Does Your Sellers Kitchen Look Like This? If so, Make Sure They Read Open House Prep Checklist on Page 5 & 6
Kickin’ Chicken Wings Pg. 8
Identify Theft is a real problem in this world. Check out page 12 & 13. Find out what you can do to protect yourself.
May 1, 2015
CONTENTS Page Management Team………………...…..3 RET Committee Report…………….….4 The Ultimate Open House.……….5/6 Care Committee Report.................6 Classes, Company Events, Birthdays & Anniversaries…..…..…7 Kickin’ Chicken Wings……….………...8 Dave Ramsey Classes….……………….8 What’s New………………….…………..…9 Real Estate Humor………..……….......9 NAR Return Buyers Expected To Boost Housing……….…………10/11 Are You a Victim of Identity Theft?.......................................12/13 Riolympics Flyer………………..…..….14 Riolympics Raffle……………………….15 Agents…………………………………….…16 Office Staff……………………….……....17
Come on over to our team. You’ll be glad you did. We have the top agents, friendly atmosphere, wonderful education & technology classes. Don’t be left outside call 722-0001. You’ll be glad you did!.
If you’re enough lucky to be Irish……. You’re lucky enough!!
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Hi everyone, May is a wonderful month. Flowers are blooming and trees have gotten their summer coats on. It is also the month we celebrate Mother’s Day, May 10th. It’s a time to reflect on our Mother’s for what they have done for us and continue to guide us in our lives. They give unconditional love and always have our back. They are our best friend, our counselor, our comforter, our doctor, our story teller and the one person that has our back. She mends our broken hearts and always listens when no one else will. She teaches us right from wrong and always is there to encourage us on. They are always with us, be it here on earth or from heaven. God made them very special people. We are so lucky they are our Mother’s. To all the Mother’s in the office I wish you all a beautiful Mother’s Day and a day with your loved ones around you. You deserve a day of pampering and all the love you will receive. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!
If you have anything that you would like in the paper, let me know. Till next month, Donna Schulze Editor Email: dsknews@cox.net Office Phone: 554-2828 Cell Phone:734-0734 Extension: #104
Hi Agents, We have a busy and fun filled month coming up. May 5th is our monthly Company Breakfast Meeting. We are having our Cinco de Mayo Luncheon at noon that day. And in the afternoon at 3:00 PM is the General Membership Meeting at WAAR regarding several Boards becoming one with our Board. On the evening of the 5th is the 2nd Dave Ramsey Class. May 15th is our BBQ Throw Down with Don Rubottom and Kelly Bates at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the West office. Please bring a side dish. I am going to be coaching the Agents individually as to your plans and work schedule for the
coming year. Please call me to schedule an appointment. For those of you who missed the APPY Party we have some suggestions you might be interested in. Here are just a few: Mileiq – App for mileage Any.do – Task manager App Slydial – Lets skip talking. Goes directly to voice mail. Lookout – Security apps for phone. pykl3Radar – GPS Storm Weather warning App. Happy Selling, Cheryl Huebert
All I am I owe to my Mother. 3
Lance Ferguson Kerry Dunn
Dixie Ball
Gloria Light
Cliff Schoonover
Amanda Levin
The RE/MAX Enrichment Team RET Minutes
MISSION Statement: The RE/MAX Enrichment Team is dedicated to providing a conduit of communication between the Agents and Management of RE/MAX Realty Professionals, with the goals of improving the overall environment, productivity and the success of the company’s Agents, and, to collectively brand RE/MAX Realty Professionals as the most desirable Real Estate Firm in the industry. The RE/MAX Enrichment Tem will explore and advise Management in enhancing and/or expanding the following areas: continuous education, current technologies, paramount service, superior amenities, Agent interaction, and recruitment of desirable professionals.
The RET Committee wants to remind the agents about the Suggestion Boxes that are located at both the East & West Office. What are your concerns or questions that you might have, please put it in the box or give us a call. We are here to help you get the answers. The phrase “ working Mother” is Redundant!
