One of the toughest assignments that can be given to a busy real estate agent is to help someone find a temporary, furnished apartment.  You want to help the person and/or the company referring the family in need to you, even if the person needing help is never going to buy.  Yet, you have a commitment to the buyers and sellers who are depending on you to achieve an inspection, showing, closing, etc. Enter Corporate Housing, Inc., a home-grown success story started 17 years ago.  Was I ever happy to welcome them to the table as they offered a time-saving  solution for me, my agents, and most of all, the client. Since I'm no longer practicing residential real estate, it is seldom that I need their services, but I'm well aware of the demand.  It has been over 7 years, and I still receive ... 03/22/2010

There are a kazillion reasons to fall in love with Lake Charles, LA! In the hey-day of my first real estate brokerage (since sold), I often commented to newcomers that the Lake Area is blessed with multiple great areas. Moss Bluff, Sulphur, Iowa, Westlake, DeQuincy, Vinton, and of course, Lake Charles offer something for everyone and I truly meant it then and now.  Unless a transferee insisted on a specific location, my mantra was "Check out our entire area out first. Then, after you are well versed courtesy of your agent's area tour, narrow your search to the areas that meet your needs...."  Fortunately, the awesome group of agents representing the company delivered some pretty impressive tours.  So much so that it was not uncommon for a transferee to find it difficult to decide which ... 03/21/2010

This past week, I read Hurricane Audrey, The Deadly Storm of 1957, by Cathy C. Post.  I started it with a bit of guilt because doing so interferred with the reading goal desribed below.  Within just a few pages, my guilt subsided! Now, besides endorsing the list below, I would place this true story about Hurricane Audrey alongside the other marvelous books mentioned. In 2004, I had the privilge of attending a unique learning opportunity about Louisiana.  It was a session conducted by then-Senator, now Louisiana Secretary of State, Jay Dardenne. The class was conducted for my CABL (Council for Better Louisiana) Leadership Louisiana class, AKA, the BCE (Best Class Ever). Combining music and his method of sharing history, Dardenne presented the history of Louisiana in such a unique way tha... 03/21/2010

The 4 Paws Society is barely into their 2nd year and has already made a tremendous impact.  Their first year statistics were amazing in that this dedicated band of volunteers rescued 419 dogs. This year, as of March 15th, they've rescued 142 dogs. Knowing Wanda Williams and crew, it is entirely possible that they will celebrate the rescue of 1,000 dogs in 2010! If you are looking to adopt a dog, check the offerings out at the 4 Paws Society. You can check out their website and their adoptable dogs on Petfinder by going directly to 4PawsSocietyInc.com. While at their site, take time to read their "Happy Tails" and their resource offerings.  I especially like the one with a collection of dog related videos. The address and phone number for the 4 Paws Society are posted on the website, inc... 03/21/2010

Free to Breathe Lung Cancer Race/Walk was held this morning in Lake Charles, March 27,2010 Did you know lung cancer kills 160,000 people annually?  With a number like that I bet you or someone you loved has been affected by this disease. Today March 27,2010 the 2nd Annual Free to Breathe 5k Run 1 mile walk was held in Lake Charles, LA.  This year the event is in honor of Mary and Ed Thompson.  Mary and Ed Thompson were both prominant Lake Charles citizens and active in the Lake Charles community for years.  Mary and Ed both passed away from lung cancer within 18 months of each other.             Mary Thompson was a fellow real estate agent with Century 21 Mike D. Bono & Co.'s.  There are many funny stories and adventures with Mary that agents fondly share. You might say Mary was a legen... 03/20/2010

One of my unfinished goals for 2009 was to read a certain list of books. That list that will be the subject of another blog. One of the books on my list was Hurricane Audrey, the Deadly Storm of 1957 by Cathy C. Post.  Having completed it much, much earlier this morning, I can now scratch it off my "to read" list but can't get it off my mind. This is a must-read for those interested in this topic or this area! I'm so grateful for Post's factual, sensitive account of the lives of 6 of the hundreds of families that suffered loss of life and property during this horrific hurricane.   Since I don't want others to spoil a good read for me, I'm not going to go into detail here other than to say that I learned a great deal about this historic storm as a result of this beautifully told true-story. 03/19/2010

