The Labor Day Weekend Staycasion Suggestion

By now we've all heard of "Staycasions". It's the new alternative to expensive travel vacations during these tough economic times. It's about staying home and discovering and enjoying our own backyard, so to speak. After all, we live in one of the most sought after locations in the world. People travel across the globe to visit our beautiful area.

I often talk to people who travel extensively and I'm always very surprised to discover that they've never even been to Yosemite! Even our own Bay Area is home to fantastic scenery, food, culture and outdoor fun. In recent years I have begun to discover some fantastic hiking trails on and about the Peninsula. It's just one of the simple ways I can connect with this special place in the world I call home.

One of my all time favorites is the Lands End trail in San Francisco.  The trail begins at the Sutro Baths and leads to the Eagles' Point at the east end of the Coastal Trail segment. If you continue you can descend to China Beach before returning back.

The scenery is non-stop gorgeous. There are several exit points where you can leave the Coastal Trail and visit the Legion of Honor or Mile Rock Beach.

The round trip distance from the Sutro Baths to Eagles' Point is approximately 3 miles.Eagle's point is a natural turn around, however you can proceed down to China Beach or turn onto the El Camino del Mar and extend your hike into the neighborhoods surrounding the Legion of Honor and the Fort Miley.

In the past I made this my ritual Sunday morning activity. I shared it with friends and soon I had quite a group that would join in on any given Sunday. We would usually end the hike with breakfast out. With Labor Day Weekend upon us I would suggest this an excellent activity for anyone in the family. Dogs are welcome too on the trail.

I hope this inspires you to get out there and enjoy the very special place in which we live. This is just one of the numerous spots you can enjoy on your next "Staycasion" 

See you on the trail....

Women Professionals Welcome!

Event management powered by Eventbrite

Fire Season is Here

The best way of surviving a fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Here are some Tips:

• 
  
  Keep your home free of oily rags and trash build-up. Gasoline and other flammable liquids should be stored in approved metal safety cans. 
• 
  
  Cleaning materials should be kept in a ventilated area, away from any heat source. Vapors given off by these substances can ignite when they come in contact with a heat source, such as a pilot light. 
• 
  
  Check lamps, appliance cords and light switches to make sure there is no faulty wiring. Never overload electrical circuits. 
• 
  
  Allow adequate ventilation space around televisions, stereos and other entertainment equipment. 
• 
  
  Teach your children not to play with matches. Keep matches in a closed metal container away from heat sources and out of the reach of children. 
• 
  
  Never smoke in bed. Carelessly discarded cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States. 
• 
  
  Remove all weeds, tree branches and litter from your yard. 
• 
  
  If you have a fireplace, make sure it is properly screened and install a spark arrestor with at least a half-inch mesh on the chimney. 
• 
  
  Daily household trash should be kept in a covered can away from any heat source. Recycle newspapers frequently. 
• 
  
  Be a careful cook. Never wear long sleeves when you cook -- they can catch fire. Keep the handles of your pots turned inward, so the pots can't be knocked over. Never put foil or other metals in a microwave oven.

Virginia Trowbridge is Agent/Owner of Trowbridge Insurance Agency

contact information 650-FARMERS or virginia.ctrowbridge@farmersagency.com

Visit us at  http://www.trowbridgeins.com/

 

Do I Need a Building Permit?

It comes up fairly often that a client asks me whether they really need a permit for the work they are planning. the short answer is Yes. Building Permits are a means of regulating construction to make sure it is safe, and to make sure it fits in with local requirements for the use of your property. Permits may prevent you from doing something you want, but they also prevent your neighbor from doing something that would seriously annoy you.

According to the California Building Code, no building or structure shall be erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, repaired, moved, improved, removed, converted or demolished unless a separate permit for each building or structure has first been obtained from the building official. That covers almost anything yo umight do to your property. Specific code requirements vary in different cities and counties around the state. Check with your local building department to find out what's needed in your area.

What if you ignore the rules and build without a permit? Chances are that if the inspector doesn't drive by and see the construction activity, nobody will know. Of course, there's also a possibility that one of your neighbors would call in a complaint. If you are caught, you will be required to stop work until you file a permit and you will be fined.

How non-permitted work gets discovered
Non-permitted work generally gets discovered either when you're buying a house, or when you're getting a permit to do additional work. When you're selling property, the owner fills out a form disclosing whether non-permitted work was done. This may make the house harder to sell.

