Marge's Real Estate Blog: The Draper Report

Almost free is one of my favorite phrases used by vendors in Mexico.  It's the concept of the word and not the reality that is so fascinating to me.  If you think about it, it's an oxymoron.  But one that brings a smile.

So what is free or almost free in the mid-Peninsula or the Bay area?  If you like books and authors, here are some that will be giving book talks during the week.

Maxine Hong Kingston will be at Kepler's this evening, Feb. 22 at 7 PM to discuss her book, I Love A Broad Margin To My Life.  Kepler's is located at 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA  94025, (650) 324-4321 or keplers.com where you can order Google ebooks.

Peggy Orenstein will be dicussing her book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter:  Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 PM at Kepler's.  This is a Parenting Event.  I think I'm glad I don't have a young daughter!

Stephen Winner will be discussing his book, The Silverado Story:  A Memory-Care Culture Where Love Is Greater Than Fear on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 3 PM at Kepler's.  Winner is a leader in the provision of long-term care services to persons with Alzheimer's.

Michael David Lukas will discuss his novel, The Oracle of Stamboul, on March 1 at 7 PM at Kepler's.

On a completely different topic, if you are thinking about remodeling, Harrell Remodeling  offers workshops on remodeling.  Harrell Construction is located at 1954 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View, Ca  94043.  I have been hearing from a lot of people who are thinking of remodeling instead of selling and buying up.  

Remodeling magazine publishes very informative information annually describing the expected value of a remodeling project when reselling a home.  The information is by regions of the country and then by areas.  In the early 2000's a remodeling project to a home in the San Francisco Bay area could get a home owner up to 30% or more over the cost of a project at the time of sale.  Those days are gone.

This is the free or almost free for the week of February 22 - March 1.