The second annual Free To Breathe 5 mile run and 1 mile walk will be held in Lake Charles on March 27th. This is a time when local advocates, survivors, and their families and friends come together to help spread awareness and raise money for research to fight this dreadful disease. Having raised well over $100,000 last year, the potential for Lake Charles to do its part again is alive and well thanks to the hard work of the local committee and several groups that have already started to raise money for their teams.  "Team Thompson" has already raised over $9,000 and the race is almost 2 weeks away!  What an incredible tribute to Eric and Erin's mom and Dad, Mary and Ed Thompson. Both died of Lung Cancer. The Free to Breathe event organizers have made it as easy to register as it is as ... 03/17/2010

In a blog a few days ago (Tribute/Thanks to Carol Cain of the Hobo Hotel for Cats), I mentioned my 3 favorite Lake Charles rescue/animal rights groups. Today, I want to focus on The 4 Paws Society, an all-breed dog rescue group that serves Lake Charles and all of Southwest Louisiana. The volunteers that support the 4 Paws mission are as impressive as the statistics presented on the their website. The stats through March 15th, 2010 indicate that they have rescued, on average, 1.97 dogs per day since the beginning of the year!  What's noteworthy is that they just began as an organization on Jan 1st, 2009.  In their first year, they rescued, on average, over 1 dog per day. (417 dogs!) The 4 Paws mantra is "adopt, don't shop."  Given the number of dogs (and cats) euthanized every year in th... 03/16/2010

My marvelous part-time assistant is also dealing with dropped calls through AT&T. I asked her to verify the status of the local tower and to find out if there is a site where we can check on the status of issues such as the tower-with-problems. She e-mailed her findings: "I called AT&T and the guy that answered said that to be honest the network is just overloaded. They plan to spend 1 billion dollars this year fixing the problem. He said there is not a site to check for towers that is open to the public but the "mark my spot" app is very helpful. The more people that report a certain area, the faster someone will go out to check that specific tower. He gave me a tip that if you do not plan to use your internet alot (as in do not need the speed) you can go to settings, general, and turn... 03/16/2010

For over 35 years, the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society (CHPS) has sponsored a tour of historical homes (and buildings). The theme this year is "Enterprise on Parade: From Post-War to space age." From soliciting the properties and docents, to writing the scripts and selling tickets, the hardworking members of CHPS deliver a quality product that is enjoyed by all who attend. After all the rain and cold, it will be so nice to take a stroll down Enterprise Blvd to see homes of the Post-War era and take in the beautiful lawns and gardens. To learn more about the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes and the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society, visit CalcasieuPreservation.org. Fellow REALTORS are encouraged to join.  The annual membership fee is probably the best buy in town! There are 6... 03/15/2010

After having a number of dropped calls on my cell phone,  I called AT&T for resolution.  Turns out, there is currently an issue with a local tower. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue and resulting irratations. After I explained that this was not a "first," the representative suggested I download an app to my I-phone called "Mark My Spot." In short, the application asks a few questions as to your location and type of problem.  The specifics are then logged into a central database for the technicians to sort out.  The rep also suggested that I alert other AT&T users to do the same.  Literally, this is a case of "power in numbers" as this data will help to improve service in our area.  If, after the tower issue is resolved, I continue to have problems, the rep suggested that a visit to... 03/15/2010

Anyone who has ever bought or sold real estate  knows that  in order to close there has to be a "clean" WDIR (wood destroying insect report) meaning no termites located within the structure of the home being purchased!  However not all Sellers are under a current termite contract and are sometimes surprised when the inspection turns up active infestation.  Who you gonna call?  You need a Exterminating Company! As a REALTOR working in Lake Charles, Louisiana, I have a great relationship with the professionals at J & J Exterminating and depend on J & J to assist me with Termite Inspections and/or treatment when necessary.  Our Louisiana environment provides a perfect habitat for termites and those of us in the Real Estate industry always hold our breath until we get that clean inspection ... 03/12/2010

Some of you may not be aware that Rural Development has notified participating lenders that they anticipate funds to be depleted by April 30, 2010. A Rural Development loan is a 100% financed  30 year fixed government loan available to individuals with a minimum 620 credit score or higher. Income limitations for a family of 4 or less cannot exceed more than $73,600 per year. There is no monthly mortgage insurance premium and the home must be in an eligible area determined by USDA.  "What makes this such a great loan in our market right now is the fact that buyers  are allowed to  ask  the seller to contribute  up to 6% of the home purchase price toward the buyer’s closing cost expense."The USDA Rural Development loan is an excellent option for first time home buyers.  With Rural Develop... 03/11/2010

