At Foundation Realty we focus on providing you with the most profitable and least stressful auction experience possible. Everyone at some point in their life has lost a loved one. After your loved one has passed, you may find yourself in charge of all their possessions or real estate. What do you do now? The auction process and selling of real estate can be a bit of a roller coaster, so buckle up! Luckily, at Foundation Realty our Auction Business can guide you through every part of the rollercoaster ride. As your auctioneer I will have three goals from start to finish. Those goals are to be efficient, effective, and profitable.
On the efficiency spectrum we want to make sure that we are looking at things from all angles. We want to set ourselves up on an attainable but reasonable timeline. On average, we typically try to have three to five weeks of good solid advertising before the sale. This means we’ll need about five to six weeks before the auction to get quality photos as well as an inventory list of all items.
When we use the word effective we are referring to everything that will keep the auction moving in the right direction. A big part of being effective is advertising. From design to facilitation, Foundation Realty will take care of the advertising for your auction. We have a fabulous in-house designer, and they know how to make every design effective to really stand-out from other advertising.
Profitable doesn’t necessarily mean bringing in the big money from an auction. It can also mean not having the sale at all. When we start working together, I will be completely candid and honest with you. My main goal in this auction business is to make every customer happy, while still having a profitable auction for you. If that means losing potential business because I don’t think we can be profitable for you due to lack of merchandise, or other circumstances, I will be candid and upfront with you. We are in this process together, and we want the same goals.
Handling an Estate or holding an auction of any sort can definitely be a stressful challenge. If you think it may be time for your auction or you have an estate to disperse feel free to call me today! We can strategize together, and tackle your situation efficiently, effectively, and keep it profitable for everyone!
~ Morgan Riat
Barb Meitler was recently named Sunflower Pilot Club’s Ambassador of the year. The Sunflower Pilot Club is an organization that supports individuals with brain-based disorders, including autism, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, learning disorders, and many forms of mental health impairments. The organization also supports care givers of those individuals who are affected.
In addition to working as a special education teacher for 20 years, Barb’s daughter, Ronica contracted a brain-related illness called encephalitis at age 11, which resulted in several brain surgeries and refractory epilepsy. Needless to say, Sunflower Pilot Club is very important to Barb.
Each year, Sunflower Pilot Club works hard to raise funds and perform service projects in the Manhattan community. Barb led the service projects for the group for the last year. Some of those projects included hosting a Christmas and Valentine’s cookie decorating party for Big Lakes Developmental Center, donating fidget blankets and sleeves, knitted and sewn by the Sunflower Pilot members, to both the Special Education classroom at Woodrow Wilson and to the Alzheimer unit at Meadowlark, delivering May Day baskets for brain disorder support individuals, gifting backpacks and personal care items for foster care children, collecting and delivering pillowcases for disabled children attending Royal Kids Camp, and distributing pick-me-up bags for support staff at Katie’s Way and Bramlage House caregivers. The organization has also donated money to the USD 383 SPED program and supplies to The FIT Closet, The Crisis Center, and the Flint Hills Breadbasket. Additionally, they love to volunteer their time serving meals at the Manhattan Senior Center. Lastly, Sunflower Pilot Club offers scholarships to two Kansas State University students who will be pursuing careers working with individuals with brain-based disorders.
In order to be active in the community, Sunflower Pilot Club must designate time for two yearly, all-member fundraisers. For example, in December, they sell poinsettias to organizations or individuals, consistently raising close to $2,500 each year. They also hold a large garage sale in the late spring, raising around $1,500 for donations and service projects. In addition to the two large fundraisers, they also park cars for one of the K-State football games in the fall.
At the monthly meetings, speakers provide information and education about their Manhattan-based organization and how they support and care for community members with brain-based challenges. Monthly meetings are held at the Holiday Inn Campus meeting room where they enjoy a wonderful, hot-catered meal, lots of conversation, a speaker, and some fun prize drawings. They also enjoy getting together for a Christmas party featuring delicious Christmas goodies, a gift exchange, and lots of laughter.
Please consider attending a meeting or joining as a member. They are a welcoming group, eager to have others join the cause in making life easier for our special members in the Manhattan Community.
There are lots of things a seller can do to prepare for showings. Planned open house appointments will allow you time to prepare. Often times, however, the window of opportunity to expose your property to a motivated buyer can be small. Every time you leave your home, make sure it is ready for an unexpected showing.
When preparing your home, think about the techniques used to show model homes or what you might do to prepare for honored guests. Stage your home to show all of the possibilities to a motivated buyer.
Clean Clutter: Elimination clutter will improve the space in your home. Turn On Lights: Open drapes and light lamps (including in closets, attic, or basements). Be Welcoming: Add a welcoming touch by filling candy dishes and putting out fresh flowers. Light the fireplace in the winter. Make beds, put clothes and toys away, keep decorative pillows orderly. Turn blinds and drapes to add light if the room is dark. Make sure closets are neat and orderly.
Wipe down all bathroom surfaces. Close toilet lid and ensure tissue supply is adequate. Put away all dishes and conceal countertop articles. Consider baking cookies to create a homey feeling. Place an inviting centerpiece on the table. Consider setting the table. We hope these help!
Think four things: clean, clear, light, and bright.Some tips: Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning and remove all clutter. Hiring a cleaning service may pay for itself by adding to a buyer’s perceived value of your home. For a sleeker, more spacious look, consult with your agent for tips on property staging. Ask yourself: In a model home, would a professional decorator put your choice of items out?Remember: closets will be opened! Keep closets, cupboards, and even your attic orderly and neat. Since you are anticipating a move anyway, consider holding a garage sale or boxing and storing unused belongings.If necessary, repaint or clean dingy, soiled or strongly-colored walls with a light, neutral shade. Bright rooms look bigger, and neutral colors help buyers envision their own furnishings and décor. Repair dripping faucets, burned-out light bulbs, or cracked window panes. Repair cracks, holes, or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, and tiles.
