Friday, November 28, 2008

How can you make sure your home shopping experience doesn’t turn into a Door Busting Black Friday Frenzy?


Today is Black Friday 2008! Oh, the madness that comes along with today. It feels like National Door Buster Special day! Shoppers hop in lines during the wee hours of the morning, or even camp out the night before. If you ask me, it’s simply crazy…but exciting at the same time! But what do all these bargain hunting buyers have in common? Besides getting a bargin on anything and everything, they usually have one red-hot ticketed item at the top of their wish list. Have you ever waited in line all night? You’re freezing to death and burning up your Blackberry minutes chatting away to kill time. Then finally it’s time for the doors to open! You roll into the store only to find you were merely seconds away from getting your frostbitten hands on your prized possession! You’re heartbroken and exhausted, and it’s not even 5 a.m. yet! Frustrating huh?

Okay, how would you feel if you found your dream home, the home you’ve waited for months to hit the market? Excited right? It’s the place you truly can’t live without! So you call your Lexington Kentucky Realtor only to hear them say: I’m sorry it’s already sold! You’re heartbroken and frustrated once again! Hello Black Friday, hello to missing your dream home!!

My clients and I don’t miss those dream homes! In fact, most of the time, we are the first ones in to see a home as soon as it hits the market! We are the kings and queens of securing the door buster specials! That’s because I offer my clients a service called the Home Buyer’s Scouting Report (HBM). This free-to-you service matches your personal home search criteria with properties that are currently listed for sale and in your price range. It’s online…available 24/7. At your convenience, you login in with your private password and view all the homes, pictures, prices, addresses, directions, maps and more. You have total control over your search; you can create a very specific search to focus on a certain neighborhood or broaden your search area to include the entire city, or several cities. You also have the ability to save a property to a notebook to review later for easy reference and will receive updated information on those properties.

Many busy homebuyers have heard about a great property only to find that it had already been sold! Just ask my buyer’s Michael and Sara. A home in a downtown Lexington real estate neighborhood hit the HBM Scouting Report at 3:00 p.m. on a Wednesday and an hour later we were in the home and made an offer! They were so happy we had the upper hand. In fact, there was a great deal of interest on that home. And in case our home inspections did not pass our standards, there was another buyer waiting on the sideline to get their hands on Michael and Sara’s dream home! The home received a clear bill of health and Michael and Sara are still counting their blessings everyday that they secured their dream home!

With the HBM Scouting Report you can receive daily updates on new listings and best of all, there is no obligation! Truly, you will fall in love with this service and it will allow you to get a real sense of the current housing marking in the privacy of your own home. Whether you are looking to buy a new home soon or just thinking about a new home; I believe this is the best home finding service available and as a preferred costumer, I would like you to know about it. So throw on your pajamas, login and start shopping online!

If you are interested in learning more about the Scouting Report, please click here to see a video demonstration on how this tool will benefit you. Feel free to call/email/text and I will be happy to answer any questions. If you know of someone, who might benefit from the Scouting Report, make sure you tell them to visit my website at: http://www.kimsoper.com/ to sign up!

Are you ready to house hunt in the Lexington real estate market? I am ready! -Reporting live here in Lexington, Kentucky, your LexVegas Blogger, AKA http://www.kimsoper.com/



When you think of real estate, think http://www.kimsoper.com/ and let's get started today!


Kim Soper, REALTOR
Residential & Commercial Real Estate
Multi-Million Dollar Producer
Relocation Specialist
CMS - Certified e-Marketing Specialist
Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty
2424 Harrodsburg Road, Suite #101
Lexington, KY 40503
(859) 509-8008 cell
(859) 269-0065 fax

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Top 5 Things to do in Lexington during Autumn!

Autumn is a wonderful time of the year and one that many Lexingtonians agree is the most beautiful season in the Bluegrass state. Lush fall foliage dazzles us with its splendid hues - everything from golden yellows, sage greens, and brilliant reds. With the "Dog Days" of summer now far behind us, Lexingtonians are eager to get out and enjoy the cool, crisp weather and take part in many of the exciting events happening in and around Lexington. I welcome you to explore these top 5 recommendations for this exciting season:


1.) Keeneland Race Track
Lexington’s thoroughbred race track has two meets per year - the Spring and Fall - in addition to several horse sales, attracting high profile celebrities and international royalty seeking to invest in Kentucky’s famed horse racing tradition. During the Spring and Fall Meets, spectators enjoy festive "Sunday Best" attire, gathering to socialize and enjoy the spirit of the races. Don’t forget to arrive early to witness the horses´ morning workouts, enjoy a Keeneland breakfast worthy of a champion, or to tailgate with family and friends under a canopy of lush maple and oak trees. Keeneland is not just locally famous - Hollywood has recently featured the historically-rich race track! Almost all of the scenes in the movie Seabiscuit were shot on location, with many Lexingtonians serving as extras in the film!



2.) Tradition of Kentucky Sporting Events
Kentucky is a HUGE sports-minded state - so much so that it truly is a way of life! The onset of fall brings excitement and energy throughout the Bluegrass state, as die-hard Kentucky fans gear up for another intense season of UK Athletics. The Kentucky football and basketball programs enjoy hundreds of thousands of true-blue fans. Kentucky is a member of the Southeastern Conference, considered to be the most intensive football conference in collegiate athletics. Students, alumni, families, and friends have tailgating down to a science! Beer cheese, fried chicken, barbeque, and an array of Southern-style favorites are found at nearly every tailgating stop outside the stadium. The Kentucky basketball season is marked by the opening of Midnight Madness in mid-October. Kentuckians literally camp out weeks before the event in order to increase their odds at snagging prized tickets to the very first basketball practice of the season. This special event draws over 24,000 screaming fans packed into historic Rupp Arena to root the Wildcats into the start of another highly anticipated National Championship run.



3.) Autumn Festivals around the Bluegrass Region
If you love road trips - and who wouldn’t with Kentucky’s beautiful fall foliage! - and enjoy a true festival experience, Kentucky has everything you could hope for in and around Lexington! From arts and crafts to music, history, and cars you will surely find something to peak your interest! Enjoy the Master Musicians festival or Somernites Cruise in Somerset, Harvest and Wine Festival in Nicholasville, Berea Craft Festival in Berea, Festival of the Bluegrass in Lexington, or even the Woolly Worm Festival in Beattyville - an event where you actually race woolly worms as a highlight of the fall season! Wherever your interests may lie, you’re sure to be pleased with fall in the Bluegrass state!



4.) Lexington Gallery Hops
Lexington takes pride in its rich arts and cultural scene and encourages its patrons and visitors to experience genuine, original works of art by hosting the famed Gallery Hops on five select Friday nights throughout the year. Now in its second decade, the Lexington Gallery Hop is a fun-filled evening of art exploration - touring museums, artist’s studios, and galleries in downtown Lexington - and is perfect for art collectors, connoisseurs, or simply the curious to experience this exquisite and sociable event in Lexington.



5.) Boyd’s Orchards and Kelley’s Corn Maze
A true tie if ever there was one, Boyd´s Orchards and Kelley´s Corn Maze are two Kentucky fall traditions definitely worth experiencing! At Boyd’s pick your own fruits and vegetables while the children are entertained on the large playground. Stop in for a quick snack or delicious dessert at the Apple Blossom cafe or enjoy shopping in the unique gift shop. The children are sure to enjoy the hayrides, animal center, corn maze, and "pick your own" pumpkin patch! Boyd’s is also home of the "Seven Festivals of Fall." At Kelley’s Family Farm, you’re sure to be entertained! From the moment you enter the 8-acre corn maze, you’ll be immersed in history! Each year, the Kelley family selects an important figure in Kentucky’s history to mold the maze after. For the Fall of 2008, former U.S. President and Kentucky-born Abe Lincoln was the feature design of the maze. Kelley’s Farm offers both day and nighttime maze excursions! In addition, you will find pumpkin patches, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lots of other fall favorites and treats! Hayrides, corn hole games, and the new hay pyramids are just several more fun fall adventures waiting for you and your family to explore!



If you would like more details on exciting events and happenings in the Lexington area, I am just a click of the mouse away. Shoot me an email or call me. I will fill you in on my wonderful city! Get out there and enjoy our beautiful state! And as always, I am always here to assist you, a friend or a family member with their Lexington Kentucky real estate needs! - Reporting live here in Lexington, Kentucky, your LexVegas Blogger, AKA http://www.kimsoper.com/


When you think of Real Estate, think http://www.kimsoper.com/ and let's get started today!

Kim Soper, REALTOR
Residential & Commercial Real Estate
http://www.kimsoper.com/
Multi-Million Dollar Producer
Relocation Specialist
CMS -Certified e-Marketing Specialist
Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty
2424 Harrodsburg Road, Suite #101
Lexington, KY 40503
(859) 509-8008 cell
(859) 269-0065 fax
kim@kimsoper.com

Monday, November 24, 2008

Reporting live in Lexington, Kentucky

Greetings from the Horse Capital of the World!

I would like to say ‘thank you’ for stopping by and reading my very first blog posting! Today is a perfect day to write, especially since it’s getting really cold outside (hello, winter!) and I would much rather stay warm indoors and chat with you :) It’s a quiet Sunday for sure, wrapping up a less than stellar week from our University of Kentucky basketball team. Our Wildcats did grab their fist win of the season on Saturday in Lexington’s historic Rupp Arena, but I am still not sure that was enough to ail our broken hearts over the lost again rival North Carolina earlier in the week. Don’t worry, though…I’m sure our Cats will rebound over the next few games!

Yes, I bet you can already tell, I am a huge Kentucky Wildcats fan. Most people who live here in Lexington, Kentucky are! But I am also a big fan of the city of Lexington! That’s why I would like to dedicate this blog primarily to the topics of Lexington Real Estate (where I live and sell homes everyday) with special emphasis on the Bluegrass Region. And also fun events and special happenings around the city. This will be told through a completely candid perspective, but will hopefully offer some really cool facts, sound advice, and valuable insights.

If you have ever thought of buying a home, but the actual process frightens you, then sit back and relax. In fact, make sure to bookmark this site as your ‘go-to’ destination for all things Lexington, Kentucky Real Estate. I’ll tell you all about my role as your Realtor and what that specifically means to you. You will soon see that buying a home is not frightening, but very liberating, instead. Once you know what to look for and are educated on the process, it can be a very fun and rewarding opportunity for you and your family! We will cover the basics on what to do once you see your dream home in a magazine to actually buying the home, including such things as the tax credits of homeownership and all the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of financing.

If you are a seller, check back frequently to read about such things as how to obtain top dollar, all the secrets to selling your home quicker and to maximize your leverage in a down market, as well as utilizing the internet for a quicker sale.

If you’re wondering just who I am exactly, let me tell you a little bit about myself! I am a true native of Lexington and LOVE this city! In fact, I plan to never move away! I graduated from Transylvania University with a BA in Business Administration and worked in media and public relations immediately afterwards. However, I always knew that one day I would be calling the neighborhoods of Lexington 'my office.'

Today, I work for Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty and for years now, I have been selling homes in Lexington, KY and the surrounding areas of Versailles, Paris, Georgetown and the entire Central Kentucky region. I specializing in helping first-time homebuyers achieve the American dream. Additionally, I work with horse farm owners, home sellers, investors, and anyone who needs help with real estate. And yes, I have won several Realtor awards, which I will not bore you to death about the details, but just always remember that I am qualified to help you with any of your real estate needs!So, that said, do you or someone you might know have a burning real estate question? Then send it my way – I’m always up for the challenge! Also, feel free to utilize any and all resources – such as mortgage calculators or listed homes for sale – from my primary website: http://www.kimsoper.com/

Happy reading! I look forward to future times together! -Reporting live here in Lexington, Kentucky, your LexVegas Blogger AKA www.KimSoper.com






When you think of Real Estate, think http://www.kimsoper.com/ and let's get started today!




Kim Soper, REALTOR
Residential & Commercial Real Estate
http://www.kimsoper.com/
Multi-Million Dollar Producer
Relocation Specialist
CMS-Certified e-Marketing Specialist
Keller Williams Bluegrass Realty
2424 Harrodsburg Road, Suite #101
Lexington, KY 40503
(859) 509-8008 cell
(859) 269-0065 fax