Pacita's Quick Bytes of Real Estate: February 2009

I've got to go on a diet!

Ah, vanity...and a cold dose of reality. They say TV puts on 10 lbs on you. But after seeing myself, it looks like I've gained 100 lbs!

My house is worth what?

The show is "My house is worth what?" and it aired tonight at 11 pm EST/PST, and will air again this Sunday at 7pm.

Tonight's episode is about "Assessing the Value of Various Renovations", For this segment, my clients' duet  (but the show calls it a duplex!) was featured. Even after the remodeling they've done and still doing, their property is worth $100K LESS than what they paid for it 3 years ago, And we don't see that improving any time soon.

Discover Ahhhh-lameda!

Seriously...it was wonderful to have our island city of Alameda have a bit of exposure since this is somewhat of a "secret" island on San Francisco Bay.

Although the featured home on tonight's show is a contemporary duet, what Alameda is famous for is its collection of vintage homes -- Victorians, Tudors and Craftsman. Add to that our many sunny days, wonderful weather, and close proximity to San Francisco. So come on down!

 

In a separate post, I blogged: Be careful when showing property --- the life you save is your own. Recent acts of violence against Realtors got me thinking of GPS Tracker. See http://www.instamapper.com/iphone

Although some folks probably would balk at having their whereabouts tracked, I am more concerned about my loved ones being able to find me if necessary.

HOW TO FIND ME

So I activated GPS Tracker on my iPhone and I set it up so that it's accurate up to 300 feet. For more information, click on these links:

How it works
Features
Interactive demo

COMPATIBLE PHONES

It is compatible with the following phones: iPhone, Android, recent Blackberries (specifically those bought from AT&T and Sprint), Motorola IDEN phones, and more.

HOW MUCH? 

And from the FAQ comes the best news: the application is free! 

WHY GET IT?

I can think of a few good, and for me, the most important examples:

• If I need to let my partner know where I am at all times (for safety reasons), I can tell him to turn on the GPS tracker to find me
• If my car/briefcase/purse is stolen and my iPhone is with it, this is another way to   track the movement of where the iPhone is. It's like a LOJACK for my iphone
• I've heard of people getting lost (as in the case of a family that trapped in a remote mountain road one brutal winter. If they had their cell phone equipped with GPS tracker, they would have been found sooner without loss of life.)

I know, I know...it's like Big Brother is watching your every move. Guess you have to really have a lot of faith in whom you entrust to find you. Since we are in a very hazardous profession, I don't think I would really mind.

It's a personal choice.....but I'm glad it's available.

 

When we hear of violence committed against Realtors, it is a grim reminder of the risks we take when showing property. This is a hazardous profession --- so let's be careful out there!

Recent examples of violence against REALTORS

• Just recently, Michael Greenslade posted that I was robbed at gun point this afternoon while showing a client a listing
• And in picturesque and beautiful Victoria Island in British Columbia, a young realtor was slain while showing property in a tony neighborhood http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080204.BCREALTOR04/TPStory/National 

So what are the risky things we do/have done?

• Showing your listing based on a phone call from strangers who want to see it
• Showing property after dark
• Riding with prospective clients we don't know too well, instead of meeting them at the property
• Not getting information about the prospects -- their full (and verified) names, email addresses, mailing addresses if possible, legitimate phone numbers
  • http://www.reversephonedirectory.com/
  • http://verify-email.org/

And what are the things we could do to protect ourselves?

• Get photocopy of drivers license or some form of ID, and giving copy to someone at the office before leaving for the appointment
• Verify email and phone number (there is reverse phone number lookup, email verification)
• Keep all this information on your calendar --- both in your phone and your computer
• Learn basic self-defense
• Trust your gut --- nervous about a contact or showing? Then don't!
• Or get someone to go with you
• Periodically check in with someone to let him/her know where you are
• Get someone to come with you if the showing
• When showing property, stay close to the door so you are close to the exit, Let the prospective buyer look on his/her own
• Initiate the GPS Tracker on your phone (iPhone application has this, so anyone can track your whereabouts based on your iPhone signal)
• Establish a buddy system with a co-realtor or someone who will look out for you

I'm sure there are a lot of ways we can protect ourselves, and also avoid situations where we may be in danger.  We just have to remember to be careful at all times.

