Monthly Archives: May 2009

You’re FIRED! Here’s your golden parachute.

Posted on 05/30/2009 | Leave a comment

golden parachuteReal Living, the nationally recognized innovative real estate company, has taken a page from the automotive world and is offering a PEACE OF MIND PLAN for home buyers. If you’ve been hesitant to purchase a home now – even though interest rates and prices are quite low – here’s a program that just might solve your dilemma.

If your heart is set on a new home, but you’re stressed about the economic realities we all face, Real Living HER has your answer. The Peace of Mind Plan is designed to provide the comfort you deserve and the confidence you need to make your move a reality.

Be sure to click on the above Peace Of Mind link for more details (it IS an insurance policy afterall), but a quick version is …

One-Year Coverage

Use a Real Living HER agent to represent you when buying a home, finance your mortgage with Real Living Mortgage, and you can be covered with ONE YEAR of insurance benefit to cover a monthly mortgage payment of up to $1,500 for up to 6-months if you become “involuntarily unemployed” during the first year you are in your new home.

Two-Year Coverage

Once you qualify for the One-Year Coverage, if the home you buy is a Real Living HER listing then the Peace Of Mind Plan extends for a second year.

4570 Red Bank Rd, Galena OH 43021

I have an upscale listing that might be just the ticket for this type of program. At open houses that I’ve held for this home, some of the guests have been reluctant to move forward with purchasing, even though they really liked this home, because they were uncertain about the future of their employment. If those reluctant buyers are already working with one of the hundreds of Real Living HER Realtors® and they finance with Real Living Mortgage, then buying this home could earn them an extra year of coverage. Sounds like a winner to me!

Want to know more about this plan? Call June Zepp with Real Living Mortgage at 614-825-8806. She can give you ALL the details. Or call me at 614-825-8860 for assistance in finding YOUR next home or to learn more about this Hoover Reservoir home in the photo.

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Delaware County, Galena Ohio, Home buying process, Home selling process, Homes, Homes for sale, Real Living HER, Realtors®, Sellers

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A magnificent garden … recession or not!

Posted on 05/27/2009 | Leave a comment

Have you planted your salad garden yet this spring? I noticed my neighbors added a small garden box a few weeks ago and were adding the plants over the weekend. I suspect more such gardens were created this year as people try to be more frugal AND to have better tasting veggies.

Vine ripened tomatoes and peppers simply have so much more flavor.

Now if you’re REALLY into gardening, you can build a large deer-proof enclosure if your deed restrictions allow, as this home has. This garden was designed by a landscape architect.

It contains raised beds for easier tending to the plants. Some boxes have covers that can be closed to protect early plants from late frosts that might damage them. That’s fresh spinach eagerly growing in the sunshine. The walkways between the beds provide mud-free paths.

April 26,09 005

The unique home that is connected to this magnificent garden also has a special plant preparation room complete with concrete floor and a sink for easy clean-up. Pretty cool, isn’t it!

April 26,09 003

There is also another room that provides a cool place to store the produce, such as potatoes and onions, for the winter.

If you’re into gardening AND looking for a spectacular home, give me a call. You’re going to love this setting!

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Central Ohio, Delaware County, Galena Ohio, Homes, Homes for sale

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Enjoy your Memorial Day holiday … I plan to

Posted on 05/23/2009 | Leave a comment

Have you made your holiday weekend plans? Or are you staying flexible so you can enjoy last minute fun?

I’m hoping to work in my yard. Haven’t had the chance to do that this year. Every time I’ve thought I’d take a few hours off to do it, I get a phone call that changed my plans. I’ve bought the weed killer and the lawn fertilizer. I have a few annuals to put in, complete with the special soil mix to hold the water.

I may have to dig up some ornamental grasses that didn’t make it through this past harsh winter. Others really need to be divided, but I tried that last year and wasn’t strong enough to get the shovel through the base. Thankfully, I don’t have to mow lawn anymore. That’s my one splurge … I hire it done. It takes them a matter of minutes to do what it took me a good hour and half to do.

Many people may be planning to save money by staying close to home. If you’re looking for some suggestions perhaps some of these previous posts will give you some ideas.

Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay (Powell OH). It’s not free but it’s local and fun for the whole family. My family went there for Mother’s Day and had a great time.

Highbanks Metro Park (Lewis Center OH) is a great place to hike the trails or gather for a family picnic. Stroll through the woods or meander along the Olentangy River. There’s one trail that dogs can walk on, but they can be at the picnic places. Keep them on a leash and of course, pick up the doo-doo.

Alum Creek Reservoir (Lewis Center OH) has something for everyone. There’s a beach, picnic areas, boat launches, camping areas and a dog park with its own beach. 

If you just want to relax along water, southern Delaware County has four such waterways: Hoover Reservoir, Alum Creek Reservoir, the Olentangy River, and the Scioto River.

If golfing is more your thing, there are LOTS of opportunities.

If you’re short on time or have only an hour or two, you can visit Hayden Run Falls where you can walk through a wooded area to see the falls, or get a unique view of the Scioto River. You’ll forget that you’re in the heart of a busy city.

If you need a reminder of why we have this 3-day weekend, be sure to read Missy Caulk’s blog post. She has included many great quotes from past politicians when patriotism was perhaps a little more prevalent than it is now. Plus, she honors her son who is now serving in the Navy.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you take some time to recharge your batteries, get re-acquainted with your family, enjoy a little nature, and just RELAX. Oh, and I’ll be the one with the sore muscles come Tuesday.

