This morning as I worked out at Kirklevington Park I was pleased to discover a group of young men playing flag football.  It brought a smile to my face and caused me to reflect on my days at Ft. Riley in Kansas.  The Big Red One had a flag football league.  It was the only time I have ever played football competively.  My claim to fame was catching a touchdown pass in one of the playoff games.  I do know in the Seattle area flag football on Thanksgiving is a tradition for many famillies and friends.  So to discover this game of football here in Lexington brought a sense of joy and peace to my heart. On the second time around of  my workout I stopped and asked the players about the tradition of their game.  They have been playing together for the past five years.  There were thirteen pla... 11/27/2008

Today I went to the Fayette Mall to buy a trench coat.  It is much colder in Lexington than I had anticipated.  As I entered the mall and began to walk to Penney's a young lady at a kiosk approached me.  She asked permission to demonstrate her product.  Young, beautiful, classy women have a huge advantage over guys my age.  I was more than impressed with her persistance with pride of salesmanship.  When I encounter a professional salesperson that is confident in their product and persuasive and yet gentle I am an easy sell.   I bought her product for my wife and both of my daughters.  Occassionally they read this blog so I cannot divulge what I bought.... yet.  I will tell you after Christmas. So I was asking myself as I left the mall (with maybe the best gift I have ever purchased for ... 11/26/2008

Foreclosure OK the time is here is the much anticipated, highly sought after Ty's Foreclosure BLOG Extravaganza. Can you sense the sarcasm? Just in time for Turkey Day, and you should add this to your items to give thanks for Thursday, a BLOG that is a total but entertaining waste of time, unless you are serious about capitalizing on investment opportunities, or helping people capitalize on them in this market. As the preacher at my church said Sunday keep in mind it could always be worse, and we should remember what we still have to be thankful for... After a weekend to think about it, and a sick day yesterday, I have decided to make this extravaganza a little more specific the Lexington, KY market, and slant it heavily to my opinion and experiences. I also plan to highlight the most c... 11/25/2008

Lexington Christmas Parade / Southern Lights / Kentucky Horse Park /Lexington Kentucky Holiday Events November 21 - December 31 5:30 - 10PM Kentucky Horse Park Southern Lights Spectacular Sights on Holiday Nights at the Kentucky Horse Park is a 15 year tradition! Horses designed with lights race for a cheering crowd, jump over a steeplechase fence, and graze in Bluegrass pastures. The unique horse scenes have turned the  Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park into one of the most distinctive lights festivals anywhere. Using tens of thousands of shimmering lights, it is now Kentucky's largest lights festival.You'll enjoy animated scenes featuring Santa and his reindeer, elves, snowflakes and other traditional holiday characters as you drive along the three- mile route through the pa... 11/21/2008

Today I picked up my car from Cockrell's Collision Repair Specialist.  It was recovering from probably the most mindless piece of driving I have done in the past 42 years.  I pulled into the last convenient parking space at the office.  Unfortunately the driver's side was right next to a telephone pole.  I carefully opened the car door so as not to cause a dent and made my way to my office telling myself to be careful of that pole when I backed out.  You guessed it.  As I opened the door to leave once again I told myself do not hit that pole.  My intent was to make sure I did not turn too sharply before clearing that telephone nuisance.  I had just began to back out when a car drove behind me.  The driver was driving slowly but for a split second I glanced at the approaching car.  That ... 11/20/2008

...to Ty's BIG Foreclosure BLOG Event It is amazing to me (there goes my Freudian Keith Whitley fascination again) that by simply placing the word or words "foreclosure", or" short sale, REO, Bank Owned, etc.", into a property description gets so much attention these days. Of my listings the only properties that get any action lately have been the ones that are, or are on the way to being foreclosures, or for rent. Who has conditioned the buying public to look for these words? But is this really good or bad? I say both depending on who it is in relation to in the transaction, as there are 4 key stakeholders in every foreclosure type transaction. (Five if you count the American taxpayer who may ultimately be the one left holding the bag, which may be good or bad but that is an entire dif... 11/20/2008

