Capris!

I must say, I'm a huge fan of capris. Let me tell you, men, you too can pull these off! Get yourself to Europe and you'll see plenty of men wearing capris (maybe not jean capris, but cargo capris). They are very versatile and they help keep you cool on those warm sunny days. I realize we haven't seen much sun here recently in the Pacific Northwest, but I have faith it will get better! My favorite look with capris for shorter people (like myself) is with a heel, because otherwise we run the risk of looking stumpy! It also depends on the length of the capri. The longer the length, the better they look with a flat. I know that seems odd, but if they hit you mid-calf, it will break up your legs and feet into 3 large sections rather than have a line that flows. Trust me...I know what I'm talking about. A great heel for spring and summer is a peep toe heel, a cute sling back, or an open toe heel. I hope to see everyone in capris this summer! (via er1n) (via er1n)

A great loan!

I wanted to share information about a great loan that is only available in rural areas. It's a USDA loan that has no PMI (mortgage insurance) and has low interest rates. It's also a loan that is still allowing 100% financing! It's so great because it's practically impossible to get that kind of loan if you're going conventional or FHA. Now, I don't pretend to be a loan officer or an expert on loans, so please, if you have further questions or are interested in seeing if you can get this kind of financing, call a loan officer! You can call James Wirth with Landover Mortgage. His phone number is 425-501-4749. I bring this loan to your attention because my listing in Snohomish can be financed with the USDA loan. To view my listing go here. We're still offering the $10,000 buyer bonus and it's listed at $370,000. Check it out today!

Please support me as I walk 60 miles for a cure!

I have taken on an incredible challenge. Starting September 12th, I'll be walking 60 miles over the course of three days, camping out at night with thousands of other women and men taking this journey with me. Now for those of you who know me well, you know I don't camp, so that alone shows how passionate I am about finding a cure for breast cancer!

It's for an event called the Breast Cancer 3-Day, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant. They are working hard to build a future without breast cancer, and I plan on raising $3,000 to help bring us closer to that goal.

Please consider making a donation. Anything you can give will help me reach my goal. If you want to give and you're not comfortable with one large donation, you can spread it out over four months, using the payment plan option, if you donate online at www.The3Day.org. Please also ask your employer if they will double your donation with a matching gift.

Breast cancer runs in my family, as I'm sure it does for many of you, and I want to help find a cure so hopefully by the time I have children, we will be living in a breast cancer free world!

Go here to visit my personal fundraising webpage and make a donation. If you don't want to donate online, please download and print a donation form and mail it to the address on the form. Or you can call 800.996.3DAY to donate over the phone. I would like to reach my fundraising goal by July 1st, so don't delay!

Thank you for taking the time to read this email, and thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Stephanie

P.S. Don't wait - donate today!

Shop for the cure!

I am all about supporting the breast cancer foundation, so I want to talk about the different products one can purchase to help support the cause. If I want or need something, I always see if there's a breast cancer foundation product. I have pens, Chi hair straightener, and blow dryer. All things I need, and yet I can support a good cause! The other nice thing about buying products that support the cause, is they are usually pink and pretty! I am urging everyone to think before they buy next time. This shower gel is just one example of the everyday products we use and yet if we were to branch out and try something new, we could all donate to a good cause!

New $10,000 buyer bonus!!!

I have added a $10,000 buyer bonus to my Snohomish listing and we dropped the price to $370,000. It's a great price for 5.42 acres and 2346 square feet of home (buyer to verify sq footage). Go here to check out my Snohomish listing!

Fun accessories for spring

I love this brand of bag. It's called Maxx New York. I will be owning one of these in the near future in this color. Mine is the bowler bag version. I believe that one way of bringing color into a wardrobe if you happen to be wearing mostly neutrals is with accessories. This goes for men too! Men can tie in color with a pair of shoes or a great belt. Get creative with your wardrobe. Anytime I wear all black you can guarantee I'll be wearing either red shoes or a red necklace. In the summer when I'm wearing lots of white and lighter neutrals, I'll be carrying my yellow Maxx bag! (via whosdiary)

Price change on my Snohomish Listing

I have just done a price change on my listing in Snohomish, WA. It is a manufactured triple wide on 5.42 acres. Please feel free to call me with any questions. Go here to view the listing! Thanks!

Weekly real estate tip

I just wanted to send out a reminder this week letting everyone know that I am here for questions concerning real estate, so please feel free to contact me anytime! You know it's a great time to buy, so if you're on the fence, let's have a chat:) If you're considering selling, we can talk about why it's a great time to sell. Don't hesitate to call or email me.
cell: 206-947-9893
stephanieridley@cbbain.com

Sprintime=babydoll dress time!

