We Have Emoticons at ActiveRain Now I  have been off the grid for a couple of days closing two shortsales and tonight I find an entire new tool bar and emoticons. They are so cute! Here is a complete chart with all the emoticons and what you need to type to get it to show up on your blogs or documents. Activerain has 16 with a variety of emotions. Being a Southern California girl, I think I like the sunglass one.   Do you have a favorite one?' Thanks for Reading my Blog     09/26/2013

Ducks at the Pond Today     Today I went over to the pond near the escrow office and wanted to see if they were swimming but unfortunately they were not.                    I am thinking it was just too hot so I took a couple of photos as they were waking up.                         The white duck has such unusual markings and a fuzzy top knot.                   Thanks for Reading my Blog......Happy Sunday   California is a dream-come-true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in Southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and am aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or t... 09/15/2013

San Bernardino California Short Sale Real Estate Agents - San Bernardino CA Short Sale REALTORS - San Bernardino Short Sale --------------- Call Us Now: 1 (888) 9-LIST-IT That's (888) 954-7848 --------------- Many homeowners in San Bernardino California are having trouble paying their mortgage every month. Many houses and homes are worth considerably less than the mortgage owed. Some homes are worth less than half of the mortgaged amount! You may be behind in your house payment, or maybe not yet, but don't let your house foreclose! A more prudent solution is to short sale that San Bernardino CA house. But first you need to hire the #1 San Bernardino Short Sale Agents to help you with your difficult situation, and we offer our real estate services to you for free! We make our commission ... 08/28/2013

Just Listed 3340 N. E Street in San Bernardino and Adorable - $155,000  Adorable Craftsman 1936 Home     Kristin Hamilton | Keller Williams Realty Redlands | (909) 557-6966 3340 N E St, San Bernardino, CA 3BR/1.0BA Single Family offered at $155,000 Year Built 1936   Sq Footage 1,452 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1.0 Floors 1 Parking 2 Garage - Detached Lot Size 9,670 sq ft description Adorable Single Story Home with Detached 2-Car Garage and Roll-Up Door and includes Washer and Dryer Hook-Ups. Home incdudes lots of storage, Iland Range and Double Oven in Kitchen, Ceiling Fan, Large Living Room and Dining Area, Country Kitchen, Open and Spacious Floorplan, Bathroom has Combo Bath/Shower with original Tile Floors. Living Room has Built-In Cabinet surrounding Enormous Brick Fireplace and Dining Roo... 08/24/2013

Carbon Monoxide Alarms Q & A for Homeowners and Landlords   Q  What is carbon monoxide? A Carbon monoxide is a gas produced whenever any fuel, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal, is burned. A person cannot see or smell carbon monoxide. However, at high levels carbon monoxide can kill a person in minutes. Q  How many devices and where do I place them in the home? A For minimum security, a carbon monoxide alarm should be centrally located outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms. The Alarm should be located at least 6 inches (152mm) from all exterior walls and at least 3 feet (0.9 meters) from supply or return vents.  In a 2 story home, a minimum of 1 upstairs and one downstairs. Q  Where can I buy these detectors? A Carbon monoxide detec... 08/23/2013

Buying or Renting....Which is the Right Decision for You?     Thanks for Reading my Blog California is a dream-come-true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in Southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and am aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great opportunities to view Nature and Bird Watching. Whatever your needs are, you will find it here in California! From the Inland Empire you are 45 minutes to the beaches, mountains or desert. Housing is affordable in the Inland Empire area! Kristin Hamilton DRE #0149213... 08/20/2013

Looking Into My Window     This bird shows up at my mother-in-law's window 2-3 times a day. Just sits there looking in. Probably hoping for a tasty treat.                                           Thanks for Reading my Blog                   California is a dream-come-true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in Southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and am aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great opportunities to view Nature and Bird Watching. Whatever your needs are, you will find it here in California! From... 08/16/2013

Taking Night Pictures With or Without the Rain I like to try different techniques so these were taken in a rain storm the other night.I keep the flash on during the rain and it makes the picture pop out.                                                                                     This one is without the rain.           Thanks for Reading my Blog California is a dream-come-true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in Southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and am aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great ... 07/28/2013

                      Go to the Internation Day Spa in Redlands & See their Adorable Cat The International Day Spa at 325 Cajon Street, Redlands, CA. is located in a hundred-year-old Victorian cottage in Historic Downtown Redlands.  International Day Spa was founded in 1990 by Mimi Barre. Corri Vara who was the General Manager is now the proud owner and will give the same excellent service. Services Provided: ·       Facials ·       Massage ·       Waxing ·       Hydrotherapy ·       Body Masques     At the International Day Spa you can escape from the stress of everyday pressures and renew your body, mind, and spirit. While waiting for your treatment, relax in the waiting room and soak your feet in warm scented water, enjoy iced water and nibble on some delicious sugar cookies. Come in... 07/22/2013

City Demolition Crew Destroyed the Wrong House in Texas    Homeowner Finds Nothing but a Lot Left in It's Place         It was reported that a city crew in Fort Worth, Texas  was ordered to demolish an abandoned and condemned home. The order had been signed in January 2013 and the crew arrived on July 12, 2013 to complete the job.               The order was for 9708 Watercress Drive but they accidently razed the house sitting on 9716 Watercress Drive instead. They demolished the wrong house.           David Underwood and his wife arrived a while later and found his 3 Bedroom lakeview home was nothing more than the foundation amongst the trees. He flagged down a County Marshall who told them that the City of Fort Worth had just finished demolishing the home. The city is aware of the mis... 07/16/2013

  Shot Day for Our 3 Dogs.......Important to keep up on Pet Immunizations   Make Sure Dog Licenses are Up to Date      Here is a big yawn on the way home as the Benadryl makes them sleepy.           Friday, we took our dogs to the San Bernardino Humane Society in San Bernardino to get their annual shots. We had made an appointment so we were seen within 15 minutes after arriving.           We get the yearly 5-1 shot (DHLPP) which fights off Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza. We also get Bordatella shot commonly known to fight off Kennel Cough. When boarding your dog, most kennel require this shot and within 6 months or less of your trip. Rabies is required yearly and many get a 3 year booster. The city or county where you live will require proof of Rabie... 07/14/2013

 Open Houses are like Hosting a Party…Buyers Have Fun & Feel at Home         When I first came into real estate and had no business, my former broker said do 1-2 open houses for other agents every week and get your name out there. We now call that branding yourself but it worked as soon my phone started ringing. Since, I have always enjoyed open houses unless it is in some undesirable area.     Pre-Open House: To do an open house or not totally depend. So at the listing appointment, I find out what they want. We usually set the date right then. I tell them what they need to do to get ready for it; de-clutter, put out scented candles, bake cookies, clean up inside, and spruce up the yard. Try to schedule the event the first weekend after listing the property as a welcome to the neighborh... 07/08/2013

City of San Bernardino Market Report May-June 2013   Recent reports from CAR show a 20% increase in Single Family homes for 2012 and they expect a 20% increase in value for 2013. Currently 64% of the working populace are now finding a home purchase affordable compared to 16% when the market was at its peak in 2007. If you are looking to buy now is the time.     For Sellers our listing inventory is very low and this opens the opportunity to obtain multiple offers.   Kristin Hamilton DRE #01492138 Keller Williams Realty – I am a full time agent and deal in all types of real estate transactions. Trusts, Probate, Short Sales, Standard Listing, Single Family Homes, Apartments 1-4 units, Duplexes and Condos. I am also an experienced REO agent. I sell real estate in the Riverside, San Bernard... 06/23/2013

San Bernardino CA REALTORS know that the San Bernardino CA real estate market has stabilized and San Bernardino CA home values are on the rise. This is great news for San Bernardino home owners looking to increase their equity and sell their homes for a profit. In the recent two years we have seen San Bernardino home values stabilize from the market crash that began in 2007 and 2008. Now, with real estate inventory so low in the San Bernardino area, buyers are fighting over and over-bidding on reasonably priced homes on the market. In a "normal" real estate market, there is typically about six months of inventory on the market at any given time, but in today's San Bernardino real estate market we are seeing only one to two months of inventory at any given time. In fact, homes are actual... 06/17/2013

My Biggest Failure...Not Keeping My Mouth Shut and Overpricing Home I had a listing appointment for a sweet little house and the couple owned it outright. So I showed up with all the comps and everything was fine until we got to the price. No they wanted to list it higher and if it didn’t within 30 days they would agree to reduce it.   I should have put my foot down and left right then and told them to get another agent. I wanted to list it for $205,000 which was really stretching it and they wanted $221,000 and reluctantly agreed to 6% Commission. I knew it would never get any offers for that price but I am not a quitter so I was sure I could convince them in time to lower it to a reasonable price.   30 days came and went and many showings but the agents wouldn’t call back with any fee... 06/14/2013

We are San Bernardino short sale agents, and we can help you in this difficult time. San Bernardino short sales are declining as the real estate market stabilizes, but that doesn't mean a short sale process can't help you if you are struggling to make payments or if you've endured a hardship like losing a job or loss of income or unforeseen medical bills. San Bernardino real estate consists of many short sales, and we have helped numerous distressed home owners unload that cumbersome mortgage and regain control of their financial future Are you: Underwater on that San Bernardino home? Struggling to make large mortgage payments? Realizing that the home is not worth what you owe? If you need advice about how the San Bernardino short sale process is handled call us and let's talk. We have ... 06/13/2013

REAL ESTATE SHORT SALE FORMULA (Read this article first, then click on the link above) Do I Qualify for a Real Estate Short Sale in San Bernardino County CA? So you're considering a real estate short sale for your San Bernardino County, California Home….. Either you are near default or have already missed mortgage payments, and you are undoubtedly under-water on what you owe on the San Bernardino County home compared to what it is currently worth. We see this every day from people of all aspects of life and economic backgrounds. We know it's a difficult and daunting position to be in. We know there is so much information out there that its difficult to decipher what is correct, and what isn't.... and who to trust. We also know its embarrassing. We've been in similar situations ourselves... 05/30/2013

©How to Display the American Flag© I came across this and thought it would be helpful to some who are not sure how to correctly display the flag.   How to Display the American Flag   Happy Memorial Day Weekend to everyone! Kristin Hamilton DRE #014092138 Keller Williams Realty – I am a full time agent and deal in all types of real estate transactions. Trusts, Probate, Short Sales, Standard Listing, Single Family Homes, Apartments 1-4 units, Duplexes and Condos. I am also an experienced REO agent. I sell real estate in the Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and Los Angeles Counties. I am a trained and experienced Short Sale agent. If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers bot... 05/26/2013

Realtor Finds Explosives inside Listed Home     Earlier this week, a Nashville Realtor found explosives inside her vacant listing. She had listed the home over a year ago after the owner died and it had been on the market since. She had made an appointment to show the home and arrived a little early and was straightening up when she opened up a cubby and saw what looked like explosives.   The Realtor immediately call 9-1-1 and the Bomb Squad arrived, evacuated the neighborhood and carefully removed all the explosives. Apparently the deceased owner may have brought t them home from work. After 5 hours, the bombs were removed safely and the residents in the neighborhood were allowed to go home. Hooray for the observant Realtor as no one was hurt including the home. I suspect the Home Insp... 05/02/2013

©Spring Changes means Real Estate Business Changes Too©   At Christmas time, I got a MACRO lens and have not taken it out of the case but once since then. Yesterday, a ladybug flew into the dog’s water bowl, so I decided it was time to take a few pictures with my new lens. I have been procrastinating for 3 months! Do I procrastinate in other parts of my life too?         I must practice to get better with this lens as it is still on ‘Automatic’ and I need to watch the disc and improve my skills. It is neat to be able to see the eyes of the bugs and the veins of the plants. Amazing how close to nature we can get!  This made me think of my iPad as I still need more practice there.           So while I was outside taking my pictures, I started thinking how I need to get closer to my past c... 04/13/2013