Modesto Real Estate – Luz Martinez

Lodi was first called Mokelumne.  It was founded in August 1869 when the Central Pacific Railroad chose the site for a station on its new route.  The town consisted of a store/post office building, a hotel and the station.  In the spring of 1870, people from neighboring towns moved to Mokelumne until, by October, there were 56 houses.  In 1874, the name of the town was changed to Lodi.  It is uncertain why “Lodi” was chosen.  Some people said it was the name of a local racehorse, others claimed that it came from the famous bridge in Italy.  A third explanation is that some of Lodi’s  citizens came from Lodi, Illinois. Whatever the source of its name, Lodi continued to grow.  The first school in town was built in 1872.  The first newspaper, the Valley Review, began publishing in 1878.  Lodi kept progressing even though a fire in 1887 destroyed the downtown area along Sacramento Street.  In 1891, water and gas service was provided and electric service came ten years later.  By 1895, Lodi had a volunteer fire department but law enforcement was supplied by the county and the township until 1906.  A library was finally established in 1901.  The Central California Traction Company began electric trolley service through Lodi in 1907.  That was also the year of the Tokay Carnival which was held to promote Lodi’s most famous product, the Flame Tokay grape…. To read more of the history of Lodi, visit http://www.lodi.gov/city-council/HistoryLodi.html

Today, the  Lodi  area enjoys mild winters and long, relatively rain-free summers, tempered by a ‘Delta breeze’ which comes in from the west, along the waterways, bringing welcome coolness from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, local residents and visitors enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities in which to participate, from fishing and boating to skydiving, birdwatching, softball or soccer. So don’t forget to visit Lodi  in your home buying search!

You never know what you’ll get when it comes to neighbors.

They can be messy, throw noisy parties, or use your property without permission. But they might also be supportive, respectful, and there for you when you really need someone. So, what makes a good neighbor? And how can you improve upon our neighborliness?

First, we should note  the very definition of neighbor is flexible. If you live in the country, your nearest neighbor could be a mile away. In town you might live so close to your neighbor you can see in their living room window (whether you want to or not). For John and Kathy Johnson of rural Milaca, they were grateful when their neighbors, Lisa and Eric Lommen, built next door.Sitting at the Johnson’s dining room table, cookies and coffee at hand, Lisa told how the Lommens initiated contact by “checking out” their future neighbors the year before they built.

The Lommens were pleasantly surprised when John, who has planted nearly 1,000 evergreens on their 10 acres, took them for a walk, showed them around and told them all he could about the neighborhood.

Their neighboring friendship began before the Lommens even moved in. Three years later, the Lommens can’t say enough about the Johnsons. “Every time I call and ask for help, and you know I don’t like to ask for help, he’s always there,” Lisa said of John.

One time Lisa locked her keys in her car, so she called the Johnsons. Less than a half hour later, after locating spare keys in the Lommen’s home, John was there to save the day.

“It’s being able to trust, count on, and communicate with them,” Lisa said of her neighbors. “Even my kids want to hang out with them. “To have a person pay that much attention to you, it makes you feel very special.”

“That’s all part of being a good neighbor,” John said humbly. “You can extend that neighborliness to others – some will accept that and others won’t.” The neighbors relayed stories of bringing each other homemade meals, hunting together, driving each other to places at the last minute.

Lisa told how John once drove her husband Eric to the emergency room because she was a half hour away in the opposite direction. “They’re always willing to lend a hand,” Lisa said. “In a world where we meet each other coming and going, it’s so reassuring to know there are people that are still willing to lend a helping hand.”

John, a retired police officer and commercial pilot, said, “I could go back to my Sunday school days and quote the two big commandants.”

He was referring to Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

“It doesn’t just take a parent to raise your kid,” Lisa said, “it takes neighbors, coaches, pastors, friends.” And the Johnsons have become like grandparents to the Lommen’s sons.

Meet your neighbors There has been talk of a neighborhood block party and during the interview it was decided that’s just what the neighbors need. “That’s our goal Lisa,” Kathy, a retired homecare worker, said.

So John graciously appointed Lisa as chairman of the block party committee, while saying the party could be held at the Johnson’s home. They encourage other neighborhoods to have a block party to get to know each other. Find out who lives in that pretty yellow house, or who owns the horses. You might find out you’ve got a neighbor who could use a little help now and then, or maybe they could help you.

“I’ll trade you a fajita mix for a taco mix,” Lisa said of an easy exchange. You might even make a new friend. For the Lommens and the Johnsons, their neighbor-status is so much more now, as they’ve clearly become friends. Sure some neighbors may not be the ones you’d pick, if you had a choice. But John says the best thing you can do is try to resolve any issues. There’s a feeling of accomplishment when that happens, he said.

Of course, you don’t have to host a block party. Simply stop over and meet that neighbor you’ve never talked with before. If you can’t do that, at least wave and smile at your neighbor.

As Lisa said, “It’s the simple things.”

Of course, there’s also the ripple effect.

You say something or do something kind for someone, they’re likely to pass that on to another. Not only is a neighbor defined as one in close proximity, it’s also defined as one’s fellow human being. It really comes down to the age-old saying, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

~From Mille Lacs County Times

With the average home size declining, owners are cleverly doing more with the square footage they have.

Years before house staging came into vogue as a sales tool, Howard Hoffman was helping sellers rearrange their furniture to maximize floor space and enhance a home’s beauty. Hoffman, GRI, SRES®, now owns Stage & $ell, a home staging and redesign company in Indianapolis.

Chances are he’ll have a lot more business in the years ahead from people needing to resize their lives. With baby boomers entering retirement, young adults delaying marriage, and the economy improving by fits and starts, Americans are starting to embrace the idea that less is more when it comes to their square footage. The average size of a new house decreased last year for the first time in nearly three decades.

“Home buyers have been changing,” says Fran Litton, a planner with Evans Group, an architectural firm in Orlando, Fla. “They still want the luxury and toys, but they’re putting them into a smaller space.”
By Maggie Sieger Read more

While many real estate professionals bemoan slow sales, and many homeowners fret over foreclosure, there’s another side to the ongoing slide in buying and selling homes.

Some buyers have been able to take advantage of falling prices, and some sellers still are able to cash in.

What it means is that even though there are people hurting in this real estate downturn, there also are people who have found a silver lining.

If you bought a house in 2001, you’re fine. You’ve seen the best of times,” said Ken Rivera, manager at American Pacific Mortgage in Modesto.

Despite recent declines, Stanislaus County’s median home sales price in September was $300,000, which is nearly double what it was in 2001, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

Rivera explained that the slump in prices and values is negative only if you’re trying to sell your home or refinance your loan.

He said the angst about the current state of real estate suffers from the same flaw that caused many of the problems in the market: a perspective that’s too short.
Read More at ModBee.com
By BEN van der MEER

Boomers are willing to move farther than previous generations when they retire, and they are choosing places unlike stereotypical retirement hotspots, says Tom Brokaw in his report on Boomer retirement, airing on CNBC, Thursday, March 4 at 9 p.m. ET. The top places listed by AARP and explored on the show.

Modesto, California was named ‘Money Magazine’s’ Best place to retire in 2006! View the full article at CNNMoney.com