Heidi Marshall's Blog

Social Networking Warnings

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:14:31 -0600

I love Facebook, I love Twitter, LinkedIn, and on and on my list goes.

But I have to say, I had a bad day with FB today when I was out and about and checked my phone to see that someone had sent me a message about a possible message I had sent them.

Subject matter: NOT to be discussed in the presence of minors.

I was horrified that anyone I was friends with could have possibly been sent some icky adult themed message with my picture next to it like I actually sent it to them. So, I decided to investigate and wanted pass on some information to my fellow Social Networker extraordinaires in the Real Estate Business.

Tip 1:

If you get a Facebook message from a friend you don't usually hear from DON'T OPEN THEIR MESSAGE!! I haven't seen any information on the web about getting or speading a virus just by opening the message, but I'd like to recommend weighing on the side of caution and just DELETE the message all together. Matter of fact, if it's someone you haven't heard from in a while and they are sending you a link, it's probably SPAM of PHISHING.

Recommendation: Delete the message and send them one or write on their wall to see if they really sent you a message about _______ topic? If they didn't, then you know it was your best judgement to not open that message and look, you reconnected!!

Tip 2:

If you get a Facebook message from someone that has a TON of other names attached to it, and has some outrageous subject matter unlike your personality as they know you, probably PHISHING.

Recommendation: REPLY ALL to the message and state the truth in your own words, then REPORT AS SPAM to notify Facebook staff immediately.

Tip 3:

If you see a link that doesn't start with http://www then you may not want to EVER click on that. The one I received started out with something other than that and it just didn't feel right. Gut feeling is usually right on.

Recommendation: If you get those links, avoid them like the plague!!! Go to google and in the search just start typing the first few characters and see what options you get. I don't recommend actually going to the page but usually the description will give an indication of the type of site it is.

Social Networking is an amazing part of our business so we never want to have our reputation tainted by an irritation like these. So always be cautious!

Good luck everyone!

Heidi

2nd Annual Erie Commons Food Drive

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:49:33 -0500

After a couple rounds of flu and colds, my business partner, Becky Coet and I managed to wrap up our 2nd annual Erie Commons Food Drive and collected around 600lbs of food for the Erie Food Bank.

Our goal was to beat last year's total of 800lbs but unfortunately, with the downturn in the economy, we weren't able to make it but, once we arrived at the food bank and started sorting out the food with their staff, we realized that quantity doesn't matter as much as quality.

Many residents of the community made special trips to the local stores and purchased items just to contribute to the drive. We were overwhelmed by the amount of thought and heart that our neighbors put into their donations.

Becky and I stayed at the food bank to help the few ladies sort the food we brought in. We had 3 huge areas of bags and it was amazing to see the systems they had in place.

Sort each canned item, then separate them by expiration date...and on and on it went.

It was a real eye opener to see all they had to do just to be able to give to the members of the community who needed their efforts the most. We appreciate them allowing us to give this year.

If you want to learn more about the Erie Food Bank, visit www.eriespark.com . You will find information about their needs and who to contact to donate your time.

We truly enjoyed donating again this year and look forward to making this a yearly tradition in our community.

2nd Annual Erie Commons Food Drive

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:19:06 -0500

As a follow up to last years success, Becky Coet and myself decided to continue with the tradition of giving back to our community! As members of Keller Williams-The Red Door Group, we always want to be agents constantly give back to the communities we service.

We have teamed up with the Erie Food Bank this year and are looking forward to delivering over 800lbs of food and other food bank items. With our community continually growing, we know we can exceed last year's donations and look forward to increasing what we can collect from the community each year!

This is such a feel good activity for us and we look forward to doing this each year!!

We will be delivering bags donated by local grocers by Friday, October 16th to have residents of our community fill them up with items from their pantry. We will then head out by 9am on Thursday, October 22nd to pick up the bags to deliver to the food bank. It's such an easy way for our community to contribute to such a great facility.

If you'd like to participate or have any questions, we would love to hear from you!

Email at: heidi@thereddoorgroup.com if you'd like to participate with us!

It Takes a Village

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:16:45 -0500

When I started in this business a whopping 1 year ago. I had set my goals pretty high and half way through my first year, I thought, maybe they were a little too high? It took me 6 months to have my first closing and I was seriously thinking I did this at the wrong time in my life.

But as a lover of Dr. Seuss, I stumbled into my daughters book library and found "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" It added a new motivation!!

My goals went something like:

1. Make ________ amount of $$!

2. Have _______ buyers,

3. Have _______ sellers,

4. Get ________ certifications,

5. Attend _______ meetings

You get my point...there were a ton of blanks to fill in!!

Well, although some of those still have yet to be determined...I did accomplish one that I never wrote down because I thought it was impossible...

2009 NORTH METRO DENVER REALTOR ASSOCIATION

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!!!

I finally realized something as I went up to accept my award!

I FINALLY FOUND WHERE I BELONG!!

I could never have done this alone, it truly does take a village...

My husband has been so supportive of me doing this for so many years and I truly couldn't have done it without him! He is my rock, and I love him very much!!

I started this journey in 2001 working with a builder and working with my mentor, friend, and all around amazing girl, Amy Ballain!! If it weren't for her always being a shoulder to cry on, a true leader, and the most amazing friend, I don't think I could have accomplished this in my entire career!! She truly is amazing!!

