November Newsletter 2023

Florence's...

Service For Life !

Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living

If you're not already a subscriber to my free e–newsletter e - mail me at Florence@bchrealestate.com to sign up

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

Could You Cut Your Monthly Expenses?

Tracking expenses and starting a budget are helpful tools to save money, but you should also consider ways you can reduce the amount you spend each month. In today’s Service For Life ! ® Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn a few easy ways to cut your monthly bills.

You’ll also learn how to handle “tip creep,” inspiring ideas for upgrading your RV, and incorporating mindful eating habits into your routine – 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, Seabridge, Westport, Mandalay Bay, Harbour Island, Port Marluna, The Colony, HarborWalk, HarborWest, C.I. Waterfront Homes

CLOSED ESCROWS

ACTIVE LISTINGS

LISTING INVENTORY (months)

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

January February

14 23 20 13 14 15 11 13 13 20 14 17 20 27 16 20 17 18 23 10 18 8 22 20 11 11 22 34 26 15 24 46 30 17 17 29 32 28 19 17 27 45 27 14 11

67 80 22 21 22 4.49 4.14 1.19 0.92 1.48 91 92 23 21 26 3.37 4.68 1.55 0.53 1.54

March

69 89 17 12 28

4.5 4.68 0.53 0.92 1.83

April May June

87 90 14 22 30 5.46 4.9 0.86 0.88 2.1 108 93 29 21 34 6.98 4.29 1 1.27 2.27 128 78 28 30 35 7.04 4.38 0.62 1.86 2.55 122 80 18 47 37 6.88 4.05 1.23 1.69 2.48 125 62 34 37 36 7.04 4.78 0.73 1.65 2.23

July

August

September

126 51 20 35 34

6.3 1.5 0.62 1.85 2.27

October

15 49 26 16 14 19 25 7 22 29 18 15

115 34 16 37 32 5.74 1.8 0.9 2.03

9 thru 10/24

November December

100 41 20 39 93 32 21 33

4.71 1.23 0.875 2.19 4.3 0.89 0.897 1.26

I have a buyer looking for a townhome in The Colony. Thinking of selling? Give me a call. I may have the buyer in my list of contacts.

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 Ways To Cut Monthly Bills

When small everyday expenses become a habit, we stop noticing what they cost — and they add up quickly. The first step to cutting your monthly bills is to start tracking them — something you can even do with a personal finance app (like Mint or You Need a Budget) on your phone. Once you’ve got a sense of the big spending picture, then it’s time to figure out where you can save. Here are a few small ways to reduce monthly expenditures that, taken together, can add up quickly. 1. Audit subscriptions: You may have an auto-renewing membership to something you’ve forgotten about and no longer use— the gym, a streaming service, an online magazine, etc. Scan your credit card statements for memberships and subscriptions you can cancel. 2. Check out library perks: Public libraries offer far more than books, including things like tickets to local attractions and access to newspaper and magazine subscriptions to library cardholders. S ome have a “Library of Things,” from which you can borrow, say, a food dehydrator, acoustic guitar, or weed whacker for free. 3. Shop second-hand first: Before you click the “buy” button on something brand new, see if you can get a used one first. Browse local thrift shops and set up search alerts on sites like Craigslist and eBay for items you’re looking for but don’t need immediately . You may even have local options for getting used items for free in a “ gift economy ” group (see page three for some “gift economy” websites) . 4. Ask for a better deal: Even if you’ve paid the same amount for a cable and internet package for years, or you’ve had the same credit card interest rate since you signed up, it never hurts to ask for a better deal. Cable companies run promotions constantly, and while existing customers don’t hear about them that doesn’t mean they can’t take advantage of them. And, if your payment history and credit score are good, your credit card company may be able to reduce your interest rate. Check out even more ideas for cutting your monthly costs, including insurance bundling and debt consolidation, here: nerdwallet.com/article/finance/how-to-lower-your-bills Thinking Of Selling Your Home Soon? Don’t attempt to sell your home without my Free Consumer Guide, “ 6 Steps For Selling Your Home For Top Dollar .” My exclusive report will give you all the facts for a fast, top dollar sale. Get your free copy by calling me at… 805-701-8410

November 2023 Oxnard, California

Inside This Issue…

How To Reduce Monthly Expenses …Page 1

What Is “Tip Creep?”… Page 2

Stylish RV Upgrades …Page 2

Practicing Mindful Eating …Page 3

Answer This Trivia Question And You Could Win $75 Gift Card for Lure Restaurant...Page 4