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From The RET Team
Home \\ Advice \\ The Ultimate Open House Prep Checklist: Kitchen Edition
The Ultimate Open House Prep Checklist: Kitchen Edition
Search realtor.com® Advice
Sell
By: Chrystal Caruthers April 27th, 2015 When you’re selling your home, the kitchen is the single most important room-so when you hold an open house, you want it to shine. Literally. You’re going to have to deep-clean, declutter, and touch up whatever you can. Luckily, we’ve put together this pathologically complete checklist to help make sure you forget nothing.
Don’t make it hard on yourself: The night before, don’t fry fish, don’t whip up a new batch of kimchi, and don’t cook bacon the morning of the open house. Go out for dinner! Order takeout! Please! Clean out the fridge! We all know that buyers will look in your refrigerator. They’re just nosy that way. Give them something to look at – a spotless interior. Then wipe down the outside, too. Clean those floors! Nothing says turnoff like a trail of crumbs on the kitchen floor. If you have hardwood or tile flooring, vacuum and damp mop, making sure to get in all the dark corners. If you haven’t yet replaced your linoleum, sweep, mop, and wax it. Make it shine. If you have stainless-steel appliances, take care of them properly. Wipe them down with the proper cleaning supplies. Honestly, one spray and a little elbow grease, and they’ll look brand-new. Clean those stovetop drip pans – or better yet, replace them! A rusty, crusty drip pan can make your stove look older than it is. If you don’t have time to scrub them clean, spend a few bucks to replace them. Degrease that hood. Those vents are grease magnets. Clean the filter before the open house. You may need to dig out the user manual to learn how to remove it, soak it, and make it shine. Clean the light-switch plates. Those switch plates can get splattered with grease or, worse, show years of fingerprints and dirt. If they can’t be freshened up, replace them – all of them. Debug your light fixtures. See those dark spots in your overhead light fixture? Those are dead bugs! Clear the carcasses and wipe the glass clean. Granite should sparkle. Most people wipe their countertops clean with the same dish sponge they use to wash their dishes. Let’s take it a step further. Use granite polish to wipe on a shine that will make buyers think you spent thousands of dollars on new granite just for them. Countertops should be spotless. Nothing impresses buyers more than endless stretches of pristine countertop. So it’s time to stow the toaster, the Vitamix, the burr grinder, the rice cooker – all those appliances that take up valuable real estate. Clean the microwave. You’ve already polished the stainless steel, now clean the inside. Few buyers will open the microwave and check inside, but for those who do, let’s not greet them with years of caked-on food splatters. Continued on Page 6
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Continued from page 5 Open House Prep Checklist
Clean the cabinets, inside and out. No one really cares if your canned peas are next to your canned tomatoes, but buyers do care about space. Now’s the time to purge: Do you really need that tin of Spanish octopus? A buyer should be able to open the cabinet door and see the back of the cabinet wall. And while you’re at it, get a pail of water and Murphy Oil Soap and wash your cabinets. Update your knobs. Cabinet knobs installed in the 1980’s can make a kitchen look dated. But upgrading them is easy: Just buy new ones, them install them. Presto! Your kitchen is awesome(ish). Don’t bake cookies! Baking cookies seems like a nice gesture for buyers, but the trend has run its course. Just have a clean kitchen – everyone appreciates that. No need to set the table. The kitchen is all about space. If you’re lucky enough to have an eat-in kitchen, let it speak for itself. A clutter-free kitchen with clean, expansive surfaces will do way more than a set of fancy dinner plates. Flowers are always nice. The one exception to the clutter-free countertop rule is a vase of fresh flowers. Who doesn’t love a pleasant smell?
More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. These holiday chats with Mom often cause phone traffic to spike by as much as 37 percent. 6
CARE COMMITTEE REPORT Michelle Briggs is done with her surgery but it now fighting a infection. Please keep her in your prayers. She has been through so much. We miss her around here. Alicia’s great grandma, Florence, came through her surgery. Please keep her in your prayers as she has some major health issues to deal with. As everyone knows we lost a very dear friend and colleague, Vickie Dresslaer with Security 1st. She will be missed by everyone. She is now in heaven and no longer in pain. Please keep Jim, her husband in your prayers as he goes through his healing process. And for Donna Osterman, who worked, was a friend and loved her very much. If you know of anyone in our offices that are struggling with health or issues that we can help please contact the Care Committee: Kelly Bates, Donna Osterman, or Donna Schulze.
