About Sacramento's Curtis Park

When I take a hot listing, I know it. I suspect most Sacramento agents know when they spot a hot listing. It's not just price that makes it hot, although, an attractive price doesn't hurt. Especially if it's at that entry-price level that falls within popular price ranges which, in particular, motivate first-time home buyers. It's the condition, layout and style of the home that can drive buyers crazy with desire.

After we sign the listing paperwork, I give my sellers an estimated time line to contract acceptance. When I tell them we'll be in escrow in 7 days, they stare into my eyes searching for signs that I am insane or perhaps stoned, I dunno. It makes no difference if the listing is a short sale or a regular sale. If it's hot; it's hot.

We received 5 offers over the weekend -- all way over list price for a Sacramento short sale. This vintage home is located in the highly desirable neighborhood of Curtis Park, just south of Midtown. We'll probably receive more offers today because not every buyer's agent looks at MLS or calls a listing agent to check on status. The sellers signed an offer last night and brought it over to my home in Land Park. As they were on their way over, I received an offer from an agent I had spoken to the day before.

She said her buyers were finally ready to submit, although they hadn't yet found the time to actually preview the property. If they liked it, though, they would be willing to buy it. They didn't have any concerns, except for a list of 4 or 5 concerns which, to me, sorta looked like concerns. They also don't yet have their preapproval letter, but they wanted to submit anyway. Oh, and they wanted to offer $10,000 under list price because they are conservative.

I like the agent. In fact, I felt sorry for the agent. She's a nice person and deserves better. I told her she is too kind because conservative is not the word I would have used to describe these clients. And, this is the second home they have lost.

After reading ActiveRain newsletters and blogs nearly every day for months, I've decided to get my feet wet (so to speak) and participate in the community.

I initially hesitated in writing a blog, especially on this site, because there are so many quality agents with interesting and amusing things to say. Why would someone want to spend 5 minutes and read mine?

Well, that thought process is changing, as I step with confidence into 2011and expand my business and referral network. Many of my collegues have left the real estate arena, but I find myself growing professionally and personally, and want to be a source of quality real estate information for potential and current clients, and of course, for the ActiveRain community members.

I have become involved in the Young Professionals Council, Women's Council of Realtors, and the Sacramento mid-town regional meetings. These are great places for juicy information to relay to clients and to my professional network. And I plan on sharing a few juicy pieces in an upcoming blog...

So, thank you in advance for your valuable time and consideration! I will be mindful to include something of interest in every post, so you will come away from your 5 minute perusal with a little more information than you would have had otherwise.

Make it another great day!

I have never particularly liked The Beatle's song: You Say It's Your Birthday. It's on The White Album. It's a jarring tune. Not that there's anything wrong with jarring because I love the Foo Fighters, for example, but it's situated in the wrong place on the soundtrack.

When I bought that album in 1969, I was 17. Living in an apartment by myself, embarking on my senior year of high school and working 2 part-time jobs. My landlord knocked on the door to ask if he could borrow my White Album. When I told him I was late for school, he realized I meant high school and not college. I could not legally rent an apartment at age 17. Well, did he want to borrow the album or not? He kept his mouth shut. I lent him the album.

I'm thinking of that song today because it is my birthday. At my age, I'm just happy to reach another birthday. It's also hard to remember exactly how old I am without doing the math, subtracting my year of birth from the current year. I don't fit my preconceived perception of a person my age. The numbers don't mean anything.

Numbers that do carry a meaning are those slapped on a home for sale. Like this short sale home in Curtis Park. Unlike some, my Sacramento short sales tend to close escrow. I closed 5 last month and will probably close another 5 this month.

This 4-bedroom, 3-bath home was built in 2006 and, although it's attached to a home on the other side, it's just like living in your own single-family residence. You've got a big back yard, which is fenced, with a birch tree, nice landscaping, flowers, green lawn and concrete patio. The front yard is pretty, too, with a wrought iron fence. It also has a one-car garage.

Inside, you'll find enormous square footage for the area -- more than 2,200 square feet. When you step inside this home, you enter another world. It's simply beautiful. Gorgeous hardwood floors and an open floor plan greet you. A bank of cabinets hanging from the ceiling offer additional storage space in the kitchen and opens up the kitchen to the formal living room.

