Each year on Labor Day weekend, Sacramento is fortunate enough to have the Chalk it Up Festival.  The 3 day event is located at Fremont Park.  Located between 15th and 16th Streets, and P and Q Streets.  Earlier today, I spent time walking along the sidewalks that border the park to take in the delightful art provided.  There are also crafts stands, food trucks and music in the center of the park. Admission is FREE.  Street parking is difficult to come by.  Parking at the public parking lot a block away is $15.00 for the event.For more information click: https://chalkitup.org/festival 09/02/2024

My favorite Indian restaurant in the Greater Sacramento Region is India Oven located at 6105 Sunrise Vista Drive in Citrus Heights.  Their food never disappoints.  I was there for the lunch buffet today with my son and daughter-in-law.  My plate filled with Aloo Masala and Basmati Rice, accompanied with Tandoori Chicken and other Indian delights, made a afternoon nap a necessity.https://www.indiaoven.com/citrus-heights  08/15/2024

Last Saturday evening, several of my family met at my daughter Jill's home.  The occasion was to celebrate my grandkid, Macie's birthday.  The food was really good.  I neglected to take many pictures; but did manage this one of the Greek salad, I put together for the dinner.Here's the recipe: Sliced Persian Cucumbers Cherry Tomatoes (from my garden) Red Onion sliced Feta Cheese Fresh Mint Leaves The dressing was made with Red Wine Vinegar and Garlic Salt. 08/12/2024

I must admit, after reading recent blog posts, heralding the laurels of AI image creation, I was still a little slow to the party.I guess it was yesterday's post by Patricia Feager, which razzle dazzled me enough to prompt getting my feet wet using, Night Cafe.  Patricia's image creation featured a pirate ship.  She knew that would grab my attention, since I have a thing for anything pirate - especially around International Talk like a Pirate Day (September 19th).Lately, I've been consumed with thoughts about cats.  I have a beloved pair of felines who reside with me. Rueben and Camilla, who are my partners in crime.  And, of course, cats have been the topic of political discourse lately!  So, I decided to give Night Cafe a simple prompt, "Cats in my yard."So, yes, I am a Cat Lady. . .A... 08/07/2024

The Sacramento housing market has been hot.  According to Redfin, in June 2024 housing prices were up over 11% from the year prior, selling in an average of 12 days on the market.  With the housing marketing continuing to perform well, we are able to offer a wide range of Sacramento hard money loans and products for a wide variety of situations.While the housing market has been great, interest rates on conventional loans are higher than they were not long ago.  Many property owners have low rate first position loans that are fixed for 30 years with rates well below 5%.  For those looking to tap the equity in their Sacramento area home to purchase additional investment property, expand their business or invest in other ventures, a hard money second can be an option to consider.  We do a ... 08/06/2024

About an hour ago, when I went out to pour water on my garden during this hot 100 degree day, I heard the amazing sound created by the world famous USAF Thunderbirds, who were working their magic while practicing, in the blue skies above. It prompted me to look up.For those interested in aviation marvels, this weekend kicks off the California Capital Air at nearby Mather Air Field in Rancho Cordova. It is a crowd pleaser to residents in the Greater Sacramento Region.This year the airshow will feature ITALY'S FRECCE TRICOLORI & USAF THUNDERBIRDS The California Capital Airshow will run Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14th.Performances 3:30 PM – 9:30 PMFor more information about the show, performances and tickets, you can visit: https://californiacapitalairshow.com  07/11/2024

We're hearing a lot of stories about the building of ADUs on properties with already existing homes.A few weeks ago, a pair of individuals unexpectedly built an ADU in my own backyard.  They chose a prime location under the roof of my patio.  They weren't shy about it either.  While I watched intently from my patio door, or while resting on my patio, they paid me no mind.  They simply continued to build, twig by twig and stick by stick.Here's a photo of one of those occupants - a Mourning Dove.  I'm amazed at how close I've been to their ADU, without their seeming alarmed.I have learned if I leave the nest in place, they are likely to have as many as 3 broods in a year.  Sounds good to me! 06/05/2024

