Player's for Peace

Originally Published  Feb 19, 2026 Lauren Howard, Intermediate Yoga, Spring 2026 Yoga Reflection Assignment: Exploring a Yama or Niyama For my reflection I have chosen Ishvarapranidhana (surrender to something greater) because I believe this is the most important category on the list.  I believe that acknowledging and paying attention to how you feel about your personal Ishvarapranidhana is an indication of how well connected you are with joy.  I call this a sense of being on the right path or in alignment with all the best parts of life.  When your words, actions and thoughts are positive you surrender to the well-being that abounds in the Universe. My perception of this principle shows up on my mat every time I step up or sit down to do some yoga.  My dominant intent is to be present in my body and connected to the strength in my body that is connected to the energy that helps me breathe.  I trust in the Universe to lead me through the movements and en...

Originally Published  Feb 17, 2026   Why Travel Is Back in the Mix — and Why I’m Focusing on Regent Seven Seas Cruises I’m still actively selling real estate and Pampered Chef — and now, I’ve added travel back into the mix. I’ve always loved connecting people with great opportunities and experiences, and honestly, I can sell just about anything. But for the next few months, I’ve decided to focus intentionally on one brand: Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Lately, I’ve been diving deep into their voyages, and I’m truly impressed. Their ships are intentionally smaller, which allows them to sail some really unique and fascinating routes. This means access to incredible destinations that larger ships simply can’t reach, along with more immersive experiences, longer port stays, and thoughtfully curated itineraries. What really stands out is how purposeful their journeys feel. Instead of rushing from one crowded port to the next, Regent focuses on meaningful travel — deeper cultural conne...

  Origilally Published  Jan 26, 2026 How to Hire a Moving Company Questions to ask: Are you certified by the ICC? Do you charge by the pound or by the hour? How much insurance do you carry? Are there any items you charge extra to move, such as china, pianos, pool tables and the like? Are you bonded? Can I call to find out the location of my things during the move?   Once you’ve hired a mover, there’s still more work to be done. * Make yourself a checklist of things to do every week for eight weeks prior to the move. Stay as organized as possible. * Ask your moving company to assign three movers to you—two to load and unload and one to guard the truck to prevent theft. * Talk to your insurance agent about liability. Does your current homeowner’s policy cover your possessions during a move? Moving companies’ basic insurance coverage usually allows a set amount per pound per item, and it’s usually not enough, so find out how much the company carries and then buy ext...

Originally Published  Nov 16, 2025 Build Home Equity Faster Equity is the part of your property that you actually own. If you own property that’s worth $250,000, and you have a mortgage with a remaining loan balance of $100,000, your equity in the property is $150,000. Repeat home buyers usually rely to some extent on the equity in their current home to help buy their next home. The more equity you have, the larger the possible down payment for the trade-up home. Home equity also equals security. Especially at the beginning of a mortgage loan, so little of your payment goes to principal that equity builds maddeningly slowly. Naturally, building home equity comes at a price, usually in the form of larger payments. If building home equity means incurring debt to make ends meet, then you’ve defeated the purpose of building equity in the first place. One way is to make additional principal payments. Additional principal payments make sense when you save more on your mortgage in...

Originally Posted  Sep 25, 2025 Hosting a fun Pampered Chef event this week and I wanted to invite you to join in on the excitement with Table by Pampered Chef! 🎉 It's their awesome secure party platform where you can find kitchen tips, recipes, product demos, and more! Plus, you'll be entered to win a Season's Best cookbook when you click this link:   Can't wait to hang out with you there! 🍳 #PamperedChef #TableByPamperedChef   Homes for Sale in Santa Barbara County North County Homes under $700,000 Santa Ynez Valley 4 Bedroom Homes Top 16 Picks in the SBMLS Contact Lauren Howard Real Estate for a personal tour.  805-291-0867 text or call  

Originally Posted   Jul 26, 2025 Home Inspections If you’re buying or selling a home, it’s important to understand what a home inspection entails and how it affects the sale or purchase of a house.   What Is a Home Inspection? A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the structure and systems of a home by a neutral third party. Basically, it shows you what’s wrong with the property and if it is serious enough to prevent a sale. (Note: An inspection does not concern code violations and therefore does not guarantee that the home is free of them.) The three main points of the inspection are to evaluate the physical condition of the home, identify items in need of repair or replacement, and estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure and finishes. An inspector cannot report on defects that are not visible, such as defects hidden behind finished walls or beneath carpeting, and inaccessible areas. Seasonally inoperable ...

 Originally Posted  May 29, 2025 Interest Rate Buydowns What is an interest-rate buydown?  It’s a tool to help you qualify for a larger loan and purchase a higher-priced house than you could under normal circumstances. A buydown allows you to pay extra points up front in return for a lower interest rate for the first few years. The good news: the extra points are tax deductible. Often, people relocating for employment obtain buydowns because employers often pay the extra points as part of a relocation package. Buydowns are a financing technique used to reduce the monthly payment for the borrower during the initial years of the loan. Under some buydown plans, a residential developer, builder or the seller will make subsidy payments (in the form of points) to the lender that "buy down," or lower, the effective interest rate paid by the home buyer. State agencies often offer lower rate loans. But to qualify, borrowers usually must be a first-time homebuyer and meet i...

Originally Posted  May 8, 2025   To our Customers and Friends – Let us take this opportunity to say Thank You and wish you All the Best this Mother's Day Weekend Share the Fun Share the Savings Spring Virtual Pampered Chef Party Hosted by your broker and Pampered Chef Consultant, Lauren Howard Join on Table with Name and Email   Springtime is Real Estate selling time.  Longer days, summer vacation coming up, markets settling?  Visiting neighborhoods and performing valuations for customers is the wheelhouse.  If you need to sell, get to the front of the line by replying to this email.  We notice when emails are looked at or the website is visited...the webmaster calls them hand raises.  Analytics are awesome!  But meeting with homeowners, previewing properties, and marketing and selling homes has top priority.     Staying put?  Great!  Shop for some Pampered Chef with us.  Invite friends!  Know any...

  Originally Posted  Apr 30, 2025 Shop Smart at Farmers' Markets l Buy only the amount you can use in a short period of time. l Look for produce that’s free from unusual odors or colors and signs of spoilage. l Handle produce gently to reduce bruising. Bacteria can thrive in the bruised areas. l When buying cut produce, keep it cold during transport. l Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before handling produce. l Wash all fruits and vegetables with cool running tap water right before eating. Don't use dish soap or detergent because the FDA hasn’t approved or labeled these products for use on foods. l Scrub melons with a brush and running water, because bacteria can be transferred from the outside of the melon to the inside by a knife. l Cut away bruised parts before eating. Remove the outer leaves from lettuce and cabbage. l Keep fresh cut produce cold by placing serving containers on ice. Perishable food should spend no more than two...

Originally Posted  Apr 18, 2025 To our Customers and Friends – Let us take this opportunity to say Thank You and wish you All the Best this Holiday Season Happy Easter Egg Cake!!! Follow this link to the recipe: https://www.pamperedchef.com/.../Easter+Egg+Cake/1090513 Small Batter Bowl Item Number: 2432 1-cup Prep Bowl Set Item Number: 1825 Decorating Bag Set Item Number: 100844    

 Originally Posted  Mar 18, 2025 Set the Right Rent The best place to start is by checking your Sunday newspaper for the range of rent prices in your area. In trendy areas, there is a constant demand for rentals. Still, if your property is in such an area, common sense dictates property with repair or maintenance issues won’t demand the same price as a well-maintained property. Amenities like dishwashers, laundry facilities, and parking can affect a renter's decision. Join an apartment owners association to learn of trends affecting rental rates. Many also offer advice on pricing and management issues. When you decide on a price, err on the high side — it’s easier to lower prices than raise them. Offer incentives when the market is soft, like a free month of cable TV.   My $.02 I love my marketing partner because they have good old timey real estate articles I get to share from their library...makes for a good riff.   The best way to find out what p...

Originally Posted  Mar 10, 2025 Outline Your Fitness Plan Many people treat their health like a bingo game—if they hit the numbers, fine. If not, well, that’s the breaks. But you have control over your fitness, and you must outline a program in order to gain maximum benefits. The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports website points to lifelong commitment as key in getting and staying fit. “Exercise must become one of those things that you do without question, like bathing and brushing your teeth,” according to the PCPFS website. The PCPFS defines fitness this way: "The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being. “Physical fitness involves the performance of the heart and lungs, and t...

Originally Posted  Feb 19, 2025  Here:  https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/buying-property-in-mexico--take-me-with-you-?ts=blg Buying Property In Mexico Foreigners can’t own Mexican property in the restricted zone (32 miles from high tide and 64 miles from any border) outright. Instead, a real estate trust (fideicomiso) is executed between a Mexican bank and the seller of property in the restricted zone. The bank acts on behalf of the foreign buyer, buying and taking title to the property. The foreign buyer retains all rights of ownership. First, all foreigners are required to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Next, to open your trust account, you’ll need your accepted offer for purchase, a photo ID and 10 percent of the purchase price of your new home. Do not give money to anyone other than a bank escrow representative when you sign a bank contract. Closing usually takes 30-45 days.   My $.02 I had no idea.  If you haven't notice...

Originally Posted  Feb 3, 2025  Here:  https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/mind-maps-sbiff-and-sbcc-by-lauren-howard-re?ts=blg Mind Maps What is a mind map? It’s a tool used to organize thoughts, options, possibilities. The origins are attributed to everyone from Tony Buzan (who wrote The Mind Map Book) to Edward Debono, a world-renowned psychologist and behaviorist. Most importantly, a mind map is a tool to get people thinking outside the box – or in this case, outside the list. So how do we make a mind map? It’s a good idea to start with a large work surface, such as a piece of poster board – that way you’ll have plenty of room to work with. With a mind map, we start from the middle of the page as opposed to the traditional top left-hand corner, which helps us out of the box from the get-go. It also allows you to work out in all directions. This organizational structure actually reflects the way your own brain organizes ideas. Try writing keywords on small y...

  Condo, PUD, Co-op: What's the Difference? Condos: Walls, floors, and ceilings owned by all residents; HOA dues; covenants, conditions, and restrictions; value depends on the desirability of entire development. Originally Posted  Jan 22, 2025 Here: https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/condo-pud-coop-whats-the-difference-pc-too?ts=blg Planned Unit Development (PUD): Individuals own structure and some land. Co-op: Corporation made up of all tenants; larger units have more power in how building is run; fees for taxes, mortgage, repair, improvement; heavy scrutiny of financial, personal history. Townhome: Not a form of ownership, but a term for an attached row house. Advantages of each: Prices often lower than for single-family home; maintenance minimal or nonexistent; safety in “cluster” environment. Disadvantages: HOA dues; CCRs may be complex.   My $.02 I renew again this year!!      I finished my 45 hours of continuing educatio...

  Originally posted Here: https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/happiness-and-prosperity-pampered-chef-party?ts=blg   Jan 2, 2025 May Happiness and Prosperity be yours in the New Year.  I hope to see and speak to all of you in 2025.   I joined Pampered Chef last year shopping for my dear son's wedding gift.  I love selling real estate and Pampered Chef has a wonderful product and awesome sales people.   Shop Now pamperedchef.com/pws/laurenhoward/shop-landing-page   Host a Party pamperedchef.com/pws/laurenhoward/pws-host-a-party   If you have any real estate questions I have answered.  I just finished my 45 hours of continuing education for my California real estate licensing renewal.  I know a lot of stuff.  I don't like to give away my age, but I was giving birth to my son about the time I was studying for my first real estate license.  I love selling homes in Santa Barbara County.  I have set a goal to ...

Originally published  Dec 5, 2024 Here.   https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/healthy-aging?ts=blg Healthy Aging Healthy aging has several key components: Good physical health; possession of basic resources (housing, food); good social network; sense of purpose; and engaging in activities such as volunteering, working, and hobbies or interests. Make a list called 100 Things I Want To Do (before I die…). The list helps to uncover past dreams, wishes and activities or interests they haven't pursued in a while. What if age weren’t a factor? What if you weren’t afraid of seeming foolish? What if you had the resources and energy to make your dreams come true? Movies need older extras. Skydiving can be done at any age with good health. Why not get a college degree now? Forget about what is “expected” of older people, and follow your heart’s desire.   My $0.02 I am a school girl from way back.  This semester I decided to take Interior Design 100 at Santa Barb...

Originally Posted  Nov 8, 2024  Here: https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/capital-gains-exclusions?ts=blg Capital Gains Exclusions Determining your principal residence according to the IRS for tax purposes if you own more than one home can be tricky, but the IRS continues to refine the rules. First of all, principal residence can take many forms: conventional home, condominium, mobile home, house trailer, tenant-stockholder cooperative housing unit—even a boat, as long as it has sleeping, cooking and sanitary facilities (a bathroom).   The difficulties arise when you split your time between two different properties during a year. Simply put, the IRS says that your principal residence is the home you own and use as a residence for “a majority of the time during the year.”   But of course, there are other considerations. For instance: l the location of your property in relation to your place of employment. l the location where your family members reside...

 Originally published  Nov 8, 2024  Here: https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/sellers-guide-september-2024-car?ts=blg The price per square foot stat makes me want to look at building something.  It's got to be cheaper.

  Originally posted  Nov 8, 2024   Here: https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/buyers-guide-september-2024-car?ts=blg There is a lot of equity in the market.  Santa Barbara County home owners are big thinkers or they know how to whip out a calculator.  The numbers are always getting bigger.

  Originally posted  Oct 13, 2024 Here:  https://www.homessantabarbaracounty.com/blog/i-love-professional-tennis?ts=blg Blog post 10/6/2024 Watching Tennis  I'm watching the replay of Nole's first match at the ATP Shanghai Open. I was fortunate to see him play live once at Indian Wells. I have been taking photos of the TV since then. 🤣 The first set tie break was a symphony of exquisite execution. And that's about how his poor young American opponent must have been feeling, executed.  It's like the Champion gives the guy a fair chance to show off their own prowess, but once he knows their limit it is over. It takes monumental effort for his opponent to win a piont from the point Nole sets his mind to winning every point. You can almost see his foot in the sand moment and the subtle added intensity in his ball bounces. I ❤️Nole #NovakDjokovic #Shanghai2024 #tvpics #thankgoodness for #foggy #Sunday