Way to go Rocklin, CA!!!

Check it out Rocklin town people (and people thinking of relocating here) ...

http://www.Parents.com/family-life/work-money-politics/buying-home/best-family-towns/?page=6

Also a nice article here:
http://www.placerherald.com/detail/89462.html

Rocklin received this award not only for being a great place to live for families, but also because their "green" efforts. The police department reduced their electricity bills by 40% after installing energy panels in 2006 (Source: parents.com)

Nice going City of Rocklin!!!
They were the only California city on the list (well there are other states in the U.S.).

Financial Title Closes its Doors ...

We received an email today that Financial Title Co, a subsidiary of Mercury Companies in Colorado, has closed it's door today. As we just heard the sad news today, I found it difficult to find an article. First American is what I am seeing is the one taking over all the escrows. We had an office nearby on Lava Ridge in Roseville. :-(

http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/1121133.html

First American Title's website: http://www.FirstAm.com

Nehemiah Loan Program & H.R. 3221

If you haven't heard already the Nehemiah Program may be (and most likely) is on it's way out the door.

Some of you might be familiar or have used the Nehemiah Program to get into your first home ...

What is Nehemiah: www.NehemiahCorp.org

Here is an article posted in the Sacramento Bee about the expected ban on the Nehemiah Program:
www.Sacbee.com/103/story/1099122.html

If you are house hunting, keep on top of your loans and programs you are involved in, you may not have to worry today, but keep in touch with what is going on and how it may or may not effect your home purchase.

CAPS Tennis at Galleria Mall ---> GREAT!

Have you been to the CAPS Tennis at the Galleria Mall yet?

Go to their website here: http://www.gocaps.net/teams/article.aspx?article_id=783

We went to a tennis event with Steve's office on Wednesday and it was a blast. I couldn't believe how nice the event was and was sad we had never gone sooner. If you have an opportunity and tennis even remotely is interesting to you, please take the opportunity to see their fantastic set up.

The tennis matches were great to watch. Such great rallies. The event flowed through singles, doubles, mixed doubles (never got to see this) with various other activities woven between matches.

They even had an area for little ones. They had a great play area and plenty of activities to keep the event entertaining for all ages. They had these great poster contests for the younger children and it was so nice to see the kids so excited at the opportunity for their artwork to be paraded around to the crowd. I was thoroughly impressed as was Steve.

The design and layout of the concessions, court and surrounding areas were fantastic. The landscape people advertising their services went over and beyond with their efforts. The area looked beautiful. They always involved other activities through the breaks in the match to keep the viewer's interest going. To keep it real, I did have one thought be warned parent(s) ... the kid zone is RIGHT there when you walk in. I can keep my eldest child in check, but my little two year old, not so much. You are warned that one of you will be committing to missing the match. Perhaps it had to be there for various reasons right at the entryway. And it really was a great set up there, so I don't mean this to deter you. Besides you can drown your sorrows with the mile-long ice cream line. It MUST'VE been some good stuff. :-)

If you are coming to event or buying tickets, I suggest you make the attempt to NOT purchasing the seats facing West before sunset. Brutal sun. And I have had many of our friends ask, "Wasn't the heat intolerable?" You know, actually it wasn't. Where the event is held is elevated seating (it is tennis) and the court flooring perhaps acts as a buffer between radiating the heat from the black asphalt. I don't know. It was really nice and we had a pleasant breeze coming through that evening. Oh and bring a cushion if you are not up for the plank seating challenge.

Both Steve and I thought Gary Gelfin did a great job at announcing the game. He did ALL that he could to get the crowd into the event. We have liked Gary since he was on GoodDay Sacramento.

Please support this local event. I wish we had sooner.
http://www.gocaps.net/teams/article.aspx?article_id=783

On a separate note, but still local level ... looking for a good little restaurant if you haven't been there already. Last night we tried Cha Cha's and it was so good. That is a great little Mexican restaurant in Rocklin off Stanford Ranch. Very good! So nice to experience great service in a restaurant with good food and with interesting artwork, sculptures and fixtures surrounding you.

Have you checked out the new google maps with virtual tours in Sacramento?

Google any address, click maps, click search and then click street view. It is phenomenal. Many major streets in Roseville have been completed, but not many residential. It is REALLY cool!

Many parts of Rocklin have not been done ... I cannot find any that work yet on the major streets. Try it out! See the virtual tours!

Click "Street View" above the map to the far left to begin the fun! You can hit anywhere their are blue bars lining the major streets. Click on photos to enlarge.

In the greater Sacramento region you can do residential streets. Great for those researching properties in that area to see what a neighborhood looks like before you venture out. Gas is too expensive to be going to areas that are not going to appeal to you. That isn't to say pictures are not already outdated with many people doing refaces to their yard or they happen to have too many cars in front of their homes on days the photos/virtual tours were conducted. Food for thought.

Relocation to Roseville for the Bruces is a success! We found a great home in North Roseville for them and their family. Now their work commute will be much better and they will be enjoying all that the area has to offer here. We found this REO/Bank-owned property early in June and they were closed at the beginning of July. Home needed a little TLC in the yard, but it will be back in its prime in no time. Fantastic pool with a great stone waterfall.

And ... yes that is our younger daughter in the pic. Trying to catch up to older sister's number of pics.

Folsom and on the Golf Course

Thank you for your business to our longtime friends in Folsom. Here are some pics of their new home. We appreciate your business sincerely. Such great views of the course.