Another special moment was to receive this from the prior year winner who is someone I had worked with during the builder days...Ben Ellefson. As he gave me a big hug, he told me, "enjoy it, and help other new agents!"

I WILL!!

I have a new perspective and it's amazing how much good MOJO is in the air right now, I feel on top of the world and I'm truly grateful for all that I've been blessed with this past year!

So for all you new agents out there! Lean on those who are there for you and if you reach out your hand, chances are, someone is reaching back!! I always want to make a difference and be there for others as they have been there for me!!

THANK YOU TO MY REALTOR COMMUNITY! IT TRULY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE AND I ADORE ALL OF YOU!!

heidi :)

Improved Price in Vista Ridge!!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:15:46 -0500

Check out a New and Improved Price on a stunning home in Vista Ridge!!

1731 Crestview Lane

Erie, CO 80516

$419,900

(a $20,000 price improvement)

This home won't last long at this price, you won't want to miss out on this opportunity!!

2713 Square Feet

4 Bedrooms

2 1/2 Baths (one even includes a Laundry Chute)

Great Garage Area that is Heated, Sealed Floor, and a Work/Storage Space (great for anyone that wants that room outside)

Stunning Rear Yard with a Vegetable Garden, Yoga Pad, and Outdoor Kitchen

Please give me a call at 303-601-7016 or check it out on the MLS# 811507

Tax Credit Extension- Real or Rumor??

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:44:37 -0500

So I've been hearing rumblings and reading articles around about a possible extensioin of the tax credit that is currently in place until December 1st (technically November 30th if you want to be picky).

I have mixed feelings about this, if it is being uttered amongst the community. Right now, buyers are feeling a push to get into a new home by the deadline because the expectation was that the credit would expire. This is good.

If it gets extended there are some factors to consider:

1. What if its better than the current credit? Well, that would definitely be a point of contention for the buyers who have already closed on homes in order to receive the current credit. Thankfully, it sounds like this will not be the case, but its definitely something to prepare our clients for right?

2. Will the urgency disappear with current buyers? Okay, so if it's decided to extend it, and buyers are rushing to find a home now in order to meet the current deadline, will this delay their urgency to the point they will possibly slow down and back off from homes they are currently considering?

3. If it doesn't get extended, what happens to the increase in home sales? I have to admit, I think that the credit has definitely helped the economy. To see an increase this past year has been pretty astounding. I personally worry that if this doesn't get extended, there will be a drop because there is no motivating factor around purchasing a home (some buyers still don't realize the long term benefits of home ownership so if the government needs to use the credit like a carrot, so be it, at least it gets some movement.)

I'm sure there are other factors to consider with this and it may be an ongoing debate for our fearless leaders...I'm all for whatever will help us do our jobs and help buyers get into a home...as Tim Gunn would say... "MAKE IT WORK".

Heidi :)

Erie Colorado, a new Wildlife Destination??

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:43:09 -0500

Last week was a very strange week. I was on my way back from working with a client in Aurora when I noticed a large animal near the bridge on Erie Parkway. I looked over and low and behold...

A MOOSE!!!

Not a deer, or an elk, or a large dog, an actual MOOSE! (yes, these are animals that people thought I may have seen instead)

Now, I consider myself an outdoorsy girl and pride myself on my knowledge of the outdoors, but never in my life have I come across a live moose...I was so excited I ran inside and told my husband and he thought i was kidding too.

Now I know its a long drive from Aurora but why would I dream up a story about seeing a moose as a way to start a conversation?

So the next day I was constantly looking out my dining room window and staring into the field waiting to see another sighting. I was being doubted so much that I was actually starting to doubt my own eyes and think "did I really see a moose in Erie or am I seeing thing?"

Sure enough, the Erie Police Department and the Division of Wildlife (DOW) were out combing the area by Coal Creek because they got a call that morning from two men that were working nearby.

Both myself and my hubby went out with phones and cameras waiting to catch a glimpse of the magical moose that I SWEAR I saw!

A few hours later, a lot of waiting and a few Nutrigrain Bars donated to the Erie PD officers and the moose, my moose, emerged from the creek. By this time, the DOW had a horse trailer, a vet, and a tranquilizer gun to safely move her from our little town back into the mountains where she rightly belonged.

I got some great pictures and sent them into 9NEWS and sure enough, it made the 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10 o'clock news that night...I was so proud. The DOW and the police department were so kind to all of us spectators and allowed the adults and kids to get up close to our rare visitor.

So...not only does Erie provide a fantastic community, it also provides a taste of wildlife!!

Have A Great Day!!

Heids :)

Getting Back to Basics, I'm ready, Are You??

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:12:49 -0500

I once had this crazy notion that money grew on trees and that my worth was dependant on the amount of "stuff" I had to show how valueable I was...

MAN...WAS THAT A MISTAKE!

Well, I've had the wind taken from my sails since the years of wastefulness and overindulging. I left a nice salary, my husband was "let go" from a steady job and we had to scrimp and save to make our mortgage. He got a job waiting tables, went down to basic cable, sold excess that we didn't neet, you name it! And we totally relied on family to help us with our then little one while we worked our tails off. But in all honesty, it was a brisk smack in the face that we needed to get back to basics and I'm thankful for that!

