There is no better place (in my opinion of course)  to reflect and rest the mind than the beach.  I have single handedly solved many of life's pressing questions and problems like global warming, health care reform, how to raise my 18 year old daughter and where I left my keys on wonderful long walks along the Oregon Coast.    Usually on my walk I'll also have one of my little dogs in tow.  On such a day as this of course there is a slightly warm breeze (oh wait... this is Oregon... ok, there is a wall of sandy wind pelting my cheeks), and you can see all the way to Japan (or is that a wall of clouds???)... well, whatever the weather is doing, is there ever REALLY a bad day at the beach?  Nope....  it's always a scenic and serene spot for the weary of mind and body.  So anyway, back to my story... I'm on such a walk as this with the wonderful slighty warm breeze, blue sky, screech of occasional seagull and confident prance of my 5 lb. chihuhua.  All is right with my world, the nagging of life's weightier issues are being solved with each step I take.  I feel centered and at peace.  Until that is, I realize that somewhere in my day dreaming and mind bending, my precious puppy has acquired a disgusting piece of trash that she is prancing along with in her mouth like a prize.  I'm a collector at the beach and love to fill my pocket's with shells and rocks tossed along the shoreline like treasures to be found.  Seeing this rotting trash in my darling Lolita's mouth (who had just given me a loving little lick on the chin a few minutes before) made me feel sick....

 

We were recently on a trip to Florida. I had never been there and was really looking forward to seeing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.  I was appalled at the huge amounts of trash, dirty diapers and water bottles littered for miles along the coastline.  In fact I was feeling quite smug and prideful of our Oregonians who would never stand for such disrespectful treatment of one of it's natural resources.  On that one  particular day at the beach with my dog, I was reminded of how important our beaches are to us... some of our best family memories have taken place in Pacific City where we watched the kids climb the dunes and skim board along the shore.  We count on it being a clean safe place to run and play.   That takes work and cooperation.  This year is the 25th annual SOLV Great Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup.  Mark your calendars for March 20th and join in at over 40 beach sites to clear the entire Oregon Coast of debris.  We are all stewards of this great planet.  Visit SOLV.ORG to sign up.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year to you! 

 

We feel a collective sigh of relief as we end 2009 and step into the hope of 2010.  All of us here at GO Realtor Group want to thank you for contributing to our success of navigating through a difficult year.  So thank you!  

 

As our team reflects back on the ups and downs of 2009, it brings a smile to our faces!  In countless large and small ways your friendship, support and kindness has made any challenges we faced well worth it.   Small moments like sharing a cup of coffee with one of you at our favorite spot, "Insomnia", or strategizing your goals at the kitchen table is what we enjoyed most. 

 

When the Real Estate market took it's downturn 3 years ago, many of you received advice from us to hold off on selling your homes.  Patiently we have all endured this season and awaited the right time to step forward.  With a sense of  anticipation we began to look ahead to a time when you could again consider making that move. With that in mind,  last year you received a suggestion from us each month on how to improve the spaces that surround you.  Preparing your home for sale takes planning and effort.  If you are still working on these things and need more help, give us a call and we will point you in the right direction.  We are beginning to see brighter days ahead, but re-building home values will take time.  Take this time to prepare your homes so you are ready.  

 

Our teams mission statement is "serve, tell the truth, keep our promises and have fun".  In the spirit of that, this year we want to make sure that in the midst of all of the hard work, you are also able to give to those around you as well as your self!  We would like to suggest that in 2010 you invest in a more individual reward - ways to connect with the very people we need in our lives.  

 

Watch for the monthly suggestions coming your way with fun, life giving focuses!  We are excited about what lies ahead in 2010 and the memories we will make with one another.  

 

As always we greatly appreciate your business and your referrals. 

 

Life has many rewards, GO do it!

Is your car parked outside because it no longer fits in the garage?  Are you embarrassed at what the neighbors might see when the garage door is open?  Has all of your summer vacation gear landed in piles that are now functioning as a daily obsticle course?   Don't head into winter with the walls closing in on you and why wait for spring to clean???   The coming months always bring busy schedules and more accumulation... make room and make way!   Ease your burden and de-stress in advance of the new year with all it brings.

One of the top 3 "chores" we encourage every Seller to do before putting their homes on the market is to clean their garage.  Neatly stacking uniform and labeled boxes in one bay of your garage is a great way to prepare for the future as you consider and plan for your next move.  

 

Our friend Vicki Norris of Restoring Order has helped families re-strategize their spaces again and again.  GO for the extreme garage makeover and make room for your winter toys NOW!   Visit RestoringOrder.com for more information!

 

 

 

 

Are you looking forward to summer backyard BBQ's and parties?  Is the homestead looking a little tired and worn out after our long, cold, wet winter?  Has time squeezed the life out of that old paint?  It may sound like our clanging cymbal, but in a tight economy your best spent investment is a can of paint!  Last month we offered all of our clients an opportunity to re-consider interior and exterior paint colors and take advantage of our free consulting service to make fresh choices.  You may not be thinking about selling your home, but it's an important way to protect your investment.  Exterior paint and caulk protects your home from water penetration and decay, and a fresh coat of paint just feels GREAT!  We are still offering our help to any of you that want it when it comes to selecting colors, so don't spend thousands of dollars repainting only to get the color wrong!  Home colors can negatively impact property values not just for your home, but those around you as well.  Let us give you a hand!  Call Lisa Bradburn at 503-640-7132 to make an appointment!  Additionally we have fantastic painters that are ready to get started!  Enjoy your homes fresh spring face-lift now and all summer long! 

I have a fantastic pair of red patented leather platform shoes.  They are SHOW STOPPERS, and not a wearing goes by that I don't get complimented.  But you know what the best part is about those shoes?  I can wear them ALL DAY without regret.  The color red is a funny thing, sometimes too orange, sometimes too pink.  The moment I saw this pair of red shoes I KNEW they would match several other garments I had just perfectly.  I got those shoes home and I was right, they were a perfect match.

Color is tricky... the best of intentions lead people down the wrong road all of the time.   The wrong paint color on a wall can be a buyers remorse than lingers on and on, sometimes for years... After all, you bought the paint, and spent hours carefully rolling it onto the walls, all with a great hope and expectation about the outcome.  Often the end of the story is the ever famous saying "it'll take some getting used to".  The "right" paint color never leaves you feeling that way, the "right" paint color feels like that comfortable pair of spectacular shoes.   The right paint color compliments the space, the lighting, the color pallete of the entire house - both inside and out.  The tone and intensity of the color is critical along with  the purpose of the room.  For example candy colors rarely work in a room intended for food preparation or serving meals.  Too many different colors in a house can break up a floorplan in a way that makes it feel small, dark and confusing.  Too dark of a color on too many walls can obviously eleminate much needed light.  Yet again, we don't want our house to look like a bowl of vanilla ice cream do we?  Play it safe or change things up? That is the question.

 

One of GO Realtor Groups favorite things to do is bring out a homes true potential with the simplist most affordable home improvement tool available, a bucket of paint.  The most commonly needed correction prior to listing a home for sale is repainting it in order to make a room warm and camera friendly.  Time and again the homeowner says "This is great! why didn't we do this sooner?!?". 

 

This month I am taking appointments for complimentary home color consultations.  Call me and I will set up a time to advise you on new interior and exterior paint colors that will really help bring out your home's "best side".  I will also be happy to lend some advice to room arrangements and spacial use.  Shoot me an email at: lisa@GORealtorGroup.com to schedule an appointment.