I believe everyone needs at least one fun spring time dress. This is a great example of something fun and springy! Go for a vibrant color (like red) and spaghetti straps. If you're feeling a bit more rebellious, do a strapless babydoll dress. Have fun this spring with color! (via hockiemack)

Weekly Real Estate Tip

I want to discuss real estate in the Seattle area. Fortunately for us who live here, our houses are still holding their value and there is no need to feel fearful of our market. I know people like to listen to the media and buy into the doom and gloom, but the media always focuses on the national picture, not what's going on locally. Would you listen to the weather forecast for Las Vegas to figure out what to wear today, or would you watch the Seattle weather? Then why are you listening to the media when they discuss real estate? It's such a great time to be in the market and buying up real estate. It's not like it was 2 years ago, but thank goodness it isn't! We had a correction in our market and things are better, we just need to accept it and say things are good and now's the time to buy!

Skinny Jeans

I know I just did a big discussion on jeans, but I need to bring up jeans again. Afterall, they are a staple in our wardrobe! So I was shopping with a friend this week and we were discussing skinny jeans. She was saying that she doesn't believe all people can pull them off and I'm here to tell you they can! It's all about trying on a variety of skinny jeans. Try a range of skinny and straight legs and test them and see which style fits your body. The other thing to keep in mind is, the kind of shoe you choose can make or break the outfit. I personally think for tall people, they look great with flats or heels. For those of us that are short, we need to be a little more careful. Skinny jeans with flats can actually make us look kind of stumpy. My best recommendation is to put them with heels. (via FashionKitty)

A word to the wise

So I'm walking through the grocery store yesterday and what do I see? I see a guy with his jeans hanging down around his knee caps. Get over this style already! I'm serious, no one enjoys seeing someone's boxers. At least not like that! I guess I don't understand the logic behind it. You look like you've dropped a load in your pants, you walk like you just got off a horse because you're trying to keep your pants up, and news flash, girls are not attracted to this look in the slightest! I'd much rather see a guy dressed in jeans that are pulled up around the waist. I'm not saying they have to be tight necessarily, just pulled up so you don't trip over them. I think the world would be a better place if this would happen. I just don't understand how women continue to move through trends and yet, American men seem to have stopped changing style sense since the 90's. So please, take my advice and learn from the Europeans. The men there have great fashion sense and they're always moving forward, so let's try to do the same here. I'd really appreciate it!

My Snohomish Listing

I have a wonderful new listing in Snohomish, WA. It's a manufactured triple wide with 3 bedrooms and two baths on 5.42 acres. It's a great property, which also comes with an outbuilding, which has a propane fireplace and elecricity. Go to www.stephanieridley.com to view more about this listing and my other listings. If you are looking for privacy or if you are a builder looking for some land to purchase, it has the potential for a rural cluster subdivision (buyer to verify). Give me a call if you have any questions about it or send me an email!

Weekly Real Estate Tip

I know I've already talked about this, but I want to reiterate the importance of getting off the fence and buying a home! I have talked to a few people recently who feel that now isn't the time to buy. They think prices will go down more. The reality is, although I don't have a crystal ball so I don't know exactly what the future holds, prices do not seem to be going down in the slightest. If anything, I've seen some houses sell for more than the asking price recently. Think about it this way. Once people realize prices won't be going down anymore, people are going to decide to buy. Once we have lots of people wanting to buy, inventory will decrease, and prices will inevitably go up! You have to decide what side of the buying curve you want to be on. Do you want to be a leader and get a better price when buying, or do you want to be a follower "because everyone else is doing it" and end up paying more for a home? I know which I would rather be!

Jeans, jeans, jeans!

Everyone knew this topic would come up at some point. I love designer jeans. Once you've owned one pair, the addiction begins. They make you feel better than regular jeans. It's true. My favorite brands are Rock and Republic, True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, and Tags. Next time you feel like you've got $200 or so and you'd like to treat yourself, go buy a nice pair of designer jeans. You'll be glad you did! There's a couple things to think about when buying jeans. You need to find a pair that not only makes your butt look good, but that you're also comfortable in as well. Also, you will have to get them hemmed. Accept this and move on. Don't be afraid to buy something because you have to have it altered. Welcome to my world!

