GO Realtor Group Blog

GO Plant a Tree!

GO Realtor Group — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:03:00 GMT

Arbor Day is one of those holidays’ that has been a vague childhood memory for me. As I reach back into the depths of my elementary school experience it seems familiar, yet honestly all I recall is that this celebration has got something to do with planting trees. Sadly, I doubt that was all my teachers were attempting to impress upon us kids, but apparently I wasn’t really listening. Perhaps living in a state where one cannot look outside any window without seeing at least one tree, if not dozens has diluted my appreciation. Thanks to the “Google” age we live in I’ve had a refresher course on the subject. I would have assumed this holiday began in a state like Oregon or Washington where trees abound. That is not the case. Instead, a journalist and politician named Julius Sterling Morton, who had a passion for agriculture, began the movement of planting trees in his state of Nebraska. Morton felt that his states environment and economy would benefit highly from such a drawn awareness, so he began to spread his gospel of tree planting. On the 1^stArbor Day in April 1872 a million trees were planted! Morton’s good work has spread throughout the world and is now celebrated all around the world in places like Australia, China, Bulgaria, and Namibia… another fact of which I was completely un-aware.

This year I’m going to remember Julius Sterling Morton and although my tiny backyard isn’t condusive to another tree, I may just plant one someplace else… or at least pay homage to the ones I have. Every morning I wake up in my home made of wood, set my feet on hardwood floors, watch the TV I’ve nested in a beautiful wood entertainment center, and put my books and clothes away in containers crafted at the hands of carpenters employed thanks to the tree. In fact, the nature of my livelihood and the opportunity to help others to buy and sell homes is all thanks to the trees. What a great invention the God of the universe had in mind when He gave us this gift!

Every state in the union has it’s own designated time to celebrate Arbor Day. Oregon celebrates for the entire 1^st week of April, and National Arbor Day is recognized on April 30^th. As far as I’m concerned celebrate all month and remember to hug a tree!

Arbor Day Oregon http://www.arborday.org/arborday/oregon/
Friends of Trees http://friendsoftrees.org
Hoyt Arboretum http://www.hoytarboretum.org/

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GO Clean Up!

GO Realtor Group — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:11:00 GMT

There is no better place (in my opinion of course) to reflect and rest the mind than the beach. I have single handedly solved many of life's pressing questions and problems like global warming, health care reform, how to raise my 18 year old daughter and where I left my keys on wonderful long walks along the Oregon Coast. Usually on my walk I'll also have one of my little dogs in tow. On such a day as this of course there is a slightly warm breeze (oh wait... this is Oregon... ok, there is a wall of sandy wind pelting my cheeks), and you can see all the way to Japan (or is that a wall of clouds???)... well, whatever the weather is doing, is there ever REALLY a bad day at the beach? Nope.... it's always a scenic and serene spot for the weary of mind and body. So anyway, back to my story... I'm on such a walk as this with the wonderful slighty warm breeze, blue sky, screech of occasional seagull and confident prance of my 5 lb. chihuhua. All is right with my world, the nagging of life's weightier issues are being solved with each step I take. I feel centered and at peace. Until that is, I realize that somewhere in my day dreaming and mind bending, my precious puppy has acquired a disgusting piece of trash that she is prancing along with in her mouth like a prize. I'm a collector at the beach and love to fill my pocket's with shells and rocks tossed along the shoreline like treasures to be found. Seeing this rotting trash in my darling Lolita's mouth (who had just given me a loving little lick on the chin a few minutes before) made me feel sick....

We were recently on a trip to Florida. I had never been there and was really looking forward to seeing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. I was appalled at the huge amounts of trash, dirty diapers and water bottles littered for miles along the coastline. In fact I was feeling quite smug and prideful of our Oregonians who would never stand for such disrespectful treatment of one of it's natural resources. On that one particular day at the beach with my dog, I was reminded of how important our beaches are to us... some of our best family memories have taken place in Pacific City where we watched the kids climb the dunes and skim board along the shore. We count on it being a clean safe place to run and play. That takes work and cooperation. This year is the 25th annual SOLV Great Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup. Mark your calendars for March 20th and join in at over 40 beach sites to clear the entire Oregon Coast of debris. We are all stewards of this great planet. Visit SOLV.ORG to sign up.

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GO Thank You!

GO Realtor Group — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:33:00 GMT

Happy New Year to you!

We feel a collective sigh of relief as we end 2009 and step into the hope of 2010. All of us here at GO Realtor Group want to thank you for contributing to our success of navigating through a difficult year. So thank you!

