San Carlos Blog's First Anniversary

A big thank you to all of you for continuing to log onto the San Carlos Blog.  I am extremely appreciative and humbled by its popularity.  Currently, we have over 5,600 returning users and are adding more each day.
Over the past year I have had a few people ask me about my expertise in San Carlos, especially since I have only been a real estate agent for a few years.  I always start by telling them that I was raised in San Carlos.  My parents bought their first home in San Carlos in 1975.  I have seen Laurel Street turned into a winter wonderland with the snowstorm of 1976.  I watched as San Carlos High School was torn down in 1982.  I saw the olympic torch relay run straight through the City of Good Living in 1984….you get the point.  While I do depend on my San Carlos real estate practice to suport my family, I have always viewed San Carlos as much more than turning over houses.
To really understand the San Carlos market, you need to be involved in the community.  I’ve coached 10 years worth of soccer and baseball.  I am the president of one of our youth soccer clubs.  My kids attend San Carlos schools.  I have donated and participated in the San Carlos Educational Foundation.  A few years ago I thought the city was lacking a community event for our youth.  I founded San Carlos Treasure Hunters as a way for kids and parents to have an annual event which would be fun and teach them the history of our town.  When the city did not have it within its means to support the event, I sponsored the event and put it on myself.  We have had over 200 participants and expect another capacity event this year.  The point is that you cannot simply write a check and consider yourself immersed in the community.  To fully understand the needs of folks in San Carlos, you need to be involved.
For me, real estate in San Carlos can be broken down in its simplest form as follows:  (1) maximized value; and (2) risk assessment.  Maximized value is influenced by the home itself, market conditions and marketing.  If you are even somewhat paying attention, this isn’t rocket science.  Risk assessment is where most folks fall into a very gray area.  I do not care how much experience you have turning over houses, until you have viewed real estate and contract cases through the eyes of an attorney you have no idea of the loopholes and pitfalls that lay in front of you.  This is exactly where I have been able to add value over others.  I have tried to bring out many of these pitfalls and issues through posts on this blog over the past year.  I will continue to do so as we enter our second year.
Again, thank you for your patronage to the San Carlos Blog.  I sincerely appreciate it.
Kind Regards,
Bob Bredel