I wasn't raised in excess, my folks worked their _____ off for everything they had and you know, I had a pretty darn nice childhood! Do I want my daughter to grow up thinking that everything gets handed to you when you're a grown up??

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

(This photo was taken just after my dad completed 12 grueling weeks of radiation treatments for throat cancer, yet another time he worked his ____ off...so proud of my dad!)

This is what's important!

This past week I was watching the TODAY SHOW the other day and they had the author Kurt Anderson talking about his book "Reset" which pretty much discusses that we should all make our lives simpler and get back to the basics. I'm going to pick it up and really dive into it but wanted to share it with all of you in case you feel the need to do a little re-evaluating yourself...

If the economy wasn't in the state that its in right now, would you re-evaluate your current lifestyle?

I then received an email from my dear friend and mentor, Amy Ballain, who passed on a message she received from a Jack Canfield book. I couldn't help but think that some higher power was telling me to just keep on the track that I'm on?? Maybe?? I'm always re-evaluating what I'm doing to get on a better path, it's just me.

But you know, I'm truly glad I got smacked in the face financially. I now have a greater appreciation for the things I have. I can say now, that if I won the lottery today, I'd live the same way tomorrow. I wouldn't spend money on expensive clothes, I wouldn't drive a fancy car, and I'd probably still clip coupons and shop at Costco every 2 weeks.

(this is considered a big night out now :)

I love my house, I'm proud of our "used" cars (the one pictured is my hubby's :), and I'll brag all day long about the workout pants I got at Target for 60% off! This is who I am and I'm glad I'm back to basics.

And last, I think this has made me a better agent because I GET IT! I know what it feels like to want something so bad that you sacrifice material things to get that special something! So next time you go shopping in a high end store, think of the Sheryl Crow lyrics that said,

"it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

Good luck out there everyone!! I GET IT!!

Heidi :)

Disclaimer: The photo of the book above is used to get the word out about the book. In no way am I using the information provided in the book as my own, I was merely inspired by the topic of the book. I hope that more readers pick this up and are inspired by it's message.

The Future is Bright for Erie!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:24:12 -0500

On July 29th the Mayor and the Trustees of Erie held a State of the Town meeting open to the public and it was a great turnout. Attendees were informed of the bright future in store for the town and what a great bunch of people working diligently to truly make Erie the next place to call home!

Topics that were discussed at this meeting ranged from the Erie Airport to new Urban Level Development followed by a Q and A session that nearly every attendee chimed in on.

As a resident of Erie and an active member in the community, I felt it was truly necessary to know what the future holds for the town. Growing up in a small town, its difficult to see too many changes that can make that small town, bigger, and often times less desirable to the residents, but I have to commend the Mayor and the Trustees for their diligent efforts to make Erie a hub for residents as well as commercial growth as well as maintaining a "small town" feel and community.

Some notes that I took are as follows:

Community Park Update: Currently under construction and will run to the adjacent areas to the East and North of the Erie Community Center. This is the last capital improvement before the next elections and the park is scheduled to be completed in the Spring of 2010.

Public Relations: Numerous Surveys were conducted by the Ayers PR firm to study the perceptions of the town and how to better understand and target those misconceptions (if applicable). The Town of Erie wants to see how others perceive Erie and use those results to create a marketing campaign about the town.

Trails Systems: This topic was a hot button for many active, outdoors lovers. The trails systems surrounding Erie are expanding and the town is working on getting many communities connected to the town itself.

Trustees are working hard to get more transportation to and from Erie from the Northern Colorado area. This will include changes to I-25 and Hwy 287. $733,000 of stimulus funds are being used to complete bike lanes from the heart of Erie out to I-25 to eventually allow for less commuter car traffic and allow residents to bus and/or lightrail from Erie to Denver. For more information click here to see the town's progress.

Urban Development has also been a highly discussed topic around town. The location for this is tentatively South of Thomas Reservoir. At this current time, it has been accepted but it's just a matter of when the housing market will allow for construction to commence.

I look forward to hearing about all the updates on these matters and hope that this was a resource for those of you looking at Erie as your new community!

Vista Ridge Beauty Just Listed!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:29:57 -0500

1731 Crestview Lane

MLS #783616

This home is nestled in the beautifully master planned community of Vista Ridge. Tennis Courts, Community Pool, and the Colorado National Golf Course only feet away.

This beautiful 2 story home has just over 2700 finished square feet and includes a full, unfinished basement.

Many thoughtful details have been added to this home such as:

* Laundry Chute at Main Upper Bath

* Outdoor Kitchen complete with a Gas Grill, Sink with Hot/Cold running water, and a Beer Fridge.

* Vegetable Garden

* Yoga area that looks over Stunning views of the foothills.

So many more lovely features to take in, visit the virtual tour for more details!http://vu.realbiz360.com//Listing-176146.html

Erie Farmer's Market

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:17:24 -0500

Erie has just started a Farmer's Market and it runs each Saturday from 8am to 12noon.

There are local vendors and this is a great place to get to know your community!

It's located off Briggs in the parking lot of the Blackjack Pizza.

Come on down and meet some of the vendors!

