As we head into the holiday weeks I often take time to reflect and count my blessings. Yes, things are different than they were just a few years ago - or even than they were last year - this economy has changed everything! But you know as they say "this is our new normal" - and yes it can be easy to sit around and worry and wallow in self-pity - but I read somewhere that the best way to help yourself is to help someone else. Helping others is a great way to get your mind off your worries!
The City of Irvine in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, is hosting a "Healthy Food Drive" through January 15th. While the focus is on healthy food, nothing will be refused. The goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of canned food items.
What a great way to help people here in our community! I am sure everyone has one or two cans in their pantry that you won't miss, or maybe there is a hidden 10 dollar bill in your wallet, take it and see how much you can buy with $10. Challenge your office mates or your neighbors and see who can buy the most with their $10 and then donate it! What fun and what a great way to help others less fortunate.
Here is a complete list of drop off locations.
If you want to take things one step beyond donating and maybe see how your donations make a difference, check out other ways you can help out Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. I am willing to bet when you are done you will have received more than you gave!
Until Next Time,
Susan
As we begin a new week here are some intersting facts, something to think about and consider how they impact our lives:
More than twice as many Americans (48% of our nation's 309 million population) live in the Eastern Time Zone as compared to the combined population of Americans (23% of the nation) that live in the Pacific Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone (source: Census Bureau).
The life expectancy at birth of Americans has increased by 10 years in the last 60 years, reaching 78.3 years today. Thus since 1950, life expectancy at birth has increased by 2 months every year (source: Center for Disease Control)
The government has tracked credit card data since 1968, over the 25 year period of December 1983 - December 2008 the outstanding credit card balances in the USA grew by +10.5% per year, reaching $957 billion. From the end of 2008 to the end of 2009, outstanding credit card balances fell by 9.5% to $866 billion. This is the first time ever that year over year change was negative! (source: Federal Reserve)
There are 306 Americans worth at least $1.4 billion. There are 309 million American citizens. Thus, 1 out of every 1 million Americans is worth at least $1.4 billion (source: Forbes)
52% of retirees are still making monthly payments on home mortgage debt (source: SOA)
For 12 consecutive years - 1979 - 1990 the average interest rate nationwide on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was at least 10%! (source: Housing and Urban Development)
Have a great week,
Susan
Sophisticated living with a relaxed feel - 4311 Fireside Circle in Irvine is just what you have been looking for!
This home has so much to offer new owners - give me a call and let me show it to you personally.
Details and photos can be found here
Susan Gaffney
949-654-0464
County fairs are a right of passage - it isn't summer until you have been to the fair!
The final days of the Orange County Fair are upon us - now is the time to attend! Pack up the car and head to the fair, there is so much to see and do!
Have fun, and have some cotton candy for me,
Susan
DID YOU KNOW?
Air pollution can be up to 10 times worse inside your home than outside. Fumes from paint, cleaning products, and solvents can all add to indoor pollution, even when you can't smell them.
DID YOU KNOW?
July is National Ice Cream Month? And more ice cream is sold on Sunday's than any other day of the week? Hurry you have a few days left to celebrate with an ice cream cone!
Facts about August:
August was originally named Sextilis in Latin, because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar, and it had 29 days. Julius Caesar added two days when he created the Julian calendar in 45 BC giving it its modern length of 31 days. In 8 BC it was renamed in honor of Augustus.
In common years no other month starts on the same day of the week as August, though in leap years February starts on the same day.
Month-long events:
And finally my favorite:
Happiness Happens Month
Until Next Time,
Susan
Exceeding clients expectations while assisting with purchasing & selling dream homes in Irvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, as well as other Orange County communities.
What a privilege it is to work as a REALTOR in Irvine, California! Being a REALTOR in Southern California allows me the opportunity to meet interesting people every day and to serve my clients with integrity. It's been quite a few years now, but I clearly remember moving here from the East Coast. It felt like a foreign land! Now I have the opportunity to share what I love about our part of the country with people who are moving here for the first time. Orange County is so diverse--each city offering its own advantages--and every community with its own distinct flavor. I am grateful to be living here and to have my kids grow up in such a fascinating place. We get to enjoy the fantastic year-round climate and all the outdoor activities available, as well as experience so many different cultures. Come for a visit, or stay a while. You'll never be bored.
For information on the the process of purchasing a home in Orange County, contact me for a copy of my book, "How to Make Your REALTOR Get You the Best Deal - Southern California Edition." I think you'll find this a great place to live!
I've been a REALTOR here in Orange County for over ten years, and my background is in property management and marketing. In addition, I taught business classes on the college level for six years. My degree is in business administration, and I graduated from the Interior Designers Institute. I'm part of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame, an Accredited Buyers Representative, and Internet Certified Professional (e-Pro).
Here are some details:
Education & Personal Information:
My emphasis is in selling residential and investment properties in Irvine, Tustin, Newport Beach, and the South County cities including Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Niguel.
I enjoy helping buyers find their first or next home! It is a thrill to be with a family when they walk in and just know they have found their dream home.
"You know we did a lot of research and searched for a long time to find the right buyer's agent. We just want to say we love our new home. Thank you for finding it for us the minute it came on the market. Your perseverance, watchful eye, and contacts in the business enabled us to purchase our dream home at a great price in an extremely tight market. Thank you again for going the extra mile".
Jim and Mayu M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What a great experience it was to have you represent us as a buyers' agent when we moved down from the Pasadena area. You suggested a great neighborhood and then found a home that was not even on the market. Your help and networking has made the transition to our new community a very smooth one for our entire family."
Michael and Sarah
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thanks so much for all your help in finding and buying my beautiful new home! You were great through the whole process--the people you recommended all worked out wonderfully. It was reassuring to know that you were right there with me and for me every step of the way."
S. Gardner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We want to extend our warmest thoughts of appreciation to you for all the hard work you did for us. You wrapped your arms around us and took care of all our needs and fears finding not just a house for us, but a "HOME" for our family. You never gave up. It is a great comfort to see somebody out there representing and protecting the buyer."
David and Jaynette
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you so much for all you did to help us find and purchase our new home! You were there when I needed you, spending hours going through listings and discussing alternatives to make our dream of owning a home in Irvine come true. You had great vision and foresight--just what I needed to see the potential that our new home has for future growth and expansion. Thank you once again for all of the support and guidance."
Gail Shendelman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We are so thankful for you and how you helped us find the perfect house. It is more than we could have ever hoped for or dreamed of. You are amazing, and we appreciate all the thoughtful things you have done to make our search and our move go smoothly."
Mike and Debbie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We are very grateful to you for all your work in finding our perfect first home. All the time and effort you put into working for us--and all the fun we had--is so appreciated. We are so excited about our new home, and we feel so happy to have you in our lives."
Paul and Missy
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2012 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