I just read a humorous post by Nancy Larsen about the value of having a dog as a friend.  We have always had a dog and they do provide some fun and laughs.  However I am so thankful for the 37 years with my wife and here are just a few reasons why. 1)  She gave me three children that I love dearly.  My dog's gifts are hair, whine and feces. 2)  Those children are now beginning to give me grandchildren.  Being a grandparent is beyond description.  The joy of watching and playing with Sam compared to playing fetch with a dog is like cowmparing the exhileration of climbing Mt Rainier to stepping over a mole hill. 3)  Kathy's play on words, funny stories and general good natured teasing are a great source of stress relieve.  Guarding my ice cream from Abby is a stress inducer. 4)  Sharing a... 11/18/2008

Agency is by far the most important concept that you must understand.  Let me explain it with a story.   Jill Buyer's dad has inherited some money.  Jill's dad Peter is a take charge type guy.  He likes to look at homes on Sunday afternoon.  Peter Jill's Dad, has a good friend from Canada that know all about real estate.   On an unusually warm and bright Sunday afternoon they drive by a very appealing property.  It is the ideal location for the children's school and has great curb appeal.  They stop, go into the home and are met by the real estate agent.  The agent asks Jill and Joe if they have been working with an agent. "No, we are just looking," they respond.   You guessed it!  Jill and Joe fell in love with the house and Jill's dad contacted the listing agent and began negotiating ... 11/15/2008

To those neighbors who are reading this blog for the first time thanks so much for stopping by. If you would like to know when I post a new blog entry send me your email address and you will be automatically notified. I promise to never share your email.   Sunday afternoon I began introducing myself to my neighbors? I have spent almost six hours so far and have talked to a total of 23 people. My goal was to meet 300 of my Gainesway neighbors. Kathy and I are hoping that ten percent of them will then come to our home for a Holiday Party.   There are two things that have surprised me. First: There are so few people at home. In some cases I know they are home but not answering their doorbell. I can understand why people don’t risk answering their doorbell. However I have to admit it is har... 11/13/2008

"Hi Dad,  just called to update you on my tire situation."  We talked just a few days ago and I gave Joanna, my youngest daughter advice on buying tires.  She checked in with me just a few moments ago.  As we were chatting it struck me that Joanna was calling for affirmation.   She is almost 27 but still needs affirmation from her father.  We all need affirmation and we all need to ask for affirmation.  It takes a certain amount of humility and transparency to invite people to approve of your actions.   When we do, we build trust and give a little bit of our heart and soul to the affirmer.  Joanna shared with me and it opened my heart to share with her.  When Joanna called I was working on a marketing plan for my business.   I have a passion to really serve my immediate neighborhood.  I... 11/08/2008

Yesterday I wrote about the need to separate yourself from your home emotionally if you want the potential buyers to view your home as a house.  Today I want to focus on how you as a buyer can set your home at the right price.  Trying to sell your home when it is not market price is like buying a lottery ticket and hoping to get rich.  It just is not a wise way to spend your time or your money. Getting the price right in this buyer's market is another key to actually selling your home.  When property is price right you will have buyer's view your property and you have a good chance of selling it pretty quickly even in this market.  But, when it is priced high people will not look and it will not sell.  In my opinion if you have not had an offer on your home in 30 days it is most likely ... 11/07/2008

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of making your home a house before you put it on the market. Today I want to continue that theme by focusing on how to emotionally separate yourself from your home so that you can begin to make it feel more like a house. •1)      Have continued conversations with your spouse/significant other about how you can transition healthily from the place you have lived to a new home.  Without these conversations one of you may be ready to leave and the other may undermine the whole process even subconsciously.  When Kathy and I began thinking about leaving our home of 25 years it was painfully obvious I was not ready to even talk about it.  So I suggested Kathy and I see a marriage counselor.  Kathy was very motivated to move so that we could be near our ch... 11/06/2008

This is the beginning of a series of blogs on tips for sellers.  This may be especially appropriate for FSBO (For Sale by Owners).  Remember that your home is not a home to buyers.  You must distant yourself from your home emotionally as much as possible.  Do everything possible to make your home look, smell and feel like a house, not a home.      Here are some suggestions on how to do that.     •1)      If you have a pet do everything possible to get all of the pet evidence out of the house.  You may not even smell the odors but the buyers but you can be sure the buyers will.  Even if you do get rid of all the odors there are still a large number of people with allergies, especially to cats.  Do you want to risk a potential buyer loving your home only to go home and have a sneezing att... 11/05/2008

