From June 2nd until June 8th of 2019, a massive group of more than 2,300 cyclists will ride their way from San Francisco to Los Angeles, California. With the help of over 650 volunteers (also known as “roadies”) in 2018 these individuals raised a record $16.6 million for the AIDS/LifeCycle organization which provides critical HIV/AIDS services provided by both the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Last year, Marquis Kish (our marketing manager) participated in his… read more →
There’s something that very few people know about me: I hate it when my hands are dirty. I think a lot of it comes from the way I was raised. My parents were very traditional, conservative, blue-collar people. “Salt of the earth”, some people might say. When they were just teenagers, they got married, uprooted from Kansas, and made the westward journey to California. My dad had joined the Navy and was stationed here in the Bay Area. He then… read more →
The Design and Staging team at Lifestyle Real Estate Services is proud to announce that beginning this month, custom furniture by the talented artists at “Yours & Mine Design” will be included in select Lifestyle staging projects. Comprised of expert craftsmen Mikael Estrada and Kevin Dickson, “Yours & Mine Design” is the marriage of two distinctly creative aesthetics: Estrada’s rustic and industrial medium is tempered by Dickson’s elegantly modern approach, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces that are not only tailored to… read more →
Apple’s Homekit is a feature available to app developers to help them incorporate Apple’s personal assistant, Siri, into their household products’ functionality. In other words, we’ll soon be able to control and manage such things as our thermostat, lights, garage door, front door lock and other everyday household appliances and other items with just our voice. All of us iPhone owners are already aware that Siri can fulfill our desire to know what the weather is like outside (or halfway… read more →
Every once in a while, I get caught off-guard by the aggressive words or actions of a client. Many times, when I “peel back the onion” to uncover what is making them respond the way they are, I hear a story they have heard (or even lived through) about a real estate agent who acted unethically. It’s sad, but it’s true — in real estate, there are a few bad apples out there. Here’s a little insight, and some next-steps… read more →
When you make an offer on a property and it’s accepted by the seller, two things normally happen right away. First, you have to put your deposit in escrow, and second you (or, hopefully, your agent) need to order the inspections. In a typical transaction, we recommend our clients order three kinds of inspections: property, termite and roof. Of all three, the termite inspection is the most important; let’s talk a little about the details so you know what to expect. Read More →
Every once in a while, a client will ask me about the timing of their home sale… “When is the best time to sell my home?” I know why they’re asking — they want a “leg up” on the market. They want that extra little advantage that a well-timed offering will make so the most people possible will be looking at the time they sell. But do these “special times” exist? And if they do, when are they? There are… read more →
I’m a sucker for “pretty/shiny” things. The Nest Thermostat is both, and I’ve wanted one for a while. I know they’ve been out for a few years, but the first generation wouldn’t work in my home because I have a heat pump instead of a traditional furnace. Lo and behold, v2.0 supports heat pumps and since its introduction last year I’ve been really tempted to get one. Part of the reason I’ve held off is because of an experience I… read more →
Have you heard? Part of California’s Low-Flow Toilet Law took affect January 1, 2014. But does everyone have to swap their old toilet for a new one? The short answer is “not yet.” For now, the law (SB 407 Padilla) only affects those who are doing an addition that increases the square footage of a home by 10% or more, those who spend $150,000 or more on retrofits or improvements, or those who are building a new home. If you… read more →
All of us here in Dublin are looking for signs of where the Dublin Ranch economy is headed. Everywhere we look we run across good news and bad, and one begins to wonder at some point — what is Dublin Ranch going to look like in the next five years? Nationally, the Consumer Confidence Index in January rose for the third straight month. I actually didn’t know this (even though I hear about the Consumer Confidence Index quite a bit…),… read more →
As you may already know, The Bay Area Rapid Transit service has plans to add service throughout the Livermore area with the addition of BART extensions. At this time, BART is selecting a preferred alignment for this extension. They are interested in hearing from you and other owners of Dublin Ranch homes regarding their proposed stations and routes. With five different stations suggested, you may find that one specifically fits your needs as a local resident. Perhaps the Isabel/I-580 station,… read more →
We here at Dublin Ranch Lifestyle would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. Now that the holidays are over you might be wondering how you can dispose of, or better yet, recycle your holiday tree. So long as your tree isn’t flocked or tinseled there are two ways you can do this. Until the 8th, Amador Valley Industries (also known as “AVI”) has a special truck just for recycling holiday trees. Just cut your tree into 4-foot sections and… read more →
We’ve had a lot of Dublin Ranch residents asking us what they can do with their Christmas trees to dispose of them. In case you may have missed or forgotten about the Christmas tree pickup done by the Boy Scouts, you’re not alone — it was this past Saturday, January 3. All is not lost, however! Owners of Dublin Ranch homes, condos and townhomes can set their tree out by the curb this coming Friday, January 9 and it will… read more →
