Email Elizabeth
Elizabeth Weintraub
Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird Packed Tower Theatre in Sacramento
Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird is now playing at the Tower Theatre in Sacramento’s Land Park.
Looks like yesterday the Tower Theatre showed Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird on two screens and about every 45 minutes. This was not the debut showing that happened a while back. However, it meant a lot of people who apparently do not regularly go to the Tower Theatre in Land Park showed up to see this movie, if for no other reason than to hoot and howl when a landmark in Sacramento showed up. Greta Gerwig, a native of Sacramento, filmed here. Oh, and a row behind us decided to chit-chat through the movie, too. Much different crowd than the regulars.
My husband and I arrived for the 12:10 show, the second showing of the day. The early show gets the bargain matinee price. I figure I’m getting enough of a bargain by paying for a senior ticket. We initially sat down in front of these people who would not shut up. Yak, yak, yak. I envisioned myself forced to stand up in front of the entire theatre begging audience members to shut the F up while people threw popcorn at me. I would do that, you know, because I’m old enough and cranky enough to do it.
Instead, we moved up further before somebody else snatched those seats.
When the Tower Theatre itself was shown on the screen, that drew the loudest applause and noise from the audience. Although, most of the audience did applaud at the end. Most cinematic challenges, if executed really well, garner applause from movie goers at the Tower Theatre. Lady Bird? No exception. One woman grumbled when the clapping stopped that she would not recommend this to movie to anybody, but she probably could not keep her mouth shut during the movie. Everyone should carry duct tape to the movies.
I give the film 5 stars.
The movie is about a senior girl who attends a Catholic school and yearns for college far, far away. There are friends, boyfriends, first disappointing sexual experience in a long line of others on the horizon like any teenager, social status digs, and a lot of mother / daughter conflict. Starring role of the somewhat autobiographical screenplay is played by Saoirse Ronan, whom I first saw in Brooklyn and immediately adored. Her mother is Laurie Metcalf. Excellent casting for that role. In fact, if Metcalf hadn’t been cast in the role of Lady Bird’s mother, I don’t know who else would come close to fitting that bill.
We last saw Laurie Metcalf in Getting On, the hilarious HBO show. Perfect deadpan comedic timing. Yup, the only person who can spit out sentences that are both loving and completely nasty in the same breath. Just like my mother, come to think of it.
Arguably my favorite part of the movie is when Lady Bird and her mother decide to engage in their favorite Sunday activity. What could that be? A cute set up made me imagine perhaps a visit to Gunther’s Ice Cream in Curtis Park, featured in a brief frame. But no. You see, as a Sacramento Realtor, I am fully aware of a person’s favorite Sunday afternoon activity in Sacramento, but I was so engrossed in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird that it slipped my mind.
Ha! They visited Sunday Open Houses. My only regret was Greta filmed competitor’s for sale signs, LOL.
Go see it. Bet you will love it! Especially if you live in Sacramento.
Thanksgiving Week and Sacramento Real Estate
Why are those schmucks making that little old woman carry a huge turkey platter?
While others are thinking about Thanksgiving Week and Sacramento real estate, I am more focused on December 3rd. Well, of course, there is an open house today for a new listing in North Highlands. But my sellers also had a bunch of showings yesterday, that was very heavy activity for a Saturday with home buyers. Everybody is trying to squeeze in those last few minutes before Thanksgiving Week. Making them as productive as ever.
Yes, Thanksgiving Week. It’s no longer just a day that our ancestors began celebrating as we do today about 100 years before I was born. Which wasn’t all that long ago put that way. Nope, it has mushroomed into an entire week.
Regardless, I never seem to completely stop working. Even though there are a few hours every evening that I claim for myself. We generally watch a movie or a couple of interesting shows. People who say there is nothing on television don’t really watch television nor take the time to scope out fascinating shows. Cable and network is very different from a few years back. We enjoy a lot of creative talent and smart shows today.
Although, I have to admit that I watched Girl on a Train recently. The movie astonished in that I didn’t much care for it. Unlike most people, I suppose, I had not read the book. So I did not realize the movie was about A. Girl. On. A. Train. I thought it a mystery, ha. Like Gone Girl. I don’t know how my husband puts up with me watching TV with him because I’m always interrupting, asking him to pause the show so I can discuss some utterly important thing that happened in Sacramento real estate that day. Which I can’t get out of my head.
