Clogged Gutters be gone!!

It's that time of the year again when gutters need to be cleaned prior to rainy season. We just had a great product installed in portions of our gutters which prevents gutters from clogging.

There is an incredibly large, messy redwood tree which litters needles and branches several times a year. It's just a matter of time before the gutters & downspouts end up getting clogged with tree debris, problematic when our rainy season starts.

RainFlow will help to keep our gutters & downspouts clear, since the debris sits on top of the membrane which can then be blown off when we have our semi-annual gutter cleaning. Another plus, is that since the gutters are easier to clean, our twice a year service will now be less expensive!

Let me know if you'd like a recommendation to the installer & gutter cleaner that I work with. He did an excellent job, is reasonably priced & made a great recommendation to use this product in portions of our high debris gutter areas!

In this photo the RainFlow product starts to the right and you can see it's already working!

The Paperless Real Estate Transaction

In my constant quest to be eco-friendly both personally and professionally, I've been implementing a few environmentally friendly business practices.

Currently, I’m in the process of reducing the number of direct marketing pieces to a quarterly schedule, instead staying in touch monthly with friends and clients via electronic newsletters.

I've also successfully been working with electronic systems for about 2 years, creating a paperless transaction for clients who are buying or selling real estate. The response has been overwhelmingly positive from clients who appreciate being able to review documents online as well as securely sign the dozens of disclosures and reports electronically.

Gone are the days of having to kill a forest to buy or sell a home. It is technology which hopefully more of the real estate industry will embrace, especially considering that a typical transaction consumes 250-300 sheets of paper and can top 600 sheets with condo transactions. Additionally, the quality of electronic files is far superior to hard copies which lose print detail with each printing and faxing.

Clients, at their leisure, can go online to review & sign reports and disclosures. With their busy schedules of juggling work & family, they appreciate the convenience & efficiency of an electronic system. Clients also receive all their transaction paperwork on a CD rather than a hard copy; a format which is more convenient to store then a two to three inch paper file as well as it being easier to locate specific documents on disk. Clients also appreciate being able to contribute to being eco-friendly.

Title companies and lenders are also slowly moving towards the paperless transaction.

At the conclusion of a transaction, I also purchase carbon credits to further offset my carbon footprint.

If you’d like to learn more about paperless transactions, give me a call!

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Wow, how time flies!!! I can't believe it's already July. As you can tell I've been remiss in blogging-sidetracked with work, revamping my website and just life in general. Whoever noted that time goes by faster as you get older sure wasn't kidding-I think faster may actually be a vast understatement; but I digress.....

Since this is a weekend of festivities full of BBQs and socializing & in case you are in charge of beverages, I thought it appropriate to comment on a few great wines that I had the opportunity to try at a friends birthday party a while back.

Dave's wife hired sommelier, Cortney Cochran to conduct an evening of wine tasting. The theme: Pinot or Bust!

It was a great evening and party. Courtney had a great line up. A few of my favorites were the 2005 Chalone Estate Pinot Noir, the 2006 Caitec Patagonia Pinot Noir & the 2006 Brooks Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

All reasonably priced and found at one of my favorite wine stores, K & L, conveniently located in S.F. and on the Peninsula.

Enjoy!!!

Upcoming Event- Green Building 101

Happy Sunday!!! If you're curious about green building and/or considering how to incorporate some green in your next renovation project consider attending this event.

From the latest Build It Green e-newsletter:

June Guild Highlight - Green Building 101: Everything You Wanted to Know About Green Home Remodeling and Construction but Were Afraid to Ask: Jennifer Love, Program Manager of several Build It Green programs, including the Ask an Expert Hotline and the Green Product Directory, will give an overview of the latest in green building practices and products, tailored to the needs of the audience. Come prepared to ask our resident expert your project specific questions from 5:30 - 7:30 pm on June 18 at SF Department of the Environment. RSVP required. For more information on this and other June Guild meetings, please visit the Guild pages on the Build It Green website.

Nicely updated 3-unit Edwardian near fantastic Glen Park location. Short walk to Glen Park Village shops and restaurants, Glen Park Canyon & BART. Easy access to Highways 101 & 280. Two 2-bedroom units will be DELIVERED VACANT. The larger 2-bedroom flat has updated galley kitchen- Corian counters, Sub-Zero refrigerator, cherry cabinets and dishwasher. Two flats have private garden access. Huge attic space. Potential to merge 2 units into 1 larger living space???

Additional property photos.


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Reflections from a San Franciscan on Home Improvement, Real Estate & More!

Cheryl A. Bower
Realtor
Cashin Company Realtors
Cell 415.999.3450

cbower@cashin.com
www.cbower.com

Blog: http://lifeineabu.blogspot.com/

East Bay Green Home Tour

Build It Green Home Tour in Alameda & Contra Costa Counties on Sunday, June 1st

Build It Green is a great organization! They promote and support sustainable building practices. Their Green Home Tours are always educational and fun!

Details from their newsletter:

WHAT: A one-day self-guided tour showcasing 17 green homes that will introduce attendees to homeowners and building professionals who have built or remodeled green.

The tour covers the spectrum, from remodels to brand new custom homes, and will demonstrate materials and technologies such as solar hot water and solar electric systems, radiant floor heating, salvaged and FSC-certified wood products, bamboo, cork and natural linoleum flooring, recycled glass countertops, dual-flush toilets, green roofs, re-purposed shipping containers, rainwater collection systems, graywater systems and much more!

WHEN: Sunday, June 1, 2008 from 10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.

WHERE: Seventeen homes throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

• 5 homes located in Berkeley
  
  
• 4 homes located in Oakland
• 2 homes located in Livermore
• 1 home located in Richmond
• 1 home located in Martinez
• 1 home located in Orinda
• 1 home located in Walnut Creek
• 1 home located in Danville
• 1 home located in Fremont

COST: $30/person or $50/admits two. A tour guidebook is the admission ticket into all of the homes on the tour. Maps, directions, and detailed case studies are provided for each home.

Full details

New Listing: 3-Unit Edwardian near Glen Park

I'm back!! My buyers have been keeping me busy (a good thing); just successfully closed a 14 day escrow (great team work!) and I have two new listings hitting the market-this is one of them.

Now it's off to the Farmer's market to soak up the rays and indulge in a bit of delicious organic produce. Have a great day!!