If it takes Valentine's Day to show your "intimate companion" that you
love them, you're probably doing it wrong.... Just saying.
Happy Valentine's Day... is it really a day of love?
I once had a 6 year old tell me he "hated Valentaine's Day cuz it was all about love and PINK"
I'm certain as that 6 year old has grew up, Valentine's Day has been fraught with happiness and dispair.
I'm guessing Valentine's Day only HAPPY when you have someone to love and someone who loves you.
Otherwise it's just February 14th. My son, age 26 pointed out that it's a Hallmark Holiday, designed to get people to spend money.... perhaps it is.... so I looked it up on Wikipedia.
Saint Valentines Day was established in 496 AD, by Pope Gealsius. It was meant to celebrate love and affection between 'intimate companions".
In 1969 Pople Paul VI deleted Saint Valentines Day from the Roman calendar. Howver by then it was a fully entrenched as a Hallmark holiday. Those greeting cards we buy and send are known as "Valentines".
While my 26 year old thought it was ONLY a Hallmark Holiday, in reality Valentine's Day started as a religious holiday to CELEBRATE LOVE and has morphed into a Hallmark Holiday.
Whose love do you want to celebrate?
This is right outside the Crown Key Realty office front door. The dirt is BRICk hard, there is no water.
Yet year after year these little potential beauties pop thier heads up through the dirt.
Photo when blooming to follow.
Dandelions excude Tenacity, they never give up. They should not succeed, yet year after year they are successful in bringing beauty into my life.
These guys are as Stubborn As I am..... when it comes to working short sales.
Painted Ladies, that is what this group of homes are called.
Remember Full House, the opening scene showed the family in the park, with these pretty houses in the back ground?
Another First. I've always wanted to see them first hand. Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for all of my adult life, it's one of the things I've never done.
Yesterday, while my husband spoke to the Baseball team at University of San Francisco, I was left to my own devises.
So #1 Painted Ladies
#2 Downtown, Union Square Shopping
#3 Apple Store, 3 classes, iCloud, Social Media, Etsy
#4 Chinese New Year Parade.
I need be left to my own devises more often.
I moved to California 33 years ago.
This is the first time I've ever experinced it.
First I was too young.
Then it was too dangerous.
Then I had children who wouldn't be patient
Yet finally yesterday, on a fluke it happened.
As I sat in the Apple Store in Downtown San Francisco watching an Etsy presentation. The lady who sat next to me said, "WOW it's getting CRAZY out there. Everyone is here for the parade."
"Parade, what parade?"
"The Chinese New Year Parade!"
What that is today? Yep 5:30 on Geary in front of Macy's.
Are you kidding me, I've always wanted to come see this parade. It used to take place on Grant Street in the middle of Chinatown. Grant is a very narrow street, firecrackers would be thrown from one side of the street to the other. (Hence unsafe) The event has become so popular that the parade was moved to 3 of 4 sides of Union Square.
The stars aligned. I heard about the parade, I had no other plans, my husband got a CAB and joined me downtown.
We stood from 4:15 - 7:45. The parade got to us at 5:30 and here is a video of the end of the parade at 7:50.
** ***
Yes, those are PACKETS of fire crackers, that shot out and hit those of standing in the front. Last is the GREAT DRAGON. This is the Year of the Dragon, looks like it's going to be lucky for me.
Check that off my bucket list.
One of the places I love to go is San Francisco. 
I'm lucky, I live in Tracy, CA
San Francisco is only an hour away from Tracy, CA
When our first child was born I lived in San Mateo, I was 30 minutes from San Francisco.
There were many nights when my husband would say, "should we, it's 10:30 p.m."
My response, "Yeah, Why not" So we'd scoop up our 10 week old baby and head for San Francisco.
WHY to get ice cream of course.
The best place in the whole world to get a hot fudge sundae is Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory.
I'm not even a HUGE ice cream fan, but I love it there.
Chocolate is made on site, you can see the cocoa beans roasting, the chocolate cooking, being presses, etc.
Above all that - the Chocolate is delicious.
So if you're ever in San Francisco, be sure to go to Ghiradelli for a Hot Funge Sundae.
(PS there is now an outlet in Lathrop, CA only 15 minutes from Tracy, it's the same chocolate but the experience is not nearly the same.
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Short Sale Help, First Time Home Buyers, Investors, I'm here to help.
What are you looking for? Do you want an agent who lives in the the Tracy & Mountain House area? Are you looking for an agent to help you navigate through the maze of selling your property? Do you have questions about short sales? Do you want an agent who has helped numerous buyers purchase their first home?
I'm here to help YOU. You can read all about me by subscribing to my bog.
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I've watched Tracy, CA grow fast in the past 18 years. Mountain House is a result of that growth.
