Most of the emails are solicitations trying their best to sell some "can't miss" winner guaranteed to make me more money.

Uh huh,

But what's this? Almost hidden amidst the spam is an email from a recent listing client. "Hmmm, that listing closed awhile back. I wonder what she needs?"

I open up the email and begin reading;

"Dear Anita & Mark,

Just wanted to thank you for all your hard work in the closing of our home. I received the final papers from the title company this week.

My father passed away a year ago and my goal was to sell the house before this summer. It's funny that with all the issues involved with the sale I have no regrets.

I was impressed by your professionalism and attention to detail. I truly believe this would not have sold with any other realtor.

Again, thank you. Hopefully real estate will turn around soon in the South Bend area.

Martha"

Well doesn't that just make the day start off a whole lot better. Honest praise means so much more when it's unexpected and not requested.

Thanks so much Martha. You were wonderful to work with and we appreciate your compliment. We hope we can serve you again in the future.

Anita & Mark

Here are some quick bullet points from the article:

• There are countless allergens in the average household that can cause sinus pain and pressure.
• You can have a clean house and still have problems
• Pets can be an irritant
  • Even if cat or dog resided in home before you got there.
  • Pet dander can get so ingrained in upholstery you have to remove everything from previous owner such as carpets and furniture
• This time of year air-conditioning system can cause sinus problems
  • Change A/C filters on regular basis to avoid issues
• If you have done everything possible in your home to get rid of allergens in your home and you're still sneezing you may need medication.
• Nasal saline irrigation is a natural remedy that may work

To read the complete article, which isn't too long click: "Is Your Home to Blame for Sinus Pain?"

Characteristics
Life Cycle
Signs of Infestation
Prevention
Treatment and Control

Here are some bullet points of the article:

Characteristics:

• Among largest species
• Queen 9/16"
• Workers 1/4 - 7/16"
• Adults vary in color
• Black carpenter ant most common that nest in home

Life Cycle

• Capenter ants swarm in spring
• After 3 - 6 years colony will contain 2,000 - 3,000 workers and will start to produce "swarmers".
• Swarmers produced in autumn (wait until spring to emerge)
• Mature colony usually contains one queen with 200 to 400 winged swarmers

Signs of an Infestation

• Swarmers found inside house is a likely sign of a nest in or under house.
• Swarmers found outdoors or on porches sign of nearby colony.
• In early spring worker ants may be found looking for water around sinks
• Ant trails may extend 300 feet from nest
• Can hear sound from a colony that infest house
• Sawdust is tell-tale sign of carperter ant infestation
• Damage appears as slit-like opening
• Do not eat wood; they tunnel while building nest
• Perfer wood with 15% moisture content
• Invade through foundation cracks, windows, doors or heating/AC vents
• Primary food for Carpenter Ants is honeydew
• Water is also important

Prevention

• Nearby trees or tree stumps breed potential for carpenter ant infestion
• Inspect property
• Insecticides OK but don't overdo
• Key is to remember Carpenter Ants are usually associated with moisture and wood

Treatment and Control

• Carpenter ants found in home does NOT necessarily mean there is nest inside
• Step 1 - determine if nest is indoors
• Alternative to spraying - bait ants outdoors
• Concentrate on first on areas around home most vulnerable to moisture
• In general, baits are best approach to dealing with ants
• May require full week before activity declines
• Do NOT spray where you place bait

Much more can be discovered by reading the full article on Carpenter Ants

Necessity is the mother of invention and when it comes to cutting a piece of cake necessity has finally produced "The Piece of Cake". 

This absolute necessity to your current collection of kitchen utensils neatly cuts a piece of cake and lifts it out so you don't leave a single crumb for any one else.

Just press down, lift up and ...Voila.

The only real problem I can see with this terrific kitchen tool is the size. I'd have made it a tad larger :-)

Click here to learn more about "A Piece of Cake".

Well here's a nifty idea from thinkgeek.com that should keep the bad guys guessing.

Stick an extra set of keys in this water tight compartment or even an emergency USP drive.

Gosh, what will they think of next :-)

Click here for more information: Sprinkler-Hide-A-Key

For those not familiar with selling real estate you might be surprised by this next sentence.

Selling real estate is like watching your daughter get married.

As you watch her stroll down the center aisle you're happy and sad at the same time. Happy because she is beginning her new journey in life and you have successfully prepared her for that journey. Sad because she is leaving home and you will miss her day-to-day company. Selling a home for a client can be very similar.

The owners of this home were just terrific people to serve and we are so happy for them as they begin their new life in upper Michigan. But we are sad they are gone and will miss the friendship we developed.

We do have a standing invitation to come stay with them in Michigan anytime. An invitation we just might take up someday.

You stick to what you do best. Relax.

Consider this post a friendly reminder to give yourself a break this summer and spend more time smelling not trimming your roses.

Services rendered:

• Spring Clean Up
• Lawn Service (small to large)

Serving South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger areas.

Free estimates available. Call anytime....

