ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL

It's a big week for football in the Grande Ronde Valley and it looks like mother nature is going to give us some good weather to go along with it!  Several teams are playing in the area this week.  Do yourself a favor and go see a game. The schools in the area all have great facilities, good concessions and a wonderful atmosphere for fun!  Cove plays in Imbler Friday afternoon at 2pm in an important 1A Old Oregon League matchup. This game between old rivals could very likely determine the eventual league champion.  If you've never seen 8 man football, go see this game! The 8 man game is fast, high scoring and super fun to watch.  The La Grande Tigers are hosting Mac High Friday night at 7pm.  Come support the Tigers as they continue to improve each week.  Nothing like "Friday Night Lights" in October!  And last but not least, the EOU Mountaineers will be hosting Carroll College Saturday at 1pm. Carroll College is currently ranked 3rd in the national polls and are coming to town looking for revenge after a loss to EOU early in the season.  This will be an excited action packed game and the stands will be filled with enthusiastic fans.  Come root on the Mounties to a second victory over Carroll College this season!!!  

Fall Lawn Care

Labor Day through Halloween is your window for preparing lawns for a lush spring.  Although spring lawn care gets all the attention, fall lawn care is the make-it or break-it season for grass. Fall lawn care is no walk in the park.  It's hard work and here are four basic steps.........
1.Aeration-Aeration gives your lawn a breather in autumn and provides room for new grass to spread without competition from spring weeds. Aeration tools pull up plugs of grass and soil, breaking up compacted turf.  That allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach roots, and gives seeds room to sprout. If kids play frequently on your lawn, plan to aerate twice a year-if not, then aerate every year or every other year.
2. Seeding-Fall is the best time of year to seed your lawn.  Turf roots grow vigorously in fall and winter. Bags of inexpensive seed often contain annual rye grass seed, which grows until the first frost and drops dead.Splurge on the good stuff (Kentucky Blue Grass produced right here in the valley) which resists drought and disease.
3. Fertilizing-Fall fertilization helps your grass survive a harsh winter and helps it to grow in the spring. Make your last application count by choosing a product high (10-15%) in phosphorous, which is critical for root growth.
4. Mulching- Instead of raking leaves, run over them a couple times with your mower to grind them into mulch.  The shredded leaves protect grass from the winter wind........and as an added bonus..... shredded leaves decompose into organic matter to feed grass roots.

MOUNTAINEERS!!!!

We attending the home opener for the EOU Football team over the weekend. What a great time!  If you haven't been to an EOU football game for a while, I suggest you put it on the calendar for this fall. The game was exciting, the stands were full and the EOU Athletic Dept has done an outstanding job in presenting opportunities to have fun.  The tailgate area will prove to be a winner. Music,  awesome sponsors and tons of fans were all there. If you want to join in the fun, call the EOU Athletic Dept to reserve a spot.  There are big screen TVs at the concession areas so you don't miss a thing while you wait for your hot dogs, a vendor for EOU gear, outstanding areas for Boosters and, in general, an amazing way to spend a fall afternoon!!  This is NOT the Mountie games of old.  Show up, root the Mounties on and take in a wonderfully presented event next Saturday........  You won't be sorry!!!!  

The Power of Positive Thinking

I have always believed that your attitude truly does control the things that happen in your life. If you expect positive things, your life will have positive things-the opposite is also true.  I came across this article written by John Boe and thought is was worthwhile to pass along....... Hope you enjoy it!

Yes, there is magic in positive thinking! In aviation, the word attitude means the angle at which the plane meets the wind, whether the wings are level with the horizon,and whether it is climbing or descending.  The pilot who fails to take responsibility for the attitude of his aircraft is in serious trouble. Likewise, any person who has not taken charge of his or her own beliefs and attitudes runs a similar risk. The key to cultivating and maintaining a positive mental attitude is to take control of your thinking and avoid negative minded people. It's a challenging task to develop a calm, focused mind, but well worth the effort.
Every setback and failure you experience also comes with a great opportunity. When one door closes, a window of opportunity opens. The key is to look for the opportunity and avoid dwelling on the failure. Think thoughts of defeat and you are bound to be defeated. React in anger and negativity controls you. Your attitude is not determined by circumstances, but by how you respond to them. You determine your attitude; you always have the choice to respond either positively or negatively. What happens to a person is less important than what happens within them.
The great inventor, Thomas Edison, was known for his positive attitude.  In December 1914, the Edison Laboratory was almost entirely destroyed by fire. Edison lost $2 million worth of equipment and the records of much of his life's work. The morning after the fire, as the 67 yr old inventor walked among the ashes, he was anything but defeated.  Looking around, he remarked, " There is great value in disaster. All my mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew."  Yes, there is magic in a positive attitude!!!

