The following Realtors have joined the Woods Bros Realty family in the last few months:

Leslie Applegarth is coming back to the Woods Bros Realty family as an Associate Broker. She enjoys writing fiction and cooking for her family. She spends her free time with her grandkids and working with her husband and their family business. Leslie will work out of the Country Club Plaza office and can be reached at (402) 805-5604 or Leslie.Applegarth@woodsbros.com.

Andy Ulrich also rejoins Woods Bros at the SouthPointe office. Andy grew up in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, and attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a Master’s Degree in History. He is glad to be back working at Woods Bros Realty. Andy can be reached at (402) 432-5318 or Andy.Ulrich@WoodsBros.com.

Sharlene Stoetzel returns to the Woods Bros family at the Lincolnshire Square office. Sharlene grew up in Hastings Nebraska. She moved to Lincoln in 1986 to go to college to study Commercial Art. She has been selling Real Estate since 1998. Sharlene can be reached at (402) 570-9485 or Sharlene.Stoetzel@WoodsBros.com.

Linda Keller joins the Country Club Plaza office. She grew up in Chicago and has been here in Nebraska for over 30 years. Her husband, Jim, is a professional gun dog trainer, and the two raise Irish Setters. Linda can be reached at (402) 802-0893 or Linda.Keller@WoodsBros.com.

Susan Laws joins the Lincolnshire office. Susan is a lifelong Lincoln resident. She grew up and currently resides in the Havelock area. She is an avid Husker fan. Susan can be reached at (402) 466-2473 or Susan.Laws@WoodsBros.com.

Annie Krause joins the Lincolnshire Square office, after a Woods Bros manager planted the seed in 1988. In 2010 Annie attended a Woods Bros Realty Career Night, and that Woods Bros appeal was just as she remembered it in 1998. It was time to pursue the dream, and she is proud to be associate with Lincolnshire and the Woods Bros family. Annie has been married to her husband Roger for 32 years and they have raised four great kids. They have two great in-laws and one amazing granddaughter. She can be reached at (402) 499-9177 or Annie.Krause@WoodsBros.com.

Theresa Baker joins the SouthPointe office. Theresa grew up in Lincoln, NE and is married with three children. She enjoys spending time with