Author of "The Mortgage Game"
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All clients’ documents should be ready and prepared to submit to Lender ASAP! Any interest rate information published in this message is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a commitment to make any loan at any specific rate. Please contact Pacific Bay Financial for more information.
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Time To Reflect
“What we call today will become yesterday, tomorrow. Make it memorable.”
After meeting with clients on a Sunday afternoon, I came home and my wife Elfa suggested that instead of going to the movies, as we often do on Sundays, to go spent time in the nature . We had a number of destinations from which to choose. In the past, when our dog Angus was still with us, we would often visit the various parks in the city, such as Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park, Pine Lake in Stern Grove Park, or Fort Funston National Park, along the ocean. On this particular Sunday, I suggested going to Sutro Heights Park. Though it is very close to our home, and we sometimes go to the Land’s End Trail, which is just across the street, we have never visited that part of the park before.
Sutro Heights Park was once the estate of Adolf Sutro, the 24th mayor of San Francisco. He was the first German-American Jewish mayor, and served office from 1894 until 1896. He was born in 1830 in Aachen, Prussia. At the age of 20, Sutro, who was a trained engineer, arrived in San Francisco and made his name (and money) by drilling a tunnel through Mount Davidson in Nevada, which became known as the Sutro Tunnel at the Comstock Lode of silver ore, and became the first major discovery of silver in the United States in 1859. He invested the money he made from silver by buying large tracks of lands in San Francisco, which he developed for the benefit of the public.
There is also the Sutro Gum Tree Ranch located in Glen Canyon Park and the Sutro Library, which is in the San Francisco branch of the California State Library. I did not read about any other pioneering individual in San Francisco’s memorable illustrious history whose name is embedded in so many places.
Where are all those beautiful buildings?
The railroad has long been demolished; trees are cut (Mount Sutro is barren). His beautiful house and a huge nursery with the exotic plants from all over the world in the park are also gone. There is no physical presence of his, or any other pioneers, who have laid down the foundation in San Francisco for our lives today.
Perhaps, if you didn’t read this story, you would never know whom this person was and why you should care. We live in a world that moves much faster than it did over 100 years ago. But at the same time our basic feelings have not changed. I am talking about gratitude. When you walk on the road that someone paved for you, do not forget to say “thank you”.
P.S.
I think that Mr. Sutro would be proud to see that his land benefits so many San Franciscans and our guests. My photo book “42 Encounters in San Francisco” is almost ready, which is about my take of San Francisco’s history. I will keep you posted.
Do Not Keep Me As A Secret!
Smile And Please SHARE It With A Friend!
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Cheers,
“The Fog and Sun are like the Yin and Yang–they coexist for our benefit.”
You haven’t the foggiest idea how beautiful it can be on a foggy morning at the top of Mount Davidson in San Francisco. For me, the fog is a metaphor about our lives. If you are in a fog, do not despair. Be patient. The fog will melt away and you will see your destination. Sometimes events, which we experience or encounter, seem as though there is no solution, as everything is covered by the fog. We try to do something to change the situation, but we aren’t able to see the entire picture. Meanwhile, anyone who has ever been in a foggy condition knows that often there is no need to do anything, but to wait until the warmth of the sun melts the moisture of the fog and the wind blows it away. And suddenly, almost miraculously, we can clearly see where we are and where we need to go.
The idea to write about the beauty of the fog came while visiting Charlie and Hanka’s home, which I’ve written about in the last couple of weeks. It was toward the evening, and I wanted to capture the sunset. But when I came to the balcony, I could only see the fog rolling in. It was quickly covering the vistas in front of me. But here and there the light from the setting sun was eliminating the hills of the surrounding neighborhood. It was like a reminder that it is not all grey. Tomorrow the view will be visible again. But not for everyone.
San Francisco is known as the “Foggy City” because of special meteorological conditions and geography. It is probably why Mark Twain famously said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”.
In the cold of our summer the sun bursts through the fog. It is an art exhibit at the de Young Museum in the Golden Gate Park.
P.S.
I never know what to expect when I hike up Mt. Davidson on Sunday mornings. Regardless of the weather or the time of day, it always surprises me with the different manifestations of beauty. If you’d like to join me, give me a call.
Do Not Keep Me As A Secret!
Smile And Please SHARE It With A Friend!
Please be advised:
All clients’ documents should be ready and prepared to submit to Lender ASAP! Any interest rate information published in this message is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a commitment to make any loan at any specific rate. Please contact Pacific Bay Financial for more information.
Whom Do You Know That Might Benefit From Our Tailored Mortgage Solutions?
“We do not possess stuff. Stuff possesses us.”
