dee miller

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

As all REALTORS are aware, April is Fair Housing month. That's not to say that we shouldn't follow the fair housing guidelines all year long! It's just that April is the anniversary month of the Federal Fair Housing act. It's a good time to remind everyone of the guidelines and how they apply to us as REALTORS. REALTORS are often the first contacts area newcomers have. Diversity is a good thing! Wouldn't it be a boring world if we were all the same! Owning a home is the American dream and everyone, regardless of their differences should be afforded that privilege!

Despite the number of years since the passing of this law and the advances in education and understanding of diversity, discrimination in housing still exists. And I'm saddened to say, in big numbers. Disability and race are the top two protected classes facing discrimination.

In 2004, the Iowa City Area Association of REALTORS formed the ICAAR Fair Housing Ambassadors, a group of REALTORS and community leaders working together to increase awareness of housing opportunities for a diverse population by educating the community and peers. The Fair Housing Ambassadors take a pro-active approach to building a community that is rewarding for all its members. As a result, the Iowa City Housing Authority and the ICAAR Fair Housing Ambassadors formed a partnership to teach home readiness education classes. This class is required by the City for their home ownership program and by government based programs such as Habitat for Humanity, USDA loans and various other first-time home buyer programs. We just finished our 3rd session. Out of those 3 classes, we have had 180 attendees, 128 graduates and 15 have gone on to become homeowners! Plans are already in progress for our 4th class to be held in October. This has been an extremely rewarding project for me to be involved in. As task force leader, I have done everything from class presentations to handing out graduation certificates. I have grown from this experience in many ways!

To celebrate April 2007 Fair Housing Month, we are sponsoring a poster contest for elementary children. It is called, "Many People, Many Homes". We are hoping this fun event will help the children realize the importance of fair housing and equal opportunities in housing for all people regardless of their differences. And also how we all benefit when communities and individuals respect and celebrate diversity. I'll put the winning posters on a future blog! I think it would be fun for you all to see!

Dee