November 2020

Florence's...

Service For Life !

Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living

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Florence Gadbois, Realtor CA BRE#01040021 (805) 701-8410 E-mail: Florence@BchRealEstate.com

Can You Have “Constructive” Disagreements With Your Partner?

Learning how to “fight fair” with your spouse or partner is one of the ways to make sure your relationship stays strong and happy. In today’s Service For Life ! ® Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn four keys to maintaining happy relationships. You’ll also learn about mistakes to avoid with over-the-counter medications, how to make sure your credit score stays high even after you retire, and creative and clever ways to decorate your bedroom walls – plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more. Here are the sales statistics for the Beach/Marina area , which includes Mandalay shores, Hollywood Beach, Silverstrand Beach, Mandalay Bay, Seabridge, Westport, The Colony, HarborWalk, HarborWest, CI Waterfront Homes and Harbour Island . Note: Inventory less than 6 months is considered a seller’s market: more than 6 months; a buyer’s.

Closed Escrows

Active Listings

Inventory (months)

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 17 21 21 14 23

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 62 75 70 67 80 2.7 4.02 2.13 4.49 4.14 63 84 53 91 92 3.03 3.95 2.59 3.37 4.68 70 84 63 69 89 3.69 3.9 2.51 4.5 4.68 80 88 60 87 90 3.58 4.72 2.42 5.46 4.9 74 107 54 108 93 3.8 4.99 2.82 6.98 4.29 83 112 70 128 78 4.73 4.19 4.2 7.04 4.38 102 102 97 122 80 5.27 4.26 4.1 6.88 4.05 112 103 92 125 62 5.11 3.82 4.21 7.04 4.78 106 95 95 126 51 5.18 3.83 3.67 6.3 1.5 107 96 81 115 34 4.52 2.4 4.13 5.74

January

February 14 18 12 15 11

March

18 34 28 14 17 17 18 19 20 17

April May June July

8

23 20 31 18

21 44 22 11 22

24 22 15 24

46

August

22 30 32 29 32

September 26 29 23 27 45

October

24 28 16 15

29 thru 10/20

November 19 23 19 14 December 22 11 12 22

93 61 87 100 83 63 79 93

4.06 2.45 3.81 4.71 3.64 2.54 3.32 4.3

I have two upper level condos coming up (one with attached garage) and one lower with attached garage. Currently I have a great downstairs condo with oversized patio/back yard and garage off the yard. There are only about 20 condos in the Colony with backyards. This little gem is only: $625,000 Finally, I want you to know, that you may call me for any reason. And please let me know if a friend, family member or neighbor needs a caring, experienced real estate professional to help in buying or selling. I truly appreciate your friendship and referrals. Enjoy your issue!

Warmest regards, Florence Florence Gadbois DRE #01040021 RE/MAX Gold Coast .

Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com

Florence’s…

Service For Life ! “Insider Tips For Healthy, Wealthy & Happy Living…”



If you’re thinking about selling your home soon, request my Free Consumer Guide, “7 Insider Tips To Net More Money Selling Your Own Home.” Call me right now at 805-701-8410 for details…

4 Keys To Happy Relationships

If you’re currently partnered, think back to when you first met your partner. Chances are you thought about how much you liked them and wanted the feeling to be mutual, but you probably didn’t think about the daily work it would take to make that heady feeling last. While there’s no magic pill to make a relationship happy and healthy, there are some things most happy couples do that help keep their relationships strong. Your mileage may vary (every relationship is different, after all!), but here are a few tips to try. 1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Good communication is absolutely crucial in any lasting relationship. Remember that none of us is clairvoyant, so we all need to express ourselves in order for our partners to learn what we want and need. It’s important to give your full attention to your partner when they’re speaking (instead of tuning out while you plan your response) and be respectful of their feelings (especially if they’re broaching a challenging topic for them). 2. Learn how to argue constructively. When you have to communicate about a difficult subject, you’ll need to know how to do that without completely blowing up. Before you’re in the heat of an argument, take time to set ground rules for disagreements—including giving each person a chance to be heard as well as a promise that the other person will truly listen. 3. Be appreciative. Even though you thanked your partner for cooking all the dinners last week when you were swamped at work, expressing your gratitude again is a good idea. Make an effort to notice the things your partner does without being asked and with no expectation of appreciation—and then let them know you noticed. 4. Celebrate similarities, celebrate differences. It’s wonderful when you and your partner have shared interests. Take advantage of that by planning fun activities together doing what you both love. On the flip side, couples don’t need to do everything together—and, in fact, relationships often benefit when people have time away from one another. Absence really can make the heart grow fonder. Encourage each other to take that solo time.

