The crashing waves at Cave Point headline the article which described the Door as, "...with roughly 300 miles of coastline and quaint New Englandy towns...", and, "Wisconsin's crooked-finger peninsula...".  Pretty accurate descriptions I would say.

Favorite Door County spots receiving special mention are Ellison Bay, Porcupine Road and Ellison Bluff Road---all leading to Ellison Bluff Park.

The article invites the reader to, "Picture an eagle's nest made of metal and bolted to the side of a sheer cliff.  That is what Ellison Bluff County Park offers."

Cave Point County Park in the town of Sevastopol seems an amazement and a frightening place to the writer as she describes, "...the bluffs are without barriers of any kind. A sign exhorts visitors to hang on to children and pets. Scramble along the slippery ribbons of trail at your peril. Most hikers stay up on the ledge; but you can rock-hop right down to the water, where grottos pock the limestone and sharp outcroppings offer quasi shelter should a sudden squall come up. When the wind is right, blowholes send flumes of water skyward with the force of whales spouting. Spend an hour wandering around in this misty never-never land and you’ll probably be ready to go somewhere that’s officially, well, somewhere." 

In all the years I've been living in Door County and going to Cave Point I don't think I've ever known anyone to be lost.  If you make a trip to the Door you must see Cave Point despite this writers imaginative description!

Peninsula State Park is mentioned as, "...definitely somewhere" and described as "...a prominent swatch of emerald green...", and "...the Grand Central Station of Door County attractions".  The writer gives a bit of Door County history as she writes about a cemetary where, "...stones go back to the 1700s. Increase Claflin arrived in 1834 and became the “First White Settler in Door County,” according to his tombstone...".

The writer counts among her must do list the Yardley Inn, Rowleys Bay Resort, White Gull Inn and Door County Coffee and Tea.

Here is the link for the Chicago Magazine article--enjoy.

I have the perfect excuse for you to plan a trip to Door County this month--as if you need an excuse.  the Perseid Meteor Shower.  My grand boys will be here so we're planning a camp out on the 13th to watch the show.

Not many of us will be privileged to travel into space, but we can enjoy the phenomenon of a meteor shower as it crosses the nighttime sky. Meteoroids are the debris flung from comets as they orbit the sun, a streak of light produced by the meteoroid as it reaches incandescence.

August brings a special show that will peak during the dark hours of August 12 to 13--the Perseids.

The Perseid meteor shower is so named because it appears to fall from the constellation Perseus that appears in the northeast sky in mid-August. This shower, which is produced by the space crumbs of the comet Swift-Tuttle, has been observed for almost 2000 years. The comet Swift-Tuttle takes about 130 years to make one trip around the sun.

The earliest recording of Perseid activity comes from the Chinese who documented the wonder in 36 AD. Some have referred to the Perseids as the “tears of St. Lawrence” since his feast day is August 10.

The best way to enjoy the Perseids is to leave the lights of the city and find a dark spot in a park or any safe area that is in the direction of the Perseus constellation (we have lots of these in the Door!). Make sure oncoming headlights will not ruin your night vision. Binoculars are not needed; your eyesight will be enough.

If you can’t manage your viewing on the magical night of the most activity, up to 60 meteors an hour, most viewers will be able to see at least a few from the beginning of the month up to August 22.

Have a great week and fantastic weekend!

A wise real estate mentor once told me, "As your business grows, time will be the most valuable thing to you..it will be the thing you have the least of but need the most of".

My high school principal was famous for telling kids who made it to his office because of some mischief they were in, "You can take my money, but don't take my time".

What does time have to do, really, with real estate.  Well, sellers who want to sell will trade time for money, or money for time. 

If a seller is hoping to get to another location by a certain date they may sacrifice money by listing the property for a lesser dollar amount that may result in a quicker sale and the ability to meet their timeline.  Or, if they are in no hurry to sell they may take the position of wanting to list the property for a little more money and wait for the buyer to come along who might pay that amount.  Or, they may try to time the market--get the property for sale when they think the market is coming up.

In any of these cases be careful.  Consult with a Realtor who will give you a true picture of the market and advise wisely on pricing strategies; and if anyone tells you that they can "time" the market be sure to ask them how they'll do that.  Call me at 920-823-2219 and ask for my "Seller's Survival Guide".  It's filled with things you should take into consideration if you are looking to sell you property.

