This is a beautifully remodeled 5 bed, 3.5 bath house that has been retrofited to ADA requirements.  It is being offered at $530,000 and located in Concord, CA.  Check out the virtual tour link below and let me know if you need more information or would like to see it. HUGE income potential.

http://intouchtours.com/listing.asp?nobiz=1&idx=29076&us=6324.789

Lisa Lundquist
Keller Williams Realty
(925)855-3456
DRE #01460448

I am helping someone sell foreclosure land in Wyoming.  He owns the land directly but, just like the big banks, he got some of it back due to foreclosures.  He had planned on being retired from the land business, as he is now 74 years old, but these foreclosures have forced him back into business. 

The parcels are 40, 80 & 160 acres.  One area is Cassidy River Ranch,  just 4 miles from Medicine Bow, WY.  The other is in Sundance Mesa, WY.  The 40 acre parcels in Cassidy River Ranch start at $40,000 and the Sundance Mesa parcels start at $14,900.

Cassidy River Ranch has gravel roads already in place and electricity to the road.   This property is close to the Medicine Bow river and great for building a cabin. 

Sundance Mesa is adjacent to 33,000 acres of government land so there is complete privacy for hunting, fishing or camping.  You cannot build a permanent structure on these parcels. 

And the benefits of owning property in Wyoming? . . .
No state income tax
Clean air, water & environment
No loud or nosy neighbors
Great investment for the future
Real seasons
Privacy, privacy, privacy!

Bob is the outright owner of these parcels so he can provide seller financing, easy terms and no credit check.  Bob also hates the computer & email so he likes to communicate with people the old fashioned way… the telephone!

He can be reached at (925)788-9933.  After speaking with him he will send you a package the shows the land and some information about the surrounding areas.

I am hearing more and more often from friends my age (mid-40’s) that they don’t know what to do with their parent(s).  Their parents may be exhibiting signs of memory loss, loss of balance or are in failing health, but moving in with their child is not an option.  This is a very real and heartbreaking reality for some.  The good news is is that people are living longer.  The bad news is most families haven’t prepared for this financially and MediCal & MediCare not a great option for insurance coverage.   And the kids aren’t exactly in a position to pay for elder care nor have the capacity to take them into their own homes.   

I am focusing my business more and more on this dilemma and helping families prepare now by getting them in touch with financial planners, CPA’s, reverse mortgage consultants, life planning counselors, etc.  As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist I’ll help get a house prepared for sale with my team of estate sale planners, painters, contractors, etc., and give the family advise on surrounding residential facilities that would be the best fit for a parent or loved one. 

I hope to be better at updating my blog with helpful information for anyone facing the obstacle of moving a parent out of a family home.   In the mean time, if you have a question or need help, please don’t hesitate to call or email me at lisalundquist@kw.com or (925)855-3456.   I’d be happy to help any way I can… Lisa

I have been a Senior Real Estate Specialist for a few years, which means I specialize in helping seniors transition to their next home, whether it be to a smaller home or a nursing facility.  It can be a very delicate process, especially if they are not 100% in favor of doing it but their family feels it is the right thing to do.  Anyway, I am adding new services to my real estate business and I am very excited about it.  I am not only going to help get a client’s home sold but also offer a host of other services.  To name a few these will include:
* Liquidation sales
* Home clean out
* Client visits
* Errand running
* EBay sales
* Referral sources (elder law attorneys, estate planners, burial options, painters, etc)

I am really excited about this as the senior market is the fastest growing sector in just about everything.  10,000 Americans become senior citizens every day.  And that is projected to grow even faster as our population increases and people are living longer.

If you need my services I am located in Northern California.  But if you need a referral for someone who offers similar services in another part of the country give me a call or email me and I’ll get you in touch with the right person.

Lisa Lundquist
lisalundquist@earthlink.net
(925)855-3456 

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists

Find a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist professional in your area.

Download CAPS list

The Remodelors Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in collaboration with the NAHB Research Center, NAHB Seniors Housing Council and AARP developed the Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) program to address the needs of consumers who want to make their house a home for a lifetime – regardless of one’s age, or functional abilities.

A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist is specially trained in:

• The unique needs of older people;
• Home modifications that can help people continue living independently in their homes longer;
• Common remodeling projects;
• Solutions to common barriers.

CAPS professionals have been taught the strategies and techniques for designing and building aesthetically pleasing, barrier-free living environments. The CAPS program goes beyond design to address the codes and standards, common remodeling projects and their costs, product ideas and resources needed to provide comprehensive and practical aging-in-place solutions.

