Watership Down, The Life of Pi, Shakelton’s Endurance, A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Stand.
If I had to list them, these are probably my five favorite books (though it was very hard to pick just five).
I just might re-read them.
What are your faves?
Have you ever been the recipient of an apology that sounds something like this: “I’m sorry, but…”
Okay, this is not actually an apology.
The “but” nullifies the sorry.
Because an apology like this is riddled with excuses. Don’t be this person.
If you are going to say sorry, say it. No strings attached. Because a sorry with a BUT is worse than no sorry at all.
Just my two cents.
Okay I know I’m going to hear all your objections, and they have merit…. BUT I also want to help you find solutions and overcome obstacles.
So hit me with your best shot!
My teenage years are still very vivid.
I can literally conjure up the feelings I had as a teenager, those of angst, overall frustration with my parental units, longing for someone to understand me and that horrible feeling of never being good enough.
This is a photo from junior prom.
When I look at this 17 year old girl I think she is pretty, that she looks nice, that I might like to be her friend.
Unfortunately I didn’t think those things about myself at the time.
I let the world and my peers tell me I was less than. I was self conscious, afraid and constantly intimidated.
The grownups around me all had the same message; “none of this matters and someday you will look back on your high school years and it won’t effect you at all.”
In my head I would be rolling my eyes and trying to hold back the tears.
Here’s the thing.
They were 100% correct!
Those kids that were mean to me, I don’t ever think about them. Those awkward moments I had as a very tall teenager, not even on my radar.
Those times I thought I would never be accepted for who I was…. quite the opposite in my life today.
I so wish I could go back to that teenage girl and tell her “you are smart, you are kind, you are so beautiful and someday the world will see what I see”.
With gratitude.
5 things to always check out when buying a home
The roof. Two things here. What’s the condition of the roof and how many layers of shingles. If there are already two layers of shingles you will have to tear off all layers and re-roof. If there is just one layer you can probably re-roof over it.
The septic system or sewer line. It is possible to have a septic issue and not know it, especially if you are buying a home that has been used as a second home.
Latent moisture. Looks like an old leak, and it might be. But there still could be mold behind the wall.
Water quality and quantity. Will you have enough water and is your water drinkable? Not as much of an issue when you have city water but if you are on a well its important to understand quality and quantity.
Radon levels. Radon is an invisible gas that the EPA reports can cause cancer. Its has been around since the beginning of time. Some homes have very high radon levels and while it might not be a concern to you, you will have to address it when you go to sell your home.
If you have questions, hit me up!
You bought your first home!
You were feeling like you were on Cloud 9.
You had so many great ideas on your Pinterest board to make this place your own.
But now several years have gone by and nothing has changed. Your space is feeling cramped and tight and you are dreaming of a new home.
But how could you swing it?
Everyone knows this market is nuts. You would have your current home sold in a heartbeat but wouldn’t be able to find a suitable replacement.
Prices have gone up so much, it wouldn’t make sense to buy a new home now.
Does this sound like you?
If so, we need to talk. I’ve got proven strategies to help you with this kind of move. Please reach out for a free copy of my Pathway to Peace guide or with any questions.
“But if I sell my home now I will be homeless!”
I’m hearing this sentiment a lot these days. Everyone knows the market is bananas and many sellers are putting off selling because they worry about finding a replacement property.
But what if I told you I’ve got a couple tricks up my sleeve to ease the transition and stress involved with selling and buying in this HOT market?
Seller Contingency - Once your home goes under contract you have a specific time period to find another home. If you can’t find another house to buy you can get out of your contract.
Rent Back - After closing you can rent the home back from the buyers. This is typically calculated to cover their new monthly mortgage payment and can last up to 60 days.
Extra Long Closing - Contracts are taking longer than normal anyway because we are experiencing an appraisal backlog but it’s not uncommon for parties to agree to a 90 day extended closing.
All three of these strategies give some much need and valuable time to find your next home so you don’t end up homeless.
Have questions? Leave them in the comments.
