Your home looks great doesn't it? Friends come to visit and just love seeing your Little League team pictures, your expensive wedding portrait, and your historical gallery of your great-grandparents. It tells them all about who you are. And they love it.
But buyers could care less! They aren't buying YOU, they want to buy YOUR HOME! Do you really want them to walk through your home like this.... "How many kids do you think they have... didn't you go to school with her?... what do you think they do? EWWWW, what an ugly man this is - I'ld die if I had an uncle with a schnoz like that?"
Think they don't talk like that? Get real! they totally judge and evaluate everything you present them about your life..... so GET RID OF IT BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE!
Watch this video, then contact me.... we'll do what it takes to get your home "SHOW READY".
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Walk Through Wackiness...A Hershey Hotstreak
"If the chocolate sauce won't squirt, try this..", said Ryan (FNTPTS - fake name to protect the stupid). With that, he held the bottle and spun his arm like a propeller, in giant circles... the pressure of the chocolate sauce building.
It worked the last time he tried it with ketsup. It squeezed right up to the neck of the bottle, and BINGO.. his hot dog was adorned. No muss, no fuss. Easy peazy....
...but not this time. It was the night before my buyer's final walk-through. The new carpet was spotless, and the stiple texture of the acoustic ceiling was pristine.
The black goo had settled into the bottle for way too long. With a few more rotations, it was sure to break free. Then SPLOOOOOOOSH! The chocolate stream gave way in an impressive explosion. A solid brown stripe was implanted in an orbital pattern from ceiling - to wall- to floor - to ceiling again. A Hershey Hotstreak. And the buyers were coming tomorrow. So much for the pristine acoustic ceiling.
The sellers frantically went into action ... detailing the ceiling, shampooing the carpet, and sweeping out the doghouse where Ryan would spend the next few nights! Miraculously by walk-through time the next day you couldn't tell. You honestly couldn't! We closed escrow a few days later. No worse for wear and tear, to quote Mick and the boys.
Funny thing, however. Just a few months ago the buyers called me to help them buy a rental. I couldn't help but ask, "Ruby.... Have you ever had any problems in your family room with spots or anything?" Then I told her the story. "Ah... that does explain the single drop of brown "paint" we found on the ceiling one time - but couldn't figure out where it came from.... Figured it must have been a heck of a party once."
It worked the last time he tried it with ketsup. It squeezed right up to the neck of the bottle, and BINGO.. his hot dog was adorned. No muss, no fuss. Easy peazy....
...but not this time. It was the night before my buyer's final walk-through. The new carpet was spotless, and the stiple texture of the acoustic ceiling was pristine.
The black goo had settled into the bottle for way too long. With a few more rotations, it was sure to break free. Then SPLOOOOOOOSH! The chocolate stream gave way in an impressive explosion. A solid brown stripe was implanted in an orbital pattern from ceiling - to wall- to floor - to ceiling again. A Hershey Hotstreak. And the buyers were coming tomorrow. So much for the pristine acoustic ceiling.
The sellers frantically went into action ... detailing the ceiling, shampooing the carpet, and sweeping out the doghouse where Ryan would spend the next few nights! Miraculously by walk-through time the next day you couldn't tell. You honestly couldn't! We closed escrow a few days later. No worse for wear and tear, to quote Mick and the boys.
Funny thing, however. Just a few months ago the buyers called me to help them buy a rental. I couldn't help but ask, "Ruby.... Have you ever had any problems in your family room with spots or anything?" Then I told her the story. "Ah... that does explain the single drop of brown "paint" we found on the ceiling one time - but couldn't figure out where it came from.... Figured it must have been a heck of a party once."
A Full Day of Motivation...
Yesterday I went to the all-day "Get Motivated" Seminar at ARCO Arena - the one with Colin Powell, Rudy Guliani, Michael Phelps, Steve Phelps, Zig Ziglar and more. It was awesome. People are feeling so down these days, I wanted to share some of the highlights for me.
Steve Forbes - "The world can only end once, and this isn't it". While this is a time of pain and loss for many, it is a time of great opportunity for others. Focus on the opportunity. During this time we will see small players rise to be the big players. Who had ever heard of Oracle, Apple and Microsoft before they became big? Those who sit and lick their wounds are going to miss the great opportunities that are out there.
Forbes also said to quit reading the negative news, because we then believe that's all there is. There are tremendous innovations coming, yet we don't read about them. He mentioned a bundle of fibers inserted in a straw, that has the power to sanitize filthy water by the time it reaches the lips. Life-changing for a 3rd-world country! There's good stuff out there. Let's focus on that.
