Sadness in Cincinnati

This will probably be the most off topic real estate post you will see from me but I feel it is important and it IS my blog, so here goes.

My job is selling real estate in Greater Cincinnati. This includes a pretty big area including Northern Ky, the City of Cincinnati as well as the surrounding suburbs.

My pretty amazing husband and
the Father to these two kids is a Cincinnati Police Officer. He has been doing this for about 16 years now and rarely complains.. about his job, that is.

15 of those years, he and I have been a couple. 




It is very rare that our two working worlds cross paths but on June 19th, 2015 they did. My husband works on the West side of Cincinnati and left that morning for his 6 am shift. I had dropped the kids off at the sitters house and was on my way to meet a friend for a coffee before heading to Madisonville to pick up a lockbox and yard sign from a commercial property I was closing on later that afternoon.

As I was getting into the car I noticed a local news update banner pop up on my phone that said a Cincinnati Police Officer had been shot. My heart dropped. I clicked on the story and saw that it was on the East Side of the city; the neighborhood of Madisonville. I immediately knew my husband wasn't the one. I didn't have time to really think about it as I didn't want to be late and had a busy day ahead. With his job I have learned NOT to think about it. Thinking about what he does, day to day, would paralyze me with fear. So, I set the phone down and drove on. 

Once I was at the coffee shop, I sat down with my caffeine and had a moment to reflect while waiting for my friend.

I remember when my husband and I first started dating I would have vivid nightmares about bullets whizzing through the air. I would wake up in the middle of the night and call him. Him answering the phone while working  reassured me that he was ok. It wasn't normal to date someone with a job like this. I was worried. A lot. He worked nights back then and nights were when a majority of the really bad stuff happened. It was scary then. It still is, but in different ways, now. We have two little kids now. I fear more for them than myself. The fear never leaves but I have learned to push it to a place that allows me to behave like a normal wife and mother. 

After a couple years of dating, I started getting used to it and stopped worrying about things I couldn't control. He rarely hangs out with his co-workers and absolutely never brought work home with him. He is different from many cops in that way. To this day, he still doesn't talk about work very often. He is a quiet person but I know that early on he decided to keep certain aspects of his job to himself in order to keep me from worrying about him. Also, he is just a guy who knows how to leave work AT work. A skill I do not possess.

About 5 minutes after I arrived at the coffee shop I got a call from him. He knew I was headed to Madisonville and said "don't come down here this morning." I was a little confused, he said don't come "here." I knew he wasn't where he was supposed to be. I asked what he was doing there? As the words came out of my mouth, I immediately knew the reason. It was bad. The officer who had been shot must not have just been shot in the leg or in the vest. This was really bad.  So, I asked the question. "Was he killed?" The answer was yes.

I heard in his voice the sadness and knew that the call to tell me not to come to that part of town was really his only way to express to me what had just happened. He would never discuss it or want to share his feelings, grief or fear. All he knew to do was to call me to say I shouldn't go there.

The next couple of weeks were very solemn. We decided to keep the news off the tv because our 5 yr old was having a lot of trouble understanding death. We had lost 2 pets and his Great Grandmother in the last 2 years and he was talking about it a lot. It is so hard explaining the concept of your soul being separate from your body to a little kid. I think the nicest way to teach a child is by explaining that they are no longer in pain, or old, or suffering and are in heaven.

On top of this, our little guy had also been going through a period where he was worried about "bad guys" and was regularly saying he needed to go help Dad at work. Teaching your child about their parent being a cop is also a tough thing. We always try to say that his job is to help people and if he does find a bad guy, he just takes them to jail. I sometimes tell him that all Dad does is eat doughnuts and drive around real fast. He knows I am kidding but we are a family that does not take ourselves too seriously. We deflect with laughter as much as possible. Much of this is to protect his little self from understanding the truth of it all at an age too young to be able to process it.

So, my husband and I attended the Visitation and it was surreal. I had never seen so many police officers in one place. I noticed police on the roof of the building doing surveillance and quietly realized in the world we live in, this would be the perfect target for an act of terrorism. Super. On top of the heavy sadness I also felt slightly nervous about a possible attack. Not really nervous but when you see sharp shooters on the roof of the building you are getting ready to enter it is just a little unsettling. I have never been in the presence of the POTUS or the Pope so this was a first for me.

Sonny Kim was shot and killed June 19, 2015. It wasn't accidental, he was shot because of his profession. This link will give the details if you want to read about how this happened. Click here for the story

 

 

I am writing about this for a couple of reasons. Mainly because it hit close to home and is always on my mind. It happened in the City I live and work in. It was one of my husbands co-workers. He was a good guy who was well liked and respected in the community. He had a wife and kids whose worst nightmare had come true.

It has been 8 months and I still think about it often. Every time I see my husband in his uniform. Every time I pass by the cemetery where Sonny Kim is buried. Every time I hear of another shooting in the news, I think about this day and the family that was left behind. I hope they still feel how much we all care about them. I hope that they are emotionally and financially being taken care of. I pray that his wife and kids will be ok and that their pain will ease. I pray that this will stop happening but I know that it won't.  