Related post: Think of safety first, and not just of making a sale

It's raining, it's pouring...

For the second consecutive rainy Sunday, I held an open house for a cozy (okay, small!) bungalow. It was wet, windy and cold. Brrr!

Last Sunday, there was a steady flow of people, some of whom are just beginning to look into buying a home and want to "see what's there." I was hoping this Sunday, there would again be many folks who would come to the open house in spite of the rain.

Knowing that the day would be cold and wet, I brought a tea pot to heat beverages (cider, chocolate and International Coffee) for anyone who would want it.

And come, they did! Some of them even accepted the offer for hot cider and hot chocolate. And when they did, they lingered and asked questions.

Non-stop open house guests

What was surprising is the number of people who braved the nasty weather today to go to open houses.There was a couple who toted their baby (in a covered carrier, of course). Others had notebooks and printouts. We'd like to think that these folks are serious buyers.

Brisk activity in other open houses

Other folks from my office who held open houses today also said they were swamped by the non-stop stream of lookers.

Is this good news? YOU BETCHA!

 

Related posts:

What I did to get 70-80 groups to come to my last open house

10 Things to Do When Posting on Craigslist

Getting leads. Which works best? Open house or internet posts?

 

To say it's exhilarating is an understatement. 

The local news confirms it....although the median prices are lower than they were a year ago, the number of sales increased.

Buyers who were apprehensive months ago, seem to be buoyed by the good news that list prices are lower, the interest rates are still low, there are quite a few properties to choose from, there's room for negotiation, and there are more incentives (tax credits) available for home buyers.

And according to DQNews reports:

California January 2009 Sales Report

An estimated 29,458 new and resale houses and condos were sold in California last month. That was down 22.1 percent from 37,836 in December and up 53.9 percent from 19,145 in January 2008. Sales have increased on a year-over-year basis for the last seven months.

Celebrate to inspire

In our office, we make it a practice to celebrate each escrow that is opened by making a general announcement to all the agents and the staff. Imagine our delight when nearly every day this week, someone opened an escrow. Every single sale is cause for celebration.

We are all pumped!

Buyers, we love buyers....we love lots and lots of buyers

Today, it was back-to-back appointments for me, starting with a young couple who want to buy an investment property for owner-occupancy, and ending with a more mature couple who want to downsize and find a one-level ranch home.

Hallelujah!

I met with a prospective seller today. He has bought and sold several properties through the years, and he delights in finding fixers then re-seling them at a good profit.

But while going through the improvements, I asked whether or not he got permits for the work he has done:

• New foundation. Yes
• New roof. Yes
• Sewer lateral test and replacement. Yes
• New double pane windows. No
• Remodeled kitchen with new granite counters and new fixtures. No
• Upgraded electric and plumbing. No

And...he didn't have a stove. Told him that if a buyer is going to get an FHA loan, FHA requires a functional kitchen, and therefore, it must have a stove. So he agreed to buy a stove, albeit a little reluctantly.

But what about the rest? He doesn't want to have to "fight" with City Hall to get the permits and inspections. And he wants to sell AS IS.

Deal breaker

It makes me nervous that many of the improvements were done without permits  because in a previous escrow, this type of situation almost became a deal breaker.

If the buyer really wants this property, he would have to get permits and inspections after the fact, and hope the work was done according to code, and that they will be approved without significant fines. The worst scenario is for the City to insist on removing all the work done without permits, and still impose citations and fines!

Why, oh why didn't he get permits?

 

Imagine going on an extended vacation, and coming home to find strangers living in your home and who claim to have bought it...

You inherited a property and before you can even make arrangements to sell it, you find out it's already been sold without your authorization or your knowledge.

In Philadelphia, 15 people were charged in house stealing scheme. DA says deeds of empty houses were forged

According to this story, "...members of the theft ring would drive around the community, looking for boarded-up houses. They would look up the titles to those properties - which are public records - and then start the forgery process with help of notaries who are among those charged in the scheme."

