INSTRUCTIONS ON CORNDOG QUESTION

At the bottom of the corndog posting there is a comment link. Click on comments - and there is a form to leave your answer ( or comment). If you don't identify yourself, we'll have no way to get your prize to you!

First Corn Dogs at the Iowa State Fair-When??

Here is you question of the month...worth a major prize if you get the correct answer. The Iowa State Fair is famous for food on a stick. Probably the first was the CORN DOG. What year did Campbell's Concession first sell Corn Dogs at the Iowa State Fair? Keep the replies coming, because we have multiple prizes! If you want more information about the fair; times, tickets, schedules etc. go to http://iowastatefair.org

TWO FUN EVENTS JULY 21 & 22

Stop, Shop and Roll! The shopping Extravaganza of the summer, Don't miss it! Saturday July 21st, 2007 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walnut Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Free Admission. Go to their website to see complete information on what vendors will be there. http://stopshopandroll.com/

The second event is the 11th Annual Art-A-Fair at Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland. There will be artists tents and booths on the lawn from 10 a.m. t0 4 p.m., July 22. Stroll the ground, and then enjoy lunch in their airconditioned gallery. Their web site is http://desmoineswomensclub.org/

Des Moines Area Weathers Housing's Ebb, Flow.

The Des Moines Register had an article Sundays paper, July8 about the local real estate market. It says the number of homes sold last year fell only 2% from sales in 2005, a record year. so far this year, home sales are 1.5 % below 2005, while the aaverage sale price hs climbed 2.6% to $164,142, from $160,045 in 2005. Information from the real estate association.
Home sellers are preparing for a toughter market with help from home stagers in order to get the best price in the shortest amount of time possible. Home stager Kristi Andriano eliminates clutter, weeds out extraneous furniture and puts the focus on the home's best features. They also give attention to curb appeal. With more homes on the market, the seller needs to see these extra details as an advantage to them to set their house apart from the others on the market in the same price range.
So the moral of the story is: It's a good time to buy or sell a house in the Des Moines area. Tactics may need to change a bit, but our market is strong. We'd love to be your Realtor.

The Right Answer - 1978

Congratulations to Jennifer Bates who correctly guessed that Bill was first licensed in 1978. That's her on the left enjoying Latin King! Thanks to everyone who replied to the question and checked out our blog and website. We'll keep posting relevant information, and fun quizzes. In fact, nobody has answered the one about Bob's age to win theatre tickets!

Question worth $50!

The July question worth a $50 gift certificate at Latin King is..... When was Bill Eisenlauer first licensed as a Realtor? It's fair to call and ask him if you'd like. The first person who responds on the blog with the correct question wins the gift certificate. Check back often, we plan to have at least one prize per month.

Staging - For a Quicker Sale

Staging your home is a new growing trend in real estate sales. The stager walks into a room, working mainly with with owners furnishings, and rearranges to make it more attractive to buyers. They will want to define the function of a room, eliminate clutter, making the space look larger and more appealing. Creativity combined with a few well-chosen accessories, a little reorganization, and ruthless paring can make give a property an advantage in today's slower markets. It is important not only for showings, but only for your on-line photos. Today's buyers rely more on internet viewing to narrow their choices when home-shopping. Professionals at http://Stagedhomes.com say that staging will increase a home's sale price by 6.9%. Realtor magazine quotes two professional stagers, aksing about challanges working with sellers. "Stage the house right before it's listed." is Lori Matzke's advice. If you wait till after the home has sat on the market, you may loose momentum. It's better to present your best impression at the beginning. Lori Matzke is with Center Stage home. You can check out before and after pictures and why they made the changes they did in that setting at http://www.centerstagehome.com/ Call us for more staging tips or to reccommend a local stager.