I am taking a class this coming Monday to become a Certified Tourism Ambassador in Lexington.  Kathy and I have been trying to visit as many places as we can squeeze into our schedule.  Our son Andrew has expressed his admiration and wonder of the Lexington Cemetary.  Saturday was a stunningly beautiful day.  It was also All Saints Day.  Kathy and I drove into the cemetary at about 10:30.  We were stunned by the fall colors, the light shimmering through the leaves, the majestic oaks, ducks and geese floating calmly through the placid waters.   I was struck by the etched stone and the profound messages sprinkled throughout the cemetery grounds.  Just a few words like those on the stone above have a way of embedding their message deep into the heart and brain as you stroll through a place... 11/04/2008

Gainesway neighborhood profile: I hope to regularly profile a particular subdivison in Lexington.  Since I live in Gainesway I will make this my first neighborhood profile. Houses:  Most were built in the mid 1960s.  Our home was built in 1964.  All of the homes are brick or stone and the builders must have been good masons.  I haven't seen a home that looks as if the mortor is beginning to loosen.  One story ramblers, ramblers with basement and split levels are the most common styles.  There are a few saltbox styles and a few other homes in Gainesway that are more of a custom design.  Overall when driving through Gainesway one does not get a cookie cutter type feeling that is present in so many contemporary neighborhoods. All of the houses on our street have very narrow hardwood floor... 11/01/2008

Yesterday I hurried from a closing to the office Halloween Party.  I am new to Lexington, new to Rector Hayden and ofcourse new to the office party experience here in the south. I spent 31 years in education and all of those years participated in some form of a "Halloween Party."  My wife says my best costume was the year I was Waldo. If you have raised children in the past 30 years you are probably aware of the "Where's Waldo" books.  Waldo wears a red and white striped turtleneck like shirt, is rather thin and wears glasses.  I have the lucky distinction of looking a little like Waldo when wearing a red and white turtleneck. So it was a rather natural costume for an elementary school librarian and almost no work for Kathy.  Kathy's first job was as a high school drama teacher so I alw... 11/01/2008

         Yesterday after touring the home of Mary Todd Lincoln Kathy and I took a trip to the birthplace of Lexington.  Most cities are located next to a large navigable river, lake or the ocean.  Lexington is not.  However it was still birthed because of water.  Too often I take a drink of water for granted.  I know there are thousands of people on our planet this very moment who are struggling with the pains of living with the scaricity of potable water.            In 1776 William McConnell led a surveying party into the frontier.  He found place to camp near the headwaters of Elkhorn Creek.  Freshwater springs at the site made it a good place to camp.  News from Boonesborough told of an unexpected American victory over the British at a little town outside of Boston.  In honor of the ... 10/31/2008

I thought it appropriate that Kathy and I visit the Mary Todd Lincoln House in Lexington today.  I was continually reminded as we took the tour of the house that history certainly repeats itself.  1. Mary Todd's dad bought the house from a bank as the previous owner lost it due to business failure. 2.  Mary Todd Liincoln was notorious for overspending her budget. 3.  President Lincoln was beseiged continually by critics of his policies and if there had been such a thing as opinion polls many historians agree he would often have been below 50 percent The Mary Todd House (578 West Main Street - Lexington)   Nestled next to the Lexington Convention Center's Heritage Hall is a three story Georgian structure.  "Mary Todd House - Open" the sign in front reads.   Today, just five days before A... 10/30/2008

I am jealous of all those bloggers who seem to have the ability to change text size, add color to text and arrange their images with precision. I have been Activerain blogging for a few months now and today I decided to ramp up the look of my blog. I took an HTML class many years ago and promptly forgot everything I learned. That assumes I learned anything of course. I do know how to save a document from word into HTML.  So the first thing I did was experiment with a WORD document and save it into HTML.  I then copied the text from the HTML document but that did not work either. So I am begging all of you bright, compassionate people out there who are able to make your blog text larger, of different colors and just generally more appealing to please respond to my plea for help.  Thanks ... 10/30/2008

My wife Kathy and I spent most of our life working as teachers and organic farmers.  We celebrated certain holidays and took a few vacations but mostly we worked hard and were thankful for the health to work.  As we get older the energy to work 16 hours days has dwindled.  Have you ever noticed that when you have more time it is easier to worry about the state of the world, the state of your finances and even the aches and pains that remind you of your age when rolling out of bed in the morning. Our dear friend Nancy has reminded Kathy and I that we need to celebrate more.  So this morning as I began my day with the first killing frost and a potential buyer client who seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth I decided it was time to celebrate.  My favorite way to celebrate i... 10/29/2008