HOT TOPICS
THE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS IS
THAT I SPECIALIZE IN NICE
PEOPLE.
HOT TOPICS 7-24-10
Have you noticed that there
are people in life, who,
when you just think of them,
put a smile on your heart!
THE
REAL ESTATE LIFE.
Until you do this work, you
cannot understand the innate
chaos, jumping from one
client to the next call to
the next project to the next
walk in, to the next
concern, and seldom being
able to finish any
conversation or piece of
work without having to jump
into another, hoping to get
just some of these fully
completed by the end of the
day. And when the brain
gets dull or playful,
shuffling all these brief
moments of attention can
bring hilarious results.
Like the day I met a client
to show a home that had JUST
come on and that I had not
seen. We parked and greeted
each other, then I led her
to the front door of a
pretty little Spanish on a
cul de sac. I knocked on
the door and two ladies
inside called out, “come
in”. We did. I introduced
myself, automatically
pointing to my Realtor
badge, and said I would like
to show my client the home.
The occupants hesitated just
a split second then welcomed
us. Only as I started to
walk around did I realize
there was something not
quite right. I walked back
to the owners and said,
“Excuse me, but I’m not
sure…” And they said, very
kindly, that the house for
sale was the one next door.
They thought perhaps I
wanted to show theirs for
neighborhood information.
Can you imagine how nice
they were!? And how
competent my client must
have thought I was? We
didn’t buy the house next
door, but I am friends today
with the two wonderful
ladies who live next door!
__________________
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or
present are certain to miss
the future!
___________________
CLEANING
YOUR SPACE, CAN MEAN FREEING
YOUR MIND.
One great source of relief
can be taking just one
step. Into your often
lengthy plans for the day,
put just one thing, one
small task you have been
procrast-inating, and get it
done. Last week I organized
the medicine drawer in our
bathroom. Silly, but I felt
joyous and proud of myself
for several days! Determine
you will attack that
annoying squeak in the
floorboards or the door
hinge and enjoy the repeated
joy of silence and
accomplishment. Take a few
minutes to make your sweetie
or child their favorite
something that you haven’t
done for a long time. Oh
my, attack the fence hole
where you have piled
“temporary” bricks to keep
Spot at home. Pick up the
phone and make the call that
has had you feeling guilty
for way too long. Just ONE
THING can make a huge
difference!
“Our life is frittered away
by detail. . . simplify,
simplify.” Henry David
Thoreau.
__________________
IS
IT CRAZY IF IT WORKS?!
A trusted source, whom I do
not wish to embarrass by
naming, says that this
absolutely is the way to
keep flies and other bugs
away. Take a ziplock
baggie, fill it half way
with water and 4-6 pennies,
zip it shut and tack or tie
it up on a wall or window in
the area you want to
protect. Flies and wasps
and multi-legged/winged
critters will go elsewhere.
I dunno. It just works and
being crazy can be fun!
Someone said:
Regarding the science behind
zip log bags of water? My
research found that the
millions of molecules of
water presents its own prism
effect and given that flies
have a lot of eyes, to them
it's like a zillion disco
balls reflecting light,
colors and movement in a
dizzying manner. When you
figure that flies are prey
for many other bugs,
animals, birds, etc., they
simply won't take the risk
of being around that much
perceived action. I moved to
a rural area and thought
these "hillbillies" were
just yanking my city boy
chain but I tried it and it
worked immediately! We went
from hundreds of flies to
seeing the occasional one,
but he didn't hang around
long.
__________________
TIP:
Define the problem you are
having, and you are more
than halfway to the
solution! After you think
of the obvious solution,
keep thinking. Don’t
discard the question. Your
creative thinking kicks I
after idea number 7.
__________________
MISSION
HILLS REAL ESTATE.
LISTINGS:
This morning we have 213
active listings of single
family homes, condominiums
and row homes in 92103. 112
of these, slightly more than
half, are condominiums. 79
of the 101 active single
family houses are in Mission
Hills.
CONTINGENT (short sale
waiting for bank approval)
and PENDING:
this morning there are 81
contingent and pending of
all property types, 33 of
which are single family
homes/row homes. That would
be 38% of all the properties
and 29% of single family
homes/row homes. Of those
in Mission Hills, 25 are
contingent or pending which
would be 32% of the number
of actives.
SALES:
In the past 3 months there
were 92 sales of homes, row
homes and condo-miniums in
92103. 29 of these were
single family homes/row
homes, 22 of these were in
Mission Hils.
GENERAL STATS:
Average days on the market
is 43 (Mission Hills single
family) to 80 (all). High
days on the market is 319
for Mission Hills, 787 for
all. Average Sales price to
listing price is 103%.
Yes! Those homes that are
selling are those that are
perfect. Homes with ANY
considerations are getting
thought over until the buyer
forgets his emotional ties.
And perfect often gets
multiple offers. Finally,
price per square foot, which
is always much higher in
smaller homes and lower in
larger homes is an AVERAGE
of $409 for all property
types in 92103 the past 3
months, an average of
$471.93 for single family
homes and row homes in 92103
the past 3 months, and an
average of $481 in single
family homes and row homes
in Mission Hills the past 3
months. Strange little
market we have here.
A row home in San
Diego, CA., is defined as a
single family home with
almost 0 space between the
units on a smaller than
typical lot, generally 3
stories or more like what we
call a “townhome” here in
SoCal. As opposed to a
condominium of townhouses,
row homes do not have common
walls and do not have Home
Owner Association fees.
Occasionally they have small
private yards. Words in
real estate can have
different meanings AND be
misused, so if it is
important, always verify!
___________________
SAVE
THE DATE! AUGUST 8, IS
HILLCREST CITYFEST!
In just two weeks, so plan
ahead. It is generally very
hot, and you will want water
and cool clothes, a big swag
bag for the things you buy
or get for free, and
comfortable shoes. This
huge celebration includes
music, arts, crafts, food
and generally attracts over
150,000 people, baby
carriages and dogs and even
cats on leashes. Hillcrest
is a celebration of people
sharing space and ideas, and
City Fest is a celebration
of that spirit! 12 noon to
8pm. Come early and find
parking!
________________
BOOKS
TO READ:
Yup, my pile of books to
read look just like that
picture, and sometimes I am
several years behind. I
like fiction if it is good,
biographies, business books,
some best sellers are worth
the time others not so much,
and I have just finished
several I recommend:
WHAT REALLY WORKS,
William Joyce, Nitin Nohria,
and Bruce Roberson: Their
theory is that there are 4
primary and 4 secondary
management practices that
lead to success. The
primary are all required and
2 of the secondary are
needed to get to that
success point. The
primaries are: 1) sharply
defined strategy (Walmart is
price!). 2) flawless
execution (how Nordstrom
became a household name).
3) Per-formance oriented
culture with high standards
and consistency within the
work population, valuing
every employee (something
everyone seems to be
striving for these days but
few succeed). 4) Structure
must be simple and
flexible. Secondary
practices are: 1) Talent –
attracting and involving and
appreciating. 2)
Leadership, which just like
sports and education, always
shows when it exists at the
top. 3) Innovation, which
today is a short term asset,
since imitation is the
quickest form of flattery.
And 4) Mergers and
Partnerships. The most
interesting to me was
developing a productive
culture. Inspiration,
rewarding achievement but
always raising the bar,
making the workplace
challenging and fun,
sustaining clear company
values to avoid political
and personal differences.
GENERATING BUY-IN,
Mark S. Walton. Every
person from 2 to 102 spends
part of every day convincing
someone. Asking them to
“buy in” to our point of
view. Looking for
understanding, commitment
and action. Walton points
out that people think in
pictures and stories, not
statistics and information,
so that storytellers are
always among the most
successful. You pick your
message and then you build a
story to tell it. He tells
about famed CEO of GE Corp,
Jack Welch, who took over
when the company was dying,
massive layoffs, absolutely
no morale and unexciting
products. Welch made his
story around 3 key messages:
GE is a place where ideas
win. GE is where people
flourish and grow. GE
perpetuates an excitement at
work that transfers to
people’s whole lives. And
you saw during his 20 years
at the top that the stock
price climbed 2,876%.
___________________
ENJOY THE WEEK!
HOT TOPICS 7/17/10
Any
day on this side of the
flower bed is a good day!
CONFESSIONS
OF AN OBSERVER FARMER
I confess. When I was a
little kid and my mother
loved to garden, all I saw
was dirt and bugs and
worms. I never took to the
soil or sweating in the
sun. But recently, I was
convinced by late night tv
to buy one of those “Topsy
Turvy” tomato planting
devices, thinking that those
hideous little green worms
couldn’t possibly jump up
onto the plants so far above
the ground.
I phoned in my order and a
week later received this
enormous box. Excited, I
ripped open the package to
find that my $19.95 bought
me two 8-inch accordion
cylinders, 2 foam discs with
holes in the middle to keep
the plants from falling
through when they were hung,
and some wire to hang the
finished “garden”. No
tomatoes, no seeds, no
seedlings, no dirt, no
fertilizer, scant
instructions. Not to be
daunted, I dashed in my
fuzzy slippers to Mission
Hills Nursery, where I was
told they had 6 packs of
tomato seedlings. “I only
want two,” I said. Very
courteously, they walked to
me another table and offered
two of the plants that they
said grow the best in San
Diego. I also bought a huge
bag of planting soil WITH
fertilizer, and more
fertilizer for after a few
weeks to rejuvenate the
proliferating plants.
Back home I dug through
stashes of storage and
located my bent trowel and a
bucket, filled the bucket
with soil and water, stirred
it to make damp bed for the
tomatos, and squeezed the
roots of the tomato plant
into the foamed cylinder
hole. Holding the cylinder
with one hand to keep the
plants off the ground, and
troweling damp dirt with the
other hand, heavier and
heavier, I finally completed
one entire planting.
Exhausted as I was with my
two hours of farming effort,
I was sure plant A would be
happier with company, so I
duplicated my efforts and
completed the habitat for
plant B. And my husband
hung them where, as the
directions suggested, they
would get good sun. Let’s
not even talk about the two
weeks of non-sun that
followed, which I am certain
were all my fault! Today I
have about 12 golf-ball
sized green fruits all
told. And trust me, I hope
these little puppies will
turn out to be the BEST $5
apiece tomatoes ever grown,
because today Meredith
French told me tomato worms
don’t come from the ground
but from moths, and I might
get them anyway.
