Leslie's Blog

I have mentioned tips I have gotten before from Get Organized Now! Newsletter
by Maria Gracia .  This time she has an article called Take a Stand Against Clutter.  Maria says of her article, "Here are 5 no-fail ways to win the fight."  I am giving you two of her ways which sound interesting to me.

 4. Live out of boxes. Put all of your possessions from one room of your home into boxes. Only retrieve something from the box when you need it. At the end of the month, deliver the boxes and anything in them to your favorite charity or to your trash can. If you didn't need the items in a month, they're likely not important enough for you to keep. (Of course, this doesn't apply to marriage documents and other legal or tax-related paperwork.)

5. Have someone else do the dumping. Go through your home and gather everything you want to keep. Consolidate all of these things to one room. Rent a dumpster if necessary. Hire someone, a professional, a trusted relative or friend, to get rid of anything that is not in your 'keeper' room. This may sound drastic, but it's a sure-fire way to simplify your life as quickly as possible.

As I have told you in previous posts, I am in the middle of a move to a smaller home with my mother.  She is having a very hard time parting with anything.  She has been giving some things away to relatives (which they either appreciate or are just being polite). 

She always buys things on sale (often with coupons) and stores them in cupboards in the basement.  She has located 12 bottles of Dawn dishwashing detergent.

Check out the newsletter, it may help some of you.  As an update, the filing system Maria Gracia sells is working beautifully--I am making great headway!

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings 

I know we are busy buying and selling houses, but we must think of vacations also.  It gives us something to look forward to and then to remember afterwards.

I found this website and have been very interested in trying it.  They say in their advertising, "save up to 75% on discount cruises."   They have a section where different cruise ships are reviewed.  They are also a clearing house for hotels and resorts.  How about an escorted tour or a safari in Africa--they have it.

Here is some of what they have to say in their advertising:

Are you looking for a cruise vacation at an unbelievably low price? Since 1984, Vacations To Go has helped tens of thousands of folks save millions of dollars on discount cruises!

Our "90 Day Ticker" is a complete listing of last-minute cruises on the world's best cruise lines. Check it out now, and if you see a cruise vacation there that interests you, don't delay! Average availability is less than 7 days and many cruises sell out within hours of listing.

If you prefer to book further in advance, or if you have a specific cruise line in mind, click on "find a bargain" now. You'll find a treasure trove of early bird discounts, two-for-ones and other cut-rate promotions, on every cruise line in the world.

Once you've found your cruise vacation, call us at 800-338-4962 or e-mail us for a quote or reservation. Our fast quotes and friendly service make booking a breeze.

Here is their website:  http://www.vacationstogo.com

My folks used a discount broker for a cruises up the Nile in Egypt, from Alaska to Seattle and over to Germany.  The trip to Germany was fine going over but the company went bankrupt and my folks had to find another way home.

This sounds good to me, have any of you tried it?  I would like to know how the experience was.

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings 

NWMLS #26199618, 2530 39th Ave. E., Seattle   $3,290,000. 

Last Saturday evening the streets were still fairly icy and the temperature was below freezing.  I had made an appointment with a client and we decided we would still check out the properties.   This client knew Capitol Hill very well and could keep me off the steep hills.  I had taken a flash light because the listing agent said he would not be there--it was a good thing because we had to wander around in the dark to find the lock box.

The place is lovely--it has a complete Nanny's quarters with its own elevator (the main house has an elevator also).  The water view is of Lake Washington and has protected moorage for a large boat.  4970 sq. ft., 5 bedrooms/ 4.5 baths.

NWMLS #26164972, 909 E Newton St #B3 Seattle  $3,100,000.

This is a condo I showed to the same client a few days before.  It has an unobstructed sweeping, western panorama of Lake Union and downtown Seattle, including views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.  This view can be seen from the living room, dining area, deck, kitchen and the bedrooms. 3,780 sq. ft.

