Denise's Blog

Does Amish-Built offer a better product?

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:11:39 -0500

Living less than an hour from "Amish Country", we here in Canton, Ohio see the words "Amish built", "Amish cooking", "Amish made" quite a bit. Those billboards and ads certainly tempt us that our tummies are going to be so satisfied after a meal, and that a handmade Amish quilt is going to hold some exceptional value above and beyond what we could purchase elsewhere. I have to agree, I certainly DO love Amish cooking, and I myself have a handmade Amish quilt.

Coming from a family owned business, we had many Amish and Mennonite Customers, and developed some great friendships over the years. When my family travels thru Wilmot, Ohio, I still recall one of my "favorite" clients, Mr. Wayne Miller. Next time we pass thru, I certainly have to make sure to pay Wayne a call. Wayne does not have any electricity in his home, nor a telephone, but he did have one across the street in his barn/machine shop. He used to tell me to "let the phone ring a long time" because he had to cross the busy highway if he heard the phone ringing!

I'm just wondering if this term is being used loosely, and perhaps being USED AND ABUSED by many. A client recently told me that she had "Amish builders" put a roof on her home. I think most consumers are lead to believe that the word "Amish" always means quality work. The client did not ask for any references, and did not get any guarantees or warranties in writing. She was not given a phone number to contact anyone (Amish don't have phones, right??) She was not given an address as an alternative. In my clients case, these "Amish builders" 9 years later have left her with a bad roof job that is going to need replaced, and now are nowhere to be found. I've seen some "Amish built" homes that certainly cannot compare in quality to other local builders, and recall a home with a hideous vinyl siding job.

It angers me that some people may use this term as a slick sales tool to take advantage of unsuspecting customers. Being in the real estate business, I'm actually surprised I haven't heard of an "Amish Realtor" yet - I know they are out there! I myself have heard my Mom say that a friend chose a contractor because they were "Amish". For all I know, the guys couldn't be further from the Amish religion or culture. And certainly no offense, but just because you are Amish, does that mean that your work/craftsmanship is far superior to all others? Does that mean that everyone else that is not Amish is in some way inferior in their trade?

I guess the bottom line is as with any product or service, be sure to get the details of what work is going to be performed, what materials, that building codes are going to be followed, and no corners will be cut. Find out the name of the company, their credentials, their background. Ask for a list of prior jobs that they have performed.

Stark County Ohio Home Owners - be sure to get a copy of your roof warranties

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:31:37 -0500

One of my home sellers recently had to replace a roof with out-of-pocket dollars because the roofing contractor apparently did not properly register the roofing product warranty with the manufacturer.

The homeowner purchased a new roof in 2001 that carried a 30 year warranty. The roofing contractor can no longer be reached by phone - they apparently have gone out of business, or else have changed cell phone numbers and the homeowner cannot locate them. The product manufacturer cannot honor the warranty because no paperwork was filed by the contractor. If the roofing contractor HAD properly registered the paperwork with the manufacturer, the manufacturer would have honored it, even without being able to track down the contractor.

After this happened to my seller, I myself called our roof contractor (we just had a new roof put on our house about a month ago.) I got a copy of the warranty that was filed with the manufacturer. If I had not asked for this, I'm not sure the company would have automatically given it to me or not. Probably not, as a matter of fact, since our roof has been on for over a month. Since this time, I also have a call in to our heating and cooling contractor who just installed a new furnace at our home in the spring, and a new generator.

These items cost a lot of money and warranties are certainly so important for our protection! So the next time you make a purchase for a home improvement item, make sure that your CONTRACTOR REGISTERS THE WARRANTY WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Be sure by asking for a copy of it. Same thing when you buy an appliance or electronic item - be sure to mail in the warranty postcard with your name and address.

This gives me some motivation to do a better job of organizing our home files over the upcoming winter months!

The Importance of Passing School Levys to help our communities

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:35:48 -0500

Hello,

It is with great thanks, relief, and happiness that I write this blog today. After many, many attempts, our School Levy in Plain Township, Canton, Ohio, finally passed yesterday. It was a long struggle that was achieved through the passion of our residents who truly made that extra effort because they care about our community.

I wonder how others in our community, or any community in fact, can even possibly consider voting against such issues. Now, I understand that we are all facing financial difficulties right now, and none of us like to pay more taxes. I have several friends that have lost their jobs or have had their hours cut. Our family has experienced struggles as well.

But all this does not change the fact that we live in a community, and that we need to take pride in our community, and every day do our very best to make our community a great place to live. Live is not just about "what's in it for me". If we live our lives that way, we will be taking a very dark and cold path. We need to support our schools because they are a vital part of our community. It is my belief that every resident gains when we live in a community that supports its schools. Our real estate values, our community spirit, and our spirits are lifted in a supportive community.

I choose to support our local charities, community organizations, public transportation, churches, volunteer groups and special causes simply because it is the right thing to do. I have always supported our schools since I was old enough to vote, long before our children, and will continue to do so long after my own children and grandchildren, good lord willing.

Free Real Estate Classes to be offered in Spring 2009 for Home Buyers, Home Sellers, and Investors

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:35:56 -0600

Denise Evans, Realtor, will be offering FREE Real Estate Classes through the Plain Township Parks Department this Spring.

Buying a Home

Saturday, April 11th, 10 - 11:30 AM
Diamond Community Park, Community Room

Now is one of the BEST times in years to buy a home! Come learn about how to get pre-approved for a mortgage, what to look for in a home, and what to expect. We'll also discuss HUD homes that can be purchased with $100 down, bank-owned homes and fixer-uppers, and so much more! Take advantage of the market and attend this free class so you can get started on the road to homeownership!

Selling a Home

Saturday, April 25th, 10 - 11:30 AM
Diamond Community Park, Community Room

Don't be scared of the market! There is a FLOOD of buyers hitting the market this spring and homes are selling! Learn what to do to make YOUR home the best deal on the block! We'll discuss pricing your home, marketing strategies, and you'll learn tips to make your home stand out from the crowd! Take advantage of the huge pool of buyers out there and get your home sold!

Investing in Real Estate

Saturday, May 9th, 10 - 11:30 AM
Diamond Community Park, Community Room

Have you been considering purchasing an investment property to rent or rehab? Don't be scared of the market, take advantage of it! There are tons of good deals out there. We'll discuss the current market in Stark County, some tips on buying/rehabbing investment properties, and what to look for. We'll also discuss what it takes to be a landlord, and what you need to know to get started.

To attend any of these free classes, visit my website at: www.HomesByDeniseEvans.com, or call Denise at (330) 575-1832

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit offered by the Federal Government

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:24:33 -0600

As part of our new government's stimulus package, first time homebuyers can receive up to an $8,000 permanent tax credit if they purchase a home between now and December 1, 2009.

To qualify, an applicant must not have owned a home for at least 3 prior years, and the maximum tax credit is $8,000, or 10% of the home purchase. The applicant must also stay in their home for a minimum of 3 years.

Now is one of the best times in decades to own a home, and I can help you every step of the way.

To learn more about this wonderful tax savings, be sure to visit my website at: www.HomesByDeniseEvans.com

or contact Denise Evans at (330) 575-1832

Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio, is celebrating it's 200th birthday in 2009

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:22:33 -0600

As a lifetime resident of Plain Township, and a member of the Plain Bicentennial Committee, I'm proud to say that Plain Township will be celebrating it's Bicentennial Anniversary this year. As the Chairperson for the Plain Township Parade, I'm especially looking forward to a wonderful day that our community can participate in.

There are many wonderful events planned for 2009, including:

Church Bells Ring Along
Monday, March 16th at 12:00 PM

Earth Day Tree Planting
Wednesday, April 22nd
Plain Township Hall, 2600 Easton Street NE

Cruise In Car Show and Balloon Liftoff
Saturday, June 6th at 5:00 PM
GlenOak High School, 1801 Schneider Street NE

Plain Township Parade and Festival
Saturday, July 18th
Diamond Community Park, 2782 Diamond Street NE

Historic Tour
Saturday, October 3rd from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Diamond Community Park, 2782 Diamond Street NE

Plain Township Fire Department's Fire Prevention Week
Saturday, October 10th (whole week of October 4-11, 2009)

Township Christmas Tree Planting and Lighting
Saturday, November 28th at 6:00 PM
Diamond Community Park, 2782 Diamond NE

OTHER EVENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Warstler Cemetary Bicentennial Celebration
Saturday, May 16th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

2nd Annual Plain Pride Festival
Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 15th
GlenOak High School, 1801 Schneider St., NE

Plain Family Fun Day and Civil War Living History
Saturday, September 26th at 8:00 AM
GlenOak High School, 1801 Schneider Street NE

COME JOIN THE FUN! FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME, DENISE EVANS AT (330) 575-1832 OR VISIT MY WEBSITE AT: MyPlainTownship.com

Wild, Wacky (and Wonderful) Moments in Real Estate

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:15:16 -0500

As I'm sure we all can agree, the world of real estate offers many funny encounters with folks from all walks of life. Here are just a few of my "moments", and more to come over the next several weeks! Please share your funny stories with me, too!