November 2020 Oxnard, California

Inside This Issue…

Create Strong & Happy Relationships…Page 1

Avoid These Medicine Mistakes…Page 2

Keeping Your Credit Score High When You Retire…Page 2

12 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Bedroom…Page 3

Answer This Trivia Question and You Could Win $75 Gift Certificate for Lure Restaurant...Page 4 Will I Net More Money If I Sell My Home Myself Or Should I Hire A REALTOR ® To Do It?…Page 4

Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com

OTC Medicine Mistakes

B door helps keep surfaces from fogging up after you shower. Stainless Steel and Jewelry Cleaner : Cut through the oil build- up on stainless steel kitchen appliances, water stains on chrome bathroom fixtures, and grime on jewelry by polishing them with shaving cream and a clean rag. Quotes To Live By… “If you are never afraid, then how do you know when you’re brave?” –Lisa Moore Ramée, author “Only by learning to live in harmony with your contradictions can you keep it all afloat.” –Audre Lorde • Meaning : reading endless online streams of bad news (also: doomscrolling , for the same activity on cell phones) Sample Sentence: It might be easy to lose a few hours doomsurfing, especially when it seems like there’s so much bad news out there, but experts agree—it’s not healthy. Besides making shaving easier, shaving cream has several cleaning applications around the home. • Makeup Stain Remover : Shaving cream helps cut through oil. Put shaving cream on fabric stained with makeup, leave for about 10 minutes, rinse with cold water, then wash garment in the machine. Mirror De-Fogger : A light coating of shaving cream rubbed onto your bathroom mirror or glass shower • Unexpected Uses for Shaving Cream Word of the Month… Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)… doomsurfing (doom-serfing) verb

Medication is supposed to make us feel better, but it can have the opposite effect. Take care to avoid these medication mistakes:

• Mixing over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications. You may be double dosing. For example, if you take a cold pill that contains acetaminophen (more than 600 OTC and prescription medicines do), don’t pop an additional Tylenol for good measure. Too much of the drug can cause liver damage. • Not recognizing the “rebound effect.” That’s when there are increased negative symptoms after the effect of the drug passes or the patient no longer responds to the drug. In other words, a remedy meant to help may make a condition worse. This has been known to happen with pain relievers, OTC eye drops, decongestant sprays, sleeping pills and teeth whiteners. Best advice : If you don’t think a drug or product is working, don’t just keep taking more of it. Talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Here’s A Free, Valuable Resource…

Now You Can Search The Home Market, Get Helpful Community Information, AND Receive Important Resources For Saving Time And Money When Buying Or Selling At BchRealEstate.com

How To Keep Your Credit Score High in Retirement Don’t let a bad credit score get in the way of a comfortable retirement. Here are a few ways to keep a good credit score when you retire, or improve a credit score that could use a boost. • Keep those long-held credit card accounts, even if you rarely use them. Using credit cards regularly (but not excessively!) helps establish or improve your credit score. • Purchase some items on credit even if you have the savings to pay them off right away. This is an excellent method to improve a lower score. Make your payments on time and avoid fees to keep your bill low. • Check your credit score on a regular basis. You can get one free copy every 12 months from each of the big three companies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). This not only helps you track whether your efforts are working, it also gives you a better chance to spot potential red flags like identity theft. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to get yours. Beware of what the FTC calls “imposter” websites claiming to offer free credit reports. Get more information here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports

“Never have more children than you have car windows.”

–Erma Bombeck

Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com

12 Decorating Ideas to Create Your Dream Bedroom Though we have our eyes closed during much of the time we spend in the bedroom, the right decorations can make the space feel like your own personal retreat whether your eyes are open or closed. Maybe one or two of these tips will work for your room. And, next time you stay in a relaxing hotel room or a friend’s guest room, make note of how those bedrooms are decorated—you may get even more new ideas to try out at home. 1. Splash bold wallpaper around the room and you may not need any other decor. 2. Hanging oversized tapestries adds color as well as texture. 3. Removable adhesives make adding pictures or quotes easy (check out wallpops.com ). 4. Floating shelves are both additional storage and a way to showcase beloved trinkets. 5. Give a room an antique feel with decorative moldings. 6. Introduce some greenery with pretty sconce planters for succulents or other small plants. 7. Feature a modern sculptural work for some dimension. 8. Make small rooms feel bigger with large mirrors. 9. Dress your windows with elegant floor-length curtains for drama. 10. Hang tiles typically meant for ceilings or kitchen backsplashes as an accent wall – mix designs creatively, or make a smaller framed piece for added texture and surprise. 11. Try a headboard of rustic wood panels or luxurious upholstery fabric (or an entire wall). 12. Take advantage of lots of wall space to create a museum-style gallery of your favorite art.

