Office News Guess who’s cooking this month? Pg. 9
Pictures on Page 3 What You Should Know About Your Supra Key! Page 14/15
Do You Know what To do to Winterize Your car? Find out on Pg.11
November 1, 2014
CONTENTS Page Halloween Pictures..…………………3 Management Report………………..4 New Copiers…………………………….5 Real Estate Humor……………………5 RET Committee Report……………6 Classes, Company Events, Birthdays & Anniversaries……..7 Freedom isn’t Free………………….8 Security 1st ………………..…………...9 Cheese spread…..…………………….9 Care Committee Report………...10 Winterizing Your Car.………...11/13 Woofstock………..………….……..…11 Supra Key……………….…..……14/15 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!.
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Greetings everyone, The holidays are just around the corner, which is a scary thought. As normal, I wonder where did this year go. They say time passes faster as you get older but I feel it is because we are always so busy. Thanksgiving will soon be here. We all have something in our lives to be thankful for such as our freedom, our families, our careers and all our wonderful friends and associates in our office that we see every day. I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Oh…..by the way, wear extra large clothing so you can eat more and no one will notice you can’t zip your pants. If you have anything that you would like in the paper, let me know. Till next month, Happy Thanksgiving Donna Schulze Editor Email: dsknews@cox.net Office Phone: 554-2828 Cell Phone:734-0734 Extension: #104
HALLOWEEN AT THE OFFICE
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Management Team Mission Statement “It is our Goal and Mission to be Industry Leaders by Showing each Member of Our Team and Our Agents our True Integrity and Experience. Our Management Team has the Highest Standard and Regard for Education & Professionalism, as we Truly are “Above the Crowd!”
Halloween winners Hi Everyone, Our winners of the Halloween costume contest were: Dixie Ball, Miss 70’s Roller Girl – 1st Place We had a 4 way tie for 2nd place: Little Miss Riding Hood – “Debbie Dill” Princess Peach “Alicia Short” Biker Girl “Vicki Dresslaer” Day of the Dead “Becca” Great job everyone. Lots of great costumes! Great pizza for lunch and wonderful candy. Thanks everyone can’t wait for next year!
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Dreams are lost when you allow temporary missteps to lead you to despair. You must not let a few mistakes become a way of life. Begin again. Your persistence will eventually lead you to your true path. Dodinsky
NEW COPIERS
REAL ESTATE HUMOR
We have gotten new copiers. They were installed Friday, October 31st. EAST OFFICE….Kevin Peterson was out on Friday, Oct. to get all the IT items completed on the unit. We are going to leave the other copier unit there until next Friday. As most of you know…new systems & technology like to throw us some curve balls. So the other copier/scanner unit will be there as a back-up. Agent’s please be sure to stop by the office sometime next week during business hours and make sure your codes work on the new system and you receive your scanned documents…The backup unit will be removed next Friday, November 7th. WEST OFFICE…..The Sharp Copier in the mail room exited the building, “Whoohooo” and has been replaced with a new copier/scanner. Again Kevin will be getting all the IT items completed on it. If you stop by the office while we are installing the new unit please use unit on the lower level. Agents please be sure to stop by the west office sometime next week during business hours to make sure your codes work and you receive your scanned documents.
A couple sees an ad that says “Beautiful large home in great shape $1,000. It must be a misprint, but they call anyway. A lady answers & says it’s not a misprint. They race over and find it’s easily worth a million bucks. They ask the seller “What’s the catch?” The lady says “OK, I’ll tell you the truth… last week my husband informed me that he is leaving me for his secretary. He said I could have everything except the proceeds from the sale of the house. I agreed and he asked me if I could sell the house while he & his new girlfriend hung out in the Caribbean?” “SOLD!!!”
East & West Office Staff will be trained on these units to help assist you if you run into any issues & we will have instructions on the unit as well.
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Kelly Bates Janet Bates Cliff Schoonover Kerry Dunn Gloria Light Lance Ferguson
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. If you have any suggestions or ideas don’t forget to put them in the Suggestion Boxes. More to come next month.
WEBSITE LINKS: RE/MAX Mainstreet: http://www.remax.net The ABOVE Magazine: www.abovemag.remax.com RE/MAX University: http://thedownlad.remax.com/
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UP COMING EDUCATIONAL CLASSES Nov. 13th – Thursday – 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – WAAR Office Salesperson/Broker Core: Taking the Mystery Out of Agency Nov. 13th – Thursday – 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – WAAR Office Broker Core: Leadership Safari Nov. 20th – Thursday – 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon – WAAR Office Nailing It All Together: Bringing the Nuts & Bolts to the Table Nov. 20th – Thursday – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM – WAAR Office Effective Listings: Fitting the Pieces Together 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 Nov. 4th - Tuesday – NEW TIME – 9:00 AM Be 10 minutes early for breakfast - WAAR Office – 170 W. Dewey, Room B - Company Office Breakfast Meeting - Breakfast provided by Security 1st. Nov. 18th – Tuesday – RET Meets at East Office Nov. 20th – Thursday – 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM at The Monarch – 579 W. Douglas Agents Birthday Luncheon – Please let Alicia know if you will be there! It is important to have a head count. Nov. 25th – Tuesday – Thanksgiving Luncheon – Noon - Basement Conference Room – West office. *Attendance at our functions is not only greatly appreciated……but you get a raffle ticket!!