Ask for Jason or Bill (574-329-4963)

Yes this beautiful sunset picture was taken from the backyard deck of a home in Granger Indiana.

If you've spent anytime watching shows such as "House Hunters" you know your dollar will buy a lot of home here in Granger.  

No kidding! As stated in an earlier blog entry, if you're relocating from San Francisco the median home value is over $600,000.

That's a lot of cash to be plunking down these days for an "average" home. I don't care where it is. 

This sunset was viewed from anything but an average home and the cost is only a little over half the $600,000 you pay for that median value home located in San Francisco. What's up with that?

Who knows?

What I do know is that if you are considering relocating to Michiana from another area of the country, for whatever the reason, Granger Indiana is a diamond in rough located right here in the breadbasket of America.

Find out more information on this gorgeous home located here in Granger.

Here's a flyer for your buyer notebook.

Better yet, set up and appointment to see this home in person.

Call Anita today! Oh and don't forget to follow me on Twitter.

Carpet		Phone		Landscaping & Yard Work		Phone
Carpet Cleaner & Tiler Center		574-259-5630		Mowtown Lawn & Landscaping		574-993-1236
Carpet Craftsman		574-255-5802		Muddy Boots Landscaping		574-243-5580
Comfort Carpet		574-255-9034		Northstar Landscaping Design		574-259-2632
DNR Carpet		574-289-1005		North Star Clean Decks		269-445-9100
Heaven's Best Carpet		574-361-7067		Whit's Lawn Care		574-256-6535
Carpet Cleaning				Maintenance (General)
Mastercare		574-234-2509		D&D Home Maintenance		574-273-2120
White House		574-255-3366 / 271-1612		Home Maintenance		574-383-4541/383-4575
				Michael This & That		574-936-5570/952-5570
Fire/Water Cleanup & Restoration				Michiana Home Repair		574-240-1644
Servpro		574-259-8348
				Remodeling Solutions		574-315-6916
General Construction				Mold / Basement ETC.
Advanced Custom Homes		574-217-4141		National Waterproofing		800-449-0397
All Through The House		574-239-0963		The Crawlspace Team		866-454-2074
B & B Better Builders		574-287-3727/532-1658
Comerica Construction		574-276-7484		Movers
Cornerstone General Contractors		574-993-3239		Two Men And A Truck		888-808-6683/675-9700
J.A.M Construction		574-315-6919		Wiltfong Moving		800-955-6118/259-8554
Schoberg & Schoberg, Inc.		866-936-5857
Gutters, Siding, Roofing, Windows & More				Painting
Imperial Siding		574-272-7572		An Added Touch		574-807-1201/234-0871
Remove Junk		574-993-0321		B & B Wallcoverings		574-220-1144
R & J		574-993-5940		B & G Painting		574-256-5884
				David Goens Painting		574-315-1857
				Tony Bilancio		574-274-2306
Hauling				Paper Perfection-paper Removal		574-271-1958
Love's General Hauling		574-232-1485/339-0820
Remove Junk		800-468-5865
Total Property		574-289-1005/243-8552		Professional Organization
				Angels On Duty		574-258-9109
Home Staging				My Best Friend		574-210-1600
Chapman Interior		574-272-3586		Shirley Regeneration		574-246-1360
Design Decisions		574-273-3996
Janice Brooks		574-315-1453		Stone & Brick Masonry
Finishing Touches		574-532-0619/292-1086		Law's True Stone		574-386-3759
S & P Interiors		574-360-3497
				Tile & Grout Cleaning
House Cleaning				Hydro Clean		574-855-4005
Cloud 9		574-303-1093
Dawn Horvath		574-254-2123		Tub & Sink Refinishing
Patricia Ann's Cleaning Service		574-288-3244		Pallidan Tub Refinishing		574-2339498
Personal Touch		574-675-0376/514-750
The Cleaning Authority		574-272-7110		Window Cleaning ETC.
The Maids		574-257-8574		Clemlerski & Sons		574-259-2794
				Dave Henry-Gutters & Pressure Washing		574-606-4494
Interior Design				Midwest Glass & Mirror		269-428-4464
Design Decisions		574-273-3996
				Wood Renew
				N Hance		574-674-9898

Please Note: Re/Max 100 does not endorse any vendor for any job type. This list is for informational purposes only.

With Twitter you send out or "tweet" a short 140 character message about whatever you want. 140 characters is not a lot of space to say something and that's the point and what has made Twitter the latest sensation on the web. I must admit I'm not exactly sure if I need to jump on the Twitter bandwagon but I want to learn more and there is no better way than to just jump in and get started.

My goal is to stay current with the newest technologies for the clients I serve. If Twitter can help me to serve and engage you on a more personal level I'm all for it. Twitter does seem like a simple way to stay connected. Here are a few of the possibilities off the top of my head I might use Twitter for.

1. As a Real Estate agent for over 20 years I've traveled most everywhere in the Michiana area. I know where most of the hidden treasures are buried like great restaurants, unique stores and interesting places to relax and have fun. I'll send out a short "tweet" when I run across a place of interest I think you might enjoy checking out.
2. New favorite real estate listings with links to pictures and information.
3. Links from current Real Estate news and information I think will help you either purchase a home or sell the home you have.
4. My favorite recipes and other personal tips and tricks I have learned over the years on various topics of interest. Hey, why Twitter if you can't have share with each other and have some fun with it.
5. Maybe I'll even let you take a peak behind the curtain of what goes on in the world of Real Estate on a day to day basis.

So if you're looking for a creative way to keep up with the real estate market in the Michiana area why not follow me on Twitter. If you're not signed up yet it's a piece of cake. Just follow the instructions and you'll be sending out "tweets" of your own in no time at all. I'd love to follow you on Twitter and stay up to date with what's going on in your world as well.

Here are some Real Estate value "General Rules of Thumb" about what you can expect when purchasing homes in the Michiana area:

• $50,000 - 700-1,200 sq. ft., Bungalow style, 2/3 bedrooms, 1/1.5 baths, built between 1900 and 1950 may have a 1 car detached garage.
• $100,000 - 1,300-1,800 sq. ft., Ranch/2 story/Tri-level, 3/4 bedrooms, 1.5/2 baths, built after 1940, 2 car attached garage, may or may not have a formal dining room.
• $150,000 - 1,800-2,500 sq. ft., Ranch/2 story/Tri-level, 3-4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, attached 2 or 3 car garage, built after 1975, full basement
• $200,000 - 2,300 - 3,000 sq. ft., 2 story ranch, 1-1/2 story, 3 - 4 bedrooms, attached 2 - 3 car garage, 2.5 - 3 baths,
• $300,000 - 2,500-3,500 sq. ft., 2 story, ranch, 2.5 - 3.5 baths, 3 - 4 bedrooms, 2 - 3 car garage
• $400,000 - 3,500+ sq. ft., 4 - 5 bedrooms, 3.5+ baths, 3 car garage

Need help finding or selling a home? Call today, we will be happy to assist in anyway we can!

Anita Hildebrecht
Direct Line: 574-968-4214
Send An Email

Michiana is a beautiful area of the country with some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. Maybe most noted for the University Of Notre Dame, Michiana includes other countless sites and sounds unique to the United States.

Did you know that?

• Michiana offers some of the most affordable housing currently available in the United States.
• Michigan City Indiana and St Joseph Michigan are home to some the best beaches on Lake Michigan and are less than an hour away.
• Michiana offers a wide selection of public and private schooling options to educate your children from kindergarten through college.
• The South Bend Civic Theater stages between six and fifteen full length selected productions each year for your enjoyment.
• Michiana is home to some of Indianas finest golf courses with reasonable rates, such as Black Thorn, Juday Creek and Elbel Park Golf Club.
• South Bend is the home of the College Football Hall of Fame.
• Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad is the only electric commuter line remaining in the United States and connects South Bend to downtown Chicago on a daily "loop".
• Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, is less than two hours away by car. Anita can get to the parking garage by Blookingdales in less than an hour and a half.

Yes, Michiana is a wonderful place to live and enjoy a high standard of living. With affordable housing, lower than average tax rates and utilites, access to a wide selection of entertainment and activites and all the social services such as education, health care and transportation you need to build a life for your family, Michiana is one of the best kept secrets in America.

Relocating? Call Anita today! Anita will be happy to assist in any way she can with your relocation to the Michiana area.

Anita Hildebrecht
Direct Line: 574-968-4214
Send An Email

If you have not owned a home in three years, you qualify as a first time home buyer.  If you buy a home after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009, you qualify for this credit.  Call your friends who just bought a home since April 9th and tell them they may take $7,500 off their tax bill if they qualify.  It has to be your principal residence, so rentals do not count.

The tax credit is 10% of the cost of the home, up to a maximum of $7,500. This is not an additional deduction that lowers the amount of income to be taxed, it is a tax credit.  In other words, you take $7,500 off your tax bill.  But there is a catch; the credit you receive now is actually an interest-free loan that must be repaid.

The loan has no interest, and will be paid back over 15 years.  You get the credit on your 2008 taxes, but you start paying it back on your 2010 taxes that are due in 2011, so you get at least two years without a payment.  You pay back 6.67% of the credit each year, so for a $7,500 credit the payment is $502.50 per year.  If you stay put for 15 years, you pay it off with no interest.

What happens if you sell the house?  You pay the balance back at the closing.  So, you get $7,500 now, and pay the rest of it back if you make money on the sale of your house.  What happens if you do not make enough money when you sell your house?  They forgive the rest of the debt. 

Other restrictions stipulate that you have to buy your first house in three years before July 1, 2009, not have super high income, not use bond financing and buy anywhere in the US.

If you’d like to learn more about this program, please call me!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability.  Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows.  Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life.  It’s important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial “comfort zone.”  To that end, it may be more important to lock in today’s relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today’s market.