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Century 21 Manausa & Associates - Tallahassee Real Estate
Please keep April 27th on you calendar, as it is the date of the 6th Annual May Family Dollars 4 Diabetes Car Wash. (Link to Map)
Haley’s Dad Don May (Senior VP at Farmers & Merchants Bank) sent me this reminder about her annual charity event.
As you may recall, this fundraiser was the idea of a great young lady, Haley May, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes right after her 11th birthday in 2007.
Have you heard about Honor Flight Tallahassee?
This has nothing to do with the Tallahassee real estate market, but everybody in Tallahassee should have an interest in this phenomenal service.
Honor Flight Tallahassee is part of the Honor Flight Network, a national organization that exists for one reason: to take every WWII veteran who is capable of going and has not seen it, to see their monument at no cost to the veteran.
Happy Thanksgiving Tallahassee!
All of the team here at Century 21 Manausa and Associates wishes you a warm and wonderful holiday.
Our office will be closed today and will reopen tomorrow for those of you who need to buy a home and move before the end of the year.
Everybody has gone to calling this day the “4th of July,” but as a veteran I will always think of it as what it is, Independence Day Tallahassee.
This is the day that we celebrate our Independence.
This is an email that I found circulating in 2009 and I thought I would pass it along to all who love this great country!
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG,
OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA ,
AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR
WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE
NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE,
KEEP IT LIT!! 
KEEP IT LIT!
For all of our other military personnel, where ever they may be.
Please
Support all of the troops defending our Country.
And God Bless our Military
who are protecting our Country for our Freedom.
Thanks to them, and their sacrifices, we can celebrate the 4th of July.
We must never forget who gets the credit for the freedoms we have,
of which we should be eternally grateful.
I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform;
so young, so tall, so proud.
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
he’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil;
how many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night,
when everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant ‘Amen.’
When a flag had draped a coffin
of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
of the mothers and the wives,
of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea.
Of unmarked graves in Arlington .
No, freedom isn’t free.
Enjoy Your Freedom
and
God Bless Our Troops.
When you receive this,
please stop for a moment
and say a prayer for our servicemen.
Of all the gifts you could give a U.S. Soldier, prayer is the very best one.
Today is one of those very rare days that my blog will be “off topic,” meaning there will be no tie to the Tallahassee real estate market.
Every so often I feel compelled to share my viewpoint on a current event, and today I want to share a unique perspective on a hot global story that differs from many who were quick to speak out.
By now, most Americans have heard about or seen a widely “popular” video that is making the rounds of most news organizations and social media online. This video appears to show several US Marines urinating on three Taliban corpses.
The Washington Post reported:
The video, which runs for less than a minute, depicts four Marines in combat gear laughing and joking as they urinate on three male bodies. The caption refers to the corpses as “dead Talibans,” but it is unclear whether the men were civilians or fighters killed after a battle.
US Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, said he had viewed the video and considered it “utterly deplorable,” and so do I.
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton expressed “total dismay” at the behavior depicted in the recording, as would most civilized people who view it.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai described the video as “completely inhumane and condemnable in the strongest possible terms.” He is demanding the most severe punishment for those involved. While I agree with his sentiment, I have a very strong disagreement and contempt for his demanding anything from the United States Marine Corps.
I do believe this video needs to be investigated, but not by the Press. Not by people (like me) who sit their heavy posterior in an air conditioned office every day, while 18 year old marines fight to keep us safe.
And certainly not by a Head of State who would have been dead a long time ago were it not for US service members in Afghanistan. Mr. Karzai should have made a statement to the effect that “this doesn’t sound like the US Marines that I have come to rely upon for my life, and I am confident they will handle this appropriately.”
These “men” are given the control over life and death on a battlefield every day, it is no wonder that their perception of right and wrong is significantly different than what you would expect from a “boy” here in the United States.
But they are not here in the United States.
This video and any actions shown in it should be judged by US Marines, on the ground in Afghanistan. This would be the proverbial “jury of their peers.” Stateside Marines are not their peers. US politicians are not their peers. And Tallahassee real estate brokers are not their peers.
And the Corps should feel no political pressure to punish these men beyond what its leadership feels is right for the United States Marine Corps.
Now do not misunderstand what I am saying. I in no way condone these alleged actions by US marines, very specifically I do not. I just know that I’m not in a fair position to judge them.
I am not a US Marine who looks down the barrel of a sniper rifle every day, trying to kill somebody. Nor am I being targeted with sniper fire and IEDs on my way to work. My daily stress is a joke compared to the world in which we have placed these young men.
I ask you to consider this.
If we were to investigate the background of the men in this video, before they became US marines, do you think that they have ever done anything before to desecrate a body? Do you really think that is who these men/kids really are? Is it possible that we have changed them?
The fact is that most likely they were all in high school just a few short year(s) ago, and they probably had similar values as do most 18 to 21 year old boys. They want to be chasing girls, listening to music, and going to parties, but that is not where we have sent them.