A number of conditions can cause the short sale but most often this happens because the borrower is for whatever reason no longer to make their payments, and, the house is worth less than what is owed on the loan. 

Another option the borrower and lender may look at is to modify the loan—perhaps lower the interest rate, add the missed payments to the end of the mortgage and/or waive late fees.  This is usually the first course of action and if the lender finds that a modification is not going to work then they will consider a short sale and see how much of the loan they can recoup.

Foreclosures are an expensive and timely process for banks.  Usually foreclosed homes are in very poor shape thereby further decreasing the value.  If the loan modification does not work then working through a short sale with the borrower eliminates the legal costs to the bank of a foreclosure.   And for the borrower a short sale is almost always a better option than a foreclosure.  Both will affect the borrower’s credit, but the effects of a short sale can last only two or three years; the effects of a foreclosure will last seven years or more.

If you are a borrower and troubling with your mortgage payment, or if you know someone in this position I urge you to call me for a private consultation today, I know that the current economic conditions have caused many unbearable stress and heartache.  We can get your home sold and avoid foreclosure.

If you are a buyer, the length of time it takes to buy a short sale is longer than a traditional purchase, and you will likely need to purchase the property in “as is” condition, but with some patience you could find a great opportunity awaiting you and in the process help another family on the road to recovery.

Call me at 920-823-2219 or email me at Lisa@HomeInDoorCounty.com to discuss avoiding foreclosure of your Door County property and how ewe can accomplish a short sale for you.

If you'll be in Door County, or if you're already here, you might run into a few places where some road construction is occuring.  My wish for you is that the only Door County construction zone that slows you down is just like the one in this photo...have a great day!

This morning I had the pleasure to attend the unveiling of the fantastic tiled mural depicting life in the Sevastopol School District communities of Jacksonport, Egg Harbor, Valmy, Carlsville, and Sevastopol  The mural was a year-long project headed by the Artists in Education (AIE) committee at Sevastopol.

To avoid missing too many  names, I will name only two members of the committee from the school—Chris Aufdermauer, elementary art teacher, and Ashley LaVick, high school art teacher.  These two educators worked with students, volunteers and the artists in residence, David and Jeanne Aurelius, to create the masterpiece.

The project started last summer with Mrs. Aufdermauer  traveling our communities and taking photos of landmarks, businesses and activities.  When the school year started each student had the opportunity to create the design for at least one tile—they began with a drawing of their choice.  Then the drawings were laid out to form the pattern for the mural with the water, Lake Michigan on one side and the Bay of Green Bay on the other, and all the communities between.

There are single tiles of fish, girls on horseback, deer in the woods and boats in the water.  There are buildings that contain up to six tiles like the depiction of the school or the Peninsular Research Station.  Some of the highlights for me are:  1) The West Jacksonport sign prominently displayed at the top middle of the mural with a baseball player swinging his bat (I’m from West Jacksonport and baseball is a big tradition there; 2) the large pumpkin patch with a huge colored butterfly in the middle of it—the patch and butterfly are the contribution by the kindergarten class; 3) Ralph Smith’s saw mill at Lily Bay—the saw mill a well known gathering place along the lakeside; 4) perhaps my favorite, and the most touching is the red barn that depicts The Farm and the fabulous likeness of Carl Scholz standing next to it.  Mr. Scholz  was an educator, principal and superintendent at Sevastopol for well over 30 years, and he was one of the original founders of The Farm.  His long service to Sevastopol and his continued dedication to education and conservation make this another well deserved honor.

David and Jeanne Aurelius own Clay Bay Pottery in Ellison Bay.  Their first mural at Sevastopol, 15 years ago took them on a journey of 17 more murals in schools around the state.  This Sevastopol mural is their 19^th.

If you are in the county and would like a look at the mural, stop by the school and see it in its place of prominence in our lobby.  If you are an art lover, or a Door County lover and would like a peek at the mural this summer—I just might be able to get you in to see it!

The folloiwng article is by one of our Sevastopol sixth grade journalists and describes a bit of the process, and be sure to check out the photo links at the very bottom of this post.

Sevastopol’s Artists in Residence
Written by: Cory Carlson, sixth grade

The tile Mural has taken one of the last steps. There were 20 to 30 helpers total that put 3 coats of underglaze on the 362 tiles, after students put on the sculptural relief that gives it detail.  This last step took about 3 weeks. The underglazing adds color, which has an effect that makes the tiles come alive and stand out more.  Then Ms. LaVick and Mrs. Aufdermauer put 40 tiles in the kiln at once where they were fired at approximately 1850 degrees for 13 to 14 hours.  Then the kiln had to cool down for 13 to 14 hours. Then they kept on putting more tiles in the kiln for about 5 weeks. Dave and Jean Aurelius took about 100 tiles up to their art studio for some of the tiles to get fired in their kiln so it would get done faster. After all tiles have been fired in the kiln once, Dave Aurelius and helpers dipped all the tiles in a big bucket of clear glaze. The tiles then were fired again in the kiln, but this time they were put at 2165 degrees so the glazes could get bright and shiny.

The first  photo link shows the work in progress.  The second photo link has a few photos of the exciting all-school assembly this morning,  the unveiling and the finished work of art. Enjoy.

The Mural in Progress
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46963530@N02/sets/72157624148936274/show/

The Mural Unveiling  http://www.claybaypottery.net/index.html

Please pause for a few minutes to watch and reflect on our place in the world today.  Thank goodness we are what we are today--free. But, freedom is not free, a tremendous price has been paid and continues to be paid by our United States military. 

I hope you will enjoy this tribute as much as I have.

God bless our United States military men, women and families.  Click here for a Memorial Day Tribute.

Unbelievably this morning I received another rate alert and the 15 year fixed rate today is at 4.125% and the 30 year at 4.75%.  WOW. 

If you know anyone who has been thinking of refinancing, please pass this information along.  I receive these alerts from Bank Mutual, but they are very consistent among most any bank.

And of course, if you are thinking of a purchase in Door County--contact me!  If you are in a position to buy now we'll work hard to find the right house or condo and get you in under this wonderful opportunity.

One other thing I want to pass along.  I was contacted by the PR person for our local Board of Realtors.  She is doing an article for the local newspaper and is looking for quotes from Realtors on why now is a good time to buy.  Of course, there are all the usual reasons--rates are down, inventory is great, sellers are motivated--I did some calculations and came up with these two scenarios (before rates took this little drop).  If you are, again in a position to buy, and on the fence consider this:

"Considering only dollars and cents, if you are in a position to buy now, you should.  A $1.2 million dollar home today with a 25% down payment, at a jumbo rate of 5.75% for a 30-year mortgage would mean a monthly payment of $5,242.  If mortgage rates were to rise to 6.5%, the monthly payment would jump to $5,688.  A jump of $446 per month on your payment!  

Looking at a smaller number, say a home valued at  $200,000, with 20% down (a loan of $160,000) and  a 5% fixed interest rate for 30 years, the monthly payment would be  $859.  When rates jump to 6% that same loan will cost $959. per month.  For the smaller budget a $100 per month jump is a lot of money.  The home’s value would have to decrease to by 11%, to $178,000 for the buyer to achieve the same $859.  monthly payment."

Have a great weekend. 

Jodi Kaye at Bank Mutual sent me a Rate Alert with the 15 year fixed mortgage rate at 4.15%, and the 30 year fixed mortgage rate now at 4.8%.  If you are in a position to buy or refinance--do it now!!

To quote Jodi, "Luck, is when opportunity knocks and you answer".

Have a great day and please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like me to refer you to a trusted lender.

You probably know in your heart if you are ready for that first home, or a vacation home--either emotionally or financially.  But, if you have any question financially, talk to a good mortgage lender.  They will help you confirm what you probably already know.

The other benefit will be that when you are ready to buy, you'll have a preapproval all set to go.  Let me share a little story with you.

A couple of weeks ago a nice young couple was referred to me on a Saturday morning, they wanted to look at a home in Sturgeon Bay that just went on the market.  I was in town so we looked that very afternoon.  They loved the house, wanted to make an offer right away. 

This particular seller, the home was a foreclosure and bank owned, required a letter of preapproval to accompany the offer.  My young couple didn't have a letter so on Monday they went to their banker.  The letter of preapproval takes several days, and in the meantime the little house went under contract with a buyer who had their letter of preapproval.  We presented an offer, but without the letter of preapproval it was not considered.

When a bank is the seller, they don't wait for the next offer--they take the offer that is there and acceptable.  Most sellers won't wait for another offer, they'll take the bird-in-the-hand.  In cases like these, great homes at fantastic prices, the early bird gets the worm!

So, talk to your banker.  Ask them to have a letter of preapproval ready for you.  Then, when the right home comes along for you,  you'll be ready and you'll be the early bird!

You definetly need to add White Gull Inn's Cherry-Stuffed French Toast to your Door County Bucket List.  If you are on Facebook, I just set up a Door County Bucket List page last week--search Door County Bucket List, click "Like" and follow me there for all the best things to do in Door County this summer.  If you are not on Facebook--sign up--it's easy, all you need is an email address and a password you create!

Have a great Sunday! 

On Tuesday, May 4th, Marysol Castro, Good Morning America orrespondent was in Fish Creek at the White Gull Inn tasting and cooking the signature breakfast dish that features locally grown Door County cherries and maple syrup.

The next step is to watch Good Morning America on Saturday, May 15th and vote online.  Door County and the White Gull will see stiff competition from restaurants in Houston Texas, Asheville North Carolina, and Portsmouth New Hampshire.  The winner will be chosen based on the vote of the public and the vote of the judges--each accounting for 50%. 

Some patience will be required--results of the vote will not be known to the general public until Sunday:(

Here are the particulars:

The episode will be televised nationwide on the progam this Saturday, May 15 at 7:00 a.m. Central Standard Time.

Immediately after the show airs on Saturday, May 15 the voting begins.

Log on to http://abcnews.go.com/gma and look for a link that says, “VOTE FOR THE BEST BREAKFAST“. 

You can only vote once.  The viewer votes will count for 50%.  The other 50% will be determined by the show's four anchors who will taste the creations.  

At around 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. Central Standard Time) Good Morning America will inform the nominees of the outcome. 

Good Morning America will travel to the winning restaurant in time to feature it live on Sunday, May 16th.   

Watch the White Gull’s Website and their Facebook Fan Page on Saturday evening, Andy Coulson will post the results as soon as he hears. 

For sure you'll have to add this to your Door County Bucket List! 

Advice From a Tree

• Stand tall, strong and proud
• Remember your roots because they run deep
• You have lots of natural beauty, be happy with it
• Go out on a limb, or in honor of all the baseball players--you can't steal second if you keep your feet on first
• Hydrate--drink lots of water
• Along with remembering your roots, put down roots
• Enjoy life, enjoy the ride, enjoy the view because it only happens once

If you are a buyer, your Realtor might simply answer that the market is great, that it’s a great time to buy.  Or they might say that as a buyer you have great opportunity because there are lots of properties on the market, interest rates are low and sellers are motivated. 

To the seller the answer may be that it’s a great time to sell because of the favorable interest rates for buyers.

Any of those answers are generalities, and usually the buyer or seller asking the question already has a preexisting belief and interprets the answer to the question to support that belief.

If you are motivated to sell, or buy, then you should learn about the reality of the market.  A good Realtor should be prepared to educate you on, the reality of the current market in their own area.  Your Realtor can provide MLS statistics that include average list prices, sale prices and length of time on market.  These can be valuable in helping you establish or justifying the price you will pay for a property or the price you will offer your property to the market at.   

The answer, “sellers are motivated”, may be interpreted by buyers that most properties are at fire-sale prices.  “Low interest rates and the incentives for buyers” may be interpreted by sellers as easy money for buyers.  We’ve seen offers fail for the lack of a counter from the seller because the buyer’s offer was just too low.  We’ve seen offers fail to come together because the seller perceived a higher value for their property than the buyers were willing to pay, or more importantly, than the reality of the market would bear.

The serious buyers and sellers who are counseled by a good Realtor see their deals go together and consummate with closing.  The buyers and sellers took their time to learn about the true market values from their Realtor and used their knowledge to move forward.

Sellers would of course always like to get more money, and buyers of course always want to pay less.  The important thing is to understand the market, understand the statistics and make the deal—because no one wins when there is no sale.

So, “How is the market”, or “What is the market doing”?  The reality is that the “market” is the price point at which sales are being made—closed.  The “market” is not over-priced properties—because those properties are simply for sale and on the sidelines.  The “market” is not listings under-valued by buyers—those buyers are on the sidelines.

Getting the deal and being a winner in the Door County real estate market means that your Realtor has taken the time to inform you on the “market conditions” at any given time.  If you are a seller, you price your property “to” the market.  If you are a buyer, make your offer “at” the market.  In a scenario such as this, both parties will have achieved their goals and can move forward with the next phase of their life.  Everyone else is not in the market; they are on the market and on the sidelines.

If you are looking to buy or sell, call me and let's get IN the market.

"Do you remember when", will most often begin a story of fond memories and good times.  Today, on Earth Day 2010 I drove through Jacksonport and up County V and I remembered a not so good, "do you remember when".

In Jacksonport and every other community in Door County, some 30 years ago, there were dumps.  Places where people took their garbage, tin cans, glass bottles, oil, paint, expired medicine, and just about anything else one didn't want in their house or around their property.  The items were thrown in a big hole and covered up--a landfill.  Sometimes before covering things up they would burn the heaps of trash creating huge billowing clouds of black smoke, of course causing everyone to get into their cars and drive to see what was on fire. 

The dumps were the first consignment shops--if the dump tender found a good chair, lamp. baby crib or other useful item he'd set it off to the side and some other towns person would happily take the treasure along for use in their home.

Fortunately, all those little town dumps were closed and we all subscribed to a trash service that hauls the garbage to one designated landfill.  Then came the first wave of recycling, we all kept our aluminum cans and the kids would take them to the Golden Goat and cash them in for spending money.  Recycling went a step further and we started to sort our trash, aluminum, plastic and glass and clean paper into separate recycling bins.  And now the county host hazardous material disposal days where one can take those cans of paint and expired medicine to have it properly disposed of so there is no damage to humans or environment.  There isn't a household that does have some sort of recycling system.

Earth Day reminds me to be more diligent in my recycling efforts--use an alumunium water bottle instead of five different plastic ones every day, print less and keep more digital files, turn off the lights, turn down the heat and sometimes even hang my sheets on the clothes line.  

I hope you found something fun to do on earth day--I went to Sevastopol School and watched some of the student activities, what a fun time.  For more fun, watch this little video clip--fun stuff for the kids and fun facts for adults. 

My years as a real estate transaction closer and as a real estate sales consultant helping people buy and sell property have shown me that when it comes to a foreclosure property, it may not quite be the bargain expected.  Before entering the maze of the foreclosure market here are some important facts you should know:

• If the property is in foreclosure it is likely that the homeowner’s circumstances left that homeowner financially strapped and unable to perform routine maintenance on the home.  In some cases the homeowner going through foreclosure is additionally resentful and deliberate damage may be caused to the property. 
• Proper inspections and assessment of the property condition is a must. 
• A property in foreclosure or that has been foreclosed upon may have been vacant for an extended period of time.  Watch for conditions caused by dampness such as mold.
• Contact a Door County real estate professional—like me—who is connected in the community and can provide you information about Door County homes in pre-foreclosure.  These are homes that have been scheduled for foreclosure but have not yet gone to Sheriff’s sale at the Door County Justice Center.  These homes need to be sold quickly for the owners to avoid foreclosure and its impact on their credit.  The new HAFA (Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives) might make the process for acquisition of these properties more manageable.
• http://www.hud.gov/ offers special programs for teachers, law enforcement offers and others.  The site also provides information on how to buy properties acquired by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development that have been foreclosed on.
• The purchase of a Door County bank owned property might be slightly less detailed and time consuming, but many of the same cautions apply.
• If you plan to buy a property at Door County Sheriff's sale, do your research on outstanding liens and property conditions.  My best advice is to engage a title company or attorney to provide you with all the information so you know exactly what liens, easements, encroachments and restrictions the property is subject to--conditions that become your responsibility if you acquire it.

If you are buying a Door County foreclosure or bank-owned property, be ready to do some research and practice patience.  While buying a foreclosure property takes time and patience, the results can sometimes be well worth your time and effort.

For more information, please contact me by email or via phone at 920-823-2219.  And if you know anyone who might be interested in exploring Door County properties that might in foreclosure or are bank owned, please forward this link to them.

That's not been true, and now more than ever there are alternatives in the form of short-sales, mortgage modification, or deed in lieu of foreclosure.

Please take a moment and pass this information along to someone you might know who is having trouble making their mortgage payment.  Below I've posted  two great videos by the National Association of Realtors that explain the programs and a link to the Making Home Affordable website.

Again, the information may not apply to you, but please get it into the hands of someone who might be troubling with their payment because there are alternatives to foreclosure--a foreclosure has a severe, long-lasting affect on a person's credit rating;  a short sale or a deed in lieu of foreclosure will have a negative affect, but the affect will be less severe and last for a shorter period of time.

