Laura's Blog

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; Sit and Wait.

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Calling on my AR Friends For Help

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; Vertical Garden

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Nicely kept home on large lot!

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Well kept 4 Bedroom home with wonderful fenced yard!

Kombrink Real Estate Group: This one owner custom built home is contractor's personal home!

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Beautiful home in Country Club View Estates is being sold with an additional lot!

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Men That I've Raised

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; Creating Fertilizer Using Nature's Little Composters

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; Homemade Bread and Sourdough Starter

Kombrink Real Estate Group: This home is a 5 bedroom, concrete construction on 5.7 acres!

Kombrink Real Estate Group: 9517 Schaller Rd

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; What did I find this weekend?

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment; Foraging the Woods In My Back Yard

Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Please Don't Make Me Explain It All Again.

No Blogging in my Underwear?

Kombrink Real Estate Group: 10 Magnolia Rd

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Appraisal and Market Analisys: What's the Difference?

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Open House on Super Bowl Sunday? Really?

Kombrink Real Estate Group: Sappy dog stories....how furry friends come into our lives

Kombrink Real Estate Group: It Takes a Village to Sell a Home.

Kombrink Real Estate Group: What Can We Learn From Apple?

Kombrink Real Estate Group: How to Simplify Your Life.

Kombrink Real Estate Group: There's Going To Be a Grand Opening!!!!!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:44:45 -0600

Waiting for Mother Nature.

I haven't updated my Green Experiment blog lately because there really hasn't been much to add at this point. We've got our seeds started and some are sprouting and beginning to grow.

Kyle has started to produce more components for his vertical and hydronic gardening system and it's really too early to forage for any spring time plants like wild asparagus or mushrooms. Too late for hickory nuts or rose hips.

So, now is the time to wait....continue starting my seedlings...and be as efficient with our resources as possible.

Looking for the Right Land.

Kyle and I really love our current home. He designed it and we built it together over a period of 2 years. It sits on 2.5 acres with a small area of woods. Theres a small creek that runs through the woods, but no pond or other source of water on the property.

This bothers Kyle quite a bit...so we've kind of been looking into finding a piece of property with a water source on it. We may have found the right one...it has potential.

So, we may be getting our home ready to put on the market soon. It was definitely a hard decision to make. However, we don't feel we can really be self-sufficient on the property we have now.

Grandchildren due soon!

Everyday, my daughter's belly gets a little bigger. I'm sure my daughter-in-law is doing the same. William and Caden will be coming into our world in about 5-6 weeks and I can't wait.

So, as I watch my seedlings germinate and wait for them to be ready to plant...I also watch my grandson growing and getting ready to make his appearance along with spring.

I guess this blog is really all about waiting. Sometimes we just have to sit and wait...and let mother nature do her thing. :)

"He said to my heart....peace...be still."

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:36:19 -0600

I need to increase the number of subscribers to my blogs....so in an effort to do this I am asking that those of you who are willing to please subscribe to my blog.

In return I will also subscribe to your blogs and comment on a minimum of 3 of your posts. My comments will be thoughtful, and add to your post....not just a little 2 liner.

If you don't find my post interesting enough to subscribe to, please email me and let me know what you would like to see. I will give it consideration and see if I can incorporate your ideas into my blogs.

I love AR and want to see an increase in subscriptions and usage. I would like this to be mutually beneficial to all!

Thanks in advance!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:04:45 -0600

Yesterday was a very exciting day! I spent most of it with clients and had a wonderful time.

My husband, Kyle, spent it in the garage bringing a vision to life.

In some of my previous posts, I have mentioned that Kyle has been researching and designing a vertical, hydroponic gardening system. Well, yesterday he took his concept to reality by creating his first prototype in our garage.

The tower will allow us to grow 28 plants in a 2 foot space. Because he is growing vertically, this means that we can grow more produce in less space! No tilling, no weeding and no waste.

After he finished the prototype, he brought it into the house and we sat down together, sipped on a little wine and began to brainstorm all of the possibilities for this nifty tower that he has created.

I can see these hanging from under a deck or smaller versions being hung under a porch. The system he envisions will be modular, which means a person could have as large or small a garden as they'd like based on the space available to them.

We both envisioned people in an apartment or inner city setting being able to grow pretty much anything they'd like using this system.

Today, I will be meeting with clients again, and I'm pretty sure he will be back in the garage making more towers.

I think one of the coolest things about his system, is that we are recycling things that we have in our basement already to create the system. And his creative side is coming out. He showed me some other systems he has designed to go along with this one.

