Category — Random Stuff

I came across the property below the other day while on an inspection. Granted there are probably some more grandiose examples of festive lights to share, but let’s pause for a moment to recognize the brilliance of using foil on trees for Christmas decor. After passing by this house I’ll be honest to say I’m feeling a bit inspired to find a way to use foil in my front yard. For me foil is one of those amazing products (like duct tape) because there is so much you can do with it.

It really adds to a sense of festivity and even neighborhood pride when residents decorate during the holidays. Do you agree? On the contrast, when streets are pitch black and there are no lights in sight, how does that feel? If you’re planning a trip to enjoy Christmas lights, Realtor Gena Riede has a very detailed list of Christmas Lights in the Sacramento Area on her blog. Check it out and maybe try driving by a few new addresses this year. My family definitely enjoys lights in the Fab 40s, Arden Park, T Street and Dovewood Court in Orangevale.

Where do you recommend going to see lights in the Sacramento area? What do you think of the foil trees below? Points for creativity? Tacky?

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.

While inspecting a house in North Sacramento yesterday I saw this fence. How does this image strike you? What does a fence like this tell you about the neighborhood?

Some might say graffiti has artistic value, while others say it clearly does not. Stepping aside from that discussion, from a real estate perspective, I’ve never seen evidence to suggest graffiti like this helps boost property values. All things considered, graffiti ultimately harms a neighborhood because it contributes to a negative perception of the community. Do others get the sense that residents care about a neighborhood if graffiti runs rampant? No.

Just like I mentioned in my “blight week” series a while back, it’s often the “small things” in a neighborhood like graffiti, debris and unkempt lawns that create a less than positive view of the community and impact the way others feel about the neighborhood too. So focusing on getting to know neighbors and taking care of some of the small signs of decay is often a relevant place to begin to bring change.

Tips for dealing with a neighborhood graffiti problem:

1. Choose: Decide to be a part of the solution. Others may not step up, but you can be a game-changer for your street. Why not you?
2. Local Police: Talk with local law enforcement. What is the nature of the graffiti? Know what you are dealing with in the community and ask for advice from police officers.
3. Band of Neighbors: Get a few neighbors on board to deal with the issue by asking a couple of people to be on a rotating schedule for covering tags. Maybe you can switch on a weekly or monthly basis.
4. Be Quick: Cover graffiti within 24 hours and keep doing that until the problem stops. The issue is likely to lessen or stop over time if it is covered immediately because why would a tagger waste his time if his tags are not seen by others?
5. One Color: Use the same paint color if possible because it’ll look better and less blotchy. The residents in the picture above deserve applause because they are dealing with the issue. My hat goes off to them. Ultimately if they used one color though, it would look better, don’t you think?
6. Ask for Paint: Ask code enforcement, city council members or a local hardware store for free or discounted paint and any resources they might have to assist you. You may not even have to spend your own money because there is bound to be someone out there who wants to get behind your cause.
7. Keep a positive attitude: It’s easy to become discouraged when problems persist, but try not to take the graffiti personally. Try to get to the point where you find joy in getting to take care of your community on a more daily basis. You are doing something that needs to be done. You may never get recognition, but you are helping the community grow in the right direction, so practice thankfulness while you are painting and when you notice new tags too. I know that sounds like an odd concept, but just go with it.
8. Celebrate your successes: Have a casual BBQ with neighbors in your front yard and invite code enforcement and a city council member to eat with you. This could even help spur on more discussion about solving issues.
9. Any other suggestions?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and your story. Feel free to comment below. Thanks for keeping it civil and constructive.

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’ll be taking the week off from blogging and all social media. I love sharing life and doing so much business online, but I think being intentional about unplugging is good and necessary on so many levels. Can you relate? But before I sign off for the week, I wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. No matter what your circumstances might be this time of year, may you know a deep sense of contentment and have joy in your heart. I look forward to connecting after Thanksgiving, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for all who stop by the Sacramento Appraisal Blog. Thank you!!!

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Do you know someone using social media who just doesn’t get the ”social” part of it? Every post is a one-way ad that says “Buy from me” or “call me”. Yep, we all know those folks, and it’s a turn-off, isn’t it? That’s why this post is important.

If you’re in real estate, here are some tips for how to use Twitter in a way that connects with others, builds trust and avoids that “spammy real estate person” vibe. The five RE pros below from the Sacramento / Placer area have a good grasp of how to use Twitter effectively. I highly recommend following them to get to know them and watch how they work their magic. There is of course no one formula to follow, but here are some nuggets for your consideration:

Tamara Dorris, Realtor in Carmichael CA
Twitter Handle: @TamaraDorris
Website: www.inlovewithsacto.tv/

1) Find and follow local tweeters.
2) Attend or coordinate a local tweet up so you have the opportunity to meet people face to face now and then.
3) Re-tweet interesting and useful information.
 4) Never make it all about you—focus on other people and their tweets and accomplishments.
5) Keep your tweets 90% fun and informative and about 10% promotional, and even then, have fun with it.

Heather Ostrom, Realtor in Roseville CA
Twitter Handle: @RosevilleRockLn
Website: www.rosevilleandrocklin.com/

My approach to Twitter is more a reflection of my personality: I like to make people laugh, interact with others and take care of my local community by spreading their news and needs – I am lucky to have a medium-sized twitter following to push knowledge to a larger audience – locally and nationally. At 5100+ followers – I’m no Real Estate Lady Gaga, but I do have a “Good Romance” with Twitter.

Real estate-related items are only a small percentage of my tweets (probably 10-20%) – the reality is, in my opinion, who wants to read about listings or blog posts constantly? Tweeting just listings and blog posts is “twitter cave yelling” in my opinion and it’s a turn-off and comes off quite spammarific.

Advice nuggets: organize the info with Tweetdeck or Hootsuite into columns, and observe by tag terms “real estate” (searches like #Rosevillle #RealEstate #ColdwellBanker, etc), never send spammy Direct Messages (DMs) and don’t be afraid to say a virtual hello (@ them!)

Sheri Schmitz, Loan Officer in Folsom CA
Twitter Handle: @SheriSchmitz 
Website: www.wellsfargo.com/…

In my Twitter experience, I feel that when I do a mixture of business and personal tweets, people are more interested. I also tend to tweet questions or statements that people feel very inclined to retweet or answer. Sometimes those tweets can be controversial - if you will. I like to tweet about politics, current events, mortgage news, etc.  When you have tweets that people can respond to, or that strike a nerve, you get more Twitter action- in that people will follow you to see what you are doing. I also like to retweet things that I find helpful. Re-tweeting gets you more followers, as the original person who tweeted can see the retweet and may want to know about you.  

Sheri Negri, Realtor in Folsom CA
Twitter Handle: @SheriNegri
Website: www.loveforhomessac.com/  

Twitter is a great way to connect with people if you use it right. It’s all about engaging with others to create a personal connection. Look for ways to engage in conversations with other tweeps. This is the only way you will ever connect with people you do not know very well. And be sincere!

Talk about more than just real estate. Be interesting and mix it up! Talk about the things that interest you outside of work. No one wants to follow someone who is one-dimensional. Don’t do tweet blasts to hard sell people all the time. People that do this seem like used car salesman and it can be annoying. If I see too much of this from someone, I will “unfollow” them.

Always respond to a tweet if your name is mentioned, whether it be a direct message or mention. Whether it’s to thank someone for a RT/mention, or to respond to someone who sent you a message. Not responding to a mention or direct message is like not responding to voice mail or email.

Sheena Reithmeier, Realtor in Elk Grove CA
Twitter Handle: @916homevalues
Website: www.916homevalues.com

What should you tweet about? If you closed a tough deal, landed a new client, had a bad day, or tried a new restaurant, share it with your followers.  You will find that your followers are genuinely interested in what you have to tweet and will retweet your content especially if it provides value to their audience.

Who Should You Follow? Search twitter for the industry professionals you rely on day in and day out to help you achieve your goals. It is the same sphere of influence you use outside of social media. Research appraisers, attorneys, bankers, CPA’s, contractors, government agencies, home and pest inspectors, home improvement, home stagers, insurance companies, lenders, locksmiths, plumbers, professional organizations, real estate brokers and agents, title and escrow reps, transaction coordinators, website developers and SEO experts, the list goes on and on. 

Not every tweet has to be that profound piece of knowledge, the nugget of wisdom, the Aha moment of tweets. And not everyone will follow you back. It’s OK. Remember you get 140 characters so be creative, shorten words and links, include photos, keep it clean and every once in a while have fun.

I recommend keeping the profile picture consistent across all of your social media platforms. You will be sending followers to links outside of twitter be it your blog, LinkedIn, foursquare, Instagram, Facebook, Google+ and more. Using the same profile picture lets your readers know they have arrived at the appropriate destination. Consider it part of your branding. Your profile picture can be your picture or your logo.

What themes stand out to you from the tips above? Anything you’d add? What type of information do you think real estate pros should include in their profile description? What’s your Twitter handle?

