The blog is back

We have been down for a long, long time. The truth is that life hit pretty hard. My husband passed away, after a long battle with cancer in Jun 2011. I took some time off for a while. When I returned, I reunited with an old friend, Jim Brouwer, and we got married about a year ago on September 1. I moved from my ranch in Sunol to a retirement community in Manteca. Don't worry, dear friend, my move out of the area was accompanied by a Prius and a train pass - so I am still working in the area.

I have much more to share with you, like my move from Keller Williams to Remax and the considerate down-sizing of my team, but all of these changes alter my commitment to you and my passion for real estate. I returned to Remax Accord in October and couldn't be happier with my decision. It has been fantastic to come back "home" to my real estate family.

I hope you are all doing well and are looking forward to the holidays and the new year. Let's make sure we stay in touch. And please don't forget to call me for any and all of your real estate needs.

~Natalie

We Remember.

Today is a day of reflection. Anyone driving down Stoneridge Drive will pass Tom Burnett Drive and will always be reminded that we are to remember the victims of 9/11 and the day that the US fell silent (remember how quiet the skies were?). We'll never forget the horror and the terror, but mostly we'll cling to the memory of how this great nation banded together in solidarity and said "no!" to fear. We are deeply thankful for all the heros that were born out of that awful act of pure terror.

We. Will. NEVER. Forget.
http://www.inman.com/news/2011/09/9/the-day-we-cant-forget-sept-11-2001

Fresh on the Market in Pleasanton!

We have a lovely listing in Pleasanton. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1726 sq.ft. of living space in a FANTASTIC location. We're open today from 1-4, if you want to drop in to see Natalie.

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Pleasanton, CA, $699,950

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Fremont, CA, $389,950

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Fremont, CA, $389,950

For Sale: 5BR/2BA Single Family House in Castro Valley, CA, $1,099,000

For Sale: 5BR/2BA Single Family House in Castro Valley, CA, $1,099,000

2009 Real Estate in Review

2009 was definitely a historic year for real estate. We saw the rise of the first-time homebuyer, the short sale and the increase in bank-owned properties. But what seemed bleak about 2009 is starting to wash out in the sunshine of 2010's hope.

Here's a great article on the 2009 year in review: click here

To scrub or not to scrub...

A clean home goes a long, long way when it's for sale. We've seen many, many homes that could have used an extra scrub-down before they allowed folks to come and inspect, even judge, the appearance of their home. (If you think people are not judging your home's condition, when it's on the market - think again.) And they WILL take a look at how clean it is. Even the slobbiest of slobs out there will still care if the house they are about to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on is clean or not.

Imagine yourself as a busy home buyer. You have A LOT to choose from... Let's take the choice down to two identical homes (equal in upgrades, price, and they both fit your requirements). Do you think you would choose the one with a dirty toilet or a clean toilet? I thought so! Maybe we sunk a little low to bring in the toilet-factor, but you get the point.

All homes on the market need a little boost, why not do the easiest one there is? Keep it neat. Keep it clean. It will speak VOLUMES for your home when it is tidy. Check out this article we found on some tips and tricks to keep your home clean while it's on the market: Clean Homes Show Better--Five Areas To Scrub to Make Yours Sparkle