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Randy Elgin 10999 IH10W; Ste 175
San Antonio, TX 78230
(210) 232-2310
Thinking of Selling Your Home? Get My Free Guide In the current market, presenting your home for sale is more important than ever.
Make selling your home easier by asking for my free guide, "50 Essential Tips to Prepare Your Home for a Speedy, Top-Price Sale."
Just call me at 555-555-5555 and I’ll send it right out to you.
Quick Quiz
Each month I'll give you a new question.
Just reply to this email for the answer.
A riddle for you this month: What thing can you keep after giving it to someone else?
Recipe:
Cheesy Bruschetta
Ingredients
• Good-quality crusty bread, in thick slices
• Sun-ripened tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, chopped
• Basil
• Sun-dried tomato paste
• Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced or grated
• Clove of garlic, peeled
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
Directions
Lightly toast the bread until light brown around the edges.
Halve the clove of garlic and lightly smear it over the bread.
Spread a thin layer of the sun-dried tomato paste over the bread, and then sprinkle or lay the cheese in a thin layer on top. Grill the bread in a toaster oven.
Mix the chopped tomatoes with torn-up basil leaves. Season.
Take the bread out of the toaster oven when the cheese has completely melted and turned slightly brown. Top with the tomato mixture.
Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and add a dash of balsamic vinegar.
Ask the Agent
The master bathroom in my home is very small. How can I make it look bigger and more appealing to buyers?
Fixtures and cabinetry: Install fixtures that are as high-tech and as contemporary as possible. Their streamlined appearance can make a bathroom seem bigger. Another solution is to remove bulky cabinetry. If you have a big vanity, replace it with a freestanding sink.
Toilets, bathtubs and showers: You can buy toilets that are very narrow and sit close against the wall. Old-fashioned bathtubs can also take up a lot of room. One solution might be to rip out a large bathtub and replace it with a newer, smaller one - or have a bathroom with just a shower stall. An open shower with a glass stall can make a smaller bathroom look more luxurious and spacious.
Colors: Avoid painting the bathroom in dark colors - keep the walls as pale as possible.
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Don't Try to Sell Your Home...Without This!
Deciding whether to hire a home stager isn't an easy decision. In tough economic times there's a tendency for homeowners to cut back on any added fees.
However, that could be a big mistake. Research indicates that the need for a home stager is even more important during a buyer's market as competition is tougher.
The following quiz can help you determine if you'd benefit from hiring a home stager:
1. Does the Sales Price of the Home Place It Into the Luxury or Jumbo Mortgage Range? If so, there's a good chance you'd benefit from hiring a home stager. Not only is the competition among higher-priced homes even more dramatic than it is in affordable areas, but potential buyers expect to be impressed.
2. Does the Property Have Problem Areas? For example, older homes may have eight-foot flat ceilings, smaller bedrooms and other age-related amenities that have fallen out of favor. Hiring a professional problem-solver is a good investment to ensure that you obtain top dollar for your property without breaking the bank.
3. Was the Property a Cookie-Cutter Model? This is a commonly encountered problem for condo owners and for those who own properties in modest single-family, tract-built neighborhoods where there is limited variation to differentiate one property from another. The challenge is to stand out from the crowd in order to attract attention and seal the deal.
The bottom line here is that in a tough buyer's market the benefits of hiring a home stager far outweigh the cost.
3 Myths about Money That Make You Feel Poor
 People, it seems, often have misconceptions about money.
While many of the things people actually believe are just plain wrong, some are detrimental to a person's financial health.
Following are some of the most popular money myths and a few simple tips to improve your financial attitude - and fiscal outlook:
1. Money Is Scarce
Surprisingly, this is probably one of the most common money myths in existence. Fact is that money is simply a unit of exchange for those things that are scarce, such as time and commodities. You can create more money by providing value for someone who is willing to pay for it.
2. Money Is the Root of All Evil
This often-quoted myth is erroneously attributed to the Bible, but even that is incorrect. The actual quote is: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." The quote is from the book of 1 Timothy in the New Testament. Money itself is neutral. It can be used for good or bad, depending upon the priorities of the person using it.
3. It's All about Money, He Who Dies with the Most Toys Wins, Get Rich or Die Trying:
All these sayings reflect an attitude where money is the ultimate goal in life, but it's rarely that simple. Wealthy people tend to exhibit as much, or even more, depression, sadness and feelings of insignificance. So, as it turns out, "money can't buy love" might be a more appropriate money-related quote.
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Get What You Want by Using the Right Words
 Thanks to the marvel of modern-day technology, most of us are writing more than ever. Whether it's disputing a billing error or simply sending out a corporate email, it's essential to write compelling, clear and concise text. Following are some essential tips to achieve maximum results in minimum time:
1. Use the KISS Method:
KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid.George Orwell's rules for effective writing state that you should never use a long word when a short one would do, and you should avoid jargon and eliminate extra words whenever possible. By avoiding filler, fluff and other hyperbole the message is clear and easier to read.
2. Get the Goal in Mind:
Before you begin writing, determine the main objective or goal of the message. People are bombarded with too much information, so make it easy for readers to understand the main purpose by presenting it early in the message. Support the position with relevant facts, figures and data, then provide an actionable ending with complete contact information.
3. Read and Review:
Do a last-minute review by carefully reading through the entire text prior to printing or sending. Spelling, synonyms and syntax errors, incorrect contact information, or other simple mistakes can destroy a message and reflect negatively on the sender. When sending messages by email, check the recipient list and use a relevant title for the subject line. It makes email easier to find and helps prevent unpleasant surprises.
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Wondering How Much Your Home is Worth?
How has the price of your home changed in today's market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for?
If you're wondering what's happening to prices in your area, or you're thinking about selling your house, I'll be able to help.
Just give my office a call for a no-fuss, professional evaluation.
I won't try to push you into listing with me or waste your time.
I'll just give you the honest facts about your home and its value.
And maybe I'll also give you the "inside scoop" on what's happening in the housing market near where you live!
Just give my office a call or reply to this email to arrange an appointment. Alternatively, stop by at the office.
What Homebuyers Should Know About Radon
If you're thinking about buying a home, it's best to test for radon before the deal is done.
Home sales often occur at a fast pace, leaving little time to check for such problems. But it's important to do so in order to avoid difficulties afterwards.
Radon is a cancer-causing gas that has secretly infiltrated millions of homes in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that it causes thousands of deaths each year. The Surgeon General reports that only smoking is a greater cause of lung cancer.
Radon gas testing is rapidly becoming a common component in the home inspection process.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas which results from the breakdown of uranium, which is found in nearly all soils.
This radioactive gas typically moves up through the ground, penetrating cracks and openings in your home. Radon can be present in building materials or can infiltrate the home through the groundwater; however, these issues alone are often not enough to cause a substantial radon gas problem.
Testing for radon is relatively easy and inexpensive. Home kits are available for those who want to do it themselves. They are easy to use and accurate. The alternative is to hire a company to test your home or a home you are thinking of buying. The most common method of testing involves the placement of a device in the home for a period of two to 90 days.
Annual testing may be required for homes with a marginal gas reading, as levels fluctuate.
As there's no known safe level of radon gas, certain upgrades can be made to a home to reduce the levels.
A soil suction radon prevention system uses a vent pipe system with a fan installed to draw radon gas from beneath the house and send it to the outside.
In addition, the foundation, crawl space and other cracks leading into the home should be sealed to reduce the amount of gas seepage.
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