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Family and Home Tidings Newsletter is brought to you free by: Roman Alfaro, Jr., & Randy Watson 210-734-5590 Mission Realty, Inc. 5309 Wurzbach Rd., Ste 106, San Antonio, TX 78238 info@satxproperty.com Free Online San Antonio Homesearch Thanks for reading! If you'd like to tell us what you think about this newsletter, or if you're thinking of buying or selling real estate, please get in touch. Peter DiBenedetto, Broker/Owner 210-687-9959

Family and Home Tiding Newsletter December 2009

Tips for Choosing the Ideal Gift This Holiday Season

With the holidays approaching, it’s time to make a list and check it twice. But after a tough economic year, everyone is trying to get the biggest bang for their buck. So how do you pick the perfect present?

Planning and preparation are the keys. The following tips might also help:

Personality Matters: Take the time to learn what friends are interested in, then use the information to form the foundation for your shopping list. Make the gift meaningful by giving something that enhances the person’s life or solves a problem.

Dual Use: Gift ideas that fill more than one purpose are a great way to provide practical yet fun gifts, especially for college students or busy parents. Popular choices this season include MP3 players with built-in microphones, electronic reading devices like the wireless Kindle, and Portable Global Positioning System navigation devices.

A Little Luxury: Upgrade needed items by splurging on an extra-special version of common items. For example, first-time homebuyers may appreciate new linens, but they’ll really be impressed with extra touches like high thread count or monograms. Sheets, towels or even tools make perfect housewarming gifts and can be completely customized.

Sentimental Reasons: Get creative with a digital picture frame or commemorate an extra-special pet with a framed photograph. Try creating a custom T-shirt or publishing a bound book of family photos.

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How to Make Your Own ‘Bucket List’

In the hit movie The Bucket List, two terminally ill patients decide to go out in style after discovering they have only six months to live. To make the most of their remaining time, each patient creates a “bucket list” of things he or she wants to do before kicking the bucket.

You can also make each and every day of your life count by creating your own bucket list.

It’s Never Too Late or Too Soon

Remember those long-lost dreams? Drag them out of the closet and into the light of day by giving them another opportunity. Whether it was learning to dance or finishing a college education, time and technology may now provide new opportunities you never expected. Allow yourself the freedom to select whatever tickles your fancy without the obstacles of prior opinions of the naysayers.

Prioritize

Be honest about what you want the most, whether you think it is attainable or not, then share that information with others. You might be surprised how helpful others are when it comes to helping you realize your dreams. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunity. Sometimes help comes from the most unexpected situations.

Personalize

Make your personal list meaningful. Know why you want each and every item on your list and resist the temptation of doing or trying things that may seem popular but don’t truly appeal to you. Sometimes the simple things in life matter the most, so if you want to plant a garden and watch it grow, then do that rather than travel the world.

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Thinking of Selling Your Home? Get My Free Guide

How to Help Your Agent Build a Winning Sales Strategy

Communicating with your real estate agent is the key to developing a winning strategy to show your property in the best possible light. The following tips might help you avoid frustration and increase the odds of a successful showing:

Be Honest: The first step is to be completely honest with your agent. Make sure the agent knows about the benefits and pitfalls of the property in advance, including needed repairs and deferred maintenance.

sale. Copies of receipts, warranty documents and other paperwork give your agent a great headstart.

Set a Schedule: Let the agent know the appropriate times for showing the home, as well as any other instructions. Notify agents of special situations well in advance, especially concerning pets or other important matters.

Knowledge and Network: Your agent is an expert in the local real estate community, so use him or her to your advantage. Allow the agent to develop a marketing plan and use local resources that maximize the appeal of your property. Likewise, ask the agent’s opinion about service providers and other vendors who may assist in the process of selling or purchasing property.

Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth?

How has the price of your home changed in today’s market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for? If you're wondering what's happening to prices in your area, or you're thinking about selling your house, I'll be able to help. Just give my office a call for a no-fuss, professional evaluation.

I won't try to push you into listing with me or waste your time. I'll just give you the honest facts about your home and its value. And maybe I'll also give you the "inside scoop" on what's happening in the housing market near where you live!

Just give my office a call at 210-734-8890 to arrange an appointment. Alternatively, stop by at the office. The address is on the back page of this newsletter.

Quick Quiz

Each month I’ll give you a new question.

Just email me at info@satxproperty.com or call 210-734-5590 for the answer.

Oddly, Panama hats originated in what country?

Why Not Pass Me
to a Friend?

If you’ve enjoyed this newsletter and found its information useful, please pass it to a neighbor, friend or co-worker.

And if you have any comments about it, don’t forget to give me a call or send me an email!

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Food Rules to Live By

Earlier this year, Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, asked readers of the New York Times to contribute “food rules” to live by.

Here are some of the contributions. Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/pollanrules

“It’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor.”

“Don’t eat egg salad from a vending machine.”

“No second helpings, no matter how scrumptious.”

“If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry.”

“Breakfast you should eat alone. Lunch you should share with a friend. Dinner, give to your enemy.”

“Don’t eat anything that took more energy to ship than to grow.”

“Avoid snack foods with the ‘oh’ sound in their names.”

“When drinking tea, just drink tea.”

Did You Know?

Can you answer these science questions? Answers below.

What is another name for trismus?

What causes an object to accelerate?

Which planet orbits the sun at the fastest speed?

What causes an echo?

Jonas Salk developed a vaccine for what disease?

An abnormally fast heartbeat is termed what?

(Answers: Lockjaw, force, Mercury, reflected sound waves, polio, tachycardia)

Source: coolquiz.com

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Ways to Figure Out If a Fixer-Upper Is Worth It

Deciding whether to purchase a fixer-upper or go with a home in need of fewer repairs isn’t always simple.

The following information can help you calculate the true cost of purchasing a fixer:

Supplies, Labor and Time: Whether you do the job yourself or hire outside labor, repairs and renovations are notorious for costing more than you planned. If the home can’t be lived in while repairs are made, the additional cost of covering the mortgage, taxes and insurance while the home is vacant can also substantially add to the total cost.

long-term consequences. Properly performed repairs and renovations may help or hurt property tax values and homeowner insurance costs. It’s a good idea to get an estimate in advance. On the other hand, hiring outside crews to perform needed repairs can result in a tax write-off for investment properties.

Long-Term Profit Potential: Repairs and renovations can make your home more valuable, but only if the surrounding area is desirable. Whether investing for long-term appreciation or cash flow, carefully evaluate the desirability of the neighborhood.