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Yesterday I took part in a big community event and I wanted to share with you the great joy of the results. After all the planning and networking for the Project 680 Foot Drive, I am very pleased to say we collected 2,706 pairs of new socks for homeless students in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD). The tally for financial contributions has not been calculated yet, and the number of socks will only rise in coming days too as donations trickle in (just like 150 pairs came in since I took a picture of the calculator app below).

This is great news for me to start the day and I am so pleased how the community came together to rally around a cause as basic as collecting new socks for homeless students. You can check out the Project 680 website or Facebook page for details and read some really great stories about community members making this happen.

We cannot easily solve some of the bigger problems we face in society, but when we put our hand to the plow we can often do small things to make a dent in real local issues. This is exactly what happened last night and this is often how change begins.

Have a wonderful day of life and business.

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Show me a neighborhood where residents never talk and I’ll show you a community ripe for crime and problems. While there is no replacement for actually talking to neighbors in person, these days it’s so easy to be connected online, which can be a huge benefit for a neighborhood to communicate more effectively and solve issues.

Here are three platforms to consider for connecting with neighbors:

1. Yahoo Groups:  I’ve used the Yahoo Groups platform in my neighborhood for over four years now and it’s been a great tool to build relationships and solve community problems. If you are not familiar with the “Groups” format, it’s basically a place to share messages and communicate quickly with a large number of people. You can share files, pictures, keep a community calendar and more. In my neighborhood it’s common to hear things like, “there is a small brown dog running around” or ”there have been some break-ins” or “let’s plan a BBQ next week.” The forum can be private or public, you have the power to moderate, and you can invite outsiders to join the conversation too. It can be helpful to get a group of neighbors on board and also invite council members and police officers to be a part of the forum. The strong benefit is that Yahoo Groups is very easy to use for all ages and you can post by email. The real downfall is that it’s not easy to go back and find old messages and the platform overall is fairly basic. Visit Yahoo Groups.
2. Google Groups:  This is Google’s version of Yahoo Groups. I have not used this platform personally, but it seems to have all the same features as Yahoo Groups and it is likely just as easy to use. However, Google does appear to have better mobile posting features and my hunch is their platform probably has a smoother design and some nifty tech too. Visit Google Groups.
3. Nextdoor:  There is a new startup called Nextdoor that touts itself as “social networking for neighbors.” Their site seems very user-friendly so far and has a “Facebook-ish” feel. Only residents in a tightly defined neighborhood can join the Nextdoor site for their community. Nextdoor has a verification process for members, which takes work off of residents figuring out if someone lives in the neighborhood or not. Their system seems to make it very easy to create events, share pictures and have conversation all in one place. The downfall is that you cannot post via email (they say they’re working on that), outsiders cannot join as members (City Hall can join to post messages, but cannot see resident messages), and ultimately Nextdoor is a start-up. We don’t know whether they’ll be successful or not in years to come, though they appear to have big financial backing. Visit Nextdoor.com. I have joined Nextdoor and a few neighbors have done so also. We are testing it out right now and I’ll have more to say about it in coming weeks and months.

What else is out there for connecting? What would you recommend to friends or clients? If you are in real estate, what tools do you suggest to new homeowners when you hand over the keys?

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

What’s wrong with this picture? Yes, that’s a telephone pole blocking access to a driveway. I did not take this photo at a funky angle or play around in photoshop. I’m not sure which came first, the house or the pole, but I have seen more efficient neighborhood planning. I snapped this photo in the Strawberry Manor neighborhood in North Sacramento. What do you think?

NOTE: In my excitement to get this post up, I mislabeled the pole as a “telephone” pole. It’s actually a street light with a sign attached to the light. I don’t want to change the title though because it’s already out there on Facebook and Twitter. That’s how it goes. No big deal. My bad.

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

My business tech arsenal increased by one today when a brand new HP Touchpad arrived at my doorstep. I’ve been wanting a tablet for work for the longest time, but I truthfully didn’t want to spend $500 on an iPad when my intended use was going to be limited. But since the Touchpad was priced under half the cost of an iPad, it was an easy decision for me. I’ll be using this new device for meetings, seminars, out-of-town traveling, taking notes at SAR and REAA, and basic communication and networking throughout the day. Will it end up being useful to me as a real estate appraiser? Only time will tell.

In all seriousness, when it comes to technology, I am constantly amazed how the internet, social networking platforms and blogosphere can really provide tremendous avenues to connect with people, build good relationships and earn people’s trust in life and business. How has the way you use the internet changed in recent years? What technology have you purchased recently? Is there anything on your wish list?

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

I am very pleased to announce the Project 680 “Foot Drive” and I’d love to partner together to collect new socks and Payless Shoe Source gift cards for homeless students in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. Not only will new socks and shoes meet a very relevant and practical need, but it will also speak volumes to students about how the community is looking out for them. Getting involved is very easy and does not require money either. Please see www.project680.org/foot for details and let me know if you have any questions. Check out a brief video below.

