Central Kentucky Blog

Central Kentucky Homes For Sale

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:43:08 -0700

Beautiful home sitting on 2.5 acres located in Bob-O-Link golf community. Enter into the nice bright foyer with a formal dining room and library on either side.

The great room with cathedral ceiling, beautiful hardwood floors, lots of light sits toward the back of the house overlooking the nice big yard. Kitchen and breakfast area has lots of beautiful oak cabinets and counter space. Huge laundry room with lots of storage, oak cabinets, counter space and a large utility sink.

Large master suite is on the first floor with bathroom boasting a jacuzzi tub, extra large glass shower and double sinks. Two bedrooms, office, family room, full bath and plenty of unfinished space for storage in basement. The large deck and patios make it great for entertaining. This is an exceptionally clean and well-kept home that any family would be proud to live in. The quiet cul-de-sac makes it perfect for children and an excellent choice for the golfer in the family. Offering a 1-yr home warranty.

Melinda Earlywine, e-Pro, CTA, CDPE
Exit Realty Crutcher
502-680-6634 Cell
502-839-9822 Office
502-334-0401 Fax
Melinda@LawrenceburgHomesInfo.com
http://LawrenceburgHomesInfo.com
Serving Central KY Sellers and Buyers

Central Kentucky--Lawrenceburg KY Farm

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:19:16 -0700

Central Kentucky--Lawrenceburg KY Farm

Awesome Central KY farm located in Anderson County. Great location to commute to Lexington, Frankfort or Louisville. Sitting on 30 +/- acres, this home has been lovingly cared for with two heat sources, metal roof, three-four bedrooms, screened-in back deck, updated bath and kitchen, basement, and horses are welcome!

Deer and wild turkey are abundant for the hunter. Close to Taylorsville Wildlife Reserve and Lake and Salt River for the avid fisherman.

Visit http://LawrenceburgHomesInfo.com for more information and to view all Central KY farms and homes. Or email Melinda at Melinda@LawrenceburgHomesInfo.com for more information on her listings or Exit Realty Crutcher.

Do You Do Windows?--Anderson County, Lawrenceburg KY, Central KY

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:46:29 -0700

Do You Do Windows?--Anderson County, Lawrenceburg KY, Central KY

I hate to wash windows, but you know every now and again you have to if you want to see the world outside. But I'm not actually talking about my windows at home or the windows in your home. I'm talking about someone else's windows, like one of your listings. Oh, I have smeared around on the front door of one before or a patio door to get the smears and smudges gone before its being shown. But never have I done so many as I did right before an open house I was hosting.

You never know what lengths you will go to to make things right until you are faced with the problem of "smudges, dirt, etc".

Once I cleaned the front storm door, I cleaned the patio door, the window above the kitchen sink, then I continued throughout the house and did some mirrors. Then there were spider webs, so I found the broom and starting knocking those down. I wanted buyers to like this house and wanted an offer that day.

Well I only had one couple, but they did like the house and neighborhood and they ate my cookies and stayed for quite awhile. There is not an offer yet, but who knows, maybe they liked all the sunshine pouring in and well make an offer soon.

Never underestimate what you will do!

Reduced Price--Small Horse Ready Farm!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:42:06 -0700

Motivated Seller! Ready for your horses. Peace and quiet in the country! Great views from this country home sitting on 10+ acres with some plank and woven wire fencing and pasture for your horses. All electric with supplimental wood burning heat, large eat-in fully equipped kitchen, living room, three bedrooms, and a nice size bonus room that could also be a fourth bedroom or family room with room for a 2nd bath. One car attached garage, one car oversized detached garage with plenty of room for a workshop or equipment storage. Sit on the front porch and enjoy the countryside view or take a nice country walk. First-time homebuyers, this property is eligible for the $8000 federal tax credit.