Are you getting ready for a home inspection?It’s a crucial step in the home buying or selling process.You can help the inspector out by doing the following:☑️ Make sure if you have a padlock on the electrical box, unlock it.☑️ Make sure side gates are unlocked.☑️ Make sure it Is easy to get into the attic access.☑️ Make sure if you have a crawl space, it's easy to access also.→ What to Expect:During the inspection, a qualified home inspector will thoroughly examine:☑️ The exterior, interior, roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and appliances.Additionally, the inspector will be on the lookout for any safety hazards or code violations.⏰ Typically, a home inspection lasts between two and four hours.Following the inspection, you can expect to receive a comprehensive home inspectio... 05/21/2024

Last evening, to kick off an early weekend gathering in honor of my birthday, daughter Jill, rustled a few of us up. There was serious wine tasting forecast, at nearby Williamette Wineworks, in quaint Old Town Folsom.  What a relaxed pleasant evening it was.  A total of 6 wines were sampled, plus an additional teaser wine at the beginning of the night.  An amazing Crab Bisque paired well with the wines. It was spicier, browner and heartier than most seafood bisques I've consumed in the past. Natoma Reserve Zinfandel was my favorite wine discovered on this particular evening.  It was full bodied, not astringent. It was mature and flavorful.  Yesterday had been a beautiful day, until we headed to Williamette’s.  Then it began to rain considerably. However, as the evening progressed, throu... 04/27/2024

After a couple of rainy weekend days, it felt good to see the sun shining once again today.  I took a drive to William Land Park, to visit the WPA Rock Garden which dates back to 1940.  Originally, the garden was a WPA project started near the end of the Great Depression.In addition to the Rock Garden, William Land Park has a 9 hole golf course, a zoo, Fairy Tale Town, and many picnic areas and ponds.  It consists of 160 acres.For those interested in visiting, the address is 3800 William Land Park Drive, Sacramento.  For more information on the Rock Garden, you can visit:Exploring the WPA Rock Garden in William Land Park 04/15/2024

One of my favorite places to visit in springtime is Jensen Botanical Gardens. While out and about this morning, I decided to stop by and see what was blooming. Jensen Gardens has pleasant little trails, picnic areas and benches. It is located at:8520 Fair Oaks BoulevardCarmichael, CA 95608. The Gardens were founded by Charles C. Jensen in 1958. They sit on 3 1/2 acres. They became part of Carmichael Recreation and Park District in 1978. For more information about Charles C. Jensen and the Botanical Gardens, visit: Jensen Botanical Gardens 04/12/2024

North Highlands Single Story Pool Home Just Listed For Sale | 6710 Cantel Way, North Highlands, Ca. 95660 JUST LISTED! This single story home has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a 2 car garage, a built-in pool, large lot, and RV parking. The list price is $400,000. 6710 Cantel Way, North Highlands, Ca. 95660 This home sits on a large corner lot with an in ground pool, a two car garage, a long main driveway, a second driveway that is perfect for RV parking, and there is additional RV or boat parking behind the gate. There is a massive amount of parking room and plenty of space for all of your toys! The lot size is very unique for the area at just over 1/4 of an acre. The backyard has an in ground pool with a built-in spa and a large covered patio which will be prefect for cooling off during th... 03/20/2024

They are important 01 – Real Estate Agent02 – Mortgage Lender03 – Home Inspector A real estate agent facilitates property transactions by representing buyers or sellers in the buying, selling, or renting of properties. A mortgage lender provides financing for real estate purchases by offering loans to homebuyers based on creditworthiness and determining loan terms. A home inspector assesses the condition of a property by conducting thorough inspections, identifying potential issues to inform buyers about the property’s overall condition before a real estate transaction. If you or someone you know are thinking about buying or selling , please message me! I’d love to help you with the next chapter of your life. AND I will help you find a mortgage lender and a home inspector!#buyersagent #... 02/01/2024

