I am always making lemonade.  Well, maybe not literally, but when things take an unexpected turn, I do look to change course and make the best of it.  You know that I like to cook so about three months ago I dedicated myself to cooking for the family more.  I cracked open a Middle Eastern Cookbook, Ottolenghi, by Yotan Ottolenghi and explored many new dishes.  My dad and I made homemade pasta for the first time.  To do it, we pulled out his circa 1999 pasta machine, STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL PACKING, and used it for the first time.  I also made my first grapefruit margaritas; a little tequila, a little Grand Marnier, fresh juice from grapefruits right off the tree, fresh lime juice, honey and cracked ice, all vigorously shaken.  Much better than lemonade!                               ... 06/22/2020

Elk Grove West of Highway 99     Elk Grove pricing has been holding up well year over year, but there has been  a general down trend over the last few months (See links below for past month information).  The median price for March and April, respectively, was $465,000 and $470,000.   Thirty five of the sold homes had two or more offers and homes did sell for 99.7% of their list price.  As long as you follow recommended practices, you can view homes in Elk Grove.  Call me if you would like to make an appointment.View homes in West Elk Grove     We have two really nice 55+ communities in Elk Grove; Heritage at Lakeside and Glenbrooke by Del Webb.View 55+ Commnities in West Elk Grove      Laguna Area Homes    Pricing in the Laguna area is similar to the West Elk Grove area.  It is up year... 06/09/2020

        Day tripping is one of the many benefits of living in Elk Grove, CA.  We have so many fun places to visit within two hours.  Today we visited Deer Creek Tribute Trail near Nevada City.  The trail head was less than one and a half hours from Elk Grove.  It is a gorgeous area, but the trails are a little convoluted.  There are two separate starting points.  One starting point is the Angkula Seo (Deer Creek) Suspension Bridge.               We enjoyed this section of the trail more than the second area.  Once you cross the bridge and travel a few hundred yards, there is a fork in the trail with three choices (too many choices!).  We chose the path to the right and a short ways down the path, we discovered the site of an old mining operation.  There is not much left of the operation... 05/17/2020

    Elk Grove West of Hwy 99     View Homes in West Elk GroveView Homes in Heritage Lakeside and Glenbrooke (55+ Communities)     We were off to a very strong start in Elk Grove this year prior to the Covid 19 pandemic.  April pricing held up in Elk Grove even considering that some of these sales occurred after the stay at home order was given.  April Median home prices were up 4.4% year over year and about $5,000 over March (See March Report 2020).  We could only show vacant homes over most of last month, but that order has lifted and it should be easier showing homes again. I am looking forward to a more normal market for home buyers and home sellers to operate in.  Lakeside, Laguna West and StonelakeView Homes in Lakeside, Laguna West and Stonelake     The Laguna area is part of West... 05/12/2020

Elk Grove March 2020 vs. March 2019  VIEW CURRENT HOMES FOR SALE IN ELK GROVEVIEW CURRENT HOMES FOR SALE IN LAGUNA WEST LAKESIDE AND STONELAKE Elk Grove     These charts show sold homes that went into contract early in the year, mostly January and February.  Doesn't that seem like a lifetime ago?  The stay at home order due to COVID 19 has created a lot of market uncertainty not reflected in these past numbers.  The pandemic has definitely affected our Elk Grove market; 11 homes were put on hold and 11 listing contracts were canceled since the middle of March.  The number of homes going pending has also gone down.  As of April 10th, Elk Grove has 96 homes for sale with a median price of $483,249.  It will be interesting to see how the current conditions will affect our Elk Grove pricing... 04/11/2020

8757 Fallbright Way, Elk Grove, CA 95624Gorgeous 4 Bed 4 Bath home nestled in the highly sought after Camden Passage of Elk Grove. This home features a full downstairs bedroom & bath, a fantastic floor plan & plenty of natural light. The updates include a newer HVAC system (2014), newer carpeting and paint installed in 2019, newer fixtures, & a PPA solar system for energy efficiency. This home sits on a premium oversized lot with possible RV storage. Enjoy the landscaping installed last year including new sprinklers, controls, & back fence. Finally talk about location, located in the award-winning Elk Grove School District, walking distance to parks, great dining and shopping options just minutes away, and easy freeway access makes this home an amazing opportunity for the next lucky fam... 04/03/2020

Too much news, too much work and too much stress so it was time for a little diversion from my normal road to the Cosumnes River Preserve.  Yes, I did play a little hooky this afternoon, but it was worth every single minute.        I love all the wildlife, but this stealthy hunter was fascinating.  He was relentless...focused. His prey did not have a chance. He did not even notice me. It was beautiful to watch.                                   I rarely get to enjoy our small oasis just outside Elk Grove. It is part of fifty thousand protected acres surrounding the Cosumnes River.  It was just what I needed, a quiet afternoon.  Definitely a great day for me.  For the bird's dinner, not so much.     It kind of puts it all in perspective.  Risk is everywhere.  The trick is to stay focused... 03/16/2020

