The Power of an Open House

We are getting ready to transition into yet another year of our successful Real Estate career. There are less than two weekends left in 2016 with Christmas falling on a Sunday. 

In Realtor-speak this really means we have only 2 opportunities left to hold open houses.

We were fortunate this year to have a steady flow of properties for sale and also a great network of fellow Realtors who will ask personally for us when they are unable to hold their own listings open.  There was no shortage of Open House opportunities. 

We held Open Houses in the pouring rain when it was so wet the streets were flooding. There were Open Houses where so many people showed up we couldn't keep track. There were also Open Houses on days where no one showed up.  There were weekends where we were spread out anywhere between the Los Gatos Mountains all the way to Soquel. We met some wonderful people; we met some not so wonderful people. We had signs break- some could be mended while others were beyond repair. There was no shortage of dull moments. But if I had to sum it all up into one succinct sentence.......

In 2016 we did A LOT of open houses. 

I take a lot of pride in being able to say this.  After all, Angel was assistant coaching our son's  competitive soccer team. Games were played on the weekend anywhere between Aptos to Palo Alto or Morgan Hill.  Our daughter was playing on a Mid-County recreational team. Add to the mix client showings, birthday parties, social events, holidays, and LIFE in general, we often found our calendar was overflowing. There were weekends when I didn't think we could do it all. Something would have to give. Would it be work or family?  But in the end as I sit and reflect, we didn't miss one game, our social life didn't end, and we still did A LOT of open houses.

Just how many? Take a guess!  LIKE our Business Facebook page and COMMENT on this post with your guess. The winner will receive a gift card.  The winning gift card will be the same dollar amount as the winning guess.

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is a Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3. 831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com

How to House Hunt with Kids

Take it from me, I have lots of experience with kids.  50% of my clients have house-hunted and purchased homes with kids in tow.   I've shown hundreds of properties to families with children ranging in age from newborn to 17 years and families ranging in size from 1 kid to 6 kids!

House-hunting can be overwhelming. Here are some tips I have found which keep the process simple AND productive.

Be Realistic about Showings 

In a perfect world, if you can line up childcare (nanny, playdate, or grandparents?) you'll get the most out of your house-hunting experience. But the world isn't always perfect, so if you do need to bring the kids along the most important piece of advice is really very simple: Be Realistic About Showings.  
We've found 6 homes to be a reasonable number of properties for adults to see in one showing. Anything beyond 6 and it's no longer a good use of time. Fatigue sets in, properties start blurring together, and inevitably someone ends up being "hangry" (hungry + angry.)

With kids along for the ride, we like to limit the number of homes we see to 3.  It's still novel, fun, and exciting for the little ones. We'll pick the 3 that we think is the best fit and the best use of your time.  We tour all of the homes every week and you can be sure we are only going to show your family the houses that best meet your needs- location, condition, and budget all being taken into consideration.

Work with an Agent that understands Kids

I've seen and done it all. Diaper change in the backseat, check. Pit stop for nursing mom, check. Flower gathering while Mom and Dad take final measurements, check. I'm an expert at multi-tasking.  (I'm a mom after all!)  I know how to get down on their level and keep them occupied while simultaneously working with you to come up with the best plan of action to get your offer accepted.  Being a parent, I also understand there are the cries for attention and the Def-Com 10 cries which mean there's actual real injury involved. If buyers are ok talking over the cries for attention, there's no judgement from me! On the other side, I also know there will be real moments when the kids come first and house-hunting may need to be postponed.

Our Crazy Brood. Lilly.

Our Crazy Brood. Micha.

Our Crazy Brood. Leo.

Having kids also gives us an advantage because we know the schools! Whether you're looking for the best-rated schools, after school care options, dual immersion programs, or a sense of community we can show you strengths (and weaknesses) of most of the schools in Santa Cruz County.  Plus, we donate $500 to the school of your choice at the successful close of escrow to start you off with a warm welcome.

Play Tag

Especially with young children in carseats, it's ok to play tag with your partner.  Often, parents spend more time unbuckling and buckling their kids into car seats than they do actually looking at a home.  It's ok to leave the kids in the car with your partner and then "tag" the other when it's time. Trust me, your sleeping infant won't be disappointed they didn't see the hardwood floors or crown moulding.