My Home Isn’t Selling. What Should I Change About My Marketing Tactics? …Page 4

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

How To Deal With “Tip Creep” As more payment transactions happen with credit cards and touchscreens, tipping behavior has changed. Although 15% is still considered a traditional tip rate by many, consumers are seeing tip prompts for as much as 30%. This so- called “tip creep” is backfiring with some — fewer diners at sit-down restaurants tip today than they did five years ago. In certain industries (restaurants and bars especially), wages are set at much less than minimum wage — the assumption is that tips will make up the difference. Increasingly, though, customers are being given the option to tip in places they never used to, and where employees do earn minimum wage. At the outset of the pandemic, many people left tips where they never had before, or left bigger tips than in previous years. What felt more like a gesture of kindness then feels to some like an expectation now, which has soured many consumers on tipping altogether. There are generally situations in which you should tip — dining in a sit down restaurant, getting food delivered, going to the hairdresser — and others in which you can skip the tip without guilt. No tip is needed when getting lunch at a kiosk, for instance, or in a fast-food restaurant. And if the touchscreen tips start at 18% or higher, you can enter a different amount instead of choosing a prompted option.

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!)…

meet-cute (pronounced MEET-kyoot) noun

Meaning: an adorably funny or sweet first meeting of people who become a couple

B Dad Joke …Arrghhhh How much do pirates pay for earrings? A bucc-an-eer. Quotes To Live By… “Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.” – C. S. Lewis, Author “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” – Aldous Huxley, Author “I’m always making a comeback but nobody ever tells me where I’ve been.” – Billie Holiday, Musician Sample Sentence: The groom shared the couple’s meet -cute at the reception — they literally bumped into one another trying to get to the last vacant seat on the subway. Decalcifying Showerheads If you have hard water, mineral deposits can clog your shower nozzle over time. Here’s how to get rid of them: • Fill a plastic zip-top bag with white vinegar. • Slide the bag over your shower head so the nozzle is immersed in the vinegar. • Secure the bag tightly on the pipe behind the shower head. • Let the shower head soak for 1-2 hours. Don’t leave it too long as some finishes can be damaged by the acid. • Take the bag off, discard the vinegar, and wipe off the shower head. • Areas with particularly hard water may need this once or twice a month.

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

Upgrade Your RV Design Whether your RV is only out in summer, or you’ve made the move to full-time RV life, there are dozens of ways you can trick out an RV that make it more pleasant to use. Here are just a few to get you started. • New mattress and seating: Upgrading the cushions you sleep and sit on makes every RV adventure more enjoyable. • Peel-and-stick wall art: The options for easy wall decor are nearly endless these days: think bathroom tiles, a kitchen backsplash, or a chalkboard-covered closet door. • Better lighting: RV lighting can be poor and a battery drain. Switch to energy-efficient LED lights and add motion-sensor lights to dark corners. • Pops of color: Repaint the cabinets. Swap boring pillows and window shades for colorful textiles. Add a few potted plants (real or not). • Laminate flooring: RV carpets are hard to keep clean. Replace them with a durable laminate and use small rugs for added texture and cushioning in high-traffic areas.

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

Practicing Mindful Eating Practicing mindfulness can be beneficial to many aspects of life, including our relationship with food. For some people, mindful eating may help with overall health and fitness goals. For others, it may contribute to more eco conscious food choices. Mindful eating can make everything from grocery shopping to cooking to eating a more satisfying experience for everyone. Here are some aspects of mindful eating you may find helpful. Keep in mind that this practice is about paying attention to our body’s relationship with food but not about judging or criticizing ourselves for that relationship. How does it smell? How does it taste? Mindful eating increases focus on the different physical aspects of making and consuming food — like the taste of a ripe peach or the smell of onions frying in butter. Try to engage each of your senses whether you’re cooking or eating. • Are you hungry? Are you full? Experts say that mindfulness can make the whole dining experience more enjoyable. In some cases, mindfulness before or during a meal means preventing discomfort later —it’s about listening to our bodies, whether the signal is that we’re full and don’t need any more or that we’re getting hungry and should eat sooner rather than later. • How did food get to your plate? Whether or not you cook or garden, you can be conscious of where your food comes from and how it ends up on your plate — including the farm workers who grew and harvested the produce and the cooks who prepared a microwave-ready meal. And, if you’re the cook, think about the feeling of satisfaction you get from serving a meal to your loved ones or preparing a meal with loving kindness for yourself. Adoption of mindful eating practices may be challenging for anyone who has ever struggled with diets or eating disorders, so it’s important to keep in mind that some people may need professional help incorporating mindfulness into their healthy lifestyle. If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, the phone number for the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline is 1-800-931-2237 . •

1 The Hole Truth Swiss cheese is recognizable thanks to its holes. But how do holes get inside a solid block of cheese? Turning milk into cheese requires certain bacteria, which give off carbon dioxide as they do their work. Some of the resulting air bubbles get trapped in the cheese. The longer Swiss cheese ages, the bigger the holes are likely to be. “Gift Economy” Websites We all love a deal, and it doesn’t get much better than free. There’s a growing number of neighborhood free exchange apps and websites out there, which are helpful whether you’re looking for stuff or getting rid of it. • Buy Nothing (buynothingproject.org): The best known of the free exchange sites started in 2013. Buy Nothing primarily focuses on their new app, but also exists in location-based Facebook groups. • Freeya (freeya.com): This app shows listings based on geolocation and handles many logistical parts of coordinating pickups — including contacting the next person if the first person doesn’t show. • Freecycle (freecycle.org): This site, founded in 2003, boasts nine million members in 5,000 towns worldwide. If your town doesn’t already have a Freecycle group, you can even start one. Brain Teaser… A woman leaves the room with two legs. When she comes back, she has six. What happened? (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!