Tracy, CA has been a wonderful place to raise my family, and I don't for a minute regret moving her from the Bay Area.
Riley, 19, University of Texas, Pan American - BASEBALL; Tyler, 26, Capt. USAF, Currently in Iraq; Logan, 23, Grad University of Hawaii,Hilo, Golfer; Juliana, 14, Freshman, John, teacher & Varsity Baseball Coach at James Logan High School Married 31 years, Shane, 17, Senior, History Buff, Me.
The Goulding Family
Riley, 19, University of Texas, Pan American - BASEBALL; Tyler, 26, Capt. USAF, home from Iraq, stationed LAAF; Logan, 23, Grad University of Hawaii, Hilo, Golfer; Juliana, 14, Freshman, John, 31 years married, teaches & is the Varsity Baseball Coach at James Logan High School,
Shane, 17, Senior, History Buff, Me.
Susan Goulding, Crown Key Realty, Broker - Owner
I specialize in Tracy, Mt.House, Banta and surrounding valley areas. This is a great place to live. We are diverse, have lots of affordable housing for first time buyers. Northern California is a very expensive area to live and many families who relocate to Northern California choose the Tracy area due to it's small town feel and affordable living.
Are you looking for a home that fulfills needs and dreams. I beleive there is a perfect home for everyone. Finding you the perfect home is a grand adventure. We can find a home for you anywhere from Monterey - Roseville. You describe it, I'll find it.
Are you moving? Moving can be a stressful experience. You need help reducing the stress, keeping the inconvience as minimal as possible, there are tricks and tips, you just need to know what they are.
Are you in financial trouble and you own a house? Do you need some advise regarding a possible foreclosure or short sale? Do you need someone who will market your home and get it sold very quickly? Do you just need some free advise? Call me I'll help you if I can, if I can't I'll find someone who can.
Short Sales are the buzz word of the late 2000's. Who knew that California and especially the Central Valley of CA would take such a HUGE hit. IF you are one the people affected by this call me. I can at the very least explain your options to you.
Do you have some money to invest, there has never been a better time to invest in real estate. What are you waiting for? I know when the market will hit bottom - and I'll tell you -- it will be when my phone starts ringing off the hook with buyers who want to buy quick. Don't be a buyer in a Seller's Market (when Seller's get to negotiate and houses are selling fast) be SMART be a BUYER in A BUYER'S Market. There are some areas already that the mulitple offers are appearing on homes, homes are selling over asking. Yikes, if you want to buy, you better be thinking about doing it now.
Don't let time pass you buy. Create wealth. I'll help you and I will consider it my honor to do so.
If you have any questions about Tracy or Mountain House feel free to call me. I know the schools, restaraunts, nail salons, how to get from point A - point B the fastest during rush hour. Do you need to know how to sign your children up for Soccer, Little League, Babe Ruth, Youth Football, Swimming, call me. I've got 5 kids - I know this stuff.
Susan was awesome, she was patient, took the time to listen and answer our questions. She never pushed us to sign a listing contract until we were ready and comfortable with everything. Moving was our choice, and she understood that. She was great. MT, in Tracy
Susan took me to look at neighborhoods for hours. We drove from community to community. Susan knew I wouldn't be moving to the area for 4 - 6 weeks. She explained a lot of what we saw might not be available when I was ready to make an offer. Not once did she make me feel like I was wasting her time. Susan provided me with email updates on the market. She didn't call daily, she didn't nag or perster me. She left me to make a decision on my own. 6 weeks later, I called Susan, said I was ready. Again we went out, this time we limited our shopping to the community of Tracy. 20 houses later, she asked, " Did we see your perfect home? Is so we need to make an offer." We made an offer, it was accepted as written, and 3 weeks later I moved in. I'd recommend Susan to anyone who asked. SN in Tracy
Believe it or not, I called Susan after my home had been listed with another agent for 120 days. I was one month from foreclosure proceedings. I live out of state and chose Susan based solely on her web site. She verified I was no longer in contract, faxed me a listing contract and I was on the market. My home sold in 28 days. Susan was honest wth me about the price (I needed to drop my price). We sold for $4000 less than listing price, and the bank didn't foreclose on my property. FD in Illinois.
I am a first time buyer. I can not believe the amount of information Susan was able to give me when it came time to purchase our first home. She held my hand and walked me through every step. She had tears in her eyes when she handed me the key to my first home. She told me it was her greatesst pleasure to help first time buyers like me accomplish the American Dream. JT in Tracy, CA
We wanted a brand new home. Susan took us to all the new homes in Mountain House, she walked through every single model with us. Susan helped negotiate for a loan that put is the home of our dreams. I called Susan she met us one night and we discussed every single piece of paperwork that we had to sign. Susan helped us no over spend, and she advised us wisely. I feel like Susan was the "big sister" I never had. AA in Mountain House
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