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Did you feel it? A ‘moderate,’ yet frightening, earthquake shook us in our boots last night. A magnitude 5.6 quake hit the east bay area of San Francisco - with the epicenter being just 40 miles to the west of our house.

I was sitting at home working on my computer when I started to feel dizzy. You know that feeling when you’re drunk and things start moving around in a wavy, almost blurry way. It took me about 3 second to realize it wasn’t me - it was the house! The computer table was rolling back and forth from the wall and the some of the pictures on the wall were tilting as if someone was picking up the house on one side.

This is the same feeling I had back in 1989 when I was at my parent’s house and saw the lamp above the dinner table begin to whip from left to right. As you remember, that was the last “big one” in San Francisco - when freeways collapsed and a section of the Bay Bridge broke apart, tossing cars everywhere. That one hit on October 17, 1989 at 5:04 pm. This one hit at 8:04 pm. In 1989, it lasted 15 seconds. This one lasted about 15 seconds. The quake in 1989 killed 62 people throughout central California, injured 3,756 people and left more than 12,000 people homeless.

Last night, I grabbed the table trying to get some stability. Sounds stupid - I know. I then stood up and I could see an ever-so-slight swag in the walls in relation to the doorway. This one lasted long enough for me to realize that I probably should do what they taught us - go stand in a doorway. I did. Several seconds later, it stopped.

I tried to get on the phone and our home phone was dead. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed a friend - nothing. Wouldn’t connect. I went out to the living room and turned on the radio to hear KCBS - and it sounded off the air (turns out the signal was bad tonight). I was certain there was huge destruction somewhere.

Anyway, turns out there was minor damage and some slight panic in areas closer to the quake. USGS also says that there’s a chance of another one within 7 days. That sure is “unsettling.”

Here’s some interesting links:

Quake raises danger of more action on Hayward Fault

USGS Recent Earthquakes - mapped by the minute

Loma Prieta Earthqake facts/figures

If you are a REALTOR®, or know of a REALTOR®, who has been impacted by the wildfires, applications to request a grant from the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund are available by calling Elizabeth de Carteret at (213) 739-8308 or e-mail to: elizabethd@car.org.

C.A.R. is urgently asking members to contribute to the Disaster Relief Fund in order to meet the current and ongoing needs of their members. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund, please make checks payable to the California Community Foundation and write “C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund” on the “memo” line. Send checks to the California Community Foundation, 445 S. Figueroa St., #3400, Los Angeles, CA 90071-1638. To make a contribution online, visit http://www.calfund.org/8/giving_calrealtorsrelief.php.

More information about the C.A.R. Disaster Relief Fund can be found under REALTORS® Care in the About C.A.R. section of C.A.R. Online at www.car.org, or by clicking on the REALTORS® Care button on the home page.

Last week, NAR, through the REALTORS® Relief Foundation, made a $500,000 donation to the CAR Disaster Relief Fund.

C.A.R. also has created a clearinghouse for wildfire-related info on C.A.R. Online at http://relief.car.org. Here you will find news updates and information on local associations affected by the wildfires, what to do after the fire, and insurance-related issues, as well as additional resources for those looking to help or needing assistance.

With the conclusion of the first half of the 2007-08 legislative session, new laws have been enacted that may affect California’s REALTORS®. The following is a summary of significant new laws that may impact real estate practitioners.

Click Read More below to see the summary of laws. Read the rest of this entry »

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Police are asking for our help… perhaps one of you might recognize this person when you’ve been in downtown Modesto.  On September 28, 2007 at 3:00 am a white male adult broke into the Copper Rhino Club located at 927 Tenth Street in Modesto, California. The suspect was caught on a surveillance camera inside the business. The suspect took a lap top computer, money, and a red and silver mountain bike that has shocks on the front. The suspect was wearing blue jeans, a black hat, a blue shirt with a white design in front and a backpack. He also has a mustache.Detectives ask anyone with information about this crime to contact Crimestoppers at (209) 521-4636. Callers to Crimestoppers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward.

Attorney John Villines and JV LAW are hosting a FREE Tax Seminar on Business and Payroll Taxes.

• Find out the truth about IRS collection strategies!

• Hear what the IRS is afraid of – powerful information about resolving your IRS problems.

• Discover what happens if you try to ignore to the IRS.

• Learn how to recover and prevent future issues with the IRS.

When: Saturday October 27, 2007
From: 10am-12pm
Where: At the Hampton Inn, conveniently located off FWY 99 one exit north of Modesto.

Coffee, donuts, and scones, will be served.

Only 30 seats are available, so call today to reserve yours. 209.524.9903 or e-mail your Name (first and last), with a return address, e-mail, and phone #’s to mark@jvlaw.net.

I just ran across this new website by mistake. It’s called ePerks.com. This site allows customers to find local professionals that offer discounts and incentives on their services. The website covers home improvement, automotive and real estate sectors.

There are already some local agents offering as much as 17% cash back. What that means, I don’t exactly know and ePerks.com doesn’t make it very clear either.

What do you think about this site? Do you think it’s appropriate for agents to offer there services at discounts like 17% cash back?

Or do you think consumers and potential clients look at it as a desperate plea for business?

I would personally use this service for finding a car and home improvement service, but for the relationship I build with my real estate agent, I wouldn’t want it based on a arbitrary discounted rate.

• Find & Compare Agents / Browse Local real estate agents & offers
• Contact A Local Real Estate Agent
• Learn about lowered commissions & current incentives
• Get Cash Back at Closing
• Up to $20,000 in cash back savings to buyers/sellers
• Receive Incentives
• Receive thousands in incentives after closing

You’ve likely heard CEO Michael Zagaris talk about how buyers & sellers perceptions are influenced by media coverage of the real estate market. Is the market going to crash? Is this really a good time to buy? Thanks to PMZ Agent Naja Frowein who found this insightful article written by an agent in Walnut Creek. The title says it all, “Despite the recent negative real estate reports, we are not in a crisis.”

Author Ellen Osmundson has graciously allowed us to reprint her article. It’s worth taking a minute to read. Click Read More to see the entire article here on the Buzz.

Despite the recent negative real estate reports, we are not in a crisis

Subprime loan fallouts, foreclosures, loan brokers going out of business. Housing market slides, slowest sales in 15 years.

If you are a home buyer and you keep reading these news headlines, you might say to yourself that you should stop thinking about buying now until the market turns around. You may fear the real estate market’s devouring your hard-earned savings and the choose that you buy now would become worthless in a year or two.

This is a result of the media’s unintended influence that generated the unplanned consumer behavior of not buying, in this case, real estate. The end result – the real estate market is slower than ever – is a self-created prophecy fulfilled.

Read the rest of this entry »

PMZ Agent Ben Allustiarte at the Carpenter Road Office in Modesto cordially invites you to join him for a good cause this month at the new Gallo Center for the Arts!

Modesto Kiwanis “A Wine Country Evening”

Thursday, October 25. 5:30-8:30 pm. For more information visit the Kawanis Inernational Modesto page by clicking here. Tickets $35 advance & $25.00 for Designated Driver.

For tickets, call Ben Allustiarte at 491-3826.

Download flyer >> kiwanis_wine_country_evening_oct2507.pdf