Great Lawrenceburg Listing

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:37:17 -0700

Beautifully maintained split foyer home with 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths (one is a Jack & Jill), new laminate flooring and carpet, 2 decks for entertaining, fully equipped kitchen with new stainless appliances, new roof 2009, partialy finished basement with family room and bedroom, plenty of storage, extra large storage shed, lots of room for the money. Great family home, within walking distance of park, shopping and schools close by. Easy access to BG Parkway for the commuter. Call Melinda today to see this great property. Open house Saturday Sept 12th, 2:00 - 4:00.

Starting Up With Short Sales!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:27:05 -0700

Recently receiving my CDPE designation, I'm a little nervous to start advertising to list short sales. I have studied, read short-sale posts and articles, studied our local market for short-sales, and really want to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

As a listing agent for HUD, I have tons of buyers looking deals on a new home. Of course, in this market everyone wants a deal and ridiculously low offers are abundant.

Believe it or not, one of my fears is once my advertisement hits the local papers and internet that I will be totally overwhelmed with calls to list homes. Of course, I have to qualify the sellers first to see if they are willing to follow through with working closely with their lender to help the process go smoother and try their best to keep the property in showing condition.

Guess I need to put it out there and see what happens! Wish me luck with my new endeavor and hopefully I will be able to help at least a few distressed sellers from going into foreclosure!

Don't Underestimate The Buyers You Meet At A HUD Owned Property!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:53:54 -0700

HUD-HUD-HUD, seems like I have been living, eating and breathing HUD owned properties for the last 9 months! They have served me well though, keeping me going during the lean months of the winter and through the horrors of the housing market. All in all, I have met some very solid buyers that are not only looking for deals on HUD or foreclosed properties, but some have mentioned purchasing land or farms for future investment. Selling farms is what I love doing! I get to wear my jeans and boots, walk or 4-wheel over acres of farm land and enjoy the great feeling of being outside with nature.

I met my last buyers at a HUD owned property, who expressed an interest in purchasing a farm. Now, who would of thought on that Saturday afternoon as I stood outside a neglected house waiting for perspective buyers that a few weeks later, I would have a $500,000 deal in contract, paying cash no less? Not I, nor my husband, who was upset that I had once again taken off on a weekend to show houses to people that I had never met before. Well, you know, God works in strange ways and He has answered my prayers throughout my life more times than I can count or remember! I praise Him today for sending people into my life that makes it better and better.

Next time you feel aggravated because you you are being dragged out to show a property that will reap only a small commission that may not even pay for your gas, remember to ask the right questions, keep in touch and you may find yourself with a good deal down the road!

New Central KY Listing

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:10:16 -0700

3001 Briar Creek, Lawrenceburg KY. Absolutely spotless home in quiet neighborhood. Tiled foyer, eat-in kitchen with all appliances and lots of sunshine. The over-sized great room has a fireplace, laminate flooring and room for a dining area. There is a sunroom right off the great room with heat and air, leads onto a nice sized deck. The master bedroom also has laminate flooring. The master bath has an oversized garden type tub, double sinks, oak cabinets, shower and walk-in closet. There is a separate utility room, half-bath and drywalled two-car garage. On the second floor the large bonus room that would be perfect as a recreation area, library or space for kids. There is also two bedrooms with walk-in closets and a full bath upstairs. This home is in perfect move-in condition. Motivated seller!

The ABC's Of Selling HUD Owned Properties

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:06:21 -0700

On February 7th I blogged about HUD and what it actually was and how to go about selling HUD owned properties. Since that blog I have learned even more with every HUD deal I am involved with. The last offer was almost lost because of the wording in the preapproval letter. The bank had to revise three times. Once because their address was not on the letterhead, next time because their phone number was missing. When I finally think it is going to go through, I have to get the bank to change their verbage. The original letter basically said there credit rating was good for the loan, but ohhhh nooo, it has to actually say that there was a credit report done and the preapproval is based on that fact.

When you are submitting offers on a HUD owned property, make sure everything is dated the same, the buyer(s) name is signed the same throughout the paperwork, your broker has to sign the 9548 form and the LBP, you as the agent have certain places to sign also. Look closely for a couple of places to insert dates and for the buyer(s) to initial.

