Brainerd Lakes Real Estate News

This post is in remembrance of all the who fought so valiantly 66 years ago so we could live in freedom today.

On June 6, 1944, 66 years ago, approximately 160,000 US, British and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, in a concerted push to defeat Hitler and Nazi Germany. 10,000 American men died on the beaches of Normandy after a perilous crossing of the English Channel.

I was saddened to see that there was no mention of this being D-Day in the Los Angeles Times or the Pasadena Star News, only an AP article about efforts to protect one of the locations from the effects of erosion.

A few statistics:

• 160,000 Allied troops took part in the assault
• There were 10,000 American casualties in one day
• 5,000 ships crossed the English Channel on the morning of June 6 to deliver troops and supplies
• 800 planes dropped 13,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines. Many were shot out of the sky as they drifted to earth

These maps are part of a display at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer

A couple of years ago, my husband and I made a pilgrimage to Normandy, France. Neither one of us had family members who participated in D-Day (my father was a defense plant worker and his father served in the Pacific), but we felt it was an important part of our American heritage to stand where so many had died fighting so we could live free.

We booked a tour with Overlord Tours out of Bayeaux, France due to reviews we had read on-line. We signed up for Tour #2, a tour of Utah and Omaha beaches and surrounding areas.

 

Our guide, Laurent, at the start of the tour

Our tour guide, Laurent, was very knowledgeable and passionate about all things D-Day. He, like many other people we met on our trip, love Americans and frequently expressed their appreciation of the sacrifices the American people made to help defeat Nazi Germany and expel them from France.

The tour inspired both sadness and awe. Standing on Utah and Omaha beaches, looking up at the German gun emplacements, it was hard to believe that anyone survived landing on the beach that day. The American troops were caught in a horrific cross-fire from German guns on a very deep beach with no cover for hundreds of yards.

2 movies worth watching are The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan. Both accurately depict what the Allies were up against landing on the beaches of Normandy.

 

Normandy Beach landing in Saving Private Ryan







Pont-du-Hoc landing in The Longest Day



Another remarkable must see is the mini-series Band of Brothers.

Here's some photos from the American Cemetery at  Colleville-sur-Mer:

Some facts about the American Cemetery at Colleville:

• The cemetery sits on 172 acres on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach
• It holds 9368 graves of soldiers killed during the assault on Normandy
• 307 graves are marked "unknown"
• 1557 names are listed in the Garden of the Missing, those who's remains were never found
• The cemetery is maintained by the American Battle Monument Commission

There are 4868 British soldiers buried at Bayeaux Cemetery. There were also 946 Canadian casualties as a result of the assault on Normandy.

Map of Normandy Beach assaults as seen from the American Cemetery

View of Omaha Beach with map in the foreground from the American Cemetery. American soldiers had to run across that wide expanse of sand while being fired upon by German soldiers and gun emplacements.

If you only get to make one overseas trip in your life, or are wondering where to go on your next vacation, I highly recommend making a pilgrimage to Normandy. You will be welcomed with open arms by the locals. You will see some beautiful countryside and eat some delicious food. And you will be paying homage to true American (and British and Canadian) heroes, who richly deserve our admiration and respect.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2010 RESA Professional Stager of the Year

Michelle Minch, owner of Moving Mountains Design, is one of the most successful home stagers in Los Angeles, CA.

Michelle measures her success by the speed in which her staged homes sell, often with multiple offers above listing price. She works with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale.

Some of Moving Mountains Design's services include vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties.

For more information about our home staging services, contact Los Angeles home stager, Michelle Minch (626)441-8975 or by email.

Click here to see our Los Angeles home staging portfolio

Click here to go to our Los Angeles home staging blog

Click here for more information about home staging in Los Angeles and how we can help sell your home faster and for the best price

   

There didn't seem to be much mention of it yesterday. With so much ekse in the news, a little event like D-Day can easily get overlooked.

Two-thirds of a century have passed since that morning in Normandy, June 6, 1944.

