VICTORIA WILSON, REALTOR® Victoria’s Home Newsaccount-storage.diversesolutions.com/files/f... · Feng Shui is a 4000 year old Chinese philosophy that supports living in harmony

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Count Your Blessings A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was addressed, "Mom." With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and started to read the letter: Dear Mom: It is with great joy that I’m writing to tell you I’ve eloped with my new boyfriend . I've been finding real passion with Dylan and he is so nice—even with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Mom, I'm pregnant and Dylan said that we will be very happy. He already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams, too. Dylan taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want.

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, imagination and an unbeatable

determination to do the job at hand.

� Count Your Blessings

� MARKET NEWS � Running Of The Bulls � Invention Of the Popsicle � Negotiation Tip of the

Month � Olympic History � Staging Tip of the Month � Unique Vacation

Welcome New Clients

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

VICTORIA WILSON, REALTOR®

Victoria’s Home News JULY 2012

In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Dylan can get better; he sure deserves it! Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and know how to take care of myself. Someday we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children. Your daughter, Mackenzie PS: Mom, really I'm over at the neighbor's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card, which is on the kitchen table. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home. When you’re tempted to blow your stack, just imagine how much worse it could be and count your blessings!

Have a great July! Victoria

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Combined with reliable sales volumes, fewer active listings have translated into competing bids on existing inventory and modest price gains in select neighborhoods. Informed sellers have noticed some homes selling quicker and for closer to asking price. Home searches are turning up far fewer results than in recent years. National headlines mask regional variability. With fewer distressed properties selling, prices are effectively “melting up” due to less downward pressure. Things look pretty good all around. New Listings in the Austin region increased 7.9 percent to 3,825. Pending Sales were up 30.7 percent to 2,948. Inventory levels shrank 26.4 percent to 8,895 units. Prices moved higher. The Median Sales Price increased 9.4 percent to $210,000. Days on Market was down 20.6 percent to 60 days. The supply-demand balance stabilized as Months Supply of Inventory was down 40.4 percent to 4.4 months. In economic news, May's jobs report was disappointing, and there's a growing concern about the pace of domestic growth. Last month was also unsettling for investors, prompting some to hunt for better returns in the housing market. This forces other consumers up the price ladder. In politics, the Senate approved a 60-day National Flood Insurance Program extension. But with campaign season upon us, major housing-related bills or policy shifts are unlikely.

Market News from Austin Board of Realtors—As of June 1, 2012

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Running Of The Bulls July 6-14 is the famous Pamplona Running of the Bulls event, during which anyone over 18 can jump in front of or chase behind a herd of bulls running through the streets of the city. Spanish lore says the true origin of the run began in north-eastern Spain during the early 14th century. While transporting cattle in order to sell at the market, men would attempt to speed the process by hurrying their cattle using tactics of fear and excitement. After years of this practice, the transportation and hurrying began to turn into a competition. Young adults would attempt to race in front of the bulls and make it safely to their pens without being overtaken. When the popularity of this practice increased and was noticed by the expanding population of Spanish cities, a tradition was created and stands to this day. Since 1910, 16 people have been killed in Pamplona.

Invention Of The Popsicle

The Popsicle was invented by an 11 year old who kept it secret for 18 years. The inventor was Frank Epperson who, in 1905, left a mixture of powdered soda and water out on the porch, which contained a stir stick. That night, temperatures in San Francisco reached a

record low. When he woke the next morning, he discovered that it had frozen to the stir stick, creating a fruit flavored ice treat that he humbly named the epsicle. Eighteen years later he patented it and called it the Popsicle.

Negotiation Tip of the Month Try not to become too emotionally attached to winning. Shouting, threatening and demanding to get your way is counter-productive.

Most deals are only possible if both people feel they're getting something out of it. If the person across the table feels attacked, or doesn't like you, they probably won't back down. Many people hate bullies, and will be more willing to walk away from a transaction/conversation if it involves one.

Keep calm, patient and friendly, even if the other person starts losing their cool. Make sure you leave any pride or ego at the door. You're much more likely to do well that way.

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Olympic History

According to tradition, the first Olympics took place in 776 BC. While one legend claims the games were established by Heracles (Hercules), who brought a sacred olive tree to Olympia, an alternative myth has the hero Pelops (from which the name of the Peloponnese region of Greece originates) establishing the festival after defeating King Oenomaus in a chariot race. Whatever the precise origin of the games, they became a central aspect of Greek culture very early on and in many ways were the most important factor uniting the Greeks. The games were held every fourth year, with the four year span being called an Olympiad. From what we know of them they were brutal spectacles, with few rules and a strong emphasis on proving the participants' masculinity. Women were not allowed to be spectators, and the penalty if they were caught was to be thrown off a nearby cliff.

At first most competitors were drawn from the wealthiest, aristocratic class of Greeks since the time required for training precluded participation in everyday work. As time went on the Olympics became less exclusive, and poorer athletes were able to find 'sponsorship' in order that they might also compete. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee in 1894.

Staging Tip

Of the Month Feng Shui is a 4000 year old Chinese philosophy that supports living in harmony with one’s environment and living with awareness. For those who are unfamiliar with Feng Shui, it is a philosophy whose name literally means wind and water.

Feng Shui real estate methods use the wind side to create an environment that appeals to how we form relationships with the place in which we live, and the water aspect to create a free flowing, harmonious bal-ance of movement.

The best place to start suing Feng Shui real estate techniques to sell a home is the main entrance. Obvi-ously the exterior entrance is the first area potential buyers will see. Keep it clear of debris and in good repair. Any dead plants or trees should be removed. In good Feng Shui, dead plants don’t promote a harmonious flow of energy.

