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Searcy, AR Real Estate News

By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
While on tour this morning I was riding with some Realtor friends and we started talking about giving to others.  My friend, Beverly, said, "Mary, I know you are giving, Perrin told me."  I replied, "Yes, I am and I raised Mitzi, my daughter, to be giving.  Then I told them this story.When Mitzi was in about the 5th grade, I picked her up from school.  It was in the winter and a very cold and rainy day.  I saw this little girl waiting for the bus.  She had on a clear plastic rain coat and the coat was just stiff from the cold and rain.  I asked Mitzi if she knew her.  She said she was in her class and she was poor. I can't remember the little girl's name, so I'll call her Susan.On the way home Mitzi said, "I want to give Susan a coat and some of my clothesl"  I thought, that is a good i...
Comments 8
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Have you ever met someone that you just couldn't forget?  I don't even know his name, but I can see him clearly in my mind!Last July we flew to San Juan, PR, to spend a few days before boarding the Carnival cruise ship, Destiny. We try to take a vacation each year with our daughter's family.  We only have one child, a son-in-law, and two granchildren, Gabby and Adrian.  Gabby has a friend, Jessica, and she usually goes too.  While we were waiting to board the ship, Mitzi, Gabby, Jessica and I took another tour of Old San Juan.  Old San Juan is one square mile of restored buildings, cafe's, and little shops.  It has old world charm, cobblestone streets and lots of diverse cultures.  We walked to the city square and it was so pretty, statues, fountains and lots of tourist. Then we saw the...
Comments 6
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Pass the popcorn!  Home theater rooms are the newest trend in upscale homes. No need to get dressed, you can watch the movie in your pajamas!  What a great way to relax!  My husband builds upscale homes and theater rooms are a great selling feature.  The rooms must be painted a dark color, on walls and ceiling.  Our house has a theater room and our wall color is called "Java" from Sherwin Williams, it is a very dark brown.  Our ceiling is a little lighter shade.Alot of theater rooms have theater seats, we looked at them, but I like having a comfy sofa, love seat and big chair!  I have my office in the theater room and while my husband is watching a movie, I can work on real estate. My office is kinda in a little alcove, so I don't bother him. If you are thinking of buying or remodeling ...
Comments 15
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
I could not do without Quicken!  I use it in my business, my builder husband's business, my storage units, my investment property and my personal business.  At year's end I can click on last year, and instantly have a printout of my expenses and income.  How convenient!  I can also view, anytime, how much I have spent on advertisement for the year.  Quicken is a great tracking tool, and sooooo easy to use.  If you are not using Quicken, you don't  know what you are missing!  Try it!!My builder husband is always asking, "How much have I spent on materials on Job 10?"  I can tell him in two seconds.  I can also tell him how much labor he has paid and any other check that he has writtten.  When he gets his yearly audit with Workmen's Comp, I can have that ready immediately.  This program i...
Comments 19
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
We are supposed to change our clocks tonight so that we lose an hour and many people will show up late for chruch in the morning.  I always like the longer days and hate it in the winter when I drive home in the dark at 5:00 pm.  I can't remember a time, however, that the weather outside on this day in Searcy AR has looked as these pictures show.  There was no one on the golf course yesterday and even though the roads were clear, Arkansans tend to hide out, as I did, and stay home when the weather looks this way.
Comments 26
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
My daughter, Mitzi, and I were shopping in Lowe's a few weeks ago.  All of a sudden I heard dogs barking and barking and barking.  You could hardly hear yourself think!  I turned to Mitzi and asked, "Does Lowe's allow dogs in the store?"  She replies, "I guess so, but don't say anything!"  She knows me, I always say what I think!!When I rounded the corner, I saw them.  Two little dogs, not working dogs, barking at everyone!  I couldn't believe it!  When I go to Lowe's I am generally purchasing things for my builder husband, and I need total concentration!  You cannot think when dogs are barking!  I love dogs, but I do not think they should be allowed in retail stores, unless they are working dogs.When I got in line to check out, guess who got behind me???  You're right, the lady with th...
Comments 25
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Realtors! If you are building, remodeling, or just working with builders, consider installing a pot filler in the kitchen!  They will save you many steps!I have one in my home, and my builder husband has started installing them in spec homes.  They come in oil rubbed bronze, brass, copper, stainless, what ever you desire.  The price is from around $250.00 to as high as $2000.00.  View pictures of mine below.I personally think Dantz is a good one, very well made.  You can search the web and find many suppliers, be sure to get the one that is wall hung, not countertop mounted!They are great for filling a pasta pot, or filling your morning coffee pot!  They extend out across your cooktop and they fold back.  Pot fillers have been popular in Europe for many years.I just think they are an ad...