You're invited to participate in our upcoming Elk Grove Community Garage Sales!It's time to get rid of some stuff and get ready for spring! The Newington Group with Keller Williams Realty is facilitating a neighborhood garage sale to help you clean out your garages and closets!Our team will fully market the Neighborhood Garage Sale by running ads, handing out flyers, putting out signs and maps, and we will drop off a supply bag for you to prepare for an effective garage sale! There's absolutely no cost to you! We are here to serve our neighbors!We have two large garage sales planned on the east side of Elk Grove! May 9th 8am - Noon in East Elk Grove May 23rd 8am - Noon in Old Town Elk GroveGET REGISTERED >> www.ElkGroveGarageSale.com GET REGISTERED >> www.ElkGroveGarageSale.comMake sure... 03/08/2020

Elk Grove's Best of Business, 2020     It is time for this year's Elk Grove's Best of Business competition.  It is amazing the transformation Elk Grove has gone through since I  moved here in 1999.  We went from a few restaurants and traveling to South Sacramento to see a movie to a very vibrant community with plenty of wondrful companies.  Every company in the competition deserves our support, but I wanted to showcase a few of my favorites.  Of course, if you see a real estate agent that looks familiar (Testimonials), I would appreciate your vote. ;o)  Click here to vote for Elk Grove's Best of Business competition. My Top Choices Best Local Non-Profit,  Runnin for Rhett-I belong to this organization as a participant, coach, and volunteer.  We are in the midst of coaching kids all over... 03/06/2020

Glenbrooke by Del Webb Glenbrooke by Del Webb is a 55+ senior community centrally located in the Laguna Ridge neighborhood of Elk Grove. There are only two 55+ communities in Elk Grove, Glenbrooke and Heritage Lakeside.View Homes in Glenbrooke and Heritage Lakeside     Glenbrooke features 4 community parks, Rose Garden Park, Promenade Park, Bridgeview Park and, my personal favorite, Storybook Woods Park.  It has dinosaurs!  Horseshoe park is just outside the community.  Our grandson, Russell, just loves it!  There are plenty of restaurants and retail stores close by including, Nugget Market, Walmart, Costco, Kohl's, Trader Joe's, HomeGoods, Starbucks, Round Table Pizza, Pho Lotus, Rao Thai Eatery and much more.  The Elk Grove Senior Center is five minutes away.     There is plenty to ke... 02/22/2020

     Heritage Lakeside is a 55+, gated community in Elk Grove, CA, with easy access to Interstate 5.  The community features 269 single story homes.  Some bordering our man made lake, Heron Lake.  It is one of two 55+ communities in Elk Grove.  The other community, Glenbrooke by Del Webb is also very nice and I will review it soon.  Heritage Lakeside   We used to walk our dog, Zeke, through the nearby fields when they started building Heritage Lakeside, circa 2002.  We often wondered how it would all turn out.   Yes, I am biased. We raised our kids in the Lakeside community, but the builders did a wonderful job with this community!      Heritage Lakeside is perfectly located within walking distance to numerous top notch restaurants like the Flaming Grill, Original Pete's, The India Kitc... 02/16/2020

     The Problem-Mildew     Many times, my past Henson Painting clients assumed that their mildew covered house needed to be painted.  It was quite common to clean their homes and have them question whether painting the house was really needed.  Removing mildew can be that dramatic.  Mildew is also hard on painted surfaces and can lead to premature paint failure.  There is a surprising amount of mildew on homes in the Sacramento region for such a dry climate.  It can be very prevalent on the shady side of a home or under the eaves.  Below is a picture of the mildew covered siding, eaves and gutters at my rental.  Yes, yes, I have been a little lax in maintaining it.  In my defense, it is in Arkansas and I live in Elk Grove, CA.  It is quite a commute!                                    ... 02/07/2020

    Our new Runnin for Rhett Training kicks off the 2020 season this Sat., Jan. 4th at 8 am.  Have you ever wanted to participate in a 5k, 10k, half marathon or further?  This is your chance.  We will be training for various road and trail races, including the Super Sunday Run, Shamrock'n, Run Because You Can, Fourmidable, Knickerbacker Canyon and the Folsom Lake Trail Run.  Our name makes it sound like we are a running group, but we offer many different ways to train.  You can run, run/walk or walk (we also have groups involved with Pickelball, golfing and snowshoeing). This is what our Elk Grove group has planned.9:00 min/mile – All Run – Raj Subedi9:30 min/mile – All Run – Randy Seevers/Ray Henson5 min run/1 min walk – Tami Dokter/Debi Seifert4 min run/1 min walk – Rhi Breton/Heidi E... 01/01/2020