Colin Powell -What a guy. Very funny... and loose. Whodathunkit? He says there is an emptiness after coming down from such a lofty position as Secretary of State ... so he bought a Corvette. It worked! Seriously, he says he leads his life looking through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror. And though he has met with all the world leaders and had a 747 at his disposal, he focuses on what's to come, not what he used to be. And he listens to his wife!
Zig Ziglar was the emotional hot button for the day. He got a head injury in a fall 2 years ago, and now has short term memory loss and vertigo. But that man has a smile perman
ently etched into his 82 year old face that lights up a room. With his daughter lovingly guiding him back to the story at hand, and away from his 3rd repetition of others, Zig spoke of how doing the right thing is always what has worked in his life. And how the way to have success is to help other people get what they want. He talked about how money will buy you a house, but not a home... a bed, but not a good night's sleep... a companion, but not a friend. He showed us his "Wall of Gratitude", with photos of those who have inspired and helped him along the way. While it was sad to see his decline, it inspired me to see an 82 year old icon still giving, and sharing his wonderful attitude. And still cracking jokes. When his daughter stopped him as he ramped up into his 2nd rendition of a story, he'ld crack "but there were 3 people in the 2nd row that were sleeping. They need to hear it again."
Rudy Guliani - Spoke about leadership. And he reflected on not letting failure get you down, because it is inevitable. "Leadership is about managing failure". In these times, with so many people being forced to let go of their dreams, this seemed poignant.
And fear? Who isn't facing fear right now... if not for themselves, for someone they love? "If you are not afraid, you should be in therapy", he said. "But use the fear to guide you to minimize your failure." Well said. Build up your preparedness for what you fear. Use it to motivate you, not paralyze you.
Guiliani also spoke of 4 hours of preparation for every hour of performance, so you are equipped to adjust to unexpected events. 911 was not specifically prepared for. But each of the emergency responses he ordered came from a portion of a preparedness plan they had in place for a different disaster. He was an awesome speaker.
And the highlight of the day?... Michael Phelps. My friend pulled her 10 year old swimmer daughter out of school for the day. She wanted to see her hero enough to sit through Rudy, Steve, Zig, Colin and other speakers on finances, the stock market etc. Not fodder for a 10 year old, believe me. But she finagled a front-row seat for Michael, wide eyed and full of hope. Michael spoke of how he trained every day for 5 years without a single day off. How he had wanted this forever, and how the nay-saying articles just became the backdrop in his locker that inspired him daily to do what "couldn't be done". He acknowledged making mistakes along the way, but that he has learned from each one. It was clear he is not one to let adversity stop him. He spoke of the race when his goggles filled with water, so he improvised by counting the strokes he had done a bazillion times. He knew where the end was. And he won gold. It was clear he has the attitude of a champion to take what comes (whether self-inflicted or imposed by fate) and make adjustments to what is. He proved Rudy right... 4 hours (or 4,000 in his case) of preparation will give you the knowledge to make adjustments when disaster hits.
It was an inspiring day... so pertinent to our life. In Sacramento, and the rest of the country, people are losing their homes, losing their jobs, making sacrifices. But, keep looking ahead, and face your fears. Shore yourself up to avoid catastrophe when that which you fear happens. And keep practicing and getting better, so you can shift and make adjustments when the unexpected happens.
Flickr photos by Photograham, xDaniel, GTM Photography, Parker Young Photography, xtrapopp, and Marcopako
Steve Forbes - "The world can only end once, and this isn't it". While this is a time of pain and loss for many, it is a time of great opportunity for others. Focus on the opportunity. During this time we will see small players rise to be the big players. Who had ever heard of Oracle, Apple and Microsoft before they became big? Those who sit and lick their wounds are going to miss the great opportunities that are out there.Forbes also said to quit reading the negative news, because we then believe that's all there is. There are tremendous innovations coming, yet we don't read about them. He mentioned a bundle of fibers inserted in a straw, that has the power to sanitize filthy water by the time it reaches the lips. Life-changing for a 3rd-world country! There's good stuff out there. Let's focus on that.
Colin Powell -What a guy. Very funny... and loose. Whodathunkit? He says there is an emptiness after coming down from such a lofty position as Secretary of State ... so he bought a Corvette. It worked! Seriously, he says he leads his life looking through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror. And though he has met with all the world leaders and had a 747 at his disposal, he focuses on what's to come, not what he used to be. And he listens to his wife!