Comments 8
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Fear is something we all face, at one time or another!  Well, thanks to my grandchildren, Gabby and Adrian, I have conquered my fear of flying and heights!!In the early 70's I had  a very bad experience on my first plane ride!  I did not fly again until Thanksgiving week 2006.  Our daughter's family decided to spend Thanksgiving week in Maui and the grandchildren wanted us to go.  At first I hesitated, but you will do anything for your grandchildren!So I boarded the big silver bird and flew for ten hours, I prayed from the time I boarded until we landed!  When we landed at the Maui airport, I told my husband, "I want to parasail, if I can fly for ten hours, I can parasail!We booked the excursion, and as you can see by the picture, Grandma is parasailing!Maui is a beautiful island, the w...
Comments 12
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Five years ago I showed property to buyers, very nice couple, but they ended up buying a FSBO.  Did I get mad?  No, I told them I enjoyed showing them property, enjoyed their company, and if I could ever help again, please call me.  They did and I closed with them today.  She said, "You know you were so nice to us, even though we found a FSBO, that we wanted to come back to you to sell it."  What goes around, comes around.This has happened to me three times in the past year.  One couple bought a FSBO about 8 years ago, I listed  that  house, sold them a new house. They got transfered before that house closed, but did not back out, he said he made a deal and would not back out, very good people. I sold that house on their last move.  They live out of state now and I still keep in touch. ...
Comments 2
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
When we represent buyers and sellers it is so important that we have a good working relationship with other Realtors.  If you are arrogrant, hard to get along with, hateful, rude,  it has to be my way person, guess what? You are hurting your buyers and sellers.  How?If you have a home listed and other agents don't like you, will your listing get the attention it should? I don't think so, your listing will only be shown if there is nothing else out there.  If any of the above describes you, do you think another Realtor wants to work with you???  I doubt it, only if they have to!If you have buyers that make an offer on a home, listed by another agent, and there is another offer that is almost identical that comes in from another  "nice" agent.  Guess which offer will be accepted?  Again, ...
Comments 89
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
Planning a cross country trip to visit relatives made us decide to buy a GPS system.  After lots of investigating we decided it was worth the extra money to have the voice tell us to turn at a particular street and name the street.  We bought the Garmin Nuvi 260 and it arrived this week.I have to learn to use it so I put in the address to my office from my home.  We, the voice and I, begin our journey.  She tells me to turn right on Beebe Capps Expressway which I dutifully do.  I am supposed to stay on that street until I get to Main Street and turn left.  Well, knowing my city, I know that to avoid traffic and traffic lights, I'll go by way of Pleasure Street.  The voice didn't like that.  She said, "Recalculating."   She was polite about it.  She advised me again to turn on Main Stree...
Comments 15
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
It was probally 12 years ago that I attended an educational class in Little Rock.  During break we would pass our cards out, we were all mostly new Realtors.  There was one girl in particular that I talked with. She had a great smile, very cute, and loved to talk. Through the years I had thought about her alot.  She was from Russellville, about 2 hours from Searcy. I knew she would make a great Realtor!  She did, she has an assistant!!Well, this morning my cell phone rings, and it is her!  She told me that her assistant was needing to talk to a Realtor about selling  a home in a small town close to Searcy.  She asked me to give her a call and I did.  I thought, you know that was so long ago and she remembered me.  Maybe I made an impression on her too!While I had her on the phone, I tol...
Comments 12
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
The 50's and 60's was the beginning of Rock & Roll! Elvis appeared on the scene and he is still the king of rock and roll!  I loved Elvis, still do.  He could sing anyone's song, but no one, absolutely no one, could sing one of his!  If you are ever in Memphis, take a tour of Graceland, it will take you back in time!!  While you are there go down to Beale Street and listen to the blues.  You can get  a great rack of ribs at the City Blues Cafe, they are delicious.  The Motown Sound had sooooo much soul!  Little Richard, The Supremes, Ike and Tina, Little Anthony, Smokey Robinson, The Platters, the list goes on and on.  Great artist and great songs!Most teenagers raced home after school to watch Dick Clark and The American Bandstand!  I loved to watch the kids dance and I knew the "regul...
