Retiring at Home

Today I had an appointment with future clients in my longtime "farm" area. Their future plans were in place. They own a second home in a lovely resort community not too far from here, and expect to turn this vacation house into the place where they will spend their retirement years.
But what if you would hate to leave your present home? Are there steps that can be taken to remain there?

Donna Christner-Lile, a Pleasanton, California-based counselor specializing in elder issues, tapped her experiences in caring for her aging mother in writing her book, Aging In Place: Safely Living in Your "Home Sweet Home" Until You're 100 Plus. She addresses practical issues that need to be addressed for people to successfully remain at home as they age. The book includes worksheets to evaluate home safety issues and existing support systems, outlines useful online resources for aging adults, and offers tips on finances and incorporating universal design principles.
For more information and to order the book, visit http://mentorcentral.com/book.htm

Real Estate Fraud

We read these stories in the newspaper all the time, and "tsk. tsk" at how unthinking people are to let themselves be taken in by obvious cons, but yesterday it hit closer to home, and affected me like hearing that someone I know well is gravely ill, rather than reading statistics in the paper about the same illness.
A good friend is in a terrible situation. She and her husband succumbed to real estate fraud of the worst kind, and have lost the money from the sale of her business and the equity in their house...plus their good credit is ruined. The swindler has disappeared, and now they are facing foreclosure on two rental properties that he never made payments on, plus deposits on two houses that never were for sale. The loan company involved has dissolved and the real estate company, closed. They refinanced their own house on his recommendation, and now have an interest only loan for over $700,000 that can't be refinanced. He kept them on the hook for over two years, making occasional payments (probably from money he took from other people). They didn't really catch on until they were refused a loan for a condo their college student daughter was buying, and found out that their impeccable credit was destroyed....way too trusting and gullible, but my heart aches for her. I know what it's like to lose everything you worked for.
They will never see the money again, even if they find this guy.

When Will the Number of Listings "Top Out?"

Our manager announced at yesterday's office meeting that she and her fellow managers have a pool going to see who comes closest to guessing where the inventory will top out this year. She thought it would be fun to do the same thing within the office. If we want to play, we have to submit our guess along with $5 by Sept. 11, which is our next office meeting. The managers’ guesses range between 6500 and 7800.
Although numbers in the higher priced areas in the county are holding steady, Santa Clara County as a whole is moving up to a record not seen since 1999.
For the week of August 24, the total number of listings was 6311, of which 4657 were single family homes. Compare those figures to a year ago when there were a total of 4611, with 3387 of them single family residences.
The '06 date when listings topped out was September 15, when there were 4745 listings, 3449 of them single family.
Even with the tight money in Jumbo loans, the high end still leads the market, with an average of 34 days of unsold inventory in Mountain View, Saratoga and Palo Alto. This compares to 397 days in east south and central San Jose.
I'm still thinking about what the "winning" number will be. In this case, the homeowners could be the losers.

How to Foresee the End of a Bull Market

Every body's nervous around the office, and my friends of retirement age are starting to panic. Are they diversified enough? Can they wait out a bear market if one shows up? Maybe it's time to check their investments to see if their portfolios match their appetite for risk, but is the five-year-old bull close to the end of his road?
Another article in Money Magazine says that there is a pattern that shows up before the end of a bull market.
The first indicator is higher oil prices. We're seeing those, but not nearly as much of a trend as before the bear market of the '90's.
Then there is a "run up" of Treasury yields...none that are significant.
Before a bear market, consumer spending sometimes slows, and this is starting to happen. Corporate earnings growth often slows, but we'll have to wait for the 2007 numbers. However, estimates by market strategists expect only a 7% increase this year, as opposed to more than 17% in the years 2003 to 2006.
Rather than watch the variations of the S&P 500, a better indicator is if the number of rising stocks starts to shrink. Before the crash of 2000, the overall index kept going up, but these were fueled by only a handful of mostly Internet-related companies.

Accidental Landlords

The September issue of Money Magazine features an article called Landlords in Waiting. It describes a situation which is becoming more common throughout the country. Homeowners who are unable to sell their properties in a weakening market are becoming reluctant landlords. The inventory of homes for sale is twice as large as it was three years ago, and this could mean a longer time to sell, and possibly to shoulder two mortgages if they buy their next home first.
With home prices flat...or worse...in many markets, there may not be enough equity to pay closing costs. The rental market is still strong. According to NAR (The National Association of Realtors) rents were up 4.1% in 2006.
The article gives a checklist to estimate whether it makes economic and emotional sense to rent, and also tips on finding a good tenant.
My son and his wife in Kalamazoo, Michigan learned these lessons the hard way. Bridget owns a house with a second unit across the state border in Indiana, which they've found impossible to sell. They've just completed the arduous process of evicting a tenant in the smaller unit for nonpayment of rent, and are hoping that the tenant in the larger house will qualify to buy the property. Meanwhile, the monthly payments are still due.

Active Retirement Areas

Channing, a client/friend of mine is off to Arizona this week to check out a community that has been recommended to her. She is taking an early retirement from HP, and wants to pursue her longtime interest in the arts.
The place is called Academy Village – a unique, active adult community located in the Rincon Valley just east of Tucson. Tucson itself is a cosmopolitan Southwestern city that offers many art and cultural venues and beautiful scenery. It sounds like an ideal setting for an independent, active adult lifestyle.
Unlike some other retirement communities, at Academy Village you own your own home. The choices include a number of town home or single-family models that fit the Tucson lifestyle and complement the magnificent Southwestern desert.
Both Boomers and Seniors expect medical advances will allow them to stay active and vigorous well into their eighties. Such a view debunks traditional notions people have about aging and the perception that people want to squander their days lounging on porch swings as they age. For instance, 77% of 50 to 64 year-olds and 65% of 65 to 74 year-olds want more pleasure out of life.
Activity, fun, and friends are key.
I'll be interested in Channing's comments when I see her again this Sunday.

Do We Live in an Oasis?

When I talk to Realtors from most parts of the country, and even from other sections of California, they tell me that real estate sales and prices are flat or down in dozens of metropolitan areas. But there are micro-markets within them are performing very differently: Prices and sales are up this year over last, and plenty of buyers still want to move in.
Kenneth Harney, a syndicated Real Estate columnist,calls them Real Estate Oases - which he describes as neighborhoods and ZIP codes that defy national and regional downturns, and remain in demand as long as the local economy keeps generating jobs and rising incomes. They don't require residents to make long commutes, sit in traffic for hours or worry about gas prices, like the languishing Central Valley.
Typically these are not entry-level, first-time buyer markets, nor do they have lots of new subdivision construction. Educational levels of residents exceed regional norms, local school systems are highly regarded and crime rates generally are low.
Sound familiar?
In the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the ZIP codes 20815 (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Md.) and 20015 (portions of Northwest D.C.) are avoiding most of the down-market trends in the larger metropolitan area that surrounds them. My son recently priced homes in the Bethesda market, and prices were still strong, although not as wild as the area where he currently lives...Palo Alto.
Other metropolitan areas where similar patterns can be found are Coral Gables in Florida, and San Francisco, where highly regarded in-town neighborhoods such as Pacific Heights and the Marina continue to outperform the metropolitan area and the state as a whole.
So what does this mean to our clients? Value patterns and sales performances are uniquely localized - right down to ZIP codes, neighborhoods and even individual streets. Smart buyers and sellers adjust their strategies on pricing, timing and bargaining with a micro perspective, no matter what the metropolitan headlines may be.

Recent School Scores

When showing property, I am continually reminded of the importance of School Districts in buyers' search for a home, and how much the schools' reputations affect property values. One of the first questions I hear at an open house is, "What are the schools?"
Test results for California and the Bay Area can be a daunting array of numbers.
The State Department of Education, for example, presents the scores as percentages of students scoring at grade-level proficiency, rather than as test scores themselves.

Here are highlights from schools and districts in the Bay Area:
-- The five top-scoring schools in English are all elementary schools: Millikin in Santa Clara Unified, Faria and Murdock-Portal in the Cupertino Union district, Sleepy Hollow in the Orinda Union Elementary District, and North Star Academy in the Redwood City Elementary District.

-- The five star performers in math (tested only in grades 2 through 7) are also elementary schools: Faria, Millikin and Murdock-Portal, as well as Hoover in Palo Alto Unified, and Dilworth in the Cupertino Union district.

-- Among the lowest-scoring schools in English are Reach Academy in Oakland, Foothill High in the East Side Union High School District of San Jose, Life Learning Academy Charter School in San Francisco, Vicente Martinez High in Martinez Unified, and East Oakland School of the Arts and Mandela High in Oakland.

