This has been the week of CRAZY finds for me!!

You ever throw your line in a pond and pull out a boot? The TWO realtor equivalents of this would be: You ever been on a listing appointment, look in the dining room built-ins of a gorgeous, well preserved Victorian and find (a very nice set of) mounted "HOOTERS??" (Happened to me on Wednesday.)

You ever show a vacant home, walk into the kitchen and find "GUNS and AMO??" (Happened to me on Thursday.)

WOW! Wanna have some FUN?? Call me up to do some house hunting!! It's like HGTV meets SHOWTIME!! :))

How does a Realtor/Mommy work from home with a sick baby?

The entire time I've been in Real Estate I have also been heavily involved in raising two small kiddos (because my husband refuses to do it all by himself.)  So, where there's children -- we all know -- there are GERMS, and they manifest themselves at the MOST inopportune time... namely because NO time is opportune for the little green goblins.

Any other agent ever ask him or herself... "How IN-THE-WORLD can I sell Real Estate and take care of sick babies?"

It's been a learning curve.. I was a nervous wreck in the beginning... taking phone calls in my coat closet, implying that children's voices in the background were "other peoples kids"  ..can't do anything about "other people's kids" talking in the background now can I?

Geesh!! It can KICK MY BUTT trying to take care of a cherished child and a treasured client at the same time.

But eventually experience will breed wisdom.. true?  And he gains wisdom in a happy way, who gains it by another's experience... So here's what I got...

I remind myself that even though I love selling Real Estate..  this "Mommy" business is GOLDEN!  And (unfortunately... and I mean that) these days won't last forever.

I try to be real with my clients.  I tell them a little bit about myself and guess what??  We are often in the same boat -- dealing with similar things.  Talking about these things helps us connect on an even higher level.

Honesty and good equipment has made it possible for me to be successful during these times when I need to be at home -- making a bowl of chicken noodle soup while scheduling closings and writing listing contracts!

Here's some of my favorite equipment and devices...

I love a FAX LINE that goes straight to my email.

I love GMAIL.. which keeps EVERY address I've ever keyed into it.

I love a DIGITAL THERMOMETER.

I love OFFICE ASSISTANTS that work as hard as I do.

I love SOCIAL MEDIA... which helps me get in touch with all my cool peeps as soon as I need them.

I love the CVS version of CHILDREN'S TYLENOL.

I love my DROID.. (I sometimes call it my assistant.)

I love a SCANNER... that allows me to have EVERY document pertaining to ANY transaction practically on my person AT ALL TIMES.

I love TEXTING.

I love SPONGE BOB.. ????

It's on (Sponge Bob, that is) ...I just make her keep it down while I'm on the phone... 

Ok world that I love... Bring on the work.. bring on the sniffles.. I'm ON MY "A" GAME!  (Lord, heal Gina's sniffles in Jesus name!)

Great friends = great success!

Fabulous surprise!  Yesterday late morning I got a call from a friend currently residing in California.. We don't talk often and we've only seen one another once in the last 5 years.


How great that she was driving thru Terre Haute with her new (really super cute..and I'm not just saying that) baby, her sis, and her mom yesterday!  (Goes to show.. you never know what a day will bring!)

Summer, Debbie, and Dr. Scott

We met for dinner when her crew arrived in town.. Sushi Umi = great place to sit and chat with friends!


We didn't have much time but we were able to catch up on a few things.  Stepped right back into it as if there hadn't been a huge lull in our conversation over the years. 


Friends add more than "friendship" or "commradery" to our lives.  They contribute to WHO WE ARE..


Take the time out of your schedule to have a face to face, or phone to phone with your cherished friends!  WE NEED THEM to get THROUGH OUR TOUGH TIMES just as much as WE NEED THEM to be SUCCESSFUL! 

New Year New Way to SAVE YOUR MONEY

(I'm working on selling this house in Clinton.  I don't have it listed, I have buyers.. But the buyers are VERY concerned about the TAXES/ASSESSED VALUE...)

You're a HOMEOWNER?  Make sure you HAVE your HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS in place!  If you own and live in your home then you are entitled to it.  There are other exemptions people may qualify for too.  Go to the Court House -- specifically the AUDITORS OFFICE (In Vigo County go to the Annex at 1st and Oak). 

AND HERE'S WHY....

The above pictured house is located in Clinton, Indiana.

Asking Price $69,900 - reasonable

Assessed Value $$159,800 ??? (Question the ASSESSOR.. on this one!)

Current Tax Bill $3,358  - What the? Who the? What the?

Now...DRUM ROLL PLEASE.... (Look what it's possible to be saving here....)

