Elizabeth Weintraub
The End of Our Cactus Garden in Land Park
Nothing lasts forever, and most certainly not our cactus garden in Land Park. We put the cactus garden in long before it became trendy and cool to utilize drought-tolerant landscaping. The previous owners of our home had built the pergola and spa, which we removed a few years ago. We elected to install garden beds instead.
There used to be two 40-foot beech trees in a deck attached to the larger deck in the photo below. But one of those fell over on our house during the winter storm of January 2008. I never much cared for that second level deck anyway, so I tore it out with my own two hands.
The cactus garden was created by our landscaper, Kevin Morisawa. I met Kevin when I sold his home on 35th in South Land Park and sold him another. He was just taking over his father’s landscaping business at the time. Although he charged more than our existing gardeners, and much to the dismay of our neighbors, we changed gardeners. Hey, they could get their lawns cut on Friday like I do if they had listened to me, heh, heh.
Everybody around here likes their lawns done on the same day so we don’t have to put up with alternating days of noise pollution from blowers and mowers.
Over the years, however, the cactus garden bloomed with the most beautifully colored flowers. The problem with the garden was it did not stay like the photo above. This photo was taken in 2010, about two years after we planted the garden. Now, imagine each of those plants growing to ten times their size. Even the crepe myrtle tree seems tiny as compared to today’s height. However, removing the spa from our home was one of the better ideas I’ve had. When I looked back at the fact I had not used the spa for a long time, years and years, it made no sense to keep heating and cleaning it.
The photo above was show in the spring of 2016. For some reason, I have no photos of the disaster just before we ripped it out. Which, of course, I did not do. Our landscapers did that awful job of terminating the cactus garden in Land Park.
Kevin and his team of trimmers thinned out the crepe myrtle to allow sunlight to hit the dirt below it. Someday, maybe next week, we will have a lawn back. Yeah, I know. It would be more green to keep it a cactus garden. However, I do not have the time to manage this type of endeavor and grass is so much easier. Our cactus garden in Land Park has come to its end. I’ll post a photo after we get the area finished!
Photos from Farm to Fork Festival in Sacramento
Because this Sacramento Realtor had only one open house on Saturday in Arden Manor, it seemed fitting to take the afternoon off to attend the Farm to Fork Festival in Sacramento. September has many events around Farm to Fork, which is Sacramento’s new slogan. Forget City of Trees. Farm to Fork brings in more money, so Sacramento is going with Farm to Fork.
Here is a photo my husband shot of me at the Farm to Fork Festival in Sacramento. That thing that looks like a high tech helicopter behind me is actually a machine used in the fields for harvesting. Its cockpit is like your own private studio. Downright comfortable. Only thing it’s missing is a big screen TV in the window.
Unsure what this booth was about but it was labeled Rosemont High School Culinary Arts. This kid looks to me to be about 7 but all high schoolers seem that age to me, so I am the wrong person to comment. Although, I do not know why he is wearing a mask over his eyes. Looks like he is cutting up pasta noodles.
There wasn’t much food available at Farm to Fork unless you count the food trucks. Apples. Milk. Berries. And I don’t count the food trucks because the lines are way too long. In fact, the lines were way too long for almost everything. Fortunately, I found a short line before I starved to death and was able to score really BIG brats with onions and yellow mustard. Which I promptly dribbled down the front of my shirt. Will that stain come out or will I end up disposing of the garment? And then we met these incredible cute dogs. This guy in the photo has been making friends all day long due to those adorable pups.
And who doesn’t love a pig? Especially a pig who looks just like Arnold from Green Acres and snorts at all the appropriate moments. This pig almost ate the pants legs off a guy who was standing too close to the rail. He was oblivious that the pig was chewing on him. That’s when I realized, oh, yes, they serve beer at the Farm to Fork Festival in Sacramento. Except the lines for that were too long as well, so we opted for a craft cocktail in a can. Which seemed weird but beats standing in line.
Here, near the exit and past the 80-member brass band which seemed to take the crowd by storm, was a demonstration for table setting. I’m not sure what she was talking about specifically but I stopped because table setting display competitions at the Minnesota State Fair, for example, were always terribly interesting when I was a kid. I love setting tables. The creativity involved, evoking the senses, mix of materials, colors, fabrics, flowers, arrangements. This woman was doing something with carrots.
You can’t have a Farm to Fork Festival in Sacramento without animals. Soon as I spotted the little kids running around with plastic cows, I wanted one. Perhaps that’s because I never got a plastic cow on my first grade field trip to the farm. We got off the bus. I got a whiff of the farm and promptly threw up. They stuck me back on the bus, and I did not get to see the dairy farm nor the cows. Yup, city kid. But we found the display where you could win a plastic cow and my husband scored!
