July 28, 2009

Orange Oil for Termite Control????

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

The radio advertisements continue to tout the benefits of orange oil for termite control but does it really work? What are the benefits and what are the drawbacks? I contacted Marlin Handley from Home Guard and asked her to explain the various treatments for termite control.

Most real estate sales have the buyer asking the seller to provide a structural pest control clearance as part of the transaction. While commonly called a “termite inspection” the inspection and report covers much more than just termites. The report is officially called a Structural Pest Control Inspection Report.

So what happens when termites are found at a property? What are the options for the seller and buyer? Is orange oil a viable option? While the advertisements for orange oil are recent, orange oil has been around for a number of years Marlin reports. In order for orange oil to be an effective method of treatment, the orange oil must come in direct contact with the termites. Consequently, it is only effective in accessible areas of the property where the pest control operator can get the orange oil directly on the termite.

Marlin reports a more commonly used option is Termidor. This chemical is drilled into access holes. As termites are social animals, they groom each other and interact with one another. As they interact, the termidor is spread throughout the colony resulting in high kill numbers within about a four week period of time. Marlin reports that this treatment can be used in a larger number of situations where the termites are seen but are not totally accessible.

Another alternative is fumigation of the structure but is not possible in all situations – for example when termites are found in a condominium or townhouse where an entire building would need to be covered and fumigated not just the unit in question.

Marlin can be reached at Home Guard mhandley@homeguard.com if you have further questions on pest control inspections or the various treatments for termite control and eradication.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



July 27, 2009

Four Star Customer Service at Palo Alto's Stanford Shopping Center

Posted to Kay Korbel

Recently, I treated myself to shopping trip to Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center.

Coldwater Creek
Stanford Shopping Center
850 Stanford Shopping Center
Palo Alto, California 94304
650.321.1422

Upon arrival I spied Coldwater Creek, a boutique that sells well made women’s apparel, jewelry, accessories and gifts. In years past, I have purchased singular items via their mail order catalog. Well made and fairly priced clothes with an emphasis on conservative styles and true sizing.

When I stepped into the store I was thrilled! The music was actually appealing and had a calming non hurried tempo. I have lost count, how many times I have been assaulted by the blaring tunes that have been played in most retail stores. Sometimes, I could not wait to get out of the store.

The staff of Coldwater Creek worked seamlessly together. Each one of them seemed happy to be there and happier still to assist me in finding the perfect fit! They were gracious and professional without being too personal. When I was spoken to they looked at my face and smiled. I was really enjoying this rare afternoon of shopping.

I gathered numerous items to try on. Most things were truly on sale. As much as 70% that day. Nice pieces too, not miss matched pieces. I am notoriously hard to fit and lean towards the conservative style of dressing. After all, I sell the single most expensive commodity one will buy…a home. Dressing like a Vogue stick model isn’t the image I wish to project not that I could carry that one off anyway!

A very friendly clerk invited me into a clean, spacious and well lit dressing room, where the clerk wrote my name on a small white board adjacent to the door. Clever idea, I felt so special! While I was trying on the clothes a different clerk called me by name inquiring how I was doing and if she could get anything for me. WOW! I was getting four star customer service.

At the check out counter the clerk explained to me that only one of the three pairs of trousers I had chosen was on sale. In the end decided to buy them all anyway. The fit was perfect and my wardrobe needed some updating. I expressed to her how fortunate I felt to have discovered that Coldwater Creek had a bricks and mortar store and that I would definitely be back in the future. I felt so good when I left albeit a bit guilty for spending so much!

The next day I looked over the receipt carefully and noticed that I had actually paid full price for all three pairs of trousers. I expected to buy one pair at a 70% discount. I called the store and spoke with another pleasant clerk and explained that I did not live in Palo Alto; she suggested that I fax the receipt and the tag showing the discounted price to the manager. Later that morning, I got a phone call from the manager, apologizing for the error. He informed me that my credit would be 70% off on all three pairs of trousers. I thanked him and told him about my happy shopping experience and promised to come back.

I can and will recommend shopping at Coldwater Creek. It was a lovely shopping experience and I will definitely be back to shop there again!

Posted by:Kay Korbel



July 22, 2009

Legacy Continues as #1 in Alameda County, CA

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

At the office meeting this morning, the market sale reports were distributed and Legacy Real Estate & Associates continues to be the number one company in number of sales, number of listings sold and number of buyer sales for Alameda County. Year to date numbers show Legacy having a total of 247 sale units compared to the next closed competitor with 229. In number of Listing Sales in units, Legacy shows 144 – compared to the next closed competitor with 141. In number of Buyer Sales in units, Legacy again leads with the way with 103 – compared to the next closed competitor with 101. So far every month this year, Legacy has been number one on the sales report for Alameda County.

The trend reports also show Alameda County number of listings actively on the market steadily decreasing from January through June with a strong showing in the number of pending sales. The number of closed sales continues at about the same level as last month.

Agents are reporting that with the declining number of active listings it is harder and harder to find a property for a buyer. Often there are multiple offers and properties selling at over the asking price.

When looking for an agent to assist you in buying or selling property in the San Francisco East Bay, look to Legacy Real Estate & Associates. Visit our web site at www.legacyrealestateassociates.com or give me a call to discuss your needs and I will be able to refer you to one of our sales associates.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



July 14, 2009

Loan Modification

Posted to Kathy Mardiros, Real Estate Tips

One of the principles on which Legacy Real Estate & Associates was founded was to make a better future for Legacy clients and their families. No where is this better exemplified than with the Loan Modification Service Program. This program begun by Bill Aboumrad, owner, was designed to assist homeowners to stay in their homes through modification of their existing loan.

Homeowners may be facing foreclosure due to loss of a job, increase in their monthly payment on an adjustable rate loan or other hardship. The Legacy program headed by Abe Summers begins with a client interview to access the situation – what are their housing costs, what is the family income, etc. After the initial interview it is determined whether or not a loan modification might be an option by reducing the interest rate on the loan, extending the loan term or possibly even reducing the principal balance on the loan.

Abe reports that as a result of the recent government programs most lenders are now responding to loan modification requests but it does depend upon the investor and whether or not the end investor is participating in the programs or not. Many homeowners try to modify the loan on their own with little success as a result of not completely understanding the questions to ask and the supporting documentation needed to successfully complete the loan modification package.

Legacy’s Loan Modification Program has been successful in helping many people who were well on their way to losing their home to foreclosure. In many cases, Legacy has been able to stall the foreclosure sale while working through the loan modification process. One example was a client 11 days from the trustee sale – the sale was postponed and Legacy was able to get her a reduction in her monthly payment of about $1800 per month!

Legacy does not charge an advance fee for this service but a fee is payable once a loan modification has been successfully completed for the homeowner. There is currently legislation in the California Congress which will prohibit companies from collecting a fee for loan modification services prior to the modification being delivered. This has been Legacy’s policy from the beginning.

The Legacy Loan Modification Program has been successful and continues to be successful and advances Legacy’s mission of providing a better future for clients and their families.

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



July 13, 2009

The De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park

Posted to Kay Korbel

The hottest ticket in San Francisco is one to ‘Tutankhamun And The Golden Age Of The Pharaohs’ at San Francisco’s De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. Now thru March 28, 2010. (www.deyoungmuseum.org) the exhibition is organized by National Geographic et al. This is the first time in 30 years the artifacts from the tomb of King Tut returns to the DeYoung Museum. There are more than 130 objects on exhibit. 50 of those are from the boy king’s tomb. There are 80 other objects from the tombs of his ancestors. Truly an exhibition that should not be missed.

Memberships offer discounts in the gift shops and afford you VIP entrance which puts you at the head of the long line. Membership costs may even be a tax deduction.

Book on line at www.deyoungmuseum.org and book early. Reservations are made on the half hour. No refunds or changes may be made to the timed and dated tickets. The exhibit takes approximately 45 minutes to visit. I recommend renting a nifty headset for a guided tour by the handsome and famous Omar Sharif. My 9 year old enjoyed the exhibit and the guided tour and has asked to go back again…OK OK he wants to visit the gift shop to buy the falcon statue. There are several gift shops featuring Egyptian/King Tut themed items. From pretty costume jewelry, books, sculptures. Nicely designed and well made tee shirts, a myriad of hats, posters, postcards, cups and even a sarcophagus.
Jonathan, our 9 yr. old picked out a ruler with faux hieroglyphs, a small statue of King Tut holding a spear while standing on a papyrus boat, a tee shirt and has not taken it off for the past 2 days!

I was so excited to see this exhibit. My husband, Preston is the Curator at the Triton Museum of Art in the heart of Silicon Valley; he had seen the King Tut show nearly 30 years ago when it first debuted at the DeYoung Museum. He remembered seeing different objects, but was impressed with this dramatically presented edition. We thought the staff of the world famous DeYoung Museum did an excellent job managing the big crowds. Admittedly, I was disappointed that I was not allowed to take any photographs for this posting, but security and insurance regulations had to be respected.

The now famous solid gold death mask was not one items included in the exhibit. However on display was a miniature of the death mask, called a coffinet. It was made to store the viscera of the boy King. It was beautifully presented and is made of gold, carnelian, obsidian, rock crystal and glass. Length 39.5 cm. width 11 cm. height 10 cm.

We bought the book ‘Tutankhamun and the golden age of the pharaohs’ by Mr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme ‘Council of Antiquities and a National Geographic Explorer-in-residence and photographs by Kenneth Garrett who specializes in archaeology, paleontology and ancient cultures. The descriptions in this posting are from that fabulous book. I love paging thru it to remind me of the incredible objects I was fortunate to view. I wish I could return to the DeYoung and go thru the exhibit on the arm of Zahi Hawass. From the many television specials I have watched over the years, I have found him to be engaging and so very informed in such an approachable way ….He has the ability to engage the viewer is such a personal manner. What a gifted scholar!

Found partially hidden behind one of King Tut’s chariots in the antechamber of his tomb, this figure of gessoed and painted wood is without parallel. It is life sized model of the head and torso of the young king, it includes his hips as far as the top of the groin and the upper part of this arms.

Howard Carter the British archaeologist that discovered the boy King’s tomb in 1922 suggested that this object was a mannequin and was used to hold the king’s robes and jewelry or used as a dress maker’s dummy.

The Cartouche shaped chest from the tomb of Tutankhamun made of wood, ebony and ivory is a length of 64 cm. width of 30.7 cm. and height of 33.2 cm. To the Egyptians, a person’s name was one of his or her most important aspects. If the name survived, the person could live forever and be recognized in the Afterlife. An object decorated with a person’s name would belong to that person for eternity.

This large chest is in the shape of a cartouche, symbolizing the circuit of the sun and thus representing the known world over which the king, at least theoretically had dominion. On the upper surface, inlaid in large, hieroglyphs, is the king’s birth name, Tutankhamun, followed by the epithet “Ruler of Upper Egyptian Heliopolis.” The original town of Heliopolis, located near modern Cairo, was the cult center of the sun god, Re. Inside the box were many items of jewelry, some royal regalia and a gilded mirror case.

Also found inside the chest was this beautiful bracelet with scarab clasp, one of three inside the box. It is made of gold and semiprecious stones height 6.6 cm. length 10.7 cm. The wrist band is made of gold, electrum, calcite, lapis, and glass barrel beads alternating with small gold beads strung in ten horizontal rows divided into seven panels by gold spacers. This bracelet shows signs of wear and its small size suggests that Tutankhamun wore is as a child.

The mirror case in the shape of an Ankh was found inside the chest as well. It is made of wood, gold and silver leaf. Height 27 cm. width 13.2 cm. depth 4 cm. When found the case was empty-the mirror, cast most likely of precious metal, evidently had been stolen. Both men and women used mirrors for practical purposes such as the application of eye paint or the arranging of hair. These objects were also imbued with symbolism, functioning as icons of rebirth and regeneration, many early tomb stelea shows mirrors beneath the chair of the deceased.

Among the objects in the boy king’s tomb were many weapons, including bows and arrows slings, throw sticks, boomerangs, clubs, swords and daggers, a leather cuirass that served as body armor and eight shields. Howard Carter found two daggers, including the one pictured here. This dagger was found within the wrappings of Tutankhamun’s mummy tucked through a golden girdle that encircled the king’s waist. The ceremonial Dagger and Sheath are made of gold and cloisonné’ height 31.8 cm. width 3.4 cm.

The ‘new’ DeYoung boasts an excellent café, albeit a bit pricey, but the food is delicious and beautifully presented. The dining room is spacious and has a couple of outside terraces with portable heaters. It gets chilly in the summer in the city. Mark Twain wrote, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” He was right to be sure. Layer your clothing to be most comfortable.

Underground parking is a snap, enter from Fulton Street and remember you must pay for parking BEFORE you get back into your car to leave the parking lot. This makes for a speedy departure.

We will plan another trip to see this amazing exhibit, probably closer to the end of it’s run in early 2010. Maybe then, the crowds will thin out some.

Planning ahead for a popular exhibition is a must to ensure a successful visit. Same goes for buying and selling real estate and most other things in life.

Posted by:Kay Korbel



July 13, 2009

Cruise to Alaska.... Part III

Posted to Kay Korbel

We arrived at Skagway to upper 40 degree temp, windy and crisp weather. The Statendam docked and we walked the short distance to the charming period downtown. Before 9am and all the shops were opened. Quickly, we found a coffee shop serving Starbuck’s and we were happy for our morning cup!

We walked up and down the main street and stopped into a few shops and bought a some souvenirs. We found Skagway to be the least commercial of the port towns we visited. There were those similar jewelers and furriers as we saw in Ketchikan and Juneau, but we found a few independent ‘mom/pop’ retailers that offered better than average merchandise. Population in summer is 1400 and about half that in the winter.

Our stroll took us to a tiny store front bakery that sold lavender lemon cookies and yummy cinnamon rolls. We were anxious for our shore excursion to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

We met a bouncy college age co-ed on the dock and were invited into a spacious van for a short ride to the ferry boat dock. Once there we boarded the two deck ferry for the 30 minute trip to the tiny town of Haines. The ferry boat had an intelligent and informative guide of sorts w/ a microphone to point out the points of interest. He did a good job and we enjoyed the ride. It was beautiful, the high mountains rising out of the frigid water. Some spied a humpback whale in the distance. Numerous glaciers and waterfalls were seen as well.

In short order, we arrived at the dock in Haines and met our guide from Chilkat Guides, LTD email: raftalaska@chilkatguides.com (907) 766-2491. We paid the shore excursion desk more than double what we would have paid Chilkat Guides had we booked direct. If I were to do it again, I would book direct.

We boarded an old school bus for the 45 minute ride to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve ‘up river’. Gabe was the best guide we had come across thus far. He was engaging, funny and very informed and willing to share his knowledge in a very entertaining and folksy manner.

The Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve is located at the confluence of the Chilkat and Tsirku rivers and was created in 1982 and covers 48,000 acres and as many as 4000 Bald Eagles may be seen in the winter months. These rivers are ice free throughout the winter allowing a late run of Chum Salmon that serve up a source of food for the majestic birds.

We stepped off the bus and were served a deli style lunch along the river bank. We were given tall galoshes in trade for our shoes and a bright life vest to wear while on the 6 ‘man ‘raft. Although the river as wide as a mile in place looked only 12 inches deep. The water was cold and right away we spotted eagles overhead. It was exciting to see the amazing majestic birds gliding by. As we munched our sandwiches and washed them down with lemonade we were entertained by ‘juvenile’ bald eagles. (An eagle before his head and tail feathers turn white). They were playful and engaged in aerial faux battles overhead. We were gob smacked. This was great and we had not left the shore!

There were two guides and 4 passengers in each of the two rafts. Our shoes and other personal items would meet us at down stream at the end of our 1 ½ hour river float. We got into Gabe’s raft and started our trip down stream.

Gabe was just great! He showed us how to spot the birds and very quickly we felt expert at spotting them sitting in the tall trees and flying overhead. We saw numerous Bald Eagles sitting on sand bars in the middle of the river or perched on branches above the rushing water….looking for an appropriate meal.

This shore excursion was by far the best and most exciting. We loved it! There were too many Bald Eagle sightings to count! We saw several huge nests in the trees and even spied one nest with two Bald Eagles in residence. It was hard to take photos the Bald Eagles moved so quickly!

At the end of our river float we were offered back our shoes and belongings and had the choice of hot chocolate, cider or coffee with a nice cookie. Perched high above us in a tree we spied yet another Bald Eagle. Wow, what a great trip!

Posted by:Kay Korbel



July 11, 2009

Cruise to Alaska . . . Part II

Posted to Kay Korbel

We arrived in Juneau to a clear sky and 52 degree weather w/ a very slight breeze. A relief from the cold heavy downpour we had the entire time we were in port at Ketchikan. It had been several days since we had a decent drinkable cup of coffee so the minute we disembarked we went in search of a good cup of coffee. The first person we asked directed us across the street to the Paradise Lunch Bakery at 245 Marine Way #10 www.paradisecafeyeehaw.com. We got the best cup of coffee we had since we left home. I ogled the delectable looking fresh baked pastries in the glass case. The service was delightfully slow and personal. We were so happy! I made a mental note, that we would be back here for lunch and dinner if necessary. Anything to avoid the lousy food on the Statendam!

Energized by the delicious coffee, we were excited to explore the charming state capital after our exciting helicopter ride to the Mendenhall Glacier! The excursion to the Glacier was pricey at $295 per person to be sure. But we figured this was a once in a life time trip. What the heck! Temescal is the name of the company that provided the helicopters. They were very organized efficient and professional. We were picked up from the dock in downtown Juneau for the 20 minute ride by bus to the airport. It was a pretty ride, we were happy to be off the Statendam for as long as possible.

Upon arrival at the airport we were told that we could not take purses or any carryons due to heightened security. We realized that the shore excursion personnel had not prepared us appropriately for this excursion. We would have left behind personal items that we were forced to leave in a lock up at the airport. No matter, we were excited to see a Glacier. I really was not sure what to expect. In the airport there were several stuffed ‘local’ animals. The most interesting was the Grizzly Bear. It was huge and so lifelike. I was told that a brown bear and a grizzly are the same thing. Who knew? Impressive it’s paws w/ huge nails that could tear your head off! The jaws and teeth were equally impressive and scary. Glad I had not seen the real thing up close and personal. My husband, Preston poses for the camera to demonstrate how large the Grizzly truly is. Preston stands nearly 6 feet tall.

Grizzly Bears

The helicopter accommodated 4 passengers and the pilot. I took a couple of photos from inside the ‘chopper. The views were extraordinary! Preston, lucky duck got to sit up front and had the best view. Good for him, this was his first helicopter flight. Off we went! The flight was approximately 15 minutes to Mendenhall Glacier.

Helicopter Views

We were left on the Glacier w/ (2) guides for approximately (30) minutes. We walked around and took photos. It was amazing. Some people laid down and drank from the running stream of icy water. The views were spectacular to say the least. We loved it and would recommend this to the youngest and the oldest of travelers. We felt safe and secure the entire time.

Glacier Views

Upon arrival back on the dock in downtown Juneau, we were starving. Instead of going back to the Statendam, we made a beeline for the Paradise Lunch Bakery. We both ordered iced tea and a home made (gigantic) biscuit filled w/ a blend of cheeses, scrambled eggs and lovely slice of ham. It seemed to take FOREVER, but was well worth the wait. We sat at the bar facing the window with a nice view of the outside service area and the main drag of Juneau, Marine Way. We ate every crumb it was the best thing we had eaten since we left home! When we left the counter person hugged us and thanked us for coming back. If she only knew how grateful we were for this wonderful eatery!

We strolled the streets of Juneau stopping into several stores and boutiques. Most stores were selling some of the ugliest jewelry I have ever seen anywhere. There were furriers claiming to be ‘green’ we laughed at this lame sales pitch and wondered what would the P.E.T.A. folks do if they came across someone in a mink coat!

Fissures

Several years ago in San Francisco in front of Nieman Marcus store at Union Square, I was a witness to a fur clad shopper being doused with paint by an animal rights activist. It seemed really selfish to wrap oneself in a luxurious beautiful coat made from the hides of animals. I thought of all the other ways I could spend $42k!

The weather was lovely and we were so delighted with some treasures we found. Hand made baskets from the baleen whale, colorful masks, totems, and lots of tourist junk. We enjoyed our brief stay in Juneau and were thankful for our good luck with the lovely weather.

My next blog entry will be about our stop in Skagway and our ferry trip to Haines and the raft trip we took to see Bald Eagles. Certainly the best stop was the last!

Remember, ask questions and the most important thing to take on vacation is a good sense of humor!

It’s a good life!

Posted by:Kay Korbel



July 06, 2009

Cruise To Alaska

Posted to Kay Korbel

Recently I took a cruise to Alaska. While the destination was wonderful, getting there was not. For my complete review of the challenges I encountered, click here.

Our first stop was a very rainy and cold Ketchikan. We opted for the Rain Forest Nature Walk. Our guide was young college student, he was a local and was knowledgeable interesting and kind. It was a lovely introduction to the flora and fauna of the 49th state. We were gratified to know that it was a place where injured animals were rehabilitated or kept in captivity for educational purposes, due to severe injuries. The Bald Eagle we saw had only one foot and would not have survived in the wild. Same goes for the Great Horned Owl, he had a severely broken wing and would never fly again. He brought tears to my eyes when I gazed into his big yellow eyes. He was so beautiful. He took my breath away. We petted and handfed (6) adult Caribou that were kept in a tidy open air barn. They were hungry for the greens and attention.

My next installment will be coming shortly…we visit Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier via helicopter!

Have a wonderful day. Remember when booking a vacation or buying or selling your home; ASK A LOT of questions!

It’s a good life!

Posted by:Kay Korbel