New Tax Bill with HOMESTEAD and MORTGAGE EXEMPTIONS are estimated to be between $500 and $650!!! SCORE!!

You're GOING TO SELL? MAKE SURE you have your property taxes in order. If you're trying to sell investment property -- know that you probably don't have a HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION and a buyer will have to assume a larger than normal tax burden for the first year. That COULD EASILY scare them off.. so DON'T BLAME THE REALTOR (Oh!  But I know you never would...)

Always list your home on a MONDAY... (Why I think this...)

WHY? You ask.. would I venture out on a day like today?? (Springhill from 3rd to 7th was complete ice!!)

Because IT'S MONDAY! The BEST day to put your home on the market!

Who am I kidding? .. Any day is a good to list your house ...but -- LISTEN UP -- I have decided that certain days are BETTER than others --

BECAUSE:

EYES! MORE EYES are on your listing at the beginning of the week than the latter.

Our local Multiple Listing Service posts your property as a NEW LISTING and keeps it on the "NEW" list for 2 days. After that it falls into the sea of "active" along with the other (as of today) 855 active residential listings in our MLS.....

Who doesn't like to check out the "New" list?? You'd check it out, wouldn't ya?!

NEVER LIST ON A FRIDAY!! There are several agents out there that don't work Saturday (and bug out early on Friday) so your chances of getting viewed on that "NEW" list will dwindle.

Call me if you want more info... I'm going back out into it ...to please a little munchkin dressed like a gymnist!

Whoo Hoo! Yippee!

I sub for teachers....

...for their Euchre group!!

I love this little group of teachers that invite me to play with them once-in-a-while.

Tonight I walked away with the "most loners!" And a beautiful flowering pot ...that I had just spied at Blooms Brother's this morning -- AND WANTED!

It is turning into my lucky day...It's 8:45p and there's still time to buy a lottery ticket!

Just kidding... I'm waaaay to lazy to fire the car back up and go get a lottery ticket!

E's Mothers Day Stories

E's First Temper Tantrum Pertaining to Mother's Day

She was 3 about to turn 4.

She was (still is) ABSOLUTELY adorable.

She had (still does) a cute little baby voice and a really cute little baby accent.

She liked princesses....(understatement.)

We were at the Hallmark in the mall.

I was purchasing a Mother's Day card for my momma.

E was dancing, swaying, and twirling to the beat of a princess card that played music.

I made my selection, chatted with E about her princess card and then asked her to put it away.

All heck broke loose....

She was so upset that we weren't buying the princess card.. In retrospect...why didn't I?

We cried, we payed, we stomped, we walked out of the store, we were standing in the middle of an active mall and she says...

"You have wuined Mudder's Day fo me!"

I knelt down and put my arm around her. Tried to kiss her and said...

"I'm sorry sweetheart.. But I'm sure it won't be the last time."



Flashforward to Yesterday

(Background facts: Matt sets the coffee pot up everynight for us. It brews around 7am. I get up, have a cup, and watch the news while the rest of them are still sleeping. I have complained a few times about never getting breakfast in bed on Mother's Day. They say it's because I am always up before them.....)

The pot finishes brewing and beeps the "all ready" sound. It's 7am!

I stir -- fully aware of the day, the possibility that there may be a breakfast in bed. (I had overheard E the night before say she wanted to set her alarm clock.)

Matt stirs, I make sure to make eye contact with him so that he knows I'm awake. It's 7am!

G is lying between us. Soundly snoozing.

Matt gets up. I hear cups clanging, the sound of a bag being rustled. It's 7am!

I stay in bed -- just in case.

Moments later a bleary eyed E walks in carrying a tray with a cup of coffee and 3 Hostess powdered sugar donuts cut in half. It's 7am!

Matt hits the play button on my cd alarm clock and Buddy Holly starts playing True Love Ways. (Oh, it was terribly charming at 7am!)

All along I am careful not to wake up G ...she will want to eat my donuts!

Funny thing is ... When Matt got E up. He shook her awake, stood her upright, handed her the tray, and she said...

"Now, who's this for?..."

Another Saturday at the office with a chance to update my blog..

Subject #1

I asked about a second grade teacher for E.

Usually I am of the thought that the hand of providence (aka God) will guide my little girl through her preschool, kindergarten, first grade, and this upcoming second grade year.

But, I was so curious as to what input I might get from her teacher that I decided to ask.

From what she said I could glean a certain direction would be better than another so I ....emailed my preferrence to the principle.

If next year turns out to be a bust I will never forgive myself. And I really don't want to learn another lesson ..even a faith lesson.. the hard way. Not at my little tot's expense.

