In shining the light on our Pet Project contest, I thought I would resurrect one of my blogs from last year in celebration of National Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month! Prevention of Animal Cruelty Last Day of my Daily Blog (I wrote a blog every day for the month of April 2011 spotlighting some special part of animals and what they do for us and how we can "do for them".) This was the last day of April that I wrote this.     Let's take a lesson from the animal kingdom on how they treat us, each other and life: 1. Be in the moment 2.  Accept one another no matter what you look like            3. Speak your mind and move on       4. Love unconditionally         5. Always Share                       6. Play Like There's No Tomorrow             Forgive, Forget  Sleep Well and Enjoy Each... 04/02/2012

Fishhawk Lake Real Estate-If You're Going to Build or Remodel Take Pictures--this could save you thousands of dollars in an offer!   As a seller or potential seller, at Fishhawk Lake or any other community, if you have done (or are going to do) an add-on, rehab part of your home, had a new home built or even BUILT IT YOURSELF (good for you!) then, by all means take copious amounts of pictures. Start to finish.  It will not only make for a wonderful photo album for your agent to share with prospective buyers, but could keep you from having to “take it in the shorts” because assumptions are made that may not necessarily be true—and can be proven by pictures as “evidence”. (This can also help in a home inspection).   Case in point: Brand new home for sale, with unfinished basement. Heavy r... 03/31/2012

This travel log represents one small trip from my home at Fishhawk Lake to Astoria Oregon, a mere hour’s drive. The terrain, the weather changes, the degree of elevations are just some  of the reasons why Oregon still feels like a wilderness. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did on a sunny,  snow-etched crisp morning drive through the coastal range of Oregon and back to Fishhawk Lake. (Lucky me!) This pictorial will take you from start to finish as I shot it.   I reached a pretty high elevation and hit leftover snow in March, after a late, brief snowfall.   About 25 miles downhill, I reached the beginning of Astoria.    Heading back out of Astoria Oregon, with the inlet on my right now.    I stopped along the way to photograph the greenery, which was a sharp contrast to the blues, whi... 03/27/2012

Trying to explain SEO (search engine optimization) to your sellers….not an easy task. I was explaining this to a probable new listing seller who has been working the FSBO angle for awhile to no avail in selling two of his custom built spec homes at Fishhawk Lake.    “What about Zillow and Trulia? Do you advertise on those?” I explained that they are part of what my website developer does, but they aren’t necessarily where buyers go to find my listings (and these sites have listings that are already sold or don’t have the updated information, as my clients themselves  had noticed).    I do a lot of querying of my buyers as to where/how they found me, what search words they used, etc. (if appropriate). Definitely it is the internet most often, then friends/relatives who have property at F... 03/20/2012

Just because we have an HOA at Fishhawk Lake, doesn’t mean we’re GATED IN!!!   Brenda Mullen wrote an interesting article about why people are drawn to “gated communities”…here is what she said in one remark: There are different reasons for living inside a gated neighborhood in and around San Antonio, TX, but the number one reason people like them is the overall feeling of safety. The smaller, community feel to a gated neighborhood gives many comfort as they are a natural deterrent to those who don’t live there.     What I love about this community is this very thing, but we keep the sense of community while still maintaining the openness of a rural countryside feel.          Sometimes I think that gates give a very formal feeling  to a community, giving it an air of sophistication.    ... 03/18/2012

Travelling back from Astoria Oregon yesterday (a coastal town), I had a chance to see some buildings along the way and get some St. Patrick's Day (pre-day) pictures.     Some were dressed in rainbow attire (I didn’t see the gold at the end of it, but still got a photo!)          others were in historic dress.   (Wearin' of the Green).   In the little town of Olney Oregon where there is one tiny store, they had their St. Paddy’s Day clovers prominently displayed amongst the beer/gas/snacks/hunting signs.       Many miles past, I stopped in front the The Birkenfeld Store, “The Birk” for us locals.      The Birk always offers live music on the weekends and tonight, St. Patrick’s Day, they will be hosting The Insensitives.      They are a Portland, OR band who offer rock, cover and original... 03/17/2012

Fishhawk Lake Weather...today was supposed to be a Soup Day. It still is, but got pushed way back behind some urgent traveling. I ended up going to Astoria, a coastal town where my wonderful vet, Dr. Larry Goza is located. Now you know why. It was not the kind of day to be outside. Windy, stormy and torrential downpours. Not easy driving. But necessary.   On the way home to Fishhawk Lake, after leaving my precious Jenna at the clinic for tests, I got a glimpse of nature in its wonder. Four elk were next to the road, two bucks, two females. I turned around and went back in the full-on pelting rain to snap some grayish shots.         I also got a quick video along Highway 202 of what the Nehalem River is looking like, which stretches for many miles from inland to the Pacific coast.   Last... 03/15/2012