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next...and I can't wait to pick and eat the goodies that we grow!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:13:24 -0600

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Details Photo Gallery Summit (Collinsville, Illinois, US - 62234) MLS® $119,900

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Laura Kombrink
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Phone:	(618)345-2111
Home:	(618)939-4021
Cell:	(618)363-2452
Fax:	800-358-4163

Details

Address: 1001 Alco Dr Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 Lot Type: Rectangular

Description

Nicely kept home on large lot! You'll love the large 10 X 40 deck that overlooks the large wooded lot. Lots of updates including new carpet throughout. The lower level is partially finished with fresh paint, new carpet, features a second fireplace and walks out to the backyard. This home is located close to new shopping and just minutes to I-55. This is a must see!

P2#2223191

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Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:11:07 -0600

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Details Photo Gallery Collinwood (Collinsville, Illinois, US - 62234) MLS® $189,900

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Phone:	(618)345-2111
Home:	(618)939-4021
Cell:	(618)363-2452
Fax:	800-358-4163

Details

Address: 1974 Banyan Tree Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 Lot Type: Rectangular

Description

Well kept 4 Bedroom home with wonderful fenced yard! Wooded area behind home brings some privacy. Main floor laundry, large closets, bay window and great location are just a few of the things that make this one stand above the crowd.

P2#2223290

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Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:08:22 -0600

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Details Photo Gallery Fox Mill Estates (Maryville, Illinois, US - 62062) MLS® $379,900

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Phone:	(618)345-2111
Home:	(618)939-4021
Cell:	(618)363-2452
Fax:	800-358-4163

Details

Address: 15 Fox Mill Dr Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 4 Lot Type: Rectangular

Description

This one owner custom built home is contractor's personal home! Some of the upgrades include but are not limited to: solid maple cabinets, custom wood blinds, see thru fireplace, 6 inch stained trim, paladium windows, in wall speakers, solid mahogany leaded front door, main floor master suite, pocket dorr, extensive landscaping, hip roof and much more. Builder will finish basement for a reasonable charge at buyers request.

P2#2223335

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Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:05:08 -0600

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Details Photo Gallery Country Club View (Edwardsville, Illinois, US - 62025) MLS® $499,900

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Laura Kombrink
Email Laura

Phone:	(618)345-2111
Home:	(618)939-4021
Cell:	(618)363-2452
Fax:	800-358-4163

Details

Address: 13 Fairway Dr Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 4 Lot Type: Rectangular

Description

Beautiful home in Country Club View Estates is being sold with an additional lot! You'll love this freshly painted and newly carpeted spacious home with lots of extras. 2 Fireplaces, 2 family rooms, office/bedroom option, large deck + patio, tray ceilings and much more. Great interstate access, quiet, private fenced yard, circle driveway, close to SIUE, bike trails and golf! What more could you ask for? Call today for a personal tour.

P2#2223311

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Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:48:38 -0600

I am the mother of three wonderful people. Two young men and one young lady.

All of my children are now adults and two of them are having children of their own. I have two grandsons that will be born in March.

This post is about my boys...sorry...men. My oldest will be 25 next month. He is a seargent in the Marine Corps. He has served 3 tours in Iraq, his first one being right out of highschool at the beginning of the Iraq war. I remember his first tour there and watching his unit being attacked on CNN. I remember holding my crying daughter and praying. He is due to go either to Iraq or Afghanistan next month.

He is a remarkable young man. He loves his country, his family, his soon to be nephews and now he also loves a beautiful, intelligent young lady. We have welcomed her with open arms and will be there to help her while he is away.

He was home last Christmas and I had to have a talk with him that I never...as a parent...dreamed I would hav to talk about with one of my children. We had to talk about his funeral arrangements should something happen to him this time. We also had to discuss his financial wishes as well.

I also have another son. He, too, is in the Marine Corps. He is also going to be a father next month. About a year and a half ago his older brother took him by the scruff of the neck to help him get on track. He was going through a rebellious period and his big brother took him to the recruiter's office and he signed up to follow in his footsteps.

This week my younger son called me to let me know that he, too, will be going into harm's way. He will be leaving this summer. I don't know if I will get to see him before he goes, but I know that for the second time in less than a year, I will be having the conversation with him that I had with his older brother at Christmas.

This has been a very emotional week for me. I am not a crier. I typically cry maybe twice a year. It seems that I have cried more often this week than ever before.

My children are all amazing people. They all have a passion for what they do and the sharpest senses of humor. This last Christmas was soooo much fun. I watched my adult children interact with one another and openly show their love. They embraced the time we had together and embraced each others spouses or soon to be spouses. We did nothing but smile and laugh.

I don't know how to end this post. To me this feels like a journal entry so I will probably only post it in a couple of groups.

Please pray for my boys....although they are men now....when I think of them I picture them as boys. I can see my oldest at the age of 3, sitting on his father's dirt bike with his daddy's helmet...way too big on his head.

And I see my younger son...2 years old...standing at the foot of his bed smiling up at me and singing twinkle twinkle little star.

I am so proud of them and I love them very much.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:13:39 -0600

Last week I launched this blog series called the Green Experiment. In my first post I said that I would share with you something that I have been researching that will allow me to create a liquid fertilizer and solid compost for our garden project.

