A New Way of Doing Real Estate

I started SactoLiving because I wanted to rethink the way the Real Estate business was being done. I think the old model of scouring for a listing, throwing it on the mls, doing a couple of newspapers ads and waiting for a buyer is outdated. My belief is both buyers and sellers should be getting more... I think Real Estate needs to be integrated with other services which offer customers a truly "full service" agency. In addition to design and marketing, my photography experience is an additional service that I provide to clients. The New York Times published an article about how crucial good photography is for selling homes these days. It stated that:

“Eighty percent of people across the country who bought a new home last year used the Internet while house hunting, and they rated photographs as the most useful tool in their search, according to a survey of buyers and sellers “

This makes complete sense. The first impression is always the most important. Below is a link to a multimedia presentation of the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/realestate/20070211_COV_AUDIOSS/blocker.html

New Home Development

The Bee just published an article in this weekend's paper about the large number of posted sales for new homes in January. It was obviously due to the drastic price cuts and incentives that builders provided at the end of 2006. New homes are still going up at a record pace. Out of curiousity I decided to visit the new development in Roseville called Fiddyment Farms. I was surprised to see how much traffic there was going through these model homes. Fiddyment seems like a nice development since about 35-40% of the development is dedicated to open space and nature preserves, so it is a little more bucolic than some other developments that just raze the land. I've always been torn about these new developments because of the sprawl that they cause. I'm more of a proponent of dense city cores where everything is accessible by foot. Fiddyment, like most developments, is isolated, so you'd definitely have to get in the car to go anywhere. On the other hand, these homes are huge, very spacious-- so I can see the appeal for families. Prices seem pretty reasonable... but, I think the huge incentives are beginning to disappear. Hopefully, we've seen the bottom of the market, and home prices for the region will start stabilizing. If new homes are an indication, I think things are moving in that direction.

Introduction

Hi!
This is a space for me to share my perspectives on the state of real estate and design in the Sacramento area. I believe that exceptional design positively influences everyone's quality of life. Whether it is your home, furnishings, the car you drive, or even your stationery, these things should be a reflection of you. Ingenuity of design can be found at every budget. It is about making informed choices, not how much you spend. The Sacramento region is growing dramatically, and this is the time for advocates of great design to become involved!

SactoLiving integrates my passions for design and real estate. It is a services firm, offering clients assistance with any of their needs related to their home including buying/selling, interior design, staging, marketing/graphic design, custom home design, etc. Please contact me for assistance with any of these services.

I hope to soon post great articles and resources that might be beneficial in creating your perfect home. Be inspired by your home!

http://www.sactoliving.com
http://www.sactolivinghomes.com