When looking at homes that are occupied, this can be an especially useful tool as well. You'll be less worried about the kids climbing on furniture or the possibility of breaking something.  If leaving them in the car is not an option, having them play in the backyard also works well.

RELAX

Relax. Children are resilient and they're tough.  So take a cue from them and approach your house-hunt with the same enthusiasm and energy.  All will be well when you're in good, professional hands.

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is a Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3. 831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com

Back to School Bucks.

JUST SOLD!!!

Thanks to K.P.  and her recent sale in Santa Cruz, we are able to offer a $250 donation to a local school.

Since Back to School Shopping is upon us, we thought it would be fun to offer the funds to a local teacher to be able to spend on Classroom Supplies or Student Enrichment.

Nominate a Teacher by August 24, 2016 at 5pm and let us know why they should receive the Back to School Bucks. We will post the receiving Teacher on September 1, 2016.

Nominate your Teacher by commenting on our Facebook page at :

https://www.facebook.com/aimeeandangel/

Is Bigger always Better?

You've seen it happen.  You know what I'm talking about. 


Your favorite hole-in-the-wall place to eat takes a leap of faith and moves to a larger space. They expand their menu and the place that once had a line out the door at lunch and dinner can now accommodate dining for 100 people.

Is Bigger always Better?

Expansion is tricky.  You have to balance on the (very) fine line between being able to physically serve more guests while still retaining the charm and exclusivity of the smaller, original location.  Don't forget the Food and Quality. If you expand at the expense of the Food and Quality, you might as well save the time, money, and effort and just close up shop.

Lillian's Original Location

We've been watching the impending move Lillian's was going to make from their small, intimate dining room to the much larger space behind the Post Office. Literally, we've seen the construction and work in progress as we drive by on a daily basis.

Angel and I ask each other regularly:
Will they make it work?

What will it look like?

Will they be able to fill tables?

Are they making a mistake?

Is Bigger Better?

These little monsters were at Grandma's.

Last night we decided to take a chance and try out their new, much bigger location. We know from experience Lillian's always has a line.  We were ready to wait for a good half an hour. I mean, how long could the wait be on a Saturday night at 8pm?

90 minutes.

Yup, 90 minutes is right. Woah. Well, if we're going to wait 90 minutes for a meal we might as well take advantage of it tonight since we are kid-free!!!

We waited. We wined. We dined. The Food AND the Service was spot on. Our server Savannah was sweet and attentive and did her job selling us the specials.  We started with the 1/2 dozen raw oysters. Raw Oysters are one of our favorite things to eat and we are always shocked by how few restaurants in our beach community choose to offer these on a regular basis. We live next the OCEAN for goodness sakes.

I ordered the Spicy Prawns in Fettucini.  We like spicy food and we can handle the heat. We were not disappointed. The double chili icon next to the meal description was right on target. Angel ordered the special, Raviolis and sliced portabello mushrooms. Our only criticism was that the plating was less than stellar. The flavors worked, but visually the entree looked more like a small plate or appetizer.

Is Bigger Better?  In Lillian's case, Yes. However, Bigger still hasn't helped with the wait time for a table. Plan on making a reservation or waiting 90 minutes on a busy night.

The food was so good we were
too busy eating to take
pictures.  This is the only
 photo we snapped at the
new Lillian's.

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3.  831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com

East End GastroPub: The much-needed newest addition to Kings Plaza Shopping Center

In the spirit of "neighborhood research" we decided a trip to East End Gastropub was in order. 

Open for less than two weeks we were excited to see what the owners of West End Tap had in store for Capitola.  As it stands, Angel and I are HUGE fans of West End Tap. Two words: Salmon Board.  If you’re regulars of this hip eatery located at the end of Mission St you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.

Our first trip to East End actually turned out to be hugely unsuccessful.  Maybe we were trying to be ambitious showing up at 7:30 on a Thursday evening; but once we were actually able to FIND the place, there was an hour wait for a party of 4.  With kids in tow, we decided our neighborhood research could wait another day.  

Don't Get Lost

I sure hope East End owners will contact Google and get their map updated. (Hint, hint.) But, in the meantime, East End Gastropub is located right across from the Cinelux inside the shopping center, tucked on a corner next to Palace Art and Office Supply and Flying Crane Massage.  Massage, Craft Beer, and Office supplies; Anyone? If you Google map yourself to 1501 38th Ave or 1501 41st Ave (depending on where you’re pulling your directions), you’ll end up driving up and down 38th Ave. There’s no signage for the new Gastropub on 38th Ave or 41st Ave.