Heidi

Open House Series Part 3 of 3

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:00:44 -0600

Hello again my fellow Active Rainers. This is the final part of my Open House series, I hope that you have been able to find some helpful hints throughout this. The last few points really touch on some bonus points, they may be no brainers to some and a light-bulb-over-the-head for others. Thanks so much for reading the series and I look forward to hearing from you!

NO TOUCHY!!

9. No matter what, people are going to touch things. You'd be amazed how many people just plop down on a bed or couch, it's almost like they forget what they are shopping for. With this in mind, touching tends to come along with the visual appeal of the home. Everyone loves to touch a granite countertop or stainless steel appliance. Be sure the home is clean and dusted. Touching is inevitable. If you don't want anyone to sit on your satin comforter, I recommend that they switch it out while the Open House is taking place. Agents should always accompany visitors through the house, not only as a guide, but a guardian.

10. Temperature. Yet another way to welcome visitors into the home is by making the home comfortable. If there is snow on the ground and it's chilly outside, turn on the fireplace (if it's gas of course) and create a little mood with the fire. On the other hand, if it's warm enough outside, turn on the A/C. This not only makes the home more comfortable, it's a subtle way to show that another feature is included in the home.

Ah, the sound of music

11. If you are holding an open house in an empty home, it's always nice to bring a little music. Not only does it keep you company, but it also welcomes visitors to the home. If the home has built in surround sound, this is a great opportunity to show off this feature.

Try not to have the latest music on your playlist that consists of offensive and obscene language, that will not welcome visitors and it certainly doesn't make you look very professional in the eyes of your sellers. Music that people can hum along to or just feel at home listening too is great. I pretty much take my iPod, shuffle the songs, put in a portable speaker box (if there is no access to the stereo system and such) and it's great.

That's it!! Remember, you are representing the home and you should have it show as well. Take the time to check everything before you leave such as, windows, side doors, garage doors, crawl spaces, etc. Leave the home the way you left it and just take care of it. If you brought things with you, take them so you don't leave your clutter in someone else's home.

If you need a visual example, visit a model home complex nearby and see how it's done. These sales representatives take exceptional care of their models and we can learn a lot from their time on site. I know I did and I cherish that training each and every day!!

Best of luck to all of you sellers and agents!

Heidi

Open House Series Part 2 of 3

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:06:23 -0600

Now that you've prepared the outside of the home for the Open House, it's time to make the inside SHINE!

KNOCK, KNOCK!!

4. Vacant Homes. When homes are empty, you may want to place some furniture in the home to give an idea of what furniture looks like...kind of like giving a scale to visitors so they can say, "that is like the size of our bed" or "if they can fit that in here, then our couch will fit too"...get them thinking about how their belongings will live in the home too. If doing this is not possible, maybe provide dimensions (which may be listed in MLS) of each room so they can measure their existing furniture to see if it will work. Most people don't want to have to purchase new furniture along with the new home.

5. Occupied Homes: Many sellers tend to remain in the home until it sells, makes sense, no need to move if you really don't need to right? Everyone's tastes are different...this is SO IMPORTANT. If you have a rustic taste in your home, don't force your taste on someone who is very modern. Neutral is usually better but the definition of this is open to interpretation. Embrace their differences. Now, if there is a puke-green wall in the living room and it just sticks out like a sore thumb and visitors negatively comment on it frequently, you may want to mention that to your sellers and they can decide whether or not to change it, in my past experience, most tend to repaint over the undesired color, but definitely leave the decision to them to save yourself some possible stress between you and your sellers. Some visitors just cannot look past wall color, carpet, furniture, you name it. Your job is to overcome those objections and get them to look at the shape, size, functionality, of the home, get them to visualize THEIR things in place of the existing ones.

Here is an example of a color that may not appeal to some people, but it is my bathroom and I'm not planning on moving so I have no need to change it :) haha

Another trick that some builders and agents will do is go through the home and make signs pointing out features that visitors should pay extra attention to. For example, if the home has a finished basement, you may want to place a sign on the door leading to the basement that says "Finished Basement, take a look!" or something to make them want to go downstairs.

I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT!!

6. Lighting: If you are in a home that tends to be dark, open the blinds, turn on some lights, make the home shine!! If there is a beautiful chandelier in the dining room, turn the lights on. Pendant lights are amazing over an island...they brighten up the area and really draw your eye in...if your eyes are focused on them, you naturally want to walk in and take a closer look. Turn lights on in bathrooms and closets, turn them on where you think a visitor would be drawn to. Master bathroom lights are great, especially in showers (clean ones only, if there is a lot of clutter, don't focus on that area)

Follow Your Nose

7. We used to bake cookies in the models and you'd be amazed at the response. If a home smells good, you naturally want to find out where it comes from. Be sure they don't get too sidetracked trying to find the smelly stuff, keep them on track and show them the home.

Now, you don't have to mix up a batch of Toll House cookies to make the house smell good, there are some amazing air fresheners out these days, pick up a couple inexpensive ones and keep them on hand. You can also coordinate with the seller on this too. Some people may be sensitive to fragrance so I recommend leaning towards the more subtle, natural fragrances like vanilla, sugar cookies, etc. My personal favorites are the Wallflowers from Bath and Body Works (they have awesome sales on these often).

Place one right by the front door, and 1 upstairs in 2 story homes. For Ranch plans, place one by the front door and toward the back of the home. The scent will go throughout the home and be lovely!

