dee miller

How do you like my new profile picture? My husband, Tom, is a drummer in a rock and roll band and his bass player drives this colorful van complete with Scooby Do sitting in the front seat. What a hoot to watch the people especially the kiddos as he drives up to an event.

This is just another avenue for me to enjoy life and relieve some stress. And just because we are Professional REALTORS doesn't mean we don't have fun and let our hair down some time. I think it's important for the public to see us as human beings capable of handling an important home sale but at the same time capable of having fun.

The guys actually had band shirts printed up special for a Realtor event at ReMax with the ReMax balloon on it. (Hope that was OK) The emcee called Tom the Rockin REALTOR! We aren't at ReMax any longer so those shirts aren't in use. Maybe some of you ReMax agents would like them. Let me know.

I am passionate about my profession. I know when to be serious and when to have fun. Do you? If not, put some fun back in your life. You might just find you will actually be a better person and a better REALTOR!!

Have a great day! Looking to buy or sell a home in the Iowa City area, call me. I'll help you reach your real estate goal and have some fun.

Dee

"Home is where the heart is." "There's no place like home." Home is the place where we seek comfort and shelter. Our behavior, emotions and overall mental state can all be influenced by our home. Home can mean housing or place of residence. What does home mean to you? April is the anniversary month of the US Fair Housing Act of 1968. For some of us, the thought of being discriminated against when looking for a home doesn't enter our minds. However, during the history of our country many people have been restricted from buying or renting properties simply because they are different.

The Fair Housing Law passed in 1968 prohibits discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing or making housing unavailable because race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. The Iowa Civil Rights Act also includes gender identity and mental disability. The City of Iowa City prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, marital status, disability, religion, sexual orientation, the presence or absence of dependents or a public assistance source of income (such as AFDC or low income rental assistance).

Despite the number of years since the passing of the Fair Housing law and the advance in the education and understanding of diversity, discrimination in housing still exists. Iowa City has undertaken numerous actions, by the Planning & Community Development Department, the Iowa City Housing Authority and the Human Rights Office to identify, address and resolve fair housing issues.

Whatever your race, your color, your religion, you be the neighbor, the co-worker, the citizen who cares about your fellow community member regardless of their unique differences. Stop focusing on the differences and look at people for what they are inside. Value diversity, broaden your social network, get to know your neighbors, be tolerant and respect those who are different and try to understand these differences. Focus on the benefits of multicultural neighborhoods. Realize how they can provide opportunities for learning about and interacting with all kinds of people. Our children by living in a diverse community will be better people. They will be prepared for the future and the cultural mix in the real world. Iowa City should be one of the places where people do not have to experience housing discrimination.

REALTORS® across Iowa and across the nation work each day to support the Fair Housing Act. Fair Housing is not just a good practice, it is the law!

Dee Miller

Ruhl & Ruhl REALTORS

REALTOR

APRIL FOOLS!!!! By Dee Miller

Have you ever had a day when you wish someone would just say, "April Fools!"

It's Monday, we both had a LONG weekend and all we want to do is sleep in. Both cell phones start ringing! We let them go to voice mail and get up!

Half way to the office, my grandson's school calls. Isaiah is sick and they can't reach his Mom. I turn around and pick him up at school. By now he is REALLY sick!!! I can't leave him so Tom will have to go to our closing from hell!

The sellers didn't do everything on the remedy request and our buyers are MAD!!! Tom handles conflict better so maybe I lucked out even though I'm taking care of a sick kid. After 30 minutes of battling back and forth, an escrow is decided on. The commission check is made out to the wrong office! After hassling with this, he is late to an inspection and the inspector has left with the report and our buyers are from out of town.

The financing release which was due on Friday is not to us yet. The agent won't return our calls! We then find out he is out of town and no-one seems to know who is covering for him and the file is nowhere to be found!

I go to do a showing and drop the key through the slats on the porch. I hope nobody sees me crawling around. Of course today is a day when I decided to dress up in a skirt. I'm trying to hurry before the buyers show up! They never do!!

After lunch, we're both headed opposite directions for appointments. Tom's phone is ringing. Why do I have Tom's phone? Then mine starts ringing. I have them both!!

Off to another showing. I knock at the door and call the owner's name because I see his car out front. Nobody answers so he must not be home. Upon entering the living room with my clients, I see the seller sprawled out in a recliner in a bathrobe which is wide open and not a stitch on underneath! "Orville!!" I yell, as I try to back my buyers out of the room! He acts like he is startled but I'm not sure!

Back to office. By now I have tracked down Tom so he can retrieve his phone. I get a call from someone showing a rental property we have listed. When I ask how they like it, the agent informs me it was a rather short showing because one of the tenants was in bed with her boyfriend and her buyers rushed out!!!! Darn kids!!!!

One final thing to do today. A final walk-thru on a home that was a little bit un-tidy. You know the kind I mean! We open the refrigerator and are about blown away with the smell. The power has been turned off with food in it!! Looks like I get to clean a stinky refrigerator. Maybe Tom will help me. I don't think so!! So I suffer through.

It's all in a day's work!!! That's why we make the big bucks! Right!!!!

Have you ever thought you just couldn't take one more slap in the face and then lo and behold you get a kiss!!! The smallest things turn me on. Sometimes it's a stranger telling me I have the greatest smile. Listening to a child who has the giggles. A note from a past client in with my stack of bills. An offer on a home that's been sitting for months. An invitation from old friends who just want to hang out. A call from one of my grown children just wanting to know how Mom's day has been. A picture of a flower with a note that says " I luv u gramma!" An invitation from my 12 year old grandson inviting me to be a friend on Facebook. A pot of flowers on my porch from one of my sisters. And then at the end of a long day, a kiss from Tom. When you have the people who matter most to you, life is truly gonna be ok.

Dee Miller, Real Estate Professionals

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

With temperatures in the 60's, the last couple days, Spring Fever has really hit me. Yesterday, I spent most of the day organizing my office. I can actually see my floor now. I'm not kidding. The owner of our company looked in my door and said " Gee, Dee you need a couple more garbage cans!" I told him, "It can be clean and organized when I'm not busy, but if it's a mess, be happy, it means I'm busy selling real estate!!!"

I really do love what I do. With the housing market and economy across the nation feeling a crunch, I am optimistic that things will be on an uphill trend this year. Our market here in Iowa City is really pretty good. The local lenders have plenty of money to lend and buyers are getting approved. In fact, I would say, we need more listings!! Not all my buyers are finding what they want! Price and condition, important!! The buyers have busy lives and do not want to have to move in and paint, change the carpets, and update. Unless they are strictly looking for fixer-uppers. For you homeowners who would really like to move to a bigger home or different neighborhood or move for whatever reason, the time is right! Your buying power will be great with the interest rates as low as they are and the supply of homes still on the market. Yes, you may get a little less for your home than in previous years but on the buying end, you'll be in great shape.

First-time buyers, what a great advantage you have for you now with the stimulus package! If you need more information on the guidelines, please call us today at 319-631-1979 or deermx@mchsi.com

All in all, spring is in the air and it's a great time to buy or sell a home!!!

Dee, Real Estate Professional, Re/Max Real Estate Centre