Don't loose a HUD deal over not dotting your i's and crossing your t's! I look over the HUD paperwork at least 5 or more times. You might be surprised that you skipped over an important section.

By the way, if you are in the Central Kentucky area, my expertise with HUD owned properties could help you get the deal. Let me handle the paperwork and specifics for you!

Pat Zaby Seminar--Great Info!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:19:29 -0800

Have you had the pleasure of seeing Pat Zaby, if not and if you have the chance you need to. I attended his seminar today at our local board and the tech info provided was awesome. One of the most awesome things he brought to our attention was Jott.com. Recently I was considering buying a digital recorder so that when I am driving down the road I can record info, instead of trying to write it down while driving 70 mph. Well, I don't need a digital recorder, I just need to set up an account on Jott, save the 866 number in my phone, call it with my 15 second message, and then it sends the message to me via my email. Too good to be true! You can also send a message or text to a group of people, creat to-do lists, and much more. This is great communication on the go!

Check it out, all for $3.95 a month. Anyway, if I used a digital recorder I would probably forget to listen to my reminders. :)

Success With Selling HUD Owned Properties

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:23:38 -0800

HUD, do you know what it stands for? If you do, then you probably have been involved in the sale of a HUD owned property. If not, it stands for Housing and Urban Development. HUD's mission is to increase home ownership, support community development, and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination. To fulfill this mission, HUD will embrace high standards of ethics, management and accountability and forge new partnerships--particularly with faith-based and community organizations--that leverages resources and improve HUD's ability to be effective on the community level.

How do you buy a HUD Home? First thing is to work with a HUD registered real estate broker agent within a HUD registered real estate office. If you already have an agent that you prefer to work with, but they are not HUD registered, your agent can work with the listing agent of the HUD Home you wish to purchase so your the offer process goes smoothly. When a property is first offered for sale, they initially are offered to owner-occupants (someone who is going to live in the home as their primary residence). After the initial offer period, if the home remains unsold it is then offered to all buyers, including investors. If I have an investor interested in a HUD Home, I have found that putting an offer in during the initial period is wise since there may not be an owner-occupant offer. If that is the case and the offer amount is within the parameters set, the investor has a good chance at purchasing the property.

How to find HUD Home listings? All properties are offered for sale on Internet listing sites and entered into your local MLS by the listing agent. I actually have a special link on my website www.LawrenceburgHomesInfo.com to one of these listing sites. There is good information there and you can search by city and state. Of course, if you know what phrases to look for on an MLS listing you can identify them by searching listings on your local MLS. HUD registered real estate brokers can help by sending you updates by email on new HUD listings. In our area, new listings are added once a week along with reduced price listings and listings that have had their offers or contracts canceled.

Are there Special Program? Yes there are! If you were a hurricane victim of Katrina, Rita, or Wilma HUD can sell you a HUD Home at a discount. There is also a program called "Good Neighbor Initiatives". This program offers fireman, law enforcement officers, teachers, emergency medical techs, nonprofit. and local governments certain properties at a reduced sales price. These special properties are usually not listed in your local MLS, but are offered for sale on Internet listing sites for a specific time frame before it is offered to the general public which includes investors.

What to do about inspections? I always recommend a home inspection, even though HUD Homes are sold "as-is, where-is" and they will not make repairs, a buyer needs to be aware of any major repair that may not be evident to the naked eye. A home inspector can uncover and find defects that the rest of us don't know how or where to find them. Termite inspections are required by FHA loans and if there is no evidence that the property has been treated recently, you need to get an inspection no matter the type of loan you are getting.