All Stinky

Recently I showed a STINKY couple a REALLY STINKY house where TWO STINKY lost dogs were! After the STINKY couple left, I helped the neighbor lady catch the STINKY dogs and put them on her porch while we called the owner. I couldn't wait to get home and wash off the STINK! Just then my son's school called and said he was sick. So I had to go into school ALL STINKY, hoping no one would notice. Of course, my son came to the rescue! MOM, YOU STINK!!! was how I was greeted. Great first impression with the Principal, right???

A Room with a View

I recall showing a home to a couple who were very proper and put-together. I admit they were a little intimidating to me, being a rookie, but I handled myself with grace and pointed out all the features of this 3 story older home. I remember pointing out to the couple that the large windows offered great views. Well, we got more than we bargained for. On the 3rd floor, we saw there was a pickup truck parked in the alley right beside the house. There was a young boyfriend and girlfriend in the back of the pickup. They were uh, well, uh, ....you know what....oh,uh! "Wow!! said the husband "that REALLY is some view!" Needless to say, that broke the ice! And no, they didn't buy the house.

Did your buyer like the house?

A few years ago I was helping my brother and sister-in-law look for homes. My brother and I were in a split-level home that offered some potential, so we were taking our time and looking all thru the house. About half way thru, I saw there was a bug on my brothers head. We weren't sure what it was. We looked down, and both of our legs were coated in fleas! We ran screaming out the front door, stamping our feet and waving our arms. The man across the street was riding on his lawn mower and saw us. We ran down the driveway screaming and yelling. I hated the thought of having to go back and lock the door. I called the agent - "your house is infested with fleas!!!" I declared. Guess what she asked me? "Did your buyer like the house?"

You go first

I work with a lot of rehabbers/investors. I always joke to my male clients "you go first" when it comes to going down the basement steps. I recall a time when I was showing an old farmhouse that had a hand-dug basement. "Ah, you're a sissy!" they would tell me, and teased me a lot. On this particular day, "Joe" headed down the basement steps first. One, two, ......... aaaahhhhh!!!!!!! It seemed this basement only had 2 steps that weren't rotted. Down he went, straight in the dirt, flat on his rear end. Now who's the one laughing?

Velcro Carpet

Remember your first listings? I remember the call I received - "I've got 7 houses to sell - about $120,000". Wow, I thought, this real estate gig is easy. 7 new listings at $120,000 each - I've got it made! You can imagine my surprise when I realized he meant $120,000 for all 7! Being the trooper I was, I took on the challenge. I had several adventures in these 7 homes - I met a guinea pig who ate, slept, and went potty on the same table as his owners. In another home, the grease was so thick on the kitchen floor that I slipped and fell. In that same home, still with grease on my feet, I then "stuck" to the living room carpet and pulled some of it away and it stuck to my shoes like velcro. I also had to retrieve one of my signs that had been found by the police department with about a dozen bullet holes in it. But, I sold them all! My first 7 sales!

More to follow....

Growing up in the family business

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:35:34 -0500

I recently overheard a conversation with two ladies talking about the "bosses kid." Of course I didn't know who that kid was, and what their situation is. I didn't know if they were a good person or a bad person, but just that name "bosses kid" sure brought back memories. Did these two ladies really dislike this person because of what he/she is, or WHO he/she is?

When telling people that I grew up in the family business, I am sometimes called "The bosses kid." You know, that spoiled rotten, rich, lazy, bossy, jerky bosses kid that didn't know anything but acted like they owned the place. And that could never amount to anything without their Daddy giving them a job. Right?

Well, being the bosses kid, I knew, at least in our business, that none of that was true. Excuse me, let me rephrase that. IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH!

Perhaps our family business was different from others. My father worked in the biz his whole life, just like his Dad, and his Grandfather worked at least the majority of his life in the business that he founded in 1892. The family business was my first and only job until I was 34 years old. In fact, I always thought it would be my only job.

We drank Superior Dairy Milk, bought Ford Cars, ate Sugardale Meats, and had an extreme strong loyalty to the companies that helped put bread and butter on our own tables. We did business on a handshake, and your word was something that you followed through on no matter what. The customer was always right. Others were always put ahead of you.

Our employees were treated as family. There were several instances where 2 generations of family members worked in our business. Our employees were for the most part pretty loyal. There were advantages to working in a family business, ones that cannot be offered in the form of a paycheck. Even though we couldn't always offer the highest wages, we offered some pretty hefty benefits, such as a 10% retirement contribution every year, generous sick time and vacation time, and most importantly people who truly cared about your well being.

I recall Bob, one of our outside salesman (his wife Rita worked for my Grandpa, my Dad, and then for me). Bob had a heart attack and was off from work for at least 6 months. It wasn't until after my Dad died that I learned from Rita that my Dad had paid Bob's salary for the entire time he was off. Not because he had to, but because it was the right thing to do. I also recall the veteran who at times had some problems with alcohol. My Dad and one of our other salesman drove him up to the V.A. Clinic in Cleveland to get some help. My Dad purchased a new suit for an up and coming young salesman that didn't own a suit. My Dad paid an employee a $1,000 bonus to quit smoking. My Dad had to counsel one young man who didn't have the best grooming habits that he needed to do improve his appearance and helped him get some new clothes and toiletries.

The older I grow, I have had the opportunity to meet many people who, like myself, worked within their own family business at some point in time. I can say that most every person that I have met was so much like myself, someone that truly knew the value of hard work and treating people right.

As the bosses kid, I remember so many times feeling jipped out when I didn't get a raise, overtime, bonus, because of some commitment with the business that had to come first. Bills and employees were paid first, us, last. My Dad's words still echo in my head "It'll pay off someday..." Well, in our instance, someday never came. We sold our business in 1998 when all the industry started leaving Canton. But, we sold the business with our heads held high, and our pocketbooks not necessarily full, but certainly not empty.

I think sometimes, what if I would have taken that job offer out of college, where would I be now? Would I have more money? More status? A bigger home? A richer husband? Then again, would I even have a home? A family? A career that I love?

The road of life sure takes us down some interesting journeys. I for one am proud to say that I am a former "bosses kid", and looking back, I wouldn't trade it for the world. We can't let our past dictate who we will become, but we also should embrace it for what it has helped us to be.

So the next time you're tempted to talk about your bosses kid, maybe think before you speak.

Plain Township (Canton, Ohio) what a great place to live!

Denise Evans (Cutler Real Estate) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:33:51 -0500

I am a lifetime resident of Plain Township, Canton, Ohio. I am a 1982 graduate of GlenOak High School, and proud to say that our boys, Brad (12), and Brian(8), are also students in the Plain Local School district, where my husband Dan and I reside with our family.

For years, our school district perhaps has been slighted or looked down upon by some of the wealthier districts in the area, such as North Canton City and Jackson Township. As to why, it's hard to say, my guess might be that we have a lot of diversity in Plain Local. Plain Local is very much a "melting pot", with a great mixture of religions, nationalities, and economic status. There are several neighborhoods that boast price tags well into the $300,000's, many middle class families, and some areas that are well below the "average" family income in the Canton, Ohio area. We have many students in our schools that have severe learning and physical disabilities as well, and they are embraced with open arms.

As far as my husband and I are concerned, we love the diversity and look at our district as a great place to prepare our boys for the real world that they will be entering someday. After all, isn't our great country made up of many, many different people from all kinds of backgrounds,faiths, and income levels? That is what America truly is.

Our school district recently received an "excellent" rating from the State of Ohio, moving up 2 notches from last years rating. The local newspaper, The Canton Repository, had some very nice articles to this effect. Why? Because we have a great group of teachers, principals, staff, parents and community members that are all working together to make our schools the best that they can be.

I personally love Plain Township because of our beautiful rolling hills, established trees and landscape, and suburban lifestyle. If you drive around Plain Township, you will see for yourself! We have so many different lifestyle choices - manicured subdivisions with posh lawns and giant homes, cute little bungalows dotted along the city streets - century farmhouses set back from the road - tons of brick ranch homes with generous green yards - family neighborhoods that were established in the 70's with loads of split level and bi-level homes, newer middle class neighborhoods with the classic two stories, and the list goes on and on. Whatever you might be looking for, you'll be able to find it in Plain Township.

What I love most about Plain is the growing sense of community pride that we see growing all around us. The excitement is contagious! You feel it in the air at the football games in our wonderful new stadium, (money raised completely by donations.) You see it at the grocery store and local restaurants when you are out and about and see old friends. You cherish it at church where a friendly face is always ready to offer a helping hand. You watch it by seeing neighbors taking such pride in their yards and flowers. You participate in it when you help at school and volunteer for a worthy cause.

For much more information about Plain Township, the wonderful community I live in, please visit my website at: MyPlainTownship.com

Denise Evans