Realty World – BLUE | Property Group, Inc.

 
 HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL BAY AREA!!… We’re going into that time change thing again…  —MOVE your CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR this Saturday night… That’s an extra hour of sleep for everyone! 

 13 THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU … 
 1.      Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2.      Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
 3.      Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
 4.      Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..
5.      If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house.. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
6.      If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
 7.      A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
 8.      It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
9.      I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)
10.  Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11.  Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.
12.  You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
13.  A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.   (Find it athttp://www.faketv/.com/) 

San Francisco is a multi-cultural city full of immigrants from all over the world.  Like many other Chinatown all over the world, the Chinatown at San Francisco is within a few minutes walk from downtown San Francisco where major headquarters and offices located.  This town is a major first stop from Chinese new immigrants to land.  Here they can speak Chinese, buy foods imported from all provinces of China and find a reasonable price logging.  It also has good public transport linked to different parts of City for their work.  No wonder the house price in San Francisco is comparatively speaking stable. Every year the 15th of August in Lunar Calendar is Mid-Autumn Festival.  This year it falls on today, September 12, 2011 that is one day after the 9/11.  In spite of the potential danger of going out on 9/11, lots and lots of people still enjoyed walking.
I feel very grateful that my son, unlike other teenagers, did not share the not so good American culture of “independence” and still willing to walk the fair together with me.  He enjoyed watching all different Chinese cultural stuff and volunteered helping to carry the “goodies” I bought.  I remember when I was at his age, 14, I did not have the concept of going out with parents is shameful or sign of independence.  The big issue in the American education is lack of moral training.  I can understand this might be difficult of USA is the mixing pot and people from different cultures barely mixed like salad.  However, there are some special moral concept about relationship between parents and children from China that categorize that children should pay special respect to parents and elderly.  I have followed this concept and I never talked back to my parents even though I did not agree to their points of view sometimes.
Putting on my hat of “realtor”, it is truly amazing how the real estate price had been supported by streams of new immigrants.  I have many clients who literally shipped their money from China to buy real estate properties in San Francisco and nearby cities.  No wonder, the house price at the Sunset district of San Francisco seems have not dropped much, maximum 20% which is nothing in comparison with other places.
Thank you for checking in with my blog and feel free to contact me if you have any real estate needs or opinions about this blog.

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It is too easy to feel blue, down, discouraged and think in a negative way.  Whenever this is going to happen to me, I will turn myself to my “Happy Diary” .  I would brainstorm everything that I should feel happy about and write them down.
Here are a few things that I can easily think of.  Let me give you an example of today.
1.  It is a sunny day with clear sky, blue sky, white cloud.
2.  I have more clothes that I need whenever I open my closet, how rich am I.
3.  My kids are growing and they are healthy.
4.  I spare some time practice “Tai Chi”.
5.  I really look at least 10 years younger and I feel at least 20 years younger.
How about you?  What is your today’s happy diary?
I am a “happy” real estate agent who can help you move into a happy home.  Please feel free to visit or contact me.
Thank you for checking in.

I was approached today by a young couple who has been looking for a 3+ bedroom / 2 bath home in west San Mateo for less than $900k. From Crystal Springs Rd. in San Mateo to Ralston Ave in Belmont west of Alameda to Hwy 280. They are sure there are some hiding out there… Let me know if you are aware of anything not currently on the market under $900k in the areas mention – they are pre-approved and ready to buy!!!!!

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In my last post, I mentioned that my son went through shadowing of all schools that he was interested.  There was one in our neighborhood, Visitacion Valley, that I recommended him to shadow.  Visitacion Valley is notorous for its high crime rate and is part of District 10.  About 50% are African American, rest are Asian and Latinos, very little Caucasians.  From the public school fair, I learned that our neighborhood school Burton High School has coordinated with the career development programs.  These programs had been successfully implemented int  Galileo High School and had turned Galileo from a “so so” school into a good one.  Therefore, I attended Burton’s School Open House.   At the open house, there are very few parents & visiting student: only 2 Latino families, 2 Chinese families (including my son and I), 1 caucasian family and 0 African American.  The principal is young, energetic and enthusiastic.  He answered all our questions and showed a good cooperative attitude.   Long story cut short.  My son shadowed all the AP classes and his comments are the teachers are excellent and he liked them.  He also found the school campus and everything else is “OK”.  So, in my Choice of School form, we put down Burton High. 
Schools are like eveything else, changed all the time.  The principal is the soul of the school.  Very often when the new principal joins a “bad” school, s/he can introduce new elements and convert the “bad school” into “good school” gradually.  This had been the case for Galileo High and Balboa High.  I am now seeing this sign for Burton and Mission High.
Thank you for checking in with me.  Happy Holidays!
Tina To, real estate agent serving San Francisco and Peninsula area