Financing? HUD does not offer financing. Some HUD Homes qualify for FHA-insured loans so you need to shop around for the best rates. One incentive that HUD offers is a $100 down-payment if you are obtaining an FHA loan. Not all lenders will go for the $100 down-payment though. The typical amount to have for a down-payment on an FHA loan is 3.5%. Most lenders now-a-days feel that a buyer needs to bring something to the closing table. Their research has shown that buyers bringing money to the table are less likely to default on their loan. Several HUD Homes qualify for 203b FHA loan with escrow. This means that HUD has identified some repairs that the home needs, such as HVAC, carpet, paint, plumbing repairs, etc. This loan allows the borrower to add the dollar amount HUD has determined it would take to make these repairs to their mortgage loan, this amount is less than $5000. There is also an FHA 203k loan. This loan allows the borrower to borrow repair money which is $5000 or more for repairs and is included in their mortgage loan. HUD does not list these repairs and if this type of loan is used you have to stabilize or replace lead-based paint in older homes along with the other repairs, if it hasn't already been taken care of. There are other loans such as conventional, rural housing

How long do you have to close on a HUD Home? If you are paying cash, you have 30-days. For a FHA 203b, 203b with escrow, or conventional loan you are given 45-days. When obtaining an FHA 203k loan you have 60-days to close. If you can not close because of loan issues or something viable, you can request an extension but they can charge a daily rate for not closing on time if you don't have a good reason.

Remove the stress? The process of purchasing a HUD Home is very different than purchasing regular homes for sale or even a bank-owned home. Several Realtors have lost offers because they were not aware of the ins-and-outs of putting in offers on HUD Homes and the time specific process. I offer my expertise to other Realtors by doing the paperwork and making sure the offer and contract periods go smoothly. In these instances, I never meet their buyers, I prepare the paperwork, enter the bids and advise the buyers agent on time specific procedures. If you are an agent in the Central Kentucky area, I can take the stress of the process off by working with you during the bidding and contract period.

Some of the information in this blog was taken from the HUD website, www.hud.gov, so that the information given is accurate.

The Key Just Doesn't Fit!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:59:19 -0800

Last Saturday I pulled in the driveway of a foreclosure to preview for a client. There was an SUV in the driveway and when I got out of my truck they also go out. I asked if they were there to show the house or meet with a Realtor. He said no, but that the listing Realtor had given him the lockbox code but he couldn't get it to open. (In my opinion giving someone other than a Realtor, appraiser, or home inspector a lockbox code is a NO NO!) I told him and his wife that they could come in while I was there. While looking around the house we talked about the market and what a mess the house was in. He mentioned that he was an investor looking to purchase several foreclosures and I'm not talking the low dollar $30-40K, he is looking for some nice properties to purchase and flip.

Of course, we exchanged cards and I told them of my experience with foreclosures and HUD's. By the time I reached home, he had emailed me asking for me to set up a couple of showings. Well, today I drove 45 minutes to show him a property that is going to be auctioned. I open the lockbox get the key out, it opened the deadbolt but not the handle lock, I fidgeted and twisted and pulled on the lock for a good 10 minutes, all in 20 degree weather with the wind blowing 30 mph, tried it on the back door, no luck.

Embaressed and cold I felt the listing agent had betrayed me, caused me grave damage, that this guy and his wife would think I was an idiot. They were nice about it and actually kept apologizing to me since I had driven so far, which like most of you I will drive lots farther than that to try and make a sale.

We sat in their SUV, warmed up and looked at the comps I had pulled on the property which we were sitting in front of. They had printed off a couple of other listings I had sent and we will see those tomorrow. Say a prayer for me that the keya will open the locks, looking like an idiot two days in a row won't help my relationship with this couple. If it happens again, I will invest in a set of lock picks!

Distressed Property Designation--To Do Or Not To Do Is The Question????

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:47:39 -0800

I have been researching the possibility of taking a Distressed Property Designation course, since all I have been showing and selling have been foreclosures. My broker has teamed with another Exit office in listing HUD foreclosures so I have been picking up some decent buyers looking for a deal. The buyers have been a mix of investors and owner/occupants.