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Ballantrae, Brookside Village, Central Ohio, Columbus Ohio, Delaware County, Dublin Ohio, Franklin County, Galena Ohio, Golf course communities, Golf Village, Kinsale, Lewis Center Ohio, Muirfield, Powell Ohio, Scioto Reserve, Water fun, Wedgewood, Worthington Hills, Worthington Ohio

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NAR 2009 Member Profile survey results

Posted on 05/17/2009 | 2 Comments

The National Association of Realtors® has just released its 2009 Member Profile results. It’s always an interesting read and this year’s version isn’t too surprising given the market conditions this past year. Notably, NAR membership declined 10.5% from Dec 2007 to Dec 2008. It has dropped another 6.4% so far through April 2009. With our membership dues coming up for payment in June, it is expected even more will leave the industry.

Remember, when reading about income, it’s important to keep in mind that Realtors® are self-employed. All expenses for marketing, office supplies, equipment, medical insurance, professional dues are paid by us. Agents also must pay monthly fees to their broker for being associated with them, plus the broker takes a chunk (up to 50%) of the commission when a home sells. We also pay our FICA tax at 15% since there’s no employer.

INCOME results

  • The median gross income dropped 14% in 2008 to $36,700.
  • Median net income (after taxes & expenses) also fell 14% to 23,200.
  • Those with 2 or fewer years in the business had a median gross income of $8,600.
  • Those in the business 16 years or more had a median gross income of $53,900.

AGE results

  • The median age increased from 52 to 54 yrs old.

EXPERIENCE results

  • The average years of experience increased from 8 to 10 years.
  • Three-fourths said real estate was their only occupation but less than half said it was the main source of their household income. (spouse’s occupation)

OPEN HOUSE results

  • 90% of the agents get less than 10% of their business from open houses.
  • 61% of the agents get no business from open houses.

TECHNOLOGY USE results

  • Only 42% use a smart phone (those phones with email & Internet ability)
  • Agents with less experience in the business were more likely to use smart phones.
  • Only 7% of the agents have a blog. (I’m a cutting edge early-adaptor. LOL)
  • 35% are involved in social networking (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, etc.)
  • 81% put their listings on their broker’s site; 80% put listings on Realtor.com; 66% put them on their MLS; 46% put listings on their own web site; and 16% put listings on other broker’s sites (reciprocity).

 How can you use this info? Well, first of all think twice before you ask your agent to cut their commission. They need to have enough funds to be able to spend time and marketing monies to properly market your home. Second, is to ask if your agent is working another job because if they are, they won’t have much time to spend working on your home and once in-contract, will apt to be unaccessible for handling the timing details. Third, ask your agent how many homes they’ve sold the past year. If they’ve only sold one or two homes, they may not be as sharp on their skills as they should be. Fourth, look into their techie skills. Without them, they won’t know how to properly market your home on the Internet or to easily communicate with you.

Recognize the type of market we’re in, and make sure you select a winning agent.

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Realtors®, Surveys

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Get off my Ash … update #7

Posted on 05/16/2009 | Leave a comment

Well, it is obvious that the ash tree in front of my home has succumbed to the emerald ash borer.

This is what the tree looked like two years ago when I first started blogging about the borer’s damage.

June 2007

June 2007

This is what the tree looks like now. Only a few limbs have any sign of leaves.

May Ash Trees 003

May 2009

The tree to the west of this tree has also succumbed. The tree to the east was already cut down in Jan 2008. Many others on this side of the street to the east are looking the same way. The trees further down the west side of the street seem as though they’ll start to weather the onslaught for another year. There seems to be different varieties of ash trees – male and female? – so I wonder if that is making a difference as to why some have been attacked earlier than others.

This is so sad!

Read all my ash borer articles.

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Ash Trees, Central Ohio, Delaware County

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Poking fun at Realtors®

Posted on 05/15/2009 | Leave a comment

dunceReal estate agents often make fun of ourselves. We type goofy things in the descriptive copy of the MLS listing, although usually it made sense at the time. We take bad photos then use them to promote the home. Lots of these goofs fall in the category of “what were they thinking?”.  Numerous agents have written posts that included some of these hilarious bad photos … like the bathroom photo of an agent taking a photo of themselves taking a photo in the bathroom mirror.

Some of these funny copy phrases are the result of having a limited number of character spaces in which to write. So we shorten, use abbreviations or acronyms to convey the true meaning.

My most memorable goof was when I was writing about a large pantry in the kitchen. It was nearly midnight when I entered the data into the MLS so my eyes or fingers were tired. When finished, I emailed a copy to my seller for approval. He called me early the next morning, laughing, and told me to read what I had written. It seems I had written, “… large panty in the kitchen”. Every time I write that word now, I always make sure I’ve included the ‘r’.

Gwen Banta, who is one of the writers on the Agent Genius group blog, has done a post on some of the funny things she has found. If you want a good chuckle on this nice Friday, read Gwen’s post here. Her extra comments are in the parenthesis and are as funny as the original blooper.

The Murph’s favorites:  

  • Dog runs on one side (Maybe he only has 2 legs)
  • Diamond in the Ruff (Well, pump the poor dog’s stomach!)
  • Bar-B-Q Pet in Back Yard (Apparently Ruff didn’t survive.)

 Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

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Posted in Commentary, Humor, Realtors®

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