to reminisce about all the great holidays we have spent with our families.  Time washes our memories with it's healing powers as we tend to remember more of the good times than the unpleasant ones.  Which  favorite holiday memories first come to mind?     I remember the big family dinners, especially the day before preparation.  All the women in the kitchen, each assigned tasks based on their strengths.  Some cleaning the silver and washing the crystal, others making the hor d'oeuvres - pimento cheese stuffed celery, chips and dips, vegetable trays.  Sill others preparing the main course and side dishes for the next day.  The laughter and conversations, catching up on what has been going on in each family group during the past year.  And of course there was wine and cocktails.   Then on the day of the big meal, the wo...

Every Thanksgiving, I have my routine.  As the heavenly smells start coming from the kitchen, it's only natural for me to sneak in and grab a quick bite of whatever tasty dish my wife is cooking up.  She doesn't mind, and even kinda encourages it.  A little sip here, a bite there and she makes me feel like I've contributed in some way to the process.  But growing up, My Mom didn't allow this type of collaboration (which is probably why I enjoy it so much now).  She would say, "When it's Finished!" That's what I heard, over and again.  What helped her cause was that my childhood home only had an 80 to 90 square foot kitchen , so it's not like I could make my way in there without being noticed.  If only it was slightly larger, maybe towards the middle of the floor plan and not locked away in the corner of the house.  THEN I would have been more welcome, and what chef wouldn't like a little bit of company as they experiment on different flavors ...

"Where have all the good homes gone ?"       Hundreds of homes may be for sale right now but there is an extreme shortage of really good ones!  Instead of getting what they really want, most buyers are forced to compromise in one of two ways.  They either settle for a somewhat move-in ready home OR spend much more than they intended to compete with other buyers for the one amazing home that hits the market every few weeks.  For buyers expecting this process to be simple & easy, it can be a big let down. But wait.. A third option exists!   And it's the one that will pick up that disheartened buyer and meet their romantic expectations for owning a truly amazing home.  All within a few short months! This example shows a beautiful "Santa Fe" look & feel while featuring a sister shade of the  Sherwin Williams color of the year, Cavern Clay .  Our client started with a vision, then we found a house that we could...

Imagine a world where you purchase your next home, THEN get up to 6 months to sell your current one...   That's right! On this planet, there is no selling then buying stress.  You don't have to feverishly search for your next home AFTER accepting an offer on your current one.   Sounds rough?  Just ask anyone who has done it! Skeptical?  I would be too! If you never heard of this before, it's called a portfolio loan.  They come in many shapes & sizes, but this loan type allows a buyer to be payment free for up to 6 months on their next home .  It's only available through the normal Fannie Mae conventional loan (sorry, no FHA/VA or USDA) and is structured so payments on your next home start AFTER your sell your old home.  This gives our clients the ability to have their cake and eat it too!  Carefully choose your new home and complete the purchase process... Then take your time moving out and selling your existing home....

In a Sea of Average Homes For Sale... Our blend of real estate and construction  gives  our clients more, for much less than retail. If you have ever shopped for a home...  At the beginning, very exciting.  After seeing 30 homes, starts feeling like a second job.  So many showings, so many wasted nights and weekends.  If your expectations were to get a home you would love, at this point a home you mostly like starts looking like a win. Should you compromise on your list  of needs & wants.... or   Get Exactly What You Want? Did you know that some sellers will allow a home buyer to include upgrades into the purchase price?  This isn't offered to the general public, but an expert real estate agent can negotiate that for you.  Real estate has many layers, with many buyers stuck with traditional ways to overcome the home shopping problems mentioned above.  What this means for you is that the amount of av...