UP COMING EDUCATIONAL CLASSES May 7th – 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon – Whet Your Appetite: Real Estate Specialties Instructor: Lynn Channer & Sandy McRae CE: 3 Elective Hours th May 7 – 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Nailing It All Together: Bringing the Nuts & Bolt to the Table Instructor: Angie George CE: 3 Elective Hours May 21st – 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon – Broker Core: Leadership Safari Instructor: Brenda Noffert CE: 3 Required Broker Core Hours/3Elective Salesperson Hours May 21st – 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Salesperson/Broker Core: Taking the Mystery Out of Agency Instructor: Lynn Channer CE: 3 required Salesperson/Broker Core Hours The above classes are all at the WAAR Office – 170 W. Dewey Call the WAAR 263-3167 to schedule a class To make a reservation go to http://ims.Wichita-realtors.com or call 263-3167. There is a $10 charge for a no-show, if you make a reservation and do not cancel within 24 hours of class.
UP COMING COMPANY EVENTS & CLASSES May 5th - Tuesday – Company Office Breakfast Meeting – 9:00 AM Be 10 minutes early for breakfast – WAAR Office – 170 W. Dewey, Room B – Security 1st will sponsor the breakfast. May 5th – Tuesday – Cinco de Mayo – Noon – 1:00 PM – at our West office. Bring a side dish. May 15th – Friday – BBQ Throw Down – 6:00 PM to closing at the West office. The office will be furnishing the meat, buns and drinks. Please bring a side dish that will go with BBQ. May 28th - Agents Birthday Luncheon -11:30 AM – 1:00 PM at PF Changs – 1401 N. Waterfront Pkwy. Please RSVP with Alicia at 554-2845 on or by the Wednesday of the luncheon. We will reserve your seat!
RE/MAX ANNIVERSARIES & Agents Birthdays RE/MAX ANNIVERSARIES: Debby Potter (5/1) – 6 years, Kerry Dunn (5/8) – 3 Years. Congratulations! Happy Birthday to: Michelle Briggs (5/22). We wish you a Very Happy Birthday!
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Kickin’ Chicken Wings This is a great dish for that Memorial Day picnic! Ingredients: 1 lb. of chicken wings 4 limes 2 Tbsp. of honey 1 tsp. each of salt & pepper 5-6 tsp. of hot sauce Instructions: Marinate chicken wings in juice from 3 lies, honey, salt and pepper for 30 minutes. Pre heat the natural gas grill to medium-high. Place chicken wings on grill and cook until crispy and golden brown. Remove the wings and place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime on the winds and coat with hot sauce. This makes 4 servings so you might want to double the recipe.
Amount per serving (4 wings): Calories: 149 Fat: 3 g. Carbohydrates: 13g Fiber: 0,3 g Protein: 15 G
Dave Ramesy’s Financial Peace University For those of you signed for this Class the dates for May are as follows: On Tuesdays: May 5th – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM May 12th – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM May 19th – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM May 26th – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it!
Make sure you call us with your questions and concerns and of course, your closing through out the year. Donna Osterman Branch Manager/Escrow Officer Office #: 316-554-2872
This recipe came from the Kansas Gas Service flyer in your monthly bill in June of 2014. It is GREAT!
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LOOK WHAT’S COMING IN MAY
REAL ESTATE HUMOR
Tuesday, May 5th we are having a Cinco de Mayo Lunch at the West Office from Noon to 1:00 PM Liz’s mom is going to be cooking up her homemade enchiladas and Spanish rice. We will have a side dish sign up form at the west office below the mail boxes. Hope to see you all here.
ALSO IN MAY THE KELLY & DON THROW DOWN BAR B QUE! Friday, May 15th is the date for this great Barbeque! It will be at the West office from 6:00 PM to closing! The office will be furnishing the meat, buns and drinks. We will have a sign up sheet closer to the date for side dishes and desserts. What ever you feel goes good with BBQ. Mark your calendar. These are two events you don’t want to miss.
Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.
