Thoughts Ideas and Giggles: May 2010

I went into the real estate business specializing in residential sales in the Land Park, East Sacramento and Curtis Park neighborhoods.  These are the neighborhoods I love and I have lived in Land Park for over 30 years.  Little did I dream that I would develop a niche to my specialty.

I wish I could say it was a well planned business plan.  It wasn't.  It started with a property that I was asked to list about 2 years ago.  It was dated, but otherwise a truly charming home.  I knew that it would net the sellers much more money if they would be willing to put a little money into it.  I had just started using a new stager and asked for her input as to colors.  I found a wonderful contractor who could paint, take care of any electrical needs as well as do pest work.  Other specialists who could work on hardwood floors, plumbing and cleaning also come into play and are an important part of the process.

First, we needed to determine what needs doing as opposed to completing an all out remodel. Much of the time I need to be respectful of what the owner has loved about their home and assure them that we will keep that "aura".   I have now learned the key elements that should almost always be done in this situation. Fresh interior paint is almost always a given.  Dated homes are most quickly identified by the choice in paint colors.  The second might be surprising...new light fixtures.  Large hardware stores have a great selection without paying a premium price.  Floors always have to be considered.  This is where it can get expensive, so it is critical to balance the need for new flooring  with the cost. Almost without exception, we remove all window treatments unless they are quality shutters.  Finally, the house should be thoroughly cleaned and staged well.

This house turned out beautifully.  We didn't remodel a dated kitchen, but the tile was an acceptable color and in good condition.  We replaced the range since it was old and well used.  We also replaced all of the faucets in the house as well as the light fixtures and cabinet knobs. We pulled up carpeting, exposed the hardwood floors and had them buffed. We painted the entire interior of the home.  I planted flowers in the front and back yards.  Details do count, so a mirror was replaced in the bathroom and an interior planter had its fake flowers replaced with quality artificial ivy.  All in all, we spent about $8000 and in return, sold it for about $20,000 more than we would have if we had done nothing.

A neighbor 2 doors down came to the first open house to see the end product.  As it happens, they were about to go through the same process and wanted to see what they needed to do.  They were from out of town and it was going to be a logistical nightmare.  When I told them I could do it for them and that it was part of the service I offer when I list a property, they were thrilled. I could almost see the relief in their eyes and posture.  We went through the same process with the same results.

I am now establishing a reputation that I can help in these types of situations.  More often than not, the home is a family home in which the parents have passed away and the children are trying to determine what to do. At one of my open houses, 2 sisters came by.  They had heard about what I do and wanted to see the finished results.  They told me that they will be putting their parents home on the market fairly soon and had heard about my services.  They also wanted to see the end results.  I was so pleased when they told me that when the time comes, they will be contacting me to help them. 

 I have had the good fortune to have prepared and sold 2 more homes in the same way.  I am presently working on 2 more.  One Land Park home that is in its finishing stages will go on the market in about a week.  The other is just being started and will probably take about 3 weeks to complete.

This is such a win-win for me.  Many times the seller is a child of the owner and lives out of town.  The logistics of preparing to put a home on the market is formidable.  I get the opportunity to take that burden from a seller, make the home shine and help the seller maximize their net from the sale of the home.  I love the niche that has found me!

I know that there are a lot of people who get their exercise walking and jogging.  I hear that you can hit a transition point and after that, it gets easier.  Some tell me that they feel exhilarated after their outing.

For me, I get bored being a pedestrian.  Simply put, it's just too slow.  I'm a tourist when it comes to my outings.  I want to see what people are doing. I want to appreciate a unique home. I always try to route my outings through William Land Park.  However, I don't want to take a lot of time between scenes.  My preference is my trusty bike.  I can enjoy a little breeze, no matter what the weather.  I can speed by the less interesting scenes and stop at the really cool stuff.  I can stop and talk to people...no muscles will cramp up. My feet aren't exactly user friendly and biking doesn't make them hurt.

Now granted, I don't really bike just for exercise.  I always need a destination.  With saddlebags on my bike, I can run errands galore.  I can buy a week's worth of dinners and load it up in my bike.  I can buy paint for my house, flowers for my garden or office supplies...and bring them home on my bike.  The exercise is really a nice side benefit.  Of course, there is always the benefit of saving money on gas, but really, I have to admit...it's the last reason I ride my bike.

I write this in the hope that more people will pause, just for a second, when they are heading out the door.  Could they ride their bike to wherever they are going?  Have you ever thought about how many times your quick errand could be accomplished on a bike? Come on...join me! You might actually enjoy it!