-- Among the lowest-scoring schools in math, grades 2 through 7, are Peralta Creek Middle School in Oakland, King Academy in Marin City, United for Success Academy and Cole Middle School in Oakland, Forty-Niners Academy in the Ravenswood City Elementary District in East Palo Alto, and Gloria R. Davis Middle School in San Francisco.

To check out individual schools or districts, you can go to the Star Scores Website.

What Senior Consumers Want

In a recent study, market research firm,Yankelovich, calls it "looping" and it concerns consumers wanting to understand the "whats, whys, and hows" like never before. Consumers have a strong desire to understand how things work. This includes explaining the big picture to clients, as well as keeping them in the loop by providing regular status updates.
Sharing information with everyone involved in the transaction is important too. That means updating the husband and the wife (or the adult child involved with a prospect's transaction), not just sharing the information with one party and hoping the news will get passed on. I try to eliminate real estate jargon, but not "dumb things down".
Outstanding customer service has become increasingly important. In 2005, 3/4 of those aged 50 to 74 considered outstanding customer service critically important. In 2006, the percentages grew to an average of 85%. Being knowledgeable and not pressuring them rank highly with this mature audience, so I make sure that my service and style are in sync with my prospects' desires.

More Delays in Sunnyvale Downtown?

Sunnyvale's already tightly-stretched budget may be in for further demands caused by groundwater contamination under the downtown development site. Toxins from chemicals used fifty years ago by three dry cleaning firms have seeped into the water table, and the cost to pump out the contaminants will run into millions of dollars, the majority of which will be the City's responsibility.
In April, the city council agreed to cover most of the cleanup costs, including any claims from nearby homeowners, with no cap. Estimates for this work range from $3 million to $10 million, and the city is responsible for 85% of any costs over $4 million dollars.
Meanwhile, work continues on the portion of the 25 acre area site that is free of contaminants, and more groundwater tests will be conducted this week further north and on Carroll Street.

Avoiding Disclosure Liability

A few days ago, I ran into the Realtor who would have acted as mediator on a complaint made to our local Association of Realtors by a homebuyer over two years ago. I was the agent representing the sellers in this transaction, and they had moved to Washington State after the sale.
Naturally, I was curious to know if the buyers were still pursuing the case, which had seemed unjustified from the beginning. The mediator said that they were not proceeding with their complaint.
The sale took place in the hot market of a few years ago, and the buyers accepted the existing inspections ordered by the sellers, and did not get their own, although they were entitled to do so. The buyers later decided to replace professionally installed dual-pane windows with a sliding door, and damage was discovered by their contractor. They felt that the sellers should pay for all of their remodeling work.
Real estate legal expert Barbara Nichols, author of The No-Lawsuit Guide to Real Estate Transactions (McGraw-Hill, 2007), says that agents can get into trouble for undisclosed defects if the agents had information from the seller or from other sources, or had prior knowledge of a potential problem and did not disclose the defects. Agents are not expected to see through walls, and neither are home inspectors. The best approach is to refer only the most qualified inspectors to your buyer client who will be more likely to see clues of problems others may miss. She has a chapter in the book dealing with the importance of referring qualified inspectors and how to qualify them. She also have several useful ideas in the book for the seller's agent, to protect the seller if the buyer hires an unqualified inspector who may miss something. The seller could later be accused of knowing and failing to disclose the defect that was missed and still be vulnerable to a lawsuit.

Fed Cuts Discount Rate

Panic up, panic down...Then business as usual. Just keep in mind that historically the Dow has always moved upward, and so have home values in the Valley. All you have to do is wait a while.
Things to remember:
1) The Fed is cutting the discount rate half a percentage point to 5.75% - This is NOT related to PRIME.
- This will NOT affect Home Equity Lines of Credit or Credit Cards
- This IS a good indicator that the feds will lower the federal funds rate at the next meeting - & will affect PRIME, HELOCS, & Credit Cards positively for consumers.
2) This rate cut is to show support to the banks (remember, this is a liquidity issue not necessarily a credit crisis)
- Fed is telling the banks to keep doing the right thing, lend $$$ to good qualified people.
3) Bad Loans and not so creditworthy consumers are going away - or are not being able to borrow money.
- Good for the long term health of the American Economy & Housing Market
4) Banks and Mortgage Companies that have good business practices and business models will survive and thrive...
and our Real Estate Market along with them!