Zig Ziglar was the emotional hot button for the day. He got a head injury in a fall 2 years ago, and now has short term memory loss and vertigo. But that man has a smile perman
ently etched into his 82 year old face that lights up a room. With his daughter lovingly guiding him back to the story at hand, and away from his 3rd repetition of others, Zig spoke of how doing the right thing is always what has worked in his life. And how the way to have success is to help other people get what they want. He talked about how money will buy you a house, but not a home... a bed, but not a good night's sleep... a companion, but not a friend. He showed us his "Wall of Gratitude", with photos of those who have inspired and helped him along the way. While it was sad to see his decline, it inspired me to see an 82 year old icon still giving, and sharing his wonderful attitude. And still cracking jokes. When his daughter stopped him as he ramped up into his 2nd rendition of a story, he'ld crack "but there were 3 people in the 2nd row that were sleeping. They need to hear it again."Rudy Guliani - Spoke about leadership. And he reflected on not letting failure get you down, because it is inevitable. "Leadership is about managing failure". In these times, with so many people being forced to let go of their dreams, this seemed poignant.
And fear? Who isn't facing fear right now... if not for themselves, for someone they love? "If you are not afraid, you should be in therapy", he said. "But use the fear to guide you to minimize your failure." Well said. Build up your preparedness for what you fear. Use it to motivate you, not paralyze you.
Guiliani also spoke of 4 hours of preparation for every hour of performance, so you are equipped to adjust to unexpected events. 911 was not specifically prepared for. But each of the emergency responses he ordered came from a portion of a preparedness plan they had in place for a different disaster. He was an awesome speaker.
And the highlight of the day?... Michael Phelps. My friend pulled her 10 year old swimmer daughter out of school for the day. She wanted to see her hero enough to sit through Rudy, Steve, Zig, Colin and other speakers on finances, the stock market etc. Not fodder for a 10 year old, believe me. But she finagled a front-row seat for Michael, wide eyed and full of hope. Michael spoke of how he trained every day for 5 years without a single day off. How he had wanted this forever, and how the nay-saying articles just became the backdrop in his locker that inspired him daily to do what "couldn't be done". He acknowledged making mistakes along the way, but that he has learned from each one. It was clear he is not one to let adversity stop him. He spoke of the race when his goggles filled with water, so he improvised by counting the strokes he had done a bazillion times. He knew where the end was. And he won gold. It was clear he has the attitude of a champion to take what comes (whether self-inflicted or imposed by fate) and make adjustments to what is. He proved Rudy right... 4 hours (or 4,000 in his case) of preparation will give you the knowledge to make adjustments when disaster hits.It was an inspiring day... so pertinent to our life. In Sacramento, and the rest of the country, people are losing their homes, losing their jobs, making sacrifices. But, keep looking ahead, and face your fears. Shore yourself up to avoid catastrophe when that which you fear happens. And keep practicing and getting better, so you can shift and make adjustments when the unexpected happens.
Flickr photos by Photograham, xDaniel, GTM Photography, Parker Young Photography, xtrapopp, and Marcopako
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
One of My Favorite Sales.... Lemon Street, Fair Oaks
This gorgeous home on Lemon Street in Fair Oaks has been in and out of my life many times. The first time I sold it, was for the family that built it. I was so moved by the stories of their life there. Like the Easter egg hunts in the garden... the slip and slide parties down the hill side... the bonfires in the pasture... and prom night dinners in the gazebo.It was built to house their gigantic family, with amazing thought to detail. Like the deep closet by the garage door, so sports paraphernalia didn't turn into household decoration. And the 7 cubbies lined up just beyond the pantry, so backpacks would have a home somewhere other than, well, everywhere. This was built as a HOME, not for speculation.
I remember sitting in the living room during one open house, a quiet lull in buyer traffic. I absorbed just being there. What struck me the most were the little love notes tacked to the quiltplanning board... sentimental tokens of love for a wonderful Mom. And her quilts decorating the hallways... made with painstaking detail, as these same loving kids looked on. There was a couch set up in the bay window of her quilting room, the favored spot for Dad to enjoy his morning coffee & paper... while she quilted.It struck me how much love and family life that home had seen, and I have to say it overwhelmed me for that moment. With teary eyes I wrote them a note about it, impressed with the commitment they had made to family. I was careful to point out that I was not an obsessed stalker, but just someone who appreciated and GOT the wonderful family they had created!
I sold the home eventually, happy they would be moving on with their plans, but sad to loose my involvement. It wasn't my buyer, so Lemon Street was gone from my life.
But funny how things turn out. After a number of years, I got a wonderful phone call from the current owners, to help them sell the home. One of my favorite homes was back in my life again!
It was really like a homecoming for me, like meeting up with an old friend. And quilting is still a part of it, as the home on Lemon Street becomes one of the threads that weaves the fabric of my career. It has added to the texture.... to the patchwork of experiences that makes up my career.
...and I still love the home......
Flickr photo by karen
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