Also, special thanks to Real Living Title and Real Living Mortgage for being a part of our title sponsorship of the event. Here is a rundown of the winning categories:

Realtor Sales Citations:
$1 million category – Jeanne Cousino and Sharon Wholaver (The Yoder-Barnhart Connection team)
$2 million category – Nicole Yoder, The Yoder-Barnhart Connection Team

Grand Marketing Award:
Best of Show – Real Living HER Marketing Group

Leadership Awards:
Sales Manager of the Year – Butch Wahlsmith, General Manager, Builder Developer Services Division
Marketing Director of the Year – Jim Stevenson, SVP Marketing and Strategic Services

 Marketing and Advertising Awards:
First place – Most unique logo (Curbside Info)
First Place – Exceptional Virtual Tour (Real Living Tours)
First Place – Top Company or Product Brochure (various community developments)
First Place – Best Newsletter/E-newsletter (company newsletter)
First Place – Outstanding Color Newspaper Ad (Jeanne Cousino)
First Place – Most Creative TV Commercial (Curbside Info)
First Place – Most Valuable Multi-Media Campaign (Curbside Info)
Tied for First Place – Most Creative Website (HERRealtors.com)

Info on Any Home from Any Phone Anytime

Sponsored by Real Living Mortgage

You’re driving around when you pass what could be your dream home for sale – and you want details now! Simply call Curbside Info at (614) 221-7400 from your cell phone, enter the street address and instantly receive all the real estate info you need, including price. It’s that easy and it’s available only from Real Living HER.

CALL & LISTEN Call system phone number, enter a house number and listen to property description.	TEXT Choose to receive text message about specific properties.	E-MAIL Register for Curbside and you can automatically receive e-mail updates on properties.

Curbside Info lets you get information about any home on the market from any phone just by calling one number, (614) 221-7400, and simply entering the street address. That’s it. The service will prompt you through all of your options from there.

To register to use this free service, simply click this registration widget and enter your information.

Tech-savvy, first-time home buyers are leading the 90 percent of buyers who use the Internet during the home search process (Source: NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2010). The Internet is the fastest-growing space for consumers to learn and gain information about the real estate industry. With this many buyers surfing the Web for a new home – you’ll want your listing on there, so ask your real estate agent which marketing tools he or she will use to list your home, and make sure the Internet is at the top of the list. The following tools and strategies addressed in this column are essential to marketing a home, so make sure your agent is using all of these necessary tools.

Let’s start with digital marketing and the concepts associated with it: online marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) and permission-based e-mail marketing. Agents who use online marketing strategies will typically post your listing on the brokerage’s Web site and on his or her personal site. Look for agents who update their sites often. There are several advantages to Web listings. For example, they offer quality color photos of your home, detailed property information, virtual tours, floor plans and school and community data.

Here are some websites Real Living HER agents can use to help market your home online:

SEO is the process of increasing quality web traffic to a site by way of search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN. Agents that frequently update their Web sites with pertinent content and listings will have better SEO, which increases the number of views of your listing. This important component of digital marketing is worth asking your agent about.

E-mail marketing is another player in the digital marketing game. Qualified agents today stay connected with clients, family and friends by sending them e-newsletters and e-cards. A friendly holiday wish accompanied with your home listing is a great way to attract more potential buyers to your home.

Another growing industry trend is the use of podcasts, which are media files distributed over the Internet. Agents are now able to post podcasts of your home that can be downloaded free from Web sites and viewed on computers and portable devices.

With the emergence of the Internet, podcasting and even wireless mobile Internet, the sky is the limit as to how many potential buyers can view your listing. So now, as an informed home seller, talk with your real estate agent about how he or she plans to market your home and get it ready to sell!

Click here to download your own House Hunt Checklist, then read on for other important considerations.

The Home
Space is one of the first things people notice when touring a home. Are there enough bedrooms to accommodate the household? How spacious are storage closets? Square footage and the practicality of the floor plan are elements that demand major consideration. Is there a garage or a basement? These are some standards you should have set in your head before beginning your home search, but it doesn’t hurt to add these elements to the checklist. After you’ve evaluated the space, take time to note the condition of the home. Some suggest breaking it down further into interior and exterior conditions. Look specifically for dampness and odors in the basement, age and condition of the roof as well as the functionality of gutters and downspouts. Finally, don’t forget to make note of extra perks such as a fireplace, great landscaping, fences, a patio/deck, screens and storm windows as well as overall energy efficiency.