RE/MAX ANNIVERSARIES & Agents Birthdays
RE/MAX ANNIVERSARIES: Lola Mote – 16 Yrs. (11/1), Marsha Allen – 16 Yrs.(11/1), Karen Blume – 16 Yrs. (11/1), Brian Johnson – 12 Yrs. (11/1), Jane Bates – 2 Yrs. (11/1), Kelly Bates – 2 Yrs. (11/1), Amanda Levin 1 Yr. (11/25). Congratulations to everyone. Happy Birthday to: Amanda Levin (11/2). Hope you have a wonderful day! Happy Marriage Anniversary to: Denise & Garry Kemnitz (11/7).
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Hi Everyone, My sorority started working with this project last Christmas and feel these wreaths are a beautiful way to honor those who have served us and our country. This WAA’s goal is to place wreaths on 750,000 graves. We’ve selected the VA cemetery in Winfield, KS to honor. Please contact me at 554-2872 for information on purchasing a wreath. The deadline is November 15, 2014. Thank you, Vicki Dresslaer
FREEDOM ISN’T FREE
November 11th is VETERAN’S DAY PRECEPTOR BETA XI SORITY Is helping sponsor the “Wreaths Across America” Program Wreaths Across America was formed in 2007 by the Worcester family, veterans and others who helped with the annual Christmas wreath ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Wreaths Across America’s sponsored memorial wreaths are placed on veteran’s grave markers at state and national veterans cemeteries as well as local cemeteries. In 2013, Wreaths Across America laid over 540,000 memorial wreaths at over 900 locations in the United States. Preceptor Beta Xi is proud to be sponsoring the Veteran’s cemetery located in Winfield, Kansas. It is our hope that every veteran – men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country – is honored with a beautiful Christmas memorial wreath this December. Sponsorship proceeds not only purchase live Christmas memorial wreaths but also helps to support educational and veteran’s services outreach. Please consider purchasing a Christmas memorial wreath “in honor of” OR “IN MEMORY OF” SOMEONE YOU LOVE. Orders are being taken now; just fill out the Wreath Sponsorship Form (see Vicki Dresslaer with Security 1st In our West Office). Vicki has all the information on this. This needs to be completed by November 15th. Simultaneous Wreath Laying Ceremonies Will be held on December 13, 2014
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Gloria Light
Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread Ingredients: 8 oz. low fat cream cheese ½ cup low fat sour cream 150g fresh pineapple, finely chopped ¼ orange bell pepper, finely chopped 1 celery rib, finely chopped ¼ cup chopped pecans ¼ cup chopped parsley 1 tsp. old style mustard ¼ tsp. black pepper Pinch cayenne pepper 75-100 perfect pecan halves (to make the pineapple effect)
to cover with pecans to avoid them going soft on you. Also, you might want to take your barrel shaped cream cheese mixture out of the fridge about an hour or two before you are ready to start laying the pecans so it softens up a bit. Pecans will stick better cheese that is closer to room temperature. Place pineapple top at the top of your barrel shaped cheese, then start layering the pecan halves, starting at the bottom, and keep shingling until you get to the top. Make sure you keep your pecans nice & tight. Serve with your favorite crackers. This is wonderful. A must try.
Security 1st Title We want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. May you have all your loved ones around you.
INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the top off your pineapple and cut it in half lengthwise. Keep that in the refrigerator until you are ready to sue it. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (an electric mixer would also work), whip cream cheese and sour cream on medium speed until well incorporated, smooth & creamy in texture, about 2-3 minutes. It might help to have the cream cheese at room temperature before you start. Squeeze the juice out of the pineapple and incorporate to the cheese mixture, along with the rest of the ingredients. Continue mixing on low speed until well combined, about 30-45 seconds. Turn onto final serving plate and shape into a barrel. Make sure that your plate is big enough to accommodate pineapple top, but don’t place it just now. Cover with plastic film, and ideally, refrigerate until the next day. This will allow flavors to fully develop. You might want to wait until the last minute
Donna Osterman Branch Manager/Escrow Officer Office: 316-554-2872
If Pro is opposite of Con, Then what is the opposite of Progress? CONGRESS! If voting could really change things, it would be illegal.
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THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON Our Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon will be on Tuesday, November 25th at 12 noon. It will be at the West office in the large conference room in the basement. The meat will be provided. All we ask is for you to bring a side dish to accompany the meat. There will be sign up sheets at both the east and west offices. Let us know if you will be here and what you plan to bring. It is always so great to celebrate with our RE/MAX family and to be Thankful for our families and friends. Hope to see you here.
Happy Thanksgiving
CARE COMMITTEE REPORT Michelle Briggs is still struggling with some health issues so please let her know we miss her around the office and hope she is feeling better each day. We understand that Debbie Potter had some health problems and were glad to hear that she is recovering. Get well soon. Anita McQueen broke her arm. She is recovering but a lot is going on for her. Keep her in your prayers. Get well soon!!
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.
Just remember: You don’t get Chihuahuas from Great Danes!
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Winterize Your Vehicle By Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor Published Dec. 3, 2000 Edmunds.com
Winter is the enemy of the car. Cold temperatures make it harder for an engine to work properly. Snow and ice limit traction. Potholes damage wheels and tires. Salt causes rust and gravel pits the paint. But there are things you can do to help your vehicle in this time of duress. Following are some easy steps to properly prepare your car for winter. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 1. Consider using snow tires: The condition of your car’s tires is critical during the winter. If the tires are worn or if they are highperformance tires, braking, acceleration and handling all suffer on slippery roads. If you have the cash, consider guying a set of winter tires. Winter tires are optimized for snow & ice. 2. Check your tire pressure: Tire pressure is especially important during the winter, because traction is often at a minimum due to wet or snowy conditions. It’s critical to have properly inflated tires, which guarantees the best possible contact between the tire and the road. 3. If you have a four-wheel-drive system, make sure it is working properly: A big selling point for SUVs is that many offer four-wheel drive, which improves traction in slippery conditions. While, a 4WD system requires minimal maintenance, it’s still a good idea to check that it works properly before winter arrives. Make sure the system engages & disengages smoothly, and that there are no strange noises emanating from the drivetrain when the system is in use. Check to make sure that the transmission and gear oil levels are correct. 4. Check to see if your engine requires lowerviscosity oil in the winter. Viscosity simply refers to how thick or thin a fluid is. When winter arrives, the outside temperature drops. The colder the oil is, the thicker it will be. A
thicker oil doesn’t circulate as well in an engine during start-up as a thinner oil would. If the oil is too thick, the engine doesn’t get the proper lubrication. To solve this wintertime problem, some engines require a change to a thinner oil. It is more necessary on older vehicles. Many new care already come with oil that’s thin enough to withstand the winter. Read the owner’s manual. It will list the manufacturer’s recommendations for different climates. 5. Inspect the belts and Hoses: Belts & hoses in modern cars lead long lives. But that doesn’t mean they don’t die. Cold temperatures can accelerate the demise of a belt or hose, so have them inspected before winter starts. 6. Inspect the wipers & wiper fluid: The life expectancy of a wiper blade is one year. If your car’s blades are older, replace them. There are a number of aftermarket wiper blades that are made for winter use. Check & fill your wiper fluid reservoir. You might consider adding wiper fluid that has been mixed with a deicer. A harsh winter storm is the worst possible time for untreated wiper fluid to create ice on your windows or for you to discover your blades aren’t performing properly. 7. Check the battery: Batteries give little notice before they die, & they absolutely love to expire at the worst possible moment. Very cold temperatures can reduce a vehicle’s battery power by up to 50%. If your vehicle battery is older than three years, have it tested at a certified automotive repair facility. Cont’d on Page 13
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Cont’d from Pg. 11 (winterizing your car Make sure the posts & connections are free of corrosion. If the post are corroded, you can clean them with baking soda, water & a small wire brush. 8. Check antifreeze mixture: The ideal mixture of antifreeze (coolant) & water inside you vehicle’s radiator is 50:50. If the mixture deviates from this norm, then hot- & cold-weather performance can suffer. If you combine the water with an equal amount of antifreeze, the mixture won’t freeze until – 34 degrees F. Most antifreeze you’ll find in stores already comes pre-mixed. 9. Carry an emergency kit in your car. A roadside kit doesn’t take up much space & can prove invaluable in an emergency. Many companies sell preassembled kits, but if you want to save a few bucks, you may have the key items around the house. Things you might consider carrying include: Flashlight, flares & a first-aid kit. Jumper cables, a tool kit & tire chains, a blanket, warm clothes, hat & cloves, paper towels,, a snow brush, ice scraper & snow shovel, extra washer fluid, extra food and water and a bag of abrasive material, such as sand, salt or non-clumping kitty letter. Use this for added traction when a tire is stuck. 10. Check the heater and windshield defroster: Winter will put your vehicle’s windshield defrosters to the test. It’s a good idea to check that they are in working order. While you’re at it, check the air-conditioner, too. An easy way to speed up the defrost process is to turn on the A/C. (You can leave the temperature dial on warm so you don’t have to suffer.) And now is also a good time to make sure your heating system works. Be prepared and be safe. Winter will soon be upon us.
