Lodi / Stockton CA Homes For Sale & Real Estate Information

I came across this quote recently and I really liked it, so I thought that I’d share it with you…

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.  Attitude, to me, is more important than the facts.

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company…a church…a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how I react to it.  And so it is with you – we are in charge of our attitudes

-Charles Swindoll

It would be So awesome to be able to spend New Year’s Eve in Paris under the Eiffel Tower one year. 

I’ve also wanted to even drudge through Times Square on this eventful night, but that might be a nightmare in the making.

But since we found out our daughter has Uveitis, which is an inflammation of the inner eye, it looks like we’ll be spending the evening at home putting in special eye drops every waking hour as prescribed by the ophthalmologist this week.  It was pretty painful for her at first as well as sensitivity to light, which explains the really cool sunglasses she picked out. 

So for this New Year’s Eve we will live vicariously through our friends who are out celebrating somewhere fun and exciting, but in the end I will be very happy knowing that we are all safe and sound at home and little Ciara is being taken care of and our family can all be together playing, watching movies, enjoying sparkling cider at the stroke of midnight, etc.

I’m looking forward to great things happening in 2011.  For one, I am starting January 1st with a new broker.  I’ll still be in the Realty World family, which I love very much, but with a different broker.

My original broker, Steve Davis, and I shared a wonderful six years working together selling homes in the Lodi and Stockton areas of California.  He taught me to be the agent that I am now.  He was very patient, helpful, educating, my coach, mentor, and most of all my close friend.

Good-bye 2010, I will miss you!  And hello 2011, I am happy to meet you!

From my family to yours, we hope you all have a very safe and Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Randy Elliott

And so this is Christmas! Or at least the Eve of it anyway.  Are you done with all your Christmas shopping by now? I know, me neither.  I’ll be going out in a few minutes to pick up just a few more items to put under our tree.

I’ve heard that Santa is already in his sleigh and beginning to circle around the globe to scout out the naughty and nice list of where and where not to stop.  So, which were you this past year?  I’m going with “nice” and see if it sticks.  ha!

Hopefully you were all nice and Santa brings you exactly what you want for Christmas.  As for me,   I’m dreaming of a White Christmas this year, but since I live in the Central Valley of California, and I didn’t win the Lottery, this will have to remain just a dream for now.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas & a safe and prosperous Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Randy Elliott

There are many ways of trying to get out of paying a debt.  One of those debts is a home mortgage.  Many people are struggling these days to pay their mortgage due to higher payment amounts due to rate increases, or loss of income, divorce, medical bills, etc.

But I came across one individual that thought she would just eat her house and then since there would no longer be a house, then of course there would be no longer a mortgage, right?

I’m thinking that it’s not that easy. Eating this gingerbread house might make Ciara’s imaginary debt go away, but once she’s done with it she’ll have the worst stomach ache EVER!

The situation that many people are in today with deciding whether to just walk away from their real mortgage and let the bank foreclose, or to perhaps talk to a Realtor like me and see if trying to do a Short Sale is enough to cause anyone to have a stomach ache as well.

I always recommend that everyone talk to a Certified Public Accountant (if you’re in the Stockton, CA area the best is Peter Holtz) or to a real estate attorney, or both.

As a real estate professional I do not give legal advice, nor do I sell home loans.  I sell homes for sellers and find great deals for home buyers in the central valley of CA, mainly in the Lodi and Stockton areas.

Bottom line, as a homeowner you have options if you are upside down with your mortgage.  Whatever you do, don’t resort to eating your house.  Be sure and seek out the advice from the professionals and make sure that you open all mail pertaining to your home, and save everything that you get in one place for easy access.

I hope you all have a Happy Holiday Season!

Sincerely,

Randy

Here’s hoping you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving today!  Be safe, have fun, and reflect on the many things (no matter how small they seem) that you have to be thankful for.

Here is some Thanksgiving and turkey trivia…

1. The Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians first celebrated and gave thanks for a bountiful harvest in 1621.
2. When a Tom turkey [male turkey] gobbles, it can be heard from as far away as a mile.  In fact, only the Tom turkeys gobble, female turkeys make a clucking or clicking sound.
3. A full grown turkey has over 3,000 feathers.
4. Pulling the “wishbone” is an ageless tradition at Thanksgiving (and Christmas).  Two people pull the turkey’s breastbone apart, only the person who has the larger piece of bone is allowed to make a wish.
5. 87% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving according to the National Turkey Federation.  During a year the average American eats 17 pounds of turkey, that’s the weight of a decent sized bird.

Thanksgiving Poem:
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway,
Thanksgiving comes again.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Randy

Especially when they surround a lake.

