About Bentonville's The Bentonville Square

I saw you this morning not long after you arrived. Thanks for not coming on full force just yet. Give us a day or two to adjust to the idea that things could get brutal.

Could we just consult for a minute or two at the start of you tenure?

Listen up August. We all understand you are the 'tough guy' of summer in the Ozarks. You're reputation is well earned and I'll give you high points for consistency. You boldly spell the beginning of the end of summer in so many ways. Kids go back to school, silencing the happy sounds of their reverie. The harvest begins in earnest. Our water bills go through the roof as we defend our turf. You dare to sit by while the lawn scorches and the flowers hang their heads, near death. You do not seem to care. You make the summer sun into a blow torch and give little rain and barely a breeze. Dude, what makes you like that? Need love? This is not the way to get it.

August. Could you try a little tenderness? You might like the accolades it would bring you. Your reputation could use repair my friend. I'm just saying...have mercy and you might get a better welcome next year.

Time changes everything, this much I can guarantee. Spend a little with me.

Often when I hear someone ask what the cost of any given product is I leave the dollars behind. My mind immediately goes to the hours and days of a life given the pursuit of all of our necessities. If in fact necessities is a good word. Like you, I like nice things and a very cozy life. Like you I look for more hours in the day. The decades teach us that time is the ultimate luxury, one of the precious few things money cannot buy.

Years ago I listened as a client told me a story. She was now past 70, still beautiful and gracious, even though fighting an auto immune disease. She shared that life had been so sweet and good, and how she had taken a job in her late twenties to help buy a refrigerator for her growing family. Well what happened next was another purchase then another and then a career where there had once been a homemaker. Four sons grew up, a family matured and flew from the nest. Still she worked on, ever wondering what the real price of that refrigerator had been. Retirement moved them from the Chicago suburbs to northwest Arkansas. She was not bitter, she was wise. She was telling a young family man with a business a cautionary tale.

Only now, a few decades later does it start to sink in. Think carefully about the trades you want to make with your precious time. I rise to see the sun crest the trees, back lighting the view with 10,000 shades of green. I stop to smell the roses and touch them too, so the scent will linger in my hand. I require less and enjoy more. I wait anxiously for the new blossoms of springtime, more so with every passing year. I look into the eyes of those I love and I want so want to say grab life and hold on, drink it, taste it, revere it. The meter is running and time changes everything.

WWDD? What Would Dad Do?

Happy Father's Day friends. I cannot let the day pass without paying tribute to my Dad. Thank you Dad, for being just the person I needed you to be.

Dad is a person that has devoted his life to improving the lives of others. He chose long ago to live by the tenets of his faith in God. Those tenets have defined him, not confined him. His faith has often been tried and tested and I can tell you it is unwavering. He loves and cares for the people around him. He is much more concerned with the heart of a person than anything else in this life. He has been a great Father, husband to my Mom, Pastor, friend and colleague, inspiration to countless people. His word has always been his promise and he never shied away from hard work, ever. If he knew of a need he would do whatever he could possibly do to meet it. You might say he talked the talk and walked the walked.

He will not be bragging to you about his material wealth, his flashy lifestyle or Ivy League education. He will however want to know that you have everything you need, food, clothing and a safe place to be.

My Dad is now 80 years old. Thankfully he is doing well. In fact if he were able to I imagine that he'd share with you his thoughts on nutritional supplements, well chosen foods and exercise too. He'd tell you to do the right thing...every time. He'd tell you to stop by when you get back to his neck of the woods. You're always welcome to come by. He might throw in a little Scripture too. It would likely be something like this, 'What Does the Lord require of you but to do justiice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God' (Micah 6:8)

Thanks again Dad. I get it now.

When it is time to list a property there is one thing I make clear to sellers. NO MIXED MESSAGES! It sounds simple but somehow it is not always. Does everything about your plan say YES! I REALLY want to sell in a reasonable number of days. Yes I said days, not months and certainly not years! Selling takes a real life, carefully planned strategy.

Have you done the proper maintenance inside and out? Is your home looking SHARP all over. Don't forget the check list: the yard and the garage, fresh paint, clean carpets, no trace of pet damage or odor, etc.

Have you priced your property according to the current market conditions, the size of your home and the condition of your property? The local numbers do not lie! Do not be taken in by promises of unreasonable gain in a down market.

Have you checked out the competing listings nearby? Yes there are a few homes for sale near you. Inventory is high so it's GAME ON! You are in a serious competition to make a sale!

Is your property ready for showing without DELAY?

If you are not ready to eliminate mixed messages rethink your decision to list. Make your decision and get the deal done in the shortest amount of time with the fewest hassles. No mixed messages to potential buyers.

I'm here to sell, not just to list your home.

I spent the day Saturday looking at 12 homes with a couple of very savvy potential buyers. It was a PLEASURE! We communicated by phone and email before meeting in person Saturday. The buyers knew their price range, they knew their list of 'must haves'. They knew for certain where they wanted to be, based on proximity to work. Perhaps most importantly they had studied the inventory thoroughly, comparing specific amenities. Their priorities were clear, location, condition, age, amenities, price.

Sounds perfect right? Well almost. Even after doing that much homework, questions still remain for home buyers. Questions about how to keep your home search in balance in light of the possibility of future resale. When choosing a home we do so with a forward looking plan. We have to because on average we stay only about 7 years in a home. The question of resale looms like a cloud in the distance. Which is more important home buyers? Should you buy the two story that you thought was perfect, even though there are lots of retirees moving to the area that might not buy it later. Will those future buyers be passing your home over for a one level home? If you buy a house because you like the floor plan knowing the surfaces, while in great condition are not the exact surface materials most buyers are choosing. Will that haunt you later? Then of course you have to answer this question, 'how much is too much to spend on improvements'. Improvements represent unknown rather than known costs. Miscalculating this question can throw the whole deal off track, forever.

Here's my take on questions of balance while searching for a home.

1. Don't buy any home that you do not like based on future resale! You risk being miserable until the resale.

2. Stick to your budget! Even the cost of gas back and forth to work is a deciding factor.

3. Do not risk the unknown cost of upgrades, whether adding on a new room or something simple like counter tops or a new half bath. Stick to 'move in ready' listings if at all possible.

4. Beware of the wildcard. That 'fixer' at half of your budget may be your undoing before it's fixed the way you want it.

5. Do not buy anything you do NOT need in a home. Unused equals unneeded. Why maintain it and pay taxes on it you are not going to use it?