Last week I wrote a story about Charles Glass, who died recently at the age of 92. Charlie lived a very eventful, yet simple life. He is survived by his wife Hanka, a daughter, son, and grandchildren. In the Jewish tradition, family of the deceased sits shiva, whose literal translation is “seven”, a week-long period of mourning. Part of the tradition of sitting shiva, is that family is visited by friends and relatives. On my first visit after the funeral, I photographed views outside the house–some of the images that you saw in my newsletter last week. On our next visit, I entered into his study. Charlie built his house and designed this room to be elevated, but connected with the rest of the house. There are two comfortable chairs, bookshelves, a fireplace and the desk is covered with notes, books, an old check printing machine, a carousel with slides, old National Geographic magazines, and musical recordings on tape and VHS. A typical picture of a typical office. But now when Charlie is gone, who will sit in front of an old Apple computer and “take out (his expression) news”? Who will read all those books, listen to the tapes, or watch the VHS movies? “Who needs all of this stuff and what to do with it?” This is the question his daughter was asking me.
In the early days of our residency in San Francisco, we used to go to flea markets, garage and estate sales. This is where the “old” stuff often ends up–or in the garbage bin. Some photo exhibits contain collages of personal photos of people who are not around recently, often found in those sales. Who were all these and what did they leave behind? I’m currently reading “The Family: A Journey into The Heart of the Twentieth Century” by David Laskin. The story is about a family from 19th century Russia; and one part immigrated to America, while another wing immigrated to Palestine in the early 20th century, and some stayed behind in the former Soviet Union. Every immigrant, who leaves his or her country, leaves most of their possessions behind. And then, after settling down we start the accumulation process again. Do we identify ourselves with what we possess?
“This is my book, shelf, phone, TV, or anything else. And what becomes with my stuff when we are gone?”
Seeing Charles’ study and hearing this story inspired me to set up a new goal: to get rid as much as my stuff as I can. I gave myself time to do it gradually, a little bit every weekend to finish by the end of the year.
P.S.
Do you want any of Charlie’s stuff? It is available. Regardless where it will end up, my photos will keep the memory of a person, who once called them his possessions.
Do Not Keep Me As A Secret!
Smile And Please SHARE It With A Friend!
Cheers,
Please be advised:
All clients’ documents should be ready and prepared to submit to Lender ASAP! Any interest rate information published in this message is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a commitment to make any loan at any specific rate. Please contact Pacific Bay Financial for more information.
Whom Do You Know That Might Benefit From Our Tailored Mortgage Solutions?
Cheers,
“If you want to have a lot, learn how to live with little.”
Last Sunday, we said good-bye to a dear friend. He was 92. This is not a eulogy, but rather my personal reflections on the life of a remarkable person.
Charlie Glass was born in a small town in Poland, not far from the border of Germany. Germans occupied Poland in 1939, and soon after he was sent to a concentration camp.
Many people died all around, but he, it seemed had a guardian angel. Once, a group of inmates were sent to work and on the way there, they were locked in a school building. It was the middle of the summer and inside was unbearable heat. Suddenly, an older man came to him and told him to take a warm winter coat. He was surprised, but listened. This coat saved his life later on in the winter when he had to build a road in the bitter cold. Another time, when the camp was bombed by the British planes, Germans took the inmates out somewhere on a train. There was a stop when everyone was commanded to get out. He was the last one to leave. Suddenly, someone tapped him on his shoulder. It was an old man, who gave him a big piece of bread. Charlie hid it in his coat. The inmates returned onto the train, but the old man was nowhere to be found. This bread kept Charlie alive during the next week’s journey.
It took them 20 years to accumulate 7 buildings—many of them in Pacific Heights, where as in the past, he managed them by himself. When his partner died, the buildings were divided between the children and gradually Charlie agreed to pass on the management of his properties to his daughter, who hired property managers. Charlie was able to accumulate a lot, because he knew how to live with a little.
“Manny, when you are going to be READY to buy your home, buy MORE than you think you can afford.”
When we were ready in 1984, Charlie lent me $5,000 for the down payment. A year later we were ready to pay it back, and offered interest, but he refused. During the funeral, we learned he helped many other people as well.
Those who read my book “The Mortgage Game: The 5 C’s and How to Connect Them”, know that we were able to buy our first home with little money, no job, and little credit because like Charlie, I knew that with hard work, everything will work out. I followed his advice and bought more home than I could afford at that time.
Since then, I have given many of my clients this same advice. It does not work for everyone, but those who listened and were ready, did well. I was simply sharing the advice that I received from my angel and his wife.
WHEN READY, BUY MORE.
P.S.
I decided to write this story after we went to their hill top home on Lawton Street after the funeral. Charlie built this home with incredible views of the city. I took these images from the balcony.
Do Not Keep Me As A Secret!
Smile And Please SHARE It With A Friend!
In November, a friend of mine is going to be 70 years old. Though she is still working, her plan is to start slowing down. This can be challenging since she still has a $365,000 mortgage with a monthly payment of $1,785. Her solution: to get rid of her mortgage by reversing it.
After I inputted all her information into the computer, I received an approval for $335,000. She had a choice to come up with the difference or to wait for another year. The more advanced in age a person is, the higher the loan amount can be.
Please be advised:
All clients’ documents should be ready and prepared to submit to Lender ASAP! Any interest rate information published in this message is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a commitment to make any loan at any specific rate. Please contact Pacific Bay Financial for more information.
Cheers,