Broker's Corner 3.24.15

Leased Solar Panels can Help or Hinder a Home Sale

Ray Shay Broker/Owner Shay Realtors

To some home buyers, solar panels are an appealing and environmentally friendly upgrade to a home, but when it comes to leased solar panels, they maybe be a deal breaker.  Would-be-buyers that love a house will often not sign a contract when they learn they will have to take over lease payments for the next 10 - 15 years.  Because of this, many homeowners have to buy out their solar leases at a huge cost before selling their home.

Many times sales fall apart when parties can't agree on how to handle the payments owed on long-term leases. Make sure you know the potential down-the-road costs of leasing rather than buying solar panels, especially if you are planning to sell in the future.  

If you do find yourself planning to sell and you are in a long term lease, call the leasing company to learn about transferring and buyout options or call professionals to sell your home that can get you the best possible price and will be prepared when prospective buyers have issues with your panels. 

 - Ray Shay  

858 449-4970  

 

This information is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of Shay Realtors Inc. 

The Grab by Ray Shay

The Grab  

By Ray Shay   

  

I probably owe an apology to the amazing principals and teachers who are doing a great job of educating our three sons.  Schools are vitally important, but it also feels like our children are under constant pressure to perform.

 

When I was a kid, right or wrong, school was almost an afterthought. Priorities were baseball, football, and wandering in the high desert looking for horny toads and other critters.  Those quick moving toads looked so prehistoric, it was cool when we finally got our dirty little hands around one of them. 

Disneyland Bound

 
I recognize our children are much smarter at a younger age than we ever were. Last week, I handed our fifth grader Ryan, some homemade lasagna on a plate. He looked at me with a perplexed look and said, "Dad, lasagna is supposed to be in chunks. This is liquefied." 

I started laughing as I thought of him using such an advanced word.  I then looked around to make sure mom did not hear his culinary description of her dinner.     

We often see our two older sons work from sunset to late in the evening on their studies. I agree it is important that they are challenged in order to compete in the future, but I sometimes think they need a break. 

Ryan and Logan

That is the reason for my apology.  Once or twice a year, I tell our children they will be sacrificing perfect attendance in school to spend a day with our family. Since horny toads and the pristine high desert are not right out our back door, I took, "Mr. Liquefy" and a friend to Disneyland this past week.   

It had been years since we had been to Disneyland and since Ryan is our third son, we certainly do not have a season pass.  The curse of being born last.  For most of the day, I felt guilty we had not brought him sooner.  It felt like he was all grown up.

Pirates of the Caribbean

When Ryan was younger he used to be scared to go on, "Pirates of the Caribbean." As is our custom, we waited to ride in the front of the boat. 

As we began the slow float down into the cool darkness, we could here the spooky mantra from the skeleton skull hanging above the entrance, "Dead men tell no tales."

As our raft began to tilt to slide into the dark and cavernous adventure, I felt Ryan's little hand grab a portion of the sleeve of my t-shirt. He then pulled it tight as the boat slid down the incline into the start of the pirate battle. His hand then quietly slipped away.

Though Ryan did miss a day of school, it gave us both a badly needed break and the chance to enjoy a special moment together.  I was also able to experience a very special grab.  It was not like holding a weird looking horny toad, but it was one I would have likely never enjoyed, if I would have waited another few months until he was out of school.

Enjoy your week,

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved

Broker's Corner 3.17.15

10 Year Warranty About to Expire?

Ray Shay Broker/Owner Shay Realtors

Quite a few of the homes in our area are approaching their 10th year anniversary. That is an important time frame for you to be aware of.   

Once you cross over that ten year anniversary most home builders will no longer warranty their homes. We recently had a home on the market that was eleven years old and the builder refused to come out.  

Take a close look at your home and even consider having a licensed home inspector take a detailed look at your home before your tenth anniversary.  It could save you big bucks by being proactive.  If you have any questions, be sure to give me a call.  

