Category — Random Stuff

It’s bike month in the Sacramento area and I’m excited to get to ride to an appraisal inspection today for a total of 20 miles. Since the property is fairly close to the Sacramento River anyway, I’ll get to enjoy some of the trails in Rancho Cordova and then exit Hazel Avenue into Fair Oaks. This year I’ve pledged to ride 100 miles during May, which should be fun, but I’m even more excited that my boys are doing it with me. My 8-year-old will be riding 33 miles and my 6-year-old will be riding 16 miles.

Speaking of bikes, I’m also riding in the Project 680 Underwear Ride on May 19 to help raise awareness for student homelessness and gather new underwear for homeless students. This will be a 26-mile ride (roundtrip). Project 680 is close to my heart and a cause I pour my heart and time into. Would anyone like to ride with me? I hear Keith Klassen is coming.

Have you pledged to ride for bike month?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Twitter, subscribe to posts by email or “like” my page on Facebook

It’s usually good to stand out in real estate – but not for odd reasons. Here are some of the fun things I’ve seen during the business day on appraisal inspections. These are probably things to avoid doing to your house.

NFL Driveway: I am a huge sports fan and diehard sports talk radio listener, but spray painting a dozen stencils of your favorite team’s logo on your concrete driveway doesn’t make the neighborhood look good.

Blue Cabinets: Most buyers aren’t looking for blue cabinetry, so if you’re going to do some painting, stick with a color that works well for the resale market. Right now I see most owners painting their cabinets a shade of white or sometimes a darker cherry wood color.

Battle in the Front Yard: This lawn gets points for creativity, but most neighbors probably aren’t hoping to find a battle scene next door.

Car on the Lawn: I understand if there is no room on the street to park a vehicle. However, it does not foster a positive image for the community to park on the lawn in a typical suburban neighborhood. That’s just how it is. If you’re interested in improving a neighborhood experiencing signs of decay, make sure to check out my “Blight Week” series. There is always hope to see neighborhoods improve.

Religious Messages: This one might feel a bit personal and I hope to not cross a professional line, but keep in mind I’m a practicing Christian. Let your actions and words show God’s love – not your garage door. This doesn’t really help a house sell and it doesn’t promote the principle of conformity in real estate either. It’s fine to decorate with religious symbols and slogans during holidays and seasons because that shows pride and helps a neighborhood feel festive, but a permanent message is maybe a bit much.

Custom Air Vent: If you plan to convert the garage, it would be a better idea to not run the vent through the Living Room to get to the garage.

Door to Nowhere: This is a door on the second story of a building with a decent drop to the parking lot below. Maybe the interior has drywall, so the door truly cannot be opened, but generally speaking it’s a good idea to have doorways lead to stairs or balconies. I took this picture on J & 20th in Midtown Sacramento.

I hope you enjoyed the images of some of the fun things I see while doing my job. What do you think? What would you add to the list above?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Twitter, subscribe to posts by email or “like” my page on Facebook

I’ll be sitting on a panel at an upcoming event called “Social Media and the Future of Real Estate”. I’d love for you to come check it out on May 8 at SAR HQ at 6:30pm. If you cannot make it in person, the event will stream live on Ustream or you can follow it on Twitter with the hashtag #SMCSAC. But let’s face it, it would be nice to meet up in person. The Sacramento Social Media Club describes the event as follows:

Social Media is a Real Estate Game Changer– How do you create a meaningful social media balance?

Social media and the internet have transformed the way real estate professionals connect with their community. Many have embraced it and some are struggling or resisting the inevitable. Throw in facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest and a vast amount of growing networks and it can be downright overwhelming!

Presented by Social Media Club Sacramento, a panel of Real Estate professionals who have had success with social media will discuss social media best practices, how to balance your professional with your personal brand and how social media impacts real estate today.

Panelists include: 

Heather Ostrom, Realtor®, Coldwell Banker Sun Ridge, @RosevilleRockLn
Ryan Lundquist, Appraiser, Lundquist Appraisal Company, @SacAppraiser
Tamara Dorris, Realtor®, Davis & Davis, @tamaradorris
Laura Monroe, Virtual Assistant, Creative Agent Solutions, @LauraMonroe

Moderator: Chris Little, Real Estate Broker and President Elect of Sacramento Association of Realtors, Little Real Estate Services, @Chris_Little

For more information check out the Eventbrite page and the Facebook event page. Let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you there.

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Twitter, subscribe to posts by email or “like” my page on Facebook

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share the progress of my backyard garden. We recently decided to rip out nearly half the rear lawn in order to expand the Lundquist “farm”. We’ve had three raised 10′ x 4′ garden boxes for a number of years, but now we’re moving up to the major leagues by creating 500+ sq ft of space to work with. Why are we doing this? 1) This will cut down on grocery bills; 2) I’ve always felt like I don’t get much value from lawn when considering all the water it takes to keep it green; 3) While I don’t mind mowing the lawn (despite sometimes having a “parcel mullet“), having less to mow is better; 4) We’ll have food to share with friends and neighbors; 5) This will support a healthy diet.

This is the portion of lawn we’re removing as well as some in-progress shots.

Here is a partial view of the rear yard from our second story. The photo was taken through a window screen. Everything to the left side of the concrete median will be space for gardening.

The finished product: Here is the final product on 4/22/12. I’ll definitely give an update once the garden is up and running.

Replacing the front lawn? We’re also considering removing the front yard entirely and replacing it with drout-resistant plants and trees. There is actually a turf rebate program through California American Water, so I will basically get to do this for free. I’ll be honest that removing the front yard feels a bit more unconventional and odd to me, but I think we can make it really attractive with some effort (and save money and water in the process).

Do you plan to garden this year? Have you removed lawn to create space for something else? Good or bad, what do you think the impact on the resale market will be for my plans? Any suggestions for what we should grow?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Twitter, subscribe to posts by email or “like” my page on Facebook

The Sacramento Business Journal interviewed me about using video in business as a marketing tool. The article published a few days ago and it turned out great. I am very honored to have had the opportunity. In addition to the print story, a reporter and photographer came to my office for a quick video shoot on tips for creating effective videos. The reporter also highlighted local video all-stars Heather Ostrom, Tamara Dorris and Kerry Shearer. In case you missed it, check out the article here and watch the video below (or here). Photo by Dennis McCoy of the SacBiz Journal.

Do you use video in business? Why? Why not?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Definition: A “parcel mullet” refers to the phenomenon of having a well manicured short lawn in the front yard, but a wild long yard in the back. Or in laymen’s terms, business lawn in front, party lawn in the back. If you didn’t know, the mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back (Wikipedia).

Examples: 1) “Nobody would’ve ever known Tammy had a parcel mullet since her house looked so cute from the front.”  2) “Jim, your house is looking great. All you need to do before we list it on the market is a bit of touch-up paint in the hallway and well, chop the parcel mullet.” 3) “Randy’s parcel mullet didn’t impress his in-laws, but neighbors love him for keeping the street looking nice.”

Origin of Word: This word came about during a conversation on Twitter with Heather Ostrom (@RosevilleRockLn). I had mentioned the way my front yard was neat and tidy, but my back yard was a jungle. Heather then alluded to the mullet concept (genius), which led me to think of the term ”parcel mullet”. I don’t know about you, but while I keep the front yard constantly short throughout the year, I tend to let my backyard grow wild from December to March until most of the rainy season is finished. Or in other words, I grow a parcel mullet in the Winter each year (as seen in the image below). I actually enjoy mowing my lawn too, so no matter how busy I’ve been throughout the years, I have never hired a gardener. I guess I’m old school like that. Check out the Twitter feed to the right to see a portion of how this new real estate word emerged.

Neat & Tidy Lawn: In all seriousness, having a well-manicured lawn does make a difference with how buyers, passersby and community members might perceive a household or even a neighborhood if front lawns are perpetually overgrown. As I wrote about in Thou shalt mow thy lawn to decrease blight, “Unkempt front yards are actually a very big deal because people will judge a community based on what it looks like. Is this a place where residents invest in their neighborhood or have they stopped believing in the future of their community?” In short, mowing the lawn in the front is a free way to help boost neighborhood pride and show the community that neighbors care about the image of the community. Regarding the backyard, if you’re not selling, feel free to grow out a parcel mullet. But if you are selling, it’s time for a haircut. 

Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant to offend anyone who has had a mullet, currently has one or will have one. It’s simply a fun way to describe a realistic yard scenario (even on my parcel).

Lastly, thank you Heather for the funny mullet photoshop job. This was a great laugh after a long day!! Click the image to the right if you wish. I hope you enjoyed the post.

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Does code enforcement use Google Earth? It’s pretty obvious if they did, they might find a “recycling” operation going on at this home in Sacramento County. I came across this one the other day while talking to an investor on the phone. It’s hard to say what has been happening for sure at this property, but it smells like a chop shop at first glance. What does it look like to you?

There are definitely areas where most backyards and front yards tend to be filled with debris, but that’s not the case in this neighborhood. As you can see from an expanded aerial view, most houses are not hosts to yard junk.

Clutter and property value: On a serious note, cluttered houses tend to drive down property value around them. I’m not being judgemental or targeting certain people at all. This is simply true. After all, nobody wants to live next to a perpetually unkempt property because it’s a hotbed for all sorts of issues. It’s true that theoretically a house can only contain clutter in the rear yard and have no evidence of an issue from the front. However, if there’s an issue with hoarding or something illegal going on (not just a lack of ability to care for a house), it’s not uncommon to see evidence from the front yard too. I guess it’s a bit like life. We can put our best foot forward and hide our issues, but eventually they’ll come out.

Hoarder House Video Tour: Here is a video tour of a hoarder house I inspected a while back. It’s amazing to see how much clutter can fill one house (and sad at the same time). Watch the video below or here. Yes, I had permission from my client to shoot this video.