Home Buyers Not Looking for Home Improvement Projects
Just because you and I may love tackling home improvement projects does not mean everybody shares our point of view. Especially not first-time home buyers in Sacramento or, for that matter, even move-up buyers. Today’s home buyers want move-in ready homes. They do not want to make repairs. Gone are the days of buying a resale home in average condition. There are two instances under which a buyer would purchase a home in average condition. Either the home is priced way below market value, making it an absolute steal, or wait . . . there is no second reason.
Trying to sell your home without making repairs is like inviting guests for dinner and expecting them to bring their own food and cook it, too.
I was thinking about this as I drove yesterday to Rosemont. The traffic on Highway 50 is always a bit rough on that stretch of freeway between downtown and Watt, but yesterday I spotted a hearse. When I saw it, the first thought in my head was not party-time! Nor did I wonder how many people we can stuff into it. Hearses were very popular as a vehicle for private citizens when I was a kid. We painted them psychedelic colors and drove them around like they were a limo. People lived in them, too, and held wild parties. But no, this hearse made me feel respectful of the cargo it may have carried. A different point of view than my initial instincts.
Also, the hearse was in the lane next to the fast lane. I guess there was no reason for it to be in the fast lane. Who is in such a rush in a hearse? Nobody, that’s who. In fact, I would feel rather uneasy watching a hearse exceed the speed limit in the fast lane. Wouldn’t you?
Sometimes sellers are in a big rush, too. They can’t wait to put their home on the market, even though it might need work. If it needs work or updates, then sellers should complete those tasks before putting their home on the market. You will not get top dollar for a home that needs work. I talked with sellers last night who said a bath might need work, but they want to let the buyers use their own vision for that job. I had to explain that buyers are not looking for home improvement projects. Buyers would rather pass on a property and will buy another home that doesn’t need any work.
The mindset today seems to be they just want the work done. They will pay a bit more for a remodeled house but they want it to be perfect. No major flaws or defects. No home improvement projects.
In fact, I visited with several sellers this past week. Two of them are not sellers. They think they are selling their homes, but they aren’t. I can tell just by chatting with people. I’ll be visiting new sets of sellers next week and helping them to fix up their homes prior to selling. If you’re thinking about it, give me a jingle at 916.233.6759. Put 40 years of experience to work for you.
Amazing Home in a Gated Community in Arden Manor Sacramento
Are you a first-time home buyer hoping to find an amazing home in a gated community in Arden Manor at an affordable price? Look no further. Homes in the Villaggio gated complex do not come up for sale very often. All around this neighborhood, you see so much new construction. Developers are building $750K to $900K homes in Arden Manor. When the seller bought this home in 2005, it offered a gated community in the middle of an older, established neighborhood. Today, that community is revitalized with many remodeled homes and quite a number of upper-end luxury homes. This is an excellent opportunity from an investment or long-term hold point of view. You will love the price, too.
The first thing you should consider when buying a home in a gated community in Arden Manor is parking. You don’t have to be rocket scientist to figure out the garage is a one-car. However, look at that space in front of the front door. What is that? I’ll tell you what that is. It’s a carport. And then over on the left-side of the house is a bricked yard with space for two more cars. Yes, you can park a minimum of four cars at this home. More, when we figure out how to stack them on top of each other.
You can’t see the home in this photo because this is shot from the street (Jonas). The home is located all the way at the end on the right, nestled in the evergreens. It’s a very private location. Not only that, but it’s one of the largest lots in the subdivision. The last two homes on the right are set back from the street with a much larger area of street in front. Nobody has verified this, but the seller thinks the property line for each of the houses runs to the middle of the street. If that is true, that definitely makes her particular lot much bigger than the others at .0933, according to the Sacramento County Tax Assessor. That could be wrong, though. Although most of the other lots are .06.
Check out the entertainment space. This room is around the corner from the sheltered entrance. Beautiful oversized ceramic with variances add drama to the travertine around the fireplace. The owner of this home has impeccable taste, wouldn’t you agree? Look at those oversized Hershey’s Kisses on the floor in front of the fireplace. Perfect accessory, no?
If you haven’t guessed it by now, the first floor of this home is for entertaining. There is a half bath around the corner by the entrance, but the rest of the layout is kitchen and family room. Of course, the cabinets are a beautiful maple, and all of the black appliances stay. Over on the left is the area the former owners used as a dining space, but our seller prefers a table in the middle. What do you think? Middle like this? Or dining area in the corner?
