Easter weekend

My router has been down and now finally we are back up and rolling!  Will be back this week with some more posts!

Until then, hope all had a wonderful Easter weekend!  What a nice time to spend with family and/or friends and of course the little ones. :)

Winner of photo contest!

Photo by Sean Seaton

Congratulations, Sean!  Thank you so much for submitting this beautiful and interesting photo of our city's beloved footbridge!  I love the composition and editing!  Very nice perspective!  

I think most would agree that although this was the only entry it is a most deserving photograph!

Stay tuned for future contests!  And, congratulations again!

Photo Contest Reopened!

Okay, sorry everyone!  We had bit of a miscommunication and advertised the photo contest in the paper today.  So, if you do have a photo you want to submit I am more than happy to open the contest until Wednesday of next week.  So hurry and enter a photo!


Good luck! 

Photo Contest Closed

The deadline for the photo contest has come and gone.  There were unfortunately no entries.  I suppose I will wait to do another contest until we have a larger following.  I think I jumped the gun with starting the blog at the same time as opening up a photo contest.  Stay tuned!  Perhaps I will go back to asking people to name the correct address of a house I chose to draw for the month. 


Thank you and have a great weekend!

Laramie Community Clean Up

Spring is gradually emerging here in Laramie!  Trash accumulation is plainly visible after the melt of winter snow.  Thus the upcoming Volunteer Community Clean Up set for this Saturday, April 16, 2011!

This is a great opportunity to join a community effort to help clean up our city. There will be trash bags and orange safety vests available starting at 8:00 am at Washington Park Shelter One.  If you would like more information or to sign up ahead of time call: 742-2212

Here is a link to an article in the Laramie Boomerang outlining more details:

Spring cleaning | Laramie Boomerang | Laramie, Wyoming

Make your part of the 

world a more beautiful place!  

{Under Contract} 912 Symons

Under Contract!

912 Symons

This exceptional Laramie investment property is now UNDER CONTRACT!  With a 9% capitalization rate and 0% vacancy rate this property was and is definitely a desirable Laramie investment.  


What is the story behind this property?  Brendan sold 912 Symons to long-time and loyal friends and clients a couple years ago.  Eventually, life events provoked a move for this amazing family.  Brendan sold their home here in Laramie, but they kept this investment property and beneficial asset running smoothly from afar.  However, they told Brendan if a good opportunity arose to sell, they would definitely consider.  This would enable them to buy an investment closer to home, if they so chose.  Such an opportunity did present itself and Brendan started putting the deal together.  It is now UNDER CONTRACT!


Congratulations!  You did such a wonderful job managing and maintaining this Laramie investment property!  This property served you well while you were owners, and now we can't wait to hear about new opportunities opened up to you because of this sale!            

{SOLD} 1162 N. 11th St.

Homes are flying off the shelf!  I would like to take a moment to post about the following home.  

SOLD!

1162 N. 11th St.

This home was listed at 10:30 on a Sunday morning and sold two and a half hours later!  The reason for this was due to the following connection:  Brendan had been working with a buyer located in Jackson, Wyoming who was searching for just the right investment property for his daughters.  When Brendan was asked to list this property he thought of this buyer.  The buyer agreed with the compatibility of this home for his needs and jumped at the opportunity.  A wonderfully, successful and full-price contract was formed.  All parties were pleased with the outcome!  This was an instance of Brendan using his expertise, connections and overall work in the profession to really help a seller find the perfect buyer. 

I would like to personally thank the sellers and express how happy I am that Brendan could help you sell your home with such ease.  The sellers loved this home greatly and showed it with beautiful updates throughout the home.  Laramie will miss you all!  What a wonderful family, and I am so happy we met through our children and the Montessori Children's House!  And, we wish you well in your new move and adventure!  

{Another Home Under Contract}

Under Contract!
Congratulations!!!

1451 N. 7th St.

{Under Contract} 1301 Custer

Under Contract!

Congratulations to the seller and buyer!