The course I am looking at is offered by CDPE and I have read some good reviews through RealTown.com. The question is, will it help me through the negotiation process of foreclosures and short-sales? Seems that each one is different depending on what mortgage company, bank or third-party entity is negotiating the offer. The designation course is not too awfully expensive, but it is not recognized yet by our local board and I don't know if it ever will.

HUD uses a third-party vendor to accept bids and mess with all the paperwork. My first couple of deals were real stressors! If the paperwork is not absolutely perfect they can and do cancel your contract and there you are trying to explain to your client that you didn't date something or have them sign the correct line. Seems like the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae's are easier to work with and their addendums are not so detailed.

Some of my client's have gotten beaten out because of cash offers, these are usually investors, even though our offer was at least listed price or more. This too is very frustrating and it doesn't matter if your buyer is good-as-gold with their financing or not, they take a cash offer over anything else. Lately, I have been advising clients to get a home equity loan on their home or investment property so they can make a cash offer. One bank in our town can actually issue a certified check for the mortgage loan and close in 14 days instead of going through all the red tape, that is, if the client is approved and not just preapproved. I have yet to have that happen, but hopefully it will save one of my deals in the future!

Foreclosures are taking over our market and everyone I know that has some extra cash is wanting a deal. Showing foreclosure listings will work you hard and I have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it. You have to close more to make the same we were making a couple of years ago and the buyers are looking forever-in-a-day. I do enjoy the time I spend with clients though, I guess it is that I am such a people person and could talk with someone from now till doomsday.

Let's get though 2009, say our daily prayers, hope the market settles down, get our education for the present day market, hope that gas prices stay down, and take care of our families, ourselves and our clients! Wishing everyone a fantastic year!

e-PRO--Finally!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:20:19 -0800

Since I am fairly techy I thought my first real estate designation should be e-PRO. At first I worked at least 30 minutes a day on the online course. Then other things got in the way and I just periodically worked on it, well my time ran out and I had to extend it. Being the procrastinator I can be at times, I thought I had plenty of room to finish and not be stressed. When I logged on to e-PRO last week I realized there was only 7 days left. I feverishly worked on finishing and actually took the last test at 11:35 pm on my last day before having to extend my time, again. Whew, just under the wire!

Good new though, I did pass and am now an e-PRO. The course was very informative and enjoyable. I have put several of the suggestions about my website, blogging and email marketing in effect and have seen small leaps and bounds in online referrals. I do recommend to everyone, even if they aren't utilizing the internet with a website and email marketing. Quite a bit of the information can be put into effect with traditional marketing.

My next step is to receive my ABR, since it seems buyers are my market right now. In the past I enjoyed working with sellers more, but with the market being out-of-sorts buyers are my choice right now. Most sellers still think there property is the best and they want top dollar. The values in our area are down 34% from this time last year and sellers don't want to hear that their house isn't worth what is was. There are several out there that do realize they need to wait until the market settles down and when that happens I will be waiting to list their home.

I hope everyone has a great 2009 and goes beyond their own expectations of sales and contacts!

Promises You Can Deliver!!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:36:00 -0700

As you know, most of us like to be people-pleasers and will do just about anything to give our clients, friends, and family what they need or want. Saying yes to every whim or request. Sometimes we make promises in the "heat of the moment" that we may have a hard time keeping. At times, I find myself so overextended that I'm grumpy, gripey and just plain tired just because I made too many promises. So lately I have been committed to keeping my schedule and being extra careful with what I am promising my clients, other agents, community entities, and my family.

I wonder why I make promises that may be unrealistic to my business? Do you think it may be that I want to be the hero, the deliverer of the impossible, to get the listing, to get the buyer, or just in hopes of getting the business? Sometimes, when I'm wondering why I didn't get the listing, or the buyer, or the business, the reason may be that I am trying to make promises that I believe another agent may be making. It should not be my position to try and compete to fulfill what another agent has promised a potential client. So my new commitment is to my values and what I can bring to the client, not to make unreasonable promises that another agent may or may not have made.

