Darrin Mills

I love going to work. When we walk into the office it is almost like walking in to our own home.

I remember having jobs where I felt like a stranger. I hated walking in the front door in the mornings and seeing the same people everyday that were trying to reduce me as they climbed the ladder. I will never work in one of those environments again. It is too detrimental to my health and family.

We are lucky enough to work at what I consider the best office in town. There is not an unfriendly face in the whole place. Andrea and I share a very spacious office and she really makes it feel like home.

The environment in our office is not superficial. Everyone pretty much always says what they mean and means what they say. They are always willing to help in anyway they can and we would be happy to do whatever we can for any of them.

When you are happy going to work, it is much easier to do a good job and go the extra mile to get the job done. WOW, dispite the doom and gloom in the world, Andrea and I are very lucky people.

We hope you feel the same way about your job.

Darrin & Andrea Mills
www.millsrealestate.net

I am all for any agent monopolizing on their relationship with a client. However, we have recently discovered that active clients of other agents are contacting us about buying or selling other properties while they are currently engaged with other agents. One of our clients even listed a property with us while they have another property listed with another local agent. They are absentee owners and we had no idea they were selling another property with another agent at the time they listed. It was by accident that we discovered this.

We have another local resident that continues to submit her contact information to us via our website while she has a listing with another local agent.

It seems that some people view agents as just another service offered by a discount chain and not a business relationship. I would have a hard time working with two competing agents at the same time. It simply tells me that these agents are not doing their job when it comes to servicing their clients. It doesn't mean that these agents won't eventually sell the properties, but they obviously are not communicating with them. It make me want to do that much more for our clients.

Darrin & Andrea Mills
www.millsrealestate.net

At an office meeting recently I learned the ERA(R) was actually short for Electronic Realestate Agency. This was the original idea when fax machines first became popular. They would fax listings between offices when they were received and each office would maintain a book of current listings. Prior to that, they only way you had to build a database of listings was the classified ads in the newspaper.

We have come a long way in technology since then. As a result, 95% of our buyers and sellers live more than 100 miles outside our community. Additionally since my wife and partner Andrea is from Germany, we are effectively able to service German speaking buyers from here in Central Florida using the internet.

Technology has made it possible to service property in our area for people that are not.

A While ago my wifeposted about the arrival of the new Wal-Mart to Avon Park. She commented about how it is going to have an effect on our community. I agree that just the presence of a Wal-Mart in any community will have an effect on property prices. We always see the same businesses buying up property as close to Wal-Mart as possible. Many people I have talked to have also applied for employment with the big retailer.

This Wal-Mart in particular has been dubbed as "The Wal-Mart that never opened" by my lovely wife. She says we will all see it on 60 minutes some day. As far back as three years ago, I remember my customers from my previous business commenting about their plans for employment or home sales or buying property when the mega mart opens. I can remember as many as three headlines in the local newspaper announcing when the doors for the new location would open. There have been rumors of costs for opening being too high to disputes with the city about who would pay for the new stop lights at the entrance to the parking lot.

Many local business owners I have spoken with have told me that it will bring new business for them by drawing consumers from the outside communities to spend their dollars in our economy to fearing that the giant superstore will definitely finish what is remaining of the local mom and pop stores on Main Street.

Since the location is just a two minute drive for us as opposed to 20 minutes to Sebring, I know that we will definately be doing most of our grocery shopping there. I wonder what will become of Publix and Winn-Dixie, and Save-A-Lot, the only other grocery stores in Avon Park.

My personal opinion is that this new location will help our property values in the long run and hopefully some commercial sales in the near future for all the followers of the super store chain.

2008 Kegel Bowling "Kids n' Coaches" Program at the Kegel Bowling Center. It is not a league, so no problem if they miss weeks. It ends on August 12th. Cost is only $8 per week, and the child receives a certificate of participation on the last day. For more information, please contact Sue Merritt at Kegel Bowling Center (863) 382-2643

3 Ridge Area Arc goes patriotic with an Independence Day BBQ from 11:00 am till 2:00 pm at their site on 120 W. College Drive. Cost is $6 per person, and includes 1/2 chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, roll, and cupcake. For more information, all (863) 452-1295 , ext. 105. Patriotic T-Shirts are also being printed by Ridge Area Arc Screenprinting. Those will be sold for $6 each or 2/$10. Shirts can be bought at their 120 W. College Drive address from Monday thru Friday, starting Monday from 9:00 am till 2:00 pm. All proceeds will benefit the many individuals with disabilities served in the Ridge Area Arc Adult Day Training Program.

