CENTURY 21 ProLink Blog

In 2008, we were operating out of our old facility at 301 West 8^th Street…and moved into our new facility on June 5^th, 2009.  The combination of a downturn in the economy, coupled with enhanced facilities to serve the poor and homeless, has resulted in a significant increase in the number of patrons coming to the Mission for assistance.

To better illustrate this fact, I felt it best to take a simple look at our statistics before/after our move.

Item	2008	2009	2010	YTD 2011	% increase (over 2008)
Meals	194	288	307	347	79%
Lodging	48	66	75	81	68%
Food Baskets	88	86	131	116 (week)	32%
Store Assistance	$1022	$1298	$1578	$1174 (week)	15%
Chapel	40	54	66	84	112%
Stephen Fund	$516	$778	$701	$894 (month)	73%

The above YTD figures for 2011 are shown through the first 3 quarters, and our highest average quarter is yet to come.

1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.

2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.

3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.

5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.

6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.

10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.

11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.

12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.

13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.

14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.

16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.

17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Kyle Kelly is the best of the best.  Very impressed with the Century 21 ProLink office and the level of client service.  I am happy to refer Kyle Kelly and his office to colleagues, clients, friends and family for all their real estate needs.  Goosmann

Kyle Kelly, REALTOR®, Commercial Agent, Broker Owner of CENTURY 21 ProLink
Cell:  712-223-3671 Email:  Kyle@C21ProLink.com Website:  www.KyleJKelly.com

Getting everyone together for the holidays is a great time to spend time together. If you’re planning to host Thanksgiving dinner at your home this year, these tips will help things go smoothly.

Clip those coupons early. As soon as you agree that the meal is on you, start checking out supermarket promotions and saving your coupons. If you buy a bit at a time, you'll have everything you need with less stress.

Prepare food ASAP. This will help you better plan cooking such a large meal and help you avoid burnout and frustration. For most celebrations, Thanksgiving is all about the bird. But if you’ve got guests with dietary restrictions or objections, make sure you’ve got foods for them, too.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This holiday is a huge undertaking and you may not be able to cook everything. If you’re not so great at desserts, your Aunt Ida would probably love to make her famous cobbler.

Make sure people know they’re invited. It’ll give time for your guests to know they’re going to your house to celebrate and they can avoid making other plans.

Work out the seating arrangements. If you plan on having a formal meal with assigned place settings, plan this early to avoid a last minute chore. Even if your don't have assigned seating, have enough chairs. Also, think about what you want kids to do. Set up a special table and play area to keep kids happy and, best of all, busy.

Following these tips can help you make the most of your Thanksgiving meal, and preparation. Plan early and you’ll be a happy, smiling, stress-free host. Enjoy time with your friends and family after all of your hard work. And, make sure you enjoy Aunt Ida’s cobbler!

"Clutter just happens," "So neaten up!"  Hooks and shelves inside the door give people a place to hang coats and keys, while canvas bins or natural baskets help contain magazines and mail. "Just a row of hooks on a board is so easy to install."

Tip provided by Ken Spies, REALTOR®, Broker Associate, CRS, Residential Financial Consultant
Cell:  712-251-6065 Email:  Ken@KenSpies.com Website:  www.KenSpies.com

The Gospel Mission is NOT a United Way agency, nor we do receive any government funding (on a national, state or municipal level).  Yet with the economic downturn, we are inundated with requests for assistance with rent, utility bills, gas, bus transportation and more…on a daily basis.  Most of the time, people walking through our doors are being directed to us by the government funded agencies that have run out of funds.  While we have a specific line item in our budget (Stephen Fund) to help address such needs, it should come as no surprise that we are operating well over budget on this specific item.  In fact we’ve experienced a 73% increase in the requests we’ve funded since 2008. 

Carol (Halstead) did a great job!  Goodrich

Carol Halstead, REALTOR®, Sales Associate, AHS, SPHR, CRS
Cell:  712-574-4600 Email:  Carol@C21ProLink.com Website:  www.CarolHalsteadRealtor.com

Energy-Smart Landscaping: A cost-effective and eye-pleasing way to lower energy bills is to plant trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and hedges. Landscaping often is the best long-term investment for reducing heating and cooling costs, while bringing other improvements to your community.

Information provided by Mid American Energy

Check out more tips at http://www.midamericanenergy.com/ee/ia_res.aspx

When you decide to buy a home, choose one realtor to work with.  There are many benefit to this.  To choose a Realto, check out websites and read about the Realtors you may be interested in using.

Tip provided by Gina Grimsley, REALTOR®, Sales Associate, AHS
Cell:  712-490-4374 Email:  Gina@GinaGrimsley.com Website:  www.GinaGrimsley.com

The Iowa Finance Authority’s REOHome Program can help hard-working Iowans purchase the home of their dreams! The unique new program offers up to $10,000 in down payment/closing cost assistance to qualified Iowans who are purchasing a home that is Real Estate Owned. (Real Estate Owned properties are in the possession of a lender as a result of foreclosure of forfeiture.)

1. Household income is restricted to 80% area median income per county.
2. Must be purchasing an Iowa, foreclosed property for primary residence.
3. Must qualify for IFA’s FirstHome Program.
4. Must participate in pre-closing home buyer education.
5. Eligible home buyers may also use IFA’s FirstHome Plus Program, which can offer an additional $2,500 for down payment assistance/closing costs.

1. Home buyers must purchase foreclosed property or one that is in imminent foreclosure process.
2. Limited to one unit, residential property on five acres or less,
3. The property must be the home buyer’s primary residence.

1. At closing, a lien is placed on the home equal to the amount of the REOHome assistance. The amount of the lien is reduced by 20 percent each year that the home remains the borrower’s primary residence. After the five years, the lien is eliminated entirely.

Paint is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to make a substantial change. Use dramatic colors in bath rooms and dining rooms, and more neutral colors in living spaces.  "And always,  do a test before you paint the whole room."

Tip provided by Ken Spies, REALTOR®, Broker Associate, CRS, Residential Financial Consultant
Cell:  712-251-6065 Email:  Ken@KenSpies.com Website:  www.KenSpies.com

CENTURY 21 ProLink was named one of the CENTURY 21 System's top producing sales offices in the Heartland region.  The CENTURY 21 Heartland Region is made up of over 64 Century 21 offices.

"Dedication, knowledge and commitment are common characteristics of any successful sales team, ProLink managed to surpass even these standards of excellence to provide their customers with exemplary service," said Kyle Kelly, broker/owner of CENTURY 21 ProLink.  "This team of seasoned business professionals are leaders and innovators in the real estate industry and an asset to home buyers and sellers in the community."

Five CENTURY 21 ProLink agents were also recognized in the top 100 Associates in the Heartland Region:

	Barb Maxon			Ken Spies			Marge Delzell
	Sue Raby-Struthers			Michele Ivener			Amy Kakacek

Collectively, CENTURY 21 ProLink has more than 500 years of real estate experience.

The Gospel Mission Thrift Store generates revenue for our ministry from donated clothing that never gets sold.  Hmmm…you may ask “How does that work?”  The clothing we receive that is either stained, torn or missing buttons is placed into our baler.  We’ve contracted with a company to pick up our baled clothing (and baled cardboard) on a price/lb basis.  So whether your donated clothing is sold through the store, or in a bale, the Mission is blessed to generate income either way.  This revenue stream affords us the opportunity to provide clothing vouchers to support our “Friends in Need” that might otherwise go without.