Not only does Sacramento real estate slow down a little bit over Thanksgiving Week, but there is often not much on television, either. Well, I suppose I could be some like some people and just leave television all day long on the HGTV channel or the E! Channel, NOT. Both brain sucks. Which means tomorrow we’ll probably take in a matinee at Tower Theatre and see Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig’s critically acclaimed movie filmed in Sacramento.
However, come December 3rd, it’s a whole new show in Sacramento real estate. Now the countdown for Christmas begins. But that holiday is far enough way that buyers will back out hitting the streets, just like they are every December. I predict this year will be different. And December 3rd is our Lyon Extravaganza, when we will blitz all of our open houses. If my sellers haven’t had an open house lately, they will on December 3rd. I expect a busy month.
I am predicting despite Thanksgiving Week, I’ll probably put 3 more listings into contract next week. It’s my intuition that tells me that. I can feel it in my bones. We’ve had too many showings not to.
Foothill Farms Home Just Closed Escrow at 4652 Ravenstone Way
This Foothill Farms home just closed escrow over asking price.
As luck will have it, this Foothill Farms home that just closed escrow, well, I’ll likely field calls about this house for months. That’s because buyers find these listings all over the internet. They can’t tell if the house has closed or is pending or what’s going on. So, they call me. Since I happen to work in real estate, I generally refer the buyers to my team members. Our Elizabeth Weintraub team members, highly trained exclusive buyer’s agents, can provide professional guidance. But, sorry, you can no longer buy this Foothill Farms home.
The seller of this home called at the end of September. She found me by conducting an internet search and liked what she read. I met with her at the end of the month to talk about putting her home on the market. Apparently, she had already met with a bunch of other agents who disappointed her. One of whom told her to remove the refrigerator from the kitchen and stick in the garage. Why? No unearthly idea. I asked if that was the same agent who told her she could get about $20K more than the home comped at.
My focus as a listing specialist — and that’s all I do — is to maximize profit potential. But I can’t make money materialize out of a magician’s hat. In order to do that, there has to be some logical reason or loophole, and there was none in this case. Not only that, but the seller’s son had recently and quite unexpectedly died in the home. She had remodeled this Foothill Farms home for herself as her place to retire, but now all of that changed.
I consider myself a fairly compassionate and empathetic individual. The sorrow of the situation — not lost on me.
My promise to this seller? We would make sure there is no money left on the table, and we will do no repairs. THAT I can make happen. She cleaned up the home, finished painting, dragged the ‘frig back into the kitchen with the help of her neighbors and by Friday morning we went on the market. After our open house on Sunday, we received four offers.
Like usual, 3 were messed up and one was acceptable. The buyer’s agents made the usual mistakes, like low earnest money deposits or no closing date. One agent wrote a different property address, some tried to pick the title company, others checked the wrong boxes or demanded by accident that the seller replace all of the water devices. The wrong preapproval letter accompanied one offer. I check agent’s performance records in MLS. The 4th agent wrote the offer correctly but was relatively new. His email address sounded like he was a teacher and this was most likely a part-time job.
Hey, we are all new once. I could help the agent, and offered to do so. It’s better that they not try to bluff their way through anyway. Just tell the listing agent so she can offer assistance. The buyer expected to get an FHA loan, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t sell to her. No repairs does not rule out FHA.
That left basically the mortgage lender who could cause delays and problems. I always try to identify the source of a potential problem. Not every mortgage lender has the wherewithal to figure out what kinds of future fires could pop up and douse the flames early on. This was a case where that should have happened, but did not. The buyer had paid off debt without sourcing funds. Which meant at the 11th hour, she had to scramble to provide documentation, which delayed closing by 9 days.
However, the silver lining was the seller did NOT do any repairs nor provide any credits nor renegotiate. The pest inspection, obtained by the buyer, showed about $3,000 worth of work. Not the seller’s responsibility. This FHA buyer agreed to buy the home AS IS. We listed the home at $259,000 and it sold at $265,000. When we discovered we could not close on time, I had a good solution. We insisted the buyer immediately release her earnest money deposit to the seller. That fast action eliminated the seller’s anxiety level.
The last thing I want any of my clients to feel is anxious. I prefer smooth escrows, without hiccups, and I’ll move heaven and earth to achieve it. Just like this home that closed yesterday in Foothill Farms. I can do the same thing for you. Just call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 43 years of experience to work for you.
