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Land Park Community Association Membership BBQ: a Real Sunday Treat
We really came to the Land Park Communication Association membership BBQ on Sunday to visit with the dogs. Everybody brings their dogs to these events. Because I always say there is little more rewarding than holding a stick while a dog chews on the other end. Dogs to pet. Dogs to rough-house with, to pay compliments to or just plain scritch behind the ears. Well, we did find two dogs. But we stayed for the food and music.
Far as I know, this is the first Land Park Community Association membership BBQ. Can’t recall ever an invitation to another over the years. It was totally free. BBQ pulled pork and BBQ chicken from T&R Taste of Texas, ice cream from Vic’s. You can see my mint chocolate chip cone above being served by the happiest guy we saw. My husband would disagree, but I say his enthusiastic attitude is probably due to his Hawaiian shirt. Who can’t be happy wearing a Hawaiian shirt?
For a person who has attended zero picnics so far this year, I’ve gone to two picnics this past weekend. And I managed to devour everything on my plate. Macaroni salad, beet salad, pulled pork, BBQ chicken and a salad of greens, cherry tomatoes and croutons.
Even the weather cooperated. It was a beautiful 72 degrees with frequent high winds. The blowing of the leaves across the park whipped some of them off the ground by a good foot or so, so food plate elevation became necessary.
Toward the end of the event, which was only 2 hours long, I had to recap the open house activity from four open houses yesterday. But fortunately, I could do all of that from my cellphone. Thank goodness for technology. I sell can real estate from anywhere.
Pictured above was the band, California Stars. Reminds me of a song on the Mermaid Avenue CD, music by Wilco and Billy Bragg, lyrics originally written by Woody Guthrie. I wonder if there is a connection? Probably not. They were more country honky-tonk, and really good, too.
Imagine My Surprise to Open the Door to a Land Park Specialist
No way was I expecting to find a young man standing on my front steps proclaiming himself to be a Land Park specialist. He was dressed pretty spiffily, if you ask me. I, on the other hand, looked like a crazy homeless person. In the heat in Sacramento, I have not bothered to blow-dry my hair since last May. Well, I spent 3 weeks at our house in Hawaii in June, so certainly no blow-drying or styling my hair there. Nobody cares. And it’s just been too hot in Sacramento, so I twist it into a bun and clip or wear in a ponytail. When my hair is down and curly, I look like the wild man of Borneo.
I found this guy standing away from my door, almost getting dripped on by standing under my hanging flower pot that had just been watered. At first blush, I thought maybe he was a Jehovah’s Witness or from some other religious affiliation. He glanced at me furtively. It wasn’t just the hair. It was probably the rags I run around in at home. In fact, I go to great extremes to wear what others would consider dumpster clothing. Shirts with holes. Put this way, a t-shirt would be dress up for me.
When I go out to meet clients, I dress for the occasion. To look the part of being the top producing Sacramento Realtor that I am. Just not at home.
He just said, Hi, I am Matt, a Land Park specialist. Just want to know if you folks are thinking about selling your home or buying another home?
He stunned me. Just seemed so weird. I was tempted to holler to nobody in particular: Hey, Babe, do we want to sell the house and move? Some guy is standing on our steps asking if we want to sell our home. I say hell yes. OK? You with me? Let’s get the hell outta Dodge.
But I didn’t say any of that. I started laughing. Honestly, I could not help myself. All I could manage from my lips was: you are so funny, and I couldn’t stop laughing. I’m a terrible person.
You know, back when I got into real estate in the 1970s, some agents did “farm” a neighborhood and knocked on doors to offer their services. I never did. It seemed to be ineffective for the amount of time expended. There was bound to be a better way to get business than trying to persuade people to move or hoping you’re hitting them at the right time by standing on their doorstep. Like, the U.S. mail, for one thing. Who would hire some person who showed up on their porch anyway?
I looked up this guy in MLS because he had slipped a marketing card into my mailbox slot (which is against federal law because there was no postage on it). He has never listed a home in Land Park or anywhere in Sacramento for that matter. He seems to represent buyers. Most certainly — not a Land Park specialist. Maybe in his own mind. But I guess that’s what you get with door knockers.
Happy 4th of July, everybody.
The Story of Closing a Home in Upper Land Park
The first time I spoke with the seller of this home in Upper Land Park, I was in the middle of my winter vacation in Hawaii. But since part of the purpose of having a home in Hawaii is to work from that location, it’s not really working for me. Plus, I think my clients like it when I’m in Hawaii because they know I will answer my phone up to 9 or 10 PM at night, due to the time change. On top of which, I am generally there alone, so there are no other distractions. I’m focused on them.
In fact, while working on selling this home in Upper Land Park, I made two more trips to Hawaii. During my last trip, we went into escrow.
I met with the seller in mid February to give her tips on staging this home in Upper Land Park. My feeling was the living room and dining room seemed like one huge room, providing the gateway to the beautiful back yard, we should focus on it. More so than the bedrooms or kitchen. The flooring was not hardwood, so a bit of staging could compensate for it by drawing the eye elsewhere. The seller contacted my recommended home stager. For very little money, she was able to arrange for staging that did not involve the entire home.
My focus was to maximize profit for the seller. Given our present conditions of a seller’s market, it made sense to be aggressive with the pricing, even though the home backed to the freeway. Other homes, not quite in this same exact position, were selling at wild prices. I was willing to help my seller determine exactly where she needed to be priced, even if it took a bit longer because our price was aggressive.