However, unlike most 18 to 21 year-olds, these young men bravely answered the call to defend our Country, and our way of life. They have made it safe for me to write this and for you to read it; to comment, to agree, or to disagree.
We are not scared to express our opinions, because at the end of the day, we have the United States Marine Corps covering our backs!
Let the men and women of the US Marine Corp in Afghanistan judge them, not you and I. But there is something you and I should do…
Reach out to a past or present US Marine and say “thank you.”
Thank you for making this scary world safer for us. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your service. Thank you for taking the battle away from our shores.
Thank you John Krause. Thank you Josh Payton. Thank you Peter Coukoulis. Thank you to all our Tallahassee Marines. Ooh-rah!
If you want to really say thank you, consider a small donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. You don’t have to give a lot, just give them something to let them know you care. You can click on the Wounded Warrior Project image on the right to be taken to their website. I think it speaks for itself.
Grip hands Marines, you most likely will be trashed in the media and belittled by liberals the world over who have no concept of the sacrifice you make to keep us safe. Just know that there are plenty of us who know that this was an isolated incident and we are proud and grateful for your service.
A recent client and good friend reminded me about my past yesterday, of my days serving in the US Army. He reached out and asked me to spread the word about the Patriot Foundation, an organization that was formed to help support the families of our wounded and fallen soldiers.
The Patriot Foundation is an organization whose mission is to provide merit based scholarship funding for children of killed and wounded soldiers and to provide funding for child care for the families of disabled soldiers whose spouses need to obtain additional job training and development.
The are two ways that you can support the Patriot Foundation today. One, you could simply make a donation to the Patriot Foundation by clicking this secure link. Don’t think that a small donation won’t help, everything helps with this great cause.
The second way you can help doesn’t cost you a penny. Please view the video below, and then share it on your social networks. You can click the Google +1 button, and even share it among your friends on Facebook by simply clicking the Facebook Share button. All of the other major social networks are there as well. By simply helping spread the word, you can be a major supporter of an organization that helps “take care of family.”
As you go about your normal business day, remember that we have troops in harms way. And like you, these soldiers have families that have needs that the Patriot Foundation supports. A little help, from a lot of people, can do wonders for the families of our soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. This is one of those times where one person can make a big difference, so please consider yourself that one person who is needed today. Give your support to the Patriot Foundation as your part in saying “thank you” to these great families.
The following is the Charles Schulz philosophy, from the creator of the ‘Peanuts’ comic strip (as sent to me in a viral email). I did nothing to check the validity of the source, it just made so much sense I thought it was worth spreading the message. It starts off with a few simple questions.
You don’t have to actually answer the questions to “get” the Charles Schulz philosophy.
Just ponder on them.
Just read straight through, and you’ll get the point..
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress….
6. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point of the Charles Schulz philosophy is that none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here’s another quiz from the Charles Schulz philosophy. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials.. the most money… or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most!
I considered the Charles Schulz Philosophy and here are the answers that came to me at first reading. I am sure the list would broaden with more consideration.
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
I was very fortunate to have some great teachers along the way. My sixth grade English Teacher was “Mr.” Mike Obrecht who taught his subject well, but he also taught me that every great person has a passion for what they do.
He joins a long list of professors at West Point who cared enough to tell their students to call them at home, call them at 2:00 in the morning, just do not fail the course work without giving them a chance to be involved. Now that’s the Charles Schulz philosophy.
Great teachers make all the difference our world. Bob Schmidt belongs in this group as well. He was my Scout Master in Boy Scouts and I learned a lot of skills that I still use today.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
I am part of the greatest golf team that the Army Football Letter Winners Club has ever seen (smile).
Roy Tomlinson, Ron Rice, and James Brock are people I have come to lean on during the tough times.These were the first people I thought of when reading the Charles Schulz philosophy.
One epitomizes the true definition of “friend,” one is crazy, and the other is the voice of reason. While none of them live in Tallahassee, the internet and the telephone keep them within reach and they are always there for me.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
I could answer this question for hours. For simplicity, I’ll name the first five that hit my mind
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!
This list has to start with my wife Michelle. Today is Michelle’s birthday and I hope that she knows how special and appreciated she is by me. She is the foundation of my world.
My children are super, no matter my faults, they make me feel like a great and special father.
My brother Danny is the kind of guy you want by your side in difficult times. In the Army, we would say “he’s the guy I want next to me in my foxhole,” and I think his outlook on life is inspiring and in-line with the Charles Schulz philosophy.
My team of friends at CENTURY 21 First Realty is incredible too. Even as our market has dropped nearly 60%, they certainly make me feel “appreciated and special.” They have stuck with me through some very tough times and I appreciate them greatly. We have many who espouse the Charles Schulz philosophy.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
This question seems a bid redundant, don’t we all like to spend time with people who make us feel appreciated and special? But I would add a few of my golf buddies, like Mike Martin who is the world’s second greatest Gin player of all time, or Mark Limcangco who can play liar’s poker among thieves. Jeff Corson can always be talked into a game of “Wolf,” where fortunately my limited golf ability still lets me compete with his incredible golf game. And this list could go on an on.