Ray Shay  

858 449-4970  

 

This information is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of Shay Realtors Inc. 

The Stinky Trash Can by Ray Shay

The Stinky Trash Can 

By Ray Shay   

  
We had a standing rule in our car that while driving our children to their competitive sporting events, they could select the music. Their song choices have been broad and varied and I think they have enjoyed the freedom to select what they wanted to hear.

That rule suddenly changed last Saturday morning while I was driving one of our sons to play a cross town rival. I thought I heard the singer drop the, "n-word."  My suspicions proved correct when the singer said it once again, and by the third time, I reached over and turned the radio off.
My son was surprised and started to argue about his Fifth Amendment rights, my earlier promises they could play whatever music they wanted, and his final argument was, "all the popular songs use that word."  I know it was a visceral reaction, when I looked him in the eye and said songs using that word will never be played in our car.

After a few minutes he said, "fine." He then played a song with the weirdest set of sounds I had ever heard.  As we pulled into the high school parking lot and he reached into the back seat to grab his gear, I commented on his selection. He replied dryly before shutting the door, "It is the same song without the words."

As I watched him walk away I thought about my parents and my mom specifically who often told us seven kids, "You don't have to stick your head in a trash can to know it stinks."  I knew I had to find a way to re-approach our adolescent son and try to convince him why that word was off limits. By doing so, I knew I would have to tell him why I hate that word so much ...

 
It was the late 1960's when I first recall anyone using the "n-word." Thankfully my parents were way ahead of the curve on the importance of equality and what was right and wrong.  

I remember I was about nine or ten years old when a friend of mine called some dark holiday nuts a racist nickname.  I did not realize it was improper and naively thought that was just what people called them. 

I recall walking on to our front porch holding a basket of those dark, long nuts when I asked my father if he wanted any.  His response was quick and immediate.  I suddenly found myself lying on the ground with the basket and those dark nuts scattered around me. He made it clear the, "n-word" was never to be used.

  

When I became a police officer, I encountered racist people. They always turned my stomach. Despite what some people may say or what you see on national news, I never once saw a sworn law enforcement officer act in a racist manner.  It never would have been tolerated by his or her peers, or the San Diego Police Department.

Agent Thomas Riggs

Later in the day, I was again alone with my son.  I told him what happened on my front porch, a very long time ago.  I then asked him to think of two of his best friends while I told him a story about two fellow SDPD Police Officers named Agent Thomas Riggs and Officer Donovan Jacobs.  

I summarized how they conducted a traffic stop where a highly trained martial artist named Sagon Penn turned uncooperative and ultimately began fighting Officer Donovan Jacobs.

Within a matter of seconds he disarmed Officer Jacobs and shot him in the neck (partially paralyzing him).  Penn then used the same gun to shoot Agent Tom Riggs three times and then walked over to the marked police car and shot the female, civilian ride along, twice.  Penn then removed Agent Riggs handgun from his duty belt as he lay dying on the dirt driveway and stole the police car, running over Officer Jacobs as he fled the scene. 

  

Click here to read more about the incident.
Penn's Defense Attorney alleged at the subsequent trials that somewhere in the confrontation that terrible word was used. I don't believe it, but that is what defense attorney's do.  They represent their clients best interests and it was in his best interest to leverage that hateful word.

I still recall that sunny June day in 1985 when Sagon Penn was cleared of all charges and walked out of jail a free man. After I loaded my shotgun and placed it in the electronic dashboard mount of my patrol car, I just sat there for a few minutes with the air conditioning on full speed.  I kept asking myself how that could have happened?

I spoke with our son privately and then we discussed the use of that word as a family.  They figured it out.  I hope our sons never forget the importance of equality and staying out of the trash can of bigotry and hate.

I did not have the heart to tell our children that Tom and his wife Colleen had an infant son named "Adam" when he was killed in the line of duty.  Another example of a Police Officer who never had the enjoyment of seeing his child compete in team sports or the opportunity to help his son identify what is right and what is wrong in this big, complex world.

