BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 29 Parents

Nearly 50 years old and still blessed with the presence of the two greatest people I know. Both have stood by each other on the peaks and in the valleys and now their journey, I believe, gets more challenging. Back to the blessed part though. My three daughters are blessed by their presence, graced by their stories and touched by their love. The 4 siblings in the family, as close as ever, excited about the next time we all get together and grateful for parents that challenged us, gave us their time and loved us. It's easy to love a job where relationships are everything, but that's how we were raised. Our relationships in life, work and play are number one and that comes straight from the top. Thanks Mom & Dad.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 28 The Spelling of Malibou Lake

This is a general announcement for all. I have had so many calls on the misspelling of Malibou Lake. People see our ads or write ups and call us and say we have misspelled Malibou all the time...so for the record: It is spelled MALIBOU LAKE. Even when I spell check the blog, the computer says I am spelling it wrong, so I understand the people who are bored and try to call us out on it. I think back in the 1920's the people of the lake wanted to be different than the people of the beach.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 27 Li Paz Opera

It is not often that we have the opportunity to share this kind of a blog with all of our clients and friends….but with great enthusiasm and honor we want to announce a very special event coming up at The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. To back up just a bit….a few years ago we had the pleasure of listing an amazing home. It was such a unique property and it took a while to finally sell, but little did we know the friendship that would develop and expand as a result of that one transaction. So who are we talking about, our special friends and clients……Michael and Monica Li-Paz and Ron and Bronwen Li-Paz! You never know who you will meet each day as we traverse through life, so it is wise to walk with our eyes open and soak it all in. Turns out that Michael Li-Paz is the famous New York Opera Basso and his son the amazing Ron Li-Paz sings Baritone and they will be performing along with another son/brother, Baritone Gil Li-Paz in WHO’S AFRAID OF OPERA? TAKE III….In collaboration with composer and international concert pianist Michael Glenn Williams and Kyung Lee. A wonderful entertaining afternoon of dramatic, comic opera scenes, art songs and musicals. So don’t miss out and mark your calendar for this great event on the first day of Spring! Matinee Concert 3:00pm on March 20, 2011 at The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in The Janet & Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

This is Kelly, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 26 Misty Morning

What a morning this was when Bill Way took this photograph. Isn't it critical that every morning we wake up, we have the ability to enjoy the day's ride or we can look for ways, reasons, circumstances that will enable us to walk around like Eeyore, the famous Pooh character. There are two reasons why I love this photo so much. First, the morning mist is rising into the atmosphere similar to how we must rise each day to meet the days challenges. The second reason is the lake is calm and still and no paths have been cut across the water yet. It is ready for that first kayaker, paddle boarder or swimmer to chart their own course, with no winds or current forcing them to go in any particular direction. Those two images from this photo remind me, that each day, we will cut our own paths and either rise or fall to meet the challenges of each new day.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 25 SPARKS II

What a Surprise! This is a story of another Sparks family, of whom we do not see that often but their generosity completely caught me off guard. After closing escrow on a home where we represented them as buyers, they delivered a number of gifts to my sister Kelly and I. I will not mention what they were but to this day, when I think about what they did, it humbles me. It's not the gifts at all, even though they were stunning, it is the thought that they actually went out of their way and did that for us. This business is full of surprises. It was so fun to see them at the lake party and we will certainly get to see them again this year at our 2nd annual bash. There must be something to that last name Sparks!

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 24 Lions and Gazelles

While searching for something to motivate my 12 year old girls soccer team, I came across the following poster. I thought it would be perfect for the pregame motivation speech. After all, these were 12 year old girls looking for the next Vince Lombardi motivational speech. The poster shows a large African Lion in the grass as the sun is coming up and in the distance a small Tommy Gazelle. So that is the picture and here is what was scrolled across the bottom of that poster.
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed...every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle...when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." This morning on the drive in the sun was just coming up and it reminded me of that very fun day many years ago. So the sun is up today, the starting gun has been shot and all of us better get running. By the way, The girls won their championship that day.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 23 Sparks