The Neighborhood
One of the most common things homebuyers look for in a neighborhood is safety. Individuals want to feel secure in their new surroundings. Other high-ranking aspects include: traffic, noise level, parking and zoning restrictions. How close are you to police and fire stations, the hospital or schools? Does the neighborhood provide snow removal or trash services? Don’t forget to investigate these issues by creating a physical or mental checklist.

 Schools
For those who have children, what school district you choose is an important consideration. Feel free to further research the reputation of the schools, quality of teachers and achievement test scores for students attending these schools. Other considerations include class sizes, busing distance and the age and condition of the buildings that your children could potentially attend. Taking the time to meet with faculty, tour the school and talk with parents of pupils who attend the school will help you make an informed decision.

Convenience 
Location is becoming a greater concern for many homebuyers due to increased gas prices. When looking at a home, take the time to figure out how far you would be from the grocery store, schools, child care, shopping, highways, etc. Is there public transportation in your area? How far are you willing to commute each day? These are some things you want to ask yourself as you evaluate the location of a home.

Taking the time to look at all aspects of a home—from the actual structure to the neighborhood, schools and location will help you make a more accurate and informed decision when choosing a home. For additional questions on your home search, contact me today.

You can never be too prepared when it comes to winter weather. Make sure to stock up on supplies before snow accumulation begins. Start with salt. Believe it or not, there are a variety of salts to choose from. Traditional rock salt effectively melts snow, but it isn’t the most environmentally-friendly option. Some eco-friendly choices that melt snow and help combat re-icing include magnesium acetate and calcium chloride. Magnesium acetate is probably the least destructive to vegetation, but it’s costly and not quite as effective. Calcium chloride is a little more expensive than rock salt, but you don’t need to distribute as much. In fact, you only need a handful for every three square yards.

During the Snowfall

Once the snow starts, tune in to the weather reports. If meteorologists forecast a substantial snowfall, start shoveling your driveway and walkways once during the snowfall and once afterwards. This minimizes the chances of injuring your back lifting heavy amounts of snow. Look for shovels with an ergonomic design or choose a rolling snow shovel. Proper snow shoveling techniques start with your legs. Make sure to bend your knees when lifting and moving piles. It’s also important to avoid twisting your torso with a heavy load. Instead, shift your whole body, including your stance. A snow blower is another great option when it comes to snow removal. The only downfall to some models is that they aren’t great at removing ice. They’re ideal for light, powdery snow, but sometimes it takes a heavy shovel or spade to break apart ice.

After the Snowfall

When the snow finally subsides, complete one final shoveling of walkways and driveways. Be certain that you aren’t just pushing snow back into the street because as soon as city trucks plow your road, you’ll end up with a mound of snow on your driveway once again. It’s also important to lay a little extra salt to keep your concrete from re-icing. As always, make sure to replenish salt supplies and properly store equipment.

Alternatives to Traditional Snow Removal

For those who want to avoid shoveling for any number of reasons, consider alternative snowmelt systems like heated driveways. Heated driveways, although expensive, are great for areas that receive frequent snowfall. Basically, a combination of hot water and anti-freeze are forced through tubing under your driveway, walkway or patio. The heat radiated from this system quickly melts any ice and snow on the concrete or asphalt above it.

For more information on how you can better prepare for upcoming snow, ice and winter weather, contact your local agent today!

Clean Dryer Vent Duct
Experts advocate cleaning your dryer duct at least 2 times each year. This can be done by disconnecting the duct from the rear of the dryer and pulling lint, dust and other debris from the duct with a long, wet/dry vacuum wand. Be sure to also vacuum the back of the dryer, where the duct connects, before replacing the duct. 

Test Your Sump Pump
Many homes have sump pumps installed to remove water at the base of your home. To avoid flooding, test your sump pump once a year to make sure it’s in working order. You can do this by manually lifting the sump float—a piece in the pump that floats up as the water level increases. When it gets to a certain height, the pump should turn on.

Dirt and other types of debris often accumulate in a sump pit. Ensure your sump pump doesn’t get clogged by regularly scooping out dirt and sludge. Then run clean water through the pump until all debris flushes out of the machine.

Indoor and Outdoor Lighting
It’s important to maintain curb appeal during all hours of the day—even after the sun goes down. Indoor and outdoor lighting should highlight your home’s assets. Outside, make sure driveways, walkways and entrances are illuminated. Consider strategically placing lights in a well-landscaped yard in order to conceal less attractive elements and showcase great vegetation.

In addition, replace light bulbs inside and outside your home. Well-lit indoor space creates the illusion of larger rooms, closets, walkways and other areas. 

Prepare Landscape for Cooler Temperatures
It’s never too early to prepare your lawn and garden for cooler temperatures. You can start by fertilizing your lawn this month. Remove dead grass from your lawn with a rake, and add grass clippings to a compost pile. Control insects and fungus this season and next year by eliminating large patches of weeds near your lawn. This is an easy way to make your lawn more manageable.

Begin planning how you’re going to winterize your garden. Build a solid compost pile now that you can spread over your garden in the following months when you winterize. Nutrient-rich compost encourages flower and vegetable growth next year.

Routine home maintenance is vital to consistent curb appeal. Ask me for more tips on how enhance the appearance of your home and attract buyers.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (August 10, 2010) — Agent, Hugh Price, and the Price Makes a Difference team recently joined Real Living HER after working with Coldwell Banker King Thompson for 7 years. Price and team members Nancy Price and Kelly Frey have developed a strong residential real estate market presence in Granville, Ohio as well as the surrounding Licking County area. Under Real Living HER, the Price Makes a Difference team will continue to service this area with new technology, tools and a prime office location in the heart of downtown Granville.

“We are excited to take advantage of all the tools and resources Real Living HER has to offer,” said Hugh Price. “Real Living HER’s long-standing real estate tradition within central Ohio made it an obvious choice for our transition to another company. We believe we’ll be able to better serve a larger group of local buyers and sellers now and in the future.”

“Price is a charismatic individual with a high level of real estate knowledge and professionalism,” said Ed Caldwell, regional vice president of Real Living HER’s southeast region. “He will be an incredible asset to our region.”

Price has served in many capacities for the Licking County Board of Realtors over the years. Some of his prior positions include: Board of Directors (2004-2009), Vice President (2006), President Elect (2007), and President (2008). As a Licking county native, Price is also involved in the Newark Rotary, Kairos Academy, Granville Lacrosse Club, Licking County Courthouse Lighting Committee, Newark Granville Symphony Orchestra and more.

About Real Living HER
Real Living HER is the largest brokerage in the Real Living family of companies, and operates local offices in Columbus and the Greater central Ohio region. Real Living HER has over 800 licensed associates in over 40 local offices. For more information, visit http://www.reallivingher.com.

About Real Living
Real Living is a full-service real estate brokerage franchise company with a comprehensive and integrated suite of resources and services for franchisees and their sales professionals, as well as the consumers who work with them. The Real Living brand and its innovative concepts were recognized as one of the best by Entrepreneur magazine; won the Inman Innovator Award, and was named “The Most Promising New National Brand” by the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. Real Living is an affiliate of Brookfield Residential Property Services, a leading global provider of real estate and relocation services, technology, and knowledge.  For more information, visit http://www.realliving.com.

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Top Ways to Improve Curb Appeal

When a potential buyer is in the neighborhood, it’s important for your home to look the best on the block. Here are some tips for boosting curb appeal and capturing the attention of passersby.

1. Mow the lawn and plant sod where grass is sparse.
2. Trim tree limbs that are close to the roof and power lines.
3. Weed flower beds and lay mulch.
4. Store tools and equipment in a shed or garage.
5. Add color by planting flowers.
6. Clean your windows.
7. Install lighting that illuminates the driveway and entrance of your home.
8. Wash sidewalks and driveways with a pressure washer.
9. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door.
10. Clean siding and apply neutral paint to the exterior of your home.

For more information on how you can prepare to sell your home, click here.