We seem to spend so much time focusing on the things that do not matter when everything that does matter is all around us. As all viral email messages say …. pass this message on to others. Take the time to send this link (see the sharing buttons on the left) to everybody. The world needs more people who embrace the Charles Schulz philosophy.
Have you ever wondered how to provide a Google business review of a local company? I was doing a google search for “realtor in tallahassee florida” when I came across our web site and noticed that a customer provided a Google business review of CENTURY 21 First Realty in more than 20 separate cases. I can tell you it was a pleasant surprise, so I decided to figure out how they got there, and more importantly, how we can get more of our customers to provide similar Google business review.
After doing some homework, I put together a simple video explaining how to create a Google business review. You can watch it below and I would love to get some feedback on the video (in the comments section following this blog post). I plan on making many more “Real Estate FAQ” videos that will include not just “how to” videos, but also answers to some of the more popular questions on real estate that I have received through the years.
I hope the video makes it simple enough for our customers and readers to provide a review of our business in google, but let me tell you why this is so important!
You should provide a Google business review every time you have a significant positive or negative experience, because future consumers in the same industry are looking to the past customers of companies to find out whether or not they are knowledgeable, hard working, reputable, successful, honest, ethical, etc.
I believe many of us are interested in what past customers have to say, whether they are real estate customers, restaurant customers or any other business type that you can find on Google. Don’t for a second believe that your opinion won’t matter!
For example, here are some reviews of Tallahassee real estate companies that can be found with a google search for “realtor in tallahassee florida.” Would these help you make a better informed decision the next time you wanted to hire a REALTOR® in Tallahassee?
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Choose another. We had to work with [company name] on a short sale and they made so many mistakes. They are not experienced and they made many attempts to take money from us. Thank God my husband was an attorney and reviewed every detail. I would never ever use this company. |
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Thoughtless and Unprofessional They basically hung up on me when they found out my family wouldn’t be purchasing a home under 800 thousand. Said to me, “I am not interested in working with you because I will not make enough money…”. Made me feel like scum (which we are certainly not). |
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Top of the line service. You can tell they have been in the business for years because they know all the little tricks of the trade and helped us get top dollar for our home. They thought of all the little details and made us feel like their only client. They really made buying and selling easy. |
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My “Miracle Worker” is John Schmook. John Schmook was fantastic from start to finish. He understood my needs and wants and focused on showing me the properties matching them. I came to rely on John’s judgment and his analysis of the properties we visited. John was instrumental in helping me find my dream home and walking me through the entire buying process. John is even helping me after closing with settling into my new home. I now call him my “Miracle Worker” and will work with John again on my next purchase of income property. |
Even though thousands of homes are sold every year, not many people take the time to do a real estate Google Business Review. But you can change that, can’t you?
Today is the 50th wedding anniversary for Mary Lou and Trent Manausa and I wanted to commemorate this incredible accomplishment with a simple shout out to them while they enjoy a weekend in the Florida Keys (which is where they were married).
Today is the 50th wedding anniversary for Mary Lou and Trent Manausa and I wanted to commemorate this incredible accomplishment with a simple shout to them while they enjoy a weekend in the Florida Keys (which is where they were married).
When they were married in 1960, Dwight D. Eisenhower “Ike” was president (I had to look this up, I thought it might have been Grover Cleveland) and John F. Kennedy had just beaten Richard Nixon for the next rotation in the Oval Office.
“Cool” was a fairly new slang term (that’s how all of Mom’s friends referred to Dad) and when Mom “rode shotgun” in Dad’s “bad ride,” all the other boys would point to that “stone fox!” But enough of that kind of talk…
Mom and Dad went to the Florida Keys to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary together, without all the kids and grandkids that they have collected along the way.
The whole family of 5 boys, 4 daughters-in-law, and 9 grandchildren will be getting together to enjoy their 50th wedding anniversary celebration in Tallahassee after they return.
If you happen to see either Trent Manausa or Mary Lou Manausa in the next week or so, don’t forget to wish them a happy 50th wedding anniversary (and congratulate Trent for his excellent taste).
West Point "Cadet" Joe Manausa in 1986
Tomorrow, Veterans Day in Tallahassee will be observed with the closing of schools, the CENTURY 21 real estate office, and many places of work, so I thought I would take the opportunity to remind everybody about the importance of this day of remembrance.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. This new holiday was to remember the end of the “War To End All Wars” where a cease-fire had been initiated on November 11, 1918, “Armistice Day”, and served to honor all soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, both past and present, who serve our great nation.
Later, an Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”
Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.”
With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Tomorrow, on this day of remembrance, I would challenge everyone to reach out to a veteran and personally thank them for their service. Better yet, dig into your pocket and give to one of the fine institutions such as the USO or the American Legion, which provide support services to our military and veterans.
Happy Veterans Day Tallahassee
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