The Gardens of Blue Quail Ridge in Edmond

Last week we hosted an estate sale in the Gardens of Blue Quail Ridge in Edmond.  I was surprised by how many people mentioned that they didn't know that neighborhood was there.  They were familiar with Blue Quail Ridge, but did not know there was a gated section with garden homes.


The Gardens of Blue Quail Ridge can be found on the north side of NW 150th Street just east of May Avenue.  The relatively small gated garden home community has a very active homeowners association.  Your HOA dues of $375 per quarter include access to the neighborhood pool, club house, yard maintenance, and exterior structure maintenance.

Homes in the neighborhood are around 2000 square feet.  Most have three bedrooms but there are some two bedroom floorplans.  Most homes have a two car garage and a small patio out back.  They are currently selling for about $100/square foot.


Residents of the Gardens of Blue Quail Ridge enjoy the convenient location.  Within a mile shopping at Quail Springs Mall, Target, Walmart and Sam's Club is available.  Also not far away is access to the Turnpike and medical facilities at Mercy and ProCure.


Would you like to know more about this hidden gem in Edmond?  Then give me a call at the CENTURY 21 Goodyear Green office, 405-359-7400.  Just ask for Kristyn!


Talk to you soon!

How Many First Showings Do You Get?

Unless the house you are selling in Edmond is vacant, you pretty much know how many showings, buyers walking though your door, you are having.  You probably get a quick text or a call every time your Realtor receives a showing request.  That makes it pretty easy to keep track of on your own.


How many First Showings (online showings) you are getting?  I think of each online showing or hit as a First Showing.  So, it's just as important for my clients to have access to that data as it is to know how many people walk through the door.  


I'm able to keep my clients informed about their online activity by using the CENTURY 21 tool, Golden Ruler.  It's an online marketing summary that is emailed to them periodically.  The Golden Ruler shows my clients how many First Showings they receive on the major real estate websites and the number of those hits that convert into actual leads through the websites (the lead is someone who clicks somewhere requesting additional information about the house).


Give me a call at the CENTURY 21 Goodyear Green office, 405-359-7400, and I'll explain how you can start receiving this information too!


Talk to you soon!

Online Hits are Online Showings

So, you're planning to sell your house in Edmond.  Can I offer a bit of unsolicited advice?  When you interview a prospective Realtor, there is something I think you should listen for.  Not the open houses they plan to host.  Not all the super shiny postcards they plan to send to all your neighbors.  Neither of those things matter.


I've never heard of a buyer walking into an open house with a postcard in hand saying "this is the house for me!"  I have had a buyer call and say, "I found this great house online, I think it's the one!"  


So, listen for the Realtor you're interviewing to explain the online "hits" the listing will get.  Ask how they plan to increase that number.  You see, it's been estimated that you need 1000 online hits to get one person through the door.  So, it's super important that they understand that those hits are actually online "showings". 


I'm pretty sure that they're going to tell you that 90 plus percent of folks searching for a home start their search online.  You probably already knew that.  After all, haven't you been checking out houses online too?  They will probably tell you that the listing will be posted EVERYWHERE.  I'm going to tell you a secret.  That's really not that big of a deal.  All listings are posted EVERYWHERE just by virtue of being on the MLS.  Your listing deserves more than that.


What is a big deal is the quality of the online posting.  To increase the number of online hits and the number of buying consumers previewing your house, your Realtor's marketing strategy should include lots of pictures with image sizes that load quickly.  They should be using content that is rich in information about the house (I know, duh!), the neighborhood, and community lifestyle.  This additional content will only increase the hits.


If you're reading this, I'm guessing you're pretty internet savvy.  Shouldn't the Realtor you choose be too?  Want to visit about this a bit more?  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.


Talk to you soon!

Look Who Was Featured in @C21 Home Matters

A little bird must have told someone at corporate that I ran in the Rock 'n Roll Marathon while I was in New Orleans at the CENTURY 21 Global Conference.  Because I was interviewed by Molly on the C21 Social Media Team yesterday.  She featured it in a blog post.  Here is what Molly wrote;

In addition to hosting the CENTURY 21 Global Conference this past weekend, New Orleans was also home to the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon! Our very own Kristyn Grewell from CENTURY 21 Goodyear Green attended the conference and ran the half marathon on Sunday! On the parallels between her real estate career and her passion for running Kristyn says, “Both running and real estate require dedication, self-discipline and patience.”

C21: You joined us this week in New Orleans for the CENTURY 21 Global Conference. What was the highlight of the event for you?

KG: I really enjoyed Brian Buffini’s presentation.  I wish he had spoken longer.

C21: What is the one thing you learned at Global Conference that you are going to start doing immediately for your business?

KG: I’m going to create a buyer presentation on my iPad to use when meeting new buyers.

C21: Of all the expert speakers, who was your favorite and why?

KG: I have two favorites, Amy Chorew and Brian Copeland.  They are both incredibly knowledgeable about technology and how it applies to our business.

C21: While in New Orleans you ran the Rock ‘n Roll half marathon. What made you decide to register?

KG: I knew I’d register as soon as I saw that the race was the same weekend as the conference.  It was the second half marathon I’ve participated in.

C21: How does your passion for running tie in to your business or your approach to real estate?

KG: Both running and real estate require dedication, self-discipline and patience.

C21: What did you enjoy most about the city of New Orleans?

KG: I really enjoyed seeing the architecture in the Garden District and the French Quarter.  I also liked the bit of history that I was able to learn.

C21: You blog as part of your marketing strategy. How do you decide what to write about?

KG: I write on a variety of subjects.  Most of the ideas come from actual experiences or issues my clients are facing or noteworthy things happening in Edmond and Oklahoma City.

C21: Both your personal and business pages have migrated to Facebook timeline. Do you like the new format?

KG: Yes.  To be honest, I’m not sure what’s not to like!

C21: You tweet, @EdmondHomes. Have you generated any leads from Twitter?

KG: Not as a direct result of Twitter, but I believe it’s important to have a presence there.

C21: One of your personal interests in antique-ing. Did you discover this interest through your real estate career or did real estate lead you to treasure hunting?

KG: My interest leans a bit more toward junk than actual antiques.  I’ve been treasure hunting at estate sales and thrift stores for years.  I love to find something old that’s been cast aside and turn it into something new.  It’s an outlet for my creative side.  In the past year, this hobby has evolved into a business.  We help people by liquidating personal property through an estate sale, staging, and then listing the property. It allows someone dealing with a loss or downsizing to have one contact for the entire process.

C21: Continue this conversation with Kristyn on her website.

Did anyone else run the Rock ‘n Roll marathon in New Orleans?

There's No Place Like Home

On a stormy day like today, I'm reminded of Dorothy saying, "there's no place like home."  You know what Dorothy?  I couldn't agree more!  Last week I had the chance to attend the CENTURY 21 Global Conference in New Orleans.  I had such a great time!  I learned a bunch, got motivated and even ran 13.1 miles in the Rock 'n Roll Marathon.  But like Dorothy said, there's no place like home!


I'm so glad to be back home in Edmond.  


I'm back and working.  Want to see a couple houses this weekend?  Give me a call at the office 405-359-7400.


Talk to you soon!

You Can Walk to Uptown Grocery Co. From Several Edmond Additions

Last week I wrote a post about the grand opening of Uptown Grocery Co. in Edmond.  After I did, I received messages from several friends and past clients wanting to know more about the new grocery store.  They were asking me about everything from prices to variety of merchandise.


One past client was texting me as she walked over to the store from one of the neighboring additions.  As we chatted back and forth, I realized one of the best things about the new store.  The fact that it is within walking distance from several popular Edmond neighborhoods makes it even better!


Just a short walk (up to a half mile) from Uptown Grocery Co., the neighborhoods include;

• Covell Village
• Coffee Creek
• Cheyenne Crossing

Up to a bigger challenge?  Within a mile or so of Uptown Grocery Co. the neighborhoods include;

• Pebble Creek
• Westborough
• Cedar Pointe
• Hawk's Landing
• Thomas Trails
• Ketch Acres
• Hunter's Pointe
• Hunter's Creek

If a walkable lifestyle appeals to you, these neighborhoods might be a good fit.  They're all a bit different and a range of price points.  Give me a call.  We can take a walk and check out a few homes.

Talk to you soon!

Uptown Grocery Co. Opens in Edmond!

Uptown Grocery Co. 1230 W. Covell

It was the much anticipated Grand Opening Day for Uptown Grocery Co. in Edmond.  I've had this day on my calendar for awhile now.  For work (wink).  You know, I need to stay on top of what's new and exciting in Edmond for my relocation clients and of course the blog.  But between you and me, you couldn't keep me away!

Uptown Grocery Co. is located at 1230 W. Covell.  It's just west of Kelly, across the street from Cheyenne Middle School.  I heard on a news report last night that this grocery store is the furthest north of all grocery stores in Oklahoma County.  It will sure be handy for so many people that live on the north side of Edmond and into Logan County.  Whenever I am showing homes in that neck of the woods, the topic of grocery stores always comes up.  So this addition to our community will be a huge benefit to those of us selling it.

I'm among the folks that live on the north side.  So, I've really been looking forward to the store opening.  I'm happy to report that it was all that I had hoped it would be!  It's a beautiful store with expansive bakery, produce, and meat departments.  

As I passed the bakery (they call it the Great Grains Bakery) I overheard an employee explaining that a master baker from New York had been brought in to train them.  The selections displayed in the cases looked too pretty to eat!  But don't worry, I was able to sample something chocolate and oh so yummy.  I had no problem getting past the prettiness!  I am told that they also offer cakes for special occasions from birthdays to weddings.

Another area that caught my eye (and nose) was the Gourmet Grille.  At the Gourmet Grille you can grab a prepared meal and enjoy it there or take it home with you.  I checked on the prices.  To me, they seemed quite reasonable.  What I loved is that there is an entrance (on the north side of the building) with a cashier.  So, when I'm running crazy late after showing houses all day; I can zip into that entrance, grab a prepared dinner, and check out without having to go through the entire store to do it!

Uptown Grocery Co. offers a couple additional services that make it really stand out from the average grocer.  Later this spring they will add personal shopping.  There is also an event planning and catering office.  But the one thing that has me a bit intrigued are the shopping tours.  You can sign up to take a shopping tour to learn to stock a healthy kitchen, to shop gluten free, and even to "get your plate in shape".  Pretty interesting.

The question I've been asked around this office is, "Was the store busy today?"  Yes!  But like I told my friends, "I found a parking place pretty quickly.  Inside it wasn't any busier than a military commissary on a payday weekend.  And I didn't wait to check out."  Go see for yourself.  I think you'll love it as much as I did!

Talk to you soon!