March 22, 2010

California Earthquake Zones

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

It is a common misconception that all of California is in an earthquake zone. A fault zone is a fracture in the crust of the earth along which rocks on one side have moved relative to the rocks on the other side. Faults are often the result of repeated displacement of these rocks over time. A fault trace is a line on the surface defining the fault area. An active fault is one that has ruptured within the last 11,000 years – yes, 11,000 years!

These fault zones and trace lines have been mapped by the State Geologist and are called “Special Studies Zones”. When purchasing a home in California, the seller and their agent are required to provide prospective purchasers with information as to whether the property is located in an Earthquake Fault Zone or not. Several other state mandated disclosures are also provided to a buyer as mandated by state law.

The maps the State Geologist develops establish regulatory zones around surface traces of active faults. These maps are used by local agencies in the planning and controlling of new or renewed construction by placing restrictions on what can be developed and how. A structure for human occupancy cannot be placed over the trace line of a fault and must be set back a minimum of 50 feet.

Whether your property is a “Special Studies Zone” or not, when a BIG one hits you will feel it. I know with Loma Prieta in 1989, major damage was done throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and I could feel both the initial quake and the aftershocks even though I was located miles away from the epicenter and had no damage to my property.

For more information, go to http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/rghm/ap/Pages/Index.aspx.

If you are thinking of purchasing a home in California, give me a call at 925-287-0550 or email me at kmardiros@legacyrealestateassociates.com and I will refer you to one of our sales associates if you are looking in the East Bay Area or to a broker member of our referral network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



March 17, 2010

Livermore, California Wineries - Barrel Tasting Weekend

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

This is the weekend to visit Livermore for the Second Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend. The Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association is sponsoring this event that allows consumers to experience wine before it is bottled for sale.

As wine is aged it typically goes from barrel to barrel in an effort to blend or achieve the ultimate result. At the barrel tasting, tasters get a hint of what the wine will be like when fully mature and released for sale. However, if they like the wine they taste they can pre-purchase a vintage before its release to the public often at a discounted price.

This year 27 wineries are participating in the event. Tickets are $25 if purchased through www.LVwine.org before March 19th and $35 if purchased at one of the participating wineries the day of the event. Price includes at least one barrel tasting at each participating winery, a tasting glass and a map to the various wineries. More information can be obtained on the www.LVwine.org web site.

Last year tickets sold out so if you are a wine lover and thinking of attending, get your ticket now.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



March 15, 2010

Time is Running Out for the Homebuyer Tax Credit

Posted to Kathy Mardiros, Real Estate Tips

Time is running out if you are thinking of purchasing a home and obtaining the Homebuyer Tax credit. In order to qualify for the tax credit you must be in escrow by April 30, 2010 and close before July 1, 2010. See the guidelines at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html.

Here in the San Francisco East Bay there is limited inventory in many price ranges and buyers are having to make several offers before they are able to get a property into escrow. Escrows are taking longer to close so anyone wanting to obtain the tax credit should be actively looking NOW.

Remember real estate is a local business and your best success of finding a property in the location you desire is to work with a local real estate agent. The agent will know the inventory, will know the neighborhoods and help you find the property that meets your needs and parameters. Your agent can help you find a loan counselor who can evaluate the various loan programs and help you determine which fits your financial goals and situation.

If you have not connected with an agent yet, give me a call at 925-287-0550 or email me at kmardiros@legacyrealestateassociates.com. I will answer your questions about the home purchase process and will be able to refer you to an agent who can help you in your search. If you are looking in the East Bay, a Legacy sales associate will be available to assist you. If you are looking elsewhere, I can refer you to a broker in your desired location through our membership with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Time is running out – be pro-active and connect with a real estate agent today!

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



March 04, 2010

New Listing Priced to Sell $425,000

Posted to Kay Korbel

New Listing in South Sundale, Fremont, CA.

3 bedroom 1 bath one story single family home.

Open house Saturday and Sunday March 6 & 7 and 13 & 14.

Visit: www.4571hilo.com for exterior pictures and disclosures.

It’s a good life!

Posted by:Kay Korbel



March 04, 2010

Livermore

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

Many of you probably are members of CSAA/AAA for your automobile insurance. Each month you get the Via Magazine and this month there is an article on Livermore that you might find interesting.

Livermore is an eclectic mix of the old and the new. Wineries are winning awards at many of the well know tasting events and should you visit the Livermore wineries you might just meet the wine maker. Much more casual and a lot less crowded than the more famous Napa/Sonoma Valley wineries. Find out more at www.lvwine.org.

The downtown area has been re-vitalized with charming shops and restaurants. Take a stroll down tree shaded First Street – parking is easy and the shop owners delightful. Many of the shops are featured at www.livermoredowntown.com.

And don’t forget the annual rodeo www.livermorerodeo.com. Events kick off this year June 9th with the actual rodeo June 12th and 13th.

My favorite Livermore destination is Wente Vineyards for their annual concert series. The line up for 2010 is not yet out but you can get information at www.wentevineyards.com.

After your visit you may decide that Livermore is a place you would like to call home. Legacy has an office right in Livermore and I would be happy to refer you to one of our sales associates for a tour of the housing available in Livermore – everything from a condominium to an estate property or ranch. Give me a call at 925-287-0550 or visit the Legacy web site at www.legacyrealestateassociates.com.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



March 02, 2010

Earthquake Preparedness

Posted to Kay Korbel

Are you prepared for earthquakes and other natural disasters? Check out this preparedness guide to see what experts recommend.


Posted by:Kay Korbel



March 01, 2010

Legacy earns WQC

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

Legacy Real Estate and Associates has earned Web Quality Certification presented by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. The designation is awarded to member companies that have demonstrated excellence in website design, functionality and execution. Legacy was once of only 64 initial applicants to earn this designation. The WQC was introduced in 2009 to recognize and encourage superior websites among Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s 600 member firms.

Great websites enhance a company brand and as more and more consumers begin their home search or search for a real estate company and/or agent, Legacy designed the site to be user friendly and provide the information a consumer is looking for in today’s competitive market. One feature that is especially useful is the Listing Alert function whereby a consumer receives an email when a property meeting the parameters the consumer enters is listed or has a change in price. Many companies offer this feature and alerts are sent daily, Legacy’s site sends an alert to the consumer whenever a property is listed or a change occurs – the consumer may get several alerts in one day.

Visit the Legacy web site at www.legacyrealestateassociates.com to experience the Legacy difference.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



February 23, 2010

Recycle your old cell phone

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

I just heard about a great program that many local community groups and communities are supporting. The program is called 911 Cell Phone Bank. The program reprograms old cell phones so they can be used in emergency situations only and gives them to members of the community who could not otherwise afford a cell phone. The phones are often given to those subject to domestic violence or vulnerable seniors.

The phones are collected in a number of locations nationally – go to www.911cellphonebank.com to find a location near you – and all contacts on the phone are deleted. The phone is then reprogrammed so it can only be used for 911 emergency calls. The program began in 2007 and hundreds of phones have been distributed nationally.

So if you have updated to a new phone and have an old phone sitting around, why not check out the 911 cell phone bank and help someone in your community.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



February 22, 2010

Participate in the 2010 Census

Posted to Kay Korbel

The questionnaires for the 2010 census will be posted to households in the middle of March 2010. Cities expect to receive $3,000 for each resident that is counted in the census. These funds help to fund schools and other community services. Please return your completed survey by the first of April so your city receives all the benefits that they are entitled to. For more info visit: www.Fremont.gov/census.

It’s a good life!


Posted by:Kay Korbel



February 18, 2010

City of Livermore Report of Residential Building Record

Posted to Pam Dakan, Real Estate Tips

I am currently selling a house in Livermore and was unaware that the City requires a Residential Building Record report be sent to the Buyer before the property changes ownership. It just entails the Seller of the property filling out an Application with a payment for $60. Seller has to make sure they install a chimney spark arrestor and smoke detectors at the time of sale, and also is a record of any permits filed with the City, which is useful information for the Buyer.

You can call the City of Livermore Permit Center for the application at 925-960-4410, or go to www.ci.livermore.ca.us.

Posted by:Pam Dakan



February 17, 2010

Bank Owned Bargain in Union City

Posted to Pam Dakan

I have a bank owned listing for sale in Union City at 4171 Queen Anne Drive. It is located in a very nice neighborhood, close to all amenities, schools and transportation. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, is approximately 1357 square feet with a large back yard. It is in need of some TLC. It does have a separate living and family room. List price is $365,000, which is quite a bargain in that area. Please call me for a showing at 510.673-4721, or e-mail me at pam@pamdakan.com.

Check out the flyer by clicking here.

Posted by:Pam Dakan



February 16, 2010

Legacy #1 in Alameda County (San Francisco Bay Area)

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

Legacy Real Estate & Associates is the top performing company in Alameda County for 2009. Legacy with two offices – Fremont and Livermore – and about 165 sales associates out performed companies much larger in size in terms of both number of offices and number of sales associates.

If you do not know a Legacy sales associate and are interested in buying or selling in Alameda County, please give me a call at 925-287-0550 or email me and I will put you in touch with one of our sales associates.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



February 10, 2010

Is your to do list out of control?

Posted to Kay Korbel

Do you feel like you cannot keep your head above water? Do you feel like there are not enough hours in the day to complete the list of items on your to do list?

Here are a few helpful tips to help you take the pressure off and hopefully get better organized.

  • Keep your personal phone number to yourself; don’t give it to clients or colleagues.
  • Keep your work phone number out of the hands of your friends.
  • Turn off instant messaging and e-mail alert functions on your computer.
  • Stop checking personal emails during your normal work hours.
  • Place a red sticker or highlight dot in the upper right hand corner on each paper each time you handle it. Quickly you will discover the benefit of handling each task as it presents itself to you.

It’s a good life!


Posted by:Kay Korbel



February 09, 2010

IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER FUNDRAISER

Posted to Area Attractions, Pam Dakan

My son Anthony played Junior Varsity soccer for Irvington High School for the last few months and they had their big fundraiser for the year, the 31st Annual Crab Feed! Parents donated baskets for the big raffle.

We made a Movie Night Theme, filled with goodies, Orange Crème Soda, Milk Duds, Blockbuster movie rental gift cards, popcorn, pretty much everything you would need for a great night in with movies. I get my baskets from the Gourmet Gift Horse, a company on the Peninsula. They do such a great job when I order gift baskets for my clients. I have personalized ribbon with them and I can use them as promotional items as well!

I helped with checking in people for the first hour – I saw parents I hadn’t seen in years, back from when my son played at Warm Springs Little League. I had no idea there would such a great turnout! I think there were over 400 people that came!

The kids all helped serving, wearing their soccer shirts, and were hustling to get everyone what they needed, be it carafes of unlimited wine, or salad, followed by spaghetti. It was all quite good, however, it was my first crab feed and I wasn’t as prepared as some of the veterans that have obviously been to a few crab feeds. I mean, parents bought home prepared cocktail sauce, fondue sets, and their own bottles of wine, as well as crab cracking tools! It was great! The crab was plentiful. I think I ate enough crab to see me through until next season!

Bill Aboumrad, my boss at Legacy Real Estate & Associates came with his whole family! It was nice to see support from my brokerage. Thanks Bill! Marie Rice, my office mate also came and supported the event.

It was fun, and I’ll sure be helping out again next year!

Posted by:Pam Dakan



February 08, 2010

Privacy Settings on Facebook

Posted to Kay Korbel

A great article was published in the BayEast Realtor magazine, it was written by Kim Komodo regarding privacy settings on Facebook. It never occured to me how much personal information I had on my Facebook page. After reading Kim’s article, I made some changes in what info I share on my Facebook page. Here is a quick list of some changes you may wish to consider making in an effort to strike the right balance between openness and privacy.

  • Your profile, photo, location, fan pages and friends list are open to everyone. You may choose to make some of this private.
  • Search sites can find your Facebook pages.
  • Co-workers may be able to see your photos.
  • Prospective employers may search and find questionable or offensive posts and pictures. Remove anything you would not want a prospective employer or your employer to know about you.
  • Consider the email address you use…marketers can upload your email and learn a lot about you. Consider using a pseudo email address.

To read or subscribe to Kim’s free email newsletters, sign up at: www.komando.com/newsletters.


Posted by:Kay Korbel