And the Oscar goes to..... I always look forward to The Oscars.  Its that time again when we can tune in this Sunday and  watch our favorite actors, actresses and movies win the little gold statue.  Not to mention the Red Carpet and fashionistas!   In general the public likes to follow stars. Makes perfect sense to me.  Success follows success!  So why wouldn't a Buyer or Seller not want a "star" agent to represent them? When we first meet with a  Buyer or Seller we are rolling out the "red carpet" of our services just for them and in turn our Buyer's and Seller's expect a winning performance (an accepted contract and successful close!)     In the  Century 21 Real Estate world as Agents and Brokers we also get our shot at winning statues, the coveted "Centurion" award.   Century 21 Mike... 03/05/2010

Lake Area Animal Hospital, Lake Charles, LA 70607 I am an animal lover, ask anyone who knows me.  At one time our house consisted of five dogs and a cat!  Three out of those five dogs were Pomeranians.   Dr. Joe Stark of Lake Area Animal Hospital in Lake Charles, LA has been our vet for over 15 years.  When my Momma Pomeranian, Bocie  was going into labor with her puppies I took her in to Dr. Joe because I am not into birthing puppies by myself!  He has always been there for me.  When Laddie our Sheltie ran away from home, he assisted me in that loss. When our  13 year old cat Furball was dying Dr. Joe Stark was there for that loss too. Bocie was a certified therapy dog and I enjoyed many wonderful years visiting hospitals and nursing homes with her.  She was my companion would accompy ... 02/26/2010

For 35 years, the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society (CHPS) has hosted the Palm Sunday Tour of Homes. Details will be announced soon about this year's tour. For now, this is a reminder to "Save the Date" for this year's tour which will be held from 1-5:00 on Sunday, March 28th. 02/25/2010

I am a Multi Million Dollar  Century 21 Producer in Lake Charles, Louisiana Real Estate and a CEO! I recently listened to some expert real estate interviews via http://www.freehelpforrealestateagents.com/expert-agent-interviews-online/.    After listening to these interviews it solidified my point that when you are a REALTOR you are CEO of your own business. Thats a pretty important position! One of the agents intereviewed by Scott Levitt, was Dave Hannah with Prudential in Chicago.  Dave made some good points about what has taken place in our industry concerning financial changes. I agree with his viewpoint that educating buyers and sellers is very important. Both Buyers and Sellers need to know about closing costs and how much can be contributed etc. It's the name of the game in our m... 02/23/2010

South Lake Charles, Louisiana Neighborhood, Autumn Run     Autum Run is a 10 year old South Lake Charles, Louisiana Neighborhood located in South Lake Charles, LA off of Gauthier Road.  There are two entrances to Autumn Run off of Gauthier Road, which are E. Savanna and W. Savanna that form a horseshoe  of the neighborhood. 4 other streets  Quince Michael, Hannah, Katie Elizabeth and Emily Ann  which run between E. and W. Savanna.           South Lake Charles, Louisiana Neighborhood, Autumn Run   South Lake Charles, Louisiana Neighborhood Autumn Run S. Savanna is the back of the subdivision.  Many of the S. Savanna and W. Savanna homes have waterfront access to the large man made pond in the subdivision. South Lake Charles, Louisiana Neighborhood, Autumn Run    Homes in Autumn Run Subd... 02/12/2010

Last week, I spoke with the very nice, ever capable Cody Louviere of DeAngelos. Cody clarified that the rumors for an early November re-opening of one of the most popular Lake Charles restaurants  are true. My impression is that the opening is not going to be officially advertised, but for those who keep asking "When will DeAngelos Open?" the answer is that the doors will be open to the public this Friday. From my sort-of-across-the-street vantage point, I've watched the new building rise with the same anticipation and hunger pangs as the many other, loyal DeAngelos patrons. Finally, Margaret Place residents can once again walk to this great dining establishment. There are so many bullet points as to why DeAngelos was and will continue to be one of the most popular Lake Charles restaura... 11/04/2009

Recognizing the need for more research dollars to fight lung cancer, a core group of Southwest Louisiana residents met over a year ago to discuss what they could do to take part in this battle. One of their first actions was to join forces with the National Lung Care Partnership. From this alliance, they learned about the "Free to Breath" walks which were proposed as a cross-country effort to raise awareness and funds about Lung Cancer. The Lake Area responded raising over $110,000 along with an increase in the awareness of the impact of Lung Cancer. What sort of awareness? An example that struck many of the 1,200 people who registered for the Lake Area Run.... Lung cancer takes the lives of more women each year than breast, ovarian and uterine cancers combined. Click here to see photos... 09/30/2009