Well, Kyle and I have finished up our research and will be starting this project in our basement in the next few weeks....so what is it that we've found?

Earth Worm Farming!

We will be starting an earthworm farm! Sound crazy? Not at all. Mother Nature has it all figured out! Earth worms can convert half their weight in food scraps to compost in 24 hours.

Kyle and I have always wanted to compost our food waste, but found that it can take several months for the bacteria in the air to eat and convert organic waste to compost. This isn't very practical as one would have to build a bin, (preferably away from the house to avoid the odor) then make sure that we are stirring the waste regularly for aeration to help facilitate the process and so on.

We discovered that we could save the labor (and odor) by letting our little wiggly friends do the work.

We thought we would avoid the cost of purchasing the earthworm farm by making it ourselves, however it turns out that it would be more efficient and cost effective to purchase one that is specifically built to house our earthworms. The manufactured farms also make it easier to collect the "castings" and liquid for use in our garden.

The system is a series of perforated trays the allow the castings and liquid to drop to the bottom of the farm while the earthworms migrate upward to their food source (kitchen scraps). The farm is actually a little worm condominium and fairly quickly becomes a mini ecosystem if properly maintained.

The benefit is a much speedier composting process with much less odor. As a matter of fact, our research indicates that this process is virtually odor free.

One of the other benefits is that our earthworms will also supply us with fishing bait. We love to fish, so it will be great to just be able to go down to the basement and pull a few worms from the community any time we decide to go fishing!

The castings and liquid they produce are said to be excellent for plants and is a natural fertilizer. This means we won't be spending money to purchase fertilizers which contain harsh chemicals. Once the expense of setting up the farm is taken care of, it is basically free for us to operate and we will be putting some or our garbage to good use!

Once we get this up and running, I will be sure to keep you updated with photos and any snags we run into.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:35:03 -0600

Why Make a Sourdough Starter?

Back in the day...people didn't just run to the store to purchase yeast for their baking needs. Yeast is actually abundant in the air all around us. One method of capturing this yeast is by creating an environment that it enjoys and wait for it thrive in that environment.

So, to create a sourdough starter, one could theoretically mix together flour, water and sugar (yeast's favorite food) and leave it out for the happy little yeast to come along and feast. The by-product of this would then be sourdough starter.

The problem with this method is that you have no control over what type of yeasts you may attract. And some of them aren't very tasty.

In our current culture, it is very easy to obtain a wonderful tasting yeast by running out to the grocery store and purchasing bread yeast. Although yeast is not outrageously expensive, it can be stretched much further by using it to create your own sourdough starter. The other benefit, of course, is a more flavorful bread with a wonderful texture.

You can also determine the "sourness" of your starter. If don't like it too strong, you are able to make a milder version.

The last time I bought a simple loaf of white sandwich bread, I payed neary $2.00 for the loaf...and any type of artisan bread runs much more. So, I have begun to make my own bread using my bread machine. I still had to run out and purchase yeast rather often because my family eats quit a lot of bread....especially when it's home made.

So, I began to read up on sour dough starter...mainly because we like the flavor, not realizing there would be monetary benefits as well.

The benefit that I found is that when I make a batch of sour dough, I end up with a gallon jar full of active yeast. This means that I can make many, many loaves without having to purchase more yeast. As a matter of fact, as long as I keep the culture alive, I will always have yeast!

So, every weekend I make 2 loaves of bread to last my family the entire week. I do use my bread machine on the dough setting and let it do all the mixing and kneading and rising. I then turn the dough out onto a pizza stone to shape, rise and bake. It really takes suprisingly little effort and the rewards are great. One of the nicest things is that I know exactly what is in our bread!

By the way....I also use the sourdough in a recipe for a pizza crust that would blow you away. Pizza night is a lot more fun!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:07:13 -0600

Details Photo Gallery Lenzburg (Illinois, US - 62255) MLS® $224,900

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"Strong, Beautiful, Sustainable" More Photos »

RE/MAX Alliance
Kombrink Metro East



Laura Kombrink
Email Laura

Phone:	(618)345-2111
Home:	(618)939-4021
Cell:	(618)363-2452
Fax:	800-358-4163

Details

Address: 9517 Schaller Rd Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 4 "3 Full, 1 Half" Basement: Yes, Walkout Lot Type: Rectangular Year Built: 2004 Taxes: $2,625.00 (2007)

Description

Stong and beautiful! This home has been built with Arxx technology. Concrete walls make this "green" construction very unique. Heating and Cooling can be up to 50% less, insurance can be discounted and it's said to be better for your family's health! This sits on a beautiful 5.7 acre wooded lot with a private pond, and on a 16 acre stocked lake. This home was constructed to withstand over 200 mph winds along with reducing outside noise to a whisper. You won't beleive such beauty could be so strong!!

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:32:59 -0600

Laura Kombrink | Kombrink Real Estate Group/RE/MAX Alliance | 618-363-2452

9517 Schaller Rd, Lenzburg, IL

Concrete construction by ARXX, Walkout basement, lake access and
private pond.

5BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $224,900

Year Built	2004
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	5.7 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Fireplace	Walk-in closet
Living room	Bonus/Rec room	Dining room
Breakfast nook	Basement

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Energy efficient green construction

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Laura Kombrink

Kombrink Real Estate Group/RE/MAX Alliance

618-363-2452

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Feb 10, 2009, 7:20pm PST

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:25:03 -0600

More Treasures!

Kyle, my husband, was inspired by the warmer than usual weather this weekend and did his own hike in the woods. He came home with a handful of nuts and a detailed description of the trees that they came from. After about a half an hour of research and verification we discovered that he had found Hickory trees and their nuts.

We knew that the wood from the Hickory tree is very useful and I love to smoke meat with it, but we weren't quite sure if the nuts would be edible. Low and behold...they are. I cracked one open and tasted it. Although the nuts had been on the ground since last fall, they were still tasty. They reminded me of a pecan, but not quite as sweet.

At Thanksgiving, I like to make pecan pies. I went to the store this year to buy the pecans and about had a heart attack when I looked at the price. Next Thanksgiving, I will be giving the Hickory nuts a try. I'm quite sure they will work very well and won't cost me anything but a little time to shell them.

On the garden front...

A week ago, Sunday, I had started some seeds in starter pots, watered them and placed them under my kitchen sink. As of last Saturday, two have sprouted and are now enjoying a prime spot in front of my brightest window!

Kyle and I are both excited by the new life and can't wait to get things moving forward on the garden front. He has drawn out detailed plans for both the hydroponic and vertical gardens. We have chosen the spot for the garden and he is anxious to get the materials and begin the process.

The warm weather is very motivating, but we both know that it will turn cold again...so our efforts are focused on not getting ahead of ourselves. I would like for him to build the cold frames so we can set the seedlings as early as is reasonably possible.

In The Mean Time...

I am a mother of 3 adult children...2 boys, both in the Marine Corps and a daughter. Both my daughter and my son, Ben's wife are pregnant and are due on the same day in March. My daughter is growing rounder by the day and her body has begun practicing to deliver my new grandson.

This weekend was quite eventful. I received a call from my son-in-law....all in a panic. Hannah was having contractions 7 minutes apart and was very uncomfortable (I laughed as the last trimester of pregnancy is uncomfortable by nature). We came home immediately and sure enough her little belly was as hard as a rock. Of course, it is really too soon for her to be in labor, but she was having practice contractions.

They stopped and the grandbaby kicked like a soccer player and all is well. The next day my son called...all in a panic...same thing going on with his wife. It's so awesome to feel the weather warming, the new seedlings sprouting and my grandbabies coming!

Very soon, there will be new life all around!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:59:13 -0600

What Did I Find In The Woods?

In my last post, Kombrink Real Estate Group: The Green Experiment, I said that I would share with you what I found in my back yard to help my family through the cold and flu season.

It has long been suggested that taking vitamin C can help fight off colds. It is also credited with being an anti-oxidant. We are familiar with the many sources for adding vitamin C into our diets. Of course orange juice is one way of getting your vitamin C or you could go to your local drug store and purchase the tablet and swallow that horse pill on a daily basis.

I have also found that vitamin C is available in our skin care products as a way to fight the signs of aging.

Another source of vitamin C is rose hips. Rose hips are the fruit that roses make after the bloom has finished being beautiful. According to my reading, rose hips have a very high vitamin C content.

I notice every spring, in the woods on my property, the beautiful pink blooms of wild roses. So I got to wondering the other day, after reading about rose hips, if the roses that grow on my property made rose hips.

I did some more investigating and sought out pictures of rose hips so I would know what I was looking for and set off on a small hike. I knew exactly where those bushes were and sure enough....there they were. The little red berry-like fruit were all over those bushes.

Everything I've read about them tells me the best time to gather them is after the first frost, but I figured what the heck and began to pick the little treasures. They were already dried on the bushes, so that actually saved me the step of having to dry them in my dehydrator. I imagine if I had gone out after the first frost to gather them I would have found more of them as I'm pretty sure they are often eaten by wild birds and other of mother nature's little critters.

I brought them into my house and washed and dried them. I then broke out my coffee grinder to grind the little hard berries. I placed them in water and brought them to a slow boil, removed them from the heat and let them steep. Vitamin C breaks down in heat, so I wanted to be careful not to over heat them.

After steeping them, I poured the liquid through a coffee filter to retrieve the tea. I placed it in a mason jar with a lid and placed it in my refrigerator. I have read that I can also freeze the tea. I could have frozen the rose hips and only steeped them as I needed them, but there were so few berries that I chose to just go ahead and steep all of them.

This rose hip tea is full of vitamin C. And since I have it in a liquid form...I can add it to juices or use it in my home made skin care products. I have begun to use on a daily basis for my face and have noticed the texture of my skin is softer and improved over all. Of course vitamin C is an acid...so I may be basically giving myself an acid peel each time I use it.

In my research, I have found there are many other plants, trees, berries and flowers that grow wild in our area that have many wonderful uses. It is winter right now, so identifying some of these would be very difficult. I can't wait for spring to see what other useful things there are in my backyard.

I do know that we have a wild persimmon tree. The fruit from this tree can be made into sugar! Wow. I can't wait until the fall to try that experiment.

Stay tuned for more....I will be talking about the composting system that will be going into my basement. yes...I said my basement. Stay tuned!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:13:53 -0600

I hate the word "Green". It is overused and too "Hollywood" for me. However, I've always loved the idea of being frugal and making the best use of my resources. My husband, who is an architect, is very fond of frugality as well. We both grew up in very practical homes. My husband's family were farmers and my parents came from farming cultures as well. However, being busy people working in the corporate world has caused us to stray from some of the lessons we learned from our ancestors.

In an attempt to simplify our lives and save money, we have decided to embark upon an experimental life change.

My husband and I have been spending some time going through books written by others who have lived frugally or "green" if you will for more than 30 years. We have also tapped into the knowledge of some of our older relatives to learn some skills that we had never before bothered to develop.

I have decided to start a series of blogs about what we are doing and the results.

In our planning for this...my husband felt that we needed to sell our home and our 2.5 acres of land in order to do what it is that we would like. However, I challenged him in that I would like to see if we can make the most of what we already have and go ahead with some of our plans. He, being a detail oriented person, sat down with his CAD program and drawings of our current property to see if it could be done efficiently with what we already own. He has developed the layout and we both believe we can implement some of the ideas we have developed.

The Garden

Kyle has developed a working plan and layout for a garden. So what's the big deal? Most people have gardens. I dare say, that not many have gardens like this one.

Rather than just plowing out a plot and throwing some seeds out, Kyle has done research on vertical gardening, 4 season gardening, and hydorponic gardening in order to maximize our crop in the least amount of space with the least amount of work. (We both hate to weed. It was obvious with our garden last year that weeding would not get done.)

Kyle has done much research on what plants produce the most yield for our area and what nutrient needs they have as well as what companion plants will help increase the crop.

His next task was to develop a hydroponic garden for certain vegetables we are hoping to produce. Hydroponic set ups can be quite expensive and we felt that the investment would go against what we were hoping to do...which is be frugal and efficient. So, he set out to see if he could develop a hydroponic system using common items from the hardware store that would require very little cost or energy to run.

I am so proud to say that he has done it and managed to make the system attractive to the eye!

I have begun starting seeds in the house, so that our plants will be ready to set out at the earliest possible time. He has also developed low cost cold frames, using items from the hardware store as well.

I in turn have researched plants for my kitchen garden that will grow in the light available in the house and provide fresh greens all year 'round!

Stay tuned....
In my next excerpt I will talk about how we plan on fertilizing our garden without purchasing fertilizer while cutting down on our garbage!

I will also talk about what I found when I took a walk through the woods behind my house that will help my family fight those pesky winter colds.

...and much more! Check us out and find out how this experiment turns out!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:54:48 -0600

Have you ever called a customer service line? You usually wait on hold for 5 to 15 minutes, then explain your story to someone only to find out that:

A. You need to call another number or
B. You need to be transferred to someone else to explain your story and needs all over again?

I don't know about you, but I don't like to have to explain my needs to 3 or 4 people before I can be helped. It's a waste of my time and the time of the 3 other people I had to go through this with.

When shopping for a home, we often go through the same thing. We find a home on line or in the newspaper or home magazine, call the number and go through our story with the agent that picks up the phone. That agent will answer our questions, then we hang up and move to the next one, only to have to answer all the same questions all over again.

This can be a huge waste of time for everyone involved.

This is why I offer a Preferred Buyer Program. When you contact me, I will find out what your needs are on the first phone call or visit. I write your needs down on my buyer information form and create a file just for you. Then I go to work looking for resources and properties to meet your needs.

You only have to explain your needs once. I will be in constant communication with you to let you know what is available on the market and I will make all the necessary phone calls to gather the details and set up schedules. One phone call is all it takes to get your questions answered and schedule the showings.

If you don't have a lot of free time and are looking for a home, give me a call and get into my Preferred Buyer Program. Let me take care of the details and help you get into your next home.

You can visit me at:
RE/MAX Alliance at 531 Belt Line Rd
Collinsville, IL

or call my office at 618-345-2111
or on my cell phone which is 618-363-2452.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:38:54 -0600

I don't know if I can follow this rule. I had to run and put on some pajama bottoms just to enter this post! The other alternative could have been a little chilly.

Greg's writing style is awesome and encourages me to just be myself whenever I write. I, too have a wicked sense of humor that I've kept toned down for my blogging purposes. It's nice to know that there is a group where I can "let my hair down" so to speak and just throw it out there with humor.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:05:41 -0600

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MLS #2817733 FOR SALE
$144,900

	RE/MAX Alliance

Laura Kombrink Email Laura Work: 618-345-2111 Home: 618-939-4021 Cell: 618-363-2452 Fax: 800-358-4163
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10 Magnolia 028

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	Address: 10 Magnolia Rd Type: Residential Style: Single Story Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3 Suite: No Living Area: Year Built: 0 More Details

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	This home has been completely remodeled with a brand new kitchen, new roof, new floors and new bathrooms. You can move right into this home and enjoy your holiday entertaining! This home is close to the park and has easy access to shopping and the highway. Come inside and make this your home today! More Description

Brokered by RE/MAX Alliance and Advertised by Kombrink Metro East

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:19:57 -0600

In the last couple of months, I've met with many people who are thinking about selling their homes. Many of them have recently gotten appraisals on their homes and feel confident as to what the price of their homes should be. Then I come along and tell them they should list for less.

Some have laughed at me and others have looked at me like I don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about. Why would they ever list their home for less than what the appraiser told them it was worth?

When an appraisal is done on your home, the appraiser takes a look at what has sold in your area over the last 3 to 6 months. They look for homes that are as similar as possible to your home. They add and subtract from the total based on square footage, age, and other features in order to adjust for any differences from your home and the others. They then come up with the figure that gives you the appraised value. This is absolutely the best way to determine the value of your home for mortgage and insurance purposes.

However, not for resale purposes. But why....you ask?

For a real estate agent, this is only the first step of the process for assessing what someone is willing to pay for your home. What your home appraises out to and what someone is willing to pay for it can often be two different things.

The next step in the process is take a look at how long those homes took to sell and what concessions did the seller have to make to get it sold.

Let's say that your neighbor has a home exactly like yours which sold a month ago at x price. This home would be used to help assess the value of your home. Let's say your neighbor also paid $1500 in closing costs for the buyer and the home was on the market for 6 months.

If you were to price your home at the exact same price...then you could expect that your home will also sit on the market 6 months (at least) and you could end up paying closing costs in order to attract a buyer.

So now that we've looked at homes in your neighborhood and what they sold for in the last 3 months...we also need to take a look at your competition.

In other words...what is currently available for sale right now. These are homes in your area that have not sold yet. What are they asking for these homes and how long have they been on the market? What extras are they offering to get them sold?

Let's say you have another neighbor down the street that has a home exactly like yours. He's asking x for his home and throwing in a home warranty and is offering to pay some of the closing costs for the buyer. Let's say your neighbor is pricing his home $4,000 under the appraised value. This means that as the buyer sees it...he's walking in with some equity already in the home. That could be pretty attractive to buyers right now....especially now where everyone is looking for the most bang for their buck!

So, a good agent will come in...quite often...under the appraised value of your home as a selling price. I say a good agent because there are also agents who will price your home wherever you would like just to get your contract. Then you can expect them to start asking you to whittle down the price as time goes by.

There are many components involved in getting a home sold. The number one component will be the price. Your home has to be priced more attractively than anything else out there. There are, of course, other factors involved. However, the biggest is price and the appraised value is only the first step of the process for determining what your home will sell for.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 08:31:12 -0600

I don't often do Open Houses. Statistics show that buyers generally don't purchase the home they visited through an Open House. I share these statistics with my sellers, however on occasion a seller will request that I hold an Open House for them.

I have just such a seller, so I found an agent in my office who is looking to do Open Houses and scheduled this one for Sunday, February 1st. I called my seller to confirm the date with him and off we go.

Two days ago, my seller called me back and asked, "Are you aware that you've scheduled the Open House on Superbowl Sunday?"

"Yes, I am aware," I replied.

He continued, "Do you really think that's a good idea...I mean...my wife could never get me to go house hunting on Superbowl Sunday....there's just no way."

I laughed...and told him that actually, I love football as well...and there's no way I would go either, but I'm an unusual woman. I then asked if his wife hangs around while he and his buddies watch the game?

He replied, "No, not really...she usually goes shopping with some friends or they go to another room and do their own thing."

"They go shopping?" I asked.

"Yes, or have a girl's night," he replied.

"Aaaaah, so their out and about," I said, "and what if one of the ladies is looking for a home...do you suppose she might be interested in getting her best friend to go with her to some Open Houses while their men take root on the couch?"

"He laughed. I suppose a woman might do that if she were in the market for a house," he conceded.

So, I'm holding an Open House Superbowl escape party at his listing...for all of those that are not so interested in joining the most sacred yearly ritual known to our modern culture. Who knows...maybe this Open House will become a new ritual for me and my clients!

OPEN HOUSE SUPERBOWL ESCAPE PARTY
Sunday February 1st From 1:00 - 3:00 10 Magnolia Rd
Wood River, Illinois

Bring your best friend...

Virtual Tour for 10 Magnolia Rd, Wood River, Illinois.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:19:14 -0600

A couple of years ago, my daughter, who was at that time living with me, called with a request. She and her fiance were at the animal shelter and they had found a german sheppard named Schultz. She wanted to know if they could bring him home.

We already had a wonderful dog named Teddy. He was 12 years old at the time and I was concerned that they might not get along. Also, I didn't necessarily want another pet.

Here's a picture of my Teddy.

I told my daughter she had to talk to my husband, her step dad. (I wanted him to be the bad guy...I just knew that he would say no.) Well....lo and behold....I came home that evening to be introduced to Schultz.

Schultz had more paperwork than any newborn child...He was a purebreed. I asked my daughter how he had ended up at the animal shelter. Who would give up such a beautiful animal? It turns out that Schultzie (as I like to call him...amongst many other not so endearing names at times) was purchased by a military person who ended up being shipped overseas. She had decided it was best to let someone else have him...so off to the shelter he went. The next owner worked long hours and left Schultz alone quite a bit, which didn't do much for his socialization.

Schultz has a very active mind and body. When he is not kept occupied, he finds his own fun!!!

Schult proved to be too much for the new owner and back to the shelter he went.

German Sheppards are very loyal animals. They tend to bond closely with one or two people and don't like change very much. So, as you can imagine he was lacking in some social graces. When my daughter found him, he was on his 3rd and final chance. If he were to come back to the shelter, he would be euthanized and probably not ever be a fit pet.

here's a picture of our Schultzie.

He is a challenge some days. He is full of energy and very intelligent. He can open doors, get ice from the fridge and leap 7 ft. kennel fences in a single bound! Some days, he demands my attention and will do anything to get me off the computer. He also enjoys scaring strangers that dare to come into his territory....we're still working on that one.

Shortly after we got Schultz...my beloved Teddy passed away.

There's really no moral to the story...no commentary on pet owner responsibilities. I just thought I'd share our story and its happy ending. Teddy and Schultzie have definitely enriched our lives and kept it from being anything but boring.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:01:19 -0600

When a home is sold there is an entire network that goes into action behind the scenes. There is obviously a realtor that takes the listing and puts a sign in the yard, but there are many other players involved to get to the closing table.

Once the sales agent leaves the home after planting the sign and taking pictures...your home is placed in the MLS and on a website. If you have an agressive agent, your home then goes out to multiple sites on the internet and other area agents are notified of your listing. This means that an administrative and technical team goes into action to flood the market with pictures and information about your home.

Some sales agents also employ a plethera of other market techniques such as hotlines and postlets and blogs to get the news out about your home.

Once a buyer has decided that your home is the one....then a whole new team of experts is called into action. It starts with the agent representing the buyer. Contracts are written and lenders and their teams step into the picture. A title company is brought onto the team as well as inspectors, appraisers and others to get the transaction to closing as smoothly as possible.

This entire village of experts comes together on both the sellers behalf as well as the buyers.

Often times, many of us believe it is in our best interest to try and sell our homes ourselves...thinking that all it takes is a sign, however in the end you will save time, money and frustration by surrounding yourself with sound team of experts.

After all, even the president of the most powerful nation on earth surrounds himself with experts to guide him through the process of governing.

It truly does take a village to sell a home. Give me a call and let's talk about the team that I have in place to get the job done!

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:38:20 -0600

It was announced this morning that Jobs of Apple Computers is taking 6 months leave for medical reasons. Stocks for Apple dropped 10% in pre-market trading. Why is this important and what does this teach us?

It is said that Jobs is the idea guy...the "core of Apple"...pardon the pun. Without him, it is believed that Apple computers cannot compete. Is this true? Only time will tell, however it is obvious that, at least publicly...Apple is really all about Jobs and his leadership. Where did Apple go wrong?

Let's look at short term and long term strategy. Jobs is fantastic at what he does! He's made Apple competitive and successful....for the short term. He is the driving force for Apple, however who, if anyone, was being developed to take his place for long term growth? What will happen during his leave of absence? No one knows...so far there are no names being presented as his replacement. Has Apple been developing talent to take the reigns when Jobs is no longer there?

I would like to take a lesson from this and ride my "hobby-horse" for a moment. I've been talking alot lately about branding and long term strategies. Many have thought me crazy for thinking about my exit strategy when I've only been doing real estate for 6 months.

Apple Computer's current situation beautifully illustrates why I choose to brand my business rather than myself. It also affirms why I should be thinking about exit strategies at the beginning of my business.

I fully intend to build a highly profitable business. I fully intend to take my business as far as it can possibly go. I've spent countless hours marketing, networking, developing websites and just plain beating the bushes for business...and I've done it in one of the toughest markets.

