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News from Home Buyers Relocations….
First, we must thank all of you who contribute to our agency’s success….we’ve enjoyed steadily increasing patronage of the agency, marked with significant special awards and recognition.
We’ve also passed several milestones in that we’ve now had more than 1100 military families through our doors, and more than 1200 corporate families using our services. One at a time, it’s been easy. Looking at the whole, we say, “Whew!” But it’s been a pleasant journey, filled with satisfactions. We’ve also noted, we believe, greater awareness of the concept of exclusive buyer representation and growing appreciation for it. More and more seek us out as practitioners of the concept. More corporations and relocation companies are also recognizing the benefits of happier migrations. This is all happening while Metro East is enjoying unprecedented growth, now high on the list of preferred suburbs!
We continue to enjoy the finest clients anywhere! We sometimes tease them about their selection of exclusive buyer representation services, suggesting that’s the equivalent of passing the intelligence test! But it’s only a little tongue-in-cheek…we do have marvelous clients. By the way, we’ve been seeing the usual number of military families coming to Scott, the largest single “employer” in SW Illinois, with more on the way. But we had wonderful families from Southern Illinois University, many metro east institutions and more from the larger and medium sized firms west of the river. Last year, Ameren transferees were extremely visible, we had 34 families we helped resettle in SW Illinois.; But SIUE hires were also prominent in Edwardsville.
We still enjoy our “digs” at 515 W. Highway 50 in O’Fallon…in fact, we’ll soon be here 11 yrs! Many of you already know about our newer Edwardsville office, at 6620 Center Grove Road. We watched several years for just the right place…and we’ve found it. Paul is the “Managing Broker” and Merrill is spending a bit more time there. It’s supporting the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon service beautifully. It’s easy to find…with great visibility, just across the street from the big Edwardsville cinema, down the street from the new high school. It’s also close to both of our homes!
Just recently, John Ottwein, Paul’s son and Merrill’s grandson, became licensed (at the minimum age of 21), and is working out of the Edwardsville office with dad. We don’t remember a situation where three generations with the same surname worked together. He’s been of great aid already to Paul, but has an increasing involvement with local first-time home buyers, a category we’ve had trouble getting time to otherwise service.
(You did recognize that in our O’Fallon office, Nancy Jo and Chris are a mother-son team, too, we hope. Chris has been with us several years and is assuming a role as a “regular”. His clients recognize that he’s pretty independent, with a personality that more than holds its own, while tapping the great experience and insight that others in the office have, including Nancy Jo, obviously.)
But he hasn’t gone unrecognized; as of late summer, 07, he’s been elected to the Board of Directors of the Belleville Area Board of Realtors. More about this in another place soon.
And Nancy Jo has been a member of the board’s “Ethics Committee” for a long time. This is tough work, and recognizes that she’s clearly on the side of the “good guys”. We’re very proud of this long term service and commitment on her behalf.
Merrill has authored a new brochure, to be used throughout NAEBA, our national association, titled “How to Buy a Home That Resells Well”. One of the most important buying goals in the relocation world, we were pleased to help with this project, and of course have them in our office.
We might add also that even though the popular press is filled with stores about a declining real estate market and declining values, we’re certainly bucking that trend in our offices. First, it is clearly a “Buyer’s Market” for the first time in years, with a lot of inventory available to fewer buyers. But our office has stayed extremely busy because, we believe, of the emphasis on relocations. The relocating family must move…so that segment of the market remains steady and active, not a part of the general trends, obviously. And while we’ve seen some softening of prices, and some great “buys” because of general market conditions, it seems that the best properties are still moving quickly, getting attention from multiple buyers, and are not being discounted much, if at all, in that process. In general, the Illinois side of the St. Louis region, especially the more active markets, are bucking national and even, general St. Louis area trends.
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And may we add a note about our “Webmaster”. We’ve been fortunate, we feel, to have this long term relationship with an extremely proficient professional based right here in O’fallon. We appreciate so much his willingness and ability to interpret our intentions with a wonderfully in-depth family of web sites that looks nice and is still, we believe, simple. On top of that, you might know he is a good guy…one Ron Ferranti…who’s totally enjoyable to work with. You might go to www.teamcreations.com for more of his activities. We’ve always been impressed with the number of clients he serves, and with the fact that Jim Nabors official site, is in his “Portfolio”. Our military clients will also recognize “Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Company” as a major supplier of military shoes for our armed forces…producing a million pairs of shoes a year, right here in Belleville, Illinois. Thanks Ron for great and sensitive service to us for many years…and for your patience and guidance.
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