Competing for business is just part of the sales dynamics. Believing in the value I offer and convey to a potential client will hopefully keep me from making unreasonable promises to get the business. Especially with the market in its present condition, none of us want to be making promises that will be hard to keep. If I can't keep a promise it will make my client angry and then I will more than likely lose the business anyway.

So if I make resonable promises and overdeliver, it makes me the hero, gets me the business and creates a great business relationship that hopefully will continue over the years. That is a whole lot less stressful than overextending myself with promises that I'm not sure that I can keep. This will also keep my self esteem up since I won't be feeling bad that I let someone down with an unrealistic promise!

Let's all get out there and keep our promises realistic and simple and get the business!

Community Involvement and Volunteering!

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:45:48 -0700

Our Relay for Life is this Friday night, July 11th, in Anderson County, Kentucky. Helping contribute to this cause gives me an awesome feeling as does alot of the volunteering that I do. Even when a person is a cancer survivor they are living each day with the thought of "when can or will it come back". Giving of our money and time is a very small contribution to help with their recovery.

Realtors seem to be a giving bunch, and I am very proud of the activities that my brokerage, the boards I belong to, KY Assoc. of Realtors and NAR take part in. Volunteering also puts you out there to be able to assist buyer and sellers. It should not be the #1 reason you volunteer though! The feelings of your heart and the desire to want to help another person, animal, or situation should be the drive behind your volunteerism. Networking should always come secondary and just be a bi-product of your community involvement.

We have volunteered with various organizations and churches for a variety of causes. Last Christmas Day my husband, grandson and myself volunteered with CALM to help feed over 200 people. It is a "helper's high" feeling when you have connected with someone that may otherwise have gone hungry or spent Christmas alone. It makes you feel a whole lot more thankful for your own family and what you have! During the school year I chair a bi-weekly support group meeting for grandparents raising grandchildren, and if I have only helped one grandparent find resources or help with legal issues, it has been worth the investment.

Did you know that a youth is more likely to volunteer than an adult? They volunteer at twice the rate as an adult. Youth who volunteer are less likely to have risky behavior, hey tdo better in school, and feel more of a connection to their community than youth who do no community involvement. They usually volunteer out of altruism, having strong feelings of "wanting to do for others" or "to make the world a better place to live". Youth who have a mentor that introduces and encourages volunteerism is three times more likely to volunteer on a regular basis when they reach adulthood.

Helping the Humane Society is a very rewarding opportunity also. There are thousands of dogs and cats in the US that are wandering around unsafe. This makes for unsafe situations with people when there are wild dogs running loose. I have heard several reports of packs of wild dogs attacking children while riding their bikes or playing in their own yards. Volunteering to temporarily house an animal is one way to keep pets from being euthanized and help with the overflowing population that is being housed in overcrowded dog pounds.

Give back to your community, often and sincerely!

Grand To Be A Grand In Kentucky

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:32:42 -0700

My husband and I are raising our grandson, Jacob, who is now 7. He has lived with us since he was 18 months old. Believe it or not, that change in our lives is what brought me into Real Estate. The thought of having control of my schedule and time off when I needed it was very appealing. Well, as most of you know it really doesn't work that way and Jacob is with me on showings, closings, listings appointments, and the list goes on. Even at 7 he can almost read a listing contract without any help.

It is working out well though and he is very well-behaved, receives cards from several of my clients and has become friends with their children. Funny how one life change brings on another and things just snowball from their. He probably has been instrumental in a lot of my referrals by telling people that "Grandma is the best real estate agent in the town". He goes door knocking with me and doesn't say a thing, just stands there and smiles that big smile and bats his long eyelashes at them and I have never had a door slammed in my face yet!

I have gotten involved in sponsoring his baseball team, all the while asking for referrals and having quite a bit of success with it. Community involvement has been something that has help my business tremendously and we continue to find new charities and people to help. He did a fundraiser for The Relay for Life by participating in the Pink Lemonade Brigade. He sold 120 cans of Crayon Lemonade in 2 hours and 5 minutes in front of our Kroger store and raised $143.68. Boy I think I may be in the wrong business, that's a pretty good turnover for the time spent. We both enjoyed ourselves and he even got to visit with some of his friends that he hadn't seen since summer break started.