As our team reflects back on the ups and downs of 2009, it brings a smile to our faces! In countless large and small ways your friendship, support and kindness has made any challenges we faced well worth it. Small moments like sharing a cup of coffee with one of you at our favorite spot, "Insomnia", or strategizing your goals at the kitchen table is what we enjoyed most.

When the Real Estate market took it's downturn 3 years ago, many of you received advice from us to hold off on selling your homes. Patiently we have all endured this season and awaited the right time to step forward. With a sense of anticipation we began to look ahead to a time when you could again consider making that move. With that in mind, last year you received a suggestion from us each month on how to improve the spaces that surround you. Preparing your home for sale takes planning and effort. If you are still working on these things and need more help, give us a call and we will point you in the right direction. We are beginning to see brighter days ahead, but re-building home values will take time. Take this time to prepare your homes so you are ready.

Our teams mission statement is "serve, tell the truth, keep our promises and have fun". In the spirit of that, this year we want to make sure that in the midst of all of the hard work, you are also able to give to those around you as well as your self! We would like to suggest that in 2010 you invest in a more individual reward - ways to connect with the very people we need in our lives.

Watch for the monthly suggestions coming your way with fun, life giving focuses! We are excited about what lies ahead in 2010 and the memories we will make with one another.

As always we greatly appreciate your business and your referrals.

Life has many rewards, GO do it!

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GO aahhh!

GO Realtor Group — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:20:00 GMT

Is your car parked outside because it no longer fits in the garage? Are you embarrassed at what the neighbors might see when the garage door is open? Has all of your summer vacation gear landed in piles that are now functioning as a daily obsticle course? Don't head into winter with the walls closing in on you and why wait for spring to clean??? The coming months always bring busy schedules and more accumulation... make room and make way! Ease your burden and de-stress in advance of the new year with all it brings.

One of the top 3 "chores" we encourage every Seller to do before putting their homes on the market is to clean their garage. Neatly stacking uniform and labeled boxes in one bay of your garage is a great way to prepare for the future as you consider and plan for your next move.

Our friend Vicki Norris of Restoring Order has helped families re-strategize their spaces again and again. GO for the extreme garage makeover and make room for your winter toys NOW! Visit RestoringOrder.com for more information!

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GO Sherlock!

GO Realtor Group — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:29:00 GMT

Just like keeping up to date on my blogging... those little "odd" jobs around the house and checking in the nooks and cranny's is so easy to forget and neglect.

There is something about the sun coming out for more than 5 minutes that inspires. As I drive about my day, I see more and more people out sweeping up and digging out from our long cold, wet winter. This tells me I'm not the only one with a bit more energy and excitement! Channel that energy and focus it on looking in those places you want to forget about!

Most of us never think about inspecting our property until it's time to sell it, and even then we wait for the buyer to do the discovery. The expensive "surprise" that then lands in the middle of your pending move can be less than welcomed. Be proactive! Inspections are equal opportunity, take it upon yourself to really know what is going on with YOUR home. Deal with issues now and enjoy the benefits for yourself.

Consider this, be your own home inspector, or better yet hire one to do the investigating for you! When is the last time you were up on that roof or in your crawlspace? If you are not a fan of heights or spiders, call Integrity Home Inspectors! This great group of guys have a sensible and optimistic approach to telling you what you need to know in order to keep your investment healthy, safe and sound.

Give them a call today, 503-246-5076!

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Go Color!

GO Realtor Group — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:21:00 GMT

Are you looking forward to summer backyard BBQ's and parties? Is the homestead looking a little tired and worn out after our long, cold, wet winter? Has time squeezed the life out of that old paint? It may sound like our clanging cymbal, but in a tight economy your best spent investment is a can of paint! Last month we offered all of our clients an opportunity to re-consider interior and exterior paint colors and take advantage of our free consulting service to make fresh choices. You may not be thinking about selling your home, but it's an important way to protect your investment. Exterior paint and caulk protects your home from water penetration and decay, and a fresh coat of paint just feels GREAT! We are still offering our help to any of you that want it when it comes to selecting colors, so don't spend thousands of dollars repainting only to get the color wrong! Home colors can negatively impact property values not just for your home, but those around you as well. Let us give you a hand! Call Lisa Bradburn at 503-640-7132 to make an appointment! Additionally we have fantastic painters that are ready to get started! Enjoy your homes fresh spring face-lift now and all summer long!