1 Brain Teaser… As a bus driver headed down a street, she neglected to stop at a stop sign, ignored a “no left turn” sign by turning left, and even went down a one-way street the wrong way. A police officer saw the whole thing but did nothing because the bus driver hadn’t broken a single law. How is this possible? (See page 4 for the answer.) Real Estate Question? Maybe you want to know how much your home is worth. Or maybe you just need a recommendation for a handyman, carpet cleaner or plumber… Either way, I love hearing from all of my good friends and clients. And I’m happy to help answer questions you might have about anything relating to real estate or home-ownership. If you have a question, tip or idea, call me at 805-701-8410 . I’m here to help! Monk-y Coffee The frothy cappuccino was so named because the color of the milky coffee was like the hoods worn by Capuchin monks. Capuchin monkeys also got their name because of their “monk hood” markings. Websites To Improve Focus When distractions abound, tools to help you focus can be extremely helpful. brain.fm: All the music on the site and app is developed by scientists to promote different types of focus—like creative work, studying, winding down, and deep sleep. ($6.99/month or $49.99/year) focusatwill.com: Users can choose specific musical styles (such as classical, up-tempo, ambient, and spa) in order to concentrate on work for longer periods of time. ($69.99/year) noisli.com: Users can choose from and blend 28 sounds (like ocean waves, thunderstorms, and trains) as well as a minimalistic screen so you can write without visual distractions. (free limited membership or $10/month)

Coming Up in The Colony

2 Capri floor plans 2 bedrooms 2 baths + den and loft One with a third deck off the dining area and attached garage

Madeira floor plan with attached garage 2 bedrooms 2 baths + den No Stairs!

Call or email for more information.

Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com

Thanks For Thinking Of Me! Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals…and spreading the word about my services.

“Who Else Wants To Win $75 Gift Certificate for Lure Restaurant?”

I’m pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month’s drawing. And the winner is…drum roll please: Joan Holland of Oxnard won the drawing..

Brain Teaser Answer:

Which of these airports is not in France? a) Almeria b) Bastia-Poretta c) Biarritz d) Orly

The bus driver was walking.

Rewarding Reading For Kids Encourage your kids to read by acknowledging and rewarding their progress with a “punch-card” style bookmark—just like punch cards for repeat customers at coffee shops. For every book they read, use a hole punch to mark the side or end of the bookmark. This makes it easy for kids to see their own reading progress as they go. Then, when they’ve filled the bookmark, offer a reward that you’ve agreed upon in advance. Ahoy There! A passenger on a cruise ship sees a bearded man waving wildly and running up and down the shore as the ship passes a tiny island. “Who is that?” he asks the captain. “No idea! He does that every year,” replies the captain. THANK YOU for reading my Service For Life ! ® personal newsletter. I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you. Your constructive feedback is always welcome. AND… whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, or just want to stop by and say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you… Florence Gadbois CA DRE#01040021 RE/MAX Gold Coast 805-701-8410 florence@BchRealEstate.com BchRealEstate.com Disclaimer: The information contained in this letter is intended for informational purposes. It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical or other professional services advice. Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This letter is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.

The answer is a) Almeria, which is located in Almeria, Spain.

To enter the drawing, answer this month’s trivia question .

The Czech word for “forced labor” is the root of which of these technology terms?

a) Computer b) Robot c) Android d) Monitor

Call Me at 805-701-8410 OR Email Me At florence@BchRealEstate.com And You Could Be My Next Winner!

Real Estate Corner…

Q. Will I net more money if I sell my home myself or should I hire a REALTOR ® to do it? A. It depends on your situation, time, and motivation. You can sell your home yourself by staging it, setting the right price, creating a marketing plan, and fulfilling all legal requirements. Or you may hire a “Home Marketing Expert,” who will charge a commission but help you with pricing, provide you exposure by marketing your property to other real estate agents, show your home and coordinate the closing process. You might consider these facts: ➢ According to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors , sellers who sold their own homes sold at a median of $200,000, significantly lower than the median of agent-assisted homes at $280,000. About 11% of homes sold were sold without an agent. ➢ Sellers who sold their own homes sold more quickly because the homes were typically sold to someone the seller knew. ➢ The most difficult part for those who sold their own home was: setting the right price. To learn more about how to sell your own home, call and ask for my Free Consumer Report called “7 Insider Tips To Net More Money Selling Your Own Home.” I’ll send a copy right to you. Do you have a question related to real estate or home ownership? Please call me at 805-701-8410. Perhaps I’ll feature your question in my next issue!

Get Free money-saving home tips at my web site: BchRealEstate.com

Florence’s….

MarketWatch ™ “ Here’s Neighborhood Home Information For The Colony To Help You Evaluate The Value Of Your Investment. ”

Homes Currently Active …

Address

Bdrms

Baths

Sq. Ft.

Floor Plan

Asking Price

2242 Martinique

2

2

1113

Martinique (Phase I)

$625,000 $699,999 $675,000 $1,550,888 $887,721

Martinique Martinique San Sebastian

2 2 2

2 2 2

1368 1450 1766

Madeira Antigua

Capri (Ambassador)

Market Average

Homes Accepting Back Up Offers… Address

Bdrms

Baths

Sq. Ft.

Floor Plan

Asking Price

Martinique

2 2

2 2

1459 1368

Antigua (Phase I)

$689,888

2363 Martinique

Madeira

$655,000 $624,888

Antigua Way

2

2

1217

Martinique

$656,592

Market Average

Sale Pending…

Address

Bdrms

Baths

Sq. Ft.

Floor Plan San Tropez

Asking Price

Cannes Square

3

3

2059

$1,050,000

$1,050,000

Market Average

Sold Properties… (01/01/20 Thru 10/20/20) Address List $ Sale $

Sq.Ft.

$/sq.ft

Floor Plan

Date Sold 02/05/20 01/03/20 03/02/20 01/28/20 06/24/20 07/02/20 04/13/20 01/03/20 07/10/20 07/29/20

2067 San Sebastian

$579,888 $535,888 $539,888 $539,000 $539,000 $545,000 $587,900 $599,888 $595,000 $619,888 $624,888 $629,888 $639,888 $650,000 $648,888 $679,888 $669,888

$515,000 $518,000 $525,000 $525,000 $530,000 $547,500 $570,000 $590,000 $595,000 $605,000 $624,888 $625,000 $635,000 $635,000 $650,000 $650,000 $659,000

1218 1217 1217 1368 1217 1368 1368 1368 1368 1368 1218 1807 1218 1368 1368 1217 1549

$422.82 $425.64 $431.39 $383.77 $435.50 $400.22 $416.67 $431.29 $434.94 $441.93 $513.04 $348.58 $521.35 $464.18 $475.15 $558.20 $425.44

Martinique (Ambassador

2055 Majorca 4405 Antigua

Martinique Martinique

2103 Martinique

Madeira

1955 Majorca

Martinique

2365 Martinique

Madeira Madeira Madeira

4413 Antigua

2204 Martinique 2206 Martinique 1936 San Tropez 1947 Sana Tropez 4687 San Sebastian 2007 San Tropez 4492 Antigua Way

Madeira (upper level)

Madeira (Ambassador)

Martinique (Ambassador) 10/06/20

Capri

06/26/20

Martinique (Ambassador) 09/18/20

Madeira

07/22/20 08/17/20

4415 Antigua

Madeira

2067 San Sebastian

Martinique (Ambassador) 07/10/20

2021 Majorca

Antigua

04/03/20

2177 Martinique

$679,888

$679,888

1450

$465.68

Antigua

07/23/20

4477 Antigua

$710,000

$725,000

1550

$467.74

Antigua

08/17/20

4742 San Sebastian

$889,000

$875,000

1368

$639.15

Madeira (Ambassador)

07/16/20 01/03/20 09/17/20

2123 Vina del Mar 2323 Vina del Mar Market Average

$1,125,888 $1,050,000 2360 $1,149,888 $1,050,000 2360

$444.92 $444.92 $445.43

Vina del Mar Vina del Mar

$683,232

$666,055

RE/MAX represented buyer, seller or both . Properties as of October 20, 2020 and may not be listed by RE/MAX. Information herein has not been verified, is not guaranteed, and is subject to change