Here's a link to this story including videos where someone was out of town and received a call that her house was being gutted. She asked to speak to the contractor who told her that his sister "bought" the house. All the paperwork seemed to be in place, the deed correctly notarized and recorded. What's wrong was that the owner didn't sell the property: someone else forged the deed and sold it! It took this owner over $4000 to correct the problem and evict the "buyers".

Mortgage Fraud

Here's an excellent blog on such scams, Check out Mortgage Fraud Blog.  The Blogger, attorney Rachel Dollar included this story and more in her blog. Her latest headline is 16 Indicted In House Stealing Scam Involving 80 Properties

This is not the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. 

My most recent listing is a sweet little bungalow for sale at $450,000. Besides the MLS and subsequent websites that picked this up, it also shows on craigslist, Trulia, Zillow, etc.

"Is this house for rent?"

So I was surprised to hear from someone who told me that the property is listed for rent. After seeing the post on craigslist, and communicating via email with the purported "owner" who has listed this for rent, she drove by the place to check out the neighborhood. Seeing the For Sale Sign, she called me up and inquired about the real status.

Another scammer from Africa

I told her that someone is scamming her -- and that is was probably someone who claims to be out of town, more than likely from Ethiopia, and will want to do everything by email. That someone will even ask for an application form to be filled out, ask all kinds of information before he "rents" the place.

She confirmed that the "owner" said he is from Ethiopia.

This has happened over a year ago on one of my listings, and I reported the scammer (who had a yahoo account) to yahoo.

Check your listings online

So my advice is, regardless of whether you post your listings online on other sites.....do a random check from time to time, to make sure no one is advertising your listing for illicit purposes.

 

Thanks to Funny Fridays for providing an outlet for us to post pictures that made us laugh. So here's something just for fun. Some of you have seen these before, but others may not.

Here's a tale of two dogs and how they handle the same challenging situation.

First, the BAD DOG who took matters into his own teeth

 

And here's the very responsible dog who does his thing to help

Source (with permission): www.ReallyFunnyPictures.Co.uk

 

2005 was a good year for many of my clients. They had good paying jobs. Things were looking good indeed, and many of them qualified to buy their first home.

Pooling their resources, my clients, a couple of sisters, bought a duplex together to enable their extended family to live together. Mom and Dad, one sis and her husband lived downstairs; another sister, her husband and young children lived upstairs. They loved their duplex. It even had a nice yard where they had family gatherings to celebrate special occasions.

What a difference a few years make!

Fast forward to 2009. Job loss claims another victim.

Unfortunately, they faced drastically reduced incomes when members of the family were laid off. Now, even with their combined resources, they fear that they will not be able to keep up with the monthly payments.

So they have decided to sell their duplex and find a place to rent instead.

LIMITED OPTIONS

Loan modificaiton is a possibility, but their monthly payments won't be significantly reduced. 

So it looks like they'd want to explore selling their home as a short sale.

>SIGH<

This is one of those listings I wish I don't have to take. But they came to me for help. And I will do everything I can to ease the transition for them.

Before leaving for home tonight, I had a conversation with one of our most seasoned, and in the past, most successful realtors. She has awards ro prove it.

Both of us had a terrible 2007, but in her case, her 2008 was just as bad. She said that she's never had a year like the past two years. It's getting so bad that she may have to sell her house that she's owned since 1993. 

WORKING THE OLD FASHIONED WAY

She's very diligent, and she works hard. However, she makes money the old-fashioned way --- and she's not earning it the way she should or could. The problem is, she has not evolved as fast in the age of computer literacy, the warp-speed of the internet, and the changing methods by which people do business. It's like she has almost stood still.

We've always had to help her perform or solve simple computer tasks. She has people designing simple flyers (because she doesn't know how, or didn't take time to learn).  

She has a wealth of knowledge that she willingly shares with those who seek her help. Unfortunately, she has not fully embraced that we need new ways -- in addition to the old-fashioned ways ---- to stimulate new business.

COMBINE HIGH TECH WITH HIGH TOUCH

So I left the office asking myself, how are we going to survive this market? There is only one answer: we MUST evolve.

ACTIVE RAIN IS OUR STIMULUS

There is so much good information, good skills, and good people here. This is where we learn many ways to grow.

