Starting 2025 with Positivity, Purpose, and New Beginnings
As we step into 2025, I’m embracing this new year with a focus on positivity, growth, and meaningful connections. The real estate market is constantly evolving, but one thing remains constant: my commitment to helping my clients achieve their dreams, one home at a time.
Before diving into the excitement of the year ahead, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the devastating fires impacting Los Angeles and the surrounding communities. My heart goes out to everyone affected, and I sincerely hope that you, your friends, and your loved ones are safe. This tragedy reminds us of the importance of standing together as a community. If you’re in a position to help, please consider donating to the American Red Cross. Every contribution provides critical relief to those in need. Red Cross.
Here at home, 2025 brings an exciting new chapter for me as I begin the year with my brand-new office in San Leandro. This space reflects my vision for the future, and it’s been great to welcome clients and colleagues into this inspiring environment. It’s the perfect place to launch another year of success and collaboration. Let me know if you want a tour. And if you need a community space to meet, please let me know and I’ll see how I can help.
Real estate is more than just buying and selling properties; it’s about building relationships, creating opportunities, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Whether you're searching for your dream home, selling a long-cherished space, or investing in your future, I’m here to guide you with positivity and expertise every step of the way.
I’m proud to share that once again, I was the top-producing Real Estate Agent in Sheffield Village, a community very close to my heart; where I bought my first home and lived for more than 17 years. However, it might surprise some to know that the majority of my business occurs outside of Sheffield Village. From first-time buyers in San Leandro to seasoned investors branching out across the Bay Area, I’m honored to work with a diverse range of clients to help them achieve their personal real estate goals. I’ve also had great success helping people find exceptional agents in other areas, ensuring that my clients receive top-tier support no matter where their real estate journey takes them.
As a small business owner myself, I heavily rely upon referrals from friends and former clients. Please keep me in mind when the topic of real estate comes up—your recommendation means the world to me and helps me continue to grow and serve others.
I still have several desk calendars available! If you’d like one, or even an extra one, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to drop it off or mail it to you. It’s a small way for me to say thank you for your support and to help keep your 2025 organized.
This year, I’m especially excited to focus on bringing fun and optimism into every interaction. Challenges are inevitable, but with a positive mindset, creative problem-solving, and a dedication to finding solutions, anything is possible.
For my clients, 2025 is the year to dream big. Thinking of upgrading to your ideal space? Ready to take the plunge into homeownership? Needing to downsize? Let's brainstorm! We can work together to turn your vision into reality.
As we navigate the real estate journey together, I promise to bring enthusiasm, professionalism, and a results-driven approach to everything I do. My goal is to not only meet your expectations but exceed them. You can read many of my Five Star reviews here.
Here’s to a year filled with success, opportunities, and new beginnings. Let’s make 2025 your year in real estate!
HOMEOWNERSHIP TIP OF THE MONTH
Fireplaces, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Do you have a fireplace? If so, remember to keep the damper closed when not in use. Keeping it open will allow warm air from your home to escape and cold air to enter, akin to leaving a window open.
The new year is a good time to review your detectors. Generally, you should have a smoke detector just inside and just outside each bedroom with at least one on each level of your home. Carbon monoxide detectors should be active on each level of your home.
INSURANCE
My heart goes out to those who are suffering loss as a result of the Southern California fires. Below is something a colleague shared.
The insurance requirements have changed a bit over the year. It used to be that simply insuring for the loan amount was enough. Now the lenders like to see that the “full replacement cost” of the property is covered in a catastrophic event (fire).
Farmers has started doing something lately which is proving a little problematic with lenders in that on the roof portion, you will see that they won’t actually “replace” the roof but will instead only insure for the “actual cash value”. So, if the roof is older, they won’t fully cover the replacement, and the owners will need to come up with the difference. I don’t pretend to be an expert on insurance and I don’t know exactly why they have chosen to do this. What I do know is that we’ve had a number of lenders tell us that they won’t lend with this particular verbiage on the Farmers Policies.
12 BOOKS I READ IN 2024 (In no particular order)
-
Don’t Split the Difference
A former FBI negotiator shares powerful negotiation strategies to achieve better outcomes in business and life. -
Earth to Moon
Moon Unit Zappa’s autobiography. -
The Warmth of Other Suns
A deeply moving account of the Great Migration, as millions of African Americans left the South in search of a better life in the North and West. -
Full Fee Agent
A guide for real estate agents to thrive in their business by maximizing their value and productivity. -
Becoming Bulletproof
A former Secret Service agent offers practical advice on developing mental toughness, resilience, and confidence in every area of life. -
The 4-hour Work Week
A revolutionary guide to escaping the 9-to-5 grind by automating income streams and designing a life of freedom and adventure. -
The Riders Come Out at Night
An investigative exploration of corruption and accountability within the Oakland Police Department, highlighting systemic issues. -
A Carnival of Snackery
David Sedaris's witty, irreverent diary entries provide sharp, humorous reflections on life and human behavior through the COVID-19 era and the loss of his father. -
Nonviolent Communication
A transformative framework for improving communication and fostering empathy to build better relationships.
-
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
A love story set against the backdrop of the Holocaust, based on the true story of a concentration camp survivor and tattooist and his courageous acts of humanity. -
The Lord of the Rigs: The Return of the King
The epic conclusion to Tolkien’s saga, where the forces of good face Sauron in a climactic battle to save Middle Earth. -
Kitchen Confidential
Anthony Bourdain’s candid, behind-the-scenes look at the chaotic, thrilling, and gritty world of professional kitchens.
RECIPE
We were blessed to have our 11-year old Godson Oliver and his parents stay with us over the holidays. Extra blessed that his dad is a great cook! Here’s his yummy Tomato Basil Risotto!
Ingredients:
-
6 cups chickenless stock
-
2 Tablespoon butter
-
2 shallots, minced
-
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
-
Salt and pepper
-
1 ½ cup arborio rice
-
½ cup white Pinot Grigio
-
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded then chopped
-
4 cups baby spinach, chopped
-
20 fresh basil leaves, chopped
-
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
-
Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low and keep hot.
-
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, season with salt and pepper, then sauté until the shallots are tender, 5 minutes. Add rice then stir to coat in butter and lightly toast for 1 minute. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by rice.
-
Add broth one ladle full at a time, stirring slowly until the broth has been nearly entirely absorbed by the rice before adding another ladleful. The whole process will take 30-35 minutes. Note: the broth will absorb more slowly near the end of the cooking process.
-
When there’s two ladle-fulls of broth left, add the tomatoes. When there is one ladleful left, add the baby spinach and basil. Once the rice is tender, remove skillet from heat then stir in parmesan cheese. Taste then add more salt and/or pepper as necessary, and then serve.
TRAVEL
We celebrated the New Year in the desert but are now home for a while in San Leandro. I’m pleased to say that we drove Ms. Daisy Belle (our new kitten) home and she’s a good traveler. No other travel plans on the books yet outside of a wedding in the Seattle area in April. I have a big birthday this summer, so we’re starting to think about that. We’re heading into the Lunar Year of the Snake and the Wood Snake at that, which was the year I was born so I have lofty expectations for 2025!
RESTAURANTS
As I wrote in my newsletter last month, my sister and I had a great dinner in San Francisco at Copra. This had me thinking about Indian food and our favorite East Bay Indian restaurant Frontier Spice in downtown Pleasanton. You’ve got to try their Tandoori Chicken! We often get it to go and heat up some frozen Trader Joe’s Petite Peas to have instead of rice.
MOVIES/THEATRE/TV
We managed to catch two movies at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and enjoyed them both. The first was My Favorite Cake a somber romantic comedy of sorts that takes place in present-day Iran. In December 2024 the directors, forbidden from making movies, working, and traveling, were on trial in Iran, held in Evin prison, for propaganda against the regime, breaking Islamic rules by making a “vulgar” movie, and spreading prostitution and libertinism. We also saw the movie Sacramento about a couple who take an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento.
MUSIC
We didn’t see any live music this past month, but we did catch a Coachella Valley Firebirds game! It’s the second year in a row that we caught their “Teddy Bear Toss” game. Fans are encouraged to bring a new “stuffy” and toss it on the ice after the first team goal. They are all then donated to Toys for Tots and about 22,000 were collected that night!
Always happy to talk with you or your friends about your Real Estate goals. Call me. Let's brainstorm!