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NAR Study: Return Buyers Expected to Boost Housing Demand in Coming Years Media Contact: Adam DeSanctis / 202-383-1178 / Email WASHINGTON (April 20, 2015) – Nearly a decade since the start of the foreclosure crisis, formerly distressed homeowners with restored credit are re-entering the housing market, but damaged credit profiles and lender overlays will greatly restrict the overall share of those eligible to buy, according to new research from the National Association of Realtors®. California, Florida and Arizona are expected to see the largest share of return buyers within the next decade. NAR analyzed the nearly 9.3 million homeowners that underwent a foreclosure, received a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, or short sold between 2006 and 2014 to estimate the amount of creditworthy borrowers expected to re-enter the housing market as a return buyer in upcoming years. The findings reveal nearly a million of these former owners have likely already purchased a home again, and an additional 1.5 million are likely to become eligible and purchase over the next five years, representing an additional source of buyer demand for the housing market. However, because of low credit quality, millions more will not be able to re-enter in the coming decade. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says there were two waves of defaults during the housing crisis: from subprime and then prime borrowers. “While loose lending standards in the mid-2000’s led to the rise in subprime buyers who ultimately became distressed owners, falling home prices and rising unemployment resulted in a large share of prime borrowers also defaulting or going through a short sale,” he said. “Now fueled by a gradually improving economy and the strong rebound in home prices, some of these former distressed owners have returned to the market, and more will likely become eligible in coming years.” Several important factors were taken into account in NAR’s study, including the time necessary to repair a distressed seller’s credit, whether the distressed seller’s credit profile (at the time of purchase) fell below historic standards, if it met sound underwriting standards and whether they would meet credit overlays in the current stringent environment. The findings show that roughly 950,000 former distressed owners of prime quality have become re-eligible for Federal Housing Administration or similar financing programs and have likely purchased again by restoring their credit to pre distress levels. Furthermore, 1.5 million formerly distressed owners will likely buy again over the next five years as they become eligible, with California, Florida and Arizona seeing the largest share of return buyers.
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Continued on Page 13
Continued from page 12 NAR Study
Despite the new source of housing demand from these return buyers, Yun says the considerable impact a distressed sale has on a borrower’s credit score will severely limit the overall number of those returning. “The extended time needed to repair credit scores or save for a down payment, combined with other overlapping post-distress factors on credit quality such as missed auto loan or credit card payments, will limit the ability for many to buy in the current credit environment,” he said. Looking ahead, because of the time that has elapsed and the fact that many distressed owners likely rented and paid utility bills in recent years, Yun says the use of new credit scoring models such as Vantage Score 3.0 and FICO 9 can help improve the ability of these buyers to become homeowners again while helping lenders further examine their credit risk to ensure safety and soundness in the market. “The deep wounds inflicted on the housing market during the downturn are finally beginning to heal as distressed sales continue to decline and home prices in some parts of the country have bounced back to their near-peak levels,” adds Yun. “Borrowers with restored credit will likely have the ability and desire to own again, encouraged by the long-term benefits homeownership provides in a stronger economy and more stable job market.” The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
RE/MAX REALTY BUSINESS PARTNERS2015 Need work done? Use the suppliers that RE/MAX Agents trust. Contact any of the advertisers in our magazine.
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Think you’re a victim of identity Theft? Follow these steps By Denise Groene Special to The Eagle Published: Saturday, April 11, 2015 One of the worst byproducts of our digital age is identity theft. The ease that computers have brought to many of our activities has also extended to the bad guys. It’s easier that ever for them to steal your personal information and then cloak themselves in it as they drain your bank account or run up charges on your credit cards. They may even snatch your income tax refund or get medical treatment on your health insurance. Making the problem even more complicated for you is the fact that the burden of proof rests on you to convince the world that you are the real your and that the ID thief is in the wrong. Undoing the tangled mess can take a frustratingly lengthy time.
Signs you have been attacked Watch for these indicators that your ID has been stolen: There are withdrawals on your bank account that you cannot explain. Bills or other mail does not arrive.
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A retailer refuses your check. Calls begin from debt collectors about debts that aren’t yours. • Unfamiliar changes show up on your card statements. • Your credit reports shows unfamiliar accounts. • Medical bills for services you didn’t use start coming. • Your health plan says you have reached your benefits limit and rejects a claim. • Health plan coverage is rejected because they say you have a medical condition that you do not have. The IRS says more than one return was filed in your name.
Untangling the mess When it has become clear that your identity has been stolen, these are the steps to take: Tell one of the three credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian or ThansUnion) to put a fraud alert on your credit report. By law they must notify the other two of your action. This makes it Continued on Page 15
Continued from Page 14
difficult for fraudster to open new accounts in your name. The alert stays on your record for at least 90 days and can be renewed. Put a credit freeze on your accounts. This stops all access to your credit. Find additional information about fraud alerts and credit freezes at consumer.ftc.gov. Order your credit report. When you place a fraud alert on your credit, you are entitled to a free report from each of the three agencies. If you know which account specifically was tampered with, contact the fraud department of that business and follow up in writing. Use certified mail to help you create a record of all your communications. Contact the Federal Trade Commission and file an Identity Theft Affidavit. Create an Identity Theft Report with the FTC by Following instructions on their website. Report to the Social Security Administration if you suspect your Social Security number has been compromised, by calling 800-269-0271. This is an important step that should not be overlooked.
File a report with local law enforcement agencies. Take the time to visit the websites of the FTC (ftc.gov) and the Identity Theft Resource Center (idtheftcenter.org) for more details about coping with this crime. Denise Groene is the state director of the Better Business Bureau of Kansas. Contact the bureau at 800-856-2417 or bbbinc.org.
OFFICE CLOSING
Our offices east & west will be closed Monday, May 25, 2015 so we may observe Memorial Day. This is a day to honor our service men and woman who fight for our freedom. To all our veterans we say Thank You!
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Wichita No. 3 in National Ranking of Home Equity By: Dan Voorhis Published in the Wichita Eagle April 24, 2015 Wichita has an unusually high percentage of homes with high equity, according to real estate analytics firm RealtyTrac. According to the company, 38 percent of Wichita homeowners own half or more of their homes. That places Wichita third among all U>S> metros, behind expensive urban areas San Jose, Calif., and San Francisco. RealtyTrac spokesman Daren Blomquist said there’s still a question about the Wichita home equity data, but he said that the numbers do tend to reflect Wichita’s type of real estate market: slow and steady gains after a relatively small drop in home values during the bursting of the housing bubble. In addition, he said, big investors in distressed housing have moved beyond the large cities to smaller cities, which has driven up demand for single-family homes. Rising home values boost the percentage of homeowner equity
RIOLYMPICS DRAWING!!! We are very excited to tell you about the Riolympics raffle we are having that will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network, Via Christi Hospital here in Wichita. The ticket donations are $75.00 each and ten Golden Ticket will be available for $5,000 a piece. We are wanting to raise between $50,000 to $80,000 for CMN. The Grand Prize is a trip to the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. There will only be 1500 tickets available. We will have over $50,000 worth of prizes given away. You have a 1 in 149 chance to win a prize per ticket. The Golden Tickets are a guaranteed prize winner with a 1 in 20 chance to win the Grand Prize. We will be selling the raffle tickets at the RE/MAX Convention this March. The Travel Junkie is helping us with the raffle. The next page has the flyer that gives all the information you need about the Grand Prize and what you get if you win. We hope you will help us promote this endeavor so we can raise lots of money for CMN right here at home. Continued from Pg. 3
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AGENTS
Cheryl
Beverly
Cliff
Brandon
Dixie
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Lance
Don
Amanda
Anita
Jason
Janet
Kelly
Michelle
Ken
Gloria
Kerry
316-722-0001
Nick
Debby
Jennifer
Denise
Kirk
Kimberly
Brian
Tammy
Marsha
Karen
Kathryn
Jenn
Sharon
RE/MAX REALTY PROFESSIONALS STAFF
Liz
Judy
Debbie
Lila
Hannah
Sherri
PLEASE get your contracts into me as soon as possible. We need all signed copies well before closing. Thanks, Lila Brown
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RE/MAX REALTY PROFESSIONALS 10100 W. Maple Wichita, Kansas 67209 316-722-0001
for the opportunity to serve you.