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GO Refresh! by Lisa Bradburn

GO Realtor Group — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:31:00 GMT

I have a fantastic pair of red patented leather platform shoes. They are SHOW STOPPERS, and not a wearing goes by that I don't get complimented. But you know what the best part is about those shoes? I can wear them ALL DAY without regret. The color red is a funny thing, sometimes too orange, sometimes too pink. The moment I saw this pair of red shoes I KNEW they would match several other garments I had just perfectly. I got those shoes home and I was right, they were a perfect match.

Color is tricky... the best of intentions lead people down the wrong road all of the time. The wrong paint color on a wall can be a buyers remorse than lingers on and on, sometimes for years... After all, you bought the paint, and spent hours carefully rolling it onto the walls, all with a great hope and expectation about the outcome. Often the end of the story is the ever famous saying "it'll take some getting used to". The "right" paint color never leaves you feeling that way, the "right" paint color feels like that comfortable pair of spectacular shoes. The right paint color compliments the space, the lighting, the color pallete of the entire house - both inside and out. The tone and intensity of the color is critical along with the purpose of the room. For example candy colors rarely work in a room intended for food preparation or serving meals. Too many different colors in a house can break up a floorplan in a way that makes it feel small, dark and confusing. Too dark of a color on too many walls can obviously eleminate much needed light. Yet again, we don't want our house to look like a bowl of vanilla ice cream do we? Play it safe or change things up? That is the question.

One of GO Realtor Groups favorite things to do is bring out a homes true potential with the simplist most affordable home improvement tool available, a bucket of paint. The most commonly needed correction prior to listing a home for sale is repainting it in order to make a room warm and camera friendly. Time and again the homeowner says "This is great! why didn't we do this sooner?!?".

This month I am taking appointments for complimentary home color consultations. Call me and I will set up a time to advise you on new interior and exterior paint colors that will really help bring out your home's "best side". I will also be happy to lend some advice to room arrangements and spacial use. Shoot me an email at: lisa@GORealtorGroup.com to schedule an appointment.

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The Health Benefits of Carpet Cleaning

GO Realtor Group — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:01:00 GMT

About once a year, the wear and tear of life gets the best of me (usually a few days before important company comes over...) and I make a panic call to the carpet cleaner. A flood of relief soon thereafter follows as I stand back and admire my old carpet freshly revived with a new shiny sparkle.

What I had not considered over the years was that there are actually health benefits to getting my carpets cleaned. Had I given it a moment of more serious contemplation I would have perhaps arrived upon that conclusion, but vanity always gets the best of me.

So the question of "to clean or not to clean" has taken on new meaning. As we approach the end of winter and look forward to sunnier days, consider the number of times you traipsed in and out during the "Arctic Blast" with wet boots. How often did Rover do so without regard, repeatedly bringing with him un-detected dirt and bacteria?

Studies suggest that indoor air quality is often 10 to 100 times worse than outdoor air quality! Studies also show that there are many health benefits of carpet cleaning. As concerns grow to this regard it is more important for carpet cleaning companies to focus on health as well as appearance. When properly maintained, carpet can improve your health, indoor air quality and act as a filter holding soil, debris, and other contaminants, while preventing them from contaminating the quality of air. Routine carpet cleaning is a part of a healthy lifestyle. This keeps indoor contaminants such as dirt, entry ways, mats, high traffic areas etc. under control throughout the year.

In conjunction with vacuuming regularly, this routine maintenance helps keep indoor air cleaner while extending the carpets lifespan. Vacuums these days have a stronger resolve, and utilize new technology to ensure the removal of dirt and other contaminates. The health benefits of carpet cleaning are clear. However in addition to routine maintenance through vacuuming and carpet cleaning services, it is equally important to ensure that you clean/replace all filters used while vacuuming. This ensures that you have the highest quality carpet cleanliness as possible.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also recognizes the effect of regular indoor air and the link it has with carpet cleaning. Cleanings include regularly scheduled wet cleaning or extraction for total soil removal. Remember, carpet is a filter, clean your carpet - clean your air!

We love to work with Rob Bell, of Bell Carpet Cleaning. He is courteous, respectful, and thorough. Rob has always gone out of his way to provide service in a timely and affordable manner. Give Rob a call, his number is 503-640-5439.

(Source information for this article can be obtained from Lisa Bradburn.)

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Organizing Workshops Built for You

GO Realtor Group — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:13:00 GMT

Introducing the Restoring Order Workshop Series:

Vicki Norris - national organizing expert of HGTV's Mission: Organization and President of Vicki Norris' Restoring Order is bringing YOU a whole new way to tackle your worst organizing challenges...

*Hosted at Restoring Order headquarters in Sherwood, OR & presented by Vicki Norris

*Paper and space management topics covering common organizing hot spots

*Relaxed small group atmosphere (groups capped at 20 per class)

*Content-rich presentations, group interaction, and follow-up assignments

Details:

*Dates: Second Saturday of every month in 2009, starting January 10th

*Time: 1:30-3:00 pm

*Cost: $79/workshop $69/each for 6 workshops $59/each for all 12 workshops

*Optional one hour Book Club High Tea from 3:30-4:30 pm following each workshop covering Vicki's book "Reclaim Your Life and Get Organized for Good" (Harvest House, 2007) $49 a la carte/$39 for series participants.

To sign up email: Workshop@RestoringOrder.com with your full name, email, and phone numbers AND which workshops you are interested in. You'll be personally contacted to complete your registration.

March Wellness & fitness center is proud to welcome nationally recognized organizing expert Vicki Norris (of HGTV's Mission: Organization and President of Portland's own Restoring Order®). Vicki will share her life-changing message "Reclaim Your Life®" and how organizing is more than what you see on television; it's about putting first things first in your life. Join us for an afternoon of inspiration, coffee & snacks, and a book signing with author and speaker Vicki Norris. Don't miss this exciting event!

Now is the time to Reclaim Your Life®!
Space is limited. Call now to register (503) 418-6272.
March Wellness member $29; Non-member $39

March Wellness is located at:

3303 SW Bond Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97239

<http://www.icebase.com/r.pl?27znHVKWFuL9v7wN_6676c6e4a2ca3934>

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GO Organize!

GO Realtor Group — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:08:00 GMT

Getting organized is a great way to bring about change. We feel honored to count the brilliant Vicki Norris of Restoring Order as a friend.

Vicki has 2 simple steps for you to "order your life" in 2009.

#1 Replace your resolutions with Priorities. All too often we make goals and resolutions for the New Year that have faded by February. We feel discouraged, defeated, and ashamed that we've let ourselves down. Now we can't cross those goals of our list. This year, list your priorities instead. Priorities are not the same thing as goals. They are guiding life values. Your priorities might include:

"being an engaged parent", "investing in the quality of your marriage", or "growing a reputable, sustainable business". These ongoing priorities will guide you as you make choices in the coming year about how you will invest your time and energy. Most importantly, living your true priorities will help you put first things first and enhance your quality of life.

#2 Commit time to order you life. If you think about it, nothing is more important than living the life you were meant to live. So many things (including your state of disorganization) could be holding you back from living to your full potential... including: "out of control bills that steal your limited resources", "crowded kitchen countertops that force you to eat out", or "messy, embarrassing rooms that prevent hospitality". Disorganization is a distraction and a drain, it is costing you more than you think.

Make 2009 the year that you commit to order YOUR life and tackle your hot spots like those mentioned above. If you commit time in your schedule to address the disorganization that is plaguing you, soon you'll find yourself with more sanity and purpose.

Vicki's firm of professional organizers at Restoring Order are an excellent resource to help you get started. Her experienced firm can spend in-valuable time with you and map out a plan to help you accomplish your goals and GET ORGANIZED! Vicki is a known for her public speaking, regular television appearances on local network shows like A.M. Northwest and Fox TV's "Better". She is also author of the books "Restoring Order for Your Home" and "Mission: Organization". For more information see Vicki's website at www.RestoringOrder.com.

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Welcome to our new look!

GO Realtor Group — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:43:00 GMT

It is an exciting time for what you have always known as "Team Sjodini"! Over the years our business and relationships have continued to grow and progress. Keith, Lisa and Sheree have been "on the GO", having fun, and serving our friends for a combined 30 years so we felt it was time our name reflected that. Our office remains in Hillsboro with our treasured fellow Realtors at Windermere Baldwin Properties so you know right where to find us. We are renewing our commitment to being your real estate expert and would like to send you information regarding the real estate market.

In order to keep in touch we would like to verify that the information we currently have on file for you is up to date. Please email or mail us with any corrections. We are particularly interested in obtaining your phone numbers and email address. Your confidential contact information is for our sole purpose and will not be sold or shared with any other outside party.

As always our priority is to serve you, and your referred friends and family, as trusted advisors in matters of real estate. As the market ever changes, and media continues to deliver difficult news, look to friends you can trust.

Your friends,

Keith Sjodin, Lisa Bradburn & Sheree Garner

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