A lot of people in our community know who I am because of Jacob. Never underestimate the power of a child, they can be very convincing and at times adults will actually hear what they are saying instead of what the adult is saying. There are lots of grandparents out there raising their grandchildren for one reason or another and during the school year I have a support group meeting once a month to try and help grandparents navigate the court system and get them in touch with agencies to help them with finances and such. The resources in the State of KY are very few for these grandparents, so helping them get what they need is very fulfulling for me.

We enjoy the feeling of community that we get when we are out talking to people about real estate and and socializing. Jacob is a very social child and loves to talk, if he didn't have to sleep he would talk 24/7. Of course, real estate agents love to talk so he fits right in with the agent profile. He is part of the Exit Realty Crutcher Team and may someday be a real estate agent for sure, even though I believe he is headed for bigger and better things such as Kentucky Governor or maybe even US President! Politicians love to talk too and he was a big fan of Governor Ernie Fletcher!

Being a Real Estate agent has been good to us and it has given me some flexibility to be able to attend ballgames and school functions. If I had been working a traditional job, it may have been difficult to volunteer at school and run him in the summertime to various camps and such. Having your children involved in your business can be a good thing and will help teach them how to behave in different situations. He also gets paid for shredding documents for me, marketing, helping wash my truck and taking out my trash at the office.

It is Grand to be Grand, we wouldn't have it any other way!

Central Kentucky Market Holding Up Nicely

Melinda Earlywine (Century 21 Commonwealth RE) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:43:40 -0700

The media has tried everything to put a negative spin on our local market, but even so I have been as busy as ever. Buyers are looking forever though and more time is needed to cultivate relationships.

Out-of-state buyers are flooding into Central Kentucky and searching for deals on farms and land. The 2010 Equestrian Games are bringing some of these buyers and they are permanently relocating from everywhere. This is the first time in history that the games have been held outside of Europe, which I believe is really a big deal. Kentucky is such a "horse friendly" state and tons of revenue is generated from thoroughbred racing to horse shows at local county fairs. Most of the state parks have trails for riding and you can take riding lessons almost anywhere now. There is a breeding incentive fund offered to horse breeders which redirects sales tax collected on stallion stud fees back to the horsmen who support Kentucky's signature industry. Kentucky just loves horses and of course UK basketball!

Most of the out-of-state buyers have property or farms to sell elsewhere and there are a few I have been working with for over a year or more. I stay in touch with them no less than weekly, if only sending a short note to say hi and ask if there has been any activity on their property. Seems like most of them are coming from a very down market, such as Florida, Michigan, California and New Hampshire with their price ranges being above $500,000 to $2,000,000.

People involved with horses have always fascinated me, they are a breed that for the most part are down-to-earth and love to stay busy. We have four horses, three being Quarter Horse Paints and one is an old Arabian. They are just "yard pets" and are not riden, but having them to take care of makes me feel warm and fuzzy. They wait at the gate in the mornings so they can get an apple or some sweet feed, but since they are so fat they can't run up the hill, their treats are limited. There is always a boss and ours is Bandi and she likes to keep the other three away from anyone that is going to feed or pet them. She is just plain "bossy".

If you plan on visiting Kentucky or are just curious, you need to check out the Kentucky Tourism website. You can visit all the race track sites, find out about events and festivals, see some awesome horse pictures, download a visitors brochure and much more. Of course, if you do visit you are going to want to move here and I am a great tour guide and can find you the right home or farm! Visit my website www.melindaearlywine.com and even though I am in Kentucky and not Kansas I think you will like the spin it has. It is fairly new, so I still need to do some tweaking, but it is already getting some good activity.

Everyone have a great day and come visit Kentucky soon!