EMERGENCY
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want to include in your kit: •A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person), non-perishable food items and pet food, if applicable •A battery-powered or handcrank radio (and extra batteries) •A flashlight •A first aid kit •A whistle to signal for help •A can opener •Blankets •Tools to turn off utilities •$200 in cash in small bills, as power may be out, making ATMs, debit and credit cards unusable •Fully charged battery packs so
you can recharge your cell phone •Prescriptions for you and your pets The bottom line is that extreme weather events are anticipated to increase, and you can never be too cautious or over-prepared to protect against Mother Nature. “It’s a bit alarming to discover that, although natural disasters are in the news on a seemingly regular basis, many Americans still aren’t properly preparing themselves if one happens in their neighborhood or city,” said O’Rourke. “These events can have serious repercussions and adopting a wait-and-see attitude is not an option.”
TOPS In Their Field
REAL ESTATE OF MIND
Provoking thought since 1990 It’s that time of year. Best Of and Readers Choice Contests are proliferating in our local newspapers. I always feel conflicted when the word BEST is used to measure any services that Realtors provide to their clients. But that wasn’t always the case… I was excited about my first real estate award 28 years ago. The Association of Realtors gave me a plaque that said Champion Producer on it. (Still sounds like something given to a milk cow!) Throughout the ‘90s, I received a stream of sales awards labeled BEST/MOST/HIGHEST and on some level, it satisfied the competitive juices I put on hold when I hung up my basketball shoes back in the ‘70s.
OPEN HOUSE • Saturday 2-4 p.m. Are You TOPS in Your Field? Contact Tina 831-761-7359
769Delta.com • $495,000
769 Delta Way, Watsonville 2 Bed, 2 Bath
Equestrian paradise on 19+ acres of land with access to miles and miles of riding trails in Mount Madonna County Park! Enjoy breathtaking ocean views over Pajaro Valley to the Monterey Bay and beyond. Properties like this rarely come on the market. Charming 4 bedroom, 4 bath farmhouse is set up for multi-generational living. Upstairs features 2 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Gorgeous oak hardwood floors, open beam ceilings, plantation shutters and several custom built-ins really add character to the home. Downstairs features 2 additional bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms. The living room has stone floors and wood burning stove with brick surround. Fully permitted 6 stall custom barn with 14’ x 14’ stalls, wash rack and immaculate ocean view riding arena. 3 fenced pastures, 20’x40’ hoop house for hay storage. World class tack room has potential to be used as a barn manager/ horse trainer’s office, art studio or caretaker’s cottage. 2 outbuildings for storage. Very unique opportunity!
831.239.3708 KaseyandBrooke@DavidLyng.com KaseyandBrooke.com DRE 01424163 & 01445065 David Lyng Real Estate
578MountMadonna.com • $1,495,000
TINA CHAVEZ Advertising Sales Manager
Specializing in Real Estate Advertising (831) 761-7359 tchavez@pajaronian.com
PVAOR Affiliate of the Year 2008 and 2016
SELL IT NOW! Kasey and Brooke Hinchman
831.239.3708 KaseyandBrooke@DavidLyng.com KaseyandBrooke.com DRE 01424163 & 01445065 David Lyng Real Estate
The 2000s were the “Me Decade” for real estate accolades. Brokerages ramped up recognition of their top sales people by handing out inhouse awards to their BEST/MOST/HIGHEST producers. After a while it was tough to tell who the real BEST/MOST/HIGHEST agents really were because it seemed like everyone was getting an award for something. These days, brokerages often give themselves self-congratulatory awards for their own BEST/ MOST/HIGHEST sales achievements. They carefully parse their sales metrics to create impressions that are vaguely, technically true. An extreme example is Silicon Valley super-agent Ken Deleon who reportedly sells more than $500 million worth of real estate each year...I can assure you that the top of Ken’s head would explode if he were really doing that much business on his own.
Kasey and Brooke Hinchman
578 Mount Madonna Rd, Watsonville
The Association stopped giving out sales awards after 1997, recognizing that things were getting too competitive and that unscrupulous agents were spinning the truth about their numbers to lay claim to those BEST/MOST/ HIGHEST superlatives in their ads. That’s when the weeklies stepped in with their own BEST OF editions that drummed up extra engagement from readers and lots of extra ad revenue from recipients.
All Local Listings • Print & Online
The point is...perhaps it’s time for BEST/ MOST/HIGHEST awards to disappear as a measurement of anything. Maybe Agents and Brokerages can give themselves pats on the back using different standards of excellence like: Best Fiduciary or Most People Helped or Highest Number of Hours Donated to Charity. Real estate is its own worst enemy when it comes to curating its image. Realtors spend lots of time trying to change their image, be more authentic and get more clients to trust them. They bristle at the negative stereotypes that are pervasive in the culture. And yet, the message that keeps getting pushed out into the public realm usually revolves around how many homes they’ve sold or how many trillions of dollars of sales volume they’ve generated. There’s a huge disconnect in the calculus of that narrative.
Tom Brezsny
Realtor® DRE#01063297
831-818-1431 getreal@serenogroup.com PA I D A D V E R T O R I A L
FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY HOMES & LAND
Meticulously maintained home on quiet, manicured street; around the corner from your clubhouse. Inviting single level home in the sought after adult community of Pajaro Village (1 resident must be 55 years or older . pen bright floor plan with laminate flooring. iews of the mountains from the kitchen and dining room windows. Spacious kitchen offers a pantry and gas stove. Separate dining room is open to the living room. arge back ard with garden area and several fruit trees. Community pool, spa, sauna and clubhouse. earb walking path along the levy. Attached 2 car garage
Tom Brezsny’s
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