She had talked with a previous Land Park Realtor to sell her home in Upper Land Park. The seller recalled only the words the Realtor repeated over and over. Which happened to be the rather snooty: “this is not prime Land Park.” What a terrible thing to say to a potential seller. Personally, I can’t imagine saying such a thing. Also, one of the other things the seller asked me was not to send her feedback reiterating the freeway is too loud. I get it. I understood.
We received a lowball offer from a former client of mine, which was a surprise on both accounts. That fizzled and died a slow death, never even heard back from his agent on the counter offer. And then the best offer appeared out of the clear blue sky. A decent offer, one that we could accept and close on. The seller jumped all over that like a hot fudge on a sundae.
I thought the buyer might complain about the second bath not being connected to the sewer or maybe the fact the roof was two different materials. Yes, comp on the south and shake on the north. The day we went into contract with that buyer, a second buyer was ready to make an offer, but they were a bit too late. When it rains it pours, I guess. But the buyer had no complaints, really, no demand for repairs. He had asked for a small concession, which I advised the seller not to give. But she is nicer than me, and she gave it to them just for peace of mind.
Yup, get that, too. It’s all about what makes the seller happy. She left me a nice review on Zillow and Yelp, so my mission was accomplished. Thanks, Robbie, it was great to work with you, too!
709 7th Av, Sacramento, CA 95818 closed escrow on June 27, 2018, at $375,000.
New Listing in Upper Land Park: Adorable 2-3 Bedroom Cottage
A new listing in Upper Land Park presents an exciting opportunity to buy into a neighborhood which has no commercial properties, unlike other parts of Land Park. This particular home is tucked away off of Santa Buena, near the freeway, in an area with little through traffic. Our back story takes us to the original construction of this home in 1949. The builder who constructed this home used the old method of combining clay mud with straw to form adobe bricks and drying the bricks in the sun.
We can easily endure weeks of 100-plus temperatures during our hot Sacramento summers. And we certainly enjoy an abundance of clay soil in Upper Land Park. Perfect combination, and what insulation properties adobe offers. You cannot hear a sound when inside that home.
The daughter of the builder bought the home after completion and moved in. She constructed the Buddha waterfall and gazebo in the back and planted much of the greenery and roses that still flourish today. Gardens? Amazingly beautiful. You will also find several covered patios for entertaining, in addition to an art studio. As the story goes, the daughter eventually ended up moving out of town, so she sold the house.
After moving away, she missed Sacramento and, in particular, this home. So she moved back and bought it from the owner. If you are in love with a home to such an extent that you don’t want to live anywhere else in town, that showcases the allure. Eventually, though, our present day seller bought the home.
Our seller installed a guest quarter with a permit by remodeling the garage. It features a soundproof bedroom, which could also be used as a band studio or yoga studio. Our seller also installed a second bath. What started out as a 2 bedroom, 1 bath is now a 2 to 3 bedroom and 2 bath home. The guest quarters are located on the other side of the kitchen for privacy.
An interesting thing the seller told me is when she first saw this new listing in Upper Land Park and entered, she felt captivated by the back yard and made a beeline for it. Walked right past the two bedrooms with the beautiful hardwood floors. Right past the updated bath with a shower over the tub, and a window. No nod toward the kitchen. Directly to the back yard. Maybe you will do the same thing? The yard is definitely captivating.
Why not come to our open house on Sunday and discover the magic of this new listing in Upper Land Park for yourself? March 11th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, hosted by the incredible Barbara Dow from the Elizabeth Weintraub Team.
709 7th Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95818 is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $375K. Check out the virtual tour, too! If you have questions, please call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759.
New Listing in Land Park: Charming Vintage Bungalow Remodeled
Look no further for a new listing in Land Park! This is a perfect home for first-time home buyers. Especially if you’re looking for the charm and vintage detailing found in Land Park homes built in the 1930s. This home marries beautiful updates with original architectural features. Just feast your eyes on that storybook photograph above showcasing enormous curb appeal!
A beautiful flagstone sidewalk welcomes visitors to the door. There is a covered front porch where you can sit to enjoy all of your neighbors parading by: walking dogs, pushing babies in strollers, darn kids walking on your lawn (just kidding about the kids). McClatchy High School and California Middle School are nearby but this home sits on the north side of the street so it does not back up to the school.
Once inside, the open floor plan will amaze. Hardwood floors, arches, crown molding, plenty of windows, formal living room and dining area with wainscoting and a fireplace, a breakfast nook, and recessed lights greet you. But nothing prepares you for the gorgeous kitchen.
Your fabulous new listing in Land Park features a to-die-for kitchen. Granite counters, a wine refrigerator, dining bar, super cool exposed bulbs in the hanging pendant lights, a GE Monogram 6 burner gas stove, convection, built-in refrigerator are only a few of the amenities found in the kitchen. Plenty of storage space; every inch is utilized.
This home boasts 3 bedrooms, one of which is used as an office, a newly remodeled bath with a walk-in shower, newer copper, newer sewer line and a 200-AMP electrical panel. In addition, the room you see above is like an extended family room under an attached covered patio. You also get a built-in outdoor kitchen with grill. What a great space for entertaining and hanging out!
This shows only part of the back yard. For starters, check out the two-car garage. All of that concrete allows for so many possibilities. You could work on cars, park an RV or a boat. Why, if it were legal, you could probably land a helicopter at this new listing in Land Park.
Why not come to our open house on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, March 11th? Hosted by the amazing Amy McMullen from the Elizabeth Weintraub Team. Call Elizabeth with questions at 916.233.6759.
1731 Bidwell Way, Sacramento, CA 95818 is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $549K. Check out the virtual tour, too.