4 Fireworks over Lake Verona, Avon Park at 9:00 pm

4 Firecracker 5K Race. Pop out of bed and get cracking at the annual Fourth of July Firecracker 5K at Highlands Hammock State Park. Race begins promptly at 7:30 am. For more information, contact Chet Brojek at (863) 385-4736

4 Highland's Little Theatre presents "Patriotic Musical Revue" Show starts at 11:00 am and there is a show every hour, ending at 3:00 pm. This is FREE, and refreshment sales benefit the Janelou Buck Scholarship Fund. Please call (863) 382-2525 for ticket information

4 All Florida Championship Rodeo in Arcadia. Call (800) 749-7633 or visit www.arcadiarodeo.com for more information

7-11 "Oh Yikes! Gross History" at the Discovery Camp at the Children's Museum of the Highlands. Discovery Camp is a fantastic way to pass the summer. Visit www.childrensmuseumhighlands.com for more information on this week, or to see all the camps in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5437 for more information

7-11 "Drawing & Painting I" and "Furniture Painting" Programs at the Highlands Art League - Adventures in Art 2008 Summer Program. Visit www.highlandsartleague.com for more information on this week, or to see all the programs in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5312 for more information

7/9- 8/1 Junior Golf Camp at Sun'N Lake Golf. For more information, or to reserve your child, please call (863) 385-4830 , ext. 1

12-13 3rd Annual Heartland Triathlon (Adult) For more information, please call (863) 385-8448

13 3rd Annual Heartland Triathlon (Kids) TriKidz For more information, please call (863) 385-8448

12 3rd Annual American Cancer Society Charity Golf Tournament to be held at River Greens Golf Course beginning with an 8:30 am Shotgun start. Cost is $40 per player, and the format will be a two-person best ball. For more information, please call(863) 382-2828

13 Summer Speaker Series at the Avon Park Depot Museum with The Baldridge Family: Downtown Business Today. Museum doors open at 1:00 pm with the program beginning at 2:00 pm, and ending around 4:00 pm. For more information, please call (863) 385-8618

14 Avon Park City Council Meeting. Please call the City Hall for more information at (863) 452-4400 . You may also go to www.avonpark.cc to view the agenda

14-18 "Bound for Fun" at the Discovery Camp at the Children's Museum of the Highlands. Discovery Camp is a fantastic way to pass the summer. Visit www.childrensmuseumhighlands.com for more information on this week, or to see all the camps in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5437 for more information

14-18 "Drawing & Painting II", One Stroke Painting Advanced" and "Furniture Painting" Programs at the Highlands Art League - Adventures in Art 2008 Summer Program. Visit www.highlandsartleague.com for more information on this week, or to see all the programs in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5312 for more information

15 The Four Leading Causes of Blindness Seminar to be held at Newsom Eye Clinic at the Sebring Office. The seminar starts at 4:00 pm. For more information, please call Leesa at (863) 385-1544

17 Tri-Chamber Mixer (Avon Park, Lake Placid, and Sebring) to be held at Caribbean Real-estate Developers in Sebring from 5:00 pm till 7:00 pm. For more information, contact your local Chamber, or call the Avon Park Chamber at (863) 453-3350

19 Car Wash Fundraiser for the Sebring Chamber of Commerce will be held at the Sebring Chamber of Commerce at 227 US Hwy. 27 North from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm. This event is sponsored by Cherokee Janitorial Service, Inc. 100% of donations will go to supporting the Sebring Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact Robert or Heide at (863) 452-1442

20 Summer Speaker Series at the Avon Park Depot Museum with Larry Albritton: Fifty Years of Barbering in Avon Park. Museum doors open at 1:00 pm with the program beginning at 2:00 pm, and ending around 4:00 pm. For more information, please call (863) 385-8618

21-25 "Going Green" at the Discovery Camp at the Children's Museum of the Highlands. Discovery Camp is a fantastic way to pass the summer. Visit www.childrensmuseumhighlands.com for more information on this week, or to see all the camps in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5437 for more information

27 Summer Speaker Series at the Avon Park Depot Museum with Dr. Ron Sevigny: Avon Park Baseball History. Museum doors open at 1:00 pm with the program beginning at 2:00 pm, and ending around 4:00 pm. For more information, please call (863) 385-8618

28 Avon Park City Council Meeting. Please call the City Hall for more information at (863) 452-4400 . You may also go to www.avonpark.cc to view the agenda

28-8/1 The Lady Panthers of South Florida Community College will be hosting a summer volleyball camp for girls in grade six through 12. For more information, call (863) 784-7037

28-Aug 1 "Oh the Feet You Meet" at the Discovery Camp at the Children's Museum of the Highlands. Discovery Camp is a fantastic way to pass the summer. Visit www.childrensmuseumhighlands.com for more information on this week, or to see all the camps in store for the summer. Call (863) 385-5437 for more information