Terrylynn's Blog

Concord Disposal is Expanding our Service!

Starting in May and lasting most of the summer, we will receive our new garbage cans.  We will have a set of three:

Blue - All recycling (Put it all Together).  Include aluminum cans, tin cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic milk/water jugs (HDPE #2), loose newspaper, white paper, colored paper, computer paper, magazines, telephone books, junk mail, plastic soft drink bottles, plastic shampoo, bleach, detergent containers, cardboard (needs to be cut so it will fall out easily), construction paper, chipboard such as cereal and cracker boxes, milk cartons, juice containers.  PLEASE CLEAN AND RINSE CANS AND BOTTLES FIRST.

Please DO NOT INCLUDE Pizza Boxes or any recyclable items with food residue.

Brown - Garbage Only!  Include all garbage items that are not recyclable.  Do not include any househould hazardous items or recyclables.

Green - Yard Waste Only - Include grass clippings, leaves, twigs, old plants or clippings, small tree branches, bush clippings. Do not include plastic bags or plant containers.  Place yard clippings directly into the toter without using plastic bags please.

Hazardous Household Waste
Too Toxic to Throw Away!
(All the following items can be taken to 4797 Imhoff Place in Martinez, Tues. - Sat. from 9am - 4pm.  Disposal is free of charge for Concord Residents.

Polishers and cleaners
Oven cleaners
Drain openers
Lighter fluid
Paint
Paint thinner and strippers
Fluorescent bulbs
Glues and cement
Gasoline and fuel additives
Pool chemicals
Wood preservatives
Photo chemicals
Grease and rust solvents
Wood and metal cleaners
Used oil and oil filters
Batteries
Insecticides
Cosmetics
Fungicides
Antifreeze
Transmission fluids
Carburetor cleaner

So recycling just got a little easier for us!  Woohoo Concord!  - Terrylynn

TERRYLYNN FISHER, Diablo Realty, Realtor, Staging Specialist - CSP/Realtor (Certified Staging Professional), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist). Terrylynn is in her 30th+ year in real estate, works in ALL kinds of markets and has a referral directory of Realtors who use similar marketing in your hometown too. She can be reached at 925 876-0966 for referrals or questions.

Todos Santos Plaza Calendar
Willow Pass Road and Grant Street

Concord Farmer's Market
Tuesdays: Year-round, rain or shine
10am - 2pm
During Acoustic Tuesdays series (July 1-29), 10am - 8pm
Thursdays: May - October
4pm - 8pm

Music & Market Series
May 8 - September 18
Thursdays, 6:30pm - 8pm

MOM Day in the Plaza:  Mother's Day
Sunday, May 11 from 2pm - 4pm
Celebrate the day by dining at Todos Santos restaurants and enjoy a special concert in the Plaza.

Bay Area KidFest
Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-26, 11am - 6pm
Three days of fun for the entire family!  KidFest Hotline:  925-671-3287

DAD Day in the Plaza: Father's Day
Sunday, June 15, 2pm - 4pm
This event salutes fatehrs with a special free concert in the Plaza and NASCAR surprises.

Music at Noon
Tuesdays, 12:00 noon, May 6 - June 24

July 4th Parade and Festival
Friday, 8am - 2pm; parade at noon
Old fashioned festival with pancake breakfast, crafts, entertainment and parade!

Acoustic Tuesdays
Tuesday evenings, July 1 - 29, 6:30pm - 8pm

TERRYLYNN FISHER, Diablo Realty, Realtor, Staging Specialist - CSP/Realtor (Certified Staging Professional), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist). Terrylynn is in her 30th+ year in real estate, works in ALL kinds of markets and has a referral directory of Realtors who use similar marketing in your hometown too. She can be reached at 925 876-0966 for referrals or questions.

Elaine Manes wrote a blog about how to give Realtor referrals to sellers when she works with many realtors. How do you choose whom to give the referral?  Thanks Elaine for spurring on the thought. 

My comments on her blog were as follows:  "Sitting both sides of this fence.  Here is what I would say as a Realtor.  I would prefer you hand pick the Realtor for the client and if the client trusts you enough to ask, that is what they would like.  The seller is really saying - We are asking you to pick someone you think can get the job done for us, pick someone you would trust with our personal LIFE ALTERING decisions, etc.  Having said that...THAT is how I choose the Stager for the client.  My stagers pretty much can work with anyone but sometimes there is an obvious FIT difference.  My being a Staging oriented realtor who CAN stage makes it easier to bridge that gap sometimes, but it's easier just to make a more obvious choice by matching personalities.  Thinking about what's best for the client first makes it an easier decision for the client, The stager or realtor may not always understand that but...the referral asked for by the seller is not about what the stager or Realtor want, right?  It is for the client.

First and foremost who is the Realtor whose listings always sell?  The client is actually asking you for a referral for someone to SELL the property, not just list the property, right?  That is now your question.  Which of my Realtor clients would best fit with this client, lifestyle, price range and other factors and you choose accordingly?  Which Realtor can handle the personality type of this client?  It is about the "FIT" of client and Realtor that makes the relationship work with them and with you.  The Realtor choice is probably obvious to you as you are a terrific and attentive professional stager and you KNOW the client by the time you are at this stage.  So, let your gut be your guide and the touchy part is the script you must prepare for all your realtors.  Be honest.

"I take a referral very seriously, the client has told me particulars about their situation and special needs and asked me to find them someone to help. I only wish I had a referral in your area, Susan...and I am working on increasing my business so I will have referrals for you OR all my Realtors next year."  or something like that, I am sure one of you  ould say better, but you get the gist.

A couple of the comments on Elaine's blog were about NOT giving a referral.  There is a person in my real estate office that feels that way.  They feel that they might give a referral and if it turns out badly the client will blame them.  That is always a possibility of course.  Do YOU ask for referrals?  Most of us do.  Why is that?  Let's think about it.

When you ask for a referral of a plumber - you want someone trustworthy, honest and with fair pricing, right?  After all, they are in your home and you want to be able to trust them with your privacy, possessions and family before you let them into your home.

When you ask for a referral of an attorney - you want someone trustworthy, who will tell you the truth no matter what; honest and with fair pricing and you want them to be an advocate for you, right?  You are trusting them with your life and assets.

When you as for a referral of a CPA - you want someone who has a similar approach to money as you do, (i.e. conservative, a little bit of a risk taker, etc.), honest, trustworthy, tell you the truth and work as an advocate on your behalf.  You are trusting them with your finances.

Seeing the theme here?  When you ask for a referral you are really saying that you don't know anyone in the field you are asking about that you know well enough to trust and handle your needs the way you need them to.  You are thinking the person you have developed the rapport with that you are asking for the referral now knows enough about you to help you with that.  You are asking them for someone they know, trust, is honest and an advocate and would work for them the way they would work for you. 

THAT is a really big deal.  And not one I would take lightly.  It tells you THEY TRUST AND VALUE YOUR OPINION.  If you do not have anyone you would refer after all that, they wonder if it that you don't trust them with your referred people or you don't trust the people you use for those services.  Be careful, it is often the unspoken that makes people's impression of you.  You may not mean to be giving an impression about the people you work with, but if you are unwilling to refer them you might be.  So, it's ok not to refer, but if you know professionals that would be great matches for that client, why wouldn't you? 

TERRYLYNN FISHER, Diablo Realty, Realtor, Staging Specialist - CSP/Realtor (Certified Staging Professional), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist). Terrylynn is in her 30th+ year in real estate, works in ALL kinds of markets and has a referral directory of Realtors who use similar marketing in your hometown too. She can be reached at 925 876-0966 for referrals or questions.