So I've invited others to join. Encouraged them to "lurk" in the background, watch and learn. Tried to get them to blog about their experiences --- each one of us has a story to tell. But for gosh sakes, try something different and new.

It used to be that the smart thing to do is to always have a 6-month reserve of funds as a safety net in case one gets sick and/or unemployed. We were always taught to save for a rainy day.

But today, that probably should be amended to be a whole year's reserve, or even longer.

One of my clients was always frugal and lived within her means. Even in the good times, she did all the right things in anticipation of hard times. She completed her master's degree, continued to take classes to hone her skills. She worked hard and was rewarded with a promotion. She got married and together she and her husband set out to make a new life. In keeping with their simple lifestyle, they bought a simple little house.

Then seven months ago, she was laid off. She polished her resume and aggressively looked for a job.

...But competing with so many for so very few jobs ...

That six-month reserve is severely depleted. And they need help.

They want to keep their house and are not ready to give up. So they are going to try and do a loan modification. Losing one's job is a hardship. One of them is still employed, but their income is less than half of what they used to bring home.

It's another sign of the times. A six-month reserve is not enough anymore. It isn't just a rainy day --- it's a storm!

 

In Alameda, and most assuredly in other cities, too, there is always a question on what alterations to a property will require permits. Granted, some folks deliberately sidestepped getting permits because of the cost, the time, and for other reasons. And others just didn't think or realize the work they're doing needed permits. On occasions, a missing or incorrect permit history may simply be a case of human error.

NO PERMITS IS A DEAL BREAKER

Two of my very bright and very resourceful clients renovated their kitchen, doing what they thought was a "like for like" change that was very simple. They changed the countertop (didn't expand or build new cabinets), they replaced the appliances (same size, same slots). Replaced the tile floor (same footprint).

But when it came time to sell, lo and behold, they were surprised to know that they needed to get permits for all this work after all. And having changes done without permits was going to be a deal-breaker.  The City's electrical code pertaining to kitchen renovations had several exceptions and requirements --- it was not as easy as some people think,

So they rushed to City Hall, spent the money (some of it on fines), got the necessary permits, then got the City's inspector to check the remodeling and grant a final approval for the work.

NO FINAL APPROVAL ON PERMITS DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN IT WASN'T DONE

On another occasion, my seller told me he had replaced the windows two years ago. But checking with City Hall, it didn't show the permit as final. Thankfully, the Seller had a copy of the  job card wherein the City Inspector signed off on the completed work. So it was a simple matter of presenting this copy to the CIty, and hanging around until we knew for sure it was recorded.

WHAT CHANGES NEED PERMITS?

The bottom line is, just go to City Hall and ask. Better do it right the first time!

 

562 Lincoln, Alameda, CA

  

3 bedrooms, 2 baths, year built: 1924   sq.ft.:803 sq ft per public records (does not include bonus room) 

$450,000

Comfy, cozy, unassuming bungalow has evolved through the years to accommodate the needs of members of the owner's household.

The front porch was enclosed to so that the owner had a place to give piano lessons. The detached garage was converted into a room with its own bath, so that another member of the household had more private quarters. The dining room was used as a bedroom, but can be easily restored into a dining room.

Corner lot, fenced yard with fruit trees and flowering bushes. Wood-burning fireplace in the living room. Inside laundry room with hookups. Carport has double life as a patio. Newly refinished hardwood floors. Newly installed double pane windows. New Pergo floor in the enclosed porch.

More pictures and details, click here

Visual Tour, click here

Pacita C Dimacali is a REALTOR with Gallagher & Lindsey in Alameda CA, and was recently honored as Number 1 Sales Person for 2008, following other top sales person awards in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

My partner Gary encountered a woman at the dog park, who mentioned that one of her favorite places to eat in Oakland Hills area is Pastino's Pasta & Pizza at 4207 Park Blvd.

Always looking for a good place, we set out to eat at Pastino's. Since this is somewhat a "hole in the wall" in the midst of other fine dining, we didn't worry about how we dressed, which was fine by us

We were immediately seated by an super-friendly and attentive guy named George.