Don’t Miss This Perfect Starter Home in North Highlands
Maintenance free front yard at this starter home in North Highlands.
Do not miss out on viewing this perfect little starter home in North Highlands. Do you want affordability? How about pricing right on the nose? You know how many buyers would like to buy a home and they say they can’t find a nice house to buy in their price range? Well, that’s primarily because due to the abundance of crappy homes for sale in a super affordable price range. So many of lower priced homes need work and they won’t pass inspections for an FHA loan. Our seller purchased this home with an FHA loan 2 years ago, so you know it passed those rigid inspections.
You’ll love the low maintenance front yard as you first pull up to this starter home in North Highlands. Not only do you get a garage (yay!), but the front of the home features an enclosed courtyard. This means you can open the front door and if a dog runs out, your pet will be safe. It cannot reach the street. So it adds additional security for fur moms and fur pops. Protects children, too.
Spacious living room with wood-like flooring and oyster gray walls.
In fact, this starter home in North Highlands is perfect for children. There are already a few who live here. They love the racetrack their parents created in the back yard for their bikes; however, there is also another patio area in the side yard.
Granite counter in the kitchen and newer cabinets.
You’ve probably always desired a granite kitchen, and this starter home in North Highlands does not disappoint. It features granite counters, newer cabinets, and the kitchen itself is open to a formal dining area.
This darling home features 3 good sized bedrooms, all of which are vaulted with wood ceilings. The vaulted wood ceilings are also prevalent in the living room, dining area and kitchen. All of those vaults create a feeling of spaciousness and make the home seem much bigger than it is. You will love the updated and pretty bath. Nothing’s left to do except simply move in.
Come by our open house on Sunday, November 19th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. Hosted by the incredible Barbara Dow from the Elizabeth Weintraub Team. 5638 San Vincente Way, North Highlands, CA 95660 is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub at Lyon Real Estate at $215K. Be our guest and check out the virtual tour.
It is OK for Sacramento Buyers to Pay List Price for a Home
It is OK to pay list price to buy a Sacramento home.
For some reason, it has been drummed into the heads of Sacramento home buyers that it should not be OK to pay list price for a home. Which is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard, and yet I hear it a lot. I heard it back in the 1970s when I started selling real estate. My mentor at that time taught me that owning real estate is the most important thing. Even if I pay list price, it’s OK. There is nothing wrong with paying what a home is worth. Yet, we always want to get a deal . . . when the truth is there are no deals if you don’t buy the home.
Five or 10 years from now, you won’t remember how much you paid. Whether it is $5,000 more or $10,000 less, you won’t recall. It’s immaterial. On the other hand, you’ll certainly remember NOT buying the house. You’ll forever replay those memories of losing the house you really really wanted but could not get past your persistent attitude of thinking you need to pay less. So, you did not buy it.
I’m here to tell ya: You don’t have to pay less. It’s OK to pay list price for a home. I have done it myself. Many times. Granted, this concept seems easier to grasp when you have money than when you do not. But it applies to both ends of the spectrum. Further, in some ways, those with money are often so afraid to part with it that they lose, over and over. They blame their agent. They say if only everybody did what they wanted, the world would be a different place. Ha! Such little-picture thinking.
Worried about overpaying? Overpaying is very unlikely because you’ll get an appraisal. Even if your agent doesn’t know how to properly prepare comparable sales, and many agents do not, it’s all right. An appraiser will pull up the closest viable comps, and an underwriter will double check that work.
You do not need to grind the seller and insist the seller lower her expectations. That causes bad feelings and animosity. In addition, I know what I’m saying goes against your grain. You were probably raised to believe that you need to negotiate the purchase of everything in your life lest you be scorned. You don’t. It is OK to pay list price for a home, especially if the home is worth it to you.
I tell people money provides the means to afford to buy what you want. If you can’t buy what you want, there is something wrong with your approach. Everything has a price. You don’t have to dicker. Don’t get so hung up on giving a seller what the seller wants. The seller has something you want. It’s worth the money. You don’t have to pay less than asking price to buy your dream home. That is fallacy that was handed to you by people who don’t know any better but mean well.
Yeah, it’s outrageous to consider. I know this. You truly do have permission to buy what you want. You hold the power to make it happen.