It was built in 1978 but totally remodeled in 2006.  It has two bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage and an elevator.  It really is quite grand with lovely hardwoods, tile and marble.  It has a security gate, an outside pool and a sauna. 

I am enjoying showing the properties to this client--there is such a variety of wonderful things available. 

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings

I have a client that I have taken condo shopping four times now.  I have sent her many listings and she goes through them and then lets me know what she wants to see.  Initially, she told me that she needed to find a new place soon because her lease was ending the end of February. 

Last week we found one that she liked well.  We went to see it twice and then she wanted to write an offer on it.  The offer she was making was quite low but that was her decision.  We didn't get a counter offer then, but a couple of days later the listing agent called and said the buyer they selected decided not to buy and that her seller would take less now (at a substantial amount). 

I relayed the message to my buyer and she thinks something must be wrong with the unit.  What she also told me is that her landlord has agreed to let her rent month-to-month until she finds something so that the pressure is off to find something soon.

Our market here in Seattle has turned and many more properties are coming up for sale.  I do need to let her know next time when an offer will be too low to be accepted by a seller.   The condo is now really priced very well and in a very good neighborhood, which I explained to her.  She hasn't completely ruled it out but still wants to look a while longer. 

I enjoy spending time with this client and she is education herself--it just takes time.

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings 

My post this afternoon isn't having anything to do with real estate.  It is about Muhammad Ali turning 65, what is going on with him and how much I dislike boxing.  I was checking out Yahoo.com and for some reason clicked on sports.  I came across this article Ali turns 65 with his voice muted, but his mind still clear by TIM DAHLBERG, AP Sports Columnist.  If you admired Muhammad Ali as an athlete, this is an interesting article.  It interviews family members, fans, his promoter and his photographer.  

Here is what the article said one of his fans had to say:

Musician and sometime actor Kris Kristofferson first saw Ali in Rome at the 1960 Olympics. They became good friends and even starred together in a television movie, "Freedom Road."

He hopes there will be advances in treating Parkinson's before its too late.

"He'll be remembered more than any other great athlete because of his humanitarian work and the courage he showed in his life," Kristofferson said. "He's probably the most remarkable person I ever met on the planet. He's an amazing human being."

Muhammad Ali was a great fighter and look what has happened to him.  I kind of feel like changing the lyrics of a well known song to "mamas don't let your boys grow up to be boxers."

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings

If you are like me, you get tons of junk mail (was that an exaggeration?).  Well it seems like tons.  I found this article 7 Secrets for Cutting Down on Junk Snail Mail from Get Organized Now! Newsletter, by Maria Gracia  I thought you may find the article helpful.  Her first point was:

1. Ask to be removed. Write to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735. Be sure to provide your name, street address and zip code. Request that they instruct their members to remove you from their mailing lists. Once you write, you'll remain on the opt-out list for 5 years, at which time you'll have to write again. The Direct Marketing Association estimates that listing with their mail preference service will stop 75% of all national mailings. You should notice a reduction of your junk mail within 6 months.

I have mentioned this website before when something else caught my eye and like her ideas. I bought a filing system from her company that covers everything Getting Organized Now, an Easy Organizer.  It comes with the tabbed dividers of major headings that are then broken down into sub headings.  For example, major headings of:

Active File

Home, Family, Legal

Personal

Financial

Each of these dividers has the listings of what is contained in those sections.  The dividers have a numbering system and are also color coded.  You just buy folders that are of the same colors when you need to add to any of the sections.

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue, Wallingford and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings 

I had a great day.  I showed property to three new clients (two make up one couple).  One thing to keep in mind is that at higher price points the clients seem to take much longer--so make sure you allow enough time for that (you do not want to rush anyone).   As I was driving to the first appointment I was wondering how much time other agents allow between clients.

Today, I showed properties in The Highlands (in North Seattle).  It is a gated community that I have never been in before.  The properties I showed there had fabulous views of Puget Sound.  Also I showed properties on North Capitol Hill and Montlake, areas that I really like.

