Kathy Carson Lynchburg, VA, REALTOR VA HOMES - LYNCHBURG, BEDFORD, CAMPBELL

According to a report on Bloomberg.com; Apollo's Realogy Seeks Debt Exchange to Avoid Default (Update4). Realogy owns the Century 21 and Coldwell Banker Brands and report $209 million in losses for the last 3 quarters.

Check out this article written by: Caroline Salas and Pierre Paulden

Posted by Kathy Carson, ABR, GRI

The Gary Foster Team - RE/MAX 1st Olympic

434-660-4025 or kcarson@jetbroadband.com

I just read Kelly Sibilsky's blog Moving With Children (Part 2 of 2) which has excellent information for Sellers with children. Kelly give great info on making a stressful time a bit easier on the kids.

I wanted to add an interesting idea that I read about somewhere - a Woman's Magazine I think.

TUB LIVING!!!!

This is a great idea! Sellers know to de-clutter, clean up, stage your house, etc. But what in the world do you do with all the kids stuff? You know the favorite toys, the bottle, cups, passies, blankies and the discarded shoes, socks, undies that are in the middle of the floor? The answer TUB LIVING!! Everyone in the Family gets a plastic tub - put the name on it - and stack them in a corner. Storage Bins stacked in the corner of the Dining Room, Den, Hallway do not attract much attention. Then when that call comes in for a Buyer that just has to see the House in an Hour or 15 minutes. Everyone grabs their stuff and shoves it in their TUB! Even the little ones can do this - make it a game. Stack your tub - house is cleaned up and off you go! The Buyer comes in and is impressed that a house with kids is so straight and clean!!! First Impressions go a long way to SELL your HOUSE - if its clean and straight on the surface it probably is underneath also!!

Then when you get back into your house you will know where you put the homework, the blankie, the juice cup, the game the kids were playing - well you get the idea! Works for Mom & Dad too - where did the bills go that you got today - and the school calendar - the jewelry you just took off....

Just another idea to help make Home Sellers lives a little easier while their house is on the market!! Your REALTOR feels your pain!!!

Kathy Carson, ABR, GRI

REALTOR -THE GARY FOSTER TEAM - RE/MAX 1st Olympic - Lynchburg, VA

434-660-4025 or kcarson@jetbroadband.com

REALTORS are asked for recommendations on Lenders from their clients or even just prospects. How do we decide who we recommend?

I have several excellent Lenders that I recommend. I tell my clients to call all 3 or 4 because as with anything there is always a personality involved. People mesh differently. I tell my clients to use the Lender they feel comfortable with and who will work around the clients schedule.

The Criteria I use to recommend a Lender is:

• Knowledge, Experience and Reputation of both the Lender and their company
• My Client's Experiences in dealing with the Lender
• Ease of contacting the Lender -Can you get them on the phone or email them and do they call you & your client back quickly.
• Is the Lender available to your client on your client's schedule (nights and weekends)
• Does the Lender talk in Mortgage Language or do they explain everything step by step and make it simple for both the client and the REALTOR
• Will your Lender help you figure the closing costs and help you structure your offer to the buyers best position. (I hate having to go back to a Seller and change everything because the Lender did not give me the particulars of the loan from the beginning)
• Does the Lender work well with the Title Cos, Attorneys, Closing Companies, and does he make sure the REALTOR is doing what we need to do to help the process.
• Does the Lender advise the REALTOR of issues that are slowing the process? (Like your buyer is not providing the docs needed to facilitate the Loan)
• Will the Lender stand in the background on a transaction where you are not comfortable with the Lender in place? Does your Lender act as your "backstop?"
• Is the Lender there on the day before closing to explain the HUD to the client?
• Is the Lender there at the closing table?
• Can you call your Lenders with "stupid" questions and not make you feel even more stupid?
• Will the Lender call you and explain the new regs on loans so you can keep as up to date as is possible.

I am happy to say I have several excellent Lenders that I recommend my clients call. They are there for my clients and for me. Having a strong and knowledgeable Lender is just another way we serve our clients.

Check out the Blog I wrote on Halloween - OH My - What in the world do I title this Blog. Talk about issues - but the client, The Lender, The Seller, The Sellers Agent and I hung in there. Many Lenders would have not been so supportive (not loan issue but house issues) but Rob Turner was - and he got it done!

Posted by Kathy Carson, ABR, GRI

REALTOR - The Gary Foster Team - RE/MAX 1st Olympic

434-660-4025 or kcarson@jetbroadband.com

OK - so Tina Fey as Sarah Palin was funny! But tonight it was a bomb... The Kissing Scene - just lame...

I am from the generation that tuned in at parties to watch SNL. We watched Jim, Chevy, Steve, etc and they were funny but now no so funny...

What's your opinion of SNL???

Posted by: Kathy Carson, ABR, GRI

RE/MAX 1st Olympic - Lynchburg, VA

434-660-4025 or kcarson@jetbroadband.com

TIMBER LAKE

Located in Campbell County VA

75 Acre Man-Made Lake w/ approximately 230 homes

I live at TIMBERLAKE, a quaint and eclectic Virginia Community at the edge of Campbell County where it borders Bedford County located on Rt 460 (Timberlake Road).

Timber Lake was first called "The Gem of Piedmont, Virginia" in an article written by Edley Craighill for The Southern magazine in February 1928. Edley Craighill was a co-founder of Timber Lake. Fred Showalter was the other partner.

Many newcomers to the Lynchburg Area do not know there is really a Timber Lake located on Timberlake Road as you head out of town towards Bedford and Roanoke! We are a quiet little secret that most of the neighborhood would like to keep that way. As I say we are an eclectic group....

My husband, Tom, and I have lived in our home on Timberlake since July 1987. We moved here when my son, Brett, was 12 and my daughter, Beth Anne was 5. It is a pretty common joke on the Lake that most old timers here have lived in at least 2 homes on the lake. And this is true for Tom and me. I lived in a new brick home here in 1965 with my parents and brothers and Tom rented a house here in 1973 before we were married. On our first date Tom picked me up at the home of one of my best friends here on Timberlake. Even though I did not live on the lake - I grew up here. Many of my family friends lived on the Lake - I spent many many happy days growing up here on the Lake. We had Christmas Eves here, 4th of July Parties, we swam, gigged, fished, went to Horse Shows, Little League Football and Cheerleader practice - well you get the picture. Timber Lake is full of personal history for many many people and my goal in these blogs is to tell the Stories of Timberlake.

986 Timberlake Drive

Silver Lake

(Our House from the air 10-2006)

It has been joked about by our neighbors that Tom and I had one of the smallest houses on the Lake but the biggest dock and the most boats!! This was before everyone expanded their docks & added the pontoon boats!

Here Tom and I are on Wednesday Night, 11-12-08 on the boat at sundown with the Loves & Lights of our lives - Brantley (2 1/2) and Brylan (8 mos)! Brantley will tell you that this boat is Pop T, Kakie, Brylan and her's and we just let the Mommies & Daddies ride sometimes!!!!

Stories, People & Places on Timber Lake, Va to be continued.....

Kathy Myers Carson, ABR, GRI

REALTOR - "THE GARY FOSTER TEAM"

RE/MAX 1ST OLYMPIC - Lynchburg, VA

434-660-4025 or kcarson@jetbroadband.com