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.

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.

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.

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.

This has been a truly amazing week for me. I’ve been absolutely slammed with business and wonderful things have been happening in the community too. I wrote a few months ago about crime and property value as it pertained to a particular pillar in Rancho Cordova that had become a haven for all sorts of negative activity which culminated in the discovery of a body behind this pillar on January 1.

Over the past few months residents have really come together to take action for the sake of the health and future of the community. A grassroots campaign was initiated to call the community to vote to tear down the pillar, beautify the site, and foster a greater sense of neighborhood communication also. You can check out an interview I did with News 10 if you wish (click on link above). To make a long story short, the community voted to tear down the pillar with a 98% YES vote (over 300 votes) and the pillar was removed yesterday. Way to go residents!!!

This is what it looks like to make decisions together to invest in the future of a neighborhood, promote safety and make a very tangible difference. This is what gets my heart pumping and one of the things that makes me tick. Improving a community happens when we get intentional. You never know what type of difference you can make unless you put your hand to the plow and decide to act upon the little dreams brewing in your heart and mind. Maybe you’re the answer to some of the problems in your community? Maybe your neighborhood is waiting for you to step up as a leader? Why not you?

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook. 

I’m elated to announce very successful results for the Project 680 Underwear Drive. Last night we had a finale BBQ and we counted 2,983 pairs of new underwear that were donated by the community for the sake of homeless students in the FCUSD. This effort was pulled off by a long list of so many community members, churches and businesses.

I’d like to personally thank Orange County Cellular, Coldwell Banker Steve Ostrom & Team, CTP Business & Personal Development Coaching,  Jenny Lundquist – Author, Market Small, Body Investment Studio, The Appraisal IQ, Janice McNally Appraiser & Vice-Mayor David Sander for responding to a specific vision from my company to team up to knock out a chunk of Project 680′s overall goal. It was so good to be a unified front for this vision and we did it together! Here is some footage from the finale BBQ last night. Enjoy.

“We can do no great things, only small things with great love” Mother Teresa

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook. 

What can it look like for local businesses and households to network together for the sake of homeless students? I wanted to share a vision with you and ask you to consider getting involved.

Project 680 is doing an underwear drive for homeless students, so I figured a group of us could team up to help this important effort by pitching in. If 17 local businesses or familes each donate 25 pairs of underwear and my company donates 100, we’ll hit 500 pairs with ease. This team-approach will help us maximize results and put a big dent in Project 680′s goal to collect nearly 3000 pairs of new underwear by May 11, 2011.

If you do join the team, you’ll get a link below, links on the Project 680 website and SacTube, recognition on the P680 Facebook page, kudos on Twitter (and some other stuff too). Of course, the best thing you’ll get is the knowledge you did something good.

The All-Star Project 680 Donor Team
1.   Orange County Cellular
2.   JanMac Appraisals (Janice McNally)
3.   RosevilleandRocklin.com: Coldwell Banker Steve Ostrom & Team
4.   CTP Business & Personal Development Coaching
5.   Jenny Lundquist – Author
6.   Market Small
7.   Body Investment Studio       
8.   Soroptimist Organization in Rancho Cordova
9.   Mitchell Middle School in Rancho Cordova PTSA   
10.  Vice-Mayor David Sander City of Rancho Cordova     
11.  TBA      
12.  TBA      
13.  TBA      
14.  TBA      
15.  TBA      
16. TBA
17.   Lundquist Appraisal Company

This is a great way to maximize results and do a little good together. Business isn’t just about making money, but about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Let me know if you’re interested in getting involved.

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our appraiser website or via Facebook. 

What’s the difference between Stone Creek, Capital Village, Anatolia and the rest of Rancho Cordova? Have a look at the trend graph below of all sales over the past three years throughout the City of Rancho Cordova. Houses built before 1990 include territory north of Highway 50 as well as south too. Properties built after 1990 in the 95670 zip code basically include the Stone Creek area as well as Capital Village (most houses were built in the past ten years, though there is one development built in the mid-1990s). Lastly, the 95742 zip code includes Anatolia, Kavala Ranch and Sunridge.

What do you see? What stands out to you about differences or the overall trend?

If you have any real estate appraisal, consulting, or property tax appeal needs in the Greater Sacramento Region, contact me at 916.595.3735, by email, on our company website or via Facebook.

I wanted to let everyone know that Project 680 will be holding an underwear drive for homeless students from April 1 to May 11, 2011. A group of neighbors and I founded Project 680 a few years ago to address student homelessness in our community. I wanted to invite you to consider getting involved. This is a grassroots effort with no paid staff and it’s all about local households, businesses, churches and organizations coming together to advocate for local kids. Please see www.project680.org/underwear-2011 for more information and check out a video announcement below. Thank you so much for your support.

If you have any real estate appraisal, valuation consulting, or property tax appeal needs, contact me at 916.595.3735, www.LundquistCompany.com or via Facebook.

I interviewed Vice Mayor David Sander of the City of Rancho Cordova to talk about the “Broken Windows Theory“ and how it is relevant for neighborhoods. There is definitely a connection between crime, blight and property value, and this theory points us in the direction of taking care of the small issues in a neighborhood to help the bigger picture - increase safety, a sense of community and property value. Watch the video interview below or here.

Do you buy into the concept of the Broken Windows Theory? What are some of the small things people sometimes don’t take care of in a neighborhood that really impact the overall look and feel of the neighborhood?

If you have any real estate appraisal, valuation consulting, or property tax appeal needs, contact me at 916.595.3735, www.LundquistCompany.com or via Facebook.

Earlier today I ran into Micah Runner, who works in the City of Rancho Cordova’s Economic Development Department. In light of major media publicity recently regarding Governor Jerry Brown’s budget, and the potential for the elimination of redevelopment departments altogether in California, I wanted to ask Micah a few questions about redevelopment in Rancho Cordova and how current budget decisions may impact redevelopment in Rancho Cordova and surrounding areas.

Do you think redevelopment departments in California should get the axe for the sake of a balanced budget? What areas in the Sacramento Region would be hit the hardest if the plug was pulled on redevelopment agencies? How might the elimination of agencies like SHRA or Rancho Cordova’s redevelopment department impact property values?

I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

If you have any real estate appraisal, valuation consulting, or property tax appeal needs, contact me at 916.595.3735, www.LundquistCompany.com or via Facebook.

What keeps you up at night? Lately I’ve been thinking quite a bit about some violent crimes that have occurred in my city. There was a drive-by shooting a few days ago that killed three teenagers and I’m grieved that things like this happen. I find myself getting less sleep and giving more of my attention to collaborating for results for some of these local problems.

I know blog experts say you should pick a niche and stick to it, but today I can’t help but take a little detour from the appraisal realm to talk about the importance of building community to reduce crime. Okay, technically speaking, safer neighborhoods tend to have higher property values, so maybe I’m still somewhat on topic. 

I think it’s easy to look at violent crime and see the usual suspects like gangs, guns, and drug-use, but there is often another culprit. Yes, isolation is a very great danger in our communities, yet it seems like the American ideal (at least on the west coast). We purchase real estate and often tend to drift into the backyard to actualize our yearning for privacy and exclusivity. There is nothing wrong with that of course, but when our normative practice as a community is to withdraw and no longer talk to each other or think each household has a responsibility to the community, we are setting ourselves up for some problems. Having good communication is the foundation for a strong neighborhood, so when communication sloughs off or hardly exists, a neighborhood is destined to have crime take over and property values dwindle.  

By the way, here is an advocacy campaign I’m helping to put together. I’m not looking for kudos nor am I bragging in any way either. This is very real to my world right now, and I welcome any locals to please get involved. News 10 actually interviewed me today about this effort. Together we can make some changes, but change will never happen without intention.

I would never blame something like a shooting on silent neighbors, so please don’t get me wrong here. I simply think that when tragedy strikes, it’s a good reminder for each of us to embrace a vision for the community by intentionally contributing to neighborhood life in very simple and practical ways. This can sound overwhelming, but improving a neighborhood really boils down to things like saying “hi” to neighbors, picking up litter, taking walks around the block, keeping the lawn mowed, grilling burgers with the family next door, waving to passersby and reporting suspicious activity. These are only mundane practices in life that require little time or skill, but they can have a very real impact on the community - if they are practiced or not practiced. 

If isolation does not help boost safety or property values, why is it so readily embraced in our society?

If you have any real estate appraisal, valuation consulting, or property tax appeal needs, contact me at 916.595.3735, www.LundquistCompany.com or via Facebook.