Patty Manzi's Tri-Valley Real Estate Blog

Random Acts of Kindness

Ask Someone About Their Culture

Do you know someone who is from a different culture than you? Perhaps they were born in a different country, speak a different language, or celebrate different holidays than you. Ask them to tell you about their cultural values and traditions.

Say “Good Morning”

Saying hello to someone, even if you don’t know them, is a common courtesy. It means you are acknowledging their presence; you are saying that they are a person, too, and that they are important enough for you to say hello to.

Cook a Meal for Someone

Perhaps you have a friend who is busy with a new baby or sick child. Or maybe you have neighbors across the street who just moved in—they might not have had time to go to the grocery store! Bring someone a meal and save them the time; it will be a huge stress reliever!

For many more ideas visit: www.randomactsofkindness.org

From the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

14 Thoughtful Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas that Won’t Break the Bank

1. Give the gift of time. Make a special effort to spend extra time with the person you love.

2. Make something. Organize your wife’s recipes into a folder or binder. Take a photo your wife or husband will love and matte it and put it in a frame for them to hang on the wall.

3. Take over your spouse’s chores for a day-or longer. Give your spouse a “day off” from the cooking, cleaning, or other regular chores. Or better yet, do them for a week.

4. Go out for a Valentine’s Day lunch. Lunch is almost always cheaper, so you can probably afford to go somewhere even nicer than you would have taken him or her for dinner for the same amount of money.

5. Go for a walk. Take your husband or wife for a romantic walk somewhere, and bring a bottle of wine.

6. Plan a picnic. Instead of going out to eat, pack a picnic lunch with some goodies and head out in the afternoon, skipping the dinner out all together.

7. Go out for drinks and appetizers. Cut back on the full course dinner expense.

8. Eat in. Another way to skip going out to dinner is to cook a gourmet meal at home.

9. Give coupons. Not grocery store coupons, of course! Give coupons for a massage, back rub, or other romantic ideas.

10. Breakfast in bed. Make your valentine a full course breakfast at home and serve it to them in bed.

11. Make your own card. Spend some time making a nice card, with a personal note written in it.

12. Bake something. Bake your partner their favorite dessert or treat.

13. Write a poem. Write the love of your life a poem, describing how much they mean to you and why you love them.

14. Take a day trip. Gas is fairly cheap, and if you have a romantic destination within driving distance of your house, such as a beach, the mountains, etc., you can make a day of it.

For full article and all 20 ideas visit: www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com

Courtesy of thinkyourwaytowealth.com

Super Bowl Trivia

• What does XLV mean? 45 and here’s why! X=10, L=50, V=5. So as the X comes before L you take ten away from the 50 and then add the five.

• The second largest food consumption day in the U.S. is Super Bowl Sunday, trailing only Thanksgiving.

• Even with three games tied in the final minute, there has yet to be a Super Bowl overtime.

• There has never been a shutout in the history of the Super Bowl. The lowest point total for a team in the Super Bowl was 3 points

Pleasanton Real Estate Update for January 2011

As of today, February 1, 2011 there are 165 Active listings on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Pleasanton.

There are 113 Pending sales (43 which are Pending subject to Lender Approval/Short Sale). 

From the period of January 1 – January 31, 2011, there were 40 Closed sales (escrow closed) with an average time of 61 Days on Market (DOM).

The lowest priced home in Pleasanton is at 3837 Vineyard Avenue; it is a 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, approx. 849 sf. Condo offered at $159,000 (DOM 8). 

 The highest priced home in Pleasanton is at 3040 West Ruby Hills Drive; it is a 7 Bedroom/9.5 Bath, 6-car garage home, approx. 14,586 sf. Single-Family residence offered at $8,850,000 (DOM 189).

As a California licensed real estate Broker I am constantly researching the market and analyzing home prices so I can serve you with the latest and most accurate information. As always, I offer my services to you as your neighborhood real estate specialist.  For more information, contact me, or visit my website at:  www.PattyManzi.com.

February Maintenance Tips

• Check your electrical outlets to make sure they work safely
Completion Time: 5 minutes per outlet.
Difficulty: Easy

• Clean your kitchen cabinets
Smoke, grease, food spills and fingerprints make your kitchen cabinets look grubby. Clean them to keep them looking new.
Completion Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

• Get your gas-powered lawn mower ready
Your lawn will be green and growing before you know it.
Completion Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

• Wash your painted walls
Walls get dusty and dirty, just like any other surface in your house. Clean walls regularly.
Completion Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Easy

Courtesy of: www.managemylife.com