1301 Custer 

Photo Contest Amendment

I have been thinking about the photo contest and would like to make a slight amendment.  There will now be two classifications:  Professional and Amateur 


This means there is a possibility of two people winning: one winner in the Professional category and one winner in the Amateur category.  I just feel, if and when submissions come in this may make it more fair.


So, when you submit your photo be sure to make note of which category it should fall.  The differentiation between the two is, of course if you have received payment for your work or not.  Also, if you have a website or a Facebook Page attached to your work, both Professional and Amateur please feel free to share!


Thanks and hope your week is starting off wonderfully!         

{New listing} 1301 Custer

UPDATE:  UNDER CONTRACT

$189,000
4 bedroom, 2 bath
2,024 sqft

This home is beautifully charming and well cared for!  

Go to the following website for further details and to view many interior photos:  1301 Custer

Enter our first photo contest!

I am so excited to kick off our first photo contest!  I can't wait to see all the beautiful and interesting photo submissions!  

{How to Enter}

Post your entry to our Raving Real Estate Facebook page!  See the right sidebar to take you directly to this page or click the link above.

{Rules} 

• Anyone can enter- open to all ages!  However, I have to regretfully keep this contest limited to Laramie residents.  In the future, perhaps we can do a nationwide contest.
• Any subject matter will be accepted the only stipulation is that it has to be taken here in or around Laramie: people, landscape, architecture, animal, still life etc...  

{Judging}  

I have decided that Brendan and I will have the great honor and difficulty of deciding the winner.  I have found that sometimes the way of judging by "number of likes" on Facebook can be frustrating and can turn into a popularity contest more than an artistic contest.  I, however welcome comments on any and all submissions.  If there is a photo that moves you to speech- please, please voice your opinion!  Also, when you submit a photo, please feel free to tell us a little about the photo:  When you took the photo.  Where you took the photo.  Who the photo is depicting, if a human being or animal.  And, why you love it!

Here is an example:  There are few photos that I take which I am pleasantly surprised and the one above was such a photo.  I took this photo right in our front yard, depicting the beautiful wild roses growing in the side planter.  I was playing with my new digital camera and fell in love with this photo.  The color, shadow and light, opened and still closed roses along with the blurriness of foreground roses and sharpness of the center bud 
struck me as beautiful. 

Since there will be multiple subject matters among the entries the photos will be judged on not only composition but overall intrigue.  One does not have to be a professional to take an exceptional photo!  I would also like to make note of the following quotes to give you a general idea of what we are looking for:

"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston

"The so-called rules of photographic composition are, in my opinion, invalid, irrelevant and immaterial."  - Ansel Adams

{Award} 

The winner of this contest will receive the following: 

• a framed drawing of your home, place of business, ranch, barn, historic building- you name it, I'll draw it! ($200 value!).  

In addition, the winner will also be recognized here, on Facebook and the winning photo will be credited and appear in our Home Guide advertisement for the month of May!

This photo contest will be open until the 15th of April.  At that time I have to submit all material for our Home Guide advertisement and therefore need decide upon the winner.  Winner will be announced here and on Facebook no later than 5:00 pm on April 15th, 2011!  

So excited- start sending in those photos!           

Answer photo

Above is the answer to the painting in the post below.  
Kind of fun! :)


Also, I have unfortunately been ill as of late and did not post the photo contest rules yesterday.  I am in the process of ironing out some minor details in the next hour or so and then will promptly post all the stipulations of the contest.  I think this will be so exciting to see all the different photos submissions sent in by Laramie residents!


Until then!  Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Pranks and jokes

April 1st, a time to release winter doldrums and have a little fun pranking your friends and family.  Here is a link listing some great classic and fun pranks.  What has been the best prank you played or was played on you?  


And just for a little fun:  Find the 10 things askew in this painting.  I will post the answers tomorrow!  

Click on the image to enlarge and activate the magnifying tool.

   
Happy April Fools' Day!


Also, stay tuned for your photo contest rules later on today!