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.

Real Estate Corner… Q. My home isn’t selling . What should I change about my marketing tactics? A. Homes may not sell for various reasons, including your asking price, your home’s condition and the timing of when you put your home on the market. If you’ve taken it off the market and are looking to try again, interview several different REALTORS ® and choose a new one who shares your goals and stands out as a Home Marketing Expert. As a Home Marketing Expert, your REALTOR ® should provide you with a dynamic new marketing plan that goes beyond holding open houses and sending out flyers. It should include: ❖ Offering updated ideas about your home’s condition, staging and asking price. ❖ Using all advertising avenues, including the Internet. Did you post compelling pictures of your home the first time you tried to sell it? Did you include a virtual home tour? People selling larger properties are even using drone videos to show all the ho me’s outside features. ❖ Posting on social media. Does this person use social media to showcase properties (in an appropriate manner)? ❖ Getting the attention of other REALTORS ® . Does this person have contacts with REALTORS ® who are already working with out-of-town buyers who may be moving to the area? To learn more about how to sell your home the second time, call and ask for my Free Consumer Report called “4 Tips To Guarantee Your Home Sells The Second Time.” I’ll send a copy right over to you. Who Else Wants To Win $75 Gift Card for Lure Restaurant? Guess who won last month’s Trivia Question? I’m pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month’s quiz. And the winner is …drum roll please: Tom Veal of The Colony. The most common first name among U.S. presidents is James — there have been six. But how many presidents had no middle name at all? a) 3 b) 8 c) 11 d) 16 The answer is d) 16. Middle names didn’t become popular until the early 1800s, so most presidents prior to Grant didn’t have them… So let’s move on to this month’s trivia question. There are two gems, each synonymous with their color, that both happen to be the same mineral. What are they? a) Amethyst and Ruby B) Sapphire and Ruby C) Emerald and Sapphire D) Emerald and Amethyst Call Me At 805-701-8410 OR Email Me At florence@bchrealestate.com And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!

Brain Teaser Answer: She brought a chair back with her.

Armchair Travel Quiz If you love to travel, here’s a guessing game to test your global knowledge. The City Guesser quiz (virtualvacation.us/guess) features video clips taken in places all over the world — street scenes, monuments, and more — and your job is to guess the location by clicking on a map. Clues might be obvious (legs of the Eiffel Tower in the background, for instance) or more challenging. The game suggests you keep an eye on license plates, shop names, and road signs. You can change the speed the video moves through a scene, rewind a few seconds to get a better look, or restart the video entirely. 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 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. Once you make your guess, the site tells you how close (or far away!) you are.

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

Do you have a question you want answered? Just call me at << your number >>. Perhaps I’ll feature it in my next issue!

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

Properties Pending Escrow Closing … Address

Bdrms

Baths

Sq. Ft.

Floor Plan

Asking Price

2043 Majorca

2

2

1217

Martinique

$795,888 $795,888

Market Average

Sold Propert ies… (8/01/22 Thru 10/28/23) Address List $ Sale $

Sq.Ft.

$/sq.ft

Floor Plan

Date Sold

2223 Martinique

$699,000

$664,050** 1113

$596.10

Martinique (Phase I)

02/17/23 06/15/23

2212 Martinique 2200 Martinique

$695,000 $769,000

$685,000 $700,000

1113 1627

$615.45 $432.90

Martinique (Phase I)

Capri

01/06/23

2143 Martinique

$730,000

$720,000

1113

$646.90

Martinique (Phase I)

12/12/22 01/27/23 05/23/23 10/21/22 08/23/22 08/03/22 05/25/23 09/02/22 08/31/22 03/22/23 12/02/22 02/16/23 04/26/23

1965 Majorca 1905 Majorca

$729,888 $749,000 $739,888 $780,000 $799,000 $799,000 $815,000 $849,888 $839,888 $875,000 $949,888 $999,900 $839,000

$725,000 $739,00 $739,888 $750,000 $790,000 $799,000 $807,000 $820,000 $840,000 $875,000 $875,888 $884,000 $892,000

1217 1217 1113 1114 1113 1217 1368 1627 1459 1114 1550 2692 1627

$599.74 $607.23 $664.77 $673.25 $709.79 $655.99 $589.48 $504.00 $575.74 $785.46 $565.09 $328.38 $548.25