When you see Sparks as the headline, you might think I am going to talk about love or that initial hot flame, not the case, I will save that for a later dialogue. This is about my friend Sanford Sparks who now lives in Arizona. I had sold a couple of his Condos before he up and left the Conejo Valley. I can flat out say that I miss this man who will be 87 this year and still plays 3 rounds of golf a week. He is funny, alive, happy and lives his life to the fullest. I miss losing 3 or 4 quarters in the 9 holes we often played. It is such a challenge in this job to stay in touch with people that were clients, but now, more significantly, are friends. If I had a wish, I would wish for 1 extra hour a day, just for the ability to, as AT&T says, reach out and touch someone. I am committed to reaching out more and if I have misplaced or forgot or been too busy, please reach out and touch us. Speaking with Sparky this morning, was another reminder of how precious friendships are! Stay in touch.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 22 Big Ears & Listening

When I took the animal test, I thought it was funny that I tested out as the elephant. The first thing that comes to mind about an elephant is it's enormous ears. Now, I do have big ears and as a kid walking to the school bus in the morning chill, I was tormented by other kids flicking those ears. Don't worry, this is not a plea for counseling, therapy or intervention, I suffered no adverse conditions and and require no medicine to get me through the day. All of us were given two ears and only one mouth and that speaks volumes. Speak less, listen more and enjoy what others have to say.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 21 The Birth of a Neighborhood

Driving through the Vintage community the other day, I reflected back on my days of hiking and looking for snakes where this community now sits. I first need to commend the developer for maintaining the character and natural beauty of this place. Obviously, when you build, the land never looks the same, but Vintage did a magnificent job of keeping it special. What is really cool is to see the transformation from a raw piece of land into a neighborhood where families are loving living there. Kids playing on the quiet street, a mother deer and fawn on the side of a newly landscaped yard, foraging away. We talk about a house becoming a home, but this is a 10 plus year endeavor where families are enjoying the fruits of a developer's vision. From King Snakes to hand shakes, from childhood play to handing the keys over. I do not think I could ask for a better 40 years, I'm a lucky guy.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 20 Luna

This is my 1st blog with a picture and let me introduce Luna. Luna and owner were riding in the Peter Strauss area when she stumbled off trail and fell down the hill. Ever wonder why showings cancel? Well, Luna and owner took a fall and because of a near tragedy, we were unable to show Luna's home. As the picture shows, Luna has recovered and owner is fine and showings have resumed. Cancelled showings and missed appointments are just part of this business and usually it's for some odd reason or made up excuse, but in this case, a fall, the vet and the rattled nerves prevented a showing. Now Luna is back in the saddle and ready to have her home sold.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 19 9000 Days

"9000 days set aside, 9000 days of destiny, 9000 days to thank gods wherever they may be." Has to be one of my favorite inspirational songs and its from the movie Invictus. The movie was fantastic satisfying the sports nut in me but even more than that, the movie tugged at my soul. It is a must see. By the way the 9000 days is nearly 25 years in solitary confinement, try overcoming that. I wonder what the measure of the man or woman is that can climb a mountain like that. I just hope that somewhere in my dna, I was given a small measure, even just a tablespoon.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 18 Keep Climbing

I love the entrepreneurial spirit of this country. Laurie's daughter, Nicole, has started "Teddy Needs A Bath", a super cool idea. It's a special cloth bag for the washing machine to put all those stuffed animals that get so dusty and dirty. It's scary to get out there and compete with the masses; requires a great support system, a lot of confidence and a little luck. Whether it's music, clothing, products or services, we really are all selling something and I so admire the people that see the mountain and are not afraid to start the climb to get to the top. So,cheers to Nicole, and may 10 million Teddys be bathed in her Teddy Needs A Bath bag.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 17 Septic Surprise

Have you ever been through a septic inspection? Not the most fun part of my job. One day at one of these inspections, so the story goes, the septic inspector, the seller (who happens to be a father of teenage daughter), the agent and all buyers are present when the septic lid is opened and the aroma quickly envelopes the bystanders forcing all to move positions to the upwind side. As all gaze into the tank, a number of small balloon like objects are floating on the surface of the tank. The seller asks the inspector, "what are those?", the inspector, embarrassed, calmly whispers C......s, to which the horror on the father's face (of the "innocent" teenage daughter) was plainly evident. You see in real estate behind every door, under each lid, there is always a surprise and sometimes in the most unusual places.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 16 Pricing

Question for you. A 5000 sq ft home 50 yards away from another 5000 sq ft home. One is $10 million and one is priced at $4 million. Why? Simple, one is on the beach side of PCH and one is on the hill side of PCH. How can there be such a huge price gap? So many of the neighborhoods our group handles, have price challenges because no two are alike. I have always felt the market (buyers) will determine the value of a home that is for sale. If we price a home and it is within reason, we should be able to come to terms. Just this last year we sold a 3000 sq ft home with no pool, spa or views for over $1.6 million but a mile away a home had great views, pool & spa and 3400 sq ft; we sold that one at $1.4 million. Two buyers wanted the $1.6M home and only one wanted the $1.4M. Why? Because the buyers at that moment were interested in a contemporary design versus a more traditional one. Pricing in our custom areas, despite the economy, is the most challenging aspect of our business.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 15 Triunfo Creek Rapids

8 or 9 years ago having drinks at Latigo Kid during a week long storm, I began bragging about the old days of shooting the rapids above Malibou lake. The next day I had secured my older brother, 2 Malibu realtors and an unsuspecting neighbor. The wives pleaded for life vests and we caved; thank god we did. We launched the vessels above Kanan and below Lobo and were immediately hit with a crushing torrent unlike any I had ever experienced. My brother and I were knocked out of the canoe by an overhanging limb early on and the fight for survival began. The others launched but their plight was unseen by me as I was struggling to avoid getting sucked under the Arizona crossing (a form of bridge where huge pipes direct water under the bridge). Fast forward to the wives and daughters awaiting their conquering heroes on the Mulholland bridge and one of the girls says as she sees the blue kayak floating by upside down "Mommy, wasn't daddy in the blue kayak?" and the mom gently and confidently replies , "No honey, he is in the yellow one." Just as the words leave her mouth, the yellow one floats by upside down. Panic, tears and fear, and spread out along a mile of the highway are 5 sorry would be waterman. Needless to say the story over Margeritas gets larger each year and you now see what happens to realtors on rainy days, especially the ones who still think they are 20.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 14 The Shoemaker Brothers

Have you listened to The Shoemaker Brothers, www.shoerock.com? A MUST DO this week. 4brothers, home schooled academically and musically, write their own music and each can play at least 4 instruments including the cello, violin, guitar, drums and keyboard AND they are all under 30 years old and they all sing. What inspiration! Real estate like music is a highly competitive and often unpreditable career, and that is why I admire these brothers so much. This family's talent and perseverence to make it in an equally challenging career has been inspiring to watch. By the way, take a listen and let them know and us know, what you think.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 13 Perspective

My advice, walk in the shoes of the other party and try to see it from their perspective. So hard to do for so many of us during a real estate transaction. All of us by nature want to win, so it becomes extremely difficult to see the other party's point. Now lets zoom out like google earth and take a view from above. As we look from above, we see people fighting for survival, worried that their own government might bomb their city or strike down a family member. Rather shocking looking down and the perspective it affords us. Zoom back in and realize how great it is that we have the opportunity to choose where we live, associate with anyone, assemble and even negotiate over price per square foot. Is it not all about perspective?

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 12 Celebrity

What I thought began as a prank call ended up being one of my most memorable moments. It was no prank at all, but a mega mega star requesting a showing. Sitting on a deck overlooking Malibou Lake with me, asking what I would do if I were him. I knew his question was real estate related but I could not help but ponder how his life must differ slightly from my own. Private jets, exotic locations on luxury yachts, and a host of other monster benefits. Trying to act cool and hip, which I know I failed at miserably, I babbled some answer out that to this day is still unrecognizable to me and the star. Oh well, life rolls on and I will continue transporting myself, not in my private jet, but in my big rimmed Ford Flex.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 11 Rainy Days

What started out to be a frantic day has turned out to be a rather dull and gloomy day. Multiple cancellations of showings and inspections because of rain, has provided an opportunity to begin the renewal of my license. It's a dreaded time consuming process online that each realtor, every 3-4 years must endure. As with any business in this great state of ours, the state likes their fees. I will endure by going to a happy place. Any suggestions?


This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 10 Daughters

Last night, at the Canyon Club, enjoying Kelsey and Kinsey at their high school soccer banquet. The interaction with friends, the speeches by the coaches, the awards, but most importantly for me, the memories of little ones on the field with ribbons in their hair. No ribbons in their hair now, just fierce competitors, scholar athletes and young women on top of this world, poised to reach for their mountain top. How quickly time has flown by and I feel lucky that with Miley, I get to go through it all again. Why do I love being a realtor? Well one really big big reason, it has allowed me the freedom to not miss out. I am a lucky man.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 9 Our Serengeti

Well, here I sit, and it's Laurie this time, at my desk watching in wonder at what might look like chaos but is in reality, a Serengeti of animals playing out their roles, resulting in a day of exceptional results. Hard to believe, but true. Have any of you taken the quiz from What Animal Am I, www.whatanimalami.com, taken from the book, Surviving Your Serengeti? It's a 5 minute quiz that will tell you a lot about yourself. Our group consists of Dave, the communicating Elephant, an animal that due to its sheer strength and size can master the use of nonverbal communication. Shawn, the efficient Cheetah, believes in finishing her work in the shortest period of time with a minimum amount of wasted energy and resources. Kelly, the graceful Giraffe, is not only graceful in appearance but graceful in her approach to others. Me, Laurie, the strategic Lion, am responsible for our overall marketing approach, in the same way a pride of lions plan their hunt. Tina, the enduring Wildebeest, pursues her clients like the migrating Wildebeest as it travels across 1500 miles through peril, to reach the fertile fields. Dylan, the enterprising Crocodile, is quick to recognize opportunity and strike swiftly. I now understand why our Serengeti works.

Take the quiz and get back with us...unless you are a WART HOG!

This is Laurie, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 8 Absence

Tough on family and tough on business when you are away for 3 days. No hugs for the kids and wife, the dogs are rambunctious and the cat who rarely acknowledges me will surely ignore me for a month, as he thinks, I will be hurt by his behavior. Then there is the biz side of things and even with the group covering, I always wonder what else I might be missing. I could not help but thinking that these other 8000 agents are feeling pretty much the same way I was. Then I heard their voices harmonize during a karaoke version of Love Shack and I realized that 3 days at a company convention is just about enough.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 7 Anaheim

Company wide convention with approximately 10,000 agents and lots of information about trends, interest rates, pending foreclosures, inflation etc. After reviewing so much data the first day, I thought about how to boil things down. For sellers: Homes are selling regardless of the amount of inventory. It may take longer but they are selling. Luxury inventory has gone from a 48 month inventory to 14 months. To sell in today's market buyers have to feel that a seller's home, compared to other properties has value and is fairly priced. For buyers: Now is a fairly good time to buy and in fact, may be one of the best times because we are still at historically low interest rates, but that will not last much longer. Once rates start to creep up, the cost of that home will go up even though the purchase price may not reflect that. The money will just cost you more!

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN - day 6 Pit Bulls & Baby Steps

Crossing the stream in the listing agent's jeep enjoying the broker's caravan along Lobo Canyon, neither myself nor the two lady agents had any idea what peril loomed in front of us. A burned out house on five plus acres with incredible views and a small trailer nestled under the shade trees. As we exited the car, two rather menacing looking Pits, barking, growling & foaming at the mouth, began crashing against the glass trailer door. With each successive blow to the door, the latch is slowly giving way. Now the distance between the jeep, a large fence and trailer are measured by my perceptive and now fearful eye. And it happens, the door gives way and shooting out of the trailer like bullets exiting their gun's chamber, 200 pounds of muscle and teeth have locked on. Instinct and heart rate explode, I am at the top of the fence in seconds, relieved that I still have some life in my legs but now horrified about who I have left behind to suffer a most unfortunate mauling. As I turn to look, the dogs were on them, sniffing, wagging and licking away, just happy to have some friends on their mountain. I am humiliated but quickly shout out from my position on top of the fence, "Hey, the second story views from a new house would be spectacular." Not one of my proudest moments but since that day I have stepped in front of two dogs to take the bite instead of my clients, a Chihuahua and a Pekingese...Baby steps!

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 5 The Wash Cloth and Pretty Lady

Carmen, a very pretty young lady, and I enter a home after a kind gentleman removes himself and his dogs from the house. As we enter the great room, suddenly a door opens upstairs and a rather portly fellow, unaware of our presence, exits the upper level bathroom wrapped in what some would call a towel, but for a man of his size, I would call it a wash cloth. I really don't know what Carmen saw from the lower level through the banister but here's a piece of advice if your home is for sale. When you exit your bathroom, grab the beach towel instead of the wash cloth. One more thought; he might have seen Carmen when we got out of the car, and maybe he was just showing off. If that is the case Sir, I admire your confidence.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN -day 4 A Marathon

I heard marriage once described as a marathon. Think about that, being out of breath, aching muscles, blistered feet and dehydrated...it just makes most of us want to run out and get married or if already married, asking, what mile am I at right now? The start of the marathon is exciting with the massive moving crowd and fanfare but check in around mile 14, 15, or 16 and see what's up. Skip to the finish line, more crowds, the exhilaration of completion, champagne and finally, a well deserved rest. So it goes with buying or selling a house, first comes the excitement of coming to terms, then comes the inspections, disclosures, paperwork, appraisals and the worry, stress and fatigue that inevitably hop on your shoulders for the ride. Exhausting! 45 days or so later, you're sipping a martini or lemonade by the pool, the dog is tearing up your yard and your feet are up and you are at rest. The loose toilet, the rat droppings in the attic and the bleeping bleeping smoke detector of the past month are forgotten and you are home. In the middle of your race, day, transaction, or life, you may want to take just a brief moment to ponder your coming rest.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN- day 3 Rattlesnake

Berated and beaten down by the more experienced realtor, I struggled to gain the upper hand in one of my first transactions, but she was feisty and knew she had me! Do this, do that, I was helpless to combat her experience, knowledge and oh yes, her attitude. Then, as if the Almighty had heard my pleas, the serpent sprang forth at the home inspection and sent her flying for shelter.(I was surprised she moved as swiftly as she did). From that point on, we were equals. The juvenile Rattler was released into the wild after I gave him a big squeeze thanking him for leveling the playing field. I walked a little taller that day, and I still laugh 12 years later about the Rattlesnake that rescued me!

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN- day 2 The Group

Dylan, Kelly, Laurie, Tina, Shawn & Janet: I am a lucky guy to work with such great people. Everyday I lean on them for support, energy, and fun and everyday I am rewarded with all that and more. We represent 14 different buyers and sellers who are in escrow, in addition to the sellers homes we are currently marketing. It would simply be impossible to do this without my groups constant support and they are simply the best! You surround yourself with really solid people and awesome things happen. I hope all of you have people in your life that make a difference and enable you to climb your mountains. The six people above are my difference makers. Thank You.

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

BLINDS WIDE OPEN- day 1 Introduction

Thanks everyone for checking in on the launch of our blog, "Blinds Wide Open". Every day The McLaughlin Group will give you an inside look at the happenings behind the scenes of this exhilarating industry. We are excited about this and hope you will check in on a daily basis, be entertained, offer ideas, stories and patronize the great local restaurants and wineries that are teaming up with us (print out this page with the coupon on the right column of the blog; it will change every week).

We are so privileged to do what we do. Our lives are enriched because of each event, story and friendship that this fantastic business provides us on a daily basis.

So you want a story? We had a recent sale with some very expensive Koi Fish included. The night before escrow closes, the seller's agent turns on the waterfall and it clogs with pine needles. The pump then switches to pool water to prevent it from burning up, with just one problem...the pool is saltwater and Koi are freshwater fish...yep, many perish. Sad, some were put into the pond over 20 years ago and who knows what they are worth. The Oneil family was incredibly gracious and simply requested that the agent take them out for a round of golf. Wow! And he asked that I get to go along too. I am moved by their grace and honored to be their agent.

Thanks to the Old Place and Sip Winery for helping us launch "Blinds Wide Open."

This is Dave, from The McLaughlin Group, keeping it real in real estate!

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