I would really like to talk with that person to see if we can help them.  If they choose not to speak with  me, please encourage them to speak with a Realtor, preferably a Realtor who has the Certified Distressed Properties Expert designation, or who has the experience and resources to work through short sales.  Please, encourage them to look at all the options--don't give up!  I am working quite successfully now with two individuals and two banks--I think we'll be able to help one keep their home and help the other sell the property under a short sale and avoid the terrible emotional, and financial, pain of foreclosure.

If you have questions for you, or somone you know, please call me at 920-493-5472--your inquiry will be held in complete confidence and it might just start someone you know on the road to recovery.

The links are here, to view them just click or you may need to paste them to your Internet browser.  I am absolutely passionate about getting this word out to people it can help--so please help me spread the news.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS VIDEO ON THE HAFA PROGRAM:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1465406675?bctid=75779465001

Your Graceful Exit
Watch a video to learn more about the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program.

About Making Home Affordable Program Website

Well, she's not my dog but I thought it was pretty cute!!

March has indeed come in like a lamb.  Two beautiful days with more sunshine and warm weather predicted for the weekend.  If you are in the county be sure to take in the Jacksonport Easter Egg Hunt at Lakeside Park--10:00 a.m. on Saturday.  

A couple of reminders for you--if you or someone you know is wanting to get in on the $8,000 first time home buyer's credit or the $6,500 move up buyer's credit we have 29 days to get you under contract.  So, contact me right away if you are in a position to buy.

Agree or not, there are new guidelines in place that deal with troubled mortgages, so if you know someone in that position please put me in touch with them.  Everything from principle balance forgiveness, new loan modification standards and agreed-upon short sale amounts are there to help.  The inquiry will be held in complete confidence.  And if you are in another state--I can refer you to someone who has training as a Certified and Distressed Properties Expert (CDPE) and will care as much as I do. The important thing is to contact me right away--if we have enough time there will be a way to help avoid foreclosure and get on the path to financial and emotional recovery. 

If you are in the buying mode I am putting together a "Tour of the Door" with a recap of Door County vacant land, homes, condominium homes and pricing.   I am going to include a number of Door County auction properties too.  Often people think the best deals are in the area of bank owned homes and foreclosure properties--there are some absolutely fantastic auction properties available that I've never paid a lot of attention to, but I've got to tell you if they are in your area of interest these are some of the very best buys around.  I'll send the tour next week.

In the meantime, if you are in Door County this weekend and have real estate questions or happen upon property that you think is of interest--please call me at 920-493-5472.

Blessings to you this Easter. 

I recently finished reading the book, the Go-Giver.  It's a short little book, in about two hours at a Sunday afternoon open house I finished it.  I read, or listen to books on CD, at every possible moment and I must say it's been a long time since I found a book so thought-provoking with regard to my Door County real estate business life--or my personal life--and so inspiring.

The book, the Go-Giver, is about people so generous they happily help others, even those who may be their competitors.  Well, in the last week I was helped professionally by two very generous people--two true go-givers. 

One is in my company, I was struggling with a problem and he took almost an hour to help me work through it.  Real estate is a competitive business and I truly find my new company, Micoley & Company, filled with fellow associates who are so giving and open to seeing each other succeed.  Simply refreshing. 

Then, I dropped a note to a Realtor in Texas after implenting a letter into my business that she uses in one of her business systems.  I received a very warm reply and felt that this was someone I would surely want to meet.  Today, I received her complete system.  I am awed, grateful and inspired.  The Realtor does not know me, but her generous spirit caused her to reach out and help a stranger who is a thousand miles away.  Her kindness to me, a fellow Realtor, and her desire to see me succeed will surely have me remembering her anytime I hear of someone with a real estate need in her city.

You know how when you buy a car you all of a sudden see "your" car all over the road and all around you?  I've discovered that there are go-givers all around me--in Door County and even a thousand miles away in Texas.  I only need to open my heart and mind for them to enter, and by doing so I hope that I will become a generous go-giver in my real estate business, in my community and with my friends and family.

The Go-Giver isn't just a business book, so if you've not read it I encourage you to check it out at your library.  You won't be disappointed.

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
 -- Winston Churchill

Have a fantastic weekend!  It's cold here in Door County but the sun has been shining and my strawberry plants are stretching to peek out from under their blanket of straw, so I just know warm weather is on its way!