YOU BET WE ARE EXCITED!!!!

We have recently added a new agent to the RE/MAX Real Estate Team family and we couldn't be more excited!  Patty Glaze has joined the team and is just getting settled in to her new desk, new system, new address and new work life.  She comes to us with over 25 years of real estate experience in all phases of the trade.  Her depth of knowledge includes residential as well as commercial and development projects of all sizes.  We are so happy to have her on board with her great sense of humor and unbelievable focus on the clients she serves.  Her integrity and work ethic will make her fit right in to the team here.  Come by the office and say "hi" to her and check out her new work life.  You can reach her at 541-963-1000 or on her cell at 541-786-0038.  Please help us welcome her to the family!!!

Independence Day

Don't forget to celebrate Independence Day July 4th.  This day is not just a reason to go camping, fishing, cook hotdogs and throw firecrackers in the driveway.  This day represents what makes it so you CAN do all those things in the best country in the world, the best economic system in the world and where personal freedom is still held near and dear.I think sometimes it is easy to lose sight of how great a life we have-even at its worst-when we are being bombarded by negative economic comments and constant criticism of the system and of a military made up of normal men and women like us who do the best they can to make sure we continue to be free.  Take a few minutes away from roasting hotdogs and grilling burgers this weekend and reflect on how great this country of ours truly is!  Thank someone in the military for protecting the greatness we are all able to enjoy and thank your ancestors for doing the hard work so we can live the easy life.  God Bless America!!

Flurries and Fireworks

If our office is any indication of what the general market is doing in La Grande, then the market is doing fairly well.  We have had a flurry of activity within our office since late fall 2010.  That flurry has continued through the spring and is now following us into summer-Yes it is here and is arriving painfully slow.  We are seeing a good level of buying and selling throughout most price ranges.  We have such a great group of agents in our office and it does my heart a lot of good to see everyone doing so well.  We have a fun group that works hard and does things the way they should.  Nice to know that the rules are important to this group.  It sure makes it easy to sleep at night.  Come see if you are considering a move.  We are always excited to meet new clients!

Don't forget, we have a great fireworks display in La Grande on Independence Day.  The Fireworks committee has left us a ton of tickets for a raffle they are sponsoring to raise funds to continue having this great event.  Stop by to get some tickets and/or make a donation to the committee. This is a wonderful event that we are very proud to help support.  Please join us in supporting them.  Come see us at Community Stadium.  We'll be there!!!!

Kitchen Tips For Energy Efficiency

The phrase "home enegry efficiency" causes most of us to think about triple paned windows and Energy Star appliances.  What about those of us who are still cooling our soda in a avacado colored refrigerator and peering our through single paned windows?  What can we do to help keep our energy bills low?  Here are a few tips that may help. 

Check your refrigerator seal. One of the most important factors in refrigerator efficiency is the condition of the seal. Check it regularly looking for cracking, splits, lose seals and drying.  If it isnt in good condition, replace it. This is a very inexpensive repair and can make a big difference.  Call your local appliance repair man.
Stop refrigerator gazing: We all do it.  Stand with the door open trying to decide what to eat-or drink while we are cooling the entire kitchen and part of the living room. Usually the longer you look, the less likely it is that you will make a good choice anyway.  Figure out what you want BEFORE you open the door and then just get it and be finished.
Allow food to cool.  Before putting food into the refrigerator after dinner, let it cool for a time on the counter.  This will keep your appliance from having to work harder to cool the food and make your bills longer.

These are all small things that will seem to make very little difference by themselves, but together they will help reduce your bills and increase the efficiency of your home.........

Spring!!!!

Take a look around.  There are starting to be signs of spring-a very heartwarming thing in deed!  Real estate has been unusually active through the late fall and winter months and appears as though it will continue on into the warmer weather.  The activity has tended to be in the lower price ranges and mostly centered in La Grande and Island City, but as we move more into spring, the outlying areas should also feel some long awaited activity.  Look for some new loans that are becoming available again-mfd homes on property and construction loans to name a couple.  Check with your favorite lender for details and availability.  We are excited to be of service to our current and future clients and encourage you to come by and see what we can offer.  Yay!!!  It's spring!!!!!! 