To contribute to his family- click here

 

 

I hope this humanizes police, too. It isn't cool to tell your kids that police are ALL racists or bigots. Or to tell them the cops will come get them and take them away if they are bad. Think about what that teaches them. I know there are bad cops and I wish they would all have their badges taken away. I recognize that there are flaws in the justice system. I care about the prejudices and think it is an important conversation that, unfortunately, still needs to be had in 2016. This isn't about that. This is about my experience in my little family of 4. 

 

My next post will be about selling houses, or inspections, or the hot Spring market... This has been sitting in my account since last June and I felt I had to post it.

 

Love and prayers to the Kim family and all the good guys out there.

Is this a Good Time to List my House?

Just yesterday I was asked by a seller, "Is this a good time to list my house?"
The answer: YES.

Why? Well, all the competing properties that were listed over the Spring and Summer have either sold or have come off the market due to being over priced. There is very little competition right now. As long as you can tolerate a closing in the winter it is a great time to put your house on the market! In fact, in certain neighborhoods, you will be the only house for sale and we all know there are always buyers, who are ready, willing and able to buy.... Right?

Yes! There are always buyers.

In an ideal world, we would all move on a nice sunny day in May but that isn't how it works. Jobs change. Families grow. Couples marry and divorce. 30 year old college graduates finally get that job and move out of Mom's basement. People have to move year round. I have a friend in Louisville who sold her house and is desperately looking for a new house, right now, but there isn't much out there. You think there are sellers in Kentucky waiting until Spring who are missing out on this buyer? Most definitely.

I have a buyer whose family is living in Greece and they will be relocating back to the U.S. at the end of December due to a job transfer. Yes, we will be spending the holiday break that the kids get from school, looking at houses.

YES, yes, yes! It is a great time to list your house.

Don't wait until everyone else on your street also has a sign in their yard. One of their houses could look better than yours. If you are the only house available, you have a greater chance of selling. Also, more quickly which means less hassle with showings!

Oh, Baby!

What a year this has been. I realize now that Halloween is already next week, and that 2014 will be coming to an end so soon.

My year sure did start off with a bang. I was pregnant with my second child and the little cutie pie arrived January 20th. There was a snowstorm on the 19th and another on the 21st. This kid had great timing.  I hadn't prepared to take traditional maternity leave. As an independent contractor, I don't get paid leave so I just thought to myself that I would take it easy for about 6-8 weeks after she was born. Also- it was the snowiest, iciest, nastiest winter I ever remember since moving to Cincinnati so who would really want to be out there buying and selling houses?

Well, lots of folks. Great people who were unfortunately relocating during a bad winter.

So, I ended up not taking it slow. In fact, I picked up the pace and the month my daughter was born was a personal best. I only turned away one client during this time and that was due to their timing coinciding with the week I came home from the hospital. My husband the police officer thought it was a bad idea if I drove clients around in the snow while on strong pain meds, so I did say no to one. It was soooo hard to do!

I am not writing this for people to feel sorry for me for not getting maternity leave as this was 100% my choice. I also hope that others do not judge a working Mom as we all do what is best for ourselves and our families. I wanted to continue to work. I enjoy it and I enjoyed my new baby so much more this time around. A big reason was that I wasn't cooped up in the house during the most depressing winter. I got to snuggle with her and also leave the house with a purpose. I bonded with her just as well as I did with my first. I don't work 12 hour days so it was great! Very tiring, but wonderful.

So, the year just kept getting better and better and has been my best year for sales since I started the business. I am grateful and proud. I wish all working Moms and Dads could have the flexibility and success that I have experienced this year.

I want to say thank you. For the support, the kind words, the babysitting, the referrals, the business and the trust. Here is to ending the year with a bang, just not another baby!

How to Sell A House Without Putting it on the Market

Here in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area the real estate market has taken quite the change. The mounds of foreclosures, short sales and overpriced houses has dramatically decreased. Inventory is so low that buyers are waiting to pounce on anything decent that becomes available. This has created a cool effect for sellers who are brave enough to price their homes aggressively. They are getting multiple offers and are selling extraordinarily fast. Like, 2, 3 or 4 days fast!

Ever hear of a pocket listing? Probably not unless your Mama is a Real Estate agent. Pocket listings are houses that us Realtors have the inside scoop on. Homes that are being prepared for the market but aren't yet ready. We share these pocket listings with each other and in this type of market where inventory is so low... these pocket listings can sell before they even hit the internet! Now it makes sense... those homes that take zero days on the market to sell. They were pocket listings!

So, if you know you want to sell but you are waiting on the husband to finally fix that squeaky door. Or you are waiting for your college aged children to go back to college... let your Realtor know about it! Invite them over to take a look and ask them to share the word with their co-workers. How sweet would it be to sell your house without having to deal with showings and keeping it squeaky clean 24/7? Pretty sweet.

