November 2017

The annual Heritage Tree Lighting at Moonlight beach is the perfect family activity to kick off the holiday season!

" The city designated Heritage Tree, an 86' tall towering Norfolk Island pine tree, will be covered in LED lights during the holidays.  It was planted in 1952 by John & Peter Danforth as a Mother's Day gift for their Mother Jane. 

Please, come enjoy the tree lighting from 5:00-6:00 (tree will be lit at 5:30pm), along with some hot apple cider!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

This season, I am so thankful for all of my clients/friends and look forward to continuing to serve the community in the coming year.

If the season has put you in the giving mood, consider volunteering at one of our local free Thanksgiving meals. It's a great way to give back to the community and share the day with smiling faces. A great idea for people who don't have plans, or won't be able to make it home this year, volunteering at a Thanksgiving meal puts you in the center of warmth and really is the reason for the season. 

This year free Thanksgiving meals are being offered at:

-- St. Mark Lutheran Church has chosen to host a group of Marines during the Thanksgiving Day community event at 9 a.m. Thursday at 552 S. El

Is your New Year Resolution to eat healthier? Why wait until January? The Encinitas Station Farmer's Market is open every Wednesday from 4-8 pm. Featuring live music, delicious snacks, and local vendors, this is truly the best way to support the community while eating healthier at the same time.

Check out their Facebook page for more information.

The 20th Annual Encinitas Holiday Street Fair is almost here! The fun starts at 9 am on Sunday Nov. 19th.

Here's more from the official Facebook Event : "Enjoy over 450 unique food, arts and crafts vendors plus three Entertainment Stages, Children’s Activites, Bike Valets, and a Beer Garden! Take advantage of free family fun, entertainment, a National Award Winning MainStreet and a traditional So-Cal beach town. Come shop for the holidays and support local artists and makers. Big thanks to our presenting sponsor Southwest Airlines for sponsoring this event.

Savor craft beers, enjoy some quality food and soak up some winter sun while listening to the best bands in San Diego rock out at the Beer Garden Stage. Beer provided by Modern Times Beer and

Adding plants to your home will give it a fresher and brighter feel and will also improve your home’s air quality. Although it does take a little bit of work and consistency to maintain your plants, but it’s well worth the effort. Here are a few tips for keeping your plants looking great.

 1. Use leftover water from cooking. Plants love the extra nutrients from your leftover cooking water that can’t be found straight from the tap. Instead of dumping the water right after boiling vegetables, let it cool and use it to water your plants.

 2. Coffee makes great fertilizer. Rather than throwing your used coffee grounds in the trash, empty out your French press or coffee filter straight into a planter.

 3. Dust your plants. This should be part of your

It’s easy to take a few missteps when it comes to lawn care, especially if you’re a new homeowner and it’s your first time being solely responsible for your yard and landscaping. Here are a few tips that will help you avoid lawn-related frustrations.

Cutting the grass short. Lowering the height of your mower blades may give you a few extra days between each mowing, but it’s bad for your grass in the long run. Don’t go any shorter than 2.5 inches, or your grass could be starved for sunlight.

Watch where your dog urinates. Finally out of an apartment and ready to let the dog into the back yard when it’s time to go? You might regret it. Your pets’ urine can kill your plants and grass. Try to train your dog to go in one spot, preferably in stone or

You’ve most likely heard the rule: Save for a 20-percent down payment before you buy a home. The logic behind saving 20 percent is solid, as it shows that you have the financial discipline and stability to save for a long-term goal. It also helps you get favorable rates from lenders.

But there can actually be financial benefits to putting down a small down payment—as low as three percent—rather than parting with so much cash up front, even if you have the money available.

THE DOWNSIDE

The downsides of a small down payment are pretty well known. You’ll have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance for years, and the lower your down payment, the more you’ll pay. You’ll also be offered a lesser loan amount than borrowers who have a 20-percent down payment,

Few things in the home buying process are more frustrating than having your offer accepted, only to have the appraisal fall below your offer. But all is not lost! If the appraisal comes in below your offer, there are several tactics and strategies that can lead to a happy solution.

Get a second opinion: There’s no need to take the appraiser’s estimate as fact. You can pursue a value appeal, or you can discuss a second appraisal with your prospective lender. Sometimes you can even get the seller to pay for the second appraisal, because they will be motivated to complete the sale. Your real estate professional should be able to help you through the process of an appeal or a second opinion.

Renegotiate for a lower price: Unless the market is extremely

Is there a home maintenance project that’s been lingering on your to-do list for too long because you’re dreading the trip to the hardware or craft store? There are some projects you can tackle with items that are almost certainly already in your home.

 1. Vinegar: There’s probably a jug of vinegar in your pantry right now. You can soak items in vinegar to remove mineral deposits (like in a clogged showerhead), and you can boil vinegar in your microwave to remove odors and make it easier to clean.

 2. Cola: A can of Coke or Pepsi can be used to clean many surfaces, including your glass windows, porcelain toilet, or chrome fixtures. Just do some research before using it on metal surfaces, as it can be corrosive.

 3. Baking soda: This item may

When you’re selling your home, adding some extra perks can help you find a buyer quickly. An incentive is essentially a marketing spend for your home sale. But you want to make sure your marketing dollars are being used effectively, so consider these do’s and don’ts:

DO recognize your home’s flaws, and offer an incentive that compensates. Buyers will look at extremely dated decor or appliances as a big looming expense, so you can alleviate their anxiety with a warranty or repair/renovation allowance.

DON’T use an incentive to try to get buyers to bite on an inflated sale price. If your home isn’t priced properly, it’s unlikely that an incentive—even one with significantly monetary value—will hide that fact. You’re better off revaluating your