The Housechick Blog

Happy Halloween!

“What’s that over there?” 

“Uh, looks like a Scottie in a tree.”

“Yup, that’s definitely a Scottie in a tree.”

“Oh.  Okay.”

Well, how else is he going to check out the new neighbors?

You may have noticed those links at the top of the blog to Private Buyer and Seller Pages Client Only Pages.  I’ve had a couple questions as to what that’s all about.  If you click on them, you’ll quickly realize they are password protected - hence the word ‘Private.’

note: just moved these pages to client only, so this is an old screenshot. just updating the post now to reflect some changes…

A private page on the blog is just one way for me to communicate and share information with my clients.  For my Sellers, they can log onto their private page to find out the latest web traffic for their listing, review the feedback they’ve been given on their house, see the history of print ads and showings, and keep track of critical dates and events during the term of their listing and the sale of their house.

For Buyers, we start this page as a Buyer goes under contract and detail out important dates and events as the first entry.  That way, when my Buyers are at home at midnight and can’t remember what day their inspection period ends, they can log into their private page and find that information.  There’s also records of my calls and faxes, interactions with inspectors, their lender, title and escrow folks, things like that.

Basically, it’s all an effort to make my Buyers and Sellers as comfortable and informed as possible.  Who wouldn’t want the important details of their particular home buying or selling transaction available to them from any computer 24/7?

The pages are still young, but we’re working on the next generation of these pages as well as improvements to our business systems to help keep the pages as accurate and up-to-date as possible.  We have lots of ideas and plans for these pages, ways to make it easier for me to keep them updated and for my clients to receive and add to that information.

Want your own private Buyer or Seller page?  Email me and let’s get started!

Today I got to schmooze with the good people at Sunstreet Mortgage.  When First Magnus imploded, my favorite loan officer from First Magnus, Phaedra Wilson, found a new home at Sunstreet Mortgage.  My friend and I were invited to the Sunstreet Mortgage Open House, so we made the trip up to the Tucson Foothills today to show our support for Phaedra and her new digs.

Here’s my friend (and fabulous loan officer) Phaedra Wilson, with a little surprise inside - she’s 5 months pregnant.  Congratulations Phaedra!

We had a chance to chat, and Phaedra says she’s come to love Sunstreet Mortgage, the people that work there, and the products they offer.  Plus, she says she can be more competitive now than she was at First Magnus - I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with her again.

You can call Phaedra at (520) 977-7247, or email her: phaedra @ sunstreetmortgage.com.

Sunstreet Mortgage is located at 6340 N Campbell Ave, Suite 140.  That’s the Southeast corner of Campbell and Sunrise, over behind the Flemings Restaurant in that back row of offices.

Dog?  Or Furry AT-AT Walker?  Coincidence?  I think not.

Have a good weekend!

I think I’ve officially seen one too many episodes.  I blame the Tivo.

What’s the timeline on that show anyway?  Do they never see more than one house in a day?  Talk about inefficient. The outfits are always different for each house showing. 

Do the agent and buyer never ride in the same car?  What’s all this “Hi There!” talk at the front door?  Did you not discuss this listing with them in the car on the way over?

Just once, I want to see one of those agents fighting through a huge oleander to get to the keysafe, hidden on a low water spigot, all rump up in the air and ungainly.  You know, the glamorous moments as a Realtor.

And for crying out loud, who points out the kitchen?  If I have to point out the kitchen when I’m showing a house, we’re all in trouble.  Where’s the shot of the buyers looking through the medicine cabinet, or in the refrigerator?  (Oh you KNOW they do!)

At the end when the people are all happy in their new home, why are they always cooking?  Always chopping something with an inappropriately sized knife?  Do they only have a paring knife?  Is that why they’re slicing a watermelon with a paring knife?  House Hunters should get these guys knife sets as closing gifts.

(okay, okay, so I guessed wrong again about which house they would buy.  I’m sure I didn’t have all the information… ) Have a good weekend!

I remember the first time that I saw it.  I was on a long cross-country flight, flipping through the in-flight magazine, and there it was.

The FUNCTIONAL UTILITY BAR.

