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Chaparosa Grill holds a Fundraiser for Haiti

0 Comments By Amanda Wernick on February 4th, 2010
Categories: Uncategorized

I had the opportunity today to interview a man that has left a deep impression on me…let me tell you why. I’m fairly active on different online sites. This doesn’t surprise anyone that knows me. I was on my Facebook page a few weeks back and got an update that Chaparosa Grill was having a Fundraising event to help Haiti. This touched my heart!

I’ve always been passionate about giving back to the community and I support as many charities as I can. This is one of the reasons I joined Seven Gables Real Estate. I knew that they had deep Community Roots…
like leads to like….

So I called Tony and set the appointment. I was nervous and excited and couldn’t wait for Thursday to come…so much so that it was difficult for me to sleep Wednesday night!

This is Tony :

Q. Who is Tony?
A. The owner of Chaparosa Grill

Q. How long have you been in this line of work?
A. Been in this type of business all my life. I also have a second Chaparosa Grill in Laguna. It’s the third Restaurant I’ve owned.

Q. Where did the name come from?
A. In the original location in Laguna, our location was next to Chaparosa Park-We wanted a local name.

Q. Who chose the menu?
A. I did. Its California cuisine with a Caribbean twist…

And when I asked about that…here’s what I found out…

Tony: My wife and I have traveled the world a bit and go down to the Caribbean. That’s why we were inspired to help. It was just a Natural thing to want to help…

Q. How many People attended your fundraiser?
A. We had 2 events, one at each location so between the two locations, we got close to 200 people with about 64 people who actually dined. Others relaxed and enjoyed some drinks.

Q: How much money were you able to raise at the events?
A: We were able to raise $1,767.00.

Q: Have you had people come back to your restaurant because of your charity work.
A: Most were regular customers, we have a really good support system and a core of people who visit us.

Q: What did you get of helping?
A: I got satisfaction in trying to make a difference. I’m very active in Community events and Charities.

Q: Charities such as what?
A: Well the weekend before the Haiti event, we had an event for Leukemia/Lymphoma, as well as for Cystic fibrosis, March of Dimes and local schools…any major disasters: Katrina or Tsunami’s we find ourselves helping out wherever we can.

Needless to say, I was impressed with his attitude. He went on:
“It doesn’t matter what it is you do, it’s really just about doing something…It’s the way I was raised. I’m from England and when we were young we would have yard sales to raise money to repair the church roof for example…we weren’t rich, so we would ask others if they would like to contribute and we’d sell what they gave us”.
Something that struck me was his humility…that he would do this anyway, without looking for any recognition.

He also holds Culinary Demonstrations! Monday February 22nd at 7 p.m. he’ll be demonstrating how to cook:

Spinach & Ricotta Crepe
Indian Spiced Lamb Shank
Butterscotch Pudding

Cost includes 2 glasses of wine, coffee, tax and gratuity!

So, I am now a bigger fan of Tony and his restaurant Chaparosa Grill:

Find Chaparosa Grill on Facebook and become a fan!
Locations:
Marina Hills Laguna Niguel
30271 Golden Lantern Ste D
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-5983
Golden Lantern and Marina Hills
Telephone: 949-363-9888
Fax: 949-363-0536

The District
2449 Park Avenue (in front AMC Movie Theater)
Tustin, CA 92782
Telephone: 714-259-9888

Favorite Music:
Caribbean, Reggae, Calypso

If you want to schedule a “Tweet-Up” or other event, contact Toni at his business number or email…
Email:chaparosagrill@cox.net
Website:http://www.chaparosagrill.com

Team USA

0 Comments By Amanda Wernick on January 29th, 2010
Categories: Real Estate, Uncategorized

The Winter Olympics will soon be under way and personally, I CAN’T WAIT! I love to see it from the very beginning…Getting to know each of the athletes as they work to make their dream a reality. Watching them compete on a level that so few of us (aside from die-hard athletes pro or not) will ever experience.

They train for years, whether they feel good or not. Injuries, mental struggles, physical limitations mean nothing to them. Some sports are “one man” such as skating, snowboarding or skiing. Other sports such as couples figure skating or the Luge rely on timing, coordination, a meeting of the minds that is so close, a split second makes the difference between winning the Gold, or going home with nothing to show for it but a bruised body, and for some, bruised egos.

In the end they all compete as TEAM USA…looking to win as many Gold medals for themselves, for our country.

How does this relate to Real Estate you might ask? I’ll tell you how I see it.

In real estate, it is so important for you as a buyer or seller to have a team of professionals help you on your journey. Your team may not include world famous coaches, or dieticians, or even medical staff, but a team, nevertheless.

Your Realtor is your frontrunner. If this were the Luge, your Realtor would be front and center…finding out what your needs are and how they can best help you achieve your goal. They would give you advice on which direction to take and how to get there.

Next would be your Loan Officer. They would be right behind your Realtor, looking at interest rates, tax benefits (remember the first time homebuyers tax credit) and ensuring that all documentation is in place, speaking to the bank on your behalf and working to make sure your loan funds and records like originally planned.

Next is your Escrow officer. They are the third man in. They make sure that title orders are placed; Home Owner Associations paperwork is ready, pay out in a timely fashion any monies owed and ensuring that they work with your Realtor and Lender to have your transaction close smoothly.

Lastly is the “anchor”: The brokerage. A company with its pulse on the market and community, ensuring that all of the agents that work there are knowledgeable and have continued access to management should the need arise and a staff on hand to answer any questions you may have, from finding a Home Stager to a roofing specialist.

There are others in your team…members that work behind the scene to assist you in buying and selling your home. The Marketing Department, the Title Company, the Home Inspector, the Transaction Coordinator: all working hard for you from day one.

We at Seven Gables work with you, whether you are a first time Home Buyer or an experienced Seller and strive to have a great team working for you. From our Concierge Services to the Marketing Department. We’re here to work for YOU…Doesn’t that feel good?

One last note: take a moment to see who will be competing to be a part of TEAM USA WINTER OLYMPICS! http://www.teamusa.org/making_teamusa

Banks…They are really just like us!

0 Comments By Mike Hickman on November 12th, 2009
Categories: Newsletter, Uncategorized

Do you stay awake at night trying to figure out why Banks have been given billions of government bailout bucks but seem unable to lend that money out again? Do you ever wonder why Banks take so long to approve short sales? The answer is simple…they are just like us!

Faced with the worst Recession since the 1929 stock market collapse, consumers have completely changed their spending habits. Instead of spending they are actually saving. In fact, Americans have gone from a “0”savings rate during the run up in home prices to one approaching 7% today. This is the highest rate since 1993! The reason for this phenomenon is simple; we are uncertain about the future so we want to have cash as a “cushion” for tough times. Banks want the same cushion but they have fancier name for it…”capital preservation” or “liquidity”. If the Federal Government gave you $20,000 right now would you buy something or put it in your savings account?

As for “short sales” (the sale of a property for less than what is owed on the mortgage), consider what a hard decision has to be made by the Bank’s Directors. Do we agree to a specified loss now or wait to hope for a better return? If the asset is performing now (mortgage payments are current), why move it to a non-performing asset and take a loss? Would taking the property back in foreclosure give us a better return? If you are “upside-down” in your home mortgage, you are probably agonizing over the same decisions Banks have to make. The difference is that they have thousands of them to make, shareholders to satisfy and regulators to report to!

The bottom line is that you can expect the mortgage money to start flowing again as soon as Bank Balance Sheets improve along with their outlook forth future. This should happen around the same time we feel confident enough to spend some of our savings!

A thought about the meaning of the word team

0 Comments By Mike Hickman on November 11th, 2009
Categories: Uncategorized

There is no “I” in team

Coach Gary Adams was my mentor back in the day when I played baseball at UC Irvine. Through him I learned the true meaning of the word team.

His sage advice and understanding of what it means to be a team player is in constant playback in my mind as I manage the day to day rigors of running a luxury real estate brand. Today, his words served as the alarm clock as I woke from a strained sleep onboard this trans Atlantic flight from the UK to Toronto where I am returning from a two-week holiday with my son.

We departed on this journey in the beginning of October – my last chance in a foreseeable future to spend two weeks as father and son seeing the world together.

For most company Presidents, there is no perfect time to leave. This was no exception. Looming over this trip was the impending launch of our company website and the dozens of components that still needed to be created and decisions that needed to be made. I could have entertained postponing my trip. But I didn’t. There was no reason to. Not with the team I had assembled and the sensibilities taught to me by Coach Adams so many years ago about trusting the collective.

As I awoke and attempted to stretch my limbs across the constricted spaces of the plane’s interior, I thought about how lucky I was to have this experience; indeed a trip of a lifetime. The theater in London. Westminster Abbey. The pictures with the Beefeaters. The Louvre. Gustav’s Tower in Paris. Laughs that were never-ending. The food in Rome along with the Segway Tours and the miles of walking and the countless people that touched our lives and we theirs while all along, my faith in my staff who were attending to the most important agenda items for us this year and next was at an equal all time high.

I am back now. And blown away by what has been accomplished in my absence. To turn an operation the size of Seven Gables Real Estate over to a team where each member did their part without hesitation, flawlessly and all the while telling me to not call or contact them, but to rather enjoy each minute of my time away, reminded me of what Coach Adams accomplished when he hand picked those remarkable championship teams and what can be accomplished when a leader has the right team in place.

As we begin to roll out a host of new features aimed at providing our customers the very best online experience and information about our great marketplace, I am reminded of what Coach Adams and Coach Wooden taught me many years prior: There is no “I” in team. He was so right.

I am eternally grateful to GM, Lisa Greubel, CTO, Eric Duncan, personal assistant Karen Doss, Marketing Director, Gina Santanello and her amazing team, Kelli and Shelly and Audrey in accounting and each of the office administrators and transaction coordinators overseeing our offices. They are the best team any coach/President could ever ask for.