Remembering the 2008 Flood: Ft. Atkinson, WI

Remembering the 2008 Flood:Ft. Atkinson, WI

Just about a year ago this week,

Michelle, in the photo, and Wendell, and lots of other folks in Ft. Atkinson, WI

(and all over parts of the country)

found out how much rain it takes to make a 500-year flood;

how many sandbags it takes to hold off the flood,

and how many friends and neighbors really cared:

...to leave their own homes, their families and their jobs

to help them save theirs.

Let's always remember how we all:

grabbed our boots,

lent a hand or a shovel,

and shared the hope.

And when it was all over,

were glad we were there.


Thanks, everyone.

Steve

shsworks@sbcglobal.net
920-691-6030

Voices from the Flood: Wendell, Michelle, the Flood Survivors and Volunteers Party!

This party was given by

my friends:
Ft. Atkinson flood victims
living along Milwaukee St.
to thank those who helped them
during the Rock River Flood of 2008.

The pictures,

the words and thoughts in the videos linked in this blog

of those who were there in the bad times and the good

are a powerful reminder of what we all value-

Community, family, friends, neighbors and gratitude.

Home.

Wendell (finally) looks rested.

Michelle and volunteer/coordinator Vicki Sherman
were enjoying the well-deserved day.

And at this party, everyone was your friend!

Plenty of dancing...

And of course, you have to stay hydrated...

...Don't let all those beans scare you...

(...Who really wants these shovels back-but the loan of the tools were appreciated!)

Ultimately,

Sharing is part of what brings us closer together.

And what a perfect day to share!

...And of course, relax on a sandbag sofa!

The day wasn't nearly long enough

to recount the memories from the flood, let alone make room to remember the celebration!

Not that all the memories are good ones-

But Wendell and Michelle look forward to working on their lawn-

and their near-normal lives.

And that is great for now-I was glad I could help in any way.

Steve

Obeoman

Obeo WI 262-325-8687

Obeo National:800-729-6236

Pump it out, clean it up, cry a lot....

...it's not over yet.

It's just moved a bit downstream.

Everyone is going to need help.

Last week I went out to check out where

the sandbags and sand were-this is the sign I saw:

I got out and did what I could.

The rest of the story is here-a long week in the flood!

Let's all pull together.

...It's not over yet.

Steve

Obeoman

Greetings, Earthling...take me to your Neighbors!

(Photo borrowed from futuro-house.net)

Intergalactic market?

Imagine the cost of the relo!

Actually, it's one of only about a hundred surviving, (give or take a few),

futuristic pre-fab plastic reinforced homes imagined and materialized by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968, mostly for use as a camping retreat or holiday home.

It could be easily transported by helicopter or shipped on a truck, sleeps eight, has a full bathroom and central fireplace, and great views, - depending on where you are dropped off.

And get this - the reason it didn't take off was due to high oil prices in the 70s...

Huh.

With oil prices topping 90.00 a barrel this week,

no doubt it would have an out-of-this-world price tag.

(BTW, I think pink flamingos were invented in

the U.S. in Leominster, Massachusetts-the good ol' USA!)

It's Friday, so watch this Futuro video mix from YouTube and

celebrate the past in the future!

Love Your Neighbor -Pink or Green!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com

Want Cream? Milk the Cow !!!

(Free Cash Cow ! - found at istockphotodotcom)

Okay, ReMax North Central and all other Realtors: for the next couple of days, the blog here will offer a summary of great ways to get your marketing program moving - all crazy and most for FREE!

Start out knowing if you want the cream, ya gotta milk the cow:

-8 out of 10 buyers are on line;

-10-12 months-the amount of time people spend looking on line when they are getting ready to move;

-Right now - 2 hours from now-the amount of time the empowered Internet consumer will expect to hear from you, the Realtor when they find you on line.

-Realtors are Number One - with the Internet consumer - 80% of on line consumers will use the first real estate professional they talk to

Be ready for the empowered Internet consumer:

First, get your listings online at Obeo: 1 million visitors a month can't be beat - the first-class on line statistical reporting and photos you can keep using! -And don't forget to link your own website to Obeo for maximum traffic!

Second, distribute your tours on free sites using postlets : create a flyer with your great Obeo photos and spread the word about your listings at these other key sites for FREE:

backpage.com
craigslist
edgeio
Google Base
HotPads
LiveDeal
Oodle
Propsmart
Trulia
Vast

Third, start blogging and be the neighborhood expert: for free at blogger.com .

Blogging is how you tell your buyers about where you live, the fun you have there, who else lives there, where they can live around where you are and why they should buy a home there. Blogging is a conversation - so talk to these people in your blog like neighbors over the fence about what is going on where you live - after all, they will be your neighbors.

Fourth, get in an online community and get engaged : like activerain or wannanetwork. You'll find other Realtors at these sites, ideas for your blog and better yet, buyers and sellers looking for information from Realtors!

Get another bucket-this one is full - and check back tomorrow and the day after for more FREE marketing tools and ways to make the market happen for YOU!

Obeoman

steven.stearns@obeo.com