The FUBAR by Stanley tools, recipient of the Popular Science “Best of What’s New” Award.

I was so excited, I woke up my hubby in the seat beside me to show him the ad in the magazine.  “This,” I said.  “This, I need.” 

Let me explain.  I’m a sucker for a project house.  The most recent one we bought had this huge straw bale wall in the middle of the driveway that needed to come down so we could, you know, like, PARK in the driveway.

You know what happens when you hit a straw bale wall with a sledgehammer?

It cracks the stucco.  And then it mashes into the wall a little, and bounces off when it hits the layer of chicken wire surrounding the straw.  It’s an incredible let-down, I’ll have you know, to take your biggest wind-up swing with a heavy sledge at a big wall, and have it go crunch-mush-bounce.  Taking that wall down required a lot more finesse than I thought it would - and an entire 10 yard dumpster.  You’ve got to crack the plaster and pull away the chicken wire and pry out the rebar and untie things.

And then there were the interior walls.  Some are plaster over drywall, some are tile over concrete over brick.  And some are plaster over a heavy metal mesh, nailed to the studs.  To pull those walls down, you’re chipping and chiseling and hammering and prying and pulling.  There’s some muttering to yourself as well, typically.

I own probably 8-10 hammers, ranging from the petite Do-It-Herself hammer I got as a college freshman, to the cushioned handle “iFix” hammer, to the more serious construction guy hammers.  I even have 2 kinds of sledge hammers, and one gigantic pickaxe (which, BTW, also didn’t work on the straw bale wall, but is useful for digging holes in caliche).  I think I have two crowbars - hold on, mine are called “wonder bars.”

However, I’d give them all up for a single FUBAR.  I am convinced it is the answer to all of my demolition needs.  I’m just waiting for the opportunity to destroy something so that I can go out and buy one.  I’m pretty sure I really really need one.

Today - I find out there’s a FUBAR II, which is a lighter weight version of the original.  Was there ever anything more perfect made?

I’m a little obsessed with it.  I wonder if I could have them engraved and give them out as closing gifts to my clients?  Who wouldn’t want one of those?

The real estate blogging world is a small one. Today, we pause to help a friend.

A couple days ago, there was a funny video making the rounds among Realtors, and today we learn that the star was killed in a car accident. He was brother to a fellow friend and blogger. He leaves behind a young wife and two daughters, both less than a year old.

In support of the Anglin family, a PayPal account has been created. If you feel moved to help out, just click the Donate button below.

Speaking of good people to know…

I saw a bunch of animal droppings in my house and thought I had packrats.  I called out my trusty bug guy, who promptly informed me that was not packrat poo, that was lizard poo.

Turns out, there are distinguishing characteristics of lizard poo.

So now I know what to look for.  And I wanted to let you know.

Just in case, maybe, you find lizard poo-identification a valuable skill when selecting a real estate agent.

I found a quiz that is bizarre, meaningless — and incredibly frustrating as I have yet to complete it correctly.  I’ve set strict limits that I can only play 5 times per day, as otherwise it would take over my life.  Can you get through it all?  It’s a long download, be patient.

In the meantime, check out the progress of development in Downtown Tucson by checking out the September issue of the Downtown Tucsonan. 

From the issue:

• The old MLK building renovation and conversion should be starting soon, to be called One North Fifth, with 11 affordable units for lower income residents, and 85 studios and 1 bedroom units, targeted to young upscale professionals (think rooftop common area with ramada).  Construction should begin September, Octoberish of this year, completing end of third quarter 2008.
• The Mercado District at Menlo Park is already underway, with streets and 20 houses finished or under construction.  Some builders say they sold out their inventory in days.
• Bourn Partners says they need a couple more sales at The Post to trigger construction, hoping to get construction started by end of the year.
• The Greyhound Bus station needs to move again, as their original site is now a dirt lot, and the lot they occupy now is slated for a new arena.  Sounds like they need to be out and into a new building by October 2008.  Project design is moving along for a new location off of 6th and Toole.

(I’m up to the mid-70s on the quiz.  Let me know if you need help!)