Volunteering at a pet shelter

I love pets & I love to volunteer, so you would probably think that I've done volunteer work at an animal shelter before....not so much. There are a few reasons I haven't. One, I have some guilt that there are great animals out there to be adopted and my dogs have all been pure-bred. I of course have my reasons for getting pure-bred dogs. Second, I already have two dogs and CAN NOT have another! Not only would my mom kill me (yes, I'm 31, own my own home, live 4 hrs away, etc) but two is just the right amount for me. I have two hands - two dogs.

Well, a friend on facebook posted something the other day about the Half Way Home Animal Shelter and I just had to comment. He mentioned that not only do they need money but they need volunteer help. Long story short, I signed up to volunteer on Sunday to walk dogs. After a brief orientation and walk-thru (yes, I fell behind b/c I had to say hello to ALL the dogs - along with another gal) it was finally time for me to walk a dog! By this point it was around 130pm and about half the dogs had been taken outside. The first dog I took out was potty trained and peed for a good 5 mins! Who knows the last time he'd actually been outside (or when he'd go next!). These dogs were soooo sweet. They just wanted love and affection and a little fresh air (even though it was chilly and snowing). I felt bad I couldn't stay with each of them longer, but I wanted to give them all a chance to go outside!! When the shelter closed at 4pm and the volunteer coordinator told me and the last other volunteer we had to stop. We weren't 100% sure all the dogs had been taken out!! I keep telling myself that they were all taken out and given some lovin. Of course we can't actually take them all out...there are rules. A dog must be over 9 months old to be taken outside (this is to make sure they don't catch anything) and they must also be at the shelter for 5 days before someone can take them out. (I kept telling myself the owners WOULD be there any minute to pick them up!).

Well, the point of my rambling is it was a good experience but I was sooo sad that these dogs don't get a chance to go outside but once a day - if they are lucky! It's up to volunteers to come in and take them out. If the workers have time, they do it, but I don't think they always have time. I will definitely try to go back again. Not sure if I can make it a weekly habit, but will do what I can. If you are interested, visit their website: www.petshalfwayhome.com to fill out a volunteer form. The more people that can help walk these dogs the better. AND of course, if you are looking for a great dog, they have a bunch!!

Safety

As many of you know, there is a serial rapist in the Waldo area (which is VERY close to my house). I am a bit scared, but I'm also upset. I am upset that there is someone out there that is tourmenting women and making us all feel unsafe in our own homes. This weekend he attacked two more women (he attacked two last year). One of these women was letting in (or out) her dog when he pushed inside. My dogs LOVE being outside so many times I will just leave the door open while they are outside. I know this isn't the smartest idea, but I really do feel safe in my area. (not to mention the four big dogs that live next door that can scare a stranger!) However, with all that is going on, I let the girls out and relock the door behind them. I also look outside before opening the door. I got an email from a friend that suggested you have mace, pepper spray or something in your hand when opening the door. I'll be heading to get some pepper spray today. I hate that I have to do this...but safetly is most important!

On a related safety note, I had lunch with my friend Katie yesterday and we talked about this situation. Today I got an email from her telling me that my name and ALL of my contact information was easily accessable online! I thought I had deleted my name from search engines in the past (I believe either google or mapquest) but she found me on TWO sites!!! Since she's so great, she sent me the sites and the links to remove my information! I want everyone to have this information as well! The second site even said who my relatives where!! (and they live in St Louis!!)

www.whitepages.com - If you go to this site and type your information in, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and you will see "Is this you, remove your listing".

www.411locate.com is the second site. You can go to their optout site to have your information removed.

I highly recommend doing this! I am so greatful to have friends that are looking out for me and my safety!! I took a self defense class last year and I'm thinking about retaking it. You can NEVER be too careful!

The Basic Tools Every Homes Should Have

My dad taught me early on that before you make a major purchase, you must check Consumer Reports. I checked it before buying my Toyota 4 Runner almost 10 years ago...and the car is running strong with over 158k miles! I just recently used the online site to research flat screen tvs. Thanks to my research, I ended up with a 50in flat screen tv (vs the 32in I was planning on getting!).

A few months back (maybe it's been a year, I'm not sure), I got an ad for a new magazine - ShopSmart which is from the people at Consumer Reports. It's an ad-free magazine with great information and research on many items. Of course I purchased a subscription!! The latest magazine had an article on the basic tools every home should have. I thought that was worth passing on. Here's what they say:

1. Utility Knife - handy for slicing through boxes, carpet, and other tough stuff; in a pinch, it can scratch out old grout. Look for a retractable blade with spares.

2. Little Haacksaw - handy for getting into small places to make difficult cutting jobs easy. It can also cut through wood and metal, such as an extended bolt.

3. Tongue-and-groove Pliers - handy for gripping fasteners and hardware. Look for a multiposition type that also works as a wrench.

4. Needle-nose Pliers - handy for cutting through thin wire and gripping small objects. They're great for working in tight spaces.

5. Curved Claw Hammer - handy for driving and yanking nails. Look for a comfortable feeling in your hand. A common midweight hammer is 16 ounces.

6. Cordless Drill - handy for assembling and disassembling furniture, hanging shelves and pictures, installing curtain rods, and more.

7. Multibit Screwdriver - handy for tightening and loosening screws. Look for a set that includes bits for slotted and Phillips screws, the two most common types.