My grandmother loved to make cracked marbles.
.She would heat them carefully in a pot on the stove at just the right temperature. Too hot and they would be destroyed, not enough heat and they would be unchanged.
She took something ordinary and common and turned them into tiny gems. They turned from regular marbles to sparkling, complex and beautiful treasures.
Elizabeth found the stash of marbles that my grandmother gave me and is now following in her footsteps by making jewelry out of them.
It’s interesting to me that life is a little like those cracked marbles.
That the beauty and uniqueness is revealed in change.
And that sometimes, it’s in our cracks and brokenness that we discover the most about ourselves.
I’ve struggled most of my life with not having a voice.
I was the kid that would shrink into a corner and avoid conflict at all cost. I felt incapable of standing up for myself to the point of destruction.
And on top of that, I’ve always been a people pleaser so my needs and desires took the back seat to everyone else.
But just the other day a dear friend reminded me that I HAD found my voice after all.
Let me tell you the story she reminded me of.
A couple of years ago we were at a women’s conference together. It was the opening session of the conference and we were in a large room with about 100+ people.
The woman speaking was presenting her original art work when suddenly she pointed to me from across the room and said she wanted me to have this painting.
I was dumbstruck.
She said God pinpointed me for this painting and that she hoped it spoke to me the way it spoke to her when she was creating it.
I love the colors, the imagery and the shofar intertwined into the image. The lion is mighty and brave. He looks after his family with fierce loyalty. And he is free.
Be the lion.
Here are a few of mine: cup, icy, pip, kurfuffel, hippopotamus, effervescent, curlicue & ampersand. I just love the way they sound!
And here are a couple I hate - moist, stench and curdle.
What are a few your faves and not so favorite words?
You’re going to need your super readers for this one!
When I meet with sellers they often tell me about some of the repairs they never got around to… can you relate?
They suggest offering a credit to the buyer at closing to address these items. While that might work for things like flooring, its a weak place to work from regarding negotiations.
Think about it - you’ve already told the buyer to offer you less. And in my experience if a repair costs you $1000, the buyer will want $1500 to deal with the hassle.
Each situation is specific, and when we meet together I will give you the best advice possible to get your home ready to go on the market.
I was about 12 years old and needed a new pair of boots. My mom was busy so my dad took me shopping.
Now I know some of you dads out there might be good at shopping with your pre-teen daughters. My dad on the other hand embraced the mentality of “what’s the quickest and cheapest” method.
Next thing I know we are pulling up in front of a large discount retailer. We quickly cruised over to the shoe aisle and before I knew it I was walking out the door with a cute but inadequate pair of boots.
Week one went great, lots of compliments and comfort was decent.
By week two the fake leather was peeling off and I had blisters on both heels.
Lesson learned - You get what you pay for!
Somethings in life do not benefit from cutting corners on time or money.
Same thing goes for real estate agents. Are there agents out there that will sell your home for a discount? Sure there are, you’ve probably seen the commercials on TV.
But...you get what you pay for. This is likely your most valuable asset, not a time to cut corners and go with the cheapest option. Time to go with the BEST option whatever that might be.
Remember cheap boots make for miserable feet
***Side note - these are not said boots. They didn’t last long enough for a photo op!
You know the major adulting conundrum we all have? You know the one? Come on, the one that plagues you everyday (unless you are one of those super organized types)!
Yep, you got it - WHAT TO MAKE FOR DINNER
Well, we got our daughter a kids cookbook for Christmas and now she WANTS to make dinner. One of her new specialties, taco cups
I don’t know how long this is going to last so I am going to enjoy it as long as she does.
***Side note: You know when you are growing up and you get all kinds of advice from adults- make sure to travel, get good grades, marry your best friend, kids will change your life, you get the picture….
How come NO ONE ever told me that finding something to cook for dinner every night was going to be so hard
How do you know if you priced your home correctly?
Well in this market its pretty easy to know.
As a general rule of thumb, if your home is not under contract in about 60 days you might have overshot the market.