Make sure windows and doors are clean and in excel-lent working order. Any water feature used to enhance the front of the house should be clean with crystal clear water.

The Opening Ceremony of the London2012 Olympic Games

is on Friday, July 27, 2012.

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Unique Vacation Ideas Unique Vacation Ideas #1:

If you are looking for something unusual to do on your next vacation, how about attending the World

Championship Rotary Tiller Race. Every year the

town of Emerson, in southwestern Arkansas, holds the

PurpleHull Pea Festival at the end of June. The dirt flies at the main event where contestants race to see who

has the fastest rototiller. The "world record" is a

blazing 24 miles per hour. It's wacky but fun. You can

enjoy the pea-shelling contest, fireworks, the PurpleHull Pageant and the Million Tiller Parade.

Unique Vacation Ideas #2: If you love photography and outdoor adventure,

Outdoor River Specialists ( O.A.R.S. ) may have

the vacation you are looking for. O.A.R.S. has been

arranging great vacations since 1969 and among

their many offerings are their Photography Trips. You

will head out into the scenic American western

landscape with naturalist guides and a professional

photographer.

The goal is to assist you in achieving the best

possible nature photography images. At the same time you will be kayaking, hiking and

camping in some of the most beautiful areas of the country such as the Wild and Scenic

Tuolumne River in California, Bearpaw and Leigh Lakes in Yellowstone National Park or the

protected wilderness of the Main Salmon in Idaho.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to both work with and learn from a successful

professional photographer and also challenge your outdoor adventure skills.

Unique Vacation Ideas #3: Global Exchange - Lots of people want to travel to places around

the world but have no interest in the standard tourist itineraries.

They want to experience a different culture from the more intimate

view of the locals rather than as a tourist. If this is you, than take a

look at something called a “Reality Tour”. One of the pioneers in

reality tours is a San Francisco based company called Global

Exchange. They offer close to dozens of reality tours around the

world.

What is a reality tour? Global Exchange works with local leaders and

organizations designed to aid local development. They put together a

reality tour package that provides you with a close-up intimate and

educational interaction with local cultures. Meaningful relationships

are created that build and strengthen international ties and

cooperation. One example is a tour to India where learn about efforts

to protect and conserve the traditional culture and endangered

wildlife, visit 1,000 year old Buddhist temples, participate in a

Looking For A Home in Another City, State or

Country?

Moreland Properties is part of an elite world wide network made up of top real estate

companies.

We can help you find a qualified Realtor to assist you

or someone you know with finding your new home where

ever that may be.

Contact me for more information. 512-748-7514

� What did that house across the street sell for?

� Need help finding a Plummer, electrician, window washer, etc.?

CALL ME.

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mountain yak safari, stay with the villagers in Asia’s highest village, Komic.

Unique Vacation Ideas #4: At Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, in the Mesa Verde region of southwestern

Colorado, is an internationally renowned institution which provides families with the

opportunity to spend their vacation time helping to uncover the mysteries of the American

Indian past. On a Crow Canyon archaeology adventure vacation your family will be working

along side archeologists on various research projects such as excavating and reconstructing a

large Pueblo Indian village dating from the A.D. 1200s.

Help study and analyze the thousands of samples and artifacts that are unearthed during a

dig. You don’t need any experience, just the desire to learn and have fun learning something

new and interesting. Your lodging during this unusual family vacation idea will be comfortable

log cabins built in the style of Navajo hogans.

Unique Vacation Ideas #5: By Rusty from Kentucky - The Red River Gorge in

Powell County, Kentucky is a favorite place to take a

vacation. There are so many things to do at the Gorge

that you can't do it all in a weekend, so you will most

likely become a return visitor.

You can get a log cabin close to the Natural Bridge and

hike there or just take your tents and camp in the

woods. Rock climbing at the Gorge is some of the best

in the world. There is no feeling like climbing 100 ft. in

the air on a cliff face. Something about it is just life

changing and everyone that is able should try it at

least once in their life.

This year they added a new zip-line. Another

attraction there is the via ferrata that is supposed to

be awesome. It is a big gorge that anyone at any

climbing level can go and climb the rock faces with

guides. No experience or equipment is necessary.

They supply everything.

Unique Vacation Ideas #6: Take the family on an authentic re-creation of a pioneer covered wagon train. Wagons West

Wyoming is a company that specializes in covered wagon treks in the Wyoming wilderness

where you can experience the life of the pioneers who traveled across the country in the 1800s

to settle the west. You can ride the wagon or jump in the saddle of a gentle riding horse.

Sleeping is also in the covered wagon or you can choose a tent or out under the stars. You will

eat chuckwagon style meals cooked over an open fire using dutch ovens. If you enjoy

horseback riding there are special guided trail rides during the trip. The covered wagon trek

takes place in the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Mount Leidy Highlands along unused

roads.

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS

Here are some of the new clients who became members of my “Real

Estate” family this past month.

RYAN & JAMILLE RUESBAUM

Home for Lease 78704

CHARLIE & MILDRED MAST Home PENDING in the Villas of

Treemont

Thank you for thinking of me when someone asks,

“Do you know a good Realtor?”

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July Home News

1005 RR 620 South Austin, TX 78734

VICTORIA WILSON REALTOR®, MCNE, ASP

512-748-7514 [email protected]

Delivering you… more knowledge more resources more value moreland properties

25 years in Austin Real Estate

Go Green: Recycle This Newsletter!

This newsletter is intended for entertainment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known. Any omission of credit to an author is purely unintentional and should not be construed as plagiarism or literary theft.

Copyright 2012 Victoria Wilson

This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Any and all decisions and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor and/or CPA. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without

proper medical, financial, legal or tax advice.