8. MMM, MMM GOOD! Depending on the time of year, it's nice to offer refreshments or a little snack. You'd be amazed at how sellers are open to baking or buying something for people to enjoy while they tour the home. Suggest this to your seller and let them decide of course...that's is the golden rule! The home is still theirs and they will be the best to decide whether or not they want chocolate chips in and around their furniture, you want to take into account the little ones that come along with their parents.

Sometimes having a pitcher of water with lemon (or cucumber is really refreshing and different) available during the warm weather months is best. Provide cups that aren't breakable. By having this, it also allows them to work around the kitchen to see how it feels to them. It's really a test drive and you'd be amazed at how well this goes over. The Kitchen is truly the heart of the home and if it doesn't feel right on a tour, it won't feel right when they move in.

That is all for part 2...the final part of the series will touch on more aspects of the interior of the home! You can always contact me if you want more ideas or some clarification on any of these points! I'm always here to help my fellow Active Rainers!!

Heidi :)

Open House Series Part 1 of 3

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:45:32 -0600

Holding Open Houses when a home is listed for sale can be both helpful, and if not done properly, hurtful. Open Houses are a fantastic, cost effective way, to market a property but it truly does need the combined efforts of both the seller and the listing agent.

I've had many years of sitting on site as a builder representative and have seen what works and what doesn't. Now that I'm on my own in the real estate industry, I take a lot of my experience from working in model homes to individual seller's homes. Here are a few tips that I feel can make your Open House a success.

WHERE'S WALDO'S HOUSE???

1. Signage...Duh!! For open houses, the key to getting some traffic is by having lots of signs that walk you straight to the home. Every entrance to the home should have a sign and every turn should help potential buyers easily get to the home.

If you are holding an Open House on a day where there are multiple signs that all look the same, make yours stand out by placing balloons that are the same color leading to the home, or, use a dry erase marker to write on the signs (if they are plastic, this works better, if you are using metal, I don't recommend the markers. The whole idea is to make your house stand out!!

If your budget allows, hire a sign guy that will add some movement to the signs, I don't care what you say, those people throwing the signs around always catch attention, just make sure they are moving around in the right ways so that passers-by can actually read the sign they are tossing around.

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM!!

2. Weather Courtesy. Here in Colorado, we tend to get snow so, be aware of what the snow can do to the home. Recently I held an open house after the snow and the steps leading to the home had a bit of snow on them. Either arrange with the homeowner to have a shovel or broom handy (depending on the amount of snow of course) so you can clear the path for visitors or carry a small shovel with you in your trunk so you have it when you need it. This makes the entrance to the home safer and more welcoming. It allows the visitors to look at the home as they walk up to it instead of the steps they may slip and fall on. Be courteous to those that visit and do what you can to show your seller that you care about their home. Not to mention, it saves the homeowner and yourself a lot of grief if someone were to get injured on the way in, ice can be tricky so be sure to take the proper precautions when it comes to colder weather.

3. Welcome Home!! If the snow or rain hits on your Open House day, do what you can to keep the elements outside and not track them into the home. Provide construction booties for visitors to place on their shoes to protect the flooring or place a nice sign requesting that visitors remove their shoes.

You may also want to provide a door mat to place inside the entry door to catch any snow, rain, mud, etc. that may attach to shoes. Do everything you can to keep the seller from having to clean up after your Open House. It's enough work to have them leave the home while you are there.

Not only do you want to keep the elements out of the carpets, you also want to just show your seller that you care about their home. Try to have visitors be aware of their shoes even if the elements aren't a factor. You never know what lingers inside of treads on a shoe...that would be embarrassing for everyone if something made it's way around the house that should have been left at the door.

I hope that this part of the series was helpful getting you to the door, the next part will explore the various aspects of preparing the interior of the home for an Open House!

STAY TUNED!!

Heidi :)

Oh the Humanity

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:45:20 -0600

My neighbor is an active volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and yesterday I had the opportunity to support her efforts by attending the 1000^th Habitat for Humanity celebration in Longmont. A lucky family was finally able to reach their dream of homeownership thanks to the wonderful program.

I wasn't that familiar with Habitat and how they worked, I really thought it was just a family helping to build a house they got for free...I was mistaken. These families work at least 250 hours helping to build their home and they undergo numerous classes to become better educated about owning a home and the financial obligations that go along with it. It reminded me of when I obtained financial aid for college and before the government would even give a check, you had to go through a class to learn about how to be financially responsible.

To learn more about the myths of Habitat for Humanity, I visited their page at http://hfhi.org/how/myths.aspx I had believed some of the myths to be true until I attended the event yesterday. I never would have known the Habitat house was a Habitat house...it was cute and it fit right in with the surrounding community.

I had to write this blog because I learned something and I thought I would share my new knowledge with my fellow agents. We certainly don't know everything there is to know about housing but steps like these certainly do help.

I wish the owners of their new home the best of luck and I feel they are very prepared to venture out into the world of homeownership.

Heidi :)

1st Annual Erie Commons Food Drive...SUCCESS!!!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:11:22 -0600

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner?? It's that time of year where most people gather around a table full of family recipes and mouth watering treats but during these difficult economic times, some are unable to enjoy this luxury. This year, Becky and I wanted to give back to the community that has given us so much this past year.

We held our 1st Annual Erie Commons Food Drive the week of November 10th and picked up bags on Friday, November 14th. Both myself and Becky Coet were like 2 proud parents when we started collecting on Friday.

House after house had the bag we had provided and some had even added additional bags to their donation. We couldn't believe how generous our neighbors were. We had a feeling they were wonderful but this event truly showed the spirit of our wonderful community. We even found out that Blackrock Elementary School and 9News were holding their own food drives so we had an amazing response even with the "competition". It was fun driving around the community shouting "there's one!" or "stop the car, there's a bag!" It was great. I even had the pleasure of hanging out of the back of her car so we could move quicker.

We decided to donate to Sister Carmen Community Center in Lafayette and when we arrived with 2 car loads of food, I think I may have seen the manager of the food bank's jaw drop. I wanted to just hug everyone that was there helping us unload our cars. Now I think I know how Santa feels. The community center was busier than I could have imagined and it was great to be a part of making someone's holiday a little more enjoyable.

During the weekend we received an email telling us that we had donated 799lbs. Becky even received a few calls after Friday which added about 5 more bags to the donation, needless to say, our 1st food drive was a complete success!! Over 800 lbs. of food in just one community, we couldn't have imagined a better way to start this tradition.

We want to send our deepest

"THANK YOU"

to each and every member of our community for their generosity. Our efforts would have meant nothing if it hadn't been for our community coming together to help others.

We look forward to continuing this tradition in Erie Commons and can't wait to see how much more we can help others during this time of year (and possibly others).

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!!

Heidi :)

Erie Winter Events 2008

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:01:34 -0600

Happy Monday to all my fellow Active Rainers. I received a newsletter this morning from the Mayor of Erie Andrew Moore and he had some great information about the upcoming events in our town. I wanted to share them with you because these events always make for some fun during the holiday season. The Erie Rotary Club has a lot in store for the Town of Erie.

Some of the events include:

Light Up Briggs Street! Friday, Dec 5, 4:30-6:30

Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair Saturday, Dec 6, 10:00 - 5:00

Erie Community Library Winterfest Saturday, Dec 6, 10:00 - 4:00

Erie Holiday Lighting Contest - Entries by 12/8, Judging on 12/11, sign up at the Erie Community Center

Polar Bear Family Bike Ride - January 1, 10:00 - 1:00, click here for more information on how to sign up for this and other events.

I always love getting these updates from our Mayor and wanted to pass on the information.

Have a wonderful day!!

Heidi :)

The Beautiful Erie Village

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:41:59 -0600

Located on the west side of County Line Road in Erie Colorado, this beautiful community is very easy on the eyes!

One of the most appealing communities in the town of Erie, if you are looking for a change in scenery and an amazing street appeal, you definitely need to check out Erie Village. The color schemes in this neighborhood are so much fun and, a nice break away from normal neutral tones. You see bright blues, pinks, reds, greens, every color in the rainbow. The colors are an amazing addition to the Victorian architecture and they add so much character to each individual home.

Many homes in this community are not only easy on the eyes, but they are also kind to the earth featuring many Built Green options to save on heating and cooling bills.

Words cannot fully describe the feeling of this "old fashioned" community. If you are somewhat curious and live in Colorado, you should really make the trip, it's worth seeing and if you are looking for a great place that is unique, this is definitely a place for you!

Heidi :)

It's the Time of Year for Thanks and Giving!!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:49:34 -0600

My neighbor and business partner, Becky Coet and I decided to give back to our community here in Erie, Colorado by starting an annual Food Drive. We simply delivered donated paper bags to each home in Erie Commons and will be picking up the filled bags at the end of the week. We have had such a warm response already and people have been contacting us to come and get their bags, I'm pleasantly surprised to see how much people are donating. I have a hard time believing that one neighbor had 3 bags of food just lying around their pantry (which consisted of 3 huge jars of peanut butter) and have a feeling they actually went out and purchased items for the drive...it makes me goopy just thinking about that extra effort being given to help the hungry!! The picture below is just a fraction of what my family donated...

I'm so proud of Erie Commons for coming together to support the local families. We do our official pickup on Friday and are so excited to see how well our community has come together! I can't wait to deliver all the food to the food bank and be able to help the families that are feeling the current economic pinch.

So, be sure to be thankful for what you have. As Sheryl Crow put it in the song Soak Up the Sun, "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." Be thankful for the things that you have and the things we often take for granted like food and clothing. If you can spare any items that others would die for, please give this holiday season. You will make a difference in your community and maybe even a family that you wouldn't be able to help otherwise.

Thank you to Safeway for donating 250 bags!!

And mostly, Thank You to Sister Carmen Community Center for providing such an amazing service!!

Heidi :)

Head to the West!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:43:24 -0600

When many people hear of Berthoud Colorado, they often think of Berthoud Pass. Many skiers are familiar with this, but if you aren't a skier, you are missing a cute little town that I call my home town.

Located just 40 minutes north of Denver (depending on traffic of course), is the town of Berthoud. I grew up there and love it's atmosphere. Berthoud Estates is located west of town off Hwy 56 and County Road 23. Many homes are nestled on at least 1 acre sites and many different custom homes. But don't worry, when you hear custom, you can keep your wallet. Many homes are priced from the high $200's to the millions (depending on your needs of course). I grew up in a great ranch plan on 2 1/2 acres. Great horse property and lots of room to run. But all of the homes in this community are different and unique.

Berthoud has 1 high school, Berthoud High School, home of the Spartans. 2 Elementary Schools, Berthoud Elementary and Ivy Stockwell, and 1 middle school, Turner Middle School.

Hwy 287 used to run right through the town but in recent years, a bypass was built to preserve the small town nature of the community.

Next time you are traveling north of Denver, be sure to exit and visit this town, it's a wonderful place to grow up and I personally cherish my time here!

Heidi :)

'Tis the Season!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:57:00 -0600

This might be my first rant-post so caution, there might be a little frustration coming through my blog today. Hopefully it's a one time thing and I'll get back to my normal lighthearted stuff.

So my family and I went to Costco today to do our monthly stock-up on the essentials...cereal, juice boxes, pasta, etc. Everything was fine and dandy, we were walking around looking at all the holiday gift ideas from a High School Musical doll set to a talking horse that responds to touch (very cool but very expensive). I was fine and getting into the holiday spirit until I heard...

DECK THE HALLS!!!???

Okay, I understand that it's November and Thankgiving is just around the corner but seriously, playing holiday music already? I certainly don't mean to be a Scrooge and I totally understand that this is the retailers way to get back into some shade of black, but do we really need to play the music??

I worked at Nordstrom last year and the year before and their motto is that they will not start to look at the December holidays until the day after Thanksgiving which is why they have a crew sign up to help the visual department to help with the decorating. I LOVE that they do this!!

So, the day after Thanksgiving I too will sing along with the music but until then, can we just take one holiday at a time? It's much more enjoyable that way!!

Happy Friday to all, and to all, a GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Heidi :)

Bring on the Snow, You Never Know What Else It Might Bring!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:19:48 -0600

Being a native Coloradoan, I've grown up having seasonal snow. From the blizzard of 1982 (I think, I was a kid so I'm not completely sure of the year), to the one in 2006, it's inevitable that we will get some snowy cold white stuff soon. Here it is November and we haven't had any snow (unless you live in the mountains). I have an alterior motive to wanting it...read on my friends!

Looking back on snow storms, they are the best way to have fun family activities. I'll never forget putting on my powder blue snow suit with this horrible '80's multi-colored jacket. My dad had shoveled snow for a good couple hours and the snow was still about 4 feet high. We had the generator running for some heat in the house and for a hot plate since the power was out. As a kid, this was fun and exciting (Mom didn't think so because she wanted to take a shower). To make the happenings a little more fun, Dad had a sled and decided to pull me around until he couldn't find fresh snow to make tracks in. I think he pulled me around for hours.

My latest fond memory is that of the Blizzard of 2006. We had only lived in Erie Commons for about 2 months, I was working at Nordstrom at the time and they had closed the Flatiron Crossing Mall (which I didn't find out until later) but my husband (who drove a truck) decided to go to work that day in my car and leave me his truck because it was safer, he's such a good guy. Little did we know that I didn't have to go in. Poor guy, took my car, was stuck in traffic for 4 hours on his way home in the horrible weather when he could have had is truck that I ended up not needing. Long story short, he got the car almost home but got stuck about 4 houses down the street ( I was so proud of him to make it that far in my little Nissan). It was that night that we learned about how wonderful our neighborhood was going to be. We had all the men on the block with shovels in hand, snow boots, gloves, hats, you name it, digging out my poor car! That same night, we all went to one of their houses for home-made chicken noodle soup and from that night on, we gather on someone's front porch to chit-chat!

It's funny how one event can bring people closer. We often joke that we live on the "East Side" of Erie Commons but everyone knows our street and how we tend to "gather". I never thought that a neighborhood could be so wonderful.

So, I say BRING ON THE SNOW because of what it has done for my family and the rest of the families on the street. Whether it's weather or something else, you should always take the time to know those around you, you never know what friendships could be hiding behind the neighborly doors!

Heidi :)

Recycle...it's Easy and Amazing for the Planet!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:49:26 -0600

One evening while sitting out with my neighbors, I noticed that Chris said "take the lid off the bottle and recycle the bottle". I looked at him kind of strange and he informed me that the recycling plant will throw away the entire bottle because the cap cannot be recycled. That was news to me so I decide to do a little research to see exactly what can and can't be recycled here in Colorado.

As we may have stumbled across from time to time, there is a little recycling symbol on the bottom or side of containers that can be recycled. Below is a little explanation of what curbside recycling programs will actually recycle.

Plastic: With codes 1-7 can be recycled, to learn more, visit this website that explains exactly what each code means. http://www.colorado-recycles.org/pdf/recyclingtips/newresincodes.pdf . One hint that I offer is if you have gallon milk jugs, I recommend running super hot water through them and then dump out the water and flatten the jug. It makes it easier to put in a bin and that way you can fit more items in your recycle bin. Just a trick I learned from my college barista days! :)

Plastic bags from grocery shopping can also be recycled. We use these to put things in in the house and then put the filled bag into the recycle bin. It's just that easy.

Paper: Any type of office paper can be recycled. This would include phone books, newspapers, and paperboard. Be sure to check with your local recycling center in regards to brochures and flyers that are of a laminated nature, some counties in Colorado aren't able to have these recycled.