You can also buy a kit that has many of these items. Not tested, but shown in ShopSmart was the Apollo 39-piece tool kit, $29.99 @ www.target.com

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! Can you believe it's already 2010?? Wow.

Are you going to say Two Thousand Ten OR Twenty Ten? I still haven't decided. I'll probably switch it up! I wrote a check the other day and was so proud that I actually wrote the correct year! (not sure if I'll remember the next time though!)

I spent New Years Eve with friends at a shin-dig at the A-Loft Hotel in Leawood. What a fun place! It is the new hip & contemporary Hotel in Leawood. I didn't get a chance to try RA Sushi which is connected to it, but I do plan on trying it soon!

A Pictures Is Worth A Thousand Words

Yesterday I went to a Real Estate Photography class taught by Harry Bisel. It was a great class and I learned a lot. I hope to share at least a few of the things I learned with all of you.

"Pictures sell. Good pictures sell more" - A.D. Coleman

The first thing we need to remember with Real Estate photography is that we are NOT documentary photographers (I'll save that for my scrapbook) but ADVERTISING photographers. We are trying to SELL a house. Instead of taking pictures of EVERYthing, take as many pictures as are necessary to sell the house. A small empty bedroom is not going to hold a memory or help someone remember the home. (yes, I too have been guilty of taking these pictures!) As the listing agent, we work for the seller and need to take only pics that help sell the home. Now I'm not saying we need to "hide" things, but we need to show the home to the best of it's abilities. (And sometimes that IS the bathroom!).

Photographs are the new curb appeal. We have to be better marketing photographers so we can elicite emotions. When something elicites your emotions, you remember it, you think about it...that's what you want to do when you take pictures of a home. We want to get online home buyers to pause and linger at our online listings including pictures.

How do we do this?? We need to understand the purpose of the photo. Why did the seller buy the house? For me, the openness when you walk in and the stairway was my selling point - and I've since updated the railing to a beautiful wood and rod iron railings. What made you pick your house? Tell your agent, that may just be the feature that the next buyer will like as well! Capture that moment, feeling, emotion in your photographs. Bring color and softness to kitchens & bathrooms (ex. add flowers for a touch of color). And even if the house is now vacant, play up big areas.

When taking the pictures, walk to all four corners of the room to get a picture. The "typical" front on shot may not be your best. I try to do this...and use whichever photo (or photos) I think best showcases the room. Kitchens & bathrooms need to be SPOTLESS for pictures.

And remember to create memorable experiences first!!

check out Harry's website for more great information or to hire him: www.harrybisel.com

Wicked

I've been meaning to write this blog for a few weeks now and just keep forgetting when I'm by my computer - go figure!!

I experienced another Kansas City first (for me) - The Music Hall! I went with my friend Jen & her mom to see Wicked a few weeks ago. I had NEVER seen it before (nor did I even know what it was about) and I LOVED it!!! I highly reccommend going to see it!!

Thanks Jen for inviting me. I think I've found my new musical buddy!!! (I went with her and the hubby to see Legally Blond this summer!)

REMAX.COM First To Add Foreclosures

REMAX.COM FIRST TO ADD FORECLOSURES
Homebuyers Can Search Over a Million Foreclosed
Properties, Find Foreclosure Experts in One Site

(Denver, CO - November 30, 2009) – Homebuyers looking for the right home at a great price will now be able to search through more than a million foreclosed properties and access agents specializing in short sales and foreclosures, all in one location. RE/MAX International, Inc. is the first national real estate franchise to offer U.S. foreclosure listings on its highly-trafficked web site, www.remax.com.
Remax.com visitors can now access more than 1.3 million Real Estate Owned (REO) properties in the U.S. through RealtyTrac.
“We strive to provide consumers with the most information, properties, videos, articles and resources to help them navigate today’s market,” said Kristi Graning, Senior Vice President, Information Technology and eBusiness for RE/MAX International. “Remax.com is now the perfect combination of resources on one web site, where visitors can search for foreclosures and connect with a uniquely trained RE/MAX agent who specializes in short sales, REOs and foreclosures.”
Homebuyers across the country, including those looking to take advantage of the recently enhanced Homebuyer Tax Credit, can search foreclosures by accessing the foreclosure tab in the featured property search box on remax.com.
Sourced by government agencies and national news media, RealtyTrac is the No. 1 foreclosure listing service. It collects extensive foreclosure data from more than 2,200 counties, covering more than 90 percent of U.S. households. As part of the partnership, RE/MAX agents also have access to an advanced subscription of RealtyTrac’s service and foreclosure information which allows them to better serve clients. The comprehensive subscription offers agents more detailed information including properties in default and properties scheduled for public foreclosure auction, along with tax assessment information, comprehensive lien and loan history and neighborhood home sale trends.
“We are very pleased to be working with RE/MAX, one of the world’s leading real estate brands, and we’re excited to give consumers another way to access foreclosure data,” said Rick Sharga, Senior Vice President for RealtyTrac. “We believe we can have a positive impact on the national housing market by providing consumers with vital foreclosure information and giving homebuyers an opportunity to find the perfect home with the right agent.”
RE/MAX agents are uniquely qualified to manage foreclosures and distressed property. More RE/MAX Associates have earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation than agents from any other national real estate network. The CDPE training, through the Distressed Property Institute, gives RE/MAX agents the expertise to assist buyers and sellers of REO and distressed properties.