Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  As we enter the summer season in real estate, I just want to take a moment and reflect on how far we've come since just May of 2021! Below you can see the current market update. And, under that you can see the May 2021 Market update. We had HUGE gains! I believe we will still see some gains this summer, but due to increasing interest rates, the gains won't be what they have been. That's OKAY!  We are in one of the best real estate markets of our life time - especially if you're a seller. But, if you're a buyer, interest rates are still low - not as low as they were, but they're low.    If you know anyone who might be interested in receiving this market update  every month, please have them sign up at this  link.   PONDER THIS -May is the end of Spring and the start of Summer - it's the season of possibilities. What possibilities will you turn into realities? The Real Estate Market is in a flux period - we don't know what the future holds. But, we do kn

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 5 Ways to Pick the Perfect Color Scheme If you’re revamping your interior design scheme, you may be considering a new color palette. Should you go with earthy hues? Vibrant jewel tones? Cool blues and grays? Below are five ways to pick a color scheme that will work for you. Choose from what you have.  If you’re not revamping with an entirely new furniture set, then you may want to pick a color from what you already have. A boldly patterned sofa or floor rug can serve as a jumping off point. Start with three . If you’re feeling overwhelmed with options, choose three colors you love and keep it to there, with one as your main color, another as your secondary and a third for accents. (Four if you count white, which is more of a neutral). Base with black . If you can tie black into your color scheme, you’ll always have something easy (and versatile) to return to. No need to get macabre—thi

Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 3 Ways to Clean Your Sponges Sponges are a kitchen staple, but a clean sponge can spread grime all over your eating space. How often should you clean your sponge, and how should you do this? Don’t just trash a sponge when it begins looking spotty. Instead, clean them weekly, and toss them out monthly or sooner, depending on frequency of use. Our friends at Good Housekeeping offer the following solutions: Soak ’em.  Mix a third-quarter cup of bleach in one gallon of water. Soak the sponge for five minutes, then rinse. How effective is this? In testing, the bleach solution kills 99.9 percent of the three bacteria strains from the test sponges, which is the benchmark based on the EPA’s requirement for sanitization of non-food-contact surfaces. Brine ’em . Not a fan of bleach? Vinegar is nearly as effective, killing 99.6 percent of bacteria. Simply soak your sponge in full-strength vinegar for five minutes, then rinse with