I can sure squeeze the tears out just thinking about her and the apprehension I feel about school.. the time she's away from me.. the kids that might not be nice to her.. the teacher that doesn't understand where she's coming from.. the ideas she encounters without me there to buffer.

Prayer... I want to be a praying momma.. and I have good reason to be!

Ok. Wipe my eyes.


Subject #2 -- sort of in rambling form

I have no idea what the market's going to do.

April 30th has passed. No more tax credit incentives. That did bring in lots of business.

Listings are picking up.

The market was at a 6 month supply. Which is dead on the "stable" mark. Any less inventory would tip towards a seller's market. Higher than 6 would indicate a buyer's market. (I am a fan of the seller's market.. but I am still a novice..)

So, in the last 2 weeks I have had 5 homes become available for me to list. Sellers are not afraid to "put it out there."

But are buyers still wanting to do something? That is what I am anxious to find out over the next couple of weeks.

Buyers market around the corner?

The news was dark on Thurs ..even though it was just a "flash crash" and maybe even a moment of "oops!"

The carefully watched European Union is looking grimly ahead. What does that mean for us... our beloved homestead and homeland and our economy? The words "world economy" are put together more than ever before.

Ron Paul -- who I am NOT a fan of -- gave a very bleak outlook on our whole idea of currency in an interview on Fox that I saw last Thurs. This is scary. I don't care what this guy says but others might get spooked. This interview happened moments before the "flash crash" surely one had no influence on the other. I know it didn't... still a crazy moment before an even crazier one.

I love the dollar. 'Used to live overseas and exchanged deutsch marks and dollars -- gave me a great appreciation for a "high dollar." The dollar is up these last few days...

I predict interest rates will stay low...even though they have been projected to increase this summer. We'll see how good I am at this guessing game.

Ultimately, I feel like if we don't lose faith in ourselves .. if we don't want to be -- or try to be --like the Europeans...blaah. We can resolve to be great and then BE GREAT!

And if I might digress: There is nothing wrong with Americana, the Reagan rancher, a colonial shade of blue. Don't throw out the American spirit with the old and dated Americana decor. We are a great nation. Not arrogant just GOOD AT IT and deservedly PROUD OF IT!

My personal shoe choice..

So, yesterday's post describes a little bit of what we've got going.

It is a busy season... of our lives.

I was at the office earlier and a friend of mine says to me... "I like those shoes."

I respond... "Thank you. I have found that the stacked heel wears better than the leather covered ones. And this "fake-alligator-type-material" doesn't show the wear either." -- I actually said that.

So there you go busy ladies... a tip for you. Stacked heels are best for the woman who doesn't have time to "take it easy on her shoes."

Squish, squeak, ack! What the????

Update on my Assistant!

Well, my assistant has hit a patch of "not good" health. Blood pressure shot up (and by shot up I mean I've never heard such a high # used to describe blood pressure.) We had to go to the emergency room.



We walked into the ER at REGIONAL HOSPITAL (which looked very nice, clean, well laid out, and new btw.) We had to walk because my assistant was not in the mood to run. Unfortunately the receptionist at the check in desk mistook that as a sign that we were in no mood to hurry -- period.



When they finally called the person ahead of her on "the list" and that persons family members shouted out "He's outside smoking!" I thought THAT'S IT!



Grabbed the nurse and told her we truely had an emergency!



So, now my assistant has had all the tests run. I mean it -- ALL! And.... nothing is wrong with her. Thankfully. But why did her blood pressure shoot up? I don't know, they don't know. But she will watch her cholesterol.



No greasy foods as her and I sit together at my open houses on Sunday afternoons and do our brain teaser puzzles. (We never did have greasy food, but I'm not above trying to slip it in -- now I know better.)



We usualy sit at these open houses and do brain teaser puzzles. We are huge fans of two in particular that are in the USA TODAY everyday: Quick Cross and Up And Down Words. We chit chat, catch up, talk about Young and the Restless and get to enjoy each other for awhile.

She is a fabulous assistant and an even greater MOTHER-IN-LAW!

I'm glad she's doing better!!

I won the referal contest at work!

Yippee! I won the referal contest at work!

I won it last year too!

What's the secret?

For me it is learning to listen.. and not assume.. turn over those rocks!

I used to work at an insurance office and I would pick and choose who I thought could buy life insurance or who would just want the basic auto insurance based on what I saw or some first opinion I had formed. I was wrong on several occassions.

Sit down and talk to these people. Pick up on little things.

Be knowledgable of all your services. This last client needed somthing to rent and I was able to refer her to an agent in the town she is moving to. Had I not known (I actually had to check) but had I not found out that my company could refer someone who needs to rent rather than buy ..I would have missed out on that opportunity.

Know what you sell, or what you offer, or what you have at your disposal. These are tools in our toolbox.