I can only hope that one day that hate filled word will leave our lexicon.


Enjoy your week,

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved

Broker's Corner 3.10.15

A New Roof

Ray Shay Broker/Owner Shay Realtors

An important part of being a professional Realtor are excellent negotiation skills and the ability to recognize the actual value of a property.

 

Sometimes, potential clients will ask us to match pricing of discount brokers by "kicking back" a significant portion of our commission.  We simply tell them to find another Realtor. 

Our highly trained and experienced agents do an exceptional job.  As the photograph shows one of our recent clients got a brand new, 20K roof installed at the cost of the seller.  

Just another reason to use a full time professional Realtor!

 

- Ray Shay 858-449-4970

 

This information is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of Shay Realtors Inc. 

Goodbye Dr. Spock, by Ray Shay

Goodbye Dr. Spock 

By Ray Shay   

  

I unfolded the morning newspaper last week and noticed an old friend had passed away.  His picture was near the top of the paper and his slightly pointed ears seemed to reach up to the sky.  I was sad to see he had died.

Dr. Spock, Captain Kirk and the entire crew of Star Trek were huge when I was growing up.  It was our "Breaking Bad" and "Walking Dead" all wrapped into one. For most of the shows my brothers, sisters and I would all lie in and around our parents bed and watch intently as Captain Kirk faced adversity along with "Spock, Bones, Scotty, and the rest of the crew.  

 

I guess Dr. Spock must have received a better pension from the Interstellar Federation than Captain Kirk. It makes sense.  After all, Dr. Spock always kept his cool and attended many more years of education on his home planet of Vulcan, than the other service personnel on the USS Enterprise.  

Unlike Captain Kirk, he did not have to go to work at Priceline to make ends meet. I guess he was never much of a "pitch man."  Maybe that's why I really liked him. 

 

One of the biggest events of my life was when I was about fourteen years old and my Star Fleet Technical Manual arrived in the mail.  

I got teased by my four brothers, but more than once, I found them taking a peak at it's pictures and technical diagrams that explained how the USS Enterprise was powered by dilithium crystals as well as the countless cool gadgets the crew utilized to save the Federation.

I even went to seminar that Gene Roddenberry held in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. It too, was super cool. I never called myself a "Trekkie" but the science and adventure of it all really interested me.

It was a bit maddening when Spock would not show a bit of emotion even when Captain Kirk would be hollering and his face would turn bright red.   

Spock would just tilt his head in a certain way with an inquisitive look on his face.  He found "humans" so darn interesting.  

If you must know, I am proud to say I still know how to do the Vulcan Mind Probe as well as the Vulcan Salute. Both of these skills helped me in both law enforcement and real estate. And people wonder how we get such great deals for our buyers. 

Carry on Dr. Spock.  As you often said, "Live Long and Prosper." You impacted a generation of dreamers and provided our entire family and countless other, "emotional humans" with exceptional entertainment and you didn't even have to shoot a single zombie or become a meth freak.  You had a great run!  

   

 

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved

Broker's Corner 2.3.15

Del Sur Estates - 13 Estate Homes are in Escrow!

Ray Shay Broker/Owner Shay Realtors

Sales are brisk at Del Sur Estates! These unique homes continue to be a top seller with their unique and amazing floor plans.  If the pace continues, they could be sold out by the end of summer.  If you were thinking of moving up to these homes or several other new developments that are about to hit the market, give me a call.  Don't forget we do represent home buyers of new homes as well as re-sales.  We can help you identify the pros and cons of the various options and there is no charge for our professional services.  

The sales people at the all the developments know we have the BEST clients!

Go to Standardpacifichomes.com and see the homes that are available at Del Sur Estates. 

Have a great week!  

- Ray Shay 858-449-4970

This information is copyrighted and cannot be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of Shay Realtors Inc. 

