Leslie Bloss, Seattle Real Estate Professional

Back on September 3rd I wrote an article about the merger between the Realty Executives office in Bellevue and BRIO Realty. After some time has gone by I can say that I am more than satisfied with that event. A few reasons that I am singing their praises:

1. The office members treat each other like family--they are very kind and helpful to each other, therefore, it is a very pleasant working environment. There are many social activities to get involved with (to get to know each other better) from weekly potlucks to occasional parties. We also have a monthly marketing night to focus on a marketing piece we want to get completed (we share ideas).
2. We give back to the community. Currently, our office is going to participate in the 24th Annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk on December 14th which supports the Arthritis Foundation. I spent several hours yesterday with a fellow agent handing out bags to Safeway shoppers to support Hopelink's food drive (it distributes non perishable food and baby items to the local food banks). Other agents are doing the same thing or going house-to-house dropping bags on door steps to be picked up later. "Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities. Hopelink's mission is to promote self-sufficiency for all members of our community; we help people make lasting change." Throughout the year there are events that help the community that we participate in.
3. Coaching. I have been in this business for five years and know how to assist a seller and a buyer. I am very good working with them and they will say so. But I cannot say enough about how important coaching is. All very successful sports figures and many business leaders have had coaches. Coaches help us to eliminate little bad habits we have created that get in our way. It also helps create very important "good" habits. But the most important thing I have found is that the use of systems helps us reach every goal. Tom Perry, of our office, has been a real estate coach for many years--he knows his stuff and wants his people to meet their goals. He does this with systems.
4. We expect excellence of ourselves and balance in our lives.

If you are a client, these things are important when you choose an agent (Executive in our case). If you are an agent--I hope your office does the same. Have a good year!

P.S. Realty Executives is international and has a very large presence back east.

Bellevue, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

I have written about MRSA before because a close family member had it a few years ago and it was extremely serious. Today, The Seattle Times has started another investigative series this time on this subject dealing with how most Washington State hospitals do not screen all patients (this is done through a cheek swab and costs approximately $20) "so that people with the germ can be isolated from other patients and treated." The article is entitled "How our Hospitals Unleased an Epidemic" by Michael J. Berens and Ken Armstrong.

"The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that invasive MRSA infections claim at least 18,000 lives a year, more than AIDS." "The nation's most aggressive MRSA screening program is run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). All patients are tested at 155 VA medical centers, including five in this state." "Outside the VA system, several Washington hospitals have adopted aggressive MRSA screening and isolation policies--for example Seattle Children's hospital."

I would highly recommend everyone read the article--it is part of a series and have another article on Monday and Tuesday. The most important thing I got out of it is that if you are going to have elective surgery besure to have the screening before doing so.

The second installment entitled: After Deadly Outbreaks, Hospital Slow to Change

The third installment entitled: Patients Revolt Against Hospital Secrecy, Inaction

In this last installment the article says Washington State

"passed its own report-card act in spring 2007. But hospitals have to report only one kind of infection this year: bloodstream maladies in patients who receive a central-line intravenous hookup. The report card will add a second type of infection next year, and a third by 2010. But MRSA is not among them.

Twice before, report-card legislation had died in Washington, after drawing fierce opposition from the hospital industry. The current measure represents a compromise or a first step, said state Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy, who sponsored the bill.

In Washington, MRSA has been linked to 1,217 deaths in the past decade, a Seattle Times analysis of hospital records shows. At least 23,707 hospital patients have been diagnosed with MRSA infections.

One Seattle hospital estimates that it costs $20,000 to treat a MRSA infection. Using that figure, MRSA's financial toll in Washington exceeds $474 million.

In the report-card bill, Washington lawmakers had included $240,000 for state health officials to investigate MRSA outbreaks, establish surveillance programs and educate health-care workers and the public about stopping the germ's spread.

The Washington Hospital Association supported the measure, which would have allotted public money to address MRSA.

But Gov. Christine Gregoire stripped the provision out, along with all kinds of other spending items. Her veto notes called the measure "valuable" but "not essential to do right now."

My conclusion is that the voter's in this state must get every lawmaker they can on board to insist that all of the hospitals do screening for MRSA, isolate patients that test positive, and use the precautions and recommendations that do eradicate MRSA. People are dying of MRSA and it is preventable.

Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

A few weeks before the primary, a reporter from KCTS and a videographer met each of we candidates to discuss how it was to be running for the State House Representative position in the 36th district. The reporter left a message and said it is going to be showing this Friday.

I didn't make it to the top two but it is a good opportunity to check out my opponents in a very different setting.

I am now filling my days with the pursuit of real estate clients--a job I love. One thing campaigning has done for me is helped me to knock on doors and make telephone calls.

Wallingford, Green Lake, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

I just checked what the Dow is doing--it is up 360 but before I looked I was hoping it wasn't following yesterdays route. Will on Yahoo Finance, I ran into an article by one of my favorite guys "Ben Stein." He wrote an article entitled "Drill, Baby Drill" which is talking about how the "Access Bill" that has just been passed to end the 26 year ban on offshore drilling maybe not exactly what the voters want.

The drilling has to be 50 miles off shore (further out than where 80 percent of the oil and gas is). It is a compelling article and I think the next time maybe we should draft Ben Stein for President. And in the meantime, we can seriously think about whom we should vote out when they come up for election. That would also go for local lawmakers.

Wallingford, Green Lake, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.

It is a very good idea to look at the co-op or condo board meeting minutes as soon as you are thinking you maybe interested in a property. That way, you can find out what the association is looking at in the way of repairs which could mean some very expensive special assessments. You can also see how the reserves look and how well run the association is run.

For you Listing Agents, I would suggest you get the bi-laws, and board minutes scanned so that you can send them out as soon as someone shows an interest in the property. This can save everyone a great deal of time.

Wallingford, Green Lake, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.