ECHO Cottage Housing Helps Families Stay Closer

The dilemma… your elderly parent shouldn’t be living alone any longer but they aren’t quite ready for assisted living or a retirement community.  Here is an option that may work for everyone.  ECHO Cottage Housing offers seniors their independence yet give their family close proximity and peace of mind.  This is a great article from the AARP website and a great option for many… 

An ECHO (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunities) unit is a separate, small, manufactured home added in the side or backyard of a single-family house – usually an adult child’s house. Older parents can then live near their children but not with them.

ECHO is an ideal answer for many families. It allows older adults to get the support they need while all can stay independent in their own homes. It gives everyone the privacy they may desire. And the bonus? Because the ECHO unit is temporary, it can be removed when it is no longer needed.

ECHO units permit closeness without sacrificing self-reliance or independence. Often, they foster a spirit of mutual support between the households. Grandparents and grandchildren are more apt to develop close relationships. Because the cottages are low-cost (or perhaps leased) and are removable and reusable, they can be very cost-effective. Their nearness to family helps create a close relationship between all family members – older, middle-aged, and younger. An ECHO unit also eliminates the hassle of distance traveling to offer needed support to loved ones.

There are some challenges. Zoning commissions, courts, and the public haven’t always recognized the importance of changing housing needs. Many zoning codes do not allow ECHO housing while others will only allow a variance for people over 55 years of age. Advocates are trying to develop ways to guarantee high quality construction standards to ensure ECHO homes will be attractive and compatible with the styles of existing homes.

The Future of ECHO
ECHO units are an inexpensive housing option that meets the needs of some older persons and their families. As the population ages, the need for alternative housing such as ECHO units will increase. The following steps can help them become a reality:

• State, county, and city officials – as well as local housing and zoning agencies – should include ECHO housing in their housing plans.
• Private developers and manufactured-home builders can create sound designs and explore financing methods for ECHO housing.
• Agencies for the aging should assume a leading role in studying ECHO units as a housing option and advocate for their acceptance in government housing planning.

Getting Started
If you believe ECHO housing might meet your needs, have a frank talk with your adult children or your parents to discuss how they think it might work. Contact your local zoning authority to learn if ECHO housing is permitted. If it is not permitted, apply for a special use permit. Get the help of your local agencies on aging, senior centers, or other organizations with an interest in older persons.

My husband and I are soon going to have our old, dirty fiberglass insulation removed from our attic and replaced with the new, environmentally friendly denim insulation.  I honestly can’t remember where I heard about it first but I found a local place, Truitt & White (http://www.truittandwhite.com/) in Berkeley that sells it.  Not only does it do the trick for insulating your attic, it is soft, easy to handle (unlike the itchy fiberglass stuff), fire retardant and pest retardant.  It’s pretty cool stuff and it looks like a bale of shredded jeans.  And the price is not that much more than the fiberglass insulation.  The only thing to keep in mind is that it does not come backed with paper so if you plan on stapling it between the joists before putting up ceiling drywall, that won’t work. 

My husband and I are soon going to have our old, dirty fiberglass insulation removed from our attic and replaced with the new, environmentally friendly denim insulation.  I honestly can’t remember where I heard about it first but I found a local place, Truitt & White (http://www.truittandwhite.com/) in Berkeley that sells it.  Not only does it do the trick for insulating your attic, it is soft, easy to handle (unlike the itchy fiberglass stuff), fire retardant and pest retardant.  It’s pretty cool stuff and it looks like a bale of shredded jeans.  And the price is not that much more than the old fiberglass stuff.  The only thing it keep in mind is that it does not come backed with paper so if you plan on stapling it between the joists before putting up ceiling drywall, that won’t work. 

I just added links to my website for where to recycle hazardous waste materials in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.  Personally, I just emptied out the cupboard under my kitchen sink and found all kinds of abandoned cans of oven cleaner, carpet cleaner (we now have wood floors), auto wax (hello, when was the last time I personally waxed my car???), and all kinds of forgotten household cleansers.  They are all in a box and heading to the hazardous waste recycle center in Martinez.  Along with the bag of used batteries I’ve had stashed away in another cupboard. 

Stuff is moving!!!  The home on Magnolia Way will be closing escrow on Tuesday and I’ll post the actual sales price.  A new listing is possibly coming up on Arbutus… Stay tuned!!!