Realtors—We’re Like the Postal Service!   And I don’t mean we go postal, well, maybe we do, but that’s another post for another day…ANYWAY, today is a snowy day in Oregon and I’m holed up at my home office.      I contacted one of my clients who was supposed to sign a purchase agreement yesterday and he never received it via e-mail. I tried again and it was too big for his server. He is many miles away and because of the bad weather, I can’t drive it over to him and I have no fax machine here. So……one of my neighbors who works for him lives down the road about a quarter of a mile away. I ended up putting on my snowshoes,      my winter outerwear        and went slogging through the snow, over hill and dale and put it in her mailbox, so that she can take it to him tomorrow!       What we... 03/13/2012

  Man, I love my job!!! Today four and a half hours just flew by! I had new clients at Fishhawk Lake who found me through ActiveRain. Within moments of first meeting, it was delightful to find out how DEEPLY they had delved into my blogposts. I had handed them a copy of the Vernonia's Voice, the paper I write for locally and the husband said, “You write a lot, don’t you?”        It made me laugh and I briefly explained my goal last year to make it a priority to focus on ActiveRain and blog as often as possible. He explained that they read some of my blogs.  During the course of the time we spent together, I could tell that they really HAD read them.      The old farmer's tiny red house for example. It was the first one here at Fishhawk Lake  and before I could say anything, they asked, ... 03/05/2012

March came in like a lion today at Fishhawk Lake.       It started yesterday at Fishhawk Lake and I had our driveway all shoveled off and lo and behold, this early AM brought me another white gift. Thanks, Mother Nature!  I again tackled our sloped stamped concrete driveway. I would NEVER suggest someone have this kind of driveway at Fishhawk Lake!  Not only do you fall down because it gets slippery, but when the weather gets bad, you need to park your vehicle somewhere FLAT and with gravel, because you could ruin this beautiful driveway. It's gorgeous in the summer and out back, too. This would be better suited in a lovely Florida, Arizona or California setting.     The dogs had a great time, and at one point, they did pose for a couple of Snow Buddy shots.       Jenna was making snow ... 03/01/2012

You ready to hear some good news?  It’s about time.  This title caught my attention: Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards     Here are a few statements from this article:   Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit.   The analytics firm notes the average credit score required to attain a mortgage loan is 700. While this is higher than scores required prior to the crisis, it is constant with requirements one year ago. Additionally, a Fed Senior Loan Officer Survey found credit requirements in the fourth quarter were consistent with the past three quarters.   However, other market indicators point not just to a stabilization of mortgage lending standards, but also a ... 03/01/2012

Fishhawk Lake Real Estate-Cash is $till King.      In listening to NPR (National Public Radio) yesterday I heard that a third of all real estate purchases right now are paid with cash and that these buyers are snatching up foreclosures and getting good deals.   Regarding Fishhawk Lake real estate, I have three current buyers I’m working with who are ready: one is a cash buyer, the 2nd is pre-approved for a VA loan and the third is a qualified buyer. My last sale was a cash buyer that I represented who sold a property months before in southern Oregon and turned around and bought one of my listings here at Fishhawk Lake for quite a bit less than the asking price. The sale just before that was a cash buyer, an investor who walked into my office, asked about lots, liked one of them I had li... 02/27/2012

What are some of your favorite mantras?   These are the words you live by or phrases that easily sum up your goals or life lessons. I was reading a blog recently of Ron and Alexandra Seigel’s about focus. And when thinking about getting answers through focus, this was part of what they concluded: “Focusing can also lead to discovering new ways to attract more business by finding alternative approaches that can yield more desirable results”.   “The need to know literally draws out answers from your environment and from people who have the answers or know where to find them”.   This prompted me to respond with one of my all-time favorite “mantras”:     Chance Favors the Prepared Mind     I have had a small piece of paper with that phrase on it done in calligraphy for YEARS. It has moved t... 02/23/2012

    Finding Your Niche--being THE BEST at one thing is priceless. I’m no Oprah Winfrey, but I have found something that I’m an expert in and finding my niche after a lifetime of seeking it can feel, well…pretty darned GOOD. I was never the expert, THE BEST  in anything. I was the Jill-of-all-trades, Master-of-none. Seriously. My dad spent many years wondering if I was going to settle down and find a “real job”. After starting my real estate business at Fishhawk Lake in a downturn of that business, it was like being Sisyphus and pushing that boulder up a very large hill.     But, with passion, persistence and a willingness to show vulnerability (because of lack of experience) it all played into eventual success as well as building the foundation for others to call and say, “you seem like... 02/21/2012