I ordered a seafood canneloni but they just ran out of it. So George said he'll make up for that by serving me and my brother complimentary (and bottomless!) glasses of chianti. George served me the chicken/spinach/mushroom version in a creamy sauce that was to die for! My brother had the special of the evening, the seafood linguini, while Gary had the spaghetti and meatballs in marinara sauce.

Oh my gosh. eveything was absolutely delicious (and plentiful --- since we had enough left over for another meal). The sauce on my canneloni was rich and creamy, almost like the consistency of alfredo sauce but much tastier. Gary's marinara sauce was tangy and flavorful. My brother's linguini had a tomato based sauce with something extra that we thought was anchovy paste (but it wasn't). That was good, too. Our pasta was cooked to perfection.

Through the meal, George was very engaging. It turned out that he used to work for this restaurant 9 years ago, and he bought it.

When Gary asked how good their coffee was, George said it's average. So George decided to serve it to us so we can try it, gratis! The two desserts we chose, the tiramisu (so moist, so creamy, so good) and the cheesecake were also very tasty.

Altogether, it was a fine evening. Excellent food was matched by excellent custome service. We will certainly go back. Next time we'll try the pizza. Judging by the number of folks who took out boxes and boxes of pizzas, their pizzas must be good, too.

Had an interesting exchange with a local real estate blogger. When I provided background on a property by relating hardship that the owner is encountering, the blogger asked:

"Do you specialize in the sob story listings?"

Lending an ear is part of the program to listening to my clients, understanding the challenges they face, having empathy, and doing what I can to help.

She itemized three listings wherein I mentioned the seller's situation. Because this blogger is more about facts and figures, citing sad sack background information isn't going to go far in that blog. If one is looking for sympathy, her blog isn't the place to find it.

Serving the public

Then I thought...if we take out our humanity whenever we do business, then is that taking out "serving the public" out of the equation?

Maybe I am just a soft touch. Some of my listings are not going to make me much money. But the satisfaction of doing something good for someone who needs help provides tremendous satisfaction and peace of mind.

Helping others is a business decision?

I have a listing of a condo owned by a retired teacher who doesn't earn as much money as he used to, and found himself in default. His only recourse is a short sale. It is listed at $149K. Because there are two loans, I had to get a professional short sale expediter to coordinate with both lenders. I made the mistake of telling my client that I wasn't making any money on this listing but that I was doing it to help him out of his predicament. Imagine my surprise when his friend, a lawyer, coldly commented to him that taking the listing was a business decision on my part and that I would still get a lot of money out of the sale.

I'm very sensitive to negative impressions people have of realtors. Lawyers and realtors are in the most maligned professions! So I told the lawyer: "My client and I have been communicating since Sept. 2008 on a regular basis by email. How much would you say my time is worth throughout this transaction? And how much is your time worth per hour?'

I itemized my expenses to illustrate what I would net out of the transaction. By the time all the fees, splits and expenses are paid, there will be less than $500 left to pay taxes.

My heart is in the right place and it's not in my pocket

People, and yes, REALTORS, will help for other reasons besides getting a commission.

 Happy Valentine's!

 

Every day as a REALTOR, I run into all kinds of situations.

This time, I have a new listing that I'm trying to get ready for this Sunday's open house. I've contracted with my hardwood reifinishing peope, painters, cleaning folks.

BUT....

What can I do about the homing pigeons?

The owner's son had a cage for his pigeons. And just before he left the country, he arranged for someoe else to take his homing pigeons. The owner herself has moved to Las Vegas.

But hominig pigeons the way they are, they went home to the only home they know. They're here, pecking at the ground, looking for food.

So here I am, with four pigeons (Alas! Alack! One of them must have fallen victim to a predatory animal like a cat or a raccoon)

So I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who can help re-settle these homing pigeons. I was transferred between the local Ainimal Shelter and the local police department's animal control. They finally realized they don't know, or have no means of dealing with homing pigeons, and how/where to resettle them.

They referred me to Vector Control who told me it could take 2-3 days before someone can call me back. And that's no guarantee they can help me.

So in the meantime, I'm throwing throw rice and bread crumbs on the property to give these four homing pigeons some sustenance.

Does anyone have a solution to getting homing pigeons to stop roosting?