I have another client to show properties to tomorrow, and another one on Monday.  So far, everyone has been very nice.

Business was quite slow for me November (which was fine because I went on a vacation) and December but its seems to be picking up fast --I would have liked to have cloned myself for this weekend.  

If you are a home buyer or seller, I hope you find yourself a great agent.  If you are an agent or lender, I hope you all are finding lots of clients--and that they are all nice. 

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings  

 I was checking out MoneyCentral.msn.com this morning and ran across Liz Pulliam Weston's article DON'T RUSH TO PAY OFF THAT MORTGAGE

She talks about a study that suggests many people make the mistake of prepaying off their mortgage.  The study says "Most people, in short, have much better things to do with their money than to pay off a low-rate, tax-deductible loan."  The author suggests that contributing to a 401K may be a better idea because of the higher rate of returns.

Intellectually, I understand the concept. It is just so difficult for me to subscribe to because I was raised to get the house paid for as soon as possible to save on that interest money.  Also, nothing beats that feeling of security I get when I think of my house being paid for.

I have read many books, and heard lectures on how it is very good to buy houses, rent them out and have the tenants pay them off.  I really like that idea--so far I cannot seem to do it with my home.

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings

I only stopped by for a minute.  We, in the Seattle area, are having another wind storm--last time our power went out at 10:30 one night and didn't come back until 2:30 the next day.  Some folks, across Lake Washington in Bellevue, had their power out for over five days.  It was pretty bad because we were having freezing weather at the time.

Well, the reason this has to be brief is that I have a property showing today and the lights are flickering--I must get in the shower.  I do not think the client (I have not previously met) would be impressed with the "Godzilla Look" I am sporting at the present time, along with the bathrobe that my parrot keeps trying to chew into cheese cloth.

Have a fine and productive day! 

P.S.  Our power in Wallingford has not gone out for that long before--certainly is not typical.  I don't want you to get the impression that this isn't a great place to live. 

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings 

If you have read my posts for any length of time, you know that I am interested in the economy and the stock market.  I follow different "money shows" on television and radio, and check the different business sections available on the internet.  

Yahoo Finance is one I check daily and enjoyed the article Outlook for 2007: Markets and the Economy by Jeremy J. Siegel Ph.D.

Some of Dr Siegel's thoughts:

Markets here and overseas are still reasonably valued and corporate earnings should continue to move upward. Hence I believe 2007 will be another good year for stocks, although returns will not be as high as 2006. U.S. stocks should return about 8%, with foreign stocks doing perhaps a little better.

Earnings growth is driven by economic conditions abroad as well as at home and although U.S. economic growth may slow, the rest of the world is still expanding rapidly. I have been advocating at least 40% of one’s equity portfolio should be in foreign stocks, and there is no reason to change this recommendation.

I had money in foreign stocks previously and added more early in the year.  I was very glad I did.  Overall, Dr. Siegel sounds pretty optimistic for 2007.

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings

I received a call yesterday from a woman that wanted information on a listing for a condo (not mine).  She relocated here from San Francisco seven months ago and she needs to be moved by March.  I asked her if she has been working with another agent and she said no, she just realized that she needs to be moved by March and that it is coming fast.  She told me she has a letter from her bank qualifying her for more than she wants to spend.

I looked up the listing for her and called the listing agent to get the answers she wanted about the condo.  She really wanted to see the property today (which I would have done), but it is new construction and the office is not open until Tuesday.  I asked her when she would be available to see the property and she said she could go Tuesday after 5:00 pm (she mentioned she takes the bus home from work).  Because it is dark at that time and places do not show as well, I asked if she could get away at lunch time and I told her I would be happy to pick her up at work in downtown Seattle.  She was very pleasantly surprised at that and we have set an appointment.

What is not to like--I have a client that is motivated, knows what she wants and is preapproved.  My favorite kind of client!  

Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings