Van Buren Real Estate and other stuff

Mother nature stikes again in Van Buren

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:40:15 -0500

Mother nature struck again in Van Buren on Fathers Day Sunday night June 15th... I was sitting at home alone watching the telie and I heard it start to rumble very loud and deep in the near distance. I don't normally watch the news so I was not aware we were due to have storms. In fact, it had been a beautiful day. I had just got through mowing my yard a few hours earlier.

About 11:10 PM the storm came down like a raging bull. The winds were extreme and the lightning was like I have never seen before. I have been through a few storms and even witnessed a tornado from a few miles away but I was very uneasy and scared about this storm.

We had just started to finally recover from the storms we had in April that caused Van Buren and many other cities to be deemed disaster zones. I wrote about those storms in my blogs:

FEMA offers assistance to Crawford & Sebastian County residents

A cry for help ......

Scary night in Fort Smith and Van Buren... continued

Scary night in Fort Smith and Van Buren

The electricity kept going on and off every few minutes and it became quite eerie. Just when I decided I better tune into the news the power went off and stayed off. It was beyond black in my house except for the lightning flashs. I stayed out on my porch for some stupid reason... I actually felt safer watching the sky and watching what was happening. I could hear the trees moaning and creaking and the wind was just crazy. I really thought a tornado was going to rip through town or a tree was going to break and fall on my house.

I heard a loud creaking and then a snap and a crash... my neighbors tree was down in the street. Then a few minutes later the same thing happened across the street, and just caddy corner to me a tree fell on someones roof.

I was on and off the phone with my daughter who was at work and my grandkids and their other grandmother who were all in Fort Smith. They still had power so they were keeping me up to date on the storm.

I really thought the tornado sirens would go off at any moment but they never did. The storm lasted for about 45 minutes to an hour and then it was over. A few times I almost hid in the closet but it was so dark and the thought of a tree falling on the house was too scary. I felt I was safer where I could at least see what was happening. That was probably stupid now that I think about it!!!

I finally tried to go to sleep hoping the power would come on before morning. It was hard to sleep though because there was no electricy to power the fans and it was hot and humid and the sounds of police cars and fire trucks and the street dept was out with chain saws trying to clear the roads from all the trees that had been blown down.

I think I finally fell asleep about 3:30 in the moring. I woke to the sound of chain saws outside very early. It was 7am. I looked outside and it looked like a war zone. Tree limbs littered the yards and the streets.

After I got out and cleared my front yard of the debris, I decided to go see if I could get a cup of coffee somewhere. I had no power so I wasnt sure how much of the city had been hit. The street were lined with people and police cars and utility trucks and trucks with beds and trailers full of tree limbs.

I snapped a few picture with my cell phone but I didnt have much battery left amd no electric to charge it up. These were just a few of the sites I saw driving around my neighborhood.

These are were just a few of the pics I took trying to save my battery.

Long story short here...... The storms came through on Sunday night and power went out about 11:20pm that night. Fast forward until Wendesday afternoon about 3:00 and we finally got the power back on. Everything had to be thrown out of the fridge and freezer.... I had just went grocery shopping over the weekend. We had to eat out for 2 and a half days and we finally rented a hotel roon on Tuesday night when we realized we wou;ld be without power another night. I had bought some flashlights and a little lantern and a battery powed fan for the second night but Tuiesday night I had my grandkids back at my house and it just wasnt working to not have power or food or cool air. All toll this storm cost my at least $500 out of pocket that I didnt have to spend.

Many homes and vehicles were damaged by downed trees falling on them.

Today is Thrusday and they have finally started to get the majority of the tree damage cleared out, but there are still a number of homes with a ton of tree debris to be cleared out. It will take awhile to recover from this latest storm.

Say a little prayer for all of us!

Part 2 of ...Working with leads from an Open House.

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:42:54 -0500

In Part 2 of working with leads from an Open House, I am going to share how I took this lead from prospect to client in less than a week.

In part 1 of Working with leads from Open Houses, I shared about meeting a couple at my Open House that were pre qualified with a USDA ~ RD loan.

You can read more about it here http://www.activerain.com/blogsview/545447/Working-with-leads-from .

I held the Open House on Sunday and on Monday I called the couple to let them know that I had found some houses in their pre approved range that I thought they would be interested in.

On Monday I invited them to the office to come look at them and the wife ended up coming in by herself. We spent 2 and a half hours looking at homes in the MLS. We narrowed it down to about 7 homes. She called me on Tuesday to let me know she had narrowed the field down to 5 homes.

I scheduled to show the homes the following day and we went out and toured the property. The wife came by herself. I was a bit concerned about the husband not touring with us because I felt I would have to retrace my steps if she liked the houses.

Well, she narrowed it down to 2 homes that she liked. She wanted me to set up another appointment so the husband could see the homes. I was busy all day Thursday but she wanted to see the homes after I was not busy which was around 6:00 pm. I called her after I got out of Realtor class and she had found other homes she wanted to tour. There was only 1 home that we could see that night so we decided that we would just add it into our tour on Friday.

Her and her husband showed up at my office on Friday and we toured 4 properties. They hit on 2 of them. I brought them back to the office and we drew up contracts on both houses. I submitted the 1st one that night and should hear back on Saturday. If this house doesn't fly, then on to the next one which I know will sell as we offered full asking price. The first house they low balled the offer and I am afraid it will be rejected. But we do have the back up home so I am fairly sure I will have my 1st sale soon!

So... for those Realtors that don't think Open Houses are worth while, I say phooey!

I am not counting my chickens before they hatch but I feel that out of the 2 offers we will have one that works.

I will keep you informed!

Double Celebration....... 75th blog post and swearing in as a REALTOR® !!!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:15:54 -0500

Welcome to my Double Celebration.....

My 75th blog post and swearing in as a REALTOR®!!!

I thought it fitting to be able to celebrate my 75th blog post by blogging about swearing in as a full fledged REALTOR® today! I attended the new agent orientation at the Fort Smith Board of REALTORs® today and I am very excited and that I received my REALTOR® pin.

I will wear it with pride!

I worked hard for this and it is very gratifying to have finally achieved this goal.

I just want to say Thank You to all the great Rainers who have supported me and encouraged me along the way. Your encouragement has meant the world to me. Thank You again for all your kind words.

I am proud to be one of you now!

Contact Susan Davis, Realtor®, Exit Realty Fort Smith. Licensed Realtor® in Arkansas at 479-806-6390 to list your property for sale or to purchase a property in Van Buren, Fort Smith, Alma, Barling, Greenwood and the rest of Crawford County Arkansas and Sebastian County Arkansas. I am currently accepting referrals.

Contact me by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under my profile.

Disclaimer:The information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice. Van Buren Real Estate and other stuff Blog does not guarantee or is any way responsible for its accuracy, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Entries on Van Buren Real Estate and other stuff Blog represent the opinions and ideas of the author. Van Buren Real Estate and other stuff Blog does not express the views of Exit Realty Fort Smith or those of the broker.

When the sun sets.....

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:33:10 -0500

When the sun sets......

The sky changes hue

The air cools

day turns to night

creatures come out of hiding

humans go to sleep

Gods shows His creative mastery

When the sun sets.....

I am taken to a place of peace...

of wonder

of Gods amazing grace...

The sky becomes a huge canvas for God to show the many beautiful colors that make up our world.

And I am grateful for His mercy and grace and never ending love.

I just wanted to share these beautiful sunsets with you. The post was inspired by Mike in Tucson`s blogs, especially the one he wrote here: Capture Life! Always Have Your Camera Nearby.

The top sunset was taken on the way to take my son Alan to Baker University to enroll in college. This was on the interstate in Kansas.

The bottom sunset was taken just coming over the bridge across the Arkansas river into Van Buren from Fort Smith. If you look at the top of my blog you can see the bridge I am talking about across the river.

Both pictures were taken while driving with my cell phone camera out the window! Not bad if I say so myself!!!

Thanks to Mike in Tucson... I am finding myself being more tuned into my surroundings and taking time to look around and see just what life might have to show me if I look.

Contact me by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under my profile.

Working with leads from Open Houses

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:50:37 -0500

This is Part 1 in a series about working with leads from open houses. I have held an Open House every Sunday since receiving my license. I held one this past Sunday at 1520 Saratoga Drive in Van Buren`s Heritage Heights Community . I only had 2 couples show up for this one but out of them I found a qualified buyer ready to buy a home.

This couple in their 60`s didnt even want to come inside the front before they asked how much the home was. I invited them in out of the heat and we stood in the entry way. The husband was very standoffish. He said he didnt want to waste my time because the house was more than they had been approved for.

Ahhh Haaa!!! Light bulb moment!

I knew at that moment that I had a lead and if I worked it right, I could turn them into a client. I immediately asked them what kind of loan they were appoved for and who their lender was and also if they were working with a Realtor yet. I explained I was also a Licensed Loan Officer and that helped break the ice.

The husband kept trying to get out the door but the wife had chimed in with the answers to the questions I was asking so I started to direct my attention to her, while giving the husband an occassional nod for good measure.

I invited them in the house to sit down and talk about their loan and what options they had available to them. I offered them some fresh baked cookies and they sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed their snack as I continued to ask more questions to qualify them.

I proceeded to dig deeper into what they were looking for and trying to keep the conversation flowing that direction. The husband is a piece of work! He has story after story to tell about his life, politics, religion etc. I gave him my attention and interjected a few times, but mostly I let him tell his stories and affirmed him when I could.

The wife keep trying to get him back onto the business of finding a home. She proceeded to show me her House Hunter book. It was a compostion book with pages full of clippings from the newspaper and RE magazines. She shared with me that they have looked at about 20 homes and they have worked with at least 1 other Realtor. This Realtor did not get a BBA and the wife confessed to me that she didnt like "taking up so much of my time". She felt guilty for having ONE Realtor show her all around.

I saw my opening to explain Agency to them. They were not aware that is how Realtors work.

Clue...... Educate your customers!

It is all about asking questions, listening to your customers, not backing down when they say they dont want to come in., and following up with them.

After an hour and half went by... mind you they didnt even want to come in..... they left shaking my hand and me telling them I would search for some homes for them.

I called them the next day and set up an appointment for them to come into the office. Only the wife came and we looked at what was available on the MLS. We narrowed it down to 7 homes and made appointments to tour them tomorrow.

I will be picking them up and you can bet I will have my BBA ready to get a signature.

I will do more posts as this process continues to share how it goes with you. I hope this will help someone along the way!

This post was birthed out of a post by our own Broker Bryant about BBA`s and also Brett Noel`s blog about Open houses.

Stayed tuned and wish me well!

Contact me by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under my profile.

5902 Skyview Circle West, Beverly Hills Estates, Van Buren

Fri, 30 May 2008 13:36:38 -0500

Prestigious Luxury Home in North Van Buren $359,900

Location: Beverly Hills Estates

Luxury home in the Beverly Hills Estates development nestled in the Ozark valley a wooded half acre in North Van Buren. Features include 10 & 12 ft. ceilings, 4br 3.5 bath, spacious country kitchen with gourmet range, large great room with electric fireplace, Master bedroom has large walk in closet that is also a concrete safe room. Relaxing screened in porch with a beautiful, scenic view. Only 2 homes on this hilltop cul-de-sac with space for 3 more.

Open for viewing Sunday June 1st 2-4

Information

Contact Information

Susan Davis

479-806-6390

Contact Reply Form

Forward to a Friend

View Other Flyers

Pricing

Asking Price: $359,900

Property Location

5902 Skyview Circle West
Van Buren, AR 72956
View Map

Links

Virtual Tour

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3.5

Year Built: 2007

Subdivision: Beverly Hills Estates

Lot Size: .660 acres

Garage Size: 3

School District: Van Buren

Square Footage: 2748 heated

Agent Name: Susan Davis

Broker: Karen LeRosen

MLS #: 501027

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Microwave

Central Vacuum

Trash Compactor

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Kitchen Island

Vaulted Ceilings

Attic

Concrete safe room

Granite countertops throughout

Exterior Amenities

Patio

Grass Lawn

Secluded setting

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (9 Photos)

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 1688211

This beautiful home located at 5902 Skyview Circle West in Prestigious Beverly Hills Estates in North Van Buren will be open for viewing on Sunday June 1st from 2-4pm.

1520 Saratoga Drive in Van Buren`s Heritage Heights Community

Wed, 28 May 2008 20:30:51 -0500

Photo Gallery

See for miles	Great Deck	Great Kitchen
Big yard	Master bath	2nd bedroom
3rd bedroom	Master Bedroom	Living room

Description

BEAUTIFUL. HARDWOOD FLOORS, GRANITE COUNTERS IN KITCHEN & BATHS, SURROUND FP, COVERED LG. DECK. BEAUTIFUL VIEW. TOP APPLIANCES,CHERRY CABINETS, WALK-IN PANTRY PLUS MUCH MORE.

Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	2
Year Built:	2004
Subdivision:	Heritage Heights
Lot Size:	89 x 139
Garage Size:	2 car
School District:	Van Buren
Square Footage:	2114
Agent Name:	Susan Davis
Broker:	Karen LeRosen
MLS #:	541115

Location

1520 Saratoga Van Buren AR 72956

vFlyerId: 1686912

To view this beautiful home located at 1520 Saratoga drive in the Heritage Heights community of Van Buren, AR. Please call Susan Davis @ 479-806-6390

1520 Saratoga Drive in Van Buren`s Heritage Heights Community

Wed, 28 May 2008 11:49:51 -0500

Susan Davis | Exit Fort Smith | 479-806-6390

1520 Saratoga Drive, Van Buren, AR

BEAUTIFUL. HARDWOOD FLOORS, GRANITE COUNTERS IN KITCHEN & BATHS, SURROUND FP, COVERED LG. DECK. BEAUTIFUL VIEW. TOP APPL.,CHERRY CABINETS, WALK-IN

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $204,900

Year Built	2004
Sq Footage	2,115
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This is a great property with a gorgeous view from the back deck in a quiet close knit neighborhood. Great schools and close to shopping, entertainment and restuarants.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
High/Vaulted ceiling	Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor
Living room	Dining room	Breakfast nook
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Microwave	Granite countertop	Attic
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard
Jacuzzi/Whirlpool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Susan Davis

Exit Fort Smith

479-806-6390

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 28, 2008, 7:52am PDT

This is a great home in a great neighborhood with a breathtaking view! Call Susan Davis @ 479-806-6390 to view this beautiful home at 1520 Saratoga Drive in Heritage Heights located in Van Buren, Arkansas.

Do you have a wienie?

Sun, 18 May 2008 23:58:46 -0500

Ok... now that I have your attention!!!

I want to seriously ask you... do you have a wienie?

Please dont go thinking I am a bit off color here.

I read a post by Seth Godin today who referred to a post written by Mark Ramsey.

Mark wrote about when Walt Disney had invited a group of GE Executives to come take a sneak peak at the GE Carousel of Progress show for the 1964 Worlds Fair.

They loved it. But Walt wasnt sure.

"It doesn't have a wienie!" he said. "Come back in a couple weeks and I'll show you."

The puzzled executives did as Walt asked. A week later they returned to see the show again. It was virtually identical to the first version - with one exception: Walt had added a comical audio-animatronic dog with a wagging tail to each scene.

It was the "wienie." The "finishing touch." The delightful, magnetic bonus.

Mark goes on to talk to about what a wienie is why you should have one!

He says "The wienie isn't what you must do It's what you want to do. Its delightful impact arises from the sheer joy of its creation and the desire of its creator to share that joy with others." Visit Marks blog to read the rest of this interesting post.

In some places wienies might be better referred to as Lagniappe.

As Realtors and Loan Officers and Home Stagers and all those in other service oriented sectors of Real Estate, what kind of a wienie are you? What kind of over the top service or extra steps do you take for your clients?

I had a chance to show off my wienie today at my 1st Open House! I have been to a few Open Houses of others and was not very impressed to be honest. Some of the homes had unusal odors, and you could hear a pin drop in the place. Not very inviting to say the least.

I decided that I was going to make my Open house feel warm and inviting. It is a new construction home that is very nice on the inside. The home is staged in the kitchen and living room as well as the bathrooms. But the house still has that " new contruction" smell.

I brought in some warm apple pie candles for the kitchen, and some fresh linen candles for the bathrooms (along with a roll of toilet paper just in case!). I also brought some fresh cookies that I warmed up in the microwave that gave off a yummy aroma. I provided refreshments and a drawing for a $10 Wal Mart Gift Card and as a final touch, I brought my portable CD player and had some very soothing and inviting Yanni music playing. It gave the home a very comfortable feeling.

I wanted to buy this house after I had spent two hours there!

I dont know that it will help me to sell the home but I know that it left a great impression with the guests that viewed it.

When I shared what I did with another Realtor, their response was... you dont have to do that kind of stuff. I said "I know... but I want to stand out from the others that dont!"

So tell me please.... what kind of wienies do you serve up?

I hear that Mike in Tucson can tell you where they serve some really awesome wienies Sonoran style!

Contact me by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under my profile.

Open house in Fort Smith, May 18th 2008

Sat, 17 May 2008 21:31:03 -0500

I will be hosting an Open House on Sunday May 18th from 2pm - 4pm. Please come and tour your potential new home! Refreshments and a Door Prize will be offered for your enjoyment.

1805 Denali Way in Barling. $152,000

Rogers Ave towrds Barling then right at the light on Strozier, then right into Glacier Bay on Denali Way, 1st house on the left.

3 bdrm
2 1/2 bath
2 car garage
1712 sq ft appx.
New Construction
Gourmet Kitchen
Whirlpool & walk-in shower
Jack and Jill Bath
Beautiful color scheme
Great new home you must see today!

I look forward to seeing you there!

Contact me by email if you prefer by clicking on email me on the right side of this page under my profile.

The heart of the matter

Sat, 17 May 2008 16:14:17 -0500

Wednesday I had to take my youngest son to Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock for his annual heart check up.

He was born with a condition called Aortic Stenosis. He has a Bicuspid Aortic Value. Which is shown in the diagram below of the Two Valve Leaflets.

Aortic stenosis is narrowing of the aortic valve, impeding delivery of blood from the heart to the body.
Aortic stenosis can be caused by congenital bicuspid aortic valve, scarred aortic valve of rheumatic fever, and wearing of aortic valve in the elderly.
Aortic stenosis can cause chest pain, fainting, and heart failure leading to shortness of breath.
Echocardiogram and cardiac catheterization are important tests in diagnosing and evaluating severity of aortic stenosis.
Patients with aortic stenosis are usually given antibiotics prior to any procedures which might introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, such as dental procedures and surgeries.
Patients with aortic stenosis who have symptoms may require surgical heart valve replacement.

This was diagnosed when he was 6 weeks old when he was put in the hospital for the RSV virus. He is fine and doesnt have to take any medication or restricted activity other than they dont want him to do heavy weightlifting.

It was a great trip and I enjoyed the time I got to spend with him one on one. We dont get much of that together. It gives us a chance to talk and just to "be" with each other.

On the way back from his check up I was driving down the road and saw these clouds that looked like rolling ripples in the sky. I immediately thought of Mike In Tucson as he loves cloud formations and has blogged about them several times. It was trying to storm but it went around us thankfully!

We had to leave rather early in the morning to make the 2 1/2 hour trip to Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Then of course you have the dreaded wait in the waiting area. He had to have an EKG as well as an Echo on his heart and then we have to see the Doctor. The whole process takes about 2 1/2 hours.

On the way back home he of course got sleepy.

He would shoot me if he knew I posted this on my blog!

We had decided to stop at a Sonic on the way home to grab a drink since it was happy hour! Sonic is a Drive~In restaurant in the Midwest. Nothing better than a drink from Sonic half price! I used to Manage a Sonic years ago and when we pulled up to this one I was so impressed I had to take a picture of it. It was one of the cleanest, nicest Sonic Drive~In`s I have ever seen! This was in Atkins, Arkansas.

Atkins was hit by an F4 Tornado on Feb 5th 2008 and killed 4 people.

This was a fun little trip for my son and I and I enjoyed spending the time with him. I am so thankful to God that his heart condition has not gotten any worse.

Susan

IT`S OFFICAL..... I`m a Licensed Real Estate Agent!!!!

Fri, 09 May 2008 00:09:42 -0500

I am about to bust!!!!!!

After 3 months...

It is offical.... The AREC has issued my license!

Arkansas Real Estate Commission Agent Search

Navigation : New Agent Search >> Report Search Results

Agent Name	License Number	Address	Company	Expiration Date	CE Current?
DAVIS, SUSAN D	SA00068401	FORT SMITH, AR 72903	Exit Realty Associates	12/31/2008	No

You can read about my journey through Real Estate school here:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/474416/I-PASSED-THE-EXAM

It has been an emotional journey but I made it! I cant wait to start serving my clients and helping people to buy, sell and finance their dream homes!

Look out world... here I come!!!

Susan

Blog about blogging about blogging!

Thu, 08 May 2008 23:21:33 -0500

This is a little blog about blogging about blogging! Let me explain.

I was in Wal Mart today in the canned veggie isle. I came across a can of "organic peas" and they were 3 times higher than the regular canned veggies. I thought out loud to the sales clerk who was stocking the shelves.... I just dont get it... why do we have to pay 3 times as much for food that has a lot less stuff in it? It seems to me that since they dont have to buy all the carp that they put in the cheap food, that the good food should cost less.

Ok.. so not that exciting and what does that have to do with the title of this blog?

Well, as I was doing my daily ramble through my favorite blogs, I came across a blog by our own Jeff Turner.

It was about a trip he and his family made to the Whole Foods store and Jeff made a statement about why the food costs more, much the same as I did. But what got me was what his son had to say about what he said!

"You Can Blog That!"

It gave me a little chuckle and the bright idea to blog about Jeff blogging about blogging... you have to go visit his blog to see what I mean.

I hope you have been able to follow me this far! If so... hope you get a giggle out of it too.

Susan

Can we talk???

Thu, 08 May 2008 19:10:05 -0500

In the words made famous by Joan Rivers......

CAN WE TALK???

About Colon Cancer.

In 2007, an estimated 112,340 Americans were diagnosed with colon cancer and 41,420 with rectal cancer. More than 52,000 people were expected to die from the disease last year. Colon cancer is largely preventable if precancerous polyps are found and removed before they become cancerous. If colon cancer is found and treated at its earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.

Would you take a moment to allow me to talk to you about Cancer and how it has affected my life?

In Janurary of 2005 I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Colon Cancer. I had surgery to remove a tumor the size of a brick of cheese, about 3 x 4 inches, along with 16 inches of my transverse colon. The surgery was followed by 6 months of chemotherapy.

That really sucked.

I was not prepared to hear someone say to me, Susan, you have cancer.

But by the Grace of God, I just rebuked it and went on.

I have been cancer free ever since and have looked for ways to give back for all the wonderful care I received and just for the second chance at life I have been given.

Can we talk about the American Cancer Society Relay For Life and how you can help to fight Cancer also?

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length.

Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.

Can we talk about what I am trying to do to help fight this terrible disease?

I am trying to raise a minimum of $500 for the American Cancer Society

My Reason to Relay is to join people around the world in celebrating those of us who have survived cancer, remembering the people we've lost, and supporting the lifesaving mission of the American Cancer Society.
Please make a donation to me or join my team. You are helping deliver the hope that future generations will not have to endure cancer threatening the lives of their friends and family.

You have the power to fight back against a disease that affects millions.

Please go to my personal Relay For Life page and make a donation.

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/susandavis

Or you can find a Relay in your hometown and participate.

Please help me to help the American Cancer Society help people who have been touched by cancer. The Crawford County Relay For Life will be held at the Van Buren High School track located at 2001 Pointer Trail in Van Buren on June 20, 2008 at 6:00 PM.

May God Bless you.

FEMA offers assistance to Crawford & Sebastian County residents

Wed, 07 May 2008 23:18:28 -0500

Due to the severe damage caused by the many recent, very severe storms that battered our area over the past two months. FEMA has opened up a local offices in Van Buren and Fort Smith, Arkansas to help aid families who suffered damage.

I was one of those families affected by the storms that raged through the area. I blogged about the massive hail and flooding that my home experienced.

My car also received severe damage and my insurance company cut me a check for part of the damage to my car but it wasn`t enough to cover the repairs, so my car has not yet been fixed. It was about $1500 less than I needed to fix it. I am still waiting for my homeowners insurance adjuster to come check out the damage to my roof and windows. The flooding to the lower part of my home is not covered because it was from outside water.

I was told by a realtor friend of mine that I should contact FEMA and see what assistance I might get. I wasnt sure I could get help since I had insurance.

I called the number and was directed to their website http://www.fema.gov/ to file a claim. It only took me about 15 minutes to fill out the online form. I was totally blown away that within 2 hours of filing, I received a call from the FEMA field adjuster. He was at my house within 30 minutes after the call and assessed the damage. I was so impressed with the whole process. I have never had that kind of response from any government agencey ever.

If you live in Crawford County or Sebastian County in Arkansas, you may be able to receive assistance from FEMA. It doesnt hurt anything to call or visit the office or online to see if they can help.

The above picture was taken by J. Andrew Lockhart a local photographer I blogged about yesterday.

The Disaster Recovery Center in Van Buren is open now through Saturday, June 7. Hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays. The locations are:

Crawford County
226 Cloverleaf Plaza
Van Buren, AR 72956

Sebastian County (DRC)
Fort Smith Events Center
(across street from Howard Johnson's)
12 N. 11th St.
Fort Smith, AR 72901
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 2 through May 31, Closed Sundays

Disaster victims are urged to register for assistance before visiting a DRC by logging on to http://www.fema.gov/ or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech- or hearing-impaired. Phone lines are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Representatives from ADEM, FEMA and the SBA will be available at the MDRC to answer questions and to provide recovery information. Officials at the MDRC also can check the status of disaster applications; provide information about state agencies and voluntary organizations; discuss the SBA's low-interest loans for homeowners, renters and businesses; and provide information on how to reduce future damage. No cash, checks, debit cards or vouchers are distributed at disaster recovery centers. These centers are solely for the dissemination of information to assist victim recovery.

I hope this information has been helpful to you. If you know anyone in theis area that sustained damage, please pass this information on to them.

Thanks!

Susan

Van Buren Arkansas... captured on photo.

Mon, 05 May 2008 23:56:10 -0500

I have been keeping track of some really interesting photos of Van Buren Arkansas that are taken by a local photographer who is also a music teacher for the Van Buren School District.

I wanted to highlite some of his work and let ohters know about him. His name is J. Andrew Lockhart. He keeps a daily journal of his work in pictures on his blog, http://vanburendailyphoto.blogspot.com/

This is a picture he took of the hail that I blogged about this past month. Incredible hail did a ton of damage.

This is a shot of the cemetery right down the street from my house.

Please go check out his blog and his pictures. I think he captures the charm of our wonderful city in very unique ways.

Susan

Old Timers Day Arts and Craft Festival in Historic Van Buren

Fri, 02 May 2008 21:53:56 -0500

One of the great events that is held annually on Main Street

in Historic Van Buren is the Old Timers Days Arts and Crafts Festival.

Six blocks of Van Buren's Main Street will be closed off to provide space for more than 200 exhibitors from more than seven states. A variety of food and entertainment will be available. A children's carvnival will also be available. The event will be held rain or shine.

This annual event draws thousands of tourists and visitors. The festival goers enjoy food samples and music and also a carnival. A grand ole time is had by all!

Friday:

6 p.m. Carnival Opens

6:00 Wecome & National Anthem

6:30 St. James Gospel Choir

7 p.m. Jesus Main Gospel Band

Saturday

9:00 a.m. Festival and Carnival Opens

10:00 a.m. Free Entertainment Begins

10:30 Excursion Train

6 p.m. Welcome & National Anthem

6:15 p.m. Hwy 5

7:30 p.m. Riverbilly

Sunday

9:00 a.m. Festival and Carnival Opens

10:30 Excursion Train

11:00 a.m. Free Entertainment Begins

12:00 noon Carnival Opens

5:00 p.m. Festival Closes

First contact from Active Rain success story!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:12:31 -0500

Van Buren is the Home of The Pointers!

They dont call us the Pointers for nothin!

My son played QB for Van Buren High School and I always sported my Pointer Pride attire! But I got to show my true Pointer Spirit by helping my First contact from Active Rain to find a home!

I wrote a post a while back about my first contact from someone through Active Rain. A gentleman who was relocating to Fort Smith emailed me and asked if I could help him find a home to lease. Since I am not licensed yet, all I could do was to be a birddog for him and point him in the right direction, free of charge of course! I looked at it as gaining experience in helping someone meet their goals in finding a home.

I went to view houses and sent him pictures of the ones that I thought would interest him. I went through about 6 homes before I found the right one. I thought that was pretty good beginners luck!

Well, he pulled into town last night from Minnesota and I took him to see the house this moring after church.

He loved it!

I showed him around town and took him to the Sweet Bay Coffee by the park. We had a warm cup of coffee and got to know a bit about each other. He shared with me that he couldnt believe how much work I did for him for free. I explained to him that it was my pleasure and I hoped that he would remember me when it was time for him to buy a home or if he knew others that could benefit from my help once I get my license.

He assurred me that I would get his referrals. He thanked me again for making this relocation a very smooth transition for him. He had mentioned that he emailed a few agents and no one would reply to him. I find that sad. They didnt see the value of helping this gentleman out. But I did. I was sowing seeds!

I am so happy that my new friend is verry happy with his new home and is extremly pleased with the service that I rendered. He eneded up with a beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bath bath home in a great neighborhood called Remington near the beautiful Ben Geren Park in Southern Fort Smith.

I am really looking forward to the day I can do this for real and get paid for it! The feeling of satisfaction I got by helping this man find a home was amazing! I want to do it again and again.

Thanks Active Rain for allowing us to put ourselves out there! So I encourage all of you to keep putting yourself out there and the contacts will come!

But just make sure that you take care of them when they do!

To your success,

Susan

Can you spare a thought?

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:42:36 -0500

Ok.....

I`ve had about enough of this mental block. I have searched my brain for something to blog about the past week or so, and I find myself coming up empty.

I had all these great ideas for blogs and when I would sit down to write....

NOTHING !!!

I am a bit frustrated to say the least.

So, I thought I might just ask of my friends in the Rain.....

What do you do when you come up against writers block?

Care to share a thought with me!

I need some roto rooter for my brain maybe.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.... I need some ideas!

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!

Susan