In my last blog post, I introduced one of my favorite books, What’s Best Next by Matt Perman. I covered some of my favorite points from the first half of the book, which was largely philosophical. The second half of the book is mostly practical. It covers an acronym used to communicate the remaining content: D.A.R.E. These letters stand for: Define, Architect, Reduce, and Execute. You must first Defin ... Read more

Many of my friends know that What’s Best Next by Matt Perman is one of my favorite books. It has influenced the way I think about productivity. It has also been revolutionary in the practicality of how I arrange my day, and my systems, so I wanted to share some of my key takeaways in a blog post here.   “Productivity is not first about efficiency – doing things right and doing them quic ... Read more

  I believe in agriculture because it is quite literally one of the single most important things that keeps the world going. I come from many generations of farming here in rural Kansas. My family started farming in the 1860s, and I continue to farm with my dad and uncle to this day on the same farm that was homesteaded so long ago. If a person really wants to look in-depth at farming, it’s quit ... Read more

  You know those TV shows or movies that have the main character going through something crazy, and they tell the character to think of a happy memory and hold onto it? Do you ever think about what your happy memory would be? I have one that consistently pops into my head that I want to share with you in honor of both National Cooking Day and National Daughters Day. This special memory is from my c ... Read more

2021 is speeding by and as people receive the COVID vaccine, there’s hope on the horizon that things will look up - especially in the real estate market. There are a lot of things that will play a role in the thriving market, and according to insights from top-selling real estate agents, there are eight factors that will impact the market going forward this year.  Let’s take a look at ... Read more

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” -Josh Billings After rescuing 3 dogs now, I have never felt so connected to a quote. The love of a dog is unmatched, and oftentimes undeserving. This rings especially true with rescue dogs. If you have ever rescued an animal, you understand how thankful they are to be a part of your life.   My dog gro ... Read more

This past year has been crazy, everyone has experienced new routines and constant changes. One thing that will never change, however, is that we all have to eat! Since cooking is a huge hobby of mine and I live by the saying "The heart of the home is the kitchen," I would love to share some recipes with you! This roasted red pepper pasta is one of my favorites (as well as my husband's ... Read more

  This January I decided to take my oldest two kids to Manhattan's ice skating rink at Jon & Ruth Ann Wefald Pavilion and GTM Family Center in City Park. With many of our usual events being cancelled, over the last year, we have been looking for more fun activities to do with the kids when we get time. They charged $3.50 per person for admittance and $3.50 per ice skate rental. Although t ... Read more

Even before my time as part of the army family, I've picked up and moved plenty of times.  The first couple of moves left me crying sitting in a half packed living room, or a messy bathroom, or even the driveway as my TV fell out of the trunk of my Rav4.  Y'all - moving is so overwhelming!  You have this plan to get everything done and it will all be wrapped up in a nice little bow on the day you move ... Read more

At Foundation Realty we focus on providing you with the most profitable and least stressful auction experience possible. Everyone at some point in their life has lost a loved one. After your loved one has passed, you may find yourself in charge of all their possessions or real estate. What do you do now? The auction process and selling of real estate can be a bit of a roller coaster, so buckle up! Luckily ... Read more

In today's day and age, open houses have become less relevant, but not totally irrelevant. Potential buyers can look at 3D tours, pictures, etc. on the internet 24/7, so the need to casually tour a house in person has lessened in recent years. An open house can still be a valuable tool, though. When implemented correctly, this tool can help broaden the exposure of the property. If and when you do ... Read more

Barb Meitler was recently named Sunflower Pilot Club’s Ambassador of the year. The Sunflower Pilot Club is an organization that supports individuals with brain-based disorders, including autism, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, learning disorders, and many forms of mental health impairments. The organization also supports care givers of those individuals who are affected. In addition to working as a special ed ... Read more

  There are lots of things a seller can do to prepare for showings. Planned open house appointments will allow you time to prepare. Often times, however, the window of opportunity to expose your property to a motivated buyer can be small. Every time you leave your home, make sure it is ready for an unexpected showing. When preparing your home, think about the techniques used to show model ... Read more

Staging, How Important is it? First, let's define staging. Is staging important? Absolutely! Are paid staging services important, not necessarily. You can modify and arrange your own furniture and decorations to help the home be presented in it's best light. Think four things: clean, clear, light, and bright. Some tips: Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning and remove all clutter. ... Read more

Are renovations worth it? Which ones? When getting ready to list, light renovations are definitely worth it, but with one caveat: If you can afford it! We would never insist on modifications, to a property we are going to list, if the seller could not afford it. That said, there are some inexpensive things can really boost the sale price of a home. Inexpensive things that can help immensely would be paint, ... Read more

First and foremost, there is more than just the house payment that goes into your mortgage, and sometimes people underestimate what they truly can afford. You need to speak with a lender and getting pre-approved will let you know exactly what you can afford, so you don't look at houses that are outside of your budget. You need a pre-approved letter in order to submit an offer in on that house that you just ... Read more

We’re proud to share that we’re Move Safe Certified with HomeLight! Our team is using the best tools and practices including meeting with clients virtually, practicing safety protocol for showings, and using an e-sign platform for the transfer and signature of documents. We’re here to help buyers and sellers navigate through these challenging times. ... Read more

This is a must! Grab a friend or come by yourself and meet a new friend! I’ve wanted to attend a wine and yoga night since I moved to Manhattan a couple years ago. I recently began working with a new real estate agent, Sarah Haxton. We were discussing things to do in Manhattan, and I saw an advertisement on Facebook for the Liquid Arts Wine and Yoga Night . We decided to give it a try. The location is a ... Read more

To some, being handcuffed and locked behind bars in a small room may sound like the consequences of a social hour gone seriously awry. For seven other real estate agents and myself, it proved to be a fun team-building event. While the agents at Foundation Reality do enjoy our social hours, we recently changed things up and spent an afternoon together at LOCKED MANHATTAN. The only way out of the locked room ... Read more

The City of Manhattan has had a very busy and productive year. I had the opportunity to attend the State of the City Address Power Lunch with Ron Fehr, Manhattan City Manager, on February 11, 2020. This meeting was well attended and very informative. How many Manhattanites have been concerned with the conditions of the streets in Manhattan? I know I have been. My car could nearly fit into some of those poth ... Read more