Love Connection….remember that show? Well, when it comes to putting people together romantically, I don’t even TRY, but given the chance to put a client together with an expert in any kind of field and create a BUSINESS LOVE CONNECTION, is a crowning moment.If I believe in someone, I will PROMOTE THEM VIGOROUSLY and wholeheartedly. It feels SO GOOD when you have a client who discovers a problem and you can turn them around quickly by simply getting them in touch with the right person for the right price.   I actually compiled a Resource List for Fishhawk Lake members that I have on my website and as a Page on my WordPress blog site. It is in alphabetical order in categories and only offers those businesses that come recommended by someone at Fishhawk Lake that has personally utilized th... 02/17/2012

        Sometimes a dark night can bring about magic. if you’re in the right place when it happens. Take tonight for instance. It is dark dark, no stars, no streetlights, crisp cold and somewhat lonely if you spend enough time thinking in that direction.   I was out with the dogs. They were doing their evening sniffing and their duties before retiring. All of a sudden, in the outer regions of the forests surrounding our lake community, we heard this plaintive cry. It was a dog cry, but wildish sounding. My dog, Takoda changed his stance, immediately, coming to a pose of head held high, perking his ears, holding his head erect and very still. We heard it again. Just one cry, the same sound. Like a Harumph, sort of, only stretched out and no return cry from others. Then, a pause. Another ... 02/16/2012

  Fishhawk Lake Real Estate-The Aftermath From a Flood   In some areas of the country, you worry about hurricanes, or snow for months, or other forms of nature that can wreak havoc on a community. As a realtor you sometimes get forced into becoming an expert about dealing with what happens after Acts of God. Never in my wildest dreams did I have the goal of learning about floodplains. But, real estate presents a constant learning curve, so if you’re going to be successful you better be ready to learn, ALWAYS.  Floods--the aftermaths and how it relates to insurance can be one of those painful conversations you have with potential buyers as well as sellers, trying to list or buy a property in a floodplain.   In our little town of Vernonia, Oregon, where my real estate office is located, t... 02/14/2012

One of the pleasures of buying lakefront property-Oregon or lake property at Fishhawk Lake is the discovery of what is beyond the walls of your new vacation home.   I was driving on Fishhawk Rd., four miles from the entrance to Fishhawk Lake and out of the corner of my eye, way off and with the Nehalem River dividing us, was this lovely hidden creature, taking a cozy rest by the shoreline.     To the untrained eye, you wouldn’t find this youngster standing out, because it’s colors fade into its surroundings so well. Lying on a bed of winter foliage, it just looked at me from far away with a sense of peace and harmony—no concerns in the world. Just relaxation!   This and other wonders awaits you in our “neck of the woods” at Fishhawk Lake when you buy lakefront property at Fishhawk Lake—... 02/13/2012

Fishhawk Lake Real Estate-A Day on the Lake!   Finally, a photo op!          It was a Saturday, with an open day for my husband and I to enjoy a gloriously sunny February afternoon on Fishhawk Lake!  After chores were all completed our “reward” was to break out our canoe, shove it off the stone steps into the glassy lake and go with the flow—literally!   We headed across from our home on the lake and lo and behold, a bald eagle flapped out of the trees and flew right over our heads (of course before I could lay down my paddle and grab the camera). How many people get to say that while canoeing on their private lake in the woods?? He headed down the lake towards the spillway and we glided his direction long behind him. We heard the laughter of children lightly floating over the lake, a s... 02/04/2012

Lakefront Property Oregon-Fishhawk Lake Real Estate-71560 Northshore Dr Birkenfeld Oregon     Lakefront completely remodeled cabin with 100+feet of waterfrontage! 3BR, 1BA 1232 Sq.ft. $275,000   Views from every room at this lakefront property Oregon. New: both interior/exterior paint,deck,carpet,brand new certified woodstove(custom stonework around it),       new doors, huge garage,potential 1/2ba.Clean and move-in ready, appliances to stay. There are plenty of windows, sliding doors and light/bright colors that are contemporary.             Lakefront property Oregon with comfortable ranch style, easy for young families or older couples. Two firepits, a dock, sheds next to the large attached garage    and a flat lot, make it easy to drive right into the property. It's a really nice-siz... 01/25/2012