The kitchen has granite counters and an island with a sink that does double duty as a breakfast bar. All stainless appliances, and the counter-depth built-in refrigerator stays. Off the kitchen are French doors that lead to the back yard patio. The formal dining area and family room combination are situated in a L-shape off the other side of the kitchen. There is a ceiling fan in the family room and a fireplace in the living room.

You've also got that hard-to-find first-floor bedroom, which is presently used as a playroom but could also be a den. The room sizes are big and spacious.

The second floor is carpeted but the baths are ceramic. Upstairs, the master suite has vaults and a ceiling fan, plus a huge bath. Double sinks, vanities on 2 walls with a wrap-around mirror, a jetted tub and an oversized walk-in shower. Of course, there's an extra-large walk-in closet, too. Down the hall, you'll find 2 more big bedrooms and another bath.

3657 24th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818 is offered exclusively by Lyon Real Estate as a short sale at $275,000. For more information, call your Sacramento short sale agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, at 916 233 6759.

Photos: Elizabeth Weintraub

As the time grows closer for a vote at the Sacramento City Council, there is an escalating fervor regardingthe Petrovich development known as Curtis Park Village. The chasm between the fans of this development and the critics is growing as well. Much of the chatter is really a result of misinformation (intentional or accidental is another topic).

Probably the biggest hotbed is the toxic issue within the site. When originally tested by the city, Petrovich was told that there was 80,000 cubic yards of toxic soil. After 2000 railroad cars were loaded up with said soil and sent to Utah, it was thought to be clean. However, upon subsequent testing, at total of 240,000 cubic yards was found...a substantial increase in costs, considering the expenditure so far just for clean up has already totaled 14M dollars! At this point, you would think that Petrovich would have thrown his hands up and abandoned the project. He didn't. He researched and found the accepted practice of digging a very deep hole (50'), lining it and filling it with the toxic soil. Finally, a toxic proof barrier is put over it, it is sealed and clean soil is put on top. This has been done over 200 times without a flaw. A park will be placed in this section of the development - all other residential areas will have clean dirt.

The other misconception is the amount of traffic this development will incur. The traffic study shows that with the exception of Sutterville Road, this plan will have zero impact or will improve the flow. Bus lines will be rerouted from 24th Street to the main thoroughfare (Curtis Park Village Drive) of the development. There will be ingress and egress at 5th Avenue, 10th Avenue and Donner Way. In a grading system of A to F, all inner street will have a grade of A and a couple of B's. Sutterville Road already has an F, so admittedly it will make a bad situation worse.

Another rumor being discussed is that "big box" stores will lease the space. Stores such as WalMart, Home Depot and Target require anywhere from 12 to 16 acres of space. With a total of 72 acres, much of it residential and the park, and the plan calling for smaller individual commercial and retail structures, the "big box" store simply does not have a place in this development.

The ultimate cost of this development will be 225M dollars. It will create 2000 temporary jobs and 550 permanent jobs. It will provide an already dramatically under serviced neighborhood with more retail and service options. It will provide for 7.2M dollars in annual tax revenue.

Curtis Park Village will encompass 72 acres of infill. It will have 184 single family homes, 248 multi family housing units, 89,000 square feet of restaurants and entertainment, 16,000 square feet of small commercial space, 90 affordable housing units and a 154,000 square feet of commercial space. 2400 trees will be planted and old growth oaks will be preserved. Residential lots will be from 100 to 160 feet deep and 50 to 60 feet wide.

Mr. Petrovich has participated in over 150 public forums for input and suggestions. He has made over 36 changes to the plan at the suggestion of the neighbors. In my humble opinion, this is an admirable plan that needs the support of this city and it's citizens. Build it, and they will come!

Many of us drive by the future Curtis Park Villageand wonder when we will have a new, wonderful neighborhood to boast about. If you are so inclined, you may want to attend a meeting at Stonepoint (the corner of Freeport Boulevard and Sutterville Road) to discover the newest developments.

The meeting will be from 6:30PM to 8PM on October 7th. The development team will discuss teh project with its recent activities and ask for input from the community on the latest issues.

This will be a great chance to learn first-hand the amount of work and expense Petrovich has dedicated to this project and what you can expect in the future!