When getting a permit for subsequent work, the building department will notice if their records don't match the plans you submit. Even something as small as installing a new water heater might trigger discovery. Once an inspector is on site they can inspect anything they wish, regardless of whether it relates to the reason they were called. Non-permitted work prevents you from getting additional permits until the nonpcompliant work is permitted.

Consequences of non-permitted work
Suppose there's a fire in your house that does a lot of damage. Luckily you're insured, so the insurance company will cover the cost of rebuilding and replacing your property. However, if the fire started in a non-permitted addition to your house, the insurance company is not required to pay.

The method of legalizing non-permitted construction varies. My building department requires you to get a permit for the non-permitted work as if it were new construction. Sounds simple, until you realize that you can't draw what you don't know. What you don't know is structure, electrical wiring, and plumbing all hidden under a layer of plaster or wallboard. With your new permit you also must meet current building codes. This might involve minor electrical or plumbing upgrades, or it might be major structural work.

Resources
Contractors State License Board www.cslb.ca - has excellent project planning tips and resources, plus a list of local building departments in California.

Karen Drozda is owner and principal architect of drozda+others architects located in San Mateo, California. More information about the firm can be found at www.dpluso.com

Creating Trust Through Branding Pt. 1

 Branding - kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like; A mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc;… Any mark of disgrace; stigma.

Creating an idea that formulates into a business can be a difficult process. An even more difficult process is visually translating this new business to its audience. This act is called, branding. Much like its definition above, taken from Webster's Dictionary, branding is the stamp or trademark that a company burns into the minds of its consumer. The act of branding if not done correctly, can also be a mark of disgrace.

How many times have you walked into an office and thought to yourself, "I am not going to spend my money here?" How many times have you visited an e-commerce website and hesitated to put in your credit card information? You took one look at the office decor and decided that this place is not worth your time or money. The website may have looked as if the business did not put any thought into the image they wanted to portray. If they did not put thought into this than could you trust them?

Branding is not about creating pretty logos and decor for an office, it is about creating trust with consumers. Though creating corporate identity is the beginning of branding a company it extends far beyond what you see on paper. 

Recently, I was asked to do a client's initial company branding. They wanted something, "simple" which usually means, lets just do something quick and then we can rebrand later. Sometimes this is because they want to save money on the initial branding and then rebrand when they receive startup funding. However, branding should not be done under the premise of rebranding later. This can often hinder the process. The initial branding of your company as well as any branding efforts done later, should be well thought out with your target market in mind. Everything from the color of your logo to the paint in your office should be in harmony with the direction you want your business to take.

For more information about IsrylDesigns contact isryl@isryldesigns.com.

Tired of Renting? We have the cure...

Home Buying Seminar in Burlingame...
Saturday August 28th from 11-12:30pm

Space is limited. Please RSVP.



Topics
• Advantages of buying a home in 2010
• How the Stimulus Plan benefits first time homebuyers
• Tax Credits available for home ownership
• Owning vs renting comparison
• State of the San Mateo County real estate market
• Current mortgage interest rates and programs available
• Steps for a successful home or condo purchase
• Differences between owning a condo, townhome or single family home
• Steps to finance your home purchase
• Advantages of owning a home on the San Francisco Peninsula
• Survey of advice from other First Time Homebuyers
• How to select a good Realtor
• Real Estate Negotiations

Hosted by
Eileen Horan
Mortgage Broker
Mortgage California

Aimee Snodgrass Klarich
Realtor
Alain Pinel Realtors- Burlingame
DRE 01765417

I've Got Cash

A new trend is emerging. More and more homes are being bought with cash. Cash buyers have made up at least 25% of all home purchases so far this year, according to a National Association of Realtors survey. Consider the following:

• In Las Vegas, now known as the “Foreclosure Capital,” over 40% of the closings are cash transactions. Many are retirees and investors are taking advantage of the exceptional values.
• In California, cash sales hit a peak of 30% of all transactions in January and February.
• And in Arizona, 41% of purchases from January to May were all cash.

If you’re a seller, you may be asking, “Why select an all-cash offer over an offer based on a conventional loan?” One of the benefits of selling your home for cash is that the sale will be more likely to close... and close faster. I’m seeing many homes go into contract with 14 – 21 day closings. Some are closing in less than a week. Also, mortgage lender requirements and appraisals are not an issue with cash sales. That all said, if you are selling your home and receive multiple offers, accepting an all-cash offer would probably mean accepting a lower sales price.

If you’re a cash buyer, it is important not to buy just for the best price but for the property. Real estate is a long-term investment for most of us. Having the best property will secure that investment.

