Lynda Ramirez

We moved to Lake Norman from Cazenovia NY in 2004. One of the highlights of the fall in the Syracuse area is the Lafayette Apple festival. There are rides, tons of crafts, food and the most important things of all....Apple Fritters and Apple Pies.

I have missed the Apple Festival, so we decided to go to the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival in North Wilkesboro this past Saturday. This festival was recommeded to me by some friends and it takes place the first Saturday in October every year.

The ride to get there is very nice and parking was easy. I was amazed at how big it was!! It filled all the main streets of the village and spilled over to the outskirts as well. There were so many people and vendors!

There were tons of crafts and great things to look at and buy. There was lots of food of all kinds We got a funnel cake and an apple dumpling with ice cream and shared them both. No calories in either of those! We alo bought some gifts and a large bag of apples.

Unfortunately, we got there in the early afternoon and all the pies were gone. We asked around and nobody knew of any apple fritters being sold. We did try something new to us....fried pies. They were great, but I still miss those Apple Fritters!

It has been a wonderful summer for boating on Lake Norman! The weather has been fantastic, the lake level has been up, and we have made the most of it!. One of my favorite things to do is go for an evening cruise when most boaters have headed home for the evening. Its peaceful, quiet, and the lake is much calmer. I LOVE the beautiful sunsets and have tried many times to get the perfect picture. I have decided that they are all perfect pictures when they involve sunsets and water! Here are two of my pictures:

If you are interested in the Lake Norman area, please contact me!

Lynda Ramirez

704-806-2492

LRamirez@kw.com

www.LakeNormanRealEstateSite.com

This is my favorite time of year in Lake Norman! The birds are back, the daffodils are blooming, the tulips are getting ready to bloom and its getting warmer!

The first sign of spring, besides the warmer temperatures, is the noticeable increase in songbirds. I am an avid bird lover, so I notice this maybe more than most. I just love hearing all the different birds singing and I never tire of it.

The next thing I notice is the trees start to blossom. There seems to be an order in which this happens. I notice the Bradford pears, the dogwoods, the crab apples, the cherries, and the magnolias. They are all just beautiful, but my favorite by far, is the Bradford pears. They look like huge white cotton puffs when they are in full bloom.

I was amazed, after my first winter here, to see this tulip blooming in my yard in February! In February, Upstate NY is still a frozen tundra! I knew I had moved to the right place if I could see blooming tulips in February! I was even more amazed that there were pansies that would bloom all winter!

Because the different species of trees bloom at different times, we have a show that goes on for weeks! I encourage you to visit during spring if you are considering relocating to the Charlotte and Lake Norman area. You too, will fall in love with spring in Lake Norman! Its actually warm enough to get out on Lake Norman and do some boating also! My husband and I went out last Sunday and Monday we took our daughter out during her visit from college.

This is especially hard to believe since a short week and a half ago it looked like this here:

Please contact me if you would like information about buying or selling a home in Lake Norman. I hope to hear from you!

Lynda Ramirez

Keller Williams Realty

704-806-2492

LRamirez@kw.com

www.LakeNormanRealEstateSite.com

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Keller Williams Realty Climbs to
Third-Largest Real Estate Franchise in United States

Company outpaces market with financial model, agent-centric initiatives

AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 2, 2009) — Keller Williams® Realty Inc., announced last week at its annual convention in Orlando, Fla. that it is now the third-largest real estate franchise in the United States, surpassing RE/MAX® International. According to Steve Murray of REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information in the residential real estate industry, the Austin, Texas-based company claimed the number three spot with 72,794 U.S. associates at the end of 2008.

“The success of Keller Williams Realty can be directly attributed to the hard work and perseverance of our associates and the soundness of our economic and organizational models,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. “While others might be looking at this market and seeing fear and uncertainty, we have always approached it as our opportunity to shine and grow. And that mindset has paid off.”

The company has been gaining ground for the last three years, outpacing pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry. Comparing the average annual performance of the company from 2004 - 2005 (before the shift in the real estate market) to 2006 - 2008, Keller Williams Realty increased its associate count by 52 percent, while market share for its offices increased 83 percent and agent gross commission income went up 35 percent. Keller Williams Realty has 679 offices operating in the United States and Canada. In 2008, the company shared more than $30 million in profits with its associates through its profit sharing program.

“Through profit share, our phenomenal coaching and training and our technology offerings, we are offering agents their own ‘bailout plan’ for this market.” Willis added.

The company also announced that after years of searching for a partnership to provide its associates with affordable health insurance, they are moving forward with a solution.

The soon-to-be-launched Keller Williams Health Providers Program will include options for major medical, limited medical, catastrophic coverage and a separate cancer plan. The health insurance coverage is the first step toward a total wellness program for associates.

“We have always been very aware that as independent contractors, our agents face barriers to obtaining health coverage,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty.” We know that for many, this new option may alleviate some of the stress that they face in today’s economy. After all, our associates are not just our partners – they are our family.”

Last fall, the company also announced the launch of KW Commercial, a new division of the company dedicated to providing commercial real estate associates with specialized technology, marketing tools and resources. KW Commercial already has more than 220 active brokers across the U.S. and Canada.

“Our goal is to create synergy between the residential and commercial sides of our Keller Williams offices, raising the bar for the service we provide to our clients,” said Buddy Norman, president of KW Commercial. “We envision our commercial and residential agents working side-by-side, sharing referrals and helping our offices grow.”

“Our growth in the last year and now becoming the third-largest real estate company in the United States was a true team effort and a company-wide win. We are so grateful for all of the leadership and commitment our associates have shown to power through this shift,” added Willis.

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About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with 679 offices and 74,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. For more information, visit Keller Williams Realty online at (www.kw.com).

Lynda Ramirez

704-806-2492

Keller Williams Realty

LRamirez@kw.com

http://www.LakeNormanRealEstateSite.com