Rain, glorious rain!
For so many around the country, there has been too much rain and they are ready for it to stop, but in my neck of the woods, it has been a different story. All through August and into September, in my neighborhood we have been on outdoor mandatory water restriction, which translated into only watering with a handheld device and for only a few hours a day, early and late. I felt like I had a part time, no pay, job for a good while.
Trees were starting to die, especially the post oaks and big, old pines which were struck by the pine beetle since they were under stress. Many of the young trees planted along the interstate have died and will have to be replaced. It will be costly for some homeowners to remove some of the trees that have died due to not watering.
But this week brought RAIN and cooler weather! I cannot remember a time in my life when I was as grateful for overcast skies and rain. It has been a glorious several days!
Homes for Heroes... Service Deserves Its Reward
I am excited to have just become the Homes for Heroes affiliate for North Harris and Montgomery counties! I had heard the term "Homes for Heroes" often enough, but did not realize that there was an actual program with Realtor involvement. Actually, service providers for mortgage, closing, inspections, surveys, and more can be part of the team that gives back to those who serve to make our lives better in our communities. This collaboration of professionals' sole purpose is to offer savings when buying, selling, or refinancing a home. It is a way for all of us to say THANK YOU!
Homes for Heroes is celebrating its eighth year of bringing big savings to everyday heroes. These hometown heroes are police officers, firefighters, teachers, health personnel, first responders, military personnel, pastors, youth workers, and the support staff of all these hero professions...all careers that require dedication, loyalty, purpose, and above all-sacrifice.
This program has no red tape, no catches, no long forms to fill out, and no long wait time for approval. Because of our strong belief in giving back to those who serve, the affiliates have agreed to set amounts on rebates and discounts. Service does indeed deserve a reward, and I am proud to be part of an organization that gives back to our everyday heroes when buying or selling a home.
If you want to find out more about the program, you can go to HomesForHeroes.com, call me at 281-636-0634, or send an email to Dana@Dana-Wilkinson.com.
The Food Basket in Spring, Texas...my favorite neighborhood grocery!
When walking in the front door of Hodges Food Basket, I am bound to see a friendly, familiar face or two. I pop in at least two or three times a week, and since it is close to home, it is my "quick stop" for a single item as well. One of my favorite things about the Food Basket is its size. It is more like a neighborhood market, but it has almost everything I ever need to cook even the most elaborate dishes....well, as elaborate as I get, as no great chef am I.
Family owned and operated by the Hodges, many of the employees have been at the Food Basket for 30 years or more. Currently, the store is undergoing updating, and renovations to expand some departments and make better use of the space. It is on I-45, and very near Woodlands Parkway/Robinson Rd, so it is very convenient to reach.
Back in the Deli area, they have a nice selection of Boar's Head meats and cheeses, and cut them to suit your taste for thickness. They also have a butcher on duty that cuts the meat in the store and can package you a nice steak. Always friendly and helpful, he reminds me of Nick the butcher in "Christmas with the Kranks", as he knows where other things are in the store, or will help you find them.
During the aftermath of the hurricane last September, the Food Basket was one of the few places I found to get dry foods, canned goods and batteries for the first few days. Since they did not have electricity (mine was out for 16 days), someone would take your order and then set out to get it for you. I was very impressed with the efforts made by all the people on staff to keep serving their regular customers.
Over the past year or so, I have noticed that they are increasing certain gourmet items that I used to have to go to the big box grocery stores to find. They have a nice vegetable and fruit section, albeit not huge, but it has all the items that I want.
I think one of the reasons that I enjoy shopping at the Food Basket, besides its convenience, is that I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone else. It has that small town atmosphere, and I can be in and out in five minutes or less if in a hurry. Even though there are always other shoppers there, it is never so crowded that you feel like you are in a cattle drive and have to "keep moving". I am delighted to tell you that the Food Basket in Spring, Texas is my favorite neighborhood grocery store!
I am connected; I mean really connected...I just joined Connect Realty in The Woodlands, TX!
You know the saying "Change is good, you go first" (Mac Anderson); well that is the way I was feeling about this possible venture. Times are changing enough, without me jumping off a cliff into the unknown. But I did it and I am ready to take on the challenge of change. "Connect is setting itself apart because it is truly a real estate company-a state-of-the-art brokerage that is changing how consumers buy and sell homes in these stormy times."
You can be in small-town, USA and still be able to share the technological resources by being a Connect agent or agency. You can keep your brand name and business name as well if you are an independent.
The business model is going strong in the original states, so I felt it was worth a look since the company headquarters is in The Woodlands, which is my neck of the woods. Having worked with both David (CEO) and Randy (COO) at my prior company, I suspected they would not have put it all on the line if it didn't look like "the real deal" to them. Both of these guys have very impressive backgrounds.
Having come from a big box franchise, this looked like a way for me to get away from transaction fees, franchise fees, monthly fees, split rollbacks, etc., which translates into savings to my clients and more of the pie for me. This virtual business model has a great technology package, Realtor.com enhanced listings, ultimate exposure for listings, virtual tours, a great commission split, plus its residual opportunities set the stage for team spirit in that "if I help you become successful, then you in turn have helped me". But the focus is on selling real estate, because that it the first domino needed to make other things happen. Change is invigorating and being connected is the way to go! Want to get connected? Give me a call or send me an email to find out more!
Dana
Thornton Plumbing services The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe and Lake Conroe. Very seldom am I so pleased with the service that I receive from a company that I am moved to share my experience with others, but this company continues to deliver fair, honest, and reliable service, so it is my honor to tell you about my favorite plumber.
Most of my plumbing needs have been to repair leaks, replace the internal parts of the commode, or clear the drains. But on one occasion Thornton Plumbing saved me thousands! Let me explain.
I noticed on the side of the house that water was standing, and the ground was mushy for yards around that area. Worriedly, I called the home warranty company and told them I needed someone to come out and explore the problem. A couple of days later, a plumber showed up, took a look and said I had a leak under the slab in the main drain. He did not lift a shovel to find the leak, but got on his phone to get an estimate to replace the drain. After about thirty minutes, he told me the estimate was $8,000 to $10,000 dollars.
I called the home warranty company and said I really wasn't comfortable with this plumber's assessment of the situation, as he just did not seem to take much time to come to such a drastic conclusion. Luckily, they agreed to send another plumbing company out to give a second opinion. Sadly, the next guy delivered the same bad news. No shovel, no explanation about why there was no sewage odor inside or outside, nothing but a look that said "lady, don't ask me anymore questions, because I have already told you what the problem is". He gave a little more latitude on the best and worst case scenario, but it was not good, to say the least.
I decided it was time to forget the warranty company and call my trusty plumber, Thornton Plumbing. Jim Thornton came to the house and walked to the side where the problem was. He was back in a couple of minutes and told me it was a fresh water leak. He said if it had been the main drain, there would be an odor, if not flies and sewage. That made good sense to me and we scheduled the repairs for the next day.
The next morning, Joddie and his helper showed up and started digging to discover the source of the leak. It turned out to be a sprinkler line that had a hole in it and the entire repair was well under $175.00. That was a happy day at my home, and once again, made me a Thornton Plumbing customer for life!
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The Perfect Move begins with the Perfect Partner...Texas style!! in The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, Montgomery County, and anywhere else in the whole Houston area where my clients want to buy or sell!
I love Montgomery County, which is just north of Houston. The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, Lake Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Shenandoah, and Willis are all located in Montgomery County. Everything you could want is right here, but for a little diversion, you can go any direction and create a fabulous excursion. The Great State of Texas is my favorite place to be! I have worked for over 25 years in the real estate industry in the cities of Louisville, Honolulu, Nashville, and now The Woodlands/Spring. I started as a Leasing Consultant in Louisville at an adults only property called Sundance. Over the next few years, I moved through the ranks to Property Manager over several complexes, and then decided I needed a change... And off to HawaiiI went on vacation with my sister. Thirty days later we had moved furniture, dogs, and cars to the lovely island of Oahu and planned to stay there forever. We lived in Honolulu Tower and could see the Aloha Tower from our balcony. Wow, those were the days. Sneaking off from work to watch Tom Selleck film was a treat beyond description. I worked for Chaney-Brooks, which was the largest condominium management company in the world (or so I was told). I received my CPM (Certified Property Manager) from IREM while living in Hawaii, and learned a whole lot about that side of the business. It was a wonderful experience for a full year! But unfortunately, I was one of those people who could not stand perfect weather, or the "cozy" island life....no, I wanted a thunderstorm, a long road trip, open spaces without so many cars or people around me. My sister did not want to move...she liked "cozy" and perfect... but could not afford to stay alone, so she came kicking and screaming behind me. Texas, here I come! And West Texas at that, since that is where our parents had moved. The wide open spaces dream came true, and the thunderstorms with a tornado or two thrown in, as well. During this time I went back to school to get certified to teach at the elementary level since there were not a lot of real estate opportunities in the small town. I taught first grade for several years, but "something" always kicked this rolling stone when it got too comfortable, and I was, so I decided to make another move. Tennessee, I am on my way! Since I grew up in Scottsville, Kentucky, which is just over the KY/TN line, my family spent a lot of time shopping and dining in the Rivergate area (north of Nashville). When I decided to make a move back nearer to my old home town, I chose Hendersonville. I was lucky enough to get a job in Property Management working for The Mathews Company, managing and leasing a high rise office building on the west end. I really enjoyed working in the commercial sector, and continued to do this for about twelve years. I made trips to West Texas to see my family once or twice a year (remember, I love those road trips!), but as my parents were both getting older, I decided to move back to West Texas. Texas, here I come again! I put all of my household things in three large storage spaces, and moved in with my parents while I pondered buying there. I started working on my golf game again...used to be pretty good..., and took a much needed long vacation. I drove down to The Woodlands to see my sister every few weeks, and just relaxed. I started to work with Coldwell Banker selling residential real estate, but about that time, my Dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I, then, understood that "urge" that had been inside me in Tennessee to get closer to my family. Back and forth to MD Anderson over the next eight months, but it was just too late to stop it. During all of that, Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer and had a long recovery from her surgery. I was so thankful to have been there to help both of them, and to be able to spend all that time with my Dad before he went "upstairs". So often, as adults, we don't have the luxury of spending months getting to know and appreciate our parents again, but that was a blessing that I was given. Mom and I continued living in West Texas, and I started originating loans at Wells Fargo, which was another piece of the real estate puzzle of learning that was being put into place. That knowledge has been extrememly useful to me in my business, especially since I enjoy working with first time buyers. I don't try to pretend to know all about the financing end of it, but it is good to know enough to understand what the buyers are going through. And then on The Woodlands/Spring with my Mom in tow, so we could be closer to my sister, plus it is a fabulous area to work and live...and that is the story of how I came to be where I am now. I decided to get out of the loan business, and go back to my life-long love of real estate. Real estate is a challenging career, plus it is very diversified, and never boring. I love the goal of finding a wonderful home for people I grow to care about, or helping them sell their home and move on to the next venture in life. All of that to say this...I know what it is to move long distances. Being Relocation trained and Certified, and through my own experiences, I can help buyers and sellers make the transition when they are moving their lives, hobbies, families, expectations and dreams! I honestly feel that the most rewarding part of my career is the knowledge that I have helped and guided my clients through a complicated process, and achieved the best results because I gave my greatest effort.
Why would buyers want to work with me? I will work unbelievably hard for them! I don't take my job lightly, because I know how important it is to find that special place, the one that feels like "home" when you walk through the door. I especially enjoy working with first time buyers, and helping them learn the ropes during the process. Being a part of their joy in reaching the dream of homeownership makes all the hard work worthwhile. No humdrum experience on that day!
Why would sellers want to work with me? Well, once again, because I will work unbelievably hard for them! I will use every weapon in my arsenal to sell their home quickly and for a price that works for them. I don't just stick my sign in the yard, enter the listing in MLS, and wave good-bye. I am right in there with them; communicating ideas, trying different tacks, suggesting improvements, and making them feel as much a part of the process as possible. I sincerely enjoy helping them through the negotiation process, and then watching them as the sale closes, knowing that they can move on to a new venture in life.
I am QSC (Quality Service Certified) and have a score that demonstrates excellent customer service given to my buyer and seller clients. I will give that same exceptional service to anyone and everyone who wants to buy or sell a home in my market! QSC members agree to have their service evaluated though a Customer Service Survey, administered through an independent leading research corporation. I am among the elite 2% of real estate professionals who are willing to have their customer satisfaction record publicly available. This process offers greater accountability, which translates into First Class Premier Service!
Member of Houston Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors. Formerly held Broker license in Tennessee and sales associate license in Hawaii. I received my Texas Broker license in 2002.
You can go to www.QualityService.org to verify what my buyer and seller clients have had to say about me. These comments were sent directly to an independent company through a survey process. It is easy to "make up" comments when they can be typed into a blank space, but these are the real deal:
Dana Wilkinson was very helpful and helped set up a plan to have the property look its best and it worked. We sold the house right away.
Best Realtor we have ever worked with (this is our tenth property to buy, so we have some experience)!
We loved working w/ Dana. She worked with us for MANY months, and we looked at MANY houses, until we literally found our dream home. I have already referred her to others and one has their listing with Dana. GREAT JOB!
Dana is the best associate we have ever worked with.
Dana Wilkinson is an amazing realtor! Extremely hard working, very knowledgable and caring. Would HIGHLY recommend her and use her services again if needed!
Dana went 'above and beyond' what one would expect of an agent, including taking my family + friends around to the various properties. She was extremely knowledgeable, personable,and patient. She had many helpful ideas and a lot of much needed info. She is a winner!!
Dana's service to me was of the highest quality from the beginning to the end, and my purchase was difficult because of a prior foreclosure. Dana always kept it positive, always very professional. I would use her again without thinking twice. I think because of her, I was able to get my home.
Dana is all about the client--she helped us to notice things and pointed out possible problems. Kept us up on all aspects!
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