For more information contact Aimee Klarich, Realtor Alain Pinel Burlingame

working towards your goal...

as a wardrobe consultant...a common scenario that i see...over and over...is someone wanting to lose that last 15 pounds before buying anything new...what ends up happening...usually...is that the person ends up wearing clothes that are too big...or too tight...

so what can you do?

whether it's 20 pounds or 5 pounds...it seems all of us are reluctant to invest in our wardrobes until we're at the 'perfect' weight...

the problem is...clothing alterations can only accommodate so much poundage...at which point...you end up wearing garments that really don't fit you well...and here's the really bad part of that situation...you end up looking BIGGER than you really are because your clothes don't fit properly...

and really...who wants that?

so i have a couple of suggestions for you:

*if you are in the situation i described above...you NEED to purchase at least one staple outfit that fits you NOW(whether it's a suit, pants suit, or coordinated separates.) as you lose the remaining weight at least you'll be looking sharp...and when you reach your goal weight...then alterations can be made and your investment won't have gone to waste...

*if you have that staple outfit that is your 'go to' while you're losing those last pounds...there's an easy way to update your look: a new top, sweater or accessory...these items are more adaptable to weight changes...and can give an instant "pop" to your style...

there is really no reason why you should look any other way other then fabulous...even when working towards your ideal weight...



for more fashion tidbits...please visit fabulous finds

PayMo: Excellent Time Tracking Tool for Small Businesses

As a small business, We are always looking for tips and tools to better business operations. A few months ago IsrylDesigns came across the site paymo.biz and now we have an efficient way to manage projects and invoice clients.

PayMo's user-friendly interface allows us to easily navigate through all of its useful tools.


Dashboard
The dashboard shows a quick view of upcoming milestones and tasks, a color coded bar graph of the hours worked on each project, and a snapshot of the total hours worked by day, week, and month.


Milestones/Tasks
Keeping track of deadlines has never been easier. A great feature of the milestone tab is the email alert. When you add a milestone you can set a time to have an email reminder sent. Tasks are lists related to the milestone. Once a milestone or task is complete simply click on the box and it will delete itself from the list. All of your changes will be stored on your dashboard so that you can keep track of all of the company activity. 


Timer
The timer allows the user to track time by pushing one button (start) or (stop). The timer runs in the background while the user is working in another program. Should the user forget to stop or start the timer there is a way to manually enter the time.


Clients/Projects
Add all of your client details including uploading a logo or picture and contact information. This information is then populated in the invoice section streamlining the invoicing process. Once your client(s) are added, you can then add the projects, milestones, and tasks related to them.


Users
PayMo has a variety of options depending on the needs of your business. The free version of PayMo allows up to 2 users and 3 invoices per month. The upgrade version only $9.99 allows for unlimited invoicing. You can track your freelancers/employees time and include that in project billing. To upgrade your account, just click on the upgrade button on the right side of the page under Invoicing. Note: You can cancel the upgrade at anytime but you do have to click on the downgrade button to do so.


Invoicing
One of our favorite features of the site is the invoicing tool. Create a simple and effective invoice by uploading your logo. Click on the client you want to bill and their information will automatically populate. An invoice number is generated and you can click the paypal box to allow your client to pay online using their credit/debit card. The invoice will create a link that you can email to your client. Save trees and time! Note: You need to set up your paypal account before generating a paypal invoice.


Reports
Keep up with your company's hours, and finances using the reports tab. Paymo will generate reports based on hours worked by project, hours worked by user, and financial statistics. Now you can keep track of your companies productivity and financial growth all in one tool, PayMo!



First posted July 6, 2010 on isryldesigns.blogspot.com.

Homeowners Insurance, Replacement Cost

Why is My Insurance Coverage

More Than the Value of My Home?        

Trowbridge Insurance Agency
www.trowbridgeins.com

Buying the right amount of Dwelling coverage falls on the individual homeowners responsibility. If you have less than replacement coverage on your home, and it were to burn to the ground, that money you thought you were saving, by buying less than adequate coverage, could prove incredibly expensive. You buy Homeowners insurance to protect yourself from a catastrophic loss, so its important that you buy adequate coverage to protect yourself from that.

How much do I need to rebuild my home?

Previously, Insurance Carriers offered "Guaranteed Replacement" cost. That is, whatever it cost to repair your home to its former condition, your homeowners policy would provide the resources to do so. But, after the Oakland Hills fires in the early 90's, Carriers found that many homeowners coverage had not kept up with current construction costs, and only had coverage of $100,000 when it required  $300,000 to 400,000 to rebuild the homes lost in the fire. All the Carriers then changed their polices and now only offer

what is called "Extended Replacement" coverage. The Homeowner is responsible for telling the carrier how much it will cost to replace their home, and the carrier then adds either a fixed dollar amount, or a simple percentage over and above the Dwelling amount to take care of any discrepancies in the amount available to rebuild the property.

