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Overview and Photos of a Sacramento Realtor’s Last 3 Weeks in Hawaii
Thursday is my travel day to head back to Sacramento from my last 3 weeks in Hawaii. What a whirl-wind three weeks, and I am so fortunate to have spent those weeks on my Sacramento real estate business from our house in Kona. During that time I listed / re-listed 8 homes in the Sacramento area, put 3 homes into pending status and closed around a half dozen or so. I have 2 offers in hand. The Sacramento market is just beginning to pop. I can feel the excitement!
Everything has been fairly quiet at our house, although, I did receive a complaint from the HOA. Seems my neighbor who doesn’t like troublemakers has been filing a series of complaints, claiming my phone rings at 6 AM, which I answer outdoors. The HOA has noise restrictions before 8 AM. I really had no idea the HOA had rules about me talking on my cellphone before 8 AM. My grouchy neighbor is obviously the only person who can hear me, even though my work area is at the far end from his house.
He could have emailed or called to say, hey, would you please silence your phone until 8 AM? HOA rules. And that would have been fine. But that is what a normal person would do. My husband says I should toss any leftover fish on his roof before departing.
Look at that unusual sunset from my lanai. Who cannot help but love Hawaii? It is as though the clouds have broken out in song.
Here is my newest gecko. This is Mr. Personality Plus! So incredibly cute. He says: who the heck are YOU? Got snacks? Nope, the HOA rules say you cannot feed the wildlife nor even hang a bird feeder. My Christian missionary friends say I have come a long way from the days I screamed at the sight of geckos. They were also very impressed when I showed them my photos on my cell phone.
This guy is so cute I almost want to kiss him. Georgy. But not quite. No. Still. Maybe.
Every Wednesday, the Norwegian Cruise Lines Pride of America docks in Kailua-Kona. It sails 4 islands with two stops on Big Island from Honolulu. A 7-week cruise with an ocean view / balcony running about $2,000 to a suite at $3,000. Just in case you’re looking for an inexpensive way to tour the islands in Hawaii.
When I first started spending time in Hawaii, it used to bother me that the cruise ship showed up on Wednesdays right in front of our view of the ocean. I felt as though I owned all of the ocean. This was a personal affront, an intrusion. But now it is just part of the scenery. Wait until the drones start coming.
It will be good to be back home with my husband and cats. Did not want to miss my husband’s birthday this month. Plus, there is the signing of the federal and state taxes. Always a joyous occasion. A huge relief to get that out of the way.
I am so ready for the spring real estate market in Sacramento. Energized.
Don’t you love this kitten? That is Ziggy over my husband’s shoulder. To think he was receptive to adopting two of JaCi’s kittens. A guy who never had pets before in his life. Cats have a way of wiggling into your heart and securely attaching themselves to your life.
E Komo Mai.
New Listing Woodside Oaks Alicante Villas One Bedroom Condo
What can I say about the Woodside Oaks complex or an Alicante Villas one bedroom condo that I haven’t said before? I’ve sold a few other condos in this complex, which is probably why sellers keep calling me to sell their condos. I really like the Woodside Oaks condos. They are set up as two fourplex units connected by a bridge and set of stairs. This particular cluster is second to last at the very end of the complex, next to Sierra. But not right on Sierra.
In fact, this Alicante Villas one bedroom condo is on the inside of the cluster, in the second building and toward the back. So it’s pretty quiet. The unit is also a one-story, which many buyers find extremely desirable. In addition, it is a first-floor unit, which only adds to the desirability.
If you need more reasons to buy an Alicante Villas one bedroom condo, how about the fact the seller just installed brand new bamboo flooring throughout. The new bamboo these days is so strong, interwoven and glued. You can whack it with a hammer and it’s difficult to dent. Plus, I’ve heard it rumored (in Hawaii mostly) that termites do not like the glue in the bamboo. Is it true? Dunno.
In the living room is a fireplace with a travertine surround, right next to the sliding doors leading to the enclosed patio. Isn’t this a cute layout and very functional? Check out the kitchen. We have granite counters, well maintained cabinets with glass doors in the upper cabinets over the sink. All of the stainless appliances stay, including the refrigerator. There is also a formal dining space off the kitchen.
The master bedroom shown here features mirrored closet doors, and there is an extra closet in the master bath. Plus, there is a third really deep closet in the hall. So, plenty of storage. Another nice feature of the bedroom is the fact it is the farthest away from the front door. You probably would not hear anybody going up the stairs.
In short, the unit is fresh, clean and spotless, ready for occupancy. It’s got everything you need. So turnkey. Just walk in with a sofa, bed and luggage and you’re in business.
Your HOA dues are affordable, too. Only $330 a month. It offers a pool, spa, fitness center and clubhouse privileges. If you desire a lock-and-go lifestyle, it doesn’t get any better or more affordable than this. You get covered parking for one vehicle, too.
548 Woodside Oaks, #5, Sacramento, CA 95825 is offered exclusively by Elizabeth Weintraub and Lyon Real Estate at $175,000. Please call Elizabeth at 916.233.6759 for more information or to arrange a private showing. See the virtual tour.
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.
More Photos of Hawaii Birds on the Big Island
One of the best things I did this trip to Kailua-Kona is bring my Canon Sureshot to shoot more photos of Hawaii birds on the Big Island. Well, I actually can’t stop shooting photos of everything. I cannot believe the abundance of interesting things, from the creepy critters to the geckos and lizards, beautiful Kona beaches, Hawaii sunsets, and all of the floral and fauna. Don’t get me started on the lava formations from the chopped-up baked cookie chunks and the brown sugar-scorched landscapes.
In fact, I was fortunate to land in an environment yesterday where I could share some of the photos of Hawaii birds at a post-Easter brunch celebration. My neighbors, the good guys from Minnesota, hosted the affair. This is not to be confused, by the way, with the bad guys, a Hawaii neighbor who does not like troublemakers. We had the best grilled hickory-smoked ahi I’ve ever tasted, so moist, flavorful. Plus, we have the most delicious fresh fruit on Hawaii island.
Lesser Redpoll Finch, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Captured this bird down the hill from our Hawaii house in a dead tree that the homeowner’s association has not removed. I was about to climb over the fence and trim back a large flowering tree because it started to block my panoramic view of the ocean, but the HOA guys got it in time. They just don’t do anything about the dead trees.
This is a Lesser Redpoll Finch, and I instinctively knew its name before I verified it. So I’m proud of myself for that. My phone discussion on the lanai came to a sudden pause when I heard singing, so I quietly took my fingers off my laptop keyboard and picked up my Canon Sureshot. This is when I’ll find myself talking to a seller about staging, for example, and then I have to say, sorry, can you hold on a sec, I’m shooting a bird. I think they know I don’t own a gun. My clients are very accommodating, which is why I love them to pieces. Some things can wait, but shooting a bird photo cannot. They fly away.
Saffron finch sings from a Cook Pine
It is mating time for the Saffron finches in Hawaii. Those guys are always singing. From this particular location, I’ve watched the female finches fly back and forth with bits of matter dangling from their beak. Which makes me believe they are building a nest in the Cook pine tree. I read that male Saffron finches are polygamous and mate with two females in mating season. Like many birds in Hawaii, this tanager is not native, having arrived from South America sometime in the 1960s.
Wild Texas turkeys are ubiquitous on Big Island
Ready for more photos of Hawaii birds? How about an American turkey? This was in my neighbor’s yard. Again, the 1960s are to blame. Apparently sometime between 1961 and 1963, 400 wild Texas turkeys turned up in the islands. These Rio Grande turkeys thrive on Big Island, Molokai and Lanai.
Speaking of Molokai, I read yesterday that the mule ride business is getting evicted for non payments. I wrote about that tourist attraction in Things Not To Do in Molokai. Every so often I get a hate email from somebody who has been injured and wants to know why I don’t shut them down. When people find you online, they think the writer has all sorts of magical powers.
The worst thing about the wild turkeys in Big Island is the poop they leave in the street. Big old monster balls of poop. Cars drive over it. Dogs love it.
Trogon at Soroa Orchid Botanical, Orquideario, Cuba.