02/01/2024

What is house hacking?  A way for investors to purchase multiple properties that have 2-4 units.  With allowing for only 5% down, they can now invest in more than 1 BUT, there is a catch - investors have to live in the property for 1 year!  Want more info?  Call or text me and we can set up a video chat!!#househacking #investors #realestate #realestateinvesting #moderegroup #housebuying #investinginrealestate  01/16/2024

Are you hoping to buy a home in 2024? If so, the time to start preparing is NOW.The first step in the process is to connect with a realtor — if you choose to work with me, we’ll have a buyer consult where we will determine your goals and hone in on your specific priorities.Before starting your search, you need to have a solid understanding of your budget. The best way to set a realistic budget is to get pre-approved by a lender.  I have a select few that I have had successful relationships with and would be happy to recommend!  Once you determine your budget, we’ll start the search.I’ll set you up on a search that notifies us whenever a home within your parameters comes on the market.I’ll also be on the hunt for homes before they even come to the market. I’ll attend broker pricing tours... 12/19/2023

Thus far this month, I’ve mentioned my gratefulness for living close to the American River Parkway.  I’ve even mentioned be thankful for elasticized waistbands.  And, I've mentioned being blessed by a special mom. But, there isn't any way I can get through the "Thankfulness Challenge" that has become tradition on the ActiveRain platform, without devoting a little space for the blessing of my children. No two of my four kids are remotely similar. Each has very unique and interesting personalities and talents.  The one thing they do share in common, is their artistic and/or musical creativity, which shines through! There is another thing all four of my children share.  They have all worked in the real estate profession at one point or another, but have moved on to other vocations. My olde... 11/26/2023

Today, while revisiting all the many blessings in my life, sweet memories of my mother came to mind.  So much of who we are is based on the kind of childhood we experienced. I was fortunate enough to live in a home with both my parents.My mother was especially wonderful! My dad worked 10 minutes from home at the Western Pacific Railroad. The Western Pacific whistle would blow at 4:00 pm each afternoon, and we could hear it from our home. It signaled the end of the work day. Supper was at 4:15 each afternoon, and I could set a watch on the family routine - When Dad left for work each morning, when he would return home, when we would sit down for supper, and when Dad would walk out onto the front porch to pick up the evening paper.Mom was the perfect 1950s style housewife and mother. Albe... 11/20/2023

Stonelake Elk Grove Home In Contract | 9815 Mousetail Ct, Elk Grove, Ca 95757   PENDING SALE! This great single story home is located in the desirable Stonelake community in Elk Grove. This home was built in 2001 and features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, multiple living spaces, spacious backyard, and is 2,082 square feet. It is located near shopping, dining, fitness centers, and entertainment in Elk Grove and Sacramento. The list price is $650,000. We received four offers and went into contract in five days!9815 Mousetail Ct, Elk Grove, Ca 95757Just listed single story home located in the highly desirable Stonelake neighborhood of Elk Grove. This home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a formal dining area, living room, and a family room that opens to the kitchen. The main bedroom is separate fro... 11/15/2023

This month, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, Debe Maxwell is hosting the ActiveRain November “Thankful Thoughts Challenge.”  This is my second entry - "I am VERY thankful for elasticized waistbands!"Several years ago, a smile found way to my face, while reading a blog by Anna Banana. It was titled, “Thankful and Grateful for Magic Sizing.”  When I think of “magic sizing,” it isn’t a product to enhance fabric. "Magic sizing" is my elasticized waistbands.  At my house, measurement mischief usually begins in October.  In addition to Thanksgiving, there are a total of seven family member birthdays in Autumn, and throughout the holidays. The problem as my family says, is that I overcook.  I know they are right, I simply can’t help it.  And, the bad news is after everyone leaves for home, there... 11/13/2023