Debbie DiFonzo - Lebanon, Marshfield, Buffalo Missouri Real Estate

Earlier this week, I came across a post by Jeff Turner, A Free Text Messaging Widget For Your Active Rain Sidebar (From Matt Rains). Since text messaging is my new addiction, I immediately jumped on board, heading over to Matt Rains site for my widget.

Jeff mentions a few reasons why he likes this widget, including:

"I know that the providing a variety of contact options will greatly increase the chance that someone will actually contact you. Communicate the way people like to be communicated with. It's that simple. Some people will pick up the phone, some will email and some will want to text message. Now you can give them that option."

Well, Jeff was right on the money with this one - I had added the widget to two of my websites: FindYourFreedomMissouri and UCMissouri.com. Within my United Country site, I added the widget to two of my listings. All this was done within just a few minutes earlier this week.

Yesterday, I went on a listing appointment in one of my favorite towns, Conway MO. The property has 20 acres, with a home and various out buildings, including a very nice barn. (More to come next week as we finish up the paperwork and the visual tour.)

When I arrived, a few minutes late, I waved and said hello to the hired hand. The lady looked at me and waved back, but did not say anything. As the owner, Sharon, and I talked, I found out the helper was deaf - and had been since the age of two.

Sharon mentioned she would miss the sound of rustling leaves and whistling wind. Immediately I said I would miss the sound of a cat purring.

Leaving the property some time later, I decided:

I would also miss the laughter of my children and probably even their occasional whining.

I would miss the cheering of the crowd at our high school basketball games.

I would miss the sound of the snow plow hitting the pavement during the night.

I would miss the sound of the frogs on the pond and the bellow of the cows.

If suddenly your hearing was taken away from you, what sounds would you miss? What would you long to hear again?

This past weekend, I held an open house at a foreclosure listing in Lebanon MO.

The property is a four bedroom, 3 full bath home in a quiet neighborhood, at the end of a cul-de-sac.

Asking Price:

$144,900

I almost did not write about my weekend. Then I read Patricia Kennedy's post, Please Don't Preview My Open House And Whine About The Market! and decided to share my experience.

First, let me say, public open houses are not common in the Lebanon MO area. We've seen more in the last three months than we probably had in all of 2006 or in 2007. Being a rural area, this has not been a common tool for listing agents.

Because this home is located in town, offers a lot of square footage and a reasonable price, I decided to hold the home open on Saturday and on Sunday.

I had a few real estate agents come through. One came through with her clients. I was glad to see them and certainly glad potential buyers had the opportunity to see the home bright and airy and smelling good.

I had a few unrepresented buyers come through. Most were pleasant, making conversation and asking intelligent questions.

But, then there was the ONE. So often there has to be at least ONE.

The buyer that wants to argue about the price - the home is a foreclosure, MAKE AN OFFER!

The buyer that wants to argue about the terms - NO, the foreclosure company will NOT rent the home to you until your current home sells.

The buyer that wants to lecture me on the HIGH FEES charged by REALTORS - Sorry, I will not discuss with you Mr. Buyer my compensation agreement with the SELLER.

My smile was fading... thank goodness I was saved by a NEIGHBOR who wanted to see if the home was still in good condition. (It is...)

The bottom line, I did not write an offer on this home and I did not let one bad apple spoil my event. But, it'll be hard not to think about the whiners the next time I plan on having an open house.

You don't have to take your shoes off, but you do have to check your attitude at the door.

More photos on the web:

UCMissouri.com

Please help me welcome Susan Edwards to our Active Rain Family. Susan is a loan officer with Countrywide Home Loans in Springfield MO.

I first met Susan in 2002 when she introduced me to Missouri "bond money." At the time, Susan was one of the only local lenders offering these loans. I do believe that still holds true today: she is one of the few in our area that understands bond money and offers it to her clients and to mine.

You can read my post about Missouri Bond Money here on Active Rain.

I've never hesitated to recommend Susan - you'll find her very knowledgeable, a great communicator with a sense of humor that is rare these days. I never claim to understand all the loan products out there - that is why I assemble a team of loan officers to make it easy for our Buyers AND our Sellers in Laclede, Webster, Wright and Dallas Counties in Missouri.

So Welcome Susan - can't wait to read your first post and the many more that will follow!

By the way, if you are in Tennessee, don't forget about Donna Mitchell- another very knowledgeable Countrywide Home Loan officer, who also has a great sense of humor. I see a trend here!

Donna recently wrote a post about the FDIC limit increase. Be sure to stop by Donna's blog.