While I was out viewing a property to get some comps as a favor for a fellow out-of-town Realtor today, I passed by our local Lodi, CA Lake.  I’ve passed by it hundreds of times and have visited it dozens of times over the years.

For some reason when I driving by it today I felt compelled to turn around and go back and pull over.  I got out of my car, walked over the grassy hill and went closer to the lake’s edge and took this photo.  It was then that I realized what that reason I stopped was.  I was so that I could stop everything I was doing and just enjoy the beauty of what is all around us all the time.  It’s called nature.

Always remember how the simple things in life can actually be the most precious.  Time with family and friends.  And the moments that we stop to enjoy the beauty that God created around us.

Make it a GREAT DAY!

Halloween is over, but the trail of empty candy wrappers lingers on.  (And so does the trail of ants!)

The stores are all dressed up for the holidays and ready for the crowd of holiday shoppers.  But just because they built them (displays), will they come?

With the constant reminder of a downward Stockton area real estate market, and upward unemployment, will the hoards of holiday shoppers still rush out, stand in long lines, and hand over their hard-earned cash (or credit cards) on purchases they may not need or even want, but want to buy anyways out of obligation or sheer joy of holiday shopping?

I’m thinking YES!

People, myself included, usually enjoy the magic of the winter holidays and all the dressings in the windows, and the sparkling lights at night.  It kind of puts us in the mood to share what our current emotions are with the ones we love and care for.  Sometimes even for the ones we just like. 

What I’d really love to see this year is more thought put into gift-giving by not having someone get me whatever was new or on sale, but actually what our relationship means to each other.  I love homemade cards and gifts.  To me that’s putting some real thought into what our relationship is.

We don’t always have the time, or the talent, to make elaborate handmade gifts, but an individual card with a personal message may be all it takes to make someone’s holiday just that much more special and enjoyable.

With all the stress of the holidays, even Santa needs therapy.

Happy Holidays to all of us!

1. Make your home safe for trick-or-treaters. Make sure your front yard, walkway, and steps are swept and free of debris. Remove flowerpots or hoses, which can cause trick-or-treaters to trip in the dark.
2. Use Christmas lights to illuminate the path to the door. Finally those Christmas lights have another use besides adorning the tree!
3. Make sure scary gags are harmless. Having lots of decorations that pop up and scare trick-or-treaters is great… just make sure they’re safe. Instead of shovels or pitchforks, opt for faux alternatives.
4. Keep pets locked up. Even friendly pets can become a handful when costumed kids show up at the door. Keep them locked up to protect them from cars or inadvertently biting trick-or-treaters.
5. Make sure your Jack o’ Lantern isn’t a fire hazard. Opt for a battery operated jack o’ lantern instead. If you do decide to use candles, place the candle inside a small dish to prevent it from becoming a hazard if it tips over inside the pumpkin. Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won’t be blown into the flaming candle. And be sure to place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing!

Have a great week! And a safe and happy Halloween!

Randy

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It’s starting to get a little colder now.  I almost hate to say, finally.  This is when some people start to bring out their little personal heaters for their homes and offices.

I came across a great blog post (Courtesy of Paradiso Insurance) on this topic and I thought that I would pass it along because sometimes it’s the little things in life that have the biggest impact.

*****During the fall and winter months, space heaters are an effective way to provide temporary or supplemental warmth in a home or garage. Space heaters, however, by their very design and portability present shock, fire and burn hazards when used incorrectly and special precautions must be taken whenever they are used.

1. Selection: When purchasing a new heater, ensure that it has been tested and certified to the applicable standards by an accredited certification organization.
2. For the rest of these very important tips CLICK HERE.

Make it a great, but SAFE holiday season!

Randy

I recently wrote about the Downtown Lodi Farmers Market as being one of the many draws for Lodi, CA as well as many other cities around the country.  Now I’d like to introduce you to our annual Lodi Grape Festival that is running tomorrow, Sept 16, through this coming Sunday, Sept 19.

There will be a carnival, petting zoo, reptile exhibit, many area businesses on display, concerts, fair food, art show, etc., etc.. 

You’ll want to come early and stay late, and enjoy everything that the Lodi Grape Festival has to offer.  Advanced purchase of tickets is recommended if you don’t want to stand in line to enter.

For more information on the Lodi Grape Festival regarding it’s location, hours it’s open, etc. then CLICK HERE.

What will the festival do for the local real estate market?  I’m hopeful that the people attending the festival from out of the area will see what a wonderful community we have here in Lodi, CA, and perhaps consider moving to Lodi and maybe even buying one of the many homes for sale here in town.  There are great deals on Short Sales and REO foreclosures in Lodi as well as Stockton, Galt, Lockeford, and surrounding areas.  The market is all about supply and demand.  We have a good supply and some areas are in high demand.

Make it a great day and week!

Randy