EOU Breast Cancer Awareness Event

As many of you know, this cause is very near to our hearts.  This disease has had a major impact on our lives and the lives of our families and friends.  We are committed to helping in any way possible toward the research and cure of this awful disease.  Please join us at EOU on Friday night beginning at 5:30pm at Quinn Coliseum for "Pink Night" at EOU during the women's and men's basketball games.  There is going to be a silent auction featuring all kinds of baked goods provided by the lovely ladies of RE/MAX.  Also be aware of the silent auction for a quilt that was lovingly crafted and donated by Shawna.  To see some photos, go to our Facebook page (RE/MAX Real Estate Team).  This event has become an annual commitment for the ladies in the office.  Please come support their efforts to help with the Komen Foundation.

Our Latest "Victims"

Have you been into our office lately?  Since Feb 1?  If not you have missed out on meeting our "latest victims", Monica and Elizabeth. 
Monica is our new office manager that lurks at the front desk from 8 am to noon.  She is a recent EOU grad and has taken on the daunting task of trying to create some organization in the chaotic world of RE/MAX real estate. She has done an outstanding job so far and we look forward to nothing but good things from her as we move forward and she gets more comfortable with the position. 
Elizabeth is in the office from 1 pm until 5pm everyday.  She is currently an intern that came to us from EOU.  What a great addition she has been! She is studying toward a degree in business from EOU and is getting some interesting "hands on" experience working in our office.
If you get a few minutes, stop in and say hi to these new ladies and welcome them to the business community.  We are so grateful for their presence and look forward to building a warm relationship with both of them just as we do with the clients we serve. 

A Huge Loss To the Real Estate Community

We learned that Becky Keeling, founding member and former owner of RE/MAX Real Estate Team, passed away this morning.   Becky was a driving force in forming this company that we are all so proud of today.  Many of the things that are "just how we operate" were ideas forged by Becky in the beginning of this company.  Becky truly loved the real estate business and it showed in everything she did.  She loved the business, the activity, the social networking and most of all she loved her clients and passionately represented them.  The ultimate professional, she worked nearly all the time--because to her it wasnt really working.  It was what she enjoyed.  When her health got bad enough that she was forced to retire, it was one of the hardest decisions she would ever make.  As her health became increasingly worse, she became a beacon of strength that all of us looked up to.  In the midst of some terrible challenges that would have reduced most of us to tears, she maintained her sense of humor and made jokes about her bald head and her hot flashes.  She was an example to us all for how we should deal with life and all the struggles that can come to us.  All of us will remember her for her strength and courage.  We have loved her dearly, as did everyone who knew her.  May she now rest and may we all remember the lessons we learned by watching her deal with her life............

Proud of My Office

I am continually amazed at our office.  We have a group that includes 20 something women, 60 something ex-bankers, former missionaries, farmers, restaurant owners…. A pretty diverse group, but one thing we have in common is that we care deeply about each other and about the clients we serve.  We may not always think about it, but this thread of caring is recognized by the community. They don’t hear bad things about our office, they don’t see a group of “sharks” chasing each other’s business, we are seen as trustworthy…….. all these things bring us business. I am proud of who we are and what we represent to the community……..  We just keep being reminded that doing the right thing DOES make a difference.

The People, It's Just About the People

Sometimes I, like many of you, wonder what it is that keeps me coming to work every day.  I really enjoy my job-my career-but have often thought about what it is that I really enjoy.  I like being able to feed myself and pay my bills, but any job is supposed to get us closer to that goal. I like the freedom of setting my own hours although that usually means that I work a lot when others are at home.  Nope, it's not those things.  Its the people.  It's the ones I deal with every day in the office.  It's the new people I get to meet nearly every day.  It's the ones I have worked with in the past that come back.  It's my kids friends who have grown up and are looking to buy a house.  I guess I'm just one of those people that has to be around others.  And I truly, truly enjoy it.  One of our agents-Sharron-got married a week ago.  It wasn't like going to a co-worker's wedding-it was like having your own daughter getting married without all the stress of being a parent.  Shawna and I walked in and the ushers had been instructed to seat us in the front row as though we were immediate family. We were so touched by her thoughtfulness toward us.  Last week I got a call from a lady I had sold a house to  a few years ago.  Since then she had lost her husband and called me to help her find a new home.  She hugged me like I was a long lost friend when I saw her.  It was amazing! My job is like having an ever increasing and growing family.  I am SO thankful for the opportunity to be in this business for so long......   

Would You Recognize a Foreclosure Scam????

