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Doggy Day @ I-Cubs

Bring your dog to the Iowa Cubs game and join the pre game dog parade around the field. Also enjoy $1 hot dogs and pops and dog entertainment in-between innings!
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Taking It To The Street

We would like to invite you to “Taking It to the Street” night at Grace Fellowship.  The theme is “just add water” so prepare to get wet.  It starts at 6:30p until 8:00p.  The church is located on the corner of Capitol Ave. and E. 25th St. in the Fairgrounds neighborhood east of the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

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Flip this House – stats for Des Moines area.

Do you watch Flip this House or any of the cable shows where people buy houses at an unbelievable low price – do some basic improvements and make a profit of $50,000 for a month’s work? I’ve seen them and wondered -“Why can’t I do that?”  Well, maybe because it’s reality TV, but not a reality I can duplicate. First the definition of Flipping? RealtyTrac, a housing data firm, defines it as a house that is purchased and re-sold in a 6-month period.  According to that criteria, there were 322 flips in Des Moines area in 2012. That number dropped to 226 in 2013. So, you might ask,  is that a good thing or a bad thing for our local economy?  I think it’s a good thing and reflects the strength of our local economy.  Our local real estate market has not had the extreme fluctuations that other parts of the country have had. A few things to learn from this.
  • The local inventory of houses for sale is low.
  • There are qualified buyers ready to purchase a house.
  • If you’re thinking of flipping – fewer bargain-basement prices means you might need to flip more houses with a smaller profit on each.
  • If you’re a “regular” buyer or seller – this is a great time to act.

The Eisenlauer Team now has 3 full-time Realtors

to better serve you.

Our 15′ cube van in available for you to use in the Des Moines area.

Bob 979-2883  Bill 770-2455   John 783-4837

 

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month AND…

IMG_20121011_170213October has so many perks!  Beautiful colors,  lots of sunny days with cool sleeping-with-the-windows-open evenings, football, crunchy leaves, homemade soups, breast cancer awareness and Taste of Altoona!  What more could a person want?

The Eisenlauer Team will be at Taste of Altoona, Thur. Oct 17 from 5:00-8:00.  We will be doing a pink theme again to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. We will have PINK bags for you to pick up, pink cotton candy and be ready with any real estate needs you might have.

Here’s my rant about “themes of the month”.  Often, we are so inundated with themes and colors and special days that we become immune or de-sensitized. It’s just more “noise” that we have learned to shut out.  I understand that. I have gone for an annual mammogram for the last 10 years, at least. I have been called back for abnormalities. But 4 years ago, I was called back and then scheduled for a biopsy. The biopsy was positive for cancer and I prepared to “fight like a girl”.  We have been told by the press that annual mammograms are not necessary. I wonder if I’d had the same prognosis if my small lump had gone another year?  I say if there’s a female in your life – a mother, a sister, a wife, a neighbor, a co-worker – make this the month you’ll hold them accountable. Make sure they schedule the test. Make it an outing – take them to the appointment, then go to lunch, go shopping, go to a movie – but get it done!

Stop by the Eisenlauer Team booth at the taste of Altoona. Get your pink bag, cotton candy and ask us Real Estate questions. Hope you see you there!

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Rant on Bureaurcracy

What happened to “The Buck Stops Here” ? You can agree or disagree with Harry Truman’s politics, but you have to respect a person that accepts the responsibility for what does or does not get done in his office.

  • Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work. Albert Einstein
Post office – We overnighted a package for signatures through the United State Post Office. Overnight means something to the person paying the cost. Apparently to postal employees, it means if it isn’t delivered overnight, there’s a process you can go through to get your money refunded.
  • Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible, impossible.
We’re listing a house that the assessor has assigned to both Pleasant Hill and Runnells. Now, we know that the property can NOT be in two jurisdictions. Call the assessor, they said it’s the auditor that assigns the address. Call the auditor, they said yes, it’s in Runnells but mailing address is Pleasant Hill. I said no, it’s an error, who do I speak to get it corrected?  Well, maybe Planning and Zoning, you might have to get a corrected warranty deed. I’ll get back to you. Are you joking?  Can’t someone simply correct the mistake?
  • In any bureaucracy, paper work increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing.
Only at the DOT can you wait in a line for an hour to get a number to wait in line.
  • The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.
Finally a thought that gives me hope!      
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Not One, But Two Art Festivals!

How fortunate are we here in the central Iowa to have TWO major art festivals to attend. Even if you don’t have original art in your budget, there are so many reasons to attend!

  • Art Demonstrations
  • Live Music
  • Free interactive exhibits for children.
  • Food vendors
  • Film Festival
  • Sculpture Park
  • Unlimited People Watching
  • Downtown Art Festival website has schedule details.
  • Climate controlled shopping
  • An array of local artists, as well as out of state.
  • Hot chocolate chip cookies in a bucket ( a teaser to hold you over to the state fair!)
  • More free children’s activities.
  • Lots of free parking.
  • The Other Art Show ‘s schedule and additional information on their website.
  • Free shuttle bus between the two.

However you feel about the highbrow art, the abundance of out-of-state artists, the high price tags – you have to admit that if gives Des Moines notoriety, showcases our town, and gives us a great opportunity to experience a fun, exciting, affordable weekend. Hope you partake!

And in case you’d like the Eisenlauer Team’s opinion on that work of art before you buy, be sure to give us a call.

Bill  770-2455   Bob 979-2883

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What to do in Des Moines – 3 day weekend

Here’s some suggestions for activities in Des Moines area.
  • Bring on Summer – Altoona, from 6:00-11:00. Live band and food at the Center Place back lot (behind Royal Flooring)
  • Car Races at the Iowa State Fairgrounds- Friday night.
  • BB King at Prairie Meadows tonight at 8:00PM
  • Nitefall on the River begins Sat. night – Hairball is playing – gates open at 7pm, show at 8.
  • Smokin’ in the Junction – BarBQue and live music Sat- Sun in Valley Junction.
  • Chichaqua Free Skinners – North of Bondurant, find out what life was like in the 1800’s. Sat-Sun.
  • Kid’s activities and fun at Bass Pro in Altoona – Sat- Sun
  • Memorial Day program at Iowa Events Center
  • Camp Dodge Open house on Monday, tour the museum, have breakfast, shop at the PX
Enjoy the weekend. Honor those who have died in the service of our country. Thank a Soldier.