Despite the lack of signage and proper Google directions, this new eatery doesn’t seem to be having a problem drawing in business. Our second attempt was for an early dinner at 4pm on Friday evening. We were a party of 5 and were seated right away. We timed it just right, because over the course of the next hour, the place filled up quite quickly. 

The Menu (No pictures! We are that family that puts away our phones at dinner!)

Angel and I ordered the Goat Cheese & Bacon pizza, lamb chop (small plate), and brussel sprouts (small plate.)  The brussel sprouts were undeniably both of our favorites. Portions were plenty as we went home with 1/2 of the pizza for leftovers.   Our oldest ordered a hamburger.  Her french fries were crispy and seasoned well. The two small kids ordered from the kids options ($8): chicken tenders and a cheese pizza.  Food Hack Alert: The kids cheese pizza is a full pizza pie. It easily would have fed both our 6 and 8 year old.  

Miscellaneous, but important details

The two bathrooms were very clean and one even had a baby changing station.  Although we are no longer in need of a changing station, most of our friends, family, and clients do still have babies in tow. Service was great.  From the hostess to the wait and bus staff, everyone was very friendly and on-point.

4 Stars

I give this place 4 out of 5 stars. I would love to see a flight of wine offered.  After all, they do offer two beer samplers. With a great selection of wines, it would be great to be able to order a tasting flight.  Will we go out of our way to return?  I'm not sure. It's equally distant for us to head to East End or West End, and I do love that Salmon Board. 

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3.  831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com

Use your Tax Return to take years off your Mortgage

T-minus 38 days and counting until the IRS deadline for filing Tax Returns.


With the various credits and deductions related to housing, children, and retirement contributions, most people we know are fortunate enough to receive a sizable return every year. I'm always curious to see where people spend their tax refund.

Does the money go to pay down debt, fund the next family vacation, or finance the bathroom
remodel?


I always encourage clients, friends, and family to make an extra mortgage payment once that refund arrives.  I'll be the first to admit it doesn't seem very glamorous or exciting to make an extra mortgage payment.   Why would anyone do that when they could spend the week on a tropical beach in an exotic locale?  There's no instant gratification in making an extra mortgage payment, no box that arrives with Amazon Prime tape, and no girls weekend in the City.


You make the payment and then move on.  The reward may not come until much later, but I promise it will be sweet.  You see, making ONE extra payment a year will save you about FOUR+ years in mortgage payments.


Let's break down the basic math.

Assume you have a $500,000 30 year mortgage with a 4.0% interest rate. Your payment is about $2,387 a month. Make one extra payment with your tax refund and you will reduce your mortgage by 4 years, 2 months and save over $58,000 in interest.

Now what would you do with an extra 4 years of NO mortgage payments?

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3.  831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com

Proper Driving Etiquette for a Roundabout

If you've been down to the Wharf & Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, you may have noticed drivers scratching their heads with a bewildered look on their face as they come upon the intersection of Pacific Ave, West Cliff Drive, and Beach St.

Many US drivers have never seen a roundabout before and have trouble navigating this circular intersection.  In many other parts of the world, roundabouts are very common and even considered the standard.

Benefits of roundabouts (when used properly... emphasis on properly) include:

• less traffic congestion
• ability to perform a U turn within the normal flow of traffic
• reduce the likelihood and severity of traffic collisions, specifically T-bone and head on collisions
• better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and decreased wear on brakes

Here is how to navigate a roundabout properly.

Here is how NOT to navigate a roundabout.

Santa Cruz County currently has 4 roundabouts in use. Two in Santa Cruz near Depot Park and the Wharf; one in Aptos at the Esplanade; and one in Watsonville at Clifford Ave.  Capitola has plans for the intersection of Bay Ave and Capitola and a second in Watsonville at Main Street & Freedom Blvd.

The use of roundabouts will likely be on the rise so remember to yield when you are faced with this circular phenomenon.

Aimee Thayer-Garcia is a Real Estate Broker Associate at Bailey Properties. She is a Top-Producing Agent and practices Real Estate full time with her husband, Angel Garcia. Mom of 3. 831-435-9146. ATGarcia@BaileyProperties.com