You might think, no big deal.
Here’s the thing - the longer your home sits on the market the more buyers begin to believe there is something wrong with your home OR they can low ball you.
The goal should be to sell your home not just list it.
First time buyer credits are a thing of the past.
Sadly, your lender doesn’t care if you are a first time buyer or buying your 10th home.
But its not all bad news!
If you are a teacher or first responder there are some special loan programs available to you.
Also if you are active duty or a Veteran of the US Military, you likely qualify for a VA loan.
And many buyers qualify for down payment assistance and down payment grants.
A great lender will be able to figure out what programs are best for you.
But please for the love of all that is good in the world, DO NOT, call one of the lenders with the fancy commercials!
You know who I am talking about.
They work on volume and not on repeat business. They spend millions of dollars on advertising to sell you one loan.
A local lender, recommended by your real estate agent, care about your experience because they hope you might recommend your friends and neighbors down the road.
Don’t knock it till you try it
I lived in England for 6 months back in 2000 and that was when I discovered this lovely dish - jacket potatoes.
This one, my favorite, is filled with a mayonnaise salad of tuna and corn.
I know, I know, it sounds really gross but I can guarantee you it is absolutely delish!
Tell me about some of your favorite (or strange) foods.
If you could just get your hands on it.
The thing that eludes you.
The thing, that if you had it, everything would be better.
The thing you are missing in life.
So you grasp and cling just like this giant claw crane game.
You set it all up perfectly, push the button and pray. And as predicted the claw half-heartedly grabs at the object of your desire and lets go at the last minute.
You knew the odds, but you played anyway.
Have you ever won at this game?
I have, twice in a row believe it or not.
And I can tell you the toys are not nearly as cuddly as they look. Once in your arms they lack the quality you had hoped.
They were just shiny objects behind the glass
So back to the beginning of this post.
That thing you want so badly, is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Or is it like the stuffed flamingo at the arcade- hollow, fake and won by chance.
Focus on the things on this side of the glass. I think you might find there is just so much to be grateful for.
With gratitude.
Say what?
I’m telling you, there are some days that I cannot believe the things I see in this profession.
Several years ago, I got a call from the sister of one of my clients late into the evening. We had met once, but I didn’t really know her well.
She started out saying she was so sorry to be calling but I am the only person she knows in Grand County. Oh dear, where is this going, I thought to myself.
She followed up by saying that she needed a huge favor…. would I possibly be able to bail her son out of jail.
Huh?
He had been arrested for driving drunk over Trail Ridge Road and she just didn’t want him to spend the night in a jail cell. She didn’t ask me to put him up at my house but if I had offered I don’t think she would have said no.
Good grief, I don’t think that is duty that real estate agents are required to perform but some people will ask anyway!
Here are the three reasons your home is not sold yet.
Price: buyers know the market. They have access to tons of data online and while the market is still crazy buyers are not in the mood to grossly overpay for your home.
Condition: too small, too dated, too smelly, major repairs, dysfunctional floor plan, you get the picture.
Location: too close to the road, in town, out of town, on a mountain, in a valley, again, you get the picture.
Two of these things you can change, one you cannot. So if your home is not selling you will need to have a closer look at and and see what adjustments need to be made.
3 small home improvements that yield BIG returns for sellers
Paint the interior of your home a popular but neutral color. Repose Grey by Sherwin Williams or Oyster Pearl by Valspar are great options. Now I can hear you arguing with me - “its just paint, the buyer can choose their own colors and paint it themselves”. Here’s the issue, when the buyer sees the navy blue walls in your kids room they add it to their “to-do list” which means less money for you.
Some elements of home staging. A new rug, beautifully framed artwork (this doesn’t have to break the bank), a few strategically placed artificial (or real plants). A couple hundred will make a huge difference if the right pieces are purchased. The thrift store and a can of spray paint can go a long way too. For inspiration check out Pinterest.
Deep clean and declutter. This is probably the most important aspect. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Have a trusted friend over to help you “see” your everyday clutter.