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

I mentioned a week ago about a community yard I was helping lead to raise funds for a new neighborhood sign. After an incredible amount of work these past few weeks, I am very pleased to announce our yard sale total was a whopping $5,303. I am truly amazed and it has been wonderful to see the community really pull together to make this happen. This effort involved hard work from so many people and I’m elated to announce enough money was raised to design and build a new concrete neighborhood entrance sign.

This new sign will help rebrand a corner and also help improve the image of the neighborhood too, which can have an impact on property value over time. It’s often the “small things” in neighborhoods like keeping lawns mowed, the right types of fences, doing basic stuff and even neighborhood signs that help foster an image for the community – whether positive or negative.

On a different but related note, I used YouTube videos (like this one) to help show people what we had to offer at the sale. I found them to be very effective to post on Craigslist and email too. There were 437 hits on three videos over the weekend, which was worth the minimal effort I put into making them. It was great to have a huge turnout too on Sunday after Fox 40, News 10 and Channel 13 interviewed us on Saturday. I spoke at all the interviews, though I’ve only actually seen one of them. I have no idea how they turned out.

The moral of the story? Good things can happen in a neighborhood when neighbors get intentional. Do you have any stories of great things happening in your community? What would you like to see change? How do you market your yard sales?

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

This is not a political post, but a good example of how politics and real estate collide on the local level. One of the largest companies in Rancho Cordova, Aerojet, has recently made a move to request a zip code change from the post office for some of its Rancho Cordova property to have a Folsom zip code. As you can see in the video below, Vice-Mayor David Sander is not happy. You can read a more detailed explanation by David Sander here. For those who may not be local, Folsom has a higher median income and higher property values than Rancho Cordova, and it’s important to note Aerojet has been the source of environmental issues in Rancho Cordova too as their Superfund site covers 5,900 acres according to the EPA.

Can you think of a move that would be similar from Rancho Cordova to Folsom? Maybe Sacramento to Elk Grove, Citrus Heights to Roseville or North Highlands to Antelope? Have you seen companies or households do this successfully? I’d be curious to hear from Folsom residents and Rancho Cordova residents also.

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.

Some yard sales exist to rid our homes of junk, but this one is about redemption. Let me share some background with you. On January 1, 2011 a resident in the Mills Park neighborhood was found dead behind a neighborhood entrance sign. This “sign” was actually a mammoth pillar, and the bulk of residents had no idea of the negative activity going on in the hidden space created by the pillar until the tragic murder on January 1. In short, a team of residents responded quickly and worked very hard to host meetings and make decisions about this 50-year old neighborhood entrance sign. When the votes were counted, 98% of residents voted to tear down the pillar and then re-build something in its place. Since the pillar was demolished recently, a fund-raising effort has since ensued.

This Saturday will host the last leg of fundraising to bring a new sign to the corner of Mills Park Drive and Folsom Blvd. There will be a massive yard sale at 2958 Mills Park Drive in Rancho Cordova on September 16, 17 and 18 to raise $2,500+ in order to fund this new sign. If you think concrete signs are cheap, think again. Between the sign and installation, the total cost is between $5,000-$6,000.

Here are two potentials of what the new sign may look like. The neighborhood will choose among these options.

Here is a video of the safety issue presented by the old pillar. Can you see the big problem? Isn’t it amazing what can happen when a sign or structure provides a place for hiding? If you look at most modern neighborhood signs, they are not beastly structures like this one and they very often are actually basically a part of the real estate on the corner lot. I put this video together in January and it was used at our community forum to help make a decision about this issue. You can also view a News 10 piece and interview I did on the story here.

I mention these details because I want to share life with you and I’d love for you to be involved. I’m not looking for any kudos whatsoever. If you are local, you are welcome to stop by the yard sale. You are invited to donate stuff to sell, volunteer to help at the sale or even write a tax-deductible check to the “Cordova Community Council” with a “Mills Park” memo. Also, I’m looking for media to cover the story.

Community Yard Sale
2958 Mills Park Drive
Rancho Cordova 
September 16-19, 8am-5pm

So many times we see problems in the community and we wish that something would change. While it would be nice for local government or some agency to step in to solve the issue, many times it’s really up to residents to do something about it. In this case, it’s been great to see neighbors step forward as a team to promote safety, beautification and rebranding for a corner.

What elements of redemption do you see in this story?

If you have any questions, or real estate appraisal or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact Lundquist Appraisal by phone 916-595-3735, email, Facebook, Twitter or subscribe to posts by email.