Source of picture: Uncylopedia.cim

UPDATE

One of my clients, Kevin, happened to read my blog, and saw this latest predicament. He gave me another resource. There is a local pigeon organization that could help.  This is a link to various contact numbers and emails for members of the pigeon racing club.  I contacted one of them, and he will see if someone lives close by who may want to get the pigeons.  http://www.baycitiescombine.com/

Thank you, Kevin!

These are incredible modern day structures. They take my breath away.

Click on the pictures to take you to sites with more information about these places.

Japan's Indoor and Man-made Beach Ocean Dome

According to Wikipedia:

"The Seagaia Ocean Dome was the world's largest indoor waterpark, located in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan. The Ocean Dome, which is a part of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort, measures 300 metres in length and 100 metres in width, and is listed on the Guinness World Records. It opened in 1993, and visitor numbers peaked in 1995 at 1.25 million a year. The Ocean Dome was officially closed on October 1, 2007.^[1]

The Ocean Dome sported a fake flame-spitting volcano, artificial sand and the world's largest retractable roof, which provided a permanently blue sky even on a rainy day. The air temperature was always held at around 30 degrees celsius and the water at around 28."

 

 

Would you play tennis at the top of the Sail Hotel in Dubai?

According to Wikipedia:

"For the Egyptian city, see Borg El Arab.

The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب‎, literally, Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At 321 metres (1,053 ft), it is the second tallest building used exclusively as a hotel, after Rose Tower, also in Dubai.^[2] However, the structure of the unfinished Ryugyong Hotel is nine meters taller than the Burj Al Arab, and the Rose Tower, also in Dubai, which has already topped Burj Al Arab's height at 333 m (1,090 ft), will take away the title upon its opening.^[3][4][5] The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat."

 

 

 

 

Just had to share. This isn't new, but it was new to me. See "Was Jesus Christ really a woman?"

On the lighter side of things ....EVEN GOD ENJOYS A GOOD LAUGH!


There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:
 1. He called everyone brother
 2. He liked Gospel
 3. He didn't get a fair trial
 

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Jewish:
1. He went into His Father's business
2. He lived at home until he was 33 3. He was sure his Mother was a virgin, and his Mother was sure He was God

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:
1. He talked with His hands
2. He had wine with His meals
3. He used olive oil


But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was a Californian:
1. He never cut His hair
2. He walked around barefoot all the time
3. He started a new religion
 
But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was an American Indian:
1. He was at peace with nature
2. He ate a lot of fish
3. He talked about the Great Spirit

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Irish:
1. He never got married.
2. He was always telling stories.
3. He loved green pastures.

But the most compelling evidenceof all - 3 proofs that Jesus was a woman:
1. He fed a crowd at a moment's notice when there was virtually no food.
2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.
3. And even when He was dead, He had to get up because there was still work to do.

AMEN !!

Whle visiting the Apple Store, I fell in love with the new MACs. The person I spoke with at the store was so knowledgeable and so personable (maybe I fell in love with HIM?).

Anyway, I'm still on the fence....but getting close. Should I switch?

• I saw this site on "Geeks Are Sexy" that featured 5 Reasons to Switch from Mac to PC. But I need a real estate professional's perspective.
• And Apple has its Why your next PC should be a MAC 

Can someone share your experience if, and when you switched from PC to MAC...

• Was it easy?
• What problems did you have?
• Does your local MLS system support the MAC?
• How about use of the Microsoft Office Suite of programs like Publisher, Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, Excel. Were they converted?

HELP?

UPDATE: I went to the Apple Store last night, Even brought my computer and back up drive. I was told that I could run the MAC using the PC software which could be partitioned. And boot up to use (learn) the MAC portion. So with all the assurances that I can do this, I was READY to buy.

I picked out a Mac with 15 inch screen. But by the time we added up what I needed, including the 3-year warranty, solid state, software programs, etc. I was looking at almost $3K investment.

Comparing what I could get with Dell, I could buy a new Dell every year for three years before I match the expense of getting a Mac. And somehow, in my head, price and familiarity trumped the excitement of getting the Mac.

Then after talking with my brother in law who was a Mac person for years but who switched to PC, he told me that he had to switch because of the software and compatibility issues relating to his job. He reluctantly gave his Mac to his son and "settled" for the PC.

:(