____________________
COSTS NOW AND THEN
|
New Home |
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
As of March 2010 |
|
Avg. Household
Income |
$9,400 |
$19,500 |
$28,960 |
$40,343 |
$50,303 (2008) |
|
New Car |
$3,450 |
$7,200 |
$16,950 |
$24,750 |
$28,400 |
|
Gallon of Gas |
$.36/gal |
$1.19/gal |
$1.34/gal |
$1.26/gal |
$2.86/gal |
|
Postage Stamp |
$.06 |
$.15 |
$.25 |
$.33 |
$.44 |
|
Avg. Movie Ticket |
$2.00 |
$2.69 |
$4.22 |
$5.39 |
$7.50 |
Sources:
ThePeopleHistory.com,
Federal Trade Commission,
U.S. Census Bureau, U.S.
Postal Service, National
Assn. of Theater Owners,
GasBuddy.com.
______________________
HOMEBUYER
TRENDS
CRS (Certified Residential
Specialists organization),
the PhD group of Realtors,
reports that surveys show
that a majority of single
adults, contrary to
conventional wisdom, are
choosing to live in the
suburbs, and their main
motive-tion is that it is
more cost effective than
renting. What’s more, 68% of
single homeowners purchased
with practicality at the top
of their agenda, buying
below heir price range
rather than choosing to buy
the most expensive home they
could afford.
______________________
TIRED
OF BEING STRESSED?
Some people are getting away
from their constant pressure
by creating a calming,
serene retreat right in
their home, cheap, no travel
time, and just the way YOU
like it. To meet this
purpose, the “sanctuary” has
to : ●have a different feel
than the rest of the house,
completely. ●be separate,
even if just behind a screen
or curtain. ●include NO
technology, including
phones, computers,
televisions. ●be a soothing
color, pale blues and grees
highly recommended. ●have a
big comfy seating or
reclining piece, with a
table just big enough to
hold an icy drink or
steaming mug of tea, perhaps
a plate of food, and a lamp
(not overhead lighting).
●family or special photos to
surround you with love and
happiness. ●candles can be
nice in scents like
lavender, sandalwood or
sage, which calm body and
spirit. ●and finally, NO
stuff, NO clutter, NO piles
or lists.
_____________________
JULY
IS NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH.
More ice cream is sold on
Sunday than on any other
day.
_________________
ENERGY CUES:
●A refrigerator with a
freezer On top uses 10-25%
LESS energy than a
side-by-side or bottom
freezer ! ●Plugging
appliances into a power
strip rather than directly
into an outlet can save the
up to 15 watts of
electricity sucked up by the
appliances, even if they are
shut off.
______________________
THE ECONOMY IS SO BAD THAT…
-
CEO’s are now
playing miniature golf.
-
Exxon-Mobil
laid off 25 congressmen.
-
I bought a
toaster and got a free
bank.
-
Motel Six
turns the lights off.
-
A picture is
now worth only 200
words.
-
They rename
Wall Street “Wal-Mart
Street”.
I got so depressed last
night thinking about the
Economy, wars, jobs, my
savings, Social Security,
retirement funds, etc., I
called the Suicide Hotline.
I was connected to a call
center in Pakistan, and when
I told them I was suicidal,
they got all excited and
asked if I could drive a
truck!
____________________
HARD TO GET AWAY FROM YOUR
BUSINESS FOR A VACATION?

Trust me, I understand.
Some thoughts that may help.
-
Plan ahead.
Coordinate your vacation
time with your
co-workers, team and
other executive staff to
ensure that things run
smoothly while you're
out.
-
Designate your
main point of contact
and give them a detailed
account of all your
projects and work
commitments along with
your emergency contact
information.
-
Try to leave
the majority
of your work-related
hardware at home.
-
Inform your
key accounts, vendors
and clients
when and how long you'll
be out of the office.
-
If you have a
lot of projects
that will need attention
while you're out,
consider distributing
your projects among your
co-workers or team,
perhaps on a trade off
for their vacations, or
hiring a temporary pro.
There are MANY good pros
out of work.
-
If you can't
resist the temptation to
check in, set up specific times or days
you will be checking
messages.
-
Leave your
mobile devices in your
room
so you can concentrate
on family and friends
and not be tempted to
check in other than
those specific times.
-
If you receive
urgent voicemails or
emails
while you're out, ask
your main point of
contact to troubleshoot
the issue.
-
Remember, your health is
important, and taking a
vacation may be all the
help you need.
_____________________
ART
EVENT
Bard Hall Art Guild, "Art of Pride", Show and Reception
6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, July
20, 2010 Light Refreshments
Featuring the works of eight
local artists: Thomas
Belloff, Roger Dedrickson,
Ken Floyd, John Keasler,
Charles Keil, Howard Kubicki,
Jack Wade, Scott Wright.
Bard Hall Gallery, First Unitarian Universalist Church of San
Diego, 4190 Front Street,
San Diego, California -
Hillcrest, across from UCSD
Medical Center The third
Tuesday receptions are
followed by an artists
roundtable open to the
public.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/uuartguild/
HOT TOPICS 7/10/10
We all get
heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more
information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm
sticking to it.
ONE THING A WEEK - FINAL
CAR EMERGENCY KIT:
Review Emergency Supplies
and Grab-N-Go Above and plan
your trunk!
MORE INFORMATION:
TO PURIFY WATER:
BOIL FOR 1 FULL MINUTE or
ADD ¼ TSP BLEACH/GAL. WATER,
MIX AND LET STAND FOR 30
MINUTES, or WATER
PURIFICATION TABLETS.
DIAL 2-1-1- for shelter
information
www.earthquakesolutions.com
– all kinds of helpful
products
sandiegocounty.ca.gov/oes –
website for County for all
kinds of helpful info,
resources.
San Diego County – 1600
Pacific Highway, SD 92101,
619-531-5555, pick up
published help
San Diego Fire-Rescue
Department - Barbara Ayers,
CERT Program Manager
619-533-3075
AARP, Insurance companies,
City/San Diego and many
others have free
information, and of course
there is the internet if you
look BEFORE the emergency.
The Red Cross on-line store
sells emergency kits at
www.redcross.org. FEMA has
a 204-page book you can
download from www.fema.gov/areyouready
or order at 800-480-2520.
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland
Security has a brochure
“Preparing Makes Sense, Get
Ready Now, which includes
worksheets and a wallet
card, you can download at
www.ready.gov or order from
800-be-ready.
POLICE SECURITY INSPECTIONS
All San Diego residents and
businesses may call the
police department and make
an appointment for an
officer to inspect your home
or business and make
recommendations for
improving your security. I
had it done and was amazed
at even the obvious things I
had not thought of. Call
619-531-2000.
SDG&E adds a distinctive
odor to their natural gas,
so you can detect leaks more
easily. If you smell gas:
● Get everyone out of the
house immediately ● Call SDG&E
at 1-800-611-SDGE (7343) ●
If you can’t reach SDG&E,
call the fire department ●
Don’t light a match or a
cigarette, turn any lights
off or on, use any phone in
your house!
______________________
AS WE SET ABOUT OUR SUMMER
VACATIONS:
●
Call hotels directly to get
the best rate, last room.
Sometimes if they are full
you can get in by talking
directly to manager,
especially if you are a
frequent guest. ● Pack
your antiseptic wipes and
use them on phones, tv
remotes,handles. Remember
sheets and towels are
changed after each check
out, but not necessarily
bedspreads and blankets! ●
If you are staying for
several days, tipping the
housekeeper each day rather
than at the end will ensure
your good treatment
throughout the stay, not
just after you leave. ●
Travel insurance, easy to
purchase when you book your
trip, can cover trip delays
and cancellation, food and
lodging for a trip delayed
more than 6 hours, loss of
belongings. Check it out.
● Pack a solar charger in
case power goes out wherever
you are, or camping! ●
Store your critical
information –
passport/driver’s license,
selected credit cards,
medical data, contacts --
somewhere smart! ● Enjoy
the trip. Consider those
things that happen part of
the adventure. Making
lemonade can change the
entire result of your
vacation!
______________________
MAKING BUYING A HOME A
LITTLE EASIER.
Even
though prices are down and
the government is
“stimulating” us, it is not
easier buying a home today.
The first thing you need is
a good attitude. Probably
when you met your spouse or
partner, found your perfect
job, created your “bucket
list”, it was done with some
testing and revision along
the way. Buying a home is
not just discovery on the
outside, but also on the
inside, learning about
things that are important to
you that you might not have
thought of or are different
from last time. Consider
yourself on a road to
something that will be
wonderful and worth it when
you are done, and plan to
enjoy the journey. Your
brain will be more open to
learning and smart
thinking. 2. Start with a
great lender. This is
annoying and a lot of work,
so don’t just go to Joe the
corner Guy. Find a
go-getter who will take care
of YOU, and gets things
done. Tell him you are
going to BUY, not look, and
ask him or her to get your
paperwork COMPLETE, so their
will be no surprises as you
travel this arduous
process. You can lose a
good deal if your loan
falters, and you can have a
better chance of getting a
great deal if your financing
ducks are all lined up! 3.
You also need a great
Realtor. That is a person
who is intimately familiar
with the neighborhood(s) you
prefer (can make all the
difference in negotiating
and protecting you!), who is
absolutely committed to
earning your future
gratitude and referrals by
orchestrating your very best
experience and results, and
who is full of
credible advice and
counsel you can see making a
difference. I am happy to
provide referrals to these
people anywhere you are
looking. If someone else
offers a referral, question
them diligently about what
they liked and didn’t about
the agent they are
referring. “Cousin” is not
enough reason. “Discount”
is not enough reason. You
cut a corner here, you may
pay more there!
A buyer is a pretty good
position to have in this
real estate market. People
all over are looking for
you. So play it smart and
breathe deeply and enjoy
making your best moves.
____________________
I have to walk early in the
morning, before my brain
figures out what I'm doing…
____________________
WE
ARE CALIFORNIANS, WE KNOW
ALL ABOUT“MANIFESTING” AND
“CREATING OUR VISIONS”.
Some tools that may help you
stay focused…I especially
love the last one!
Scrapbooks and Vision Boards
Start vision from self-image
as divine and everything is
possible.
3x5 notes to remind and
focus
Bullet points
Act as if
Keep beliefs in alignment
with dreams
Self-talk
Intellectualize – enumerate
all reasons on my behalf
Make believe
Tune into the Universe –
listen
Goal for the Day
Nothing kills ideas faster
than sitting on them. Just
start.
See with new ideas
Commitment
Inspiration: rewards, big
picture
Stop stressing
Recognize life as a
spiritual game
Opportunity knocks every
day.
Take action, stop watching
Perfect is “–ing” not
“–ed” !
___________________
Courage is
not the absence of fear, but
the mastery of it.
HOT TOPICS 7/2/10
20 OF THE UNITS AT 1
MISSION ARE SOLD! AND OTHER
MISSION HILLS ACTIVITY THIS
PAST WEEK WAS:


SUMMER CHILD SAFETY IDEA.
Put your cell phone number
phone number on the inside
of a rubber bracelet on your
child, just in case you get
separated. He and you will
feel safer.
_________________
IF
YOU ARE A SHORT SALE SELLER,
YOU NEED A STRATEGY, a plan, to become a
buyer again as soon as
possible. This may involve
your choosing to do a
Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which
will ●eliminate credit card
debt, ●eliminate your second
mortgage debt, ●eliminate
some tax issues, ●eliminate
collections. You must
file the bankruptcy before
you close the short sale.
It takes 100 days to do a
Chapter 7, and after the
Bankruptcy, your credit
score will rise. All your
negative information will
have been erased, and you
will free up capital to
begin saving. Two years
from the completion of your
bankruptcy you may qualify
again to be a buyer. If you
need professional help, a
specialist in hardship
lending is James Carmody,
Benchmark Mortgage,
858-571-0271. You can hear
him on the radio, 1170 AM
from 6-7pm evenings. You
will hear that he is not
just one of “those guys” He
works with Mr. Credit, a
professional credit repair
advisor firm, and McDonald
Legal Group, a proven legal
team, to guide you through
the process. Bankruptcy
seems like a shameful step,
but truth is, most people
today are not at fault, and
it is as common as a summer
flu.

____________________
HOTELS AND KIDS.
Breakfast can be a toll and
a Toil. Pack some instant
oatmeal envelopes, and even
a hotel without a microwave
will have a coffeepot and
cup and spoon and sugar.
AND a pop up tent, “blankie”,
a few favorite stuffed
animals, can give your son
or daughter his own “room”
within your room!
____________________
INFLUENCES ON INVESTMENT
REAL ESTATE IN CALIFORNIA.
A
“1031 Exchange” is a vehicle
long used by savvy real
estate investors to DEFER
the payment of capital gains
taxes on the sale of
investment properties, so
that the money they would
pay to Uncle Sam can stay in
the cash
pool to enable them to have
a greater cash down payment
to move up to a larger
investment. A regular sale
of an investment property
would require the owner to
pay 15% long term capital
gains. 1031 Exchanges can
NOT be used
for a seller who purchases
to upgrade and flip. This
kind of transaction
classifies the seller as a
“dealer”. Dealers may also
not take depreciation and
may not take tax benefits
from an installment sale.
The intention of the owner
in a transaction to qualify
for a 1031 must be to “hold
the property” for
investment. The IRS does
not specify a specific
holding period, but hints
around at 2 years, and most
CPA’s recommend to their
clients a period of 1 year +
1 day up to 2 years (two tax
filing years). It is
possible to be BOTH an
investor and a dealer at the
same time, but the wise
owner would hold his
properties in 2 separate
entities, one for the dealer
properties and one for the
investment properties.
Investment landlords who do
not live in California are
now subject to a Franchise
Tax Board withholding of 7%
of the rents received, due
quarterly.
There is also a bill pending
in the state Senate, a
really good bill except for
one poison bullet, that will
prevent out of state
property investors from
deferring their state taxes
on California property long
term gains, costing them
9.55% from the sale proceeds
at the time of sale.
Effectively this will deter
out of state investors from
looking at California
property and reduce our pool
of buyer, ergo reducing our
prices.
__________________
PACK
YOUR CARRY-ON IN A
SOFT-SIDED COOLER
And you have a cooler to use
in the hotel, in a rental
car for driving times, at
the beach or wherever. And
it is usually easier to
stow.
_________________
IF
YOU READ THE NEWSPAPER,
you know that sales across
the nation plummeted. One
report said:
According to the National
Association of Realtors (NAR),
pending home sales fell a
whopping 30% in May. Their
index, which measures signed
sales contracts but not
closed sales, plunged to
77.6 from 110.9 in April.
It's even off 15.9% from a
year ago when the nation was
barely emerging from the
recession.
"The pending
home sales report is a
disaster," said Mike Larson,
a real estate analyst for
Weiss Research. "Sales fell
off a cliff after the tax
credit expired. It's the
biggest monthly decline ever
and the index is at its
lowest level since NAR began
tracking it in 2001."
Lawrence Yun,
NAR's chief economist
downplayed the damage a bit.
According to him, customers
rushed into deals to claim
the credit, borrowing from
May sales. Once the economic
recovery comes into full
swing, housing markets will
heat up.
"If jobs come
back as expected, the pace
of home sales should pick up
later this year," said Yun,
"and reach a sustainable
level of activity given very
favorable affordability
conditions."
Those
conditions include much
lower home prices and
extremely favorable mortgage
interest rates. The question
is when -- or if -- the job
market will ever bounce
back.
"We're not
creating jobs," said Larson.
"The housing problems now
are being driven by broad
economic problems."
This is all
parallel to what we are
seeing locally. Buyers are
fewer. They recognize good
values, they are negotiating
reasonably, but “they” are
the very few with strong
reasons to move not wait and
see. I have advised my
clients that I don’t see
renting and waiting for a
recovery is a short term
solution, because I don’t
see enough emphasis being
put on entrepreneurship,
supporting business and
eliminating business
obstacles, which would all
drive jobs. This may even
be a better time than we
will see if buyer confidence
declines further and the
government stops supporting
low interest rates.
______________________
CONDOMINIUMS
ARE SMART TO QUALIFY FOR FHA
APPROVAL.
It will cost $1000 - $1500.
It will take 3-6 Months. It
will greatly enlarge the
pool of buyers able to buy,
(and enlarged pool of buyers
supports better pricing!)
since FHA loans now go up to
$793,750 and require only a
3.5% down payment (compared
to the 10-20% on
conventional loans), and
carry a very competitive
interest rate, AND are
assumable! FHA has NO
relation to Section 8 even
though each is a department
of HUD. If you condominium
complex is not FHA approved,
you may want to ask your
board to look into it.
HOT TOPICS 6/26/10
Long term capital gains will move up from 15% to 20% on January 1,
2011. That is 6 months from
now. Plan ahead.
PLANNING IMPROVEMENTS AT
HOME?
Don’t forget to let Uncle
Sam supplement your funds.
If during this year
you do things like windows,
doors, water heaters,
insulation, heating and air,
you can qualify for a CREDIT
(better than deduction) of
30% of your costs for
materials (not labor) up to
$1500. Solar panels will
get you the 30% credit with
no cap! And the government
is looking at a lot more
ideas. You can keep up to
date by referencing
www.energystar.gov.
________________
FREE
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
SERVICE!!
Even
if you are NOT the person
who called me about your
neighbor’s always barking
dogs, or their tree that is
damaging your patio, you
will love this service. It
is professional mediators
who will take your problem,
community issues,
parent-teenager issues
(wonderful story about how
the daughter of a divorced
couple wanted to stay with
her step-father when the
mother died, and the father
was devastated until the
mediator discovered the
daughter’s driver was about
seeing her friends, and they
were able to find a way to
do that and now the
relationship between
daughter and father is
better than ever!). The
organization is NCRC –
National Conflict Resolution
Center – and they offer FREE
training for people who want
to learn to do better in
their community or
workplace, free. Since life
IS a negotiation, I think
this is a very valuable
service. The County is a
major funder of this
organization, realizing that
these services keep people
out of the small claims
courts. You may get
information on the training
from Bridget at
blambert@ncrconline.com,
or request help from the
NCRC at 619-238-2400. They
are located at 625 Broadway
#1221, Downtown, and also
have offices in East County,
South Bay and North County.
___________________
SUMMER EMPLOYEES
who
are classified as
independent contractors
rather than employees may
not have taxes withheld, and
may find themselves
responsible at tax time for
paying income taxes AND
Social Security and Medicare
taxes. They are usually
exempt from benefits. If
you are a student and
received a refund of all
your withheld taxes for
2009, you may claim “exempt”
on your W-4 form when
hired. This will increase
your paycheck and you may
avoid filing a federal tax
return. The employer should
still withhold Social
Security and Medicare
taxes.
MORE TAX TIPS:
If you are getting married,
report any name changes to
the Social Security
Administration, and report
any changes of address to
the Post Office, your
employment and the IRS. You
may want to have the
withholding changed on your
payroll calculation.
Driving during an official
charitable service may earn
you $.14/mile for your auto
expense if you keep good
records.
Summer Day camps may be
deductable as child care
expense under the Child and
Dependent Care Credit.
THANK YOU JAMES D. MILLER,
CPA, FOR PROVIDING THIS
INFORMATION.
Now that every dollar is
more important, having a
good financial expert at
your fingertips is very
important, and planning a
good strategy and timing is
essential to your best
results. If you don’t have
such experts, I would be
happy to make
recommendations to people
you can absolutely trust.
____________________
PLAN YOUR 4TH OF
JULY IN MISSION HILLS WITH
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AT
PIONEER PARK!

A week from Sunday we all
celebrate the founding of
our nation, and we of
Mission Hills, our friends
and family, will gather to
do so at Pioneer Park next
to Grant School on
Washington Place. There is
a full schedule of fun.
At 10:30 everyone is invited
to come on foot or on bike
in costume with pets and
partners all decorated for
the holiday to the entrance
to the park for the annual
parade. It will go north up
to Fort Stockton, and west
along to Sunset, across St.
James to Fort Stockton
again, back East to West
Lewis Street, and then south
on Randolph back to the
Park. Prices for best
costume and most patriotic
dog (sponsored by Howlistic)
will be awarded. At 11:30
kids games including Balloon
Stomp, Hula Hoop and Freeze
Dancing will be held with
prizes for the winners.
From 12-2 your invited to
enjoy your own picnic and
the music of our first
summer band concert (this
one by Spectrum), and free
cake for all compliments of
Albertson’s. A great day to
enjoy our natural weather
gift, your friends and
neighbors, and the amazing
gift of being an American!
Thank you to Chairman Steve
Shushan, an amazing guy in
everything he offers to do,
and sponsors U.S. Bank
(thank you, Manager and
resident Lucy Jackson),
Phil’s BBQ (long time
favorite of Mission Hills),
and the Presidio Sentinel
which is actually Patty
Brooks, who also manages all
the summer concerts, is a
founder and Treasurer of the
Mission Hills Town Council,
and has been at the
forefront of so many
community benefits.
___________________
FIREWORKS JULY 4TH.
There will be fireworks in
the evening next Sunday on
Glorietta Bay in Coronado,
at Sea World, on Shelter
Island and Harbor Island, at
The Embarcadero, and at
Seaport Village. Pick your
place, get parking (probably
the hardest part), and enjoy
the evening!
THE PADRES ARE HAVING THEIR
FIREWORKS ON FRIDAY NIGHT,
JULY 2 !!!
_______________________
If you treat
people well, they will treat
you well!

_________________________
The new HILLQUEST URBAN
GUIDE IS OUT! And if you
want some quick fun reading
about the people and places
in our urban hub
communities, pick up a copy
(any savvy purveyor, or my
office) and enjoy. Stories
about the people, their
people, their ideas and
their homes, places,
activities and histories are
all there, along with a lot
of things to do and places
to see. You can also call
Ann and Nancy at 260-1929
for location, or go to their
FABULOUS WEBSITE (!!)
(truly!) at Hillquest.com,
(which has a lot MORE
information) . If you do
business in their Hood, you
won’t want to be left out of
their next annual edition.
Thanks again, Ladies! It is
fabulous!

EASY SUMMER DESSERT THE
KIDS CAN DO!
Whip up a pint of heavy
cream with a dot of sugar
and a dash of vanilla until
it is thick and will peak.
Then layer it between the
Famous Chocolate Wafers
(about 1/4” on each cookie),
then push the layers snuggly
together, and line it up on
a dish. Refrigerate for at
least 5 hours, then cut and
serve, you will all think
you are in heaven!
_____________________
HOT TOPICS 6/19/10
BBQ SATURDAYS AT MISSION
HILLS WINE CELLAR + DELI!
Last week was a trial run, no advertising or notice, and they ran
out of food way early! If
you want a quick wonderful
lunch, note the table in
front of Sam and Susan’s
store (where you can pick up
soft drinks or beers to have
with) and come on by. He
says he will be here weekly
from now on.
________________________
IMPROVING
OUR COMMUNITY.
An interesting paradox in
this economic trough that
appears to be affecting
everyone, is the improvement
it seems to to be creating
in the community. And trust
me, I don’t mean the
mess in the streets. Can
someone tell me why our
impoverished City government
has chosen to spend its rare
dollars NOW on redoing every
intersection curb at this
time? Back to the good
news. If you look around,
the market is proving that
homes in perfect, gorgeous,
magazine condition are
flying out the door, 2 weeks
maximum marketing time.
Those homes in the middle
that need updating are
finding themselves
categorized as “fixers”,
which we used to relegate
only to functional or
structural problems. And
these homes are standing on
the market until the seller
decides to make the
remodeling or to reduce the
price to compensate for the
upgrades PLUS a hefty bonus
for contingency and
inconven-ience
compensation. SO, when
these homes do sell, they
are attracting people with
the financial capability and
the experience or
professional insight to do
the job and do it well. We
are getting, therefore, an
influx of financially strong
buyers and smartly improved
properties. Sometimes it
takes a while to notice
change. We are so
accustomed to enjoying what
we call the “charm” of our
communities in metropolitan
San Diego, that it was easy
not to notice that newcomers
DO treasure the “charm” but
demand convenience be
built-in too. Life is too
tight to waste time on
inconvenient living, and too
stressful to want to add the
frustration.
___________________
U.S. SENATE EXTENDED CLOSING
DEADLINE FOR PURCHASERS OF
HOMES IN CONTRACT BY APRIL
30TH FROM JUNE 30TH
TO SEPTEMBER 30TH
SO THAT BUYERS WITH
DREADFULLY SLOW (and aren’t
they all these days!)
LENDERS CAN QUALIFY FOR
THEIR TAX CREDITS!
_______________
WHO YOU ARE IS MORE ABOUT
BEING THAN HAVING.
When you were a child, did
anyone ever ask you what you
were going to have
when you grow up? No, the
question was always, “What
do you want to be
when you grow up?” then
sometime under the influence
of our peers and media,
“having” becomes important.
And I suggest that if we
simply swing the emphasis
back to “being”, our
problems could often be
avoided or solved.
__________________
ONE
THING TO DO , WEEK 10:
PREPARING HOMES FOR
EARTHQUAKES:
● Do a house inspection
for potential hazards
·
Be sure foundation is bolted
to house, and chimney is
stabilized.
·
Shut off wrench at gas
valve.
·
Kitchens benefit from
rubbery shelf liners in
refrigerator and cabinets
and under large electronic
components, cupboard doors
that latch well, doorstops
under refrigerator, washer
and Dryer to prevent
“walking”.
·
Bedrooms should have fresh
or wind-up flashlights in
quick reach, window exit
ladders.
·
Bathrooms are glass risks,
remove glass items from
counters, latch cupboards
well, more rubbery shelf
liners and underpinnings,
safety glass on shower
doors.
·
Tempered glass for large
windows, doors.
·
Quake-Hold straps for tall
pieces, earthquake putty for
tchotchkes on shelves,
quake-hold picture hangers
or close hanger hooks with
pliers. Heavy things on
lower shelves. Books stored
tightly, leaning up, or
fronted with taut guards.
______________________
HOW DO THEY STAND UP WHEN
THINGS ARE TOUGH?
As we were reminded this
week by a couple whose son
was the star pitcher, when
Gregg Hiddleson and I once
had a Little League team we
actively coached. . . or
maybe they coached us. . .
everyone can be great when
things are easy, but it’s
who you are when the times
are tough that matter. In
true Disney movie style,
there was one kid whose
adolescence had brought him
to a completely clumsy stage
as his limbs grew rapidly in
all directions. He was not
the star and not the most
popular player, but a
sincerely nice boy. And as
the movie director would
have called it, last game,
finals, last inning, last
out was his turn at bat. In
spite of some parental
pressure, we had held to the
principal that everyone
plays and everyone is
appreciated for doing his
best. And as the team and
fans recognized the
situation, there was a
moment of silence, and no
one more than the boy
recognized the choice:
leave him in or put in a
substitute. Before Gregg
could even give his command
the 13-year old team began
to speak as one, calling out
the boy’s name and saying,
“Go, you can do it, Robby,
this is the time, you’re our
man!” And as it is supposed
to happen only in movies,
Robby walked up to the box
and missed. And he missed
again. And the Pitcher
threw him two foul balls.
And Robby stood there with
his team roaring support
from behind him, and on the
next pitch he made his first
hit of the season, out of
the field, winning the
game. It would have been
easy to take that chance
away from him, parents were
calling for us to do that.
It would have been easy to
save him from that singular
man-alone pressure. And it
would have been easy for him
to quit. But we all would
have missed the best moment
of the season. And Robby
never would have had that
instant of being swarmed and
congratulated and proud for
his courage.
_____________________
HELPING TEENS FIND SUMMER
JOBS
Teens are having even more
competition for those summer
jobs because of the
competition from adults
who’ve re-entered the
seasonal or temporary
workforce because of
economic pressure. But
certain businesses always
need summer help – fast-food
Indus-try, grocery stores,
movie theaters, bowling
alleys and other enter-tainment
(mini-golf?) businesses.
Teens may be able to better
compete by being willing to
look at flexible hours that
family people cannot do such
as nights and weekends.
Learning how to interview,
eye contact is critical,
posture not slouching,
smiling and being natural,
not fidgeting, (great tips
on “snagajob.com”!) and how
to dress are important.
Applying to as many jobs as
possible helps with the
above and the chances of
being hired. Friends and
family are always good
leads, but so can starting a
business be! How many
adults have children that
need care or at least
entertaining so they can go
to work or work at home –
older teens could start a
“neighborhood camp” with
sports and games and lessons
and the like, or even
teaching/tutoring kids who
had trouble in school the
past year. Putting yourself
out as the “gardener’s
helper vacation substitute”
or the substitute anything
else. What about asking a
local business if they need
a bicycle delivery person,
and perhaps setting up a
business to serve a bunch of
businesses and hiring your
friends. And it is
important to remember that
the job is not the most
important thing, it is
chance to learn about the
process, the rules and how
to provide customer service.
____________________
DUSTING THE COILS UNDER THE
REFRIGERATOR
Can save energy so it
doesn’t have to work so hard
to stay cool. So can
wrapping foam around exposed
hot water pipes. A “smart
Strip” which costs about $30
and works like a surge
protector, will cut the
power to devices (like your
tv, computer, etc.) when
they are switched off but
still plugged in.
___________________
17th Annual
Mission Hills Concerts
in the Park
At Pioneer/Mission Hills
Park
1425 Washington Place
July 4 from noon to 2 p.m.
July 9 from 6 to 8 p.m.
July 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.
July 23 from 6 to 8 p.m.
HOT TOPICS 6/12/10
“HAPPINESS is when what you
think, what you say, and
what you do are in harmony.”
. . . Mahatma Gandhi.
____________________
AT LAST! The latest Housing
Price Index reports that the
benchmark for national
housing prices gained 0.9%
in April.
3 of the 4 U.S. census
regions registered
respectable gains with the
Midwest adding 1.9%, the
south 1.8%, and the West
1.1%. Only the Northeast
declined -0.7%. Last year
April was down -0.2%. We
are now a total of -23.9%
from the July 2007 high.
They say. Discussion is
asking whether the federal
tax credits propped this up
artificially and we will see
renewed weakness. The scary
“shadow inventory” is
estimated to be approaching
1 million units.
In Mission Hills, after NO
activity in the above
$1,200,000 market to speak
of, we are having 3 pendings
or closings above $1.3 in
the next several weeks.
Listing inventory is
increasing more toward the
“normal” numbers. We always
have a little trough of
activity between Memorial
Day and July 4 as people
readjust to no school and
start summer lives, but
lenders haven’t seemed to
bring out any new obstacles,
and one would hope the
interlude would be giving
them time to learn how to
process in the big picture.
___________________
OVER-CELEBRATE
A LITTLE?
A great restorative
whether it was too much
alcohol, food, riotous
behavior, or just energy
expense, is to eat a few
cucumber slices before you
hit the bed. The B vitamins
and electrolytes will
replenish your essen-tial
nutrients and bounce you up
in the morning!
__________________
FRIENDS OF SAN DIEGO
ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM
And CONTEST TO WIN FREE
BATH OR KITCHEN REMODEL.
Friends of San Diego
Architecture will be
presenting a lecture in 2011
on aging in place issues.
And many media are talking
about real world design
applications. You are
invited to attend next
year’s lecture AND to join
in the Designed for Life
contest sponsored by the San
Diego Chapter of the
American Society of Interior
Designers (ASID), ReVisions
Resources, and AARP for a
free kitchen or bathroom
remodel and guidance by an
ASID member, remodeling
plans, merchandise and
installation.
CONTEST DEADLINE IS JUNE 30,
2010.
Baths and kitchens are two
of the most dangerous rooms
in the house. Accidental
falls are the number one
reason people are forced to
leave their homes and enter
long tem care. These
designs also hope to
demonstrate that aging in
place can be attractive and
cost-effective, not
institutional.
Contestants must be legal
San Diego County residents
age 45 or older who own and
live in their homes. Exempt
are owners of manufactured
homes and mobile homes, and
employees of contest
sponsors, immediate family
and household members.
There is no charge to enter
and no purchase necessary.
You may enter by going to
SDHOMEREVISIONS.ORG
to fill in the online
contest entry form (which
includes submitting photos
of your kitchen or bath and
an essay on “Why I Need this
Makeover”, as well as your
contact information. Copies
of the entry form and
contest rules may also be
obtained from AARP’s
Information Center for San
Diego in North Park (619)
641-7020, and mailed to
ReVisions Resources, P.O.
Box 600751, San Diego, CA
92160. YOU MAY ENTER
TWICE, ONCE FOR YOUR
BATHROOM AND ONCE FOR YOUR
KITCHEN. Six
finalists will be selected
in July and paired with a
local professional design
team, and in October a panel
of judges will determine one
winning kitchen and one
winning bathroom, and the
homeowners associated with
these plans will win the
grand prize remodels.
Judges include: Michael
Stepner, former San Diego
City Architect and member of
many important advisory
groups; Dr. Maurizio
Antoninetti, SDSU faculty
member and member of the
Universal Design Leadership
advisory panel; Dr. David
Kopec, New School of
Architecture faculty and
author of Designing for
the Elderly Population;
Leon Harper, former AARP
housing director; Catherine
Darragh, Chair of the
Friends of San Diego
Architecture; and Joanne
Price, former chair of the
San Diego Fall Prevention
Task force.
Sponsors (whom you may not
be related to to enter)
include: Revisions
Resources, a nonprofit
agency providing innovative
aging in place programs in
Southern California since
1989; AARP; San Diego
Chapter of ASID; San Diego
Kitchen & Bath, Kiva Kitchen
& Bath, San Diego Marble &
Tile, Tutto Marmo, and
Arizona Tile who are
providing the new kitchen;
Best Bath Systems and
Aging-in-Place-Remodeling to
provide the bathroom. Other
support is provided by
San Diego Home/GardenLifestyles,
PACE TV, Friends of San
Diego Architecture, the San
Diego Fall Prevention Task
force, the San Diego Public
Library, and the San Diego
County Library.
_____________________
FIRE
PREVENTION.
A couple of things you may
not think of when you are
clearing that tinder-free
moat around your home, is
to clear your gutters and
eaves of dry debris that may
catch flying sparks, and
trim big trees up at least
6-10 feet above ground.
Your double-paned windows
also help!
___________________
HOUSE SITTER ESPECIALE!
If you have a need for a
house sitter this summer, I
have a perfect person. Has
been in the “hood” for
years, professional,
personal friend, and I
couldn’t say more reliable
or nicer about anyone. A
Maureen O’Hara kind of
person with highest
integrity. Thanks.
______________________
SO WHEN DID IT BECOME SMART
BUSINESS PRACTICE TO MAKE
YOUR RECEPTIONIST’ DUTIES
MORE ABOUT SERVING THE
COMPANY THAN ABOUT TAKING
CARE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS!?
Grrrrrrrr.
_________________
MONDAY, JUNE 14, IS U.S.
FLAG DAY.
The
Fourth of July was
traditionally celebrated as
America's birthday, but the
idea of an annual day
specifically celebrating the
Flag is believed to have
first originated in 1885. BJ
Cigrand,
a schoolteacher, arranged
for the pupils in the
Fredonia, Wisconsin Public
School, District 6, to
observe June 14 (the 108th
anniversary of the official
adoption of The Stars and
Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'.
In numerous magazines and
newspaper articles and
public addresses over the
following years, Cigrand
continued to
enthusiastically advocate
the observance of June 14 as
'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag
Day' and other teachers
acted in agreement. On June
14, 1891, the Betsy Ross
House in Philadelphia held a
Flag Day celebration, and on
June 14 of the following
year, the New York Society
of the Sons of the
Revolution, celebrated Flag
Day, and more groups began
to adopt the day, requesting
the authorities and private
citizens to display the Flag
and with each child being
given a small Flag, and with
patriotic songs and
addresses. And it spread.
Until inspired by three
decades of state and local
celebrations, Flag Day - the
anniversary of the Flag
Resolution of 1777 - was
officially established
by the Proclamation of
President Woodrow Wilson on
May 30th, 1916. While Flag
Day was celebrated in
various communities for
years after Wilson's
proclamation, it was not
until August 3rd, 1949, that
President Truman signed an
Act of Congress designating
June 14th of each
year as National Flag Day.
_________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 9:
THE TRIANGLE OF LIFE – AN
ALTERNATIVE TO “DUCK AND
COVER”
Doug Copp, Rescue Chief of
the American Rescue Team
International
When buildings
collapse, the weight of the
ceilings falling upon
objects or furniture inside
crushes these objects,
leaving a space or void next
to them. This space is what
I call “The Triangle of
Life”. The larger the
object crushed, the stronger
and the less it will
compact. The less the
object compacts, the larger
the void and the greater the
probability that the person
who is using this void for
safety will not be injured.
9 Tips for
Earthquake Safety
1.
People who “duck and cover”
under objects like desks or
cars are crushed.
2.
It is a natural instinct you
should follow to curl up in
a fetal position next to an
object, sofa or other bulky
object.
3.
Wooden buildings are safest
in an earthquake, flexing
and moving with the tremble,
and have less concentrated,
crushing weight. Brick
buildings will cause many
injuries with their
individual bricks but less
squashed bodies than
concrete slabs.
4.
If you are in bed during an
earthquake or other
catastrophe, roll off the
bed and curl up at the foot.
5.
If you can’t get out a door
or window, curl up next to a
large object.
6.
Standing in a doorway when
buildings collapse means
being crushed if the
doorjamb falls forward or
back or being cut in half by
the doorway.
7.
Never go to the stairs. They
swing separately from the
main part of the building
and bump into the building
until they fail and the
people are chopped up by the
treads. When fleeing down
stairs always check for
weakening by load if
trafficking with a large
number of people, even
before the rest of the
building is damaged.
8.
It is much better to be near
possible escape routes at
the outside of the building
than the interior of the
building.
9.
People inside vehicles
should get out and sit or
lie next to them. AVOID
POWER LINES.
_________________
NEXT MISSION HILLS
COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE
Set your calendar for
October 9. You may register
at any time between now and
then, but we will be sending
out the usual neon yellow
postcards and posters to
remind you in the weeks
ahead. You might think
about: ●Making a
neighborhood event, which
will draw more traffic than
just one home. ●Inviting
your or neighborhood kids to
sell Krispy Kremes, lemonade
or cookies. ●Holding a
scout troop or band
fundraiser in tandem.
Hot Topics 6/5//10
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be.. It's the way it is..
The way we cope with it, is
what makes the difference.
___________________________
IF
THEY DON’T HAVE A PHONE
NUMBER, I AM NOT USING THEM.
Several times in the past
month I have hired an
on-line company to
distribute flyers of my
listings to all the agents
in San Diego County. It is
not possible to do so via
the Multiple Listing System,
and it takes days to
assemble your own list, and
then the agents move. So
this sounded practical, and
I paid my money and sent out
my materials. It seems that
the company’s opt-out and
unsubscribe buttons are too
small, and my webhost called
me to say that I have been
reported as spam 38 times
and my site was now
blocked. Of course there is
no phone number for the
flyer company. Because my
AOL email was being blocked,
I decided to open a Gmail
email. And in doing so I
asked for my AOL contacts to
be transferred to the google
site. I now have 3563
emails in my aol account
which is receiving all my
past emails one at a time
every split second from some
instruction from Google’s
gmail. AOL showed me how to
mass delete, but the flow
has to be stopped by Gmail.
And they have no phone
number. I can read until I
am blue in the face, but it
won’t help me. I already
followed their directions,
only two simple steps, and
this happened. It is a
problem in their system, I
need a phone number.
Speaking of which I tried to
call the White House to add
my great idea on the Gulf
Coast to their
considerations. Another
one. They keep insisting
you email, and if you DO
want to talk to one of their
“comment volunteers”, you
need to call during business
hours East Coast time, and
hold for L O N G PERIODS of
time with no sound so that
you know anyone is there.
They do all they can to
discourage calls. What kind
of world have we become that
people don’t want to talk to
each other!
And I am confirmed. I am no
longer working with anyone
who doesn’t have a phone
number and a live person.
If I had time to know
everything about everything,
I would have to become a
mother!
______________________
CITIES
ARE NOW BEING JUDGED, and it
seems very appropriate that
they do so, BY THE HEALTH OF
THEIR ECONOMY, THEIR COST OF
LIVING, AND THEIR
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS.
According to the most recent
study, American cities
excelling with respect to
these standards are 1)
Raleigh NC, 2) Washington
DC, 3) Minneapolis, MN, 4)
Stamford, CT, 5) Salt Lake
City (especially for their
booming job market), 6)
Denver, CO, 7) Seattle, WA,
8) Austin, TX, 9) San Jose,
CA, and 10) Atlanta, GA.
The listing continues with
Portland, OR, Omaha,
Hartford, CN, Baltimore,
Charlotte, NC, San
Francisco, Albany,
Worcester, Richmond, VA,
Kansas City, Nashville,
Columbus, Indianapolis, and
Philadelphia. In spite of
all our qualities, we are
not on the list. And I
assume it is elements 1 and
2 that we don’t meet.
______________________
REVERSING YOUR CEILING FAN.
Most ceiling fans today can
have their direction
reversed, to pull the warm
air up in the winter or push
cool air down in the
summer. This is a good time
of year to be looking at
reversing your directions. 
THIS IS ALSO A GOOD (LESS
EXPENSIVE) TIME OF YEAR TO
HAVE YOUR ROOF AND FIREPLACE
INSPECTED.
Maintenance can be a
significant cost saver in
overall expenses of managing
property.
___________________
ANY
OF US WHO WORK IN THE HOME
VALUE ARENA CAN VERIFY that
USING AN ARCHITECT OR
DESIGNER FOR YOUR JOB CAN
GREATLY ENHANCE YOUR
RESULTING VALUE.
These people are trained and
educated in options,
requirements, alternatives,
and resources. And so often
the most amazingly stunning
details are the result of a
professional’s expertise.
Last week I visited a
remodeled condominium where
pillars were converted to
walls for new storage, walls
were moved to open and close
new areas, the stunning
stainless kitchen cabinets
turned out to be stainless
veneer (that took very close
inspection) and other cost
savings but millionaire
looking details were
provided by the pro who knew
how and where to go. And
many of the top people are
willing to do smaller jobs
now, and they all know about
focusing on practical costs,
even for their wealthy
clients! Combining their
expertise and resources may
cost you no more than hiring
Home Depot or Lowe’s and may
give you much greater
results! It is at least
worth a look. My Resources
at
www.GinnyOllis.com
offers many trustworthy
possibilities.
_____________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 8:
Practice. Twice a year. At
least once With your
neighbors, make a party out
Of it. Even spontaneously.
Train each Other. If you
never need this, wonderful.
If you do, you will be
eternally grateful that you
did this. Think about
keeping your automobile at
least ½ full … in case. It
doesn’t cost any more.
_____________________
HOOKED ON BOOKS.
“Citizens
of London” is another book I
cannot put down. Often I am
in wonderment that people
expect what was true
yesterday is true today. I
always expect everything to
change. One amazing insight
from this book, about the
men who were instrumental in
forging the union between
the U.S. and Britain during
the early 1940’s, is
learning that Britain still
thought of Americans as the
obstreperous rebels who left
the realm to start their own
country 165 years earlier,
AND Americans still held the
British to be class-bound
stiff royalists. The
insight into the daily life
of those in London during
the years of war, blitz and
deprivation, the courage and
stalwart determination they
all demonstrated, the
leadership of women who had
previously been limited to
England’s dress shops and
kitchens, the relentless
obstacle of politics in
every arena on every side of
the Atlantic, and the
(sorry, old boys, but yes!)
stupidity of our leaders
(again on both sides) in
certain instances. I
realize any book is one man
or woman’s vision, but this
is so fascinating I cannot
put it down, and invite you
to share the bravery and
character of so many in such
a hard time. You will find
it addictive too!.
_______________________
THE PRESIDENCY, a
fascinating thought: From Matt Bai, The New York
Times 6/5/10: “As much
as we talk about ideology
and competence, our judgment
of presidents doesn’t hinge
on either of these things in
isolation. What matters is
the perception — or perhaps
the illusion — that one is
shaping events, rather than
being shaped by them. The
modern presidency, like the
old “Get Smart” series, is
about chaos versus control.
“
HOT TOPICS 5/29/10
BEING
ON THE MARKET IS NOT WHEN TO
SAVE ON ELECTRICITY!
Bright lights, when needed
to supplement natural light,
show a room as bigger,
cleaner, and cheerier. Dark
may be romantic, but it
opposes the selling of
homes. If you have “green
low wattage lights”, please
replace them with green HIGH
wattage lights, as much as
your fixtures can stand. It
is temporary. It is
necessary. A bathroom
barely lit looks small, a
bedroom looks cozy and
small, a living room looks
dowdy or dated. BRIGHT
might show off some flaws,
but if they can’t be fixed,
they will have to be dealt
with regardless. Turn up
the light. Be bright about
bright!
____________________
QUALIFYING
FOR TODAY’S MORTGAGES.
If you are planning to apply
for a new mortgage, you will
find that one of the
requisite documents will be
your 2009 federal tax
return, and that if you have
filed an extension, it may
delay your loan processing
while the lender finds other
verification of the copy you
provide to them. Sigh. If
this is fixed, please keep
the government away from me!
____________________
CHILDREN.
Being a natural birth parent
to zero children, but always
wanting to be a mother more
than anything else, I watch
in admiration how so many of
my friends and acquaintances
perform the most important
job in the world. I am
always learning and getting
ideas from them, often from
comparing with my own
upbringing from 2 wonderful
parents, who, like everyone
else, saw things from their
experience and learning.
A friend told me today about
his son at the London School
of Economics, and I sighed.
While there were all kinds
of exchange opportunities
when I was growing up, I was
quite parochial. Although
many of my friends never
left our little colonial
Massachusetts village, and I
had been to New York and
Washington DC and Florida
and Cape Cod dozens of
times, it never occurred to
me that I could go to Europe
or Asia or faraway places.
And I think that
perspective, learning that
far is not different from
near just different from
same, learning that problem
solving out there or on a
higher scale is the same as
problem solving in the
living room or classroom but
with more input, or that
succeeding on a greater
stage is different only in
the level of focus,
preparation and confidence,
is such an important thing
to teach a child. And
helping them to see the
lessons in life, not just
absorb and store them. Oh
what job parenting is!
__________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 7:
Paper work.
1. Calendar to refresh
grab-n-go’s, supplies,
records, contact lists at
least every six months.
2. Make sure your insurance
and records are up to date.
3. Prepare copies of
medical records or
instructions for any special
situations, and make a copy
to be available to post in
the house out of sight but
easily locatable in case
emergency professionals come
into the house.
4. Make copies of all birth
certificates, investment
records, social security
cards, passport, trusts,
wills, private keepsakes,
credentials of any kind, and
store in a fire proof safe
AND safe deposit box.
5. Make a written memo to
all out of town relatives to
apprise them of the plan and
their role in any of it.
Keep copy and/or original in
fireproof safe and safe
deposit box.
6 Prepare or collect
instructions on how to
service the house –
[ ] how to shut off the
main electrical
[ ] how to shut off the
water main
[ ] how to shut off the
gas
[ ] how to operate the
garage door override
______________________
ANNUAL ART AROUND ADAMS.
June 5th
from 3:00 pm – 9:00 p.m. the
Adams Recreation Center is
sponsoring a free family
event on Adams Avenue in
Normal Heights and
Kensington with live music,
outrageous street performers
and an array of art. Write
it down so you won’t forget!
ROCK ‘N ROLL MARATHON
June 6th
San Diego will host one of
the nation’s leading
Marathons, with bands on 26
stages on a course cenically
set through the city of San
Diego. It begins at 6:15
(time change!) in Hillcrest
at 6th and
University, so plan your
local travel wisely. More
information is available at
www.runrocknroll.com.
June
19th
will see the fabulously
attended and successful
Annual Old House Fair in
South Park. Anyone who is
thinking of buying,
restoring, repairing or
preserving an older home
will enjoy the plethora of
ideas and information from
local crafts-people and
businesses that specialize
in this genre. So many of
our wonderful metropolitan
homes qualify, and the art
and artisanship are
fabulous. Absolutely worth
the day! 10:00 a.m. – 4:00
p.m. at 30th and
Beech. More info at
619-233-6679 or
www.theoldhousefair.com
_________________
WITH THE PASSING OF ART
LINKLETTER
We can’t help but think
about how kids say the
darndest things: A few you
may enjoy are –
"Learning to speak Latin.”
-
Name six animals which
live specifically in the
Arctic. “Two polar
bears and four seals.”
-
Where was the American
Declaration of
Independence signed?
“At the bottom.”
-
What is a vibration?
“There are good
vibrations and bad
vibrations. Good
vibrations were
discovered in the
60’s.”
Hot Topics 5/22/10
'AND THE TIME CAME WHEN THE
RISK TO REMAIN TIGHT IN A
BUD WAS MORE PAINFUL THAN
THE RISK IT TOOK TO
BLOSSOM.'
___________________________
TRAVELING -
Always pack your
medicine in your carry on
and not your checked
luggage, and before you
leave, type a list of your
medications and dosages onto
a small piece of paper and
put it in your wallet. Date
it. This will help anyone
who is trying to help you!
____________________
“GREEN”, TRENDY AND
TROPICAL
Perfect for San Diego
outdoors, these natural
outdoor shelters made from
regenerative bamboo and
natural fiber canvas, will
decorate your pool or garden
with smart. The fittings
are steel and brass. They
can also provide a custom
design. Go to
www.standardbamboo.com
to see more. 888-632-9096.
____________________
THE WORD ON FRUIT.
Have you noticed that with
the advent of the internet,
there are just more ways for
people to tell you how to
live your life? And it can
be hard to determine which
ones to give credibility
to. BUT sometimes, it just
seems to make sense. One of
my newest emails told me the
following, and it makes very
good sense to me.
1.
Eat fruit on an empty
stomach. Fruit will cause
other food to spoil when it
comes into contact with
other food and digestive
juices, hence the bloating
and burping and unseen
results.
2.
Eating fresh fruit juice is
very beneficial, canned and
heated cooked fruit have
lost most of their
nutrients.
3.
A 3-day fruit fast will
cleanse your body and
radiate your skin. (Always
check with your doctor
before doing any extreme
practice!)
4.
Kiwis have potassium,
magnesium, vitamin E, fibre
and twice as much
Vitamin C as an orange.
5.
Apples enhance
the activity of vitamin C,
and give you antioxidants
and flavonoids.
6.
Strawberries have the
highest total antioxidant
power among major fruits.
7.
2-4 oranges a day may deter
colds, lower cholesterol,
dissolve kidney stones and
reduce the risk of colon
cancer.
8.
Watermelons are 92% water
and contain a giant dose of
glutathione which boosts our
immune system, lycopen which
fights cancer and offer
vitamin C and potassium.
Finally, drinking cold water
AFTER a meal is a no no. It
will solidify the oils you
have eaten, generating
sludge and slowing
digestion, lining the
intestine. It is best to
drink HOT water (coffee,
tea, etc) after a meal.
_____________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 6:
Pets and Neighbors.
Week 2 you already made a
grab and go bag for your
pet. Depending on whether he
is a gecko or a goldfish or
a dog or cat, you may wish
to talk to your veterinarian
to see if he has any added
suggestions, can do this
when you pick up your
immunization record. And be
sure there is a blanket,
sweater or other
shock-keep-warm treatment
for your pet. In some cases
a muzzle for stress reaction
protection?
In your immediate
neighborhood there may be a
grandmother or disabled
person who lives nearby, or
you may have one. Talk to
the people who live there
and find out what help they
might wish if they are not
home at the occasion of an
emergency. Help them to
organize an emergency prep
kit for that person. Be
sure their granny or
disabled person has
emergency phone numbers
where they would look, and
an emergency phone (and
emergency-only cell phone in
case AT&T goes down), and
knows who will be looking
out for them, so their fear
is managed. If there is
some way they can also be
helpful, they will
appreciate the opportunity
to be doing something too!
Have a weekend afternoon or
early evening dessert
potluck and talk to your
immediate neighbors, perhaps
2 houses on each side,
behind, across the street,
and create a
COMMUNICATION CONTACT LIST –
-
Everyone’s home and
daytime phone numbers,
everyone’s out of town
emergency contact
numbers.
-
Everyone’s special
skills, if needed –
plumber, medical or
emergency training,
cooking, electrical,
cleaning and labor, etc.
-
Meeting place if
emergency occurs during
work/school hours – is
there one home where the
owners are home and
could check in/on
everyone else?
-
Exchange keys, if
desired have one
designated key manager
who knows where spare
and their keys are.
-
Exchange information
about children, pets,
other.
-
Is there anything
expensive you could save
by buying in bulk?
-
Would you like to have a
CERT (Community
Emergency Response Team)
speaker come to a
meeting some time?
______________________
SPRING CLEANING
In case you don’t have
enough to Do:
[ ] toss magazines over 3
months old (fire hazards).
[ ] Toss keys you don’t know
what they are for.
[ ] Toss that “stuff” you
really don’t need – ●twisty
ties, ●random paperclips and
safety pins which are not in
your paperclip and safety
pin containers, ●partially
used products that haven’t
been touched for a year or
more, ●expired medicines,
●banged up pots and
mismatched dishes you never
use, ●plastic garden pots,
●clothes that no longer fit
but someone else could
really use them, ●books you
should but don’t want to
read.
[ ] Toss some useless old
habits – trying to please
everyone ●putting yourself
down AND thinking you are
always right! ●time with
negative people, ●watching
your life rather than
starring in it, ●fears like
insecurities, that you’re
not good enough, that they
won’t like you, that you
won’t be healthy enough.
[ ] Anything you wouldn’t
want to give as a gift, your
children probably won’t want
anyway! Cleaning house can
clean the spirit and smile
too!
________________
DEBUT EVENT WAS A HUGE
SUCCESS!
Generously granted the use
of the space not yet
occupied at Goldfinch and
Fort Stockton by the
developers of 1 Mission, the
Mission Hills Artists hosted
their first event Wednesday
night and welcomed an
overflow of visitors, well
over 200 by my (official
greeter) count. So many
people told me they were
amazed that their neighbors
were such outstanding
artists. One woman couldn’t
be delayed to register for
the door prize, as she
simply had to get to the
lady with the picture on the
wall she saw through the
window and absolutely had to
have! The Mission Hills
Wine Cellar (1630 W.
Lewis St, 619-291-3740),
which had donated the wine
tasting
was a hub of happy
customers all night, and Sam
reported he got more orders
there than in days at his
store, that people didn’t
know before he was a real
wine specialist with such
good deals. Patty
Brooks, Presidio Sentinel,
who is relentlessly
supportive of everything in
our community, was there to
make sure the press coverage
was complete. MHA
President, Sharon Plache,
is the MOST gentle,
organized and thorough
person and along with her
gorgeous fabric art provided
flowers, layouts, food, and
everything everyone else
needed. Herb Bernstein
had elicited permission for
the use of the premises,
when I could not succeed,
bless his heart, and so many
people brought friends and
family, that not to be there
was to miss a major event.
We are hoping we can squeeze
one more event into the
space before the tenants
take over, look for our June
announcement! Best way to
keep up with the artists of
Mission Hills is to go to
www.missionhillsartists.ning.com,
the wonderful website
built for us by member
Stephanie West. You can
see there a calendar of
events, resumes and art
samples of the members, and
an invitation to become part
of the most beautiful and
open hearted group! I have
not one ounce of art skill
and I love every minute I
spend with them!
HOT TOPICS 5/15/10
WHERE WE SPEND OUR DOLLARS
TODAY IS AS IMPORTANT AS
WHAT WE SPEND THEM ON.
I
find myself perhaps driving
a few more feet, or even
making a little shift in
product to support those
neighbors and good people
who deserve it! Why not
feed the people in my
community, rather than a
chain? Why not be loyal to
people who have provided
excellence in the past,
rather than calling a flyer
special, maybe they will
match the offer if I give
them the chance? Why not
care about neighbors in the
way they need by respecting
their business efforts
rather than chasing a dollar
which may turn out to be
less value? I see people in
pain behind their smiles,
and the best I can do for
those who are worth it, is
behave like I value them and
their work. Together we
will get through this!
_____________________
Rub soap on your electrical
cords to keep pets from
chewing on them.
_____________________

This newly organized
association of our community
artists represents all kinds
of art from plein air to
water colors and textiles
and glass and jewelry, and
you will be so surprised
when you find out who the
artists are!
Sam Shammas, from Mission
Hills Wine Cellar and Deli,
respected oenophile and
great neighbor to our
“hood”, will be providing a
wine tasting for you to
enjoy while you browse this
entirely new side to our
heritage community!
SEE YOU THERE!
CAPITAL GAINS TAXES TO
SHIFT.
The capital gain reduction that went into effect in 2003 under the
Tax Increase Prevention and
Reconciliation Act will
sunset on January 1, 2011.
The tax rate for long-term
capital gains will revert
from the current 15% back to
the former 20% tax rate. In
2013 an additional tax of
3.8% will also be imposed on
certain investment income
which will bring the new
capital gain rate to 23.8%
for certain taxpayers. The
benefits of a doing a §1031
exchange will soon have an
even greater significant
financial impact for
taxpayers.
NEW LEAD PAINT LAW.
The
Environmental Protection
Agency has a new regulation
effective this past April
22, (No, I had not heard
sooner, but expect your
painters and contractors
were forewarned). Any
homeowner whose home was
built prior to 1978,
must adhere to new EPA
regulations when doing any
modifications. Any activity
that will disturb painted
surfaces, must be done by an
EPA Certified Firm. These
people will have completed
an 8-hour training and
certification course on how
to safely contain lead in a
home as it is being
disturbed and how to reduce
exposure to residents and
workers. They must give you
a brochure, “Renovate
Right”, (which you may
preview at
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf
) and it signed indicating
that you have been properly
notified. Certainly there
must be procedures in place
for the homeowner who wishes
to do the remodeling
himself. Information is
available at 800-424-LEAD
(5323). It is to be
expected that any sales
subsequent to this time will
want to demonstrate to the
buyer that the regulations
were followed.
____________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 5:
Back to basics. If you
haven’t done everything in
the weeks before, let’s get
caught up.
REVIEW:
1. Recognize
the need. Start drafting a
list of things you need and
to do. Get family
involved.
2. Make a place
[ ] to store your
emergency information and
reference materials
[ ] to store your
valuables, medical, house,
insurance, personal
records
[ ] to store your
emergency supplies and
personal grab-n-go bags.
3.
Your child’s safety
[ ] ID with relevant
information
[ ] basic emergency
training for his age
[ ] involve him in
preparing grab-n-go bag
4.
Pets and Neighbors
[ ] Check with vet about
pet protection
[ ] Hold neighborhood
gathering to collect contact
information, learn
expertises, needs and
whereabouts of keys, who
needs extra help, who is
responsible for what.
5.
Other preparations
[ ] be sure all smoke
detectors are operating
[ ] do you want to
install a CO2 detector?
Add to above. What do you
need?
“I WANT MY CHILDREN TO
HAVE EVERYTHING I COULDN’T
AFFORD . . . THEN I WANT TO
MOVE IN WITH THEM!”
Hot Topics 5/8/10
ARTS FESTIVAL – NORTH PARK
MAY 16
If you were like me and
couldn’t get NEAR the Little
Italy Art Show, try
University Avenue in North
Park last week. They are
not quite as well known yet
and could be accessible!
10am-6pm more info at
www.northparkmainstreet.com.
ANNUAL RAMONA RODEO MAY
21-23
Professional rodeo action –
bareback riding, steer
wrestling, team roping,
saddle bronc riding,
tie-down roping, barrel
racing, bull riding, western
dances and speciality acts.
More info at
www.ramonarodeo.com.
_______________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 4:
Supplement your basic
emergency supplies in
addition to your
grab-n-go’s: Stash in rubber
barrels with tight tops.
Make sure the final location
for all these supplies is
ACCESSIBLE.
● Portable radio with windup
not batteries
● Windup flashlights (at
least 3)
● Bottled water – 1 gallon
per day per person
● Cooking equipment (do NOT
bring BBQ into house!) – at
least 2 pots, wooden spoon,
fork, grill/stove.
● Food and can opener, paper
plates/cups/utensils –
canned tuna, pork & beans,
nonfat dry milk, graham
crackers, dried apricots,
juice, trail mix, granola
bars, your favorites, peanut
butter, crackers, ________?
● First Aid kit and
instructions (INCLUDE
Ipecac to induce vomiting,
bandages, gauze, antiseptic
creams/sprays/wipes, ace
bandages, tweezers,
scissors, eye drops and eye
dropper, aspirin/Tylenol,
personal choice medicines.
● fire extinguisher (test
annually)
● battery supply with
several sets for children’s
toys and other necessities
● gas shut off wrench
at/near meter
● household: blankets,
plastic ground cover to
protect from dampness,
plastic sheets for other,
dust/surgical masks, towels,
toilet paper (!!), Kleenex,
paper towels and handiwipes,
many antibacterial wipes,
rubber gloves, plastic bags
in all sizes from sandwich
to trash, candles and water
proof matches and windup
timer to be sure candles are
not left burning!
● powdered chlorinated lime
to add to sewage/garbage to
deodorize/disinfect/waive
insects.
● paper, pens, tape, a few
envelopes
● some emergency cash $$$
● basic tools - work gloves,
Swiss army knife, shovel,
hammer, screw driver, plyers,
rope, string, knife
● copy of all emergency
contacts, information, etc.
into the barrel!
● Basic survival guide book
such as:
The Official Urban and
Wilderness Emergency
Survival Guide by
Robert Pelton.
Report to be “The best, most
practical, easy-to-use,
survival manual on the
market today. Profusely
illustrated and power-packed
with easy-to-understand
information on every aspect
of basic survival, emergency
medicine, edible plants and
medicinal plants. 472
pages, $24.95.
___________________
NOTHING SUCKS MORE THAN THAT MOMENT DURING AN ARGUMENT, WHEN YOU
REALIZE YOU ARE WRONG!
________________
INCREDIBLE FINDS OF THE
WEEK:
If
you need someone to
really clean your home
or business or rental, if
you need someone to do
general tune up handywork on
your home, business or
rental, if you need someone
to design and reinstall or
just maintain your
landscape, sprinklers and
trees, if you need someone
to do some general painting,
and if you need someone to
do all this and get your
home or rental all
refreshed, call my very
trusted resource: Corry
Pratt, 619-847-0389.
The first time he cleaned a
house for me, I was stunned,
it was cleaner than clean,
which means that he also
cleans the places we never
think of. He has been
working for me and my
clients for months now and I
find him reasonably priced,
particularly for the quality
he delivers, prompt, always
keeps his word, and
absolutely trustworthy. A
perfect gift. Pay him $x
and send him to Mom for her
day!
AND do you ever think a new
eye and trained consultant
and even someone else’s grit
and determination would help
you conquer the overwhelming
stuff in your life? THE
EDITED NEST is the
operation of two ladies who
can help you make headway in
just a short time, giving
you guidance or giving you
“got it done”. They can
organize and help you
re-purpose, taking the
things that you cherish and
putting them to use in
perhaps a different place or
function. They have
kindness, style and
determination, just what you
need. You deserve it, give
YOURSELF a gift. Call
Michelle at 619-295-1416.
You can thank me later!
__________________
Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating keys in
their pocket, glasses on
their head, finding their
cell phone and so forth, but
never never never do they
have trouble locating the
snooze button in about 1.3
seconds.
________________
BUYING FORECLOSURES.
Everyone
hears about the incredible
deals being made on
foreclosure purchases.
Seldom do they hear about
the no-so-fun losses. This
is not an easy or risk free
process. Tax liens and
other problems may go with
the house. It is not
typical that buyers have
access for inspections and
even inside looks.
Competition is staffed by
professionals who send
innocent looking front men
bidders so as not to give
away their interest and who
represent groups of
investors. Purchases must
be made ON THE SPOT with
cashier’s checks for the
full amount. Occupants must
be managed and vacated
legally. Most trustee sales
require reclamation if not
just simple repairs.
An expert who spoke to our
Realtor’s group said that
the typical profit from
buying and reselling trustee
sales has dropped from the
earlier 30-40% to 15-20%,
and much of this profit is
squeezed out of the after
purchase fixing cost
minimalization. Trustees
have no liability for any of
the condition or situation
of the property. Re-sellers
have full liability for
disclosure and condition.
There is a group which has
been very successful in this
business. They will do
consulting for a fee, or you
can partner into one of
their properties. If you
are interested, call Luke
Middleton, The Cantor Group,
619-546-0973. At least on
the first one it might be
smart to have the edge of a
pro!
__________________
REVISIONS OF THE MISSION
HILLS STORE
have been responsive to the
community’s input. The
store exec-utives
have
to manage their way through
the requirements of the
Mission Hills Town Council,
Mission Hills Heritage, and
the Uptown Planners, as well
as the overriding San Diego
City Council. We at the
Town Council had hoped all
through groups would work
together to form one panel
to coordinate for Safeway,
but politics doesn’t play
that way. However, the
results so far are positive
and Von’s has not backed
away from the development as
they did several years
ago. The store will
provide substantially more
service to its customers
than its current space, but
in doing so will also be
behemoth in size, compared
to the surrounding
streetscape. And thus the
concerns of many area
citizens. However, they are
working to step the design
to keep the “box” look to a
minimum, to make the parking
safe as well as plentiful
and convenient, and to
choose materials that will
blend a little more with the
traditional style of the
neighborhood. You are
welcome to attend the Uptown
Planners meeting on June 1
6pm at the Joyce Beers
Community Center in Uptown
for their vote on the
project.
__________________
I WISH I HAD A SARCASM FONT!
_______________
AIR
CONDITIONING TIME COMETH! Getting ready to save money and
energy is easy. ●Clean or
replace your filter. ●Trim
foliage at least 1 foot away
from the unit to allow free
air flow. ●Disconnect the
power to the A/C, then use a
garden hose to spray the
coils. Better is to have a
professional HVAC
technician. They will check
the pressure,oil the motor
bearings, tighten all
hardware, check electrical
draw and visually inspect
the parts. A company I have
been thrilled with for at
least 10 years is Jerry’s
Heating and Air
Conditioning, 619-449-1623.
HOT TOPICS 5/1/10
PRICE TODAY HAS TO SUPPORT
BUYERS’ MOTIVATION OR IT IS
JUST A TAG ON A PRODUCT.
___________________
JUST DISCOVERED: FABULOUS
ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESTAURANT IN O.B.
If you love simple,
exciting, delicious Italian
food in a pleasant and
immaculate little
neighborhood atmosphere,
where everyone seems to know
everyone and be friendly and
as great as the food, scoot
yourself to ESPRESSO PIZZA –
RISTORANTE ITALIANO (it’s
NOT just pizza, but salads,
pasta, main dishes too,
something for everybody) at
1776 Sunset Cliffs, just
south of Narragansett. The
owner, Teresita Vazzana (Greeves)
is like a package of
sunshine, likes things just
how they should be. Do not
miss the calamari appetizer
with not a hint of
the usual rubbery
consistency, she says she
goes all the way to X every
day just to get this
quality, and it shows.
Their wine includes no
acidic leftovers. The
mushroom raviolis are
another decadent treat, but
until you try several items
you won’t be able to believe
the consistency of their
flavor distinctions. Tom
just fell in love when his
favorite, Veal Parmigiana,
turned out to be the best
ever, AND you could be wise
to skip everything and go
directly to dessert. There
is no tiramisu in the world
as good and that is only
until you try the lemon
gelato, oh heavenly
delight! On Thursday
evenings, they have a
guitarist for your romantic
date night. Call
619-224-2227 for
reservations, and when you
are grinning ear to ear in
joy, remember who told you.
___________________
WHICH IS LARGER: 12 X 14
OR 14 X 12?
Ok,
the reality is that they are
the same, but which one
LOOKS bigger? If I describe
your living room as 12x17 or
17x12, which is more
impressive? Just a little
thing, but it makes a
difference. If you are
traveling around the web
looking at homes, do those
without pictures get or keep
your attention even if their
write up is pure prose? A
little thing, but it makes a
difference. And if I add
the pictures 2 days later,
do you remember to go back
and look for them? Um.
Whatever your
business, I am sure you are
working harder and more
intensely than 10 years
ago. And you know that you
cannot just throw it
together, it takes doing it
right, balancing deadlines
against quality, taking
precious time to handhold
the client and bring him
into the picture so he can
understand, and managing
staff and community
obligations.
Once there was that joke
about the business sign that
read: “Quality - Fast -
Cheap, Pick Any Two.”
Today’s businesses do not
have that luxury. It takes
all 3 to succeed.
______________________
ONE THING TO DO, WEEK 3:
Your
child’s safety.
● Prepare a simple ID
for your child with name,
address and phone number, 2nd
phone with E emergency
contact in a city away from
your household, photo and
thumbprint if possible,
distinguishing marks, any
special medical
information/allergies,
favorite comfort
stories/food/hobbies.
Laminate and put a copy in
his wallet, backpack,
favorite thing he carries
everywhere, glove
compart-ment, swap with
friend’s mothers, your
office or place of work. ●
Teach your childbasic
emergency response
appropriate to his age.
What to do if emergency
occurs. Where to go, if you
are at work when fire,
earthquake, intrusion or
other emer-gency happens.
How to call 911 and what to
do if they do not answer.
How to be safe under
different situations. Who
can he trust! Practice so
he will feel comfortable. ●
Help him prepare a grab-n-go
bag.
______________________
APPRECIATING
EXCELLENCE.
If your life is very full
like mine, and you are
frustrated during the day by
mechanical phone systems,
people who make commitments
they don’t keep, and rushed
or shoddy service, you too
will appreciate D&S
TERMITE AND PEST CONTROL
SERVICE. They have been
our go-to-always reliable
for over 10 years, but again
today, when another company
chosen by our client did NOT
do what they promised and
threatened the closing of a
sale, D&S again picked up
and did their usual
excellence and made it
happen. You too can have
their great service and
never-sell-you-what-you-don’t-need
service, 619-462-5577. I
have no interest in their
company, don’t do lunch, am
not “friends” with them, but
I am so excited when I find
excellence, I like to share
it!
_____________________
PICTURES OF 4TH
OF JULY CELEBRATION AT
PIONEER PARK NEEDED.
If
you have any photos you took
and would be willing to
share, please contact Karen
Foreman of the Mission Hills
Town Council, producer of
the event at 619-298-0654,
klforeman@gmail.com .
$100 DOLLAR BILL.
A rich tourist stops while
driving through town, stops
at the motel and lays down a
$100 bill, saying he wants
to inspect the rooms
upstairs to pick one to
spend the night. As soon as
the man walks upstairs, the
owner
grabs
the bill on the desk and
runs next door to pay his
debt to the butcher. The
butcher takes the $100 and
runs down the street to
retire his debt to the pig
farmer. The pig farmer
takes the $100 to pay off
his supplier of feed and
fuel, The Farmer’s Coop guy
pays off his debt to the
local prostitute, who rushes
to the hotel and pays off
her hotel bill with the
owner. The hotel proprietor
puts the $100 back down on
the counter, the traveler
comes back downstairs saying
he is not satisfied, pockets
the money and leaves town.
Now the whole town is out of
debt and optimistic.
I heard a conversation on
PBS radio this morning
talking about disbanding the
CCDC and letting the City
Council be responsible for
the Redevelopment of
Downtown and other areas.
The guest said that the
Downtown only benefited
tourists and was all for
image. !!! The story above
points out that a dollar
spent enriches dozens of
people down the line. The
worst thing that can happen
to an economy is for every
to sit on their money (sure
we need reasonable savings,
but..) and not pass it
around. And since when was
our City Council able to
accomplish anything within
skinning it to less than
bone after all the
politicking and hiding out
and strutting?! I have only
been here since 1977, but
seems to me that since Pete
Wilson left town, so did all
our gumption. I thought a
strong mayor would mean LESS
politicking and getting
things done. Maybe there
isn’t an answer? But going
back to things we KNOW don’t
work, surely doesn’t seem
like one to me!
___________________
“TIME IS AN ILLUSION, AND AT LUNCH TIME, DOUBLY SO”,
Douglas Adams.