Comments 8
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Did you know that the Baby Boomers are suppose to be the most affluent generation?  A Baby Boomer is someone who was born between 1946 and 1964.  We wanted more than our parents and we worked hard to achieve our dreams.Well, now Baby Boomers are starting to retire!  We are suppose to be the generation that will bankrupt social security.  We are wanting to slow down and enjoy life, after working so hard to get what we thought we wanted. The generations following us  have not worked as hard and have not contributed as much to social security as we have, so when we start drawing our checks, there may not be much left for them.  I guess they should have worked harder!!Baby Boomers are now starting to sell their big homes and vacation homes and to scale down. This will have an affect on the ...
Comments 4
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
Is it my imagination, or does the news media control our lives?  They report housing is down and down it goes!  They don't report it may be up in one market and down in another.  Heaven Forbid if they would report the truth! Our market in Searcy, Arkansas, has been stable, and I am sure other areas have as well.They will say gas prices are going up in four months, and by golly they will go up! Are they fortune tellers, or are we so gullible that we believe everything they report, so we accept it and it comes true.  When gas prices go down, it is not reported nearly as much.The media was responsible for Black Monday.  The more they reported, the faster stocks fell.  I am sick of hearing doom and gloom!!Anna Nicole Smith's death was in the news soooooo much, don't they have any respect fo...
Comments 15
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
 This blog is because of Gary Woltal's blog about advertising and whether to do print advertising anymore or just stick with the internet.  It made me do a little thinking. Thanks, Gary, for making me think. : )I'm lost without my newspaper every morning and I don't think I'm alone in feeling this way.  I stumble out of bed, make some coffee, feed the cat, get a little juice and some lemon for my coffee and then walk to the street to get my newspapers.The most important of all of the above is my newspapers.  I get the state newspaper and the local newspaper.  I think I read the state one for news and the local one for local things..even advertisements.  To me it is a real wonder that for under $150 a year I can get a newpaper delivered to my door every single day!  What a bargain.My dau...
Comments 8
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
September 11, 2001, will be in our minds forever.  A Realtor friend and I were on our way to Little Rock for a day of shopping, my husband called with the news.  As soon as I arrived back in Searcy I immediately went to my church to pray, those poor families who lost their loved ones needed prayer.There was such turmoil throughout the United States and most of the world.  The media replayed the scene over and over and over.  It will be forever etched in my mind, and I'm sure others feel  the same way.It certainly changed the way we live!  We realize we are no longer safe in our own country. We have to be careful, to watch when we are at the airport for suspicious activity.  When I board a plane I glance around to see which passenger could be the air marshall, or the terrorist.  I'm nerv...
Comments 4
By Larry DeGroat, ABR, CRS, e-PRO, GRI in Searcy
(Realty Professionals, Inc.)
BUY a home or not to buy is the question?  There is a lot of negativity in the media about how bad the real estate market is.  Acording to NAR Chief Economist, Mr. Lawrence Yun, nearly half of  the Country experienced a price increase. While everyone is pointing fingers on who's fault it was for us getting into this perdicament, the real estate industry is still going and is a major player in this Country's economy.  Some say that the Feds cutting the rates like what was done in 2001 will put us back into the same position.  I would have to disgree with that.  While reading another article from Mr. Yun, Mr. Yun quoted Abraham Lincoln - fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. It will be impossible to part global capital providers' money with another foolish investment. Bu...
Comments 2
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
One of the best ways to reduce  agent liability is to use the FHA Home Inspection document.  FHA requires this to be signed, but use it on all your transactions.  I don't care if my buyers pay cash, get a VA or conventional loan, they are presented this document to sign before I write the offer.   I tell them that this reduces my liability and that I strongly suggest they get a home inspection.  Even if the home is "as is", this signed document will help reduce your liabililty.  Keep one in your file and make a copy for the office file.Second, when you use the lead base paint form, make sure your buyers sign and initial the front page of the lead base paint pamphlet, make a copy of the front page and keep it in your file.  Should something ever come up, you have a signed copy that they ...
Comments 2
By Mary PAUL, ABR, CRS,GRI, e-PRO,
(RE/MAX Advantage Realtors, Searcy, AR)
You are starting a new career, you cannot learn it all at once, it is very overwhelming.  Make it your goal to learn at least one new thing each day.  You will make mistakes, but you should not make the same mistake twice, learn from them and move on. If you are fortunate enough to have a "significant other" with an income, then take all the educational courses you can afford.  Work on your GRI, I obtained mine the first year, YOU CAN TOO!  These classes are very helpful.Obtaining your ABR is not expensive, and the more designations you have you will appear to be more knowledgeable, and you will be!  As soon as you can work on your CRS, and by all means e-Pro.  I'm working on my e-pro now.  I started my career in 1994, I was 48 years old.  I didn't think I would ever learn it, but I did...
Comments 14