Another sale successfully executed which requires a big thanks to Don Hall with California Central Home Loans! (916) 569-1800. We couldn't have done it without your tremendous efforts.

Paper, Plastic ... Canvas???

No real estate today ... I feel an urge to go in a different direction today.

I have encountered one too many folks who still don't know about the local grocery chain discount (not all, but quite a few) that offer for B.Y.O.B.
Not THAT, bags! Bring Your Own Bags ... Canvas bags that is ...

Many of you already know, but quite a few of the local grocery stores will give you a 10-25¢ discount for each canvas bag you bring in, to be in lieu of using their plastic or paper bags.

Try it today. My problem is not using them, but forgetting to bring them IN to the store. Classic Heather, "Okay I have my canvas bags all ready to go ..." I begin shopping and get in line and "DOH!" No bags, they are still on my front seat. I have doing this canvas bag thing now for about for about six months or better. It all started when Steve was getting so many canvas bags from vendors on his various REALTOR convention trips, we decided this was a sign to get on board with the "cut back on your plastic bag consumption."

I have been using canvas bags now for quite some time and I must say not ALL store chains are on board to making this a readily easy thing to do (meaning bring in one's own bags). A few places have the turnstile, "mass" plastic bag dispenser. I am SURE you know what I am talking about. I still bring my bags in there, and I have received numerous, disgruntled expressions from "all-to-displeased" register folks. They are very nice, but my bags cannot be twirled to the next one and it does require stepping out of the routine to open up each bag and load.

It isn't my fault the company's design didn't take this into consideration the canvas bag era. Sure I might add another 20-30 seconds to the loading process efficiently. (Not too mention that dang mass bag, twirling contraption has lost me ice cream and frozen goods because not all the bags made it back into my cart-grrrr! It isn't THAT great). Take it back to the drawing board folks, canvas bags are the direction we are going. If the person behind the counter looks flustered help out. Not to mention you will ensure your cereal box doesn't make banana mush out of your hand-picked bananas if you load them.

It is not a comfort zone thing for many people both on the consumer side to bring in bags to a store, nor for the person running the register and/or person bagging your items. Many although are and will praise you at the register for your attempt (and memory to get the bags out of your car). I have also experience the positive of people from behind the counter, complementing me on my efforts or anyone else in line remembering to bring in their bags. It really is a good feeling to know that you are not making waste of any more bags. Now I know, you dog lovers are saying, "I NEED those bags," well so do I, but just something to curb the waste is better than not all.

I like to have one big canvas bag and store all of the smaller ones inside.
Try it next time you go out. I guarantee you have at least one or two canvas bags in your house today. Not only are they "generally" more supportive than those risky plastic bags or the junky handled paper bags (they are worthless to me, outside of magazine mass disposal carriers), but they are easier to carry. I have noticed from store to store the looks from other shoppers too seeing my mass canvas bags in my cart, so much curiosity. Many stores are selling their personally "branded" bags at the registers at even lower costs now more than ever and that it is worth the jump.

You start with one or two bags, I guarantee you will be "jumping on board." They are so much easier to use. Heck I bet you will even have a favorite bag.
Check out the world of canvas bags on the google search I did. People are really getting into rating and finding good alternatives to the plastic & paper bag world.

Click here to see all the canvas bags.

Three listings sold

Three of our listings sold in the past five weeks! Thanks Norine, Redes and Kal.
We worked with a 1031 exchange, relocation out-of-the-area and an out-of-state buyer.
Thanks to our sellers and we wish you all the best. You were all so wonderful to work with throughout the entire transaction. No pics this time (darn!), but they are still special to us.

GreatSacramentoHome.com, GreatHomeInRoseville.com and GreatRocklinHome.com are now available for your listing.

Two More Home Owners!

Two more new home owners in by the Fourth!
Thank you George. Thank you Eileen (love that pic - too funny)

Bank-owned (REO) homes are still a strong part of our sales. Each REO transaction proves to be unique and we are doing all that we can to evolve with the constantly changing market and stay up on new inventory to the market. Steve has been doing a wonderful job keeping deals in escrow.

Do the new terms all seem too confusing, call us or take a look here on our website for quick definitions and terms you might hear: http://RosevilleAndRocklin.com/realestateterms.html

Call Steve if you have any specific questions or concerns about your home or the home you would like to target.
916-308-2446

Thank you George and Eileen for your business and dedication to Steve's services. We appreciate you both. Enjoy your new homes.

Happy Fourth of July!

Whatever you are doing today, be safe and I hope you have a wonderful Holiday!
We are going to see some fireworks with some good friends and perhaps swing by Sierra View C.C. Not sure yet.

Last week we went to the Jubilee in Rocklin and saw fantastic fireworks and had a great time with some good friends. And we even got to see the "Cheeseballs" play. I don't have a clue who they are ... but they were fun. Good times.

We had a fantastic June! Three of our listings closed including a few REOs.
I have some great photos to post. It is nice to lay low today. Still working, but much more mellow today. Give us a call tomorrow. We will back in full swing tomorrow.

Have a wonderful *** Fourth of July *** and please be safe!

Rocklin Fireworks Rules ***
http://www.ci.rocklin.ca.us/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=679&targetid=1

Roseville Fireworks Rules ***
http://www.roseville.ca.us/fire/fire_prevention/fireworks_enforcement.asp

Show at Placer County Fairgrounds starts at 9:30pm! Sierra View Golf Course has their fireworks show right before Placer County's show.
http://www.roseville.ca.us/parks/4th_of_july_celebration.asp