Isn’t it amazing what we can find out about activity in houses while online? Have you seen something similar before? How have you seen unkempt front or rear yards impact a neighborhood or street?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

It’s Dr. Seuss’s Birthday today and I cannot help but think of the correlation between the way the Grinch took every little crumb in the homes of Whoville and how foreclosures sometimes get stripped before they’re seized by the bank. Here is an example of one house that has always stood out to me from an inspection years ago. While there was no significant damage to the property, the owner or thieves felt entitled to just about anything that could be removed – even the peephole (seriously).

Appliances are some of the most common items taken from properties.

Toilet seats were removed at this house.

Shower knobs and spigots throughout were missing (all faucets in the bathrooms and kitchen were missing too).

The covered patio was removed from this house, and that’s fairly normative to see before the bank seizes a property. I think the rationale is that the covered patio was likely not there when the property was purchased or refinanced, so it is the owner’s right to remove it. I completely get that and I really don’t have a strong objection to that point. I would however object to the removal of the actual concrete patio though. What do you think?

Pipes underneath the sinks were all partially removed and disconnected.

The toilet was missing in the Master Bathroom.

Most home owners do not take anything more than a stove or maybe a special light fixture, which is completely understandable, but the property above had really been gutted of things that should have stayed with the home because they typically transfer with a property when it sells. I’m not trying to be judgmental, the moral police or mean in my analogy between the actions of the Grinch and stripped foreclosure properties, but you can probably understand the basis of the correlation due to photos above. If you are going through foreclosure, my heart goes out to you because that’s not easy. Just remember to press on and continue to find hope that does still exist.

What items does the home owner have the right to take? What should be left? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts. And of course, what is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

I wanted to share some really exciting family news today. My wife’s first book, Seeing Cinderella, will be hitting the shelves in just a few weeks. She wrote a young reader novel about a 7th grade girl who discovers magic glasses that can read people’s thoughts. It’s such a fun read.

We are having a book launch party at Barnes & Noble in Citrus Heights and you are invited to come celebrate with us. If you’re not doing anything on March 31, 2012 from 1-3pm, come on by to hang out for a couple hours and get a book signed if you wish. Barnes & Noble is located at 6111 Sunrise Blvd in Citrus Heights.

This is really exciting family news that we’ve been anticipating for quite a while as my wife signed a contract for this book well over a year ago. Her second book is also in contract with Aladdin Mix (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) and that’ll get published in the Spring of 2013. It’s no small task to write a book, and it’s a huge accomplishment to get published. I’m very proud of my wife Jenny and I wanted to share the joy with you.

You can check out my wife’s website, Facebook page or her book on Amazon. Thanks for sharing in the great news with me!!

Don’t you love unique landmarks? I sure do. While driving on Wilton Road today on my way to an appraisal inspection, I decided to actually stop and snap a few pictures of this “cannon/mining” motif in the front of a property in Elk Grove (literally next to the border of Wilton). I always get a kick out of this one each time I pass by. My lot size is far too small to have this theme in my yard. Well, my neighbors would probably flog me too due to the principle of conformity in real estate. But if I was on acreage…. What do you think?

While we’re on the subject of Wilton, here are all sales in Wilton over the past five years. What do you see? Does anything stand out to you? The trend in many other areas of Sacramento tends to have a much sharper decline, but that’s less of the case here. What makes Wilton different in your mind? If you live in Wilton, what do you find desirable about the community?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

I wanted to wish you a very merry Christmas. May you find joy and rest during this holiday season, hopefully not too much drama with family and vision for the coming year ahead. I’ll be taking the rest of the year off from blogging to enjoy some time with family and friends. Thank you for stopping by the Sacramento Appraisal Blog for 207 posts in 2011. I’m really looking forward to connecting in 2012. Again, thank you for all the conversation and sharing of life and business this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

It’s been an extraordinary week. I’ve been working on a community project since January and I am very pleased to have seen the effort come to a close this week as the ribbon was cut on a new neighborhood entrance sign. In short this project was really about removing a large pillar that had become a hiding place for negative activity, and in turn beautifying a neighborhood entrance.

If you want to understand what we did a bit more and how we did it, feel free to watch the video below of the ribbon cutting ceremony, and make sure to check out my friend Andy Gee’s photos of the event. It’s great to see residents come together to solve an issue and I’m very proud to have been a part of a team of doers to bring results where they were needed.

Improving a neighborhood happens when we get intentional together. It’s about placing our focus on solving problems and building relationships instead of fences. It’s about recapturing a mindset to be available to other residents in the community. So when we begin to do small things like wave to passersby, get stuck in conversation with neighbors, introduce ourselves to someone who just moved in, BBQ in the front yard, or even hang up lights during the holidays, we are adding life to the community. Sure, there will be a time and place for big projects, but most of the strength of a community is not found in big events, but in the small daily interactions we all have.

Why do you think many neighborhoods have grown more isolated over the years?

If you have any questions or Sacramento area real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs, contact me by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.