Last year the seller painted to keep everything fresh. All of the rooms are the same color for consistency. You will find three bedrooms and two full baths upstairs. The seller uses one of the bedrooms as a TV room and it offers a balcony as well. This is a photo of the master bedroom at the back of the home. You will love the master bath, complete with a separate shower and a soaking tub.
Plenty of time in the day to relax outside. There are many areas around the perimeter of the home to curl up and read a book, due to its remote location. Much of the exterior was remodeled by the seller, including the pergola, patio surround and walkways. It’s a place you really need to see in person because it’s even better than the photos. Why not come to our open houses on Saturday and Sunday, both from 11 AM to 1 PM, September 29th and 30th? If you can’t wait, here is the virtual tour.
2729 Via Villaggio, Sacramento, CA 95864 is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $365K. Call Elizabeth at 916.233.6759 for more information.
The information in this advertisement, including, but not limited to, square footage and/or acreage, has been provided by various sources which may include the Seller, the Multiple Listing Service or other sources. Lyon Real Estate has not and will not investigate or verify the accuracy of this information. Prospective buyers are advised to conduct their own investigation of the Property and this advertised information utilizing appropriate professionals before purchasing this Property.
How to Sell Your House in the Fall Sacramento Market
If you’re looking for tips to sell your house in the fall Sacramento market, you’ve come to the right blog. I routinely sell a couple of homes a week on average so I manage a wide range of transactions. This gives me a unique perspective of the housing market in Sacramento. Because believe you me, I have been sailing high on the seller’s market in Sacramento for the past 7 years. It’s a little bit of a bummer to watch the tables turning, but that’s the cycle of life and of real estate. Gone is the “seller’s way or the highway.” New is: how can we help the buyer to purchase this home?
Does this mean multiple offers are a thing of the past? That’s what sellers want to know. The truth is there will always be multiple offers for beautiful and stunning homes or for severely underpriced homes. There will be no multiple offers anymore for the stuff that is in between. We have a lot of stuff, much inventory on hand that lies between gorgeous and cheap. That land known as average run-of-the-mill homes at a decent price. Or, otherwise referred to as: ain’t gonna sell come hell or high water. Because buyers today do not want an average home at a decent price.
In fact, I would say there is a huge disconnect between how sellers and buyers view the market. For starters, buyers are not crawling all over each other anymore to buy a home. They don’t want to overpay and are a bit uneasy purchasing. They will check with everybody within earshot for advice. To capture today’s home buyers your home needs to almost be perfect. This means no leaky roofs, busted water heaters, no black mold in the bathrooms, nor peeling and separating laminate floors, and certainly no creepy carpeting.
Sellers, if you want to sell your house in the fall Sacramento market, be ready to negotiate on price. It doesn’t matter too much your sales price. It can be right on the nose or lower than the comps. Whatever it is, if there is one little drawback to the house, you can bet a buyer will hit that price. That means if your home is worth $415,000, for example, and you want to sell at $415,000, it needs to be perfect. If it’s not perfect, a buyer might offer $395K. And after the home and pest inspection, the buyer will want more money or repairs. Buyers are driving sales.
If you’re not prepared to negotiate and give in to buyers, then your home should be in brand new condition. Completely remodeled, new appliances, flooring, paint and lighting. We don’t write the rules of Sacramento real estate, so don’t kill the messenger. This is just the way it is in our present real estate market. You either work within the confines of the market or you can just not sell your house. Your listing agent is not a magician. She can’t manufacture demand that does not exist.
Just a quick run in MLS shows over 3,374 residential listings in Sacramento County. That’s a big uptick from our August 2018 Sacramento Housing Report. Although, we’ve had that kind of inventory in 2014, when we had more buyers. Now, only 1,594 sales have closed over the past 30 days, and a mere 1,188 are pending. We are slowing down instead of going like gangbusters as we have in previous Septembers.
I met with sellers yesterday who need to do a bit of work before selling. They have a list of projects from me. If they don’t do the work, then they need to drop their expectations on price by about $30,000 to $40,000. There is no way around this. It’s not like a seller can simply wait a few months for the market to improve. The market is not about to improve for sellers so no amount of waiting will pay off. Don’t kick yourself that you didn’t sell early spring. Spring has come and gone and next spring won’t be as pretty. Don’t lament the past. Deal with the here and now.
If you were waiting for the perfect time to sell your house, when all the stars were aligned, anytime within the past 7 years would have been a good time. However, if you want to maximize profit potential today, the best way to sell your house in the fall Sacramento market is to rely on the advice and negotiation skills from a strong listing agent. Since I fit that bill, I offer my services to you. You can call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759 and put 40+ years of experience to work for you.