Pacita Dimacali

Where/How/When to use the $8,000 first time buyer tax credit with an FHA loan

2009-06-07T20:05:00Z

MORE GOOD NEWS FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS!

Where to use your $8,000 Tax Credit with your FHA loanIf you are an eligible for an FHA loan and you are a first time buyer, you can:

Use the $8,000 tax credit for closing costs, escrow charges, higher downpayment, or to "buy down your interest rate so that you can have a lower monthly payment

Eligibility. Here's how you can determine if you qualify:

You must be a first time buyer in the sense that you have not owned a primary residence during the last three years
Your household gross income cannot exceed $95,000 if you are a single taxpayer, or $170,000 if you are a married couple filing jointly
You are submitting an offer on a house you can afford to buy
You are applying for a mortgage through an FHA-approved lender
Your home purcase must close escrow between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009.
And you must invest a minimum of 3.5% of purchase, from your own funds (which can be from your savings and gifts from relatives)

What you need to do: Complete your FHA application

Complete the IR form 5405 --- this is your request to the federal government to send you a tax credit check.
You can also file an amendment to your 2008 return to get your tax credit or file it on your 2009 taxes. You can download Form 5405 at www.IRS.gov
Prove that you have no outstanding civil judgments, liens, unpaid taxes and other obligations that may eliminate the tax credit
Prove that you are not subject to having your wage garnished that may affect how much of a tax credit you will receive

Frequently asked questions about the home buyer tax credit For more information, check out the FAQ from http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/faq.php

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorizes a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

The following questions and answers provide basic information about the tax credit. If you have more specific questions, we strongly encourage you to consult a qualified tax advisor or legal professional about your unique situation.

Source:http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/index.html

As a Home Seller's Agent, I ask: How much is your time worth? Here's a glimpse at what I do for my Sellers.

2008-09-07T18:02:00Z

Before I became a realtor, I also wondered how much work is involved in helping a client buy or sell property. Little did I know!

Here’s a question to all: How much is your time worth? Can you afford not to get paid for service you provide?

Please, folks...we don't just provide transportation. I can only speak for myself, but this is a sampling of the service I provide for my Sellers:

BEFORE MEETING THE CLIENT

I prepare a comparative market analysis and put together a marketing presentation (not a cookie-cutter presentation. There’s a lot of thought, research and effort in this presentation which eventually became a template for my company)

REALTORS will know that putting together a comparative market analysis is not just about looking at what sold, are active or pending. One has to determine other factors to qualify specific properties to be in the comps.

DURING THE MEETING

Because of the mountain of paperwork involved, it is critically important to review and explain the various documents requiring the Seller’s signature.

This is also when we discuss a calendar of action items on what the seller and I should do to prepare the property for sale

ACTION ITEMS. These are the various activities I undertake

Services

√ Scheduling inspections (home inspections, pest inspections, etc)

√ Helping and guiding sellers on staging their house. If they don't have the right stuff, or don't have enough, I augment the staging by using my things. Or, I hire (and pay for) a professional stager to consult with the client. One of the best resources I share with them is a book or DVD on "Stage for Profit"

.

√ Providing resources for sellers, and letting in the service personnel in the house (e.g. wood floor refinishers, painters, plumbers, electricians, housecleaners, landscapers, inspectors)

Marketing Materials Preparation

√ Taking pictures (a lot of pictures!) - selecting, editing, cropping, re-sizing, compressing, photo-stitching like this one

√ Creating visual tours

√ Writing and designing flyers

√ Contracting for advertising in print (newspapers, postcards, flyers)

√ Putting together a Property Binder to include information about the property, copies of inspections, demographics, permit history, etc. that I provide at the house so that agents and prospective buyers can consult this information while they are at the property. Nothing like having info at your fingertips when you want it.

Marketing Activities

√ Holding brokers' tours (during which I serve refreshments to entice more agents to come see the property)

√ Holding open houses as needed

√ Showing the property

Online marketing

√ Sending electronic flyers, or what other people will describe as email blast

√ Uploading the posting on the MLS

o on REALTOR.com, uploading as many as 25, customizing the descriptions and scrolling headline for the showcase. This is critically important since this serves as the primary source of information that other realty websites pick up. So by the time I activate a listing, it is complete with pictures and visual tour.

√ Creating electronic flyers using Postlets, Vflyers

√ Customizing uploads on Zillow, ActiveRain, Trulia

√ Posting regularly on craigslist

√ Uploading and creating website information about the property (this is posted on my website on Point2 which is networked with other Point2 members.

√ Uploading the information on our company website

√ Uploading disclosures online (Sureclose)

INFORMATION

√ Following up with agents and prospective buyers who saw the property -- I send notes, email, and make phone calls

√ Updating my sellers frequently on the activity on their house. I do this by sending them copies of the reports on REALTOR.com on how many times it's been viewed. I include other reports that are available (how many times it's been viewed on Zillow, my website, et). I include a list of all the realtors who have shown the property, provide numbers of people who came to the open house, etc.

√ Having continuous conversations with my Seller on the market, and if we should make some adjustments

OFFER NEGOTIATION

√ When an offer is received, I start negotiating at that moment --- my first question to the other agent is if the offer is the BEST and HIGHEST offer from the buyer. That may give them pause, and then they ask me to counter rather than reject the offer.

√ If there is more than one offer, I prepare an Excel spreadsheet comparing the terms and the estimated seller proceeds

√ Upon presenting the offer to the Seller, we go through an intensive discussion. Sometimes, we go back and forth, and may even have more than one counteroffer.

√ I call the buyer’s lender and the buyer’s agent to get a more complete sense of the financial wherewithal and motivation of the prospective buyers to close escrow

√ During the escrow period, there is continuing negotiation that may involve request for repairs, credits for closing costs, etc.

√ I coordinate with the buyer’s agent the inspections and appraisal appointments

TRANSACTION COORDINATION

√ When we go into contract, I remain the point of contact among all parties

√ I engage, and pay for a transaction coordinator to make sure our paperwork is in order

√ Through it all, it's follow up, follow up, follow up!

These action items take hours, days, weeks. I don't get paid until I close escrow.

Remember, that I pay for all the advertising and marketing expenses that include membership in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), REALTOR.com, website and visual tour hosting, newspaper advertising, color flyers and postcards, signage, etc.

If the property doesn't sell, I am not reimbursed for any of my out-of-pocket expenses

So again: How much is your time worth? Can you afford not to get paid for service you provide?

10 Things to do when posting a real estate ad on Craigslist

2008-09-05T03:12:00Z

Success with craigslist really depends on several factors.

1. Be The One to Blaze the Trail. Is your area's craigslist well known and widely used? I'm in the Bay area where craigslist was born, so it is a given that this will be where it will be most active. If your area isn't often used --- yet ---be the one to use it most often.

2. Repetition, repetition, repetition. How often do you post your listings? 2-3 times a week is a good number, as long as you have 48 hours between postings

3. Catchy headline --- be creative. Use humor. For example, if you're posting a fixer --- you can headline it by saying "What a dump!" or "You can own this dump!"

4. Use VFlyer.com and Postlets.com to create your flyers with multiple pictures. After taking the time to create the flyer once, when posting on craigslist later, it's simply copy/pasting the html.

5. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Post the maximum allowed. When using Postlets, you can post up to 6 pictures, free. With Vflyer I think it's 24. Just like posting on MLS --- your primary photo should be a knock-out. And you should provide as many pictures as possible.

6. Create a craigslist account --- makes posting a breeze. You can log on to your account, edit/change/delete. You can also copy paste using old postings if you're not inclined to log on to Postlets/Vflyer again

7. Specify the City when posting real estate for sale. If you don't, it will drown in a sea of other postings and they'll never find you.

8. Put in KEY words or the buzz words of the moment. For example, "Not an REO!" or "Not a Short Sale!" --- people using keywords to find such listings will find yours, too.

9. Email your database. If you have listings, email the posting to your clients and prospects. This will underscore your being "wired" in other ways, and may even set you apart from others who are not using this medium.

10. Post your open houses. Email an invitation via craigslist to prospects to come see you during your open house. Another way to advertise your listing for free.

Like anything else, it may take time to germinate. But for me, posting on craigslist is part of my marketing plan. My clients and prospects use craigslist --- so wherever they are, there I am!

Oh, joy! Oh, no! A typical day in the life of a REALTOR.

2008-09-05T03:08:00Z

Mixed bag of emotions --- that's par for the course.

OH, JOY!

Today, I received a call from a prospective seller who told me I got the job of their realtor, beating out two other realtors in bigger local offices. I am thrilled. This is a very good listing in a desirable part of the island. This is a home with very good bones...needs a lot of work, but it is on a great street. A visionary will rejuvenate this home in no time. It should generate a lot of interest.

Keep your eye on this home....it's coming soon!

OH, NO!

Then later, I receive an email from a client whose 10-unit apartment building I had listed and marketed last year. Against my advice, he wanted a higher price than I thought reasonable. Although I generated a lot of interest and had many showings, the numbers just didn't add up for the prospective buyers. So he took it off the market in March. He expressed profound gratitude for everything I've done for him, but he decided to list the property with a big commercial brokerage. How do I combat that?

OH, JOY! I just received a verbal approval for one of my offers on an REO listing. It was a competitive situation so we wrote an offer over list price, following the Do's and Don'ts when writing an REO offer

OH, NO! I just received a verbal rejection for one of my offers on an REO listing. So many bidders, they picked the top 3 out of 8 offers. My client didn't want to write a higher offer even though she knew we would be competing.

So onward, forward. Just another typical day in the life of a REALTOR.

Do's and Don'ts when writing an offer on an REO

2008-09-03T15:00:00Z

As many times as I've written offers on REOs, it is advisable, and I cannot stress enough the importance of writing the BEST and HIGHEST offer. And just as important is to be aware of a lot of the do's and don'ts that apply to writing offers on REOs.

REMEMBER

Seller/Lender calls all the shots
Seller/Lender may require getting Buyer preapproved by a lender they specify, or provide proof of funds to close escrow. Buyer may not be required to use that Lender.
Offer is negotiated with an asset manager
Some terms may be deleted from the formal contracts mandated/sanctioned/prepared by the State Association of REALTORS
Conversely, some terms may be added by the Lender that may not be familiar to the Agents
Review these guidelines with the Buyer
Seller/Lender likely has two or more Broker Price Opinions (BPO) and appraisals so they have a clear idea of what the property is worth
Seller/Lender are not interested in even looking at seriously low ball offers
Seller/Lender may prefer using Title or Escrow Company of their choice. In some cases, Seller/Lender may pay some escrow and closing fees.
Seller/Lender is exempt from providing real estate transfer disclosure statements and may not sign any or all disclosures. Seller/Lender relies on selling and listing agents to provide visual inspections.

DO:

Submit offers with the following:
- Pre-approval letter. If you are required to get an additional pre-approval letter by the Seller's Banks, DO submit a pre-approval letter from the Lender you are planning to use as well
- Verification of Funds. Don't wait for the Seller to request it. Just go ahead and include it.
- Good faith deposit check. Include photo copy. If Seller requires using their own title company, your buyer can write another check payable to the selected title company.
- Other documents that the Listing Agent/Seller specifies should be included with the offer. Some Seller/Lender require Addendum specific to REOs. Read carefully as there is often a per diem late fee assessed for late closings and terms on that addendum that will supersede contract terms.
Be aggressive with your time contingencies. 0-10 days for inspections is preferable. 7 days is becoming the norm
Note that usual turn around time for contract to be returned from Seller/Lender may be 3-10 days. Upon receipt of the formal and written acceptance from Seller/Lender, the Listing Agent will change status of property from "Active" to "Pending"
Start the loan process and order inspections upon verbal acceptance from Seller/Lender in order to meet your contingency periods for loan approval and buyer investigation.
Provide agent visual inspection/observation
Always check with listing agent regarding commissions. Posted commission is based on net of seller concessions if any, from gross sales price.

DON'Ts

Avoid writing significantly low offers. Everyone wants a good deal, but unless the Buyer can document why Seller should take significantly less than asking price (i.e., contractors provide estimates of repairs, etc), don't submit this type of offer
Don't change lenders, loan terms or programs during escrow. No surprises. Changes could delay process and subject Buyer to per diem penalty or even lose initial deposit/earnest/binder money.
Don't enter name(s) of Seller on any documents. Tax records do not always reflect the current seller on record.
Don't ask for credits or repairs. Normally, property is sold AS IS. If there is a health and safety concern, this may be an exception.

Downey Savings + Deutsch Bank = No short sales

2008-08-19T22:10:00Z

ince my seller's plea for a short sale was rejected by Downey Savings who holds the first loan, I've been trying to understand why Downey would refuse. Turns out that Downey sold the note to Deutsch Bank. Negative news and forums abound about both,

The point to this is......if you're talking with clients who are either trying to sell or buy a short sale but the loan is with Downey Savings, DON'T. Downey Savings won't approve short sales at this time. Save your energy and find something else.

Rules to remember when writing anything, especially an ad. Refer to Strunk and White!

2008-08-19T22:08:00Z

Lately, I've found myself following the comments by a local Alameda CA blogger. I have bristled more than once about his comments on the Alameda listings he chooses to critique. Agree or disagree with his blog and opinions, from his tell-it-like-it-is-and-more school of writing, he reminded me to think carefully when posting an ad for a listing. So here are some things to remember:

First, assume that prospective buyers and their agents will check Zillow.com for sales history of and comps for the property you're listing. So it helps to either address and pre-empt questions that may be asked if there is serious disparity.
It may be worth it to review the elements of style by Strunk and White who offer two simple ways to add emphasis:
1. edit out the unimportant words and/or
2. use typographical devices like bold face, underline, or italics (even if you should avoid underlines on the Web, that's still two devices to make your text stand out)
Don't just Capitalize words Whenever you Feel Like it
Avoid irritating clichés and abbreviations (like OBO)
Avoid sales fluff. Observe truth in advertising. Like this one. :)

"Dogs attack gator!"

As a review, here's A Summary of Rules from The Elements of Style (Source: Found on the internet, no name with the post, but appears to be a reference for a college thesis by a student at the College of New Jersey)

A Summary of Rules from The Elements of Style

Strunk's rules:

Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding 's.
In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last.
Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas.
Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause.
Do not join independent clauses by a comma.
Do not break sentences in two.
Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation.
Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption, and to announce a long appositive or summary.
The number of the subject determines the number of the verb.
Use the proper case of pronoun.
A participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject.
Choose a suitable design and hold to it.
Make the paragraph the unit of composition.
Use the active voice.
Put statements in positive form.
Use definite, specific, concrete language.
Omit needless words. Omit needless words. Omit needless words.
Avoid a succession of loose sentences.
Express coordinate ideas in similar form.
Keep related words together.
In summaries, keep to one tense.
Place the emphatic words of a sentence at the end.

White's rules:

Place yourself in the background.
Write in a way that comes naturally.
Work from a suitable design.
Write with nouns and verbs.
Revise and rewrite.
Do not overwrite.
Do not overstate.
Avoid the use of qualifiers.
Do not affect a breezy manner.
Use orthodox spelling.
Do not explain too much.
Do not construct awkward adverbs.
Make sure the reader knows who is speaking.
Avoid fancy words.
Do not use dialect unless your ear is good.
Be clear.
Do not inject opinion.
Use figures of speech sparingly.
Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity.
Avoid foreign languages.
Prefer the standard to the offbeat.
You may use they, them, their as the indefinite singular pronoun.
Avoid the indefinite singular pronoun.

Would you like wine and a hug with your blog?

2008-08-19T22:05:00Z

When Alameda Wine Company opened its doors to Alameda CA next to the historic and newly restored Alameda theater, my friends and I started going there for the wine, the cheese and the company.

Because Karen, the proprietor, was so good and so knowledgeable, I blogged about her store and posted it on Localism.

Next time I went there, she was so effusive with her thanks that she gave me a huge hug a complimentary glass of wine, and a contant flow of thanks. :)

All in a day's work as a REALTOR and blogger.

With a greeting like that, what do you think it would do to my incentive to keep going there? Don't you think I would apply that kind of greeting and thanks for clients? You betcha!

Buyers: Please listen to your realtors who guide you to make informed decisions

2008-08-11T07:37:00Z

To all buyers out there....

Please listen to your realtors who make a living pricing, selling, researching values of real estate property. We do have your interests at heart. We're not in it just to sell you something. We want you to be happy because we are counting on you to tell your friends, your associates to look us up when it comes time for them to buy or sell real estate, too. That's what enables us to grow our business --- referrals from satisfied clients.

So when we tell you that your offer may be too low, when we tell you what the market comps are for the property you're interested in, when we give you information on how much the property sold for last, and what the appreciation (or depreciation) rate is, please believe us.

We tell you this so to guide you and to give you the proper tools to make an informed decision.

Thus, if a property is listed at $299K --- and the comps say that this is a fair value --- just because it's a short sale or REO doesn't mean you should offer $199K!

We want you to win, to invest wisely. We don't want you to waste your time looking everywhere, finding properties you want to write an offer on, and then losing out because your offer is too low, or your terms unrealistic. When you have a number of rejected offers on properties you wish you won, then maybe it's time to re-assess.

Thanks.

Welcome to Alameda Wine Company next door to Alameda Theater

2008-08-11T07:31:00Z

Welcome, Alameda Wine Company!

Alameda, we have arrived!

For all oenophiles in Alameda, this is wonderful news indeed!

It was a guilty pleasure to go to the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant at the Ferry Terminal in San Francisco, but we now have our own wine bar next to the Alameda Theater.

Today, a friend and I wanted to take a break after hours so we walked to Alameda Wine Company. That's one of the benefits of being downtown --- we walk everywhere. We were greeted by the very friendly Sal Lirosi and owner Karen Ulrich with whom we chatted up a storm. Although the Alameda Wine Company has been open only for about 18 days, they said they have a very steady stream of people who come before going to the movies, and end up skipping the movies and staying at the wine place instead.

Tonight, I picked the Malbec (this particular vintner is from Argentina). Fabulous!

Oh yes, did I mention that there are several choices of snacks to complement your wine? Pick the cheese....

Karen was opening several wheels of cheese most of which will be served by tonight. There are so many selections that this is as much a cheese tasting as it is wine tasting. As Karen was cutting the wheels, she would slice a piece for the three of us who were lucky enough to be sitting at the bar. There was one particular cheese with mustard seed that was incredibly yummy.

Note their latest newsletter

Saturday Tastings of the latest and greatest in stock. $6 buys six one-ounce tastes and "stalwart and savory nibbles". 11:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Sunday Tastings. According to their newsletter. Karen pairs the best tunes of that most introspective, moody juazz artist, Miles Davis, with the favorite, philosophical grape of Mile of "Sideways" movie fame, Pinot Noir. Karen is offering three unique examples of the variety from different parts of the globe, and she will give a 15% discount on her usual by the glass price that day.

Because we came early, there were only a few of us there....but gosh, it felt like a party because we were all talking with each other, raving about the wines and the cheese that we were enjoying. Alameda Wine Company is going to be a favorite destination.

Falling in love with a city --- Alameda

2008-08-05T07:35:00Z

I am not an "original" or native born Alamedan. Nor do I know everything there is to know about Alameda. But I am making an effort to get to know more about this beautiful island.

Having lived in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Texas, and having sampled living in San Francisco apartment by the marina, a virtual warehouse loft by the Oakland Estuary before it was gentrified, and in a cozy cottage in downtown Mountain View, I can say without reservation that Alameda is my favorite of all.

My quick and easy resource for what life was and is like in Alameda is our own Alameda Magazine.

I especially like it when they feature stories about the history of the city.

The January-February 2008 issue was by far the best! The cover was a picture of a lady getting ready to dive in a pool in Alameda's version of Coney Island: Neptune Beach.

· Five City Landmarks story is about five historic buildings. You can't just drive by and not wonder about the history of these beautiful structures.

· Riding the Rails when streetcars criss-crossed the city

· Alameda theater --- its rebirth. Although not as ornate as some other theaters like the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland or as exciting as the Castro Theater in San Francisco, it's a wonderful theater in the heart of downtown. Because it's just a block away from Alameda's Kofman Auditorium, are we now to see future kleig lights at our own Alameda's Theater District? It's worth noting that the Alameda Theater is one of 12, and the last one, designed by renowned San Francisco architect Timothy Pflueger. Of the twelve, only four others besides Alameda Theater remain open.

Another recent story was From Bayfront to Lagoons which tells the fight to retain Alameda's waterfront the way it was, to its eventual result of a landfill that has since developed into several residential communities, zig-zag patterns for a lagoon to give people their waterfront views, and the shopping area now known today as the Alameda Town Centre.

First Time Buyer Tax Credit ---- homes bought on/after April 9 2008-July 1, 2009 are eligible

2008-08-04T08:13:00Z

Just wanted to share this with you regarding the new First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. If you’re looking for reasons and benefits to share you’re your first time home buyers, this may help. http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

Opportunity of a Lifetime for First-Time Buyers For aspiring home owners who find their goal stubbornly elusive, newly enacted legislation providing a tax credit of as much as $7,500 for first-time home buyers might just be the opportunity of a lifetime. But like so many of the good things in life, time is of the essence for buyers who want to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity. Only homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009 are eligible.

Use these links to learn more about the tax credit.

First time buyers: Here's a perspective --- a history of interest rates since 1973 Imagine 18% !

2008-08-04T07:51:00Z

Working with first time buyers today, as we must already know, is very different from what it was like just 2-3 years ago.

Yesterday, they were afraid they'll lose out by not buying a house --- any house at any rate.

Today, they're afraid they may over pay for a house if the market continues to slide, or the interest rates are too high.

For those who are concerned that the interest rates are "too high" I like to share with them this history of the 30-year mortgage. Perhaps some of us still remember when they were 18%. People literally camped overnight in front of a bank where lines snaked around the block while they were waiting to get whatever mortgage loans were available at a time. That's when people were afraid they couldn't get a mortgage because money was tight. Is this a case of "Remember when....?"

A delicate dance....telling sellers what their house is worth today

2008-08-04T06:29:00Z

Getting Sellers to accept declining market value

One of the most difficult and sensitive things to do during a listing presentation is to get the sellers to see and understand the proposed list price. Try as I might, it's still a careful dance especially when there are other realtors competing for the listing. We've all heard of some realtors "buying" the listing by proposing a higher list price to get the listing.

It helps to augment a marketing plan with statistics. One of the best and local resources for me is DQNews.com's report on Bay Area Home Sale Activity. Instead of generalizing figures that one reads about, this chart provides a zip code view, and thus more believable at the local level. However, it still requires a comprehensive comparable market analysis to come up with a proposed list price.

In Alameda's 94502 zip code, it shows that the median price has actually increased by 1.4% over a year ago. This won't be true for one of my clients who bought a duet for $775K two years ago, made several improvements, but whose house, if I were to list it today, would be valued at $699K --- and that's no guarantee it will sell at that price!

My broker, Michael Studebaker, uses Broker Metrics by Terradatum to get a really good grasp of the market. Here's a June 2008 report on the 2-year review of sold properties and the median price in Alameda, CA. I've included such reports in my presentations. But I am a bit hesitant to put too many statistical data in the presentation and concerned that too much market analysis results in paralysis.

There's got to be a balance between marketing panache and statistical justification. And yes, it's still a very delicate dance.

Pacific Avenue and Littlejohn Park in Alameda --- such a happy place!

2008-08-04T06:02:00Z

Going on line is the life....whether one is shopping or looking for specific information. This is the way to go. As a REALTOR, I rely on the internet to get my listings the maximum exposure in different venues.

Today, in the real estate section of San Francisco Chronicle, the cover story is about "Real Property, Virtually" and that "Internet's growing influences and an MLS backlash are key topics at Real Estate Connect".

Reading through the articles, it mentioned StreetAdvisor.com. So I got on, and "claimed" my street when I joined. Here's what I wrote:

Pacific Avenue runs parallel to, and is between the main streets of Lincoln and Buena Vista, yet it feels totally different. This street is reminiscent of Disney-ania's vision of a neighborhood of enchanting Victorians, dogs peeking out through the slats of picket fences, parents riding alongside their young kids on bicycles.

Littlejohn Park is one of the happiest places to be. Early mornings, you'll see several people strolling around the park for exercise. Some days, you'll find young men, presumably from the nearby Coast Guard Island, playing soccer. After hours, parents are throwing, catching and hitting softballs with their children for practice. Weekends, there are always picnics where kids are running through the fields. And occasionally, you'll see some folks training their dogs, or taking them for a walk. The activity room for children and the playground are popular destination for parents and their young children.

It's truly a happy place.

This is one of the few streets in Alameda where there are so many stop signs, so that there is less chance of reckless drivers speeding. And residents don't have to worry about moving ther cars from one side to the other due to scheduled street cleaning (hence, no parking tickets).

What is so delightful about this street is the variety of architectural styles --- from stately Victorians to charming bungalows.

It's a block from the bus route on Buena Vista, and two blocks to the main bus rounte on Santa Clara. And it's a short walk to the fabulous waterfront park by Fortman and Grand Marina, a little longer walk to Marina Village. Head the other direction, and voila!, one is in the historic and picturesque Gold Coast area, and enclave of Alameda's version of grand homes on tree lined streets on the island.

Happily, Alameda is a wonderful place to live. It's a small island that is close enough to San Francisco (via ferry, express bus), Oakland or the major highways just across the bridges for easy commute to other parts of the Bay area. Picturesque and historic, it boasts a wonderful selection of restaurants of different cuisine. The Alameda Town Centre is right on the beach, and is continuing to grow the number of fine shops like Bed Bath and Beyond, Old Navy, TJMaxx and soon, Kohl;s. Recently, the newly restored Alameda Theater opened its 8-cineplex.

There are always all kinds of fun events like outdoor summer concerts, art and wine street festivals, etc. all of which evoke pleasant memories of happy events that people enjoy.