Tag Archives: New Year

Wow…it’s the end of 2013!

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So what did you accomplish in 2013?  I had my best year to date in Real Estate and am moving into 2014 with 4 active listings, 2 pending sales and 2 active buyers!  My volume as a single agent was $2.5 million in homes sold!  I want to double that in 2014…anyone want to take a bet on it?

The biggest deal for me personally is one of the pending transactions (and one I’ve mentioned several times) and that is the sale of my Grandparents farm.  The last few weeks have been challenging as we remove my family‘s stamp on the farm and ready it for the new owners…the main reason I’m so excited about this is that it removes a worry from my Dad and Uncle Bob and takes a responsibility off their already full plates.

This year has been challenging in other ways, I found out that I’m going to be a Great-Aunt…yeah, I already know that I’m a great aunt, but my beautiful niece Jordan Pyles is expecting March 25…we have a family pool going for date, weight and length…hope I win!  Jordan also completed her high school education in December and will go through graduation ceremonies with the rest of the class in June.

I’m working on selling my home, haven’t quite accomplished it yet, but I know I don’t want to carry the burden of that too big house for another year.  I’ve paid off debt and am working through the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover…by the end of 2014, I will be debt free and living a cash based lifestyle – so excited about the next chapter in my life.

What’s amazing to me is that I will turn 50 in August of 2014…I remember when 50 seemed so old, now it feels very young!

2014 is going to be an amazing year for all of us and for the first time in a very long time, I’m babysitting on NYE – well, they aren’t babies, they are 11, hanging out with Riley Ray tonight and one of her friends while my sister and brother-in-law go out for a few hours!

So for 2014, the family will have a new baby, 2 high school graduates (Allyson is graduating too!), my 50th birthday and my Dad’s 75!  Sounds like a good year already and it doesn’t start until tomorrow. Happy New Year everyone, I hope your 2013 was great and your 2014 will be even better!

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Vicki Reed

Recap of 12 Wishes of Christmas from last season….

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It seems like yesterday that I was writing the 12 Wishes of Christmas series, hard to believe it’s been a year!  I thought it was time to run through them again and see where we are in 2013…

Wish # 1 – I wish for my family and friends to find happiness and success in their everyday lives….let’s see…we’ve had a few job changes and promotions, a pregnancy (slightly unexpected), a wedding (no it’s not the same one), a couple of deaths and a more successful year in real estate for me.  All in all, things improving or at least moving in the right direction…

Wish # 2 – My second wish is that everyone feel loved and valued…I found that over the last year, I have made an impact on a number of lives of friends and even the new agents in our Keller Williams office…I simply do what I do and several have graciously shared with me that I have had an impact on their lives…makes me cry tears of joy, but I’m weepy at this time of year anyway!

Wish #3 – Everyone remember to be human, not just during the holiday season, but all year long.  I have tried to pay more attention to those around me this year, held doors for others whose load was greater than mine, taken the time to speak when in the past I might have been caught up in my mind (or my phone!) and not paid attention.  I intend to continue this trend, it gives me a warm feeling inside and I’m sure it translates to my outside!

Wish #4 – we, as a society, remember the victims of senseless acts of violence and make changes in how we treat ourselves, our loved ones, and one another.  This was written immediately following the Newton school shooting.  I struggle with our media as it creates a “psuedo-celebrity” of those who commit the crime and doesn’t focus enough on the victims.  They are looking for their “15 minutes”, let’s not give it to them!

Wish # 5 – is that society curb their consumerism.  I don’t know about you, but I truly need…nothing.  I have clothes, furniture, shoes (way more than I need, but love them all!), bags, accessories, well, just everything!  in 2013, I bought 2 long-sleeve white t-shirts (on sale total was $21) and a pair of black sandals on sale for $20 – mine broke in the middle of my day and Payless was closer!  That’s it…what did you buy?

Wish # 6 – goes along with Wish # 5 is that we as individuals work to reduce our debt on a path to eliminating it.  I have!  I can say that I no longer carry any credit card debt!  I do still owe my Dad for a few things, but he will be taken care of by the end of 2014…on thing at a time.  I’ve also working on The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey – the man makes sense, wish someone had introduced me to this years ago!

Wish # 7 – that we turn off  the television more often and lessen the constant bombardment of advertising, noise and a 24/7 news cycle.  I’m the first to admit, I am a TV junkie…but only for the noise! I am one of those people who have the TV on all the time, I am likely not really watching it, but it is on while I’m reading, working at home, or cooking, eating…I’m still working on this one!