Speaking of..(tools in the toolbox) I am still working on the first grade thing. E came home and said so-and-so didn't like her and I took it HARD. Because blah...blah..blah... see I am starting down my whining path again.

Lord, please help me with this. Truely, it needs to be a priority. Let me be a woman of my word. Help me take my own advice and more importantly yours.

first grade lessons for mommas

I delved... I devled bad. I sunk low.... I got angry at a fellow first grade mother who complained about my daughter.

My sweet girl ...turns out she's just like the other girls.. (only better..because I love her and I say she's better!)

Is her mommy any better than the other first grade mommies? Some of them are very good.. I sunk down to the level of a couple of the others ....I complained about them complaining about Erin. (In some cirlces that's considered gossip.)

What I should have done was blow it off. It was silly chatter and numbingly unecessary to carry on.

I will consider this a learning experience and move on with new knowledge of how to handle myself in the future.


One thing about a successful realtor..

I was talking to my husband about this over coffee at an actual coffee shop this morning.. loved that.

One thing about a successful realtor is they never appear bothered. They probably get bothered but they don't let me see it and they handle themselves with CLASS.

This is one thing a successful first grade momma must add to her little tool box of tricks.

Another Milestone Yesterday....

Matt had a birthday and all went well. He is wearing his (slightly older than last week) age very well.

Of course he would.

I think Matt's one of those "old souls" that people talk about.

Matt takes on life like someone who's been through it once already.

Matt's got a "knowing."

He knows things about things. He is (as we all know) capable of building, fixing, creatin' anything...

But, to my surprise -- and absolute delight -- he also has a "knowing" about ....me.

Things come up ALL the time that make me question, make me nervous, worried, anxious.

I TALK TO MATT. (Of course, I pray about things ..but, thank God, I can talk to Matt.)

Matt has put so many things into perspective for me. I love his perspective ...his "knowing." It's positive. It's comfortable. It's easy on me. It has calmed me down on many-a-hair-raising-occasion.

Is that what makes someone an old soul?

At the same time he stays very ...oh, I hate to be so cliche but... "young at heart." He, himself, says he has Peter Pan Syndrome. -- Well if you have to be sick with something...

So Matt had a birthday yesterday and the 3 women in his life celebrated having him in ours.

I love you Matt. .....Happy Birthday.

Open mouth, insert .....

Remember Bambi?



Cute little Thumper holdin' onto his foot or his ear... saying in his super cute little Thumper voice "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."



I repeat that many times to my girls while they toddle around. Hoping to instill in them to always be positive and if you can't say something nice about a person -- keep your mouth shut!

Again, the sound of the needle being dragged across the record....

I thought I was in the clear. I thought this agent was gone for good. I thought I was right when I said what I said about her anyway.

I came into the office this morning and "this agent" was putting for-sale signs in her trunk.

"So your back?" I ask.

"For the summer!" she answered.

Ugh! Here's a thought Deb.... take your own advice.

The RealEstate business is unique in that we work cooperatively with our competition ALL THE TIME (I hope, I hope, say a prayer...)

We all know that it is very important to watch what we say.

Always be positive and don't say anything about someone that you wouldn't say to their face (my husband's motto.)

Oh! But isn't it awful when we have to be reminded?

BINGO!

I read Harriet the Spy when I was younger. Loved it! Made me want to become a journalist.. until Linda Ellerbee's book screwed me up.. Anyway, I found a copy at an American Cancer Society book sale for 2 bucks and was just tickled! Now I will be reading that to Erin soon.

I bring this up because there is a house I want in town here. I have mentioned it to Matt. He knows where it is. There are actually 2 houses near one another in town. One sits on (not kidding) 17 ACRES(!) the other 2 acres. Well, a wonderful little old motorcylce shop owner owns the larger of the two properties and has in mind a golden egg in the form of a sale price... so forget him. But, my little 2 acre house... hmmmm.... (enter Harriet.)

My Harriet no longer sits in window sills or climbs on roof tops to gather her information. Today she simply hit a few keys on the laptop and POOF! I now know all I need to know about the rather young owner of my coveted house. (Kinda scary huh?) Truely, I know more than she probably expected a stranger to be able to find out. I know she doesn't always stay there, I know it's extremely close to family members, I know where she is now, I know she has just bought a passport, I know she keeps high dollar items onsite while she is out of town... Don't you think that's too much information for me to know? I agree. None-the-less, she sounds like a terrific gal (with a maybe too carefree attitude about what she puts online) -- and one other thing I know...

She wants to live in PA! No kidding! Well, maybe she'll want to sell? I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, PLEASE watch what you post online. Geesh!