Seems like when there is any kind of announcement that involves possible confusion in the world of foreclosure, there is always someone that is ready to take advantage of the opportunity.  In light of all the talk about foreclosure freezes, possible bad loan practices and national loan modification programs, there have been a whole new group of scammers that are surfacing.  They are trying to take advantage of people who aren't sure what is going on, they may be in trouble with their mortgages and don't really know if they have contacted the right people for help.  They are very good at what they do and are pretty hard to spot.  Here are a few warning signs that suggest you may be talking to a scam artist and NOT someone who is there to help:
1) They will ask for a fee in advance to work with your lender to modify or re-instate your mortgage.  Don't pay anything up front to anyone without knowing for SURE who you are talking to.
2) They want you to pay them instead of your mortgage. Many will tell you they will make payments for you and deal with the loan people.  NEVER send money to anyone but your lender for mortgage payments.
3)They "promise" to stop foreclosure .  Nobody can guarantee to stop foreclosure.  Legitimate HUD-approved counselors will promise only to "Do the best they can."

To find a nonprofit, HUD approved housing counselor in your area visit www.LoanScamAlert.org or call the HOPE HOT LINE at 888-995-4673. 

Best Bang for Your Remodel Buck............

I'm sure many of you are like us.  We are always looking around the house thinking "What if we replaced this? What if we remodel that?" Being in the real estate business, we always consider the effect these projects may have on the value of our home.  Most of the time, unless we are fixing something in desperate need of repair, the cost of the work is greater than the added value from having done it.  This assumes that we sell the property immediately and that it was "fine" the way it was.  The return on our remodel dollars is mostly recouped if we can hold on to the home for a little while following having the work done.  Here is a list of 5 projects that all returned over 72% of the cost......
1) Replacement of entry doors with steel doors.
2) Garage door replacement
3) Wooden deck addition
4) Window replacement
5) An attic bedroom addition

Just barely out of the top 5 was the most popular project-kitchen remodel. 

So there ya go!!  Have your self some fun.  Be creative.  And before you start, call one of our agents and have them tour your home to discuss what possibilities work best for your home...  Call us today

Americans Still Love Home Ownership

2010 was a strange year of real estate contrasts. The market seemed to gradually stabilize and rates were at or near record lows, yet unprecedented national debts and overall economic instability has led many to question the value of home ownership. Who could blame them? Foreclosure and job loss has been in the forefront of the news as of late.  Still, Americans are passionate about the American dream of home ownership. They have benefited by high affordability levels (the interest rates coupled with low purchase prices) which has supported activity in the market in spite of the uncertain economy.  Low interest rates has helped immensely.  Buyers are seeing a substantial reduction in payments today compared to the same purchase price 5 yrs ago.  Even with all these great conditions, many are still afraid of the rising foreclosure rates and it has led them to question whether they are willing to take the risk of ownership.  With the risk of ownership comes great reward however.  Home ownership is still one of the best ways to build long term wealth.  For many people it is their ONLY way.....  After all, a 30 yr mortgage goes away in 30 yrs or less.......  renting lasts forever!!  Year in and year out, home ownership is still one of the best deals around and one that people still aspire to...  Renting always loses you money.  It's just a matter of how much.  I guess when we think about it, renting is much more risky than ownership.............

Carbon Monoxide-Some New Rules and a Story.

It's been almost 10 years ago now, but I remember it like it was yesterday.  I nearly killed one of my kids-and had no idea.  Our son, Cody, was a junior in high school and in the middle of basketball season. He took sports very seriously and was in tremendous physical shape.  That's why it seemed so odd for him to be so lethargic in the mornings.  He usually would get moving pretty well. He kept complaining about headaches, a little dizziness and was tired all the time.  After this had been going on for a while, I came home from work and heard an alarm going off.  Scared me to death!!! I thought it was the smoke alarm.... Turned out it was a Carbon Monoxide detector.  As I checked things out, it became obvious there was a furnace problem---the one that was feeding Cody's room.  He was going to bed each night, shutting his door and slowly  being poisoned by carbon monoxide every night!!!!! If not for his physical condition and the alarm, we would have eventually had an unforgettable tragedy.  We had NO IDEA. No smell, no nothing.....  If you have any gas appliance in your home, I beg of you-GET A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR--NOW! The state will require that all 1 and 2 unit dwellings that are sold or rented beginning April 1, 2011 will be required to have them prior to sale close or rental.  This applies to any home that has a carbon monoxide source....... which means just about every one other than an all electric home.  Get yours today.  Protect your family.  Avoid the rush later.......