Wish # 8 – that I would win the lottery…I’ve won about $12 this year, haven’t been able to make a big change with this, but I’m still wishing!

Wish # 9 – that we open ourselves to receiving help from others when we need it and not being shy about asking for help from our family and friends.  This can be humbling, but sometime necessary…be grateful that you have people in your life who are so willing to share what they have and be ready to share with them in the future.

Wish # 10 – that we curb our excess eating and drinking and work toward a healthier lifestyle.  I have failed miserably on this one…my 2013 has been very stressful, the hope is that 2014 will be easier and I can get myself together!

Wish # 11 – that we allow ourselves more spontaneity in our lives and be more lighthearted, it is important to see the joy in your life.  I have continued to enjoy this aspect of my life as a Realtor – if I have a “break” in my schedule…I love the ability to pop in and have lunch with a friend or stop by a clients home…try to find it for yourself next year!

Wish # 12 – I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and my wish is that all your wishes for positive change come true.  Ditto for 2014!

Christmas

Vicki Reed

Home Inventory??? Why?

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The Richmond Hills tragedy (click here if you want to know more about this senseless act) and a recent home invasion robbery in my own neighborhood reminds me why it is important to know exactly what you own.  I know, we’ve always been told…take pictures, keep your receipts, yada, yada, yada…do you have all of those things?  What about the new IPad you just got for Christmas?  The engagement ring when he proposed at New Year‘s?  The family silver you inherited from your Grandmother when she passed last year?

I have a solution for you!  Please let me introduce you to The Inventory Lady – Jo Soard.  Jo is a bonded, insured and certified third party Inventory Professional who will document your home and business assets, provide you written and digital documentation as well as secure a copy off site for future needs and will update your inventory annually at minimal cost.  A member of American Home Inventory Professionals (not in the Indianapolis area?  Click here to find someone in you area!), Jo is professional, efficient and one of the nicest people I know!  Use The Inventory Lady to help you know just what you own!

Now…how about a new home for all of those things to live?

Home Sellers, now is the time to put your home on the market!  Prices are edging higher, inventory is down and days on market decreasing, check out my website to see what’s happening on your side of town, sign up and let’s talk about the value of your home!

Ready to buy your first home?  Let’s pre-qualify you for your mortgage and talk about what your needs are in a new home.  Why should you pre-qualify?  Check out this earlier blog post, then click this link to complete a preliminary application to see exactly where you stand then let’s go shopping!  Rates are still historically low and prices are edging up….let’s do this!

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Vicki Reed

Wish # 12

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Wish twelve…my final wish!  So for my twelfth wish…I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and my wish is that all your wishes for positive change come true.

This exercise has been eye-opening for me, I hadn’t really thought about my wishes other than how my wishes affect my life, thank you all for taking this journey with me, I hope it opened your hearts as well.  Continue to pray for those affected by the tragedies of 2012 and pray for a brighter 2013.

Merry Christmas

Christmas-Decorations-Gift-Thread-Needles-New-Year  Vicki Reed

Wish # 11

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My eleventh wish is that we allow ourselves more spontaneity in our lives and be more lighthearted, it is important to see the joy in your life.  What was the last thing you did on the spur of the moment?  Sometimes, I will go to a movie in the middle of the day…just because I can!  As a Realtor, I work a lot of crazy hours so when I find myself with a couple of unscheduled hours in the middle of the day, I might stop by and catch a flick!

A couple of years ago, a friend and I went to the IU vs. OSU game in Bloomington, IN on New Years Eve.  We had decided on the way down where we wanted to have dinner after the game and made reservations…but as we neared Assembly Hall, we saw signs for the French Lick Casino and I jokingly said since we were already half way there, we should go.  When the game was over, we decided “what the heck”, cancelled our reservations, hit White Castle for dinner and a couple of ATM‘s for cash and headed South instead of North to Indy!

We had a blast, we got home at 6 a.m. after gambling all night (coming out winners – my friend $90 and me $120 – what do you expect, we play the Penny slots!) and stopping for breakfast at a roadside dinner (now that was an interesting experience!).  It was one of my most memorable New Years, it’s fun to be spontaneous!

Have fun, be open to new experiences and be willing to go with the flow…you’ll be amazed at the joy you will find in your life.

NYEheaderVicki Reed