A Little Boy and the Big Machine

A Little Boy and the Big Machine 

By Ray Shay   

 

 

Theresa and I were all smiles.  You would think we were at Disneyland. "Ryan it's cool!  It is just a big machine which makes loud clacking noises.  You get to wear special goggles and listen to headphones while you watch a Harry Potter Movie.  Have fun with it."  We were doing our best to try and put him at ease.

 

As you can see on the left, Ryan kept looking over at the big machine. I don't blame him.  He could sense something was not quite right.  He politely followed the nurses instructions and laid down, put on the goggles, headphones and then remained very still as the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) began to slowly obtain slices of images of his young brain.

 

Theresa and I did not have to look at each other to know our smiles disappeared the moment Ryan put on the opaque goggles.  

The charade was over for a few minutes as we were immersed in our own private thoughts as we continued our search to explain why our ten year old son had missed 17 days attending his beloved Del Sur Elementary School, mostly due to headaches.

 

As we waited for the scans to be completed, I reflected on what had led up to this day and how Ryan's legs looked so small hanging off the side of that darn machine.  I then made the dreaded call. The call where you promise anything in your life to make your child healthy.  I doubt God even takes my calls. He and I have had a rocky relationship for a long time. 

The Big Rope

As you struggle with your own sick child it feels like there is someone standing on your chest pulling a big heavy rope that is wrapped around your heart.  When we received information later in the day the doctor had identified an abnormality in Ryan's brain, the dark, oily rope seemed to increase it's grip.

 

Of course, you can't stop thinking about it.  One of the first things we did is scour the Internet for any information on what the doctor told us was wrong.  Looking back, it probably caused more concern than relief. When it is your own child, you tend to think the worst.

 

Our next stop, (a week later) was a return visit to Rady's Children Hospital. As we waited to see well known and highly respected brain neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Levy, a woman walked into the waiting room.  She was holding her son's hand that was about the same age as Ryan.   

Dr. Michael L. Levy

 

All of us including Ryan, said nothing, but we all noticed the little boy's small frame, shaved head and he was wearing a surgical mask. My very first thought was, "How does that mother do it?"  We had been on this roller coaster for only a couple of weeks and we wanted off.  Parents with seriously ill children deserve to go straight to heaven.  For someone's child to be seriously ill seems so blatantly unfair.

 

After a brief interview of Ryan, Theresa, and I, we we're escorted into into Dr. Levy's office. Behind his desk were several huge, high resolution television screens that had digital scans of Ryan's brain. Time seemed to slow down and almost stop as we waited for Dr. Levy to speak.

  

Dr. Levy was a pro. He said he had studied the MRI scans of Ryan's brain and he was a normal little boy.  He then looked directly into Ryan's eyes and repeated it twice more.  By working with children every day, he must know from experience they pick up so much more than parents ever realize.

 

He explained the previous doctor who had reviewed the brain scans had noted something that he did not feel was a danger to our son. The repeat headaches may have been a result of a bad virus, cold or even a little boy growing up.

 

As Dr. Levy chatted with our son, the pressure began to lift and I thought of the amazing woman and her son who came in just before us and the 

Back to School

countless other parents and children who must have sat in these same exact chairs as their world came crashing down around them.

I knew right then, at that moment, I had to write this story.  If Dr. Levy had pulled that rope tighter around our worn hearts, I would have never written any story.  I know us.  It would be too private. We would have found a way to get off the grid. 

 

Like the vast majority of parents, our children are the center of our universe. As a result, the last few weeks changed us forever.  We will never look at a family with an ill child the same way again. My heart, respect, support and empathy is extended to anyone experiencing such difficult challenges.

 

I will continue holding on to my sketchy communication line with the big fella.  If he does pick up or is listening, I will ask him to please help ease the incredible burden that parents with ill children carry.  I know that heavy rope tests them and their beautiful children to their core.

 

Enjoy your children, we only have them for a short time. 

  

- Ray 

 

 

 

Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved