• Can You Tell If That Review Is Real Or Fake?…
• 3 Reasons Why You Should Eat This Type of Chocolate…
• Fun Facts and Laughs: Using Credit Cards Overseas, Websites For Car Sellers & Buyers, And More…
• Shopping in Elk Grove
• Real Estate Q&A: What Should I Do To Find The Right Home At The Right Price?…

Jack Edwards, REALTOR^®
California BRE#01331087

P.S.  When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide?

They may be people needing to move in the next 6 months, and you can tell them about my Free Consumer Report: “Home Seller’s Guide To Moneymaking Fix-Ups”. You’ll look really smart because this informative guide explains how to avoid costly repair rip-offs and what improvements bring the biggest return. To request a copy for a friend, simply email me by clicking here at jack.edwards@cbnorcal.com.

You probably look at customer reviews before you buy almost anything online. But you also know that some of the reviews may have been written by paid reviewers, company employees, competitors or people who just have too much time on their hands. These signs will help you spot the real from the fake.

Signs the review may be fake:

• It sounds like an ad. The reviewer repeats the company name, model number and features (from the product description). For example, “You won’t believe your
• The reviewer is anonymous. That’s a red flag. If you can, look for reviewer profiles so you can see what else they have reviewed and generally how positive or negative they may be.
• The review is completely one sided – either positive or negative. Is anything absolutely perfect?

Signs you should look for:

• The reviewer actually purchased the item. He or she may post pictures from a hotel you are considering. On Amazon, look for a review marked “Amazon Verified Purchase.” Also, reviews labeled “Amazon Vine” are from trusted reviewers who gave their opinions in exchange for free products.
• The product or service has many reviews. Check for even more reviews on other sites by searching the product name followed by “reviews.” Get as many opinions as you can.
• The reviews have pluses and minuses. For example, “This TV is great for gaming and watching sports and the size is perfect. I’m happy with the purchase but the audio quality could be better.”
• The reviews show a consistent theme. If several reviewers mention the same problem (e.g. the sheets fade after repeated washings), you might do more shopping.

You may have heard (or hoped) that chocolate is good for you. It’s true, if you eat the right kind. Studies show that eating small amounts (7 ounces a week) of high-quality dark chocolate has health benefits. But it has to contain at least 70% cacao and be low in sugar and fat. Here are the 3 biggest benefits of eating dark chocolate:

• It lowers your risk of heart disease.
  How?: Research indicates eating dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure. But it doesn’t work if you’re eating other things that are not healthy.
  Why?: Dark chocolate contains flavonoids. These plant chemicals have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Foods rich in flavonoids have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

• It helps reduce the negative effects of stress.
  How?: Scientists have found dark chocolate to reduce anxiety (probably why you crave it when you’re stressed!). It can also help you feel happier.
  Why?: Dark chocolate raises endorphin levels in the brain, which give you an euphoric feeling. It also triggers serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter (signal to the brain) known to be an anti-depressant.

• It may lower your Body Mass Index (BMI).
  How?: Eating dark chocolate can help your body naturally regulate your weight.
  Why?: BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height that is an indicator of body fat. Dr. David Katz of Yale University says research suggests that antioxidants might play a role in reducing inflammation, and dark chocolate in particular might help balance the hormones that facilitate weight control.

Tips For Using Credit Cards Overseas . . .

If you’re traveling internationally, you’ll want to use credit cards for hotels, meals and large purchases, and debit cards for cash. Besides telling your bank that you’re about to take a trip so they don’t freeze your account for those purchases you make in Italy, here are two more important tips:

Avoid “Foreign-Transaction” Fees. Call your card’s customer service department to see if your card has this fee, which may be up to 3 percent of each purchase. If it does, get a card that waives the fee, including Capital One and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. Also, ask your credit card company if you’ll be charged an ATM withdrawal fee. If your bank has a partnership with banks in other countries, you shouldn’t be charged for an in-network transaction.

Consider getting a card with a “chip.” Most U.S. cards use a magnetic strip for transferring information. Cards in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere use a microchip embedded in the card (called EMV or “chip and PIN” technology). You should get by with your card with proper identification, but you’ll have problems at automated kiosks (e.g. gas stations) that only accept “chipped” cards.

One final thought before you catch that airplane to Europe. Make sure that you have some local cash on hand when you leave home.  As soon as you arrive at your destination airport, you will need cash to buy a ticket on the train or Metro or to pay a cab driver, and you will pay dearly for cash conversions at the airport. I always go online to my bank at home and order Euros in mixed small bills. The last time we went to Europe, I ordered Swiss Francs and Euros. Will be doing it again for the next trip. A few Euros in your pocket really does simplify things and will get your trip off on the right foot. You can find our travel tips on our blog at www.TeamEdwardsTravel.com. Just click on the Blog link.

Websites For Car Sellers & Buyers . . .

• www.kbb.com — Find out how much your car is worth on this Kelley Blue Book site.

• www.carfax.com — Use it to get vehicle history reports if you’re buying a used car.

• www.edmunds.com — This car-shopping site provides car reviews, photos, videos, research, and buying tools to help you pick your next car.

Quotes To Live By . . .

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.
–John Quincy Adams

Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.
–Steve Jobs

If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think.
–Clarence Darrow

Have A Laugh . . .

When I am showing clients houses, they always ask me about shopping in Elk Grove. Usually they just ask, “Where’s the Mall?”

Sadly I have to tell them that the Mall has not been built yet, but it should open as a Premium Outlet Center in late 2015. In the mean time, they still need a place to shop.

To give them an answer about where to shop, I created a local website that has information about every shopping center and mini mall in Elk Grove.  You can check out the map to find a shopping center and it will show you all of the stores in that area. Makes it easy to plan shopping as well as lunch breaks since all stores are shown. There is also a direct link to the website for each store that has a website.

Finally, there is a search link on the main page that allows you to search for the store of your desire.

What more could you ask for, other than a Mall, of course?

Check it out. Also, please let me know if a store has closed or a new one has opened so that I can update the website for you.