I fully intend to reap the immediate rewards of all my efforts. Although at this point my business is all about me, I do intend to build a team and to lead it. Part of leadership is developing other leaders within an organization. Why would I want to take the time to do that? Why wouldn't I want my name and face everywhere?

Because 20 years from now, when I want to retire, I don't just want to shut everything down and walk away. What I do want is a business that can continue under different leadership and bring me income for the rest of my life.

We all have different motivations for getting into real estate. For me, it's a business....a business that I love...a business that I am having fun building....but a business none the less. I have decided to glean as much as I can from other real estate businesses, but I am also looking to businesses outside of the real estate industry to draw important lessons from.

So, what can we learn from Apple Computers?
Here it is in a nutshell:
If a business revolves solely around one person or personality....and that person is no longer on the scene....then that business may not survive. It's just good old fashioned common sense.

Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:24:18 -0600

I don't know about you, but life can get stressful at times. We can often feel as if we are going in 10 different directions at the same time. When you throw business, children and a spouse into the mix, it can become overwhelming.

We all have dreams. We have, in our minds, a picture of how we would like our lives to be...some day.

There are a couple of things that I have learned over the last 2 years from others that have really helped me to hone in on my daily activities and have allowed me to move towards and achieve some of the things that I could only dream about before.

Am I still busy?

The answer would, of course, be yes. However, I am busy achieving my dreams and I am having more fun than I ever have before.

So, Laura, you ask, what is the great secret that you have discovered?

The first thing that I learned is to actually sit down and think about what it is that I would like my life to be like.

What do I want to accomplish before I die?

What type of home would I like to have?

What type of activities would I like to participate in?

What would I like to leave for my children and grandchildren?

What type of relationships would I like to have?

What does success mean to me?

...and so on...

I then sat down with magazines and began going through them looking for pictures that closely matched my ideals. For instance...I cut out a picture of a woman relaxing in a bubble bath; surrounded by candles. This picture represented peace and tranquility to me. I found pictures of gardens and an outdoor kitchen. I have another picture of a vessel pouring water into another vessel and above it I put:

I am ready to receive
Wisdom
Wealth
Love
Happiness
Peace

I chose some core values that I would like to live by, and some other little things that I would like to have. Of course I cut out pictures of money because unfortunately, it takes money to have some of these things. I then bought myself a cork board and pinned these pictures to it. This is my vision board. I also have an empty cork board which is my achievement board. This is where I place the pictures from my vision board once I have achieved them.

The idea of a vision board is not new. Many people have them. I reflect upon my vision board daily. It reminds me of what I am working towards. I had my vision board about 3 months...all the while wondering how I would achieve my dreams.

Then my boss gave me an audio book to listen to on my long commute to an from work. The book is entitled "Good to Great" The book was written with businesses in mind, however the author outlined a concept that he called the hedge hog concept.

The author points out that we are all inundated with opportunities. Businesses have many opportunities to expand what they do, but this is not always a good idea.

As I listened to the book in my car, I began to apply the concept not only to business, but to my personal life as well.

The author recommends that you decide three things:
1. What do I have a passion for?
2. What can I be the best at?
3. What will earn me money?

I recommend you tweak these a bit if you are thinking of applying this concept to your personal life. For instance:
1. What do I have a passion for?
2. What am I best at doing...or where is my talent?
3. Will this bring me...money?...peace?...happiness? (you get the idea)

Next you take a look at your vision board and your 3 concepts and your current life, friends, activities.

Does everything line up?

Here's another example...I'll use something from my vision board...I mentioned that I desire peace in my life. If I truly desire peace, then why would I allow someone into my inner circle who likes to argue? If I desire to have enough money to have an outdoor kitchen, then why would I continue working for someone who won't give me a raise, or for a company where my income will always be limited?

You get the idea.

There are many self help books out there that are quite popular and probably very good. The problem is we don't implement what we learn from these books. I have read many books over the years, but when I decided to implement only these 2 concepts, I reaped tremendous changes.

My point is...we can't possibly follow every recommendation that every self help/personal growth author puts out. We would be running ourselves in circles. But....if you are looking to simplify your life...you must first know WHAT you want and then measure everything by a specific criteria before you allow it into your life.

Our lives are cluttered enough. It's ok to let those things go that don't take you where you want to be.

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Laura Kombrink (RE/MAX Alliance) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:00:38 -0600

Hello Everyone! RE/MAX Alliance is hosting a Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting for their new office located at 531 Belt Line Rd in Collinsville Illinois.

The time will be from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday January 8th. Tammy Anderson-Owens and her husband, Rick Owens are the owners and my Tammy is my broker.

We would all love to see you there to share in our celebration and of course there will be food and refreshments! Stop by to congratulate Tammy and Rick and celebrate with all of us.

We'll see you there!