Chili Cook-off We had a great turn out for our Annual Chili Cook-off. Everyone was a winner and the chili was great. We had a tie for 1st Place : Kelly Bates & Cheryl Huebert 2nd Place: Jennifer Owen Thanks to everyone who participated and those who came to eat. We’ll do this again next year! CONGRATULATIONS Donna Osterman’s son, Taylor Osterman, was the lead in a ballet performance at the Fall Ballet at Friends University. He is such a talented young man. Taylors picture was in the Wichita Eagle on October 17, 2014 the weekend of the Ballet. Taylor is also a part of a singing group at Friends University. Congratulations Taylor for a job well done. We’re all proud of you.
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South Central Kansas MLS Oct. Newsletter
Committee Chair Comments…
Don’t Take the KEY for Granted!
Lance Ferguson
We all appreciate the convenience our Supra Keys present when we are out showing homes. Sometimes, I think we just take it for granted, and in some cases, may even abuse it. It is very Easy to forget the importance of SECURITY when it comes to our Keys….For our CLIENTS. Keep in mind, our Sellers have put a lot of faith and trust in us to list their home. Yes, they want To get it sold, but they also expect their homes to be secure. They shouldn’t have to worry who Has access to their home and whether or not just ‘anybody’ can get in. Our lockbox system only Works because Sellers trust it to be secure, and we control the keys to those lockboxes. If Anything were to happen, that trust is damaged and could affect the whole Lockbox system and your business. Therefore, keep these important factors in mind: You are responsible for anything that happens in a home as a result of your key being used to access a property. So, if you break something in the home, you can be held responsible for it. When Showing homes, NEVER let your customers into a property by themselves. You should always accompany them. If it’s a large family or group, try to keep them together, especially if you don’t know them that well. Who’s to say a couple of them aren’t going to go through the medicine cabinet while you are in the kitchen? If there is another showing after yours, and the Agent is there, waiting on you, you need to go ahead and put the key back in the Lockbox and make them use their key to access the Lockbox. There are two reasons for this. First, the Lockbox will be able to show a record of the other Agent being there. Second, if the other Agent and their Buyers do any damage to the property, it won’t look like you were the last one there and get blamed for it. Finally, ANY access to a property, whether it be for a showing, inspections or appraisals, should ALWAYS be approved through CSS or the Listing Agent. Unauthorized access to a home comes with a severe penalty.
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Continue on Pg. 15
Continue from Pg. 14 So, you may be asking, “What’s the big deal? I know these already!” Again, this is a reminder of the importance of taking care of your Supra Key. And, here’s why. If you lose or have your Key stolen, you need to report it as soon as possible (at least within 48 hours). With a lost or stolen Supra Key, you have just now potentially provided access to every Listed home in the Area! That Key needs to be shut down. Under no circumstances, should you EVER have your PIN# on the Supra Key. Don’t tape it on, scribe it on the back or use a sharpie. If you lose the Key or have it stolen, now ANYONE can gain access to ANY property! Surely, you can remember your 4-digit PIN number. The fine? It’s $300 for the 1st offense, and $600 for other occurrences. Always, always, always be sure that you have authorized access to a property. If you schedule a showing in CSS, keep a record of the authorization until well after the showing. Any unauthorized access to a property comes with a $1,000 fine per offense! Finally, don’t loan your key out to anyone who doesn’t have the same level of access as you do and even then, only in an emergency. In other words, don’t lend your Key to a contractor, so he can get in to make some repairs. Don’t give your key to a client. It is a $1,000 fine for the first offense, and $1,000 fine WITH a 30 day suspension on the 2nd offense. In closing, this article is meant to remind you of the amount of responsibility we have with Our Supra Keys. There’s a lot at stake! Don’t take your key for granted, or it could put a dent in your income and effect the security measures we have in place for our Clients!
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. Quote by Dale Carnegie 15
AGENTS
Cheryl
Beverly
Cliff
Lance
Don
Shawn
Jenn
Dixie
Michelle
Nick
Karen
Debbie
Anita
Jason
Marsha
Janet
Kelly
Ken
Gloria
Kerry
Debra
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Amanda
316-722-0001
Lola
Paul
Denise
Kirk
Tammy
Sharon
RE/MAX REALTY PROFESSIONALS STAFF
Liz
Judy
Deborah
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.