We’re proud to share that we’re Move Safe Certified with HomeLight! Our team is using
the best tools and practices including meeting with clients virtually, practicing safety
protocol for showings, and using an e-sign platform for the transfer and signature of
documents. We’re here to help buyers and sellers navigate through these challenging
times.
This is a must! Grab a friend or come by yourself and meet a new friend!
I’ve wanted to attend a wine and yoga night since I moved to Manhattan a couple years ago. I recently began working with a new real estate agent, Sarah Haxton. We were discussing things to do in Manhattan, and I saw an advertisement on Facebook for the Liquid Arts Wine and Yoga Night . We decided to give it a try.
The location is amazing! Leading off Scenic Drive, a gravel road takes you past wooded areas and a few homes to a vineyard on top of a hill. The day had just turned to dusk when I arrived, and the view was incredible. It was so quiet and peaceful.
Inside, were an inviting fire in the large stone fireplace, round tables, and ample seating. There was a bar area where you could taste wines or order a glass. It was so nice visiting with my new friend and learning more about her and her family.
Once we finished our wine, we headed into the yoga room, a large rectangular-shaped room with soft music playing. The front wall was made up of windows overlooking the vineyard. By the time we entered the yoga room, it was dark outside. The windows reflected the soft glow from candles that had been placed on the floor in rows. Better still, there was an amazing sunset that evening that was breathtaking! Our yoga mats were rolled out between the rows of candles. Everyone spent a few minutes getting settled, stretching out on their mats while visiting with friends or the person next to them. I spoke with my neighbor and she was the sweetest lady. She was a bit older than I am, but could touch her forehead to the floor without bending her legs. She was freakin’ flexible! It was going to take a lot more wine before I could do that!
Speaking of, I found out that we could have wine glasses next to our mats during our practice. After every three or four poses, the instructor encouraged us to take a sip or two. Maybe though it was a good thing I didn’t have a glass with me during the yoga session. Have you tried to “sip” anything while in downward dog? Well the lady next to me could! We yoga-ed (yes, I know that’s not a word) for about an hour and it felt great! I nearly fell asleep during my favorite pose—corpse pose. Okay, maybe, I had more than one glass before the session started.
After the yoga session, I visited more with Sarah and my new friend next to me. My new friend invited me to a studio she attends regularly called Chapter 5 Yoga, located Downtown in the Blue Earth Plaza. She said it is a donation-based studio. I plan to visit this studio very soon.
I really enjoyed the Liquid Arts Wine and Yoga Night, and I will certainly be visiting again! But next time, I’ll know to take a wine with me into the session!
Until next time!
Barb Meitler
To some, being handcuffed and locked behind bars in a small room may sound like the consequences of a social hour gone seriously awry. For seven other real estate agents and myself, it proved to be a fun team-building event. While the agents at Foundation Reality do enjoy our social hours, we recently changed things up and spent an afternoon together at LOCKED MANHATTAN. The only way out of the locked room we found ourselves in was to solve puzzles that provided keys to open doors. While reflecting on our experience, I couldn’t help but draw several parallels between our experience at LOCKED MANHATTAN and what we do every day for our real estate clients. Initially, everyone was put in handcuffs and led to a barred room. The first room was small with few items on the walls and floors. Beyond the bars was a larger room with various objects and furniture. Being handcuffed felt paralyzing, like our clients might feel when they need to buy or sell a home.
When a client is faced with a process he or she may not understand very well or at all, it can be difficult to get started. A real estate agent knows how to start the process of buying or selling a home and guides a client through each step. While in the smaller room, we had to use the items on the walls and floors to find clues, which revealed keys that unlocked other clues. This process ultimately led to opening the door to the larger room. A real estate agent helps clients follow the sequential steps that lead to a positive outcome – getting prequalified, finding a home, or determining a list price. They help limit distractions for clients to simplify the transaction as much as possible.
Once we unlocked the first door, we were in the larger locked room. There were many objects in this room that could serve as clues and distractions. With eight real estate agents working together, we quickly utilized our problem-solving skills to find all of the keys needed to unlock the door and make our escape. We needed a clear strategy to find the different keys using the clues provided in the game while avoiding the many distractions that could lead us to a dead end.
At that time, we really felt the clock ticking and the limited amount of time we had to escape. Our clients are also working within a time frame, which can be stressful. Real estate agents are there to ensure that all steps in the home buying or selling process are completed by the established deadlines so that their clients can focus on their work and transition. While in the large room, the Foundation agents juggled many different clues at one time. Many clues overlapped, so we found communication to be the key! Juggling the steps of home buying and selling process is what real estate agents are experienced with. Our job is communication-based. We are in constant contact with clients, lenders, inspectors, appraisers, and the agents on the other side of the transaction. We keep the gears moving.
The puzzles in the larger room sometimes felt frustrating and overwhelming. Some clues were very difficult to piece together, but a real estate agent is there for their clients when things don’t go as expected. They provide professional as well as emotional support to their clients throughout the process. Real estate agents also rely on a support network—their broker and other agents—to help with problem solving strategies. Ultimately, our clients have a team of agents working on their behalf.
Once all the puzzles were solved and all the keys found, we were able to successfully unlock the door and make our escape! How freeing it felt to be out of that locked room! We congratulated one another with high fives, shoulder pats, and “woo-hoos”—much like how our clients feels when they are handed the keys to their new homes or are pulling a U-Haul out of their driveways on to their next home.
Need to Buy or Sell your home? You can trust Foundation Realty to help you unlock that door!
Until next time,
Barb Meitler, Foundation Realty