Cardboard: Most curbside recycling pickups will ask that you break down the boxes that you are recycling...it's a courtesy for them and it also allows for more space when they pick up the items. Paper grocery bags are also recycleable.

Here are some other ideas for saving our planet!!

Reusable Grocery Bags: Okay so this isn't something you want to recycle but it will help you cut down on the amount of plastic bags and paper bags you would use for grocery shopping and actually other shopping. Just keep them in the trunk of your car or under your seat and that way you will have them when you need them.

Return store bags to the store: I used to work at Nordstrom and would bring home a ton of bags from shopping. They obviously don't get abused so why not take them back to your favorite sales person to reuse. They may not come back again but at least you helped save one extra bag from being thrown away. Not to mention, you don't need them stacked up somewhere in your house, clears out that clutter that I mentioned in a previous blog. It always feels good to do the right thing doesn't it??

Take advantage of Recycling Programs: MAC cosmetics offers you a discount if you save your lipstick/lipgloss tubes. If you return a certain amount (I think it's 3 or 5), they give you a discount on your next purchase. I love it when companies offer to help!!

I'm sure there are a ton more ideas but I'd hate to keep you all day. I hope that many of you think of how you can help. Heck, I live in Colorado and we are just getting cold weather, I think global warming really does exist!

Be sure to check and see what your county will accept. Here is a link that will provide you with some great resources for your area http://www.recycling-guide.com/searchfolder/search.html .

Have a great day all!!

heidi :)

Allow Me to REALLY Introduce Myself...

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:47:57 -0600

As we all know, getting started in the real estate business can be quite a challenge. Here's a little history on my journey to becoming a Realtor and how I am as a person both personally and professionally. I figure this may help all of you get to know me since this is a huge network and I think having a little personal touch can be helpful.

I am a Colorado native, born in Boulder, raised in the small town of Berthoud. Not the pass in the mountains but the town which is about 30-40 minutes north of Denver. I loved growing up in a small town. I knew everyone I went to school with from 1st grade to my Senior year. I'm hoping to raise my daughter the same way which is why we live in Erie now. Funny little tidbit, Berthoud and Erie played each other when I was in school. Every time I drive by the middle school, I remember a freezing cold track meet. Course back then, the middle school was the high school. The town has grown exponentially and is continuing to do so.

After high school, I went to college at Colorado State University and majored in English-Creative Writing. I had huge aspirations to become a famous poet. Unfortunately, having my work critiqued and torn apart made me second guess that so needless to say, I'm only famous to my daughter who makes me make up songs for her. That's the best fame anyone could ask for. :)

In 2001, I started working for a builder and it was a very slow start. Me and my community manager were onsite in a trailer for months without models. I think our first closing was maybe 1 year from the day we set up came in that trailer. So, I know that things can start slow. I then moved to other communities in various stages and had quite a bit of success. When I was onsite, I often wondered why more agents didn't bring clients out to view homes? The onsite sales person was at their disposal and willing to help any way they could and you never had to worry about not being included in conversations, at least, not at our builder, we loved agents. I loved this job! I adored my co-workers and I actually won an award for being Rookie of the Year, it was great and I have very fond memories of this experience.

I left this builder after a management change and went to another one in 2006 and was back selling after a brief encounter with being marketing coordinator and the closing coordinator. I love it! I was interacting with people again, helping people through the process, staying in touch and keeping my promises. Then, they stopped coming in. I think each weekend I was starting to see maybe 3 people, and that was for the entire weekend! I did everything I could to draw attention to our little community but it was just not working. So, money being a huge factor, I ended up going to work for Nordstrom. I figured it would be great training to sharpen my customer service skills, and it was. I learned a lot!

I decided to get my license this year because I wanted to be my own boss and make a difference. I've met so many people who do it just for the money and that just doesn't work well for me. I'm all about the relationship and making people happy. I want to set an examplet for my daughter and have her see me as someone who is successful because she helped people, not because she had a six figure income.

I just wanted to let you all know the kind of person that I am. I know this is a huge network and referrals can bring some great business. I'm not the kind of person that will put listings on my blog just to increase my points and I'm not the kind of person who will tell you what you want to hear just to get business. I wear my heart on my sleeve and always do what I think is right. If I have to question if it's a good decision, then it probably isn't. I may not have all the answers but I guarantee I know someone who does and I will always be honest and upfront and if I need to get back to you, I will. I will always be there for anyone who needs me. I'm very determined, highly competitive, and honestly, I just hate to disappoint!

I hope that you all don't mind a little introduction but sometimes a little honesty can go a long way. Have a wonderful week and I look forward to learning a little bit more about all of you!! You can never have too many friends right??

Heidi :)

Halloween, fun, but cautious!

Heidi Marshall (Keller Williams-Red Door Group) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:03:43 -0500

Early yesterday I received numerous emails about candy that may be tainted and wanted to pass on information that I received. I first received a warning about chocolate coins made in China this is the actual link emailed from my daughter's preschool teacher:

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/coins.asp

I wanted to make you all aware of this. Although it was sent out in Colorado, I figure you can never be too safe when it comes to your kids!

I actually went through all my daughter's Halloween loot and stumbled upon some gummi "Body Parts" that were a product of China and being a paraoid parent, I threw them away if they even hinted at China.

I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween night.

Heidi :)