Camp Union soldiers marched where the Sacramento Zoonow sits and their parading grounds now enjoy 4 of the 5 baseball diamonds.  A restroom was transformed into the present day Tiny Tots Preschool.  Horses were rented from College Stables at the corner of Sutterville Road and Freeport Boulevard for Sacramentans to enjoy a day of riding. In 1953, the first Police Academy held its classes at William Land Park.  Bartley Cavanaugh owned a ranch that featured his interests of race horses, hops kilns and barns that was situated near where the Sacramento Zoo now sits.  Andrew Caruthers from Pennsylvania bought a 160 acre ranch in 1849 in the southeast corner of William Land Park.

To say that William Land Parks 160 acres enjoys a rich history is an understatement.  John Sutter wanted to ensure a city that would be above a consistently challenging flood plain.  He located Sutterville at the southwest corner of what is now known as William Land Park.  Spreading out from this establishment of a ships carpenter, doctor, brewery owner and brick layer the citizens made their homes.  Due to poorly managed finances, Sutterville gave way to nearby Sacramento in 1852, when the brewery was torn down.

William Land made his fortune primarily as a hotelier, establishing the Western Hotel on 2^nd and K and then erecting the Land Hotel in downtown Sacramento.  He died in 1911, leaving a legacy of $250,000 to "to purchase a public park within a suitable distance" of Sacramento to be used as a recreation spot for the children and a pleasure ground for the poor."  William Land Park was established on its present site in the 1920's.

William Land was a gentleman ahead of his time and his legacy has become a rich environment for all to enjoy.  The Land Park Golf Course, opening in 1924, was the first golf course in Sacramento.   Pony rides have been enjoyed in William Land Park since the late 1930's or early 1940's.  Funderland, a concession for children ages 2-12, was established in 1941.  Fairytale Townhas been entertaining toddlers and preschoolers since 1959.  The William Land Park Amphitheatre has hosted concerts, plays and other productions since as early as 1963. The Village Green (appearing to most as a simple square slab of cement) has been a popular place for concerts in the 1970's and has been used more recently for practicing skating, playing bagpipes and the staging area for hundreds of charity events.

William Land Park celebrates its history with many memorials.  William Land's own memorial sits in the park across from Sacramento City Junior College.  It was designed by noted architect Leonard F. Starks in honor of William Land (1837-1911). The plaque contains a quote by Virgil: "The noblest motive is the public good."  The World War 1 Memorial was erected in 1973 and honors the Sacramentans who gave their lives in the war.  The statue of Charles Swanston was erected by his son George and included a dance pavilion (now a part of the Sacramento Zoo).  There are many groves and gardens celebrating influential groups who helped make Sacramento what it is today. Currently William Land Park features multitudes of entertainment possibilities.  It has 1 class 1 and 22 class 2 updated picnic areas with tables and barbecues for which some can be reserved for that family reunion or birthday party.  The park has 3 ponds stocked with fish for those who enjoy the rod and reel...just be sure the geese and ducks don't beat you to it!  For baseball lovers, it has 2 softball fields and 3 baseball fields, one of which is lit.  Soccer lovers enjoy its 2 bantam and 1 full size soccer fields.  Very close to Tiny Tots Preschool you can find basketball players challenging each other on the basketball court. .  Joggers can get in their daily run on the 3.4 mile jogging course.  To this day, the 9-hole Land Park Golf Course is constantly being enjoyed by local golfers.   The accredited Sacramento Zoo was established in 1927 and features over 140 native, exotic and endangered species.

As you can see, William Land Park is a Sacramento treasure with a rich history.  Come enjoy a summer day at this family oriented oasis full of wonderful experiences and potential memories! For a map, click William Land Park

Land Park residents rely on their local Target store for lots of their spring planting.  The Garden Center is popular, with affordable prices and popular plants seen abundantly in the Land Park neighborhood.

Now...the bad news.  I was told by a Target employee tonight that they are closing the Garden Center in October.  The company feels that they can better serve their customers by enlarging their food department.  Certainly the economy is spurring such changes in emphasis...necessities over luxuries.

It will be a sad day when I can no longer make a quick trip to Target for my favorite flowers.

Contrary to the present approach of investors purchasing property at break-neck speed, now would be a great time to sell.  It goes against everything that investors are doing right now (with the exception of "flippers").

If an investor has held a property for a time and has ever considered selling, now is a great time to do so.  The reasons are many but the main one is being spurred by our government.  Unless things change, starting next year the capital gains tax is going to increase substantially.  The powers that be are looking for revenue and what better opportunity is there than the elimination of our present low capital gains tax?

Certainly, there are other reasons such as pent-up demand by buyers, still low interest rates and continued affordable prices.  However, trumping them all is the present capital gains tax.  So, investors...if you are considering selling, check with your CPA.  Now might be a great time to take advantage of low capital gains taxes!