Sunnyvale West Association and the Mary Avenue Bridge

The Sunnyvale West Neighborhood Association was formally registered with the City on April 30, 2007 to represent the issues, interests and perspectives of the residents and businesses of West Sunnyvale.
Their stated objectives are to maintain and improve the residential neighborhoods as a livable (walkable, bikable and human scale) place that works as a vibrant, cohesive community through education and a celebration of our cultural diversity in a safe environment.
The residents and businesses they represent range from the western boundary of Sunnyvale, south to Homestead, north to Maude Ave., and East to Mathilda Ave. / Sunnyvale-Saratoga Ave.
With a hotly contested city council election just beginning, we can expect the planned bridge from a North Mary Avenue extension to the newly developed Moffett Towers project to be one of the central issues of the campaign, and this group to be in the middle of the controversy.

Sunnyvale Business Boardwalk

Tonight six of us from my office continued our support for Habitat for Humanity by participating in the Chamber of Commerce's downtown business fair. Since it was held in conjunction with the Wednesday night Music and Market on Murphy Avenue, there was a great turnout of local residents.
Fifty booths were there, representing a variety of businesses, and I saw many friends, clients and fellow Chamber members. Sure, it was good PR, but the goal was to raise money for the charity, and we had beautiful gift baskets to raffle off. We were able to use our sales skills for a good cause, and the evening was an unqualified success. We are well on our way to a banner year of fundraising.

Santa Clara Valley Stats

Our office meeting was especially enjoyable this morning. We started by serving over fifty agents a waffle and quiche breakfast with all the trimmings to start off our Habitat for Humanity campaign with a bang.
Then we moved on to a discussion about the local real estate market. We haven't yet seen repercussions due to the tightening of the Jumbo loans, but there are factors coming from other changes in the lenders' requirements that we may see soon enough. For one thing, the equity lines of credit on present properties that buyers are using as down payments on their next homes are shrinking, and may soon be based on the borrower's ability to qualify for all the loans involved. This could mean a resurgence of contingent offers, even in previously "hot" areas.
We are also seeing County listings in higher numbers than in the last five years. Strangely, although figures in Santa Clara and the north end of Sunnyvale are beginning to mirror San Jose, the more expensive areas continue to have limited inventory. I promise to watch the market closely and provide regular reports "from the trenches."

Remodeling a Victorian

On Saturday, I had a chance to see a friend's 1915 house in Saratoga. It is located on a secluded acre lot, frequently visited by deer, but only a short walk from downtown shops and restaurants.
Older homes hold a special allure, but they are also create many difficulties for the do-it-yourself remodeler. Costs can be unpredictable....very often, one thing leads to two or three other things.
If you want a huge master bedroom suite, walk-in closets, and an oversized kitchen, opt for a newer home. Turn of the century homes had kitchens that were strictly utilitarian, not social centers as they are today. These older homes were also lacking in closet space and en suite bathrooms.
The challenge is to preserve a piece of history, while still bringing it into the 21st century. How do you create a kitchen with modern amenities that looks like it could have been built in 1910 or 1920?
The positive aspects are usually wonderful natural light, and location in a charming neighborhood like this one in Saratoga, or others in the Naglee Park area of San Jose, on beautiful tree-lined streets.

Green is In

Last week, at my Chamber of Commerce group, we introduced a new member. Aaron works for Paradise Cleaning, a local carpet cleaning firm that uses cleaning products which do not cause allergic reactions or make people ill.
This trend is catching on all over the country, and ecofriendly builders are seeing green even though the real estate market in most areas is in bad shape. Condos in a "green" high rise in Chicago are nearly sold out, despite prices from $350,000 to more than $2 million. Buyers are impressed by the ecologically correct bamboo floors, the bike room, and a tank that collects storm water to irrigate the landscaping.
There are even "green" real estate agencies, such as Green Key Real Estate in San Francisco, and KJM in Beverly Hills.
On a lesser scale, homeowners are finding that by adding these features to their homes, they can help the environment and also increase their value and stand out in the marketplace.

Last Night with the Downtown Developers

I stopped by the Sunnyvale Senior Center last night, where city residents were able to get their first look at the updated plans for the Town Center redevelopment project. A Power Point presentation was given by the project developers, but because of the lighting, it was largely ineffective, so the architectural projections were used instead.
One of the most exciting plans is for the new Target store. Completely rebuilt, it will be 28,000 feet larger than the current store, but the extensive use of glass and other elements have resulted in a very creative and visually interesting design.
All of the retail space will be on the second floor, with parking and other retail shops underneath.
Another new addition to the plan is a hotel at the corner of Murphy and McKinley. The 14 screen Century Theater is still in the plan, but the building will be two stories, rather than the three that were originally planned.
The room was full of interested and concerned citizens, and many questions from the audience were about the projected height of the buildings, and the access to historical Murphy Street. One inclusion that appealed to everyone was the Redwood park-like area in the center of the plan, and neighbors seemed relieved that the Iowa side will have townhouse-style residences facing the existing homes.
When will this all be a reality? Projected opening is in 2009.

More on the Mortgage Situation

Need a mortgage this month? It's going to be harder - and more expensive - to get one, according to Steve Kim of Bank of America, who spoke briefly at our tour meeting this morning.
In the past week, turmoil in the mortgage markets has caused increasing problems for home buyers in the Bay Area and around the nation.
The SF Chronicle headlined the news in this morning's paper, and featured this story:

Kurt Herrenbruck, a mortgage planner with Fishman Financial Group in Berkeley, saw one client's financing evaporate in the space of three days last week.

"The client is well-heeled, with (a high credit score), and $500,000 in the bank, making an owner-occupied purchase with a 25 percent down payment," Herrenbruck said. "He needs a no-doc loan (meaning he cannot provide documents to prove his income) because of an employment hiccup."

Herrenbruck said Wednesday he found two lenders willing to make a no-document loan. But by Thursday it was down to one. And Friday, when his client's offer was accepted, there was none. "He can't buy even though he had the strongest profile of any no-doc: superlative credit, money in the bank and a whopping down payment."

The story underscores how skittish Wall Street investors are causing a ripple effect that hurts multitudes of people buying or selling houses.

Simply put, less money is available for mortgages

Why Are Interest Rates Rising?

Many people have asked me why mortgage rates have gone up so much so quickly, even on “good loans”. Sue Baker Dirickson quoted rates at our office meeting yesterday, with Jumbo(non-conforming)rates now in the 7%-plus range.
Here's the scoop.
Even though the Feds kept things the same yesterday, default and foreclosure has been on the rise, so now institutions are demanding a much higher "risk premium" for taking on pools of loans.

But because these institutions are purchasing these loans sometimes months after the borrower has actually closed at a given rate, this increase to the risk premium means that instead of paying $101K for a $100K loan that will bear interest, they may only be willing to pay $95K for that $100K mortgage to account for the risk. Multiply that times thousands upon thousands of loans...and you have millions upon millions of dollars in loss for the company trying to sell the pool at a much lower price than they were expecting.
This is called a "liquidity crisis", and is exactly what happened to American Home Mortgage - there was no mismanagement, but they simply got caught holding too many "hot potato" loans, forced to sell them at massive losses...and eventually they had to make the decision to close the doors and stop the bleeding.

In response to seeing this situation play out in the demise of American Home Mortgage, lenders of other non-conforming loan products increased their interest rates dramatically almost overnight to be better prepared - and likely over-prepared - for increased risk premiums down the road. Even though loans above $417K are not presently suffering from increased delinquencies like the Subprime loans are, these rates are now higher as well, because they are being purchased by smaller private entities that can't afford to take on any margin of risk.

Statistics Don't (Usually) Lie

I send a quarterly "Housing Inventory Snapshot" to a list of clients and potential clients who sign into my website.
Patrick, one of the recipients, just emailed to ask if I had comparative prices for years 2005 and 2006, and the percentage increase.
The figures for July 31, 2007 in Santa Clara County were:
Single Family under $1 Million: Average list price, $702,476
Median list price, $682,000
Days on market 59
Single family over $1 million Average list price, $2,012,892
Median list price, $1,549,999
Days on market 68
Condo/Townhome under $600K Average list price, $441,335
Median list price, $430,888
Days on market 60
Condo/Townhome over $600K Average list price $722,296
Median list price, $675,000
Days on market 43

My statistics don't go back to 2005, but I can do an interesting comparison between this time a year ago and the present.

In July of 2006, there were 3364 single family homes on the market in S. C. County
They took an average of 40 days to sell, and sold for an average of 99.6% of listed price. Condos and townhomes numbered 1170, took an average of 37 days to sell, and sold for 100% of the listed price, on average.

At the same time in 2007, there were 4050 single family homes for sale. They took and average of 40 days to sell, and they sold for an average of 99.3% of listed price. Condos/townhomes numbered 1396, and sold for an average of 98.1% of list after 36 days on the market. Not bad for a so-called slow real estate season!

As I have often said, our Cupertino/Sunnyvale area shows much better numbers, and we continue to see multiple offers, often in the first week on the market.

Sunset Oaks Neighborhood

According to Sue McAllister, the Real Estate Editor for the Mercury News, in her Square Feet Blog, the latest "in thing" is rating your neighborhood or your street.
I live in a large townhouse development near the Sunnyvale Community Center in the west side of the city. Even though there are a couple of minuses by today's standards...one car detached garages, small kitchens, and trash pickup in central dumpsters...the pluses more than compensate. The location is ideal, mostly located in the Cupertino School area. (a few units north of Crescent Avenue have Sunnyvale schools.) The landscaping is award-winning, and beautifully maintained. Additional off-street parking is generous, and there is always street parking available for guests.
The best part about living here is the friendly diversity of the neighbors, and the excellent on-site management, unusual in a development of this size... over 240 units. Our board of directors is also hardworking and responsive.
I have seen an sold many townhouses in the area, and rarely see a complex with better reserves. This is a great place to live.

How to Vent a Dryer Safely

When we were looking at townhouses last week, we saw a variety of "creative" dryer vents. Virtually every building code addresses clothes dryer exhausting. The codes mandate that dryer exhaust needs to be ducted outdoors. Terminating the exhaust pipe near an attic vent does not meet this requirement.

Clothes dryer exhaust can cause major problems within a house. One is a fire hazard due to the massive quantities of exposed fabric lint dust. An open flame could turn your attic into an inferno within seconds. The dryer also pumps a large amount of humid air into the attic with each load of laundry that is dried. This warm, moist air is exactly the tropical climate that mildew loves.

Interior vent kits do not meet most model building codes and they inject large amounts of humid air into your home. Condensation on windows, within exterior walls, and in attics can result from this method of dryer venting. This trapped moisture can cause wood rot and mildew problems.

Dryer venting is not as simple as it seems. The blower motor within a dryer can only push the moist air so far. If you exceed this limit, the dryer will not dry clothes properly and the vent piping can clog easily with lint. The exhaust hood design, the type of exhaust pipe used (smooth metal vent vs. corrugated/flexible metal pipe), and the number of bends in the exhaust piping create friction that slows the air leaving your dryer. Smooth metal vent pipe and exterior exhaust hoods that have openings of sixteen square inches or more offer the least resistance to air flow.

You can vent a dryer through a roof if you use the correct exhaust hood. The best hoods are one piece and contain wide flanges that permit a leak proof installation under common asphalt shingles.

Learn More About Sunnyvale Downtown

The Sunnyvale Downtown Development has been a continuing interest of mine, both as a city resident, and as a Realtor who specializes in the area. I've been providing progress reports on the construction (mostly destruction and hauling up to this point.)
Now we all have a chance to see the newest architechtural proposals for the new Town Center. The plans for the Target building, the cinemas, retail shops, office buildings and housing will be presented by the developer and City staff at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, 550 E. Remington Drive, on Thursday, August 9, as part of their Community Outreach Program.
For more information, call: 408-737-4900, or go to the website at Downtown.inSunnyvale.com.

Persistance Pays Off!

As they say, "All's well that ends well." After we lost the second property by hours (see post, "The One That Got Away,") we went back to my client's first love, the townhouse on the golf course. A week ago, the sellers wouldn't even counter our offer, but time changes a lot of things, and they were open to reviewing our second offer last night.
This time around, compromise worked...We came up some on the price, and the sellers came down some. The contract was ratified last night, and my buyer is delighted to get her first choice after all. Now we only have the hassle of four parties potentially moving on the same weekend at the end of August...but that's another story.

Unusual Home Repairs

I've mentioned before that my office keeps a list of workmen(work-people?)in all categories. We keep updating this list as someone leaves the area or an agent has a bad experience with a tradesman. Of course, new names are added whenever a client has a good referral for us.
Earlier in the week, I had a contact from someone in my "farm" area who needed a roofer specializing in tile roofs. Her neighbor had noticed that one of the concrete tiles on her roof had come loose, and she was concerned about the general condition of the roofing material.
We had nearly a dozen roofers on our list, but none specifically mentioned tile, so I went to Plan B...the Tuesday morning office meeting. I made my request in the "wants and needs" period, and had a great recommendation to pass on to my client.