9158 Old Creek Dr, Elk Grove, Ca 95758 | Elk Grove Single Story Home Sold | Elk Grove California Real Estate Agent Jesse Coffey SOLD! This large single story home is located in Elk Grove California and is a short drive from Highway 99, Interstate 5, and Downtown Sacramento. The home was built in 1988 and it is located in the Laguna Park Village neighborhood. The list price was $395,000. We received 3 offers and the home sold above the list price for $400,000. 9158 Old Creek Dr, Elk Grove, Ca 95758 View all Elk Grove California homes for sale. How much is your Elk Grove California home worth? This large single story home for sale is located in Laguna Park Village. This home has 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, a large living area, and a spacious kitchen that opens to the inviting family ro... 12/26/2019

Lewis Park in Elk Grove is one of our smaller parks. Lewis Park is located on Elk Grove Blvd in East Elk Grove. Located across the street of Strong Park, this small park has a lot to offer. There is a play structure for the kids, grass to run free, and covered area to have a picnic.  Location of Lewis Park9615 Black Swan Drive, Elk Grove, CA 95624Elk Grove has the best parks! There are all over town and they each offer their own charm. Make sure you take time and get outside and enjoy one of our many parks! Make sure to download out FREE Park Guide for Elk Grove! If you are thinking of moving to Elk Grove, make sure to reach out so we can give you a tour of the area and our favorite Elk Grove neighborhoods. You can search for homes in Elk Grove anytime at www.HomeSearchElkGrove.com! We ... 12/09/2019

I love to cook so when I go out to dinner I like something prepared well and something that is different.  Todo un Poco (a bit of everything) definitely fits that criteria.The Ambiance:From the moment you walk in the door, you know it will be a different experience.  Here is a small sampling of what you will see, including my favorite photo bomb of all time.                The Food: There is standard Mexican and Italian fare, like lasagna, different kinds of chiles relleno and tortilla soup.  The tortilla soup was the best I have ever tasted.  Then there is the not so standard fare, like Mexican lasagna, chicken and cilantro pasta, Punjabi Pizza and Jalisco heat pizza.  They are all delicious and you will not be finding those dishes at another restaurant.  What about dessert?  The churr... 12/07/2019

Homes for sale in the Waterman Meadows neighborhood in Elk GroveWhy do people live here?Waterman Meadows is close to one of the best parks in Elk Grove Jack Hill Park. Homes in this neighborhood do not sell often. There is a grocery story and convenience store nearby and many restaurants to choose from. There is also a Starbuck's and local coffee shop as well. Oh and don't forget about Coldstone and Jamba Juice. Looking for a home in the Waterman Meadows neighborhood?Interested in finding homes for sale in this neighborhood? See all the homes for sale in Waterman Meadows now >>We would love to show you around some of our favorite neighborhoods here in Elk Grove! Just reach out and let's get started!     12/01/2019

     We do not frequent coffee shops often, but sometimes after church, we make an exception.  We like shops that are a little different and our Elk Grove favorite is 18 Grams.   It is cozy place with some tasty treats.  Last Sunday, we enjoyed one of their cinnamon rolls.  It had plenty of flavor and was not overly sweet.  They really shine with their assortment of drinks, though.  They have all of the standard selections and the not so standard, like the 18 to the Brain.  It is a quad shot shaken with condensed milk.  It is a real pick me up.  They have Vietnamese  and Thai selections as well.  Sunday, Mary Margaret enjoyed an iced mocha and I really enjoyed this Mexican Mocha.  It was flavored with cayenne and cinnamon sugar.  Delicious!                                               ... 11/27/2019

Homes for sale in Old Town Elk Grove Why do people live here? Old Town Elk Grove has it's own vibe. A lot of money has been invested in this area with public parking and outdoor venue for events. Elk Grove Blvd is shut down often for events and parades. Top restaurants and bars withing walking distance. Parks and walking trails in all directions. Looking for a home in the Old Town Elk Grove neighborhood? Interested in finding homes for sale in this neighborhood? See all the homes for sale in Old Town Elk Grove now >> http://bit.ly/OldTownElkGroveHomes We would love to show you around some of our favorite neighborhoods here in Elk Grove! Just reach out and let's get started! 11/24/2019

Homes for sale in the East Park neighborhood in Elk GroveWhy do people live here?East Park is within walking distance to three highly rated schools, parks, and shopping. There is a grocery and convenience store nearby and many restaurants to choose from. There is also a Starbuck's and local coffee shop as well. Oh and don't forget about Coldstone and Jamba Juice. Looking for a home in the East Park neighborhood?Interested in finding homes for sale in this neighborhood? See all the homes for sale in East Park now >>We would love to show you around some of our favorite neighborhoods here in Elk Grove! Just reach out and let's get started!     11/24/2019