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Elizabeth Weintraub
What a Difference: Vog vs No Vog on Hawaii Island
If you would like to see what vog vs no vog on Hawaii Island looks like, check out the photographs below. In the vog photo, which I shot yesterday on June 2, 2018, it looks as though I captured the scene on black-and-white film. The vog sucked all the color out of the picture. Also, the horizon vanished. In fact, the day before I returned to Big Island at the end of May, we had a Red Alert day in Kailua-Kona. I’ve never seen a Red Alert day.
But since I’ve arrived, the air quality in Kailua-Kona has been code yellow, meaning not safe for sensitive groups. Same as it was in Sacramento yesterday, btw. I received an air alert on my phone, and I had to look more closely at it to figure out if it was about Hawaii or Sacramento. Of all things, it was Sacramento, so I sent it to my husband. He reported it was 98 in Sacramento. It was 78 here on Hawaii Island.
Now, every morning when I get up, the first thing I check even before MLS is the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory email. I need to know as well the state of vog on Hawaii Island. It tells me how high the plumes, about explosions, new fissures and speed of lava flows. I usually get several emails throughout the day about the air quality. In fact, when I was in Lowe’s on Friday, the store featured a big display at the checkout counter of SO2 masks.
Having a volcano erupting on the other side of the island makes one uneasy. Also, I regret that I did not pay more attention to science and chemistry in school. I was an English major and wrongly figured I would never really need to employ science in my life. How arrogant, in retrospect. Lately, though, I’ve developed a new-found respect for science. Science — no wonder Trump hates it — explains global warming, too.
Here are some life-and-death facts we don’t think about every day.
Sulfur dioxide is one of the gas by-products of volcanoes and it is in falling ash, which coats your vegetation. If it rains, well, mixing rainwater with sulfur dioxide turns into sulfuric acid . . . on your plants. In fact, when pahoehoe lava rolls over plant life, it creates methane gas. Which can ignite, produce a blue flame and then explode. Falling ash, volcanic gases block the sun. No sun means no photosynthesis, which supplies life to plants.
Serious shit here. Everything dies. No food source, you die.
Vog on Hawaii Island contains volcanic glass particles which make your eyes water, throat scratchy and many people cough a lot. It can make you tired. I’ve read that a mask doesn’t help, so I don’t know why Lowes sells them.
Almost 100 homes in Leilani Estates have been destroyed so far. The government finally told everybody to get out but some refuse to leave. I mentioned to a guy from Kau who worked on our security alarm that we donated to the Hawaii Food Basket, the only nonprofit food source in Hawaii. And how the nonprofit lets donors choose to directly assist those who lost their homes. That guy from Kau said long-time homeless are showing up to claim emergency relief meant for the Puna disaster victims.
Well, they are all homeless. Many are not homeless by choice but by circumstance.
You can’t go to the eastern side of Hawaii Island to watch the eruptions, although I briefly considered it. The government is turning people away, set up security road blocks and will fine those who so much try to fly a drone over Kilauea. Sadly, the only road into Leilani Estates is now covered with lava. As a result, they are digging up the Chain of Craters Road, which has also been blocked with lava for more than 50 years.
Of course, I am still connecting with sellers in Sacramento and still listing homes in Sacramento, even though I am dealing with vog on Hawaii Island. I wish there was a way to show more support for those victims of disaster, though. Let me know what you think about the two photos below. Bear in mind they are both shot in color.
Vog on Hawaii Island
No Vog in Hawaii Island
Must a Sacramento Listing Agent Like a Seller to List the Home?
Good question: must a listing agent like a seller to list the home? In my early stages in real estate, back in the 1970s, I used to believe a strictly professional relationship was the only way to conduct business. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that an agent doesn’t necessarily need to “like” or be best friends with a seller, but a Sacramento listing agent does need to feel good about the relationship for it to be a fiduciary.
Hardly anybody know what fiduciary really means, much less some sellers. But to have a fiduciary, which, btw, is required between a listing agent and seller, there needs to be a minimum of trust and respect. Because a listing agent is required to put the needs of her seller above her own. Seriously. You think I’m making this up but I am not. It’s right there in real estate law and principles.
Whenever I see fiduciary in jeopardy, well, it’s a red flag. For example, when I upload listing paperwork to DocuSign, I tell my sellers to go ahead and sign the profile sheet because it’s just a document we use to input data into MLS. Sometimes they might spot a mistake, which is easy since I use a template. Everything is pre-filled to match most listings. I manually change the data, customize it. If my phone rings, I might get distracted and not pick up at the line I left. So maybe a radio button for vinyl floor did not get checked.
Who better to notice than a seller with a vested interest? I ask my clients to email me changes with a promise to correct before I send the document to the office. I am such a stickler for details and having everything perfect, pretty anal about it. I verify each listing 3 times prior to publication. However, if a seller insists that I redo the paperwork, that says they do not trust me. If they don’t trust, we don’t have fiduciary. If we don’t have fiduciary, I have no business dealing with them.
It becomes a red flag. You can’t ignore red flags. It’s silent sabotage. Rarely is it a fluke.
This is a fact because trying to work with clients who have no respect nor trust for their agent is fairly defeatist. An agent might feel inclined not to go that extra mile. What is that extra mile? It generally involves maximizing seller profit. I can tell you that is a terrible way to feel. To feel like you do not want to do your best. I always want to go above and beyond for my sellers. Every blue moon or so, though, I find myself with a seller who doesn’t inspire me to stretch myself. Uh-oh. Trouble.
There is little satisfaction in doing just an OK job. I expect great performances from myself and take pride on delivery.
But you can tell when a person doesn’t like you. In my recent experience, I felt that sour attitude after I informed the seller his home smelled like cigarette smoke. At that point, I thought I could handle it because although I might not always like a seller to list the home, I can usually find some redeeming quality in a person. So I focus on that. I was also very careful to explain it from a buyer’s point of view. But the seller hated me for it. And it didn’t get any better as time went on.
When I sent the seller a PDF file of how the listing would look when it publishes, the seller refused to review the information for accuracy. Who does that? I’ve never had a seller refuse to cooperate. Well, that would be a seller who really does not trust nor respect his agent. And an agent who tries to like a seller to list the home would find herself feeling the exact opposite.
Fortunately, this doesn’t happen very often to me. Maybe once in every couple of years. Honestly, I thought they had taken care of the odor in the home, but when I realized they had not, and they still wanted top dollar, topped with a big dollop of non-respect, well, only a fool moves forward. My only regret is I wish I had bailed earlier and not kept trying. No commission is worth aggravation.
The moral of this story is be good to yourself. It swings both ways. If you don’t like your agent, and the respect and trust is not there, find another agent. So, yes, the answer is a listing agent does need to like a seller to list a home. If the seller deliberately changes that balance, it’s a no-go.
I want my clients to feel confident that when we cross the finish line, I have done everything in my power to enhance their financial situation and protect their interests. If an agent does not like a seller to list a home, it won’t happen that way. It’s not just me, it’s true about any agent. Except maybe the hucksters.
Luxury Home on Del Dayo Drive in Del Dayo Estates, Carmichael
To say I connected with this luxury home on Del Dayo Drive in Del Dayo Estates is an understatement. This was a case of mad love at first sight. It will happen that way for a buyer as well. The home spoke volumes to me before I ever set foot inside. It was the end of March when the seller contacted me about fixing up her home in Carmichael, and I happened to be physically in Hawaii when that call came in. Just like I am now, btw, when this home hit the Sacramento market last night.
Full circle. Definitely in the zone in Hawaii. Feeling the Aloha. Nothing touches me here like real estate in Sacramento and delivers such joy. OK, maybe paddle boarding. Point is, no suffering of fools in the islands. It’s a place to kick jackasses to the curb. Such a wonderful state of mind, and I am so damn lucky to have perfected being a listing specialist. And, I should mention, to marry that fortune with the good sense to buy a house in Hawaii.
While I had the seller on the phone, I quickly pulled up the old photographs in MLS, and from those offered a guide to renovation suggestions. The old carpeting had to go, and the seller installed beautiful planked flooring in the baths and lower level. The main level captures your immediate attention with its random hardwood flooring pattern.
You really need to see this in person to truly appreciate the aesthetics. Past the double door entry, you immediately absorb the open floor plan, featuring a family room with a raised custom wood fireplace. Angles and light everywhere your eye travels. In the distance, you can see the formal dining area and the fantastic kitchen.
Truly casual elegance at its finest, this gourmet kitchen is understated yet surprising. Behind the custom cabinets you will find 3 separate dishwashers, a wine refrigeration system, a built-in Sub Zero refrigerator and more storage than most people, except my chef of a husband, could possibly need. The granite island features a sink and also offers social seating.
All together, the luxury home on Del Dayo Drive features 6 bedrooms and 5 baths. The lower level has its own entrance for multigenerational families as well. There is a bedroom, bath, family room, and two smaller rooms downstairs.
Above is the master suite wing on the main level. The carpeting is plush and just installed. Soak in that fabulous view of the resort-like grounds through the windows. In the hallway, you will find an abundance of closets, storage and a skylight. The master suite bath has been updated with planked flooring and light neutral colors.
This luxury home on Del Dayo Drive boasts over 5,000 square feet of carefully designed space spanning three levels. Just under a half acre. The third level has three bedrooms and 2 baths, but it’s the beautiful yard that will blow you away. Flagstone walkways and patios. In-ground pool heated by solar. Separate spa. It feels private, like you’re vacationing at the Four Seasons in Hualalai. There is even a custom tree house.
Come to our open house on Sunday, June 3, 2018, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM and appreciate for yourself the beauty of this brilliantly designed home. This open house is hosted by the incredible Barbara Dow from the Elizabeth Weintraub Team. Barbara brings more than 25 years of real estate experience to the team, and everybody loves her to pieces. She is a practically a national treasure.
You know, I cannot believe that I actually get paid to fall in love with homes like this and bring them to market. I have the best job in the world. After 44 years in real estate, I am fortunate to still say that.
It is truly a pleasure to present to you 1661 Del Dayo Drive, Carmichael, CA 95608, which is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $1,250,000. Check out the virtual tour, too.
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.
Story of Closing at 4909 Laguna Woods Drive in Elk Grove
Last month I featured an updated pool home in Elk Grove for sale and yesterday this turnkey home on Laguna Woods Drive closed escrow at list price. Once everything comes together and the home enters MLS, activity happens fast. But it was a fairly slow beginning. For example, I started working on this listing the first week of January, in the middle of my 9-week winter vacation in Hawaii. Since then, I’ve been back to Hawaii twice. That’s how long I’ve been working on this sale.
When I came home to Sacramento in February, I met up with the seller to inspect the home. Without going into detail, let’s just say it wasn’t show-ready. I made a number of suggestions to the seller of things she could do, and she took me up on all of them. If you had seen the condition of the home when I first viewed it in comparison to how it presented cleaned up and staged, well, you would say it was the difference between night and day. Like the difference between extreme vog and no vog.
Remarkable improvement. We painted the cabinets a rich chocolate brown. Installed granite. Finished the engineered hardwood floors. In short, we transformed a 22-year-old home into a modern updated home that looked almost brand new. If you had seen the “before” condition of the home on Laguna Woods Drive and the “after,” you would not recognize it.
The seller expressed concerns about the pricing because she thought it was too high. Her home was not located in the subdivision of more expensive homes. She did not feel comfortable right away that she could get upwards of $600K for her home. The seller also fretted about a recent foreclosure affecting her value. But given the market conditions, I felt that she could. I’m right more often than not, and in this case, we were right on the money.
Everything went smoothly until we received the Request for Repair. For some reason, the buyer asked for 8 repairs, including replacing the windows, of all things. However, anybody who knows me knows what I think about Requests for Repair in a seller’s market. Especially over-the-top requests. The answer is no and no again. Of course, the decision is the sellers’ but they often follow my advice.
The buyer backed down from her requests and elected to close escrow. Now my seller can relocate to Alabama and get on with her life. Five months of work this took. But the end result is priceless and the seller was very happy. That’s all that matters to me.
4909 Laguna Woods Drive, Elk Grove, California 95758 closed escrow on May 30, 2018 at $595,000.
Support for the Mono Lake Committee is Necessary and Appreciated
Mono Lake is one of the most unusual places in the world, and it’s located only four hours from Sacramento. Most people stop here, if they stop at all, while driving from Sacramento to Mammoth Lakes. The lake, half of its original size thanks to Los Angeles, is nestled between the Great Basin and the Nevada Sierra.
The Mono Lake Committee, Information and Bookstore, is worth a stop on your journey. Apart from t-shirts and information, you can also donate to help protect Mono Lake, restore and preserve this natural wonder.
On the way back from his marriage proposal at Half Dome Summit in Yosemite, Josh Amolsch stopped and shot this photograph of the tufa. Some people call these formations tofu, but the word is really tufa. Tufas grow underwater and are essentially limestone, a mixture of carbonates and calcium. That’s what those structures are growing out of the water. They would be underwater if the lake wasn’t half its normal size of more than 4 million acres.
More than 300 different species of birds visit Mono Lake. It is home to the second largest gull population (Salt Lake City is first). Trillions of brine shrimp — and alkali flies, which spend 2/3rds of their life under water — provide a feast for the birds.
Helping to support the Mono Lake Committee is one way to help the environment and be part of the conservation effort to preserve Mono Lake. Even if it’s only $25. Every little bit helps. You can donate right on the website, or mail a check to:
Mono Lake Committee
P. O. Box 29
Lee Vining, CA 93541