The perfect black shoe

For those of you who already wear heels, you'll love this shoe. For those of you who don't, get over your fear of heels and try on a pair! You'll find that although the first few hours may be painful, your feet will get used to them. When they do, you'll hardly ever wear flats because you'll be so used to heels it will hurt to wear flats! In my opinion, having the perfect black heel (or in my case a few perfect black heels) makes all the difference in your wardrobe. If you can't afford many shoes, my recommendation is you at least buy a pair of black heels and a pair of brown heels that are both very versatile. This just shows a perfect shoe for this season!

weekly real estate tip

I have been preaching this to anyone that will listen. Sellers and agents need to price a house right from the get go. If a house is overpriced, it will sit on the market. The longer it sits on the market, people begin to wonder what's wrong with it. So what ends up happening is sellers who over price their listings end up selling their house for less than they would have if it would have been priced right in the first place! So please take my advice and find a real estate agent who knows what they are doing and listen to their advice on what a good listing price is!

Copy and paste the link below to see the article I was talking about!
http://www.brokeragentnews.com/news/residential/2008_1/1_25_2008_yo_1201308947.html

Weekly Real Estate Tip

Everyone needs to read this article! It's a very positive article on today's market!

This is for everyone who is just as concerned about the environment as I am. I've been looking for something to carry my groceries in, and well, I'm picky. I want to find something that's big enough, durable, and also, it has to look good because this girl doesn't carry just anything! Let me know what you think! I have to say, I think I"ve found my grocery bag.

Weekly Fashion Tip

Ok everyone. I just received my new Vogue and my new Bazaar. Now for those of you who know me, you already know my monthly ritual when they first arrive. For those of you who don't, you'll learn something new about me! I put on Sex and the City, the E! channel, or the Style Network and read my magazines. The common theme for spring is bright colors! I know I talked orange two weeks ago, but I'm talking everything bright! The other common theme is edgy. There was a pair of high heels with spikes coming out of it. Yes you heard me right. So be bold this spring season with colors and try going edgy. Don't go safe! Example of edgy. Today I happen to be wearing brown tweed slacks, plaid brown and orange heels, a blue tank with an orange sweater:)

weekly real estate tip

This one is going to the sellers. I really want to emphasize the importance of pricing your house correctly from the get go. If your house is overpriced, it won't get any attention on the MLS nor will it appeal to buyers. It will sit on the market, you'll drop the price and chances are, you'll end up selling it for a lower price than you would have if it would have been priced right in the first place! Now, the reason for this is the longer a property sits on the market, the more people start to wonder what's wrong with it. A great tip is to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer. Really ask yourself from a buyer's perspective what it is worth! I also want to put out a recommendation now for buyers and sellers. If you have any questions about mortgages, refinancing, or anything to do with loans, give James Wirth a call! Check out his blog at http://mymortgageplan.blogspot.com. You'll be glad you did!

weekly fashion tip

This week I would like to discuss mascara. Sorry, boys, this one's only for the ladies (unless of course you are a guy who likes to wear mascara, in which case, I'm never one to judge)! Now, I know it's very tempting to purchase cheap mascara, but let's be honest, does it really work? In my personal opinion, I feel like cheap mascara leaves my eyelashes looking short, thin, and clumpy...not a great feeling. For those of you who know me, you know I need all the help I can get with the length of my lashes. I refuse to purchase anything other than Dior Show mascara. It lasts all day and it not only adds volume to my eyelashes, but it also adds some serious length. Now ladies, I'm urging you to splurge next time you go to buy mascara. Just try it once for me. It doesn't have to be Dior, but treat yourself to something expensive! It's worth it!

My Everett Listing

For those of you who haven't been to coldwellbanker.com or cbbain.com, you should check it out! It shows all of the listings that our company has nationwide/locally. I bring this up because I have a fabulous listing in South Everett. It's a 3 bedroom 2 bath rambler that's a must see! It's listed at 289,950, which is very competitively priced for the market. So take a look at it on our website or go and visit it! Give me a call if you'd like to see it in person! If you go to our website, an easy way to search for the house is to search for me under list of agents and you can view my personal listings. Like I said last week, now is the time to buy!

weekly real estate tip

I know that buyers are a little nervous to buy in the current market, but I have to say, it's a new year and 2008 looks like a fantastic year to buy real estate! I know you're asking yourself, "why does Stephanie say this with such confidence?" Well let me tell you why, because interest rates are low and there's a lot to choose from out there! If you ask me, it's a better time to buy now than it was two years ago because you'll get the house for market value and there's so much more inventory that you can move into a house you really, truly love. Take it from me...it's time to move into your dream home!

weekly fashion tip

I was at Bellevue Square over the weekend (yes during the Seahawks game) and as I was looking around the different shops, I was very happy to see that orange is sticking around this winter season. I think it's a color that should be worn by anyone who can pull it off. That is my challenge to everyone this week. Try on something orange whether it be a sweater, a shirt, or heck, even a scarf. Just give it a shot!