All posts by Alysia Heun

Family Home, Homeowners

Introducing Yourself to Neighbors After Moving

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Dear introverts, we know it’s difficult to read this, but getting to know your neighbors and allowing them to get to know you can truly be a lifesaver. Especially if you live alone in a new neighborhood like many students and young professionals. It’s overwhelming, true, establishing that initial contact with strangers who happen to live next door. However, the benefits far outweigh the anxiety you must be feeling. Indeed, extroverted people have it easier breaking the ice in a blink of an eye. The good thing is you can learn a thing or two from them.

Know thy neighbor and the best moment to approach

First things first. Before you rent an apartment, you should explore your neighborhood online. Find a platform with building or neighborhood reviews and go through them. They will give you valuable insight into what kind of community you can expect after you move in. 

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Home Design

Five Nursery Themes for Your Growing Family

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So, you have little one on the way? This is always such an exciting time filled with a lot to do from baby showers to getting the house and family ready for a new member.

Sometimes among all of the busy schedules and preparations for a new baby, designing a nursery suddenly seems overwhelming. Not only do you have to buy furniture, such as a changing station, dresser and maybe a new crib, but you have to buy diapers, clothes, bed sheets and decor. 

However, if you plan on giving the nursery a theme, it’s important to decide on your theme before buying anything for the nursery. If you know the theme you want in advance, it’s easier to design the nursery, because you’ll already know exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to furniture, color schemes, bed sheets, blankets and more. 

To get you started on your nursery, here are five ideas to consider when deciding on a theme for your new baby’s beautiful room.

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DIY, Holidays

Valentine’s Day Decor You Can Keep Up Through the Spring

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Love is in the air and with that comes Valentine’s Day! 

Unlike Christmas or Halloween, Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday many people spend weeks leading up to with shopping and decorations. It’s a short lived holiday. Some people may not want to spend money on decor that they’ll keep up for one or two weeks in February. 

Although Valentine’s Day may not be the biggest holiday on the calendar, that doesn’t mean it’s a holiday you can’t decorate for at all. There are plenty of Valentine’s Day decor items that can be kept up well into the spring, especially if you choose your decor items wisely.  

Wreaths and Door Decorations

It’s not uncommon for people to keep wreaths or another type of decoration on their door up year round. There are wreaths and other door decorations for every occasion and season – Christmas, winter, spring, Easter, summer and more. This includes Valentine’s Day. 

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Realty Executives Edge Executives Honored by Southeast Missouri REALTORS®

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Four Executives of Realty Executives Edge (formerly Realty Executives of Cape County), of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, were recently honored by Southeast Missouri REALTORS® at the annual installation and award luncheon.  Executives Lois Long, Raelenna Ferguson, Becky Buehler and Bill Cole were among the award recipients.

Southeast Missouri REALTORS® is a local trade association that provides its members with opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in order to educate, promote growth, protect the rights of property owners, and support economic expansion in Southeast Missouri.  With over 300 REALTORS® and more than 70 affiliated businesses, the association serves Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Scott, and Perry counties.

Lois Long was awarded REALTOR® of the Year.  This award is given to a member of the association who best lives up the REALTOR® mission statement and is active in community service or volunteer work.  Long joined Realty Executives in 2012.

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Real Estate

Five Threats Facing real Estate Brokers

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As a real estate broker/owner, you have a lot on your plate… from recruiting and retaining agents, to fielding countless vendor calls a day, to attending board and MLS meetings and more. It’s overwhelming. On top of all of that, technology advancements are creating new threats you may not even know exist.

1. Innovation is Outpacing Compliance Regulations

Your documents, data, and even private agent/client conversations live online now in a way they didn’t five years ago. With this new reality comes a variety of new compliance issues to keep on your radar.

Ada Compliant Website

Make your website easier to use for visually or hearing impaired visitors by implementing small tweaks, like adding alternative text for listing photos and transcripts for audiovisual content. 

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Homeowners

5 Easy Ways to Save Big on Monthly Home Expenses

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Having a home comes with a lot of advantages, especially for the modern family. You don’t have to deal with unhappy first floor tenants when your 3-year-old is running around upstairs, there’s no aggravating landlord popping up unannounced and your family has more than enough freedom to truly make it feel like home. 

However, there’s also a lot of upkeep and all-around oversight that you have to take into account. From utility bills, monthly mortgage payments or even grocery costs, home expenses pile up quickly. If you’re looking for some easy ways to gain quick relief, test out some of these tricks to get your family’s finances in the green. 

1. Consolidate Other Debt

Oftentimes, debt can cripple our abilities to budget effectively. Other debt may be taking away from extra money to put toward your monthly home expenses. Instead of struggling to make ends meet, consider accessing the value that your home has accrued over time and start living comfortably.

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Press Release, Real Estate News

Northern Arizona and Tucson Elite Unite to Launch Realty Executives Arizona Territory

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Realty Executives International is excited to announce the launch of Realty Executives Arizona Territory, Arizona’s newest mega-brokerage, with over 600 agents and a billion dollars in sales volume. Formerly Tucson Elite and Northern Arizona, the two Realty Executives brokerages have partnered to better serve communities throughout Arizona.

The partnership formed with the objective of better serving consumers throughout Arizona. Jeff Murtaugh, former Broker/Owner of Tucson Elite, is the CEO and Designated Broker for Realty Executives Arizona Territory. Murtaugh, along with leadership teams from each brokerage, will merge resources, clientele and market knowledge to position the brokerage as a leader in sales and customer service.

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Real Estate

8 Things to Know Before Renting an Apartment

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Are you looking for an apartment to rent? Are you wondering what some of the most essential considerations before committing to an agreement with a landlord? Moving into a new apartment can be an exciting new chapter in your life. Whether it is your first apartment or your tenth rental, there are some things you need to do and understand before you commit to a lease.

While renting an apartment should be more relaxed and less stressful than buying a home, there are some potential issues you need to think about to avoid problems, let’s take a look.

Your Credit History

Having an excellent credit score is essential when buying a home, but it can also play a role when renting apartments too. You may be renting because your financial history isn’t the best, but some landlords will need to see you have a good credit score to accept you as a tenant.

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Homeowners

Gifts for First-time Homeowners

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What gift do you get the first-time homeowner in your life? If this is something you’ve been struggling with, we’ve got you covered! From household gadgets to decor items to things that make your house feel more like a home, our list of gifts for the first-time homeowner will give you plenty of ideas for what to give (or what to buy yourself)!

Custom return address stamp

Since your loved one recently became a homeowner, a return address stamp is a gift they can use over and over again! While many would opt for purchasing customized stationary, a stamp is much more useful, versatile, and reusable. It’s also affordable, if you’re on a budget and need a heartfelt gift!

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Realty Executives Saskatoon Named #1 Brokerage

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First Time in Company’s 43 Years

Realty Executives Saskatoon, located in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, has achieved the #1 brokerage status in their area for the first time in the company’s 43 year history. This honor is earned based on sales volume and percentage of market share in the Saskatoon area.

The Realty Executives brokerage reported a sales volume of $672,808,879,and a market share of 21.62 percent for Saskatoon and area. Broker/Owner Wayne Zuk, is excited to accomplish a goal that has been a long time in the making. Realty Executives Saskatoon has been a part of the Realty Executives International franchise since 1995.

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