Now for the perfect conclusion to this blog about photos of Hawaii birds, I present to you the Trojon. OK, just a joke because the Trojon is not a Hawaii bird. It is the national bird of Cuba. Would not surprise me though to find Trojons in Hawaii. Aloha!
Today is open house scheduling day, and I should have at least 6 open houses lined up in Sacramento for this weekend. One team member is in Los Angeles, so that leaves us a bit short-handed. But that’s the good thing about selling real estate at Lyon Real Estate. We have almost 1,000 agents eager to move inventory and available.
Fix Door Lock Problems Before Going on the Market
Yes, I know it sounds elementary that sellers need to fix door lock problems before going on the market, but you would be amazed at how many people get used to non-functioning doors. They will say, Oh, we always go out through the garage. Or, we just pull the key out slightly, jiggle it, spin around three times, howl at the moon and it works. But a professional Sacramento Realtor will find it very frustrating when showing your home if the lock doesn’t work.
This past winter, I had a seller give me a key that required a bit of finesse to work. I always check out the keys when I take a listing. When the seller hands me the key, even if I just watched her open the lock, I do it myself. The reason I use the key is to figure out whether we need to fix door lock problems before going on the market. Besides, it is added ammunition when an agent calls to say the key doesn’t work. I know it works because I used it.
In the case of the seller who had to finesse the lock, I asked her to fix the lock. But she insisted it worked fine. OK, after the first agent who showed complained about it, I just took matters into my own hands. The seller was at her vacation house at Lake Tahoe and in no rush to drive down the hill. So I just went over, met the locksmith, paid for it, and changed the locks.
If an agent can’t open the door, she can’t show the house. It’s that simple. If she can’t show the house, we won’t get any offers.
But now it seems I am facing another situation. In retrospect, we should have fixed the door lock problems before going on the market but I did not realize there was a problem. The lock had worked fine. Lately, over the past 24 hours, half a dozen agents accessed the lockbox. All of the male agents could open the door, but the 3 female agents could not. What the hey? We are not the weaker sex here.
The seller’s solution is she won’t lock all of the doors, but that is not a good idea. Do not compromise security. We just need to fix the locks. I feel that if just one agent cannot get inside to show, that could be the one buyer we needed. Fixing the door locks is a huge priority for me. And for any seller, really.
How to Tell if Your Home Does Not Need Home Staging to Sell
Your home might not need home staging to sell. Do you know how you can tell? Well, for starters, you probably can’t on your own. But if you ask a top Sacramento Realtor whose specialty is solely working with sellers, I bet she can tell you. When your entire focus in Sacramento real estate is listing homes and selling them — and you don’t work with buyers — you view the world through a dedicated lens. You see things differently than other agents. At least that is the case with me.
I can tell you in a heartbeat if your home does not need home staging to sell. Some homes do not require home staging, and since part of my goal is to increase net profit for a seller, I’m not sending them down that path in every situation. Because some situations simply don’t call for home staging.
Oh, you’ll hear agents say every home shows better with home staging, and that’s not entirely true. For example, tiny, small homes don’t always show better with staging. Too much furniture can crowd a small house. It can make a small house appear even smaller. A buyer will never know she can’t fit a bed in a small bedroom if there isn’t a bed there.
Two homes that I’m presently working on listing don’t need staging and for different reasons. One home is unique, with vintage designer wallpaper. Wood windows. Wood ceiling, beams and fancy millwork. Random planked floors. Handmade braided rag floor covering, wall-to-wall. It’s a special storybook house. Staging might detract from the period and make the home seem smaller. It’s not that large to start with.
Another home features a long room at the entrance, with a delightful bonus view through French doors at the other end. That’s the selling feature. The million dollar shot. I explained to that seller that she should stage the living room / dining area, separating the two spaces. While she does not need home staging to sell, she should stage that very important first impression space. Bring into focus the original fireplace and send the view out into the back yard.
This seller was excited when she called yesterday to say she met with my preferred home stager. The stager not only promised to stage the living area, but she threw in for free the staging of a yoga studio out back. As a bonus for the seller, she said, because I refer so much business to the stager. She makes me look good, and my seller is very happy!
If you really want to know if you need home staging to sell, ask an experienced Realtor for her opinion. In our present seller’s market, it is possible your home does not need home staging to sell.