                                               To Contact me call 650-FARMERS or

email me at virginia.ctrowbridge@farmersagency.com

                                                                  

                                                           

5 Home Remodeling Projects for Your Pet

There was a time when pets were pets. They were allowed to come into the house occasionally but they really "resided" outside. With the exception of an animal costume contest we didn't dress our dogs up. We wouldn't have dreamt about painting their toenails or dying their fur and kept a straight face.

Somehow in just one generation our society has not only brought the pets indoor but the pet industry has become a multi billion dollar industry. And it isn't stopping there. It is now common to have homeowners remodeling their homes to give their pets a special place.

Here are 5 remodel projects with your pet family members in mind.

1.  Add a pet center to a kitchen remodel. Building in a place for your pet's food dish, toys and food bins is a practical solution for many families. Adding a pet bed to an alcove or under a cabinet can provide a  safe place for Fido while keeping him from under foot. Whether you are using custom or stock cabinetry with just a little creative, well-thought out design your pet's place can blend seamlessly with the kitchen decor.

2. Install a custom cat walkway. Cats love high places and they like to climb. By installing a narrow shelf staircase up a wall our feline friends can walk up over doorways and to the top of a cabinet or closet to enter their own special space. I installed one for our cat which lead  up to the top of an enclosed closet where he basked in the morning sun. It was his own special place to get away from the action while keeping an eye on all the activities below. The project can be made out of fiberboard, painted and mounted in one weekend.

3. Build in a cat litter box or dog pad area. Even our pets could use a bathroom door. Building in a private space for the cat's litter box or dog's training pads can benefit all the home's occupants. Adding a cat door to a closet door or a lower cabinet can be the easiest remodel solution in an existing space. Customizing a wall cabinet to hide a bed area at one end and a stainless steel tray with urine pads or litter box at the other can be a creative solution for small spaces.

4. Modify a covered patio area for a flight cage. Flight cages are built so birds have room to stretch their wings. By building it into the corner of a patio area only two sides will need to be constructed because you already are using the two walls of the house, the top of the enclosed patio and the floor of the patio. Flight cages are generally constructed of lightweight wire mesh, depending  upon it's occupants. Your feathered friends can enjoy the great outdoors, protected from the neighborhood cats, while enjoying the company of their human family.

 

5.Build an indoor pet retreat. For those few of us who still would prefer to keep a pet outside while wanting to offer some of the creature comforts of a home. These rooms are located adjacent to the backyard with a lockable exterior access door designed for your pet to go inside and out. These pet retreats can house bedding, food, even a drinking fountain.

What is Virtual Staging?

Is it just me or does everything seem to have gone virtual? It is a cool technology. We can photo shop our family pictures or download a picture of a room in our house and apply paint colors. I have spent hours doctoring up a family photo to create a hilarious caricature of a person or event that entertains us all.

However, recently this "virtual" thing has entered the real estate market. With a challenging real estate market homeowners and agents are perceiving home staging as a necessity in their marketing plans. With 93% of potential buyers previewing homes on the Internet it has become critical to have a professionally staged and photographed home, whether it is vacant or owner occupied, in order to attract the largest market share possible.

Occasionally a property is unable to be traditionally staged. Whether it is because of a difficult location or a cost constraint these properties now have another option to enhance their virtual tour. By downloading a picture of an empty room and through the magic of a virtual transformation it can become a designer decorated showcase!

Is this deceiving? Not if the photograph of the room is not manipulated in anyway other than just adding furniture. The color of the walls remains the same and any defects are left untouched.Virtual staging is just like traditional home staging, the furniture is not sold with the house, it is just there to help potential buyers visualize a room. It is expected that the buyer will visit the property before purchasing and see exactly what they are buying. With the help of virtual staging they will already have a clear understanding of the home's potential. It is also important that the photographs are clearly marked that the home has been virtually staged.

This doesn't replace traditional home staging. The house still remains empty when personally visited. Nor does it help buyers visualize how a difficult floor plan will work for them. However, it might be the right answer for a property in a remote location or one with a very limited budget.

jana kos fall 2010 collection...

...has arrived in redwood shores, ca...morning, afternoon & evening appointments are available...

jana kos fall 2010 collection
trunk show
august 4 - 11, 2010

by personal appointment
elena daciuk
415.577.6133