And, of course, if you don't have a Realtor to share this info with...feel free to let me know. I have connections across the country. And a big mouth!

The Calm Before the Storm

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know the housing market is improving. Brian Williams says so every couple of weeks on the evening news and I see it on the MSNBC home page before I head over to Facebook.

But seriously, people. It is no joke.

Typically January is one of the slower months for those of us in my profession. There are always buyers and sellers who need to buy and sell in January. They don't care how cold or snowy it is, it is necessary for them to take care of business. "wait for the Spring".  Here is where things get interesting. My phone has been ringing off the hook. Multiple daily inquiries on my listings, buyers who must get into listings that just hit the market. Questions about when there will be more listings because inventory is so low. I have several buyers who are watching online like hawks and call me the minute a new listing pops up. This is wild! I had a buyer make an offer on a house that wasn't even on the market this week.

Here is the point to my story. The economy has improved, folks aren't as nervous about job loss or obtaining a mortgage and they are fired up. For those of you who want to sell your house this Spring, I advise you to try and get a jump on the craziness. List as soon as possible so that you aren't swimming in the pool with hundreds of others who plan on listing this Spring. Get your act together now and get ready for lots of showings!

Balancing Work, Family and Life

Before my son was born I worked a traditional work schedule. M-F, 8-5. I had 3 weeks of vacation. My weekends were jam packed with friends, family, eating out, hanging out, comedy clubs, bars, etc.... It was really quite gluttonous. Then we had a baby and I made a drastic career change. This could be a whole other blog post- Making Huge Life Decisions While on Maternity Leave. I do think I will revisit this topic, soon!

Anywho- Now I have a kid and am an Independent Contractor (which is code for I am my own boss)My husbands hours and days off have also changed. He is a Cincinnati Police Officer (shout out to the 5-0!) His schedule has varied greatly over the last 10 years, and presently, his off days rotate. (This is code for we never a day off together anymore) I work lots of nights and weekends due to demand but I do control my own schedule. Because I have been selling Real Estate exclusively in a down market, I have really felt compelled to be readily accessible for my clients. I think this is partially why I have had success in a time when many Realtors are packing up and shipping out. I also think that certain aged clients have come to expect immediate results. I always wonder if I tell someone no, will they just google the next person until they get a yes? Who hasn't tried to get into the Doctor for an issue that has been bugging you for a while, and then been told you can't be seen for 2 months? Next step, google local Doctors and start calling! Now- I would never be so inaccessible that I would make a client wait 2 months, but you get my point.

Due to all of the aforementioned circumstances, I have found it really difficult to ever give myself an entire day off. I have taken two vacations since having this new life and ended up working both times. The first time, I didn't mind it. This last time, I made an effort not to work, but it still happened and I was a little upset with myself. As my next vacation slowly approaches, I am finding myself trying to plan in advance.

Please know that I am not at all complaining! I hate being bored. This life I lead is no longer boring. I never know what is going to happen when I wake up in the morning. I meet new clients daily and I love it. What I do know is that while I love that each day is different, I am not at all balancing work and family the way I want to be.

I guess I am looking for suggestions and input. It probably seems easy and obvious, but this is something I have been working on for a while and still can't seem to get it right. I think this is something we all need, whether we are 9-5ers, stay at home Moms, or single entrepreneurs. If we don't have balance, eventually we will fall down. I really hate falling down. I would love some interaction on this post, so please, let me have it!

Watch Your Facebook Posts- Your House Could Suffer.

In the age where everyone is connected, whether it be on Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc. (whatever your pleasure might be) We have all become a little more open about our lives. As a Realtor, I feel particularly exposed, having all of my personal contact all over the web for anyone to see. This summer I would like to offer my two sense on the #1 thing, NOT to do while you are out of town. Don't post pictures or comments about being out of town or on vacation!

Of course, we all want to share funny stories of the travel time, and beautiful pictures of ourselves in our bathing suits.. Yeah, right! Well, maybe beautiful pictures of the view from the balcony or a sunset at the beach. I love seeing my friends and family enjoying their well deserved trips, but I also cringe just a little when I see these types of internet posts. The main reason is because you are notifying everyone you know that you are out of town.

 Attention all criminals: My family and I are currently out of town (probably for a weekend or maybe a week if you are lucky) Feel free to come break into my house and to steal all of my possessions. I am heading out for a margarita now!

Even if you have all of your passwords protected and you block public views to your social media profiles, this is not smart! Sometimes you have connections online who are mere acquaintances. Maybe they share your information with their not so nice friends who happen to prey on vacationing Facebookers. Forget about leaving the front porch light on, you might as well leave the front door open if you are posting information like this on the internet. Someone who shouldn't see it, very well might. Can you imagine coming home to find your house ransacked all because you were sharing fun posts about your vacation on FB? Not to be Debbie Downer, but it happens, and it happens quite frequently.

So- what I like to do, I wait until I return from vacation and then post the pictures of my hubby in his speedos walking down the beach. Once you are back home, you can talk about all the wonderful times you had on vacation without unintentionally inviting intruders into your home.