The Arboretum has a "Festival of Trees" and Re/Max has participated in it for years.

This year we decided to decorate a tree "On A Budget". We decided to use costume jewelry to hand on our tree, so we put out an email for all the agents to bring us their costume jewelry. As it turned out Cheryl George still had a small suitcase of her mother's jewelry and we added ribbon to the earrings and hung the necklaces and it honestly turned out to be adorable! We were all very surprised! Thank you Cheryl for allowing us to use the jewelry.

Lighted Christmas Parade

Every year we participate in the Lighted Christmas Parade. To be in the parade you must be decorated with lights either on your body or on your float or vehicle. This years theme was "It's A Wonderful Life". We decorated a traveling home, wore angel wings and rang bells! We have more fun at this parade because for a brief moment life is innocent and you can feel the joy of Christmas in the air.

We also served chili and all our donations went to the Courthouse Lighting Fund so that you and I can enjoy the lights for years to come! Everyone in our office worked hard on these projects, whether they cooked, decorated the float, served chili, donned angel wings and walked by the float or one of the other jobs that come with participating in a big parade! We want to thank you all for coming out and enjoying this special evening with us. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas! And remember "Everytime A Bell Rings An Angel Gets His Wings" (from it's a Wonderful Life).

Halloween on the Square 2008

We welcomed ghosts and goblins at our office on Friday night from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. The businesses on the square handed out treats to tons of kids wearing a variety of costumes. We took lots of photos and we hope you will see someone you know or even yourself! Happy Halloween! Check out our photos from today! Just click on See Photos and go directly to the photos!

Thanks With Franks

Thanks With Franks

In September when school has started and we start settling in to a routine our local radio station host Thanks With Franks. It’s where local businesses pay an entry fee and they receive 200 hot dogs and buns and then they have to decorate them however they want. Over the years there have been every imaginable “Dog” you can think about and Re/Max has been no exception, except that we like to dress-up and decorate according to our “dog’s” theme. So here we are this year with our pirate ship dog and of course we had to be the Pirates! It is always a lot of work, but a ton of fun! Visit us next year, who knows what we’ll come up with next!

Not pictured: Kristin Swank, Lori Yoder and Cheryl George

A Day At The Races

April 19, 2008 kicked off the racing season at the Iowa Speedway and what a GREAT way to start with the Re/Max ARCA Prairie Meadows 250! Re/Max of Newton & Baxter got into the spirit of racing by raffling off two sets of tickets to the races and a set of pit passes. Thanks to everyone who entered by visiting our open houses, stopping in the office or calling your Re/Max agent.

The day of the race came a bit chilly but that didn't put a damper on the fun or the tailgating! We could be found in the Newton Club parking lot under the balloon of course handing out free rolls, coffee, juice, hot dogs, Koozies & Toys to all of our friends, clients and families who stopped by to say Hello. Here are a few fun photos to remember the occasion!



Getting all set up for a morning of tailgating and fun!

Alot of Re/Max friends dropped by for a Re/Max of Newton Koozie and to have a beverage!

For our "smaller" friends we had toys & balloons to play with.

Re/Max of Baxter's broker Roxanne Nikkel and her daughter Tehya snuggle up to keep warm!
Re/Max of Newton agent Susan Forbes with her family & friends.

Thanks to all our friends, clients & race fans who stopped by to tail gate with us! We hope a good time was had by all! We look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Why Use A Realtor?

Why Use a REALTOR®?

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.
But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices

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2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Re/Max Agent Stories

You might have noticed our slogan "Home is where your story begins." by -Annie Danielson. We thought we'd begin 2008 not only gettting to know our clients' stories but sharing our agents as well. It's important to know who you're working with and who is working for you! Each week in the Friday edition of the Newton Daily News you'll find a different agent, their photo and story being shared. We hope you enjoy getting to know us and we look forward to getting to know you!