Martinique Martinique

2355 Martinique 2125 Martinique 2305 Martinique 4475 Antigua

Martinique (Phase I) Martinique (Phase I)

Martinique (Phase I)

Martinique

4481 Antigua 2017 Majorca

Madeira

Capri

2227 Martinique 2175 Martinique

Antigua

Martinique (Phase I)

1931 Majorca

Antigua

2360 Vina del Mar 2151 Martinique

Costa de Oro

Capri

05/12/23

2067 Majorca

$839,000

$892,000

1627

$548.25

Capri

06/28/23 07/05/23

4481 Antigua

$895,000 $940,000

$895,000 $940,000

1217 1217

$653.96 $771.76

Martinique

4726 San Sebastian

Martinique (Ambassador) 10/06/22

1971 Majorca

$965,000

$960,000

1801

$533.04

Capri

10/10/23

2263 Martinique

$984,000

$975,000

1628

$598.89

Capri

10/27/23 10/21/22 10/27/23

1954 San Tropez 4700 San Sebastian 2214 Cannes Sq

$987,000

$1,002,000 1628

$615.48 $706.39 $602.23

Capri (Ambassador) Capri (Ambassador)

$1,246,888 $1,150,000 1628 $1,200,000 $1,240,000 2059

San Tropez

08/30/22

2123 Vina del Mar

$1,285,000 $1,250,000 2360

$529.66

Vina del Mar

08/25/23

2337 Vina del Mar

$1,450,000 $1,300,000 2360

$550.85

Vina del Mar

04/26/23 08/11/22

2303 Vina del Mar Market Average

$1,989,888 $1,900,000 2360

$805,08 $624.47

Vina del Mar

$ 949,448 $ 928,736

RE/MAX represented buyer, seller or both.

Florence represented buyer, seller or both

**Does not include buyer agent commission

Properties as of October 28, 2023 and may not be listed by RE/MAX. Information herein has not been verified, is not guaranteed, and is subject to change

Florence’s… MarketWatch ™

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

Active Listings… Address

List $

Sq.Ft Floor Plan

$949,000

1294

2947 Harbor Blvd

Plan D

3225 Harbor

$899,000

1485

Villa (end unit)

Sunset Lane

$829,000 $892,333

1475

Villa

Market Average

Properties Accepting Back Up Offers … Address List $

Sq.Ft Floor Plan

La Brea

$699,000` $699,000

1135

T-3

Market Average

Sold Properties (01/01/2022 – 10 /28/2023 Address List $ Sale $

Sq.Ft. $/sq.ft

Floor Plan

Date Sold

3033 Harbor 2957 Harbor 3046 Sunset 3134 Sunset 4534 LaBrea 2957 Harbor 3140 Sunset 3204 Sunset 2943 Harbor 3540 Sunset 3604 Sunset 3224 Sunset

$540,000 $565,000 $595,000 $649,500 $699,000 $699,000 $749,000 $850,000 $797,000 $900,000 $899,000 $865,000

$532,500 $572,000 $595,000 $620,000 $725,000 $690,000 $730,000 $810000 $817,000 $850,000 $859,000 $865,000

781 925 925 925

$681.82 $618.38 $643.24 $670.27 $638.77 $745.95 $564.14 $606.71 $681.96 $576.66 $651.25 $617.42

Plan A Plan C Plan C

06/21/22 03/25/22 10/07/22 02/25/22 08/08/22 02/02/23 08/31/23 10/12/22 03/30/22 06/14/22

Plan C (end unit)

1135

T-3

925

Plan C Plan D

1294 1401 1198 1474 1319 1401

Villa

Plan D (end unit)

T-1 T-2

06/30/23

Villa

02/25/22 08/25/22

3131 Harbor

$975,000

$925,000

1502

$615.85

Villa

3544 Sunset

$995,000

$997,000

1474

$676.39

T-1

03/21/23

3145 Harbor

$999,997

$999,997

1489

$671.14

Villa

06/09/22

3125 Harbor Blvd $999,000

$1,000,000

1489

$671.59

Villa

03/11/22 05/05/23

3241 Harbor

$1.049,000

$1.040,000

1518

$685.11

Villa

3380 Sunset

$1,177,000

$1,100,000

1475

$745.76

Villa (end unit)

08/28/23

Market Average $646.80 Bold: REMAX Represented Buyers, Sellers or Both $835,961 $811,807

The information referenced has been provided by the Ventura County MLS Corporation’s MLS as of October, 28, 2023. The listings and sales are not exclusive to RE/MAX Gold Coast Realtors and may have been represented by others. Display of the MLS data is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed by the MLS and prices are subject to change.

See HarborWalk floor plans at: HarborWalkCondos.com