That's when the invasion and ensuing battles that would change the complexion of World War II and lead to the Allied victory in Europe were launched.

The ranks of the men who participated in that event and survived are dwindling. Someone just  18 at the time would be about 85 now. Most would be older than this.

This was a day that represented tremendous planning, strategies, and secrecy. Then it represented tremendous timing and coordination to execute it to perfection. Then it took courage and valor to storm that beach as a storm of gunfire rained down. This was how we were successful in shortening the war and preserving the rights and freedoms we enjoy today.

We must not forget the bravery that the world witnessed on this day.

───

For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entreprenuers, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.

 © Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

This came across my desk the other day and I checked it out.

Turns out, it's a true story and very inspiring. Peng Shuilin,

a resident of Hunan Province in China, was in an accident.

The result was, he was literally sliced in half; nothing

could be done to save his lower torso.

 Well, he endured nearly two years

in the hospital, countless operations and was finally

fitted with a custom body brace and bionic legs.

After 10 years with half a body, he finally walked!

Not satisfied with just being able to walk, he opened up his

own bargain supermarket called "Half Man-Half Price Store".

 In addition to his business ventures

he lectures on overcoming diversities. His life is a feat of endurance, a triumph

of the human spirit. Nothing gets this guy down; he had good care, but his

secret is cheerfulness. If you have a whole body and good health and

feel the need to bitch about something trivial, remember this guy

and put your life into perspective.

 

 

 

 

                

Join my group: VOICE OF REASON

                      SUBSCRIBE

 

Are you a frugal home seller, wondering whether home staging a good investment? We know a couple that thinks it is! They invested less than 1/2% of their home’s listing price to have Gloria Home Staging prepare their home for sale, and 8 days later, they had an offer.

An investment is defined as “something given or lent for a return.” The old saying that you have to spend money to make money usually holds true. Spending a few hundred dollars (or even a couple of thousand, in many cases) in order to sell your home for full price is a wise choice. Any price reduction you will have to take if your home does not sell quickly will certainly be far more than even 1% of the listing price.

Click on the photo to see a real estate show that demonstrates what ½% can do for a home:

www.GloriaHomeStaging.com

                             407-695-0023

         Setting your home apart

Serving the Orlando, Florida area

As a home seller you want to initiate that positive feeling from a prospective buyer; choosing a new home is a very emotional thing and it is this emotional vibe that you want to tune into to. It is always the first impression that will dictate the buyer's mood.

Think of the times that you have been in the audience waiting to hear a speech. When the person walks onto the stage you are expectant and interested in what he has to say. In the first one minute he either has your attention - or you are wondering where he bought his shoes from. If he has wit, a smile and a bright voice you will listen. If he drawls, sounds dull and is talking too quietly your brain leaves the stage.

You will only listen to a boring speaker if you really want to hear what he has to say. Your house is like the speaker. If it appeals in the first minute, the buyer will proceed with interest and enthusiasm. If the first appearance doesn't draw the buyer in, he will approach the viewing of your home with the thought that he is wasting his time. This is where the price of your house comes in; if there is nothing much going for it, then make sure you take the realtor's advice about the price.

If you know your house is a no-frills house, then the first impression will be critical to set the mood. A Realtor calls this curb appeal, and if yours is not able to look 'fantastic', it can at least look promising.

Step out side your house, and walk to the street and scrutinize your own home from the sidewalk. Check for things like scuff marks around the base of the house and broken parts of fence. Sweep the paths and hide the garbage can. Make sure the gardening is done - no dead weeds or yellow patches on the lawn.

Certain additions can make your home look as if it is cared for. For instance, plants in pots around your front door. A statue or an elegant bird bath placed centrally in your lawn can take away the plainness of a yard. If you are worried about theft, most of these are too heavy to be easily moved. Flowers or plants can be grouped around it.

This applies to any season. If you are selling your home in autumn you can always buy some potted chrysanthemums or azaleas, if you are selling in spring use daffodil and crocus etc. Whatever time if the year, there can be either flowers or berry bushes in the yard. The back yard will not count so much in terms of first impressions. So concentrate on the front for the first visual impact to your buyer.

One very easy solution to the visual appeal problem is to have a very soft bed in the front and cover it with wood chips. As each season turns, a different group of pot plants can be 'dug in' to the soft soil. Once the daffodils die, those pots get pulled out until next year and the petunias go in, then chrysanthemums, until finally it is the winter pansies and the berries. With a bird bath in the center and about three small ever green shrubs, your front yard will always have appeal.

It is not just that you are appealing to the type of person who likes a nice yard; if the yard is looking good, it will make the buyer think that the rest of the house will be looked after and he will approach the viewing of your house in a positive way. This positive attitude means that the buyer's frame of mind will be open to the emotional appeal of your home.

 

Mini Blinds Warning

Years ago there was a huge effort to make people aware of the dangers of mini blinds and their cords.

Last week, Ben was put down for a nap. He climbed out of his crib and got tangled in the mini blinds. He was found by his father, who started CPR. Ben was not breathing.

Below is a picture of Ben....22 months old. He is welcoming his brand new sister home. A few nights ago, Ben's family had to make the hardest decission of their lives. They had to let him go.....he was not to recover from a very avoidable accident.

Putting the cords over the blinds is (was, in their case) not enough.  Tragically, a child dies every two weeks and with just 15 minutes of your time you can make a real difference in protecting your child.

FREE retrofit kits are available from the Window Covering Safety Council for older window blinds which are especially dangerous strangulation hazards.  But even newer window coverings have inherent dangers and the U.S. Consumer Safety Council has announced recalls of new coverings.

So please, if you have small children in your home, make sure that you take steps to implement some important corrections due to this mini blinds warning!

A dull or stale listing could be the only thing preventing a sale. Don't let your listings fall short. Here are some tips from other real estate professionals about how to make your listings shine.

1. Give Good Directions
   Not everyone relies on their G.P.S. to navigate through unfamiliar neighborhoods. Make sure you enter good directions to the property, and skip the shortcuts. Don't use "See MapQuest" or "Call Broker."
2. Disclose Short Sales
   If your listing is a short sale or could possibility become a short sale, be courteous to your fellow real estate professionals (and abide by the MLS Rules & Regulations) and select the appropriate options under Terms.
3. Complete the Descriptions
   Those checkboxes under Description may not seem important, but it is imperative to select all that apply. Even if you don't think the "Dog Run" is a huge selling point, it may be to the homebuyer with a couple of canines.
4. Using Remarks
   Use the Remarks fields to the fullest extent to paint a picture of the property in the minds of the reader. The Public Remarks is a great place to talk about the features and benefits of the property, not to repeat the Description fields in sentence form.
5. Don't Say NOT
   If your listing is NOT a short sale, don't enter "NOT a Short Sale" in the Remarks field. Savvy real estate brokers may choose to exclude listings with "short sale" in the Remarks from their search results, which would also exclude your listing.
6. Enter Room Dimensions
   Take the extra time to measure the room dimensions for your listings. If homebuyers are thinking about room dimensions, they are likely already picturing their furniture and decorations in the property. That is a good thing.
7. Show Me the Photos
   12 percent of all listings in the Metrolist® database do not have a single property photo. Make sure your listings don't get passed over because they are photoless. Upload up to ten property photos when you enter your listings into PrimeAccess.
8. Enable ShowingAssist
   Make it easy for your fellow brokers to schedule showing appointments without having to make extra phone calls. Use ShowingAssist to establish available showing times for the property.
9. Attach Disclosures to Your Listings
   The broker calling during your family dinner has a homebuyer ready to make an offer on your listing, as soon as you send the disclosures. Too bad you didn't attach them to your listing using Instanet.
10. Add a Virtual Tour
    If a photo is worth a thousand words, and a good virtual tour is worth a thousand photos, shouldn't you have a virtual tour for your listings?

If you have more tips to share with other listing brokers, share them on the Discussions tab of our Facebook page.

Follow Metrolist: