READY, SET, GO!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
Ready, Set, Go!
It’s that season nationwide where brilliant well known speakers dig in to come up with something motivational to speak to graduates about. A wide variety of good advice will be given. It can set all of us to thinking about our own lives. I like to apply some of this advice to my own life and see how I’m doing since it’s never too late to learn something new.
To begin with, we all know the saying, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” True. But given that we all need to have a Plan A we need to be flexible enough to switch to Plan B or even C as backup which might end up being
better anyway. After all, if we don’t have a road map, how can we get to our destination? As the song goes, “You got to have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” And if we don’t even have a destination determined we won’t know where we’re going and wonder aimlessly in circles.
So, I’ve been pondering some of the advice I’ve heard recently and measuring how and if I’m staying on track in my own life goals and dreams.
Graduates are being told how to be successful. But what is success? How can it be measured? Is it owning a bigger car than your friend or neighbor, having a good looking spouse or date, being the highest paid in your department, having more money than anyone else, the highest grades, being popular? These things are nice but can they be guaranteed to bring happiness and security in the long run? Surely, all of us have known people who have these achievements who are not “happy”.
Well, as usual, I have a few opinions of my own I’d love to share and, hopefully, you do too. Let’s look at a few recent comments from a motivational convention in Anaheim that boasted of highly successful people: guests such as Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Michael Phelps and Rudy Giuliani. Here are some tidbits of inspiration they shared:
“Relentless preparation in everything you pursue is everything. Build yourself up so you are prepared when disaster arrives in your life. Do the things that you have to do on the days you don’t feel like doing them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That’s how we grow”. Ok. Let’s say that all helps you build a career and physical, financial security. So far, great ideas.
I think being happy requires more than the above. I believe in a strong work ethic, of course. No entitlement mentality here. You earn your own way. No one owes you a living.
But I would emphasize strongly the ability to adjust to your circumstances. Things are not always going to go our way even with the best of efforts. Adjusting helps us grow up no matter how old we are. That shows character. Figure out what skills and talents we have and pursue them with a passion in every area of our life. Let’s not leave out the spiritual side of your life either. Happiness does not necessarily mean a lofty height of perfection. Happiness means enjoying the trip.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable once in awhile’ to make mistakes. That’s how we stretch and grow.
Don’t settle. Try something new no matter what age we are. We’ll be a more interesting person. For example, I’ve decided as a way to keep my mind sharp, I have returned to my piano in the late evenings after decades of ignoring it. I never was that good at it to begin with but I enjoy it. Pure escape. It’s hard to worry about anything else when I’m concentrating on the next 4 measures. So, I’m memorizing my favorite tunes that I never had time for before. I joke that I play for my own amazement. Yes, there are clunkers all over the place but my kind husband doesn’t seem to mind. (Is he tone deaf or just kind?). So far, to my joy, I’ve memorized “Satin Doll”, “Take 5” (jazz) “The Entertainer” (Scott Joplin, ragtime) and now am working on the tricky (for me) “Moonlight Sonata”. Boy, do I look forward to that as often as I can get to it. I’ll bet you have a favorite thing you could make time for. Maybe gardening? Walking? You name it. Think about it. What I’m working on is having balance between work and play. It can go a long way to giving us a good attitude quickly followed by happiness. We then see that life will have its fun moments and refresh us for those days of really hard work. We learn that we can have a life. Time for work, hobbies friends and family.
But, somehow, we have to hang in there to make all this happen. My kids grew up with this quote on the refrigerator door which can work for all of us.
“Press On”
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
(Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the US (1872-1933)
Join me in the life long goal of balance and hang in there. We can all be ready for the future with some of these tips. I’m sure you can add oodles to the ideas above. Enjoy your springtime with all its many possibilities.
962 words
Quote at bottom of page one “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
ADS
FOR SALE (STANDARD SALE)
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
21072 Galbar Circle, HB, S/Atlanta, E/Brookhurst $649,900
Unique 5 Bedroom, 3 Bath, 2000 SF
Master Plus 2 Bedrooms, Family Room Down
Spacious Living Room, Vaulted Ceiling, Brick Fireplace
Peaceful Courtyard in Front, Shady Patio in Back
Ideal Location: Cul de Sac Street.
Backs to Bike & Dog Trail. 1.5 miles to the Beach
TWO FAMILIES COULD LIVE HERE!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES! You are welcome.
FOR SALE….BRINGING NATURE INTO YOUR HOME…
Beautiful Deane Gardens Home with Miles of Windows, Standard Sale.
Sliders and Atrium. Unique 8 Foot Walls Provides Utmost Privacy.
Allows You to Leave Your Windows Open and Let the Greenery Shine In.
9362 CANDLEWOOD DRIVE, HB, S/Adams/W/Bushard. $799,000
4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths. Hard to Find Large Master Down
LIKE A MODEL HOME. 2149 SF
Granite &Cherry wood Floors, Scraped Ceilings, Crown Molding
Fabulous Kitchen, Family Room, Dining Room
Most Windows Newer, 2 Story Vaulted Ceilings
Spotless, Sparkling Pool. Large Yard. UTMOST PRIVACY!
WATCH FOR OPEN HOUSES. You are welcome.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
PARK HUNTINGTON
9591 LASSEN CIRCLE, S/Adams, E/Bushard
Catalina Model 2540 SF, SOLD $735,000
4 bedrooms, 3 Baths, Living Room,
Family Room--New French Doors
Large Bonus Room, Some Wood Floors
S & S Construction Forest-Like Peaceful Yard
Cul de Sac Location.
SOLD to Multiple Offers
LOVELY FASION SHORES
21211 AMBERWICK LANE, S/Atlanta, W/Brookhurst
4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths. $655,000
Large Master and 2nd bedroom Down
Newer Roof, Lovely Walled Yard.
MARKET UPDATE
We are in a slow recovery mode in home sales in South HB for now. Short sales and REO’s continue to pop up as owners’ variable rates go up every 6 months and these comps have a pull on our prices. However, the good news is buyers are out, especially this time of year, because they see that rates are going up (already have) and they will qualify for less as they continue up. Plus the tax credit buyers can get for buying now will end 4/30/10. It’s not just first time buyers who benefit from this (up to $8000) but those who have owned their home for over 5 years who can get a credit of $6500. Also a standard sale is highly sought after. That means it’s not a short sale or REO which is long and difficult to get through.
At my open houses, that is the first question buyers ask me. Is this a normal sale?
Some have been through the agony of waiting months to hear back from a bank on an offer only to find out they lost out. The 4 homes you see here area all standard sales.
The bottom line is it’s a great time to sell because the buyer pool will shrink as rates go up since they will qualify for less.
Give me a call for more information. I’d be glad to help you.
COYOTE ALERT
None have been spotted in the south HB area as far as I know this spring. In other years they have come down the 2 river beds. Across town, however, HB has actually hired a trapping company to catch and kill coyotes that some residents say have become moiré aggressive. Our police chief says sightings or incidents have more than doubled in the last 4 years. Neighborhoods near the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Central Parks have had incidents where coyotes are not afraid of humans. So, be on the alert with your small pets and small children. It’s a good idea to bring your pets inside at night and not leave food and water dishes outside. Keep an eye out. Better safe than sorry.
BIG DOINS’ COMING UP AT EDISON HIGH SCHOOL
This sounds like fun!
Saturday, May 1st 2010, 8 AM to 1 PM
21400 Magnolia, HB
“Flash from the Past Car Show”
Proceeds to benefit educational Programs at Edison
There will be more than 150 entries.
Your donations will help the school greatly!
Don’t miss it!
HUMOR CORNER
If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no energy at all.
Everyone has a photographic memory.
Some, like me, just don’t have any film.
Whatever hits the fan, will not be distributed evenly.
If the shoe fits, buy a pair in every color.
Never be too open-minded. Your brains may fall out.
Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian
anymore than standing in a garage will make you a car.
Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
Some days are a total waste of make-up.
Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
Junk is something you’ve kept for years and
throw away 3 weeks before you need it.
DID YOU KNOW?
That all my homes for sale are on over 30 websites to reach buyers? Most have 20 or more photos with them! Marketing is everything!
That you can view the entire MLS by going to AnnieBaker.com, a state of the art website?
UPDATE ON “OUR” PUPPY FIONA
Actually, she is daughter Stacey’s pup. She became one year old February 20 and is over 50 pounds now and still growing. She loves to visit our house, go to the doggie park and play. Here’s a photo of her. Isn’t she a sweetheart? And now she has a new “cousin”. Her name is Sparkle, 11 weeks old, soft and cuddly velvet and she’s a blond Lab. She came with our kids over to meet Fiona for a birthday party. Here the two are enjoying their chew bones together.
UPDATE ON “Wesley the Owl”
So many of you have asked how
Stacey’s book is doing. Thanks. It’s becoming an animal classic. Has been published in Chinese, in China. In Germany, it was featured in their Reader’s Digest and in one of their condensed books. Stacey continues to speak to animal lover groups here, Arizona, Colorado and beyond at book stores and Audobon groups. It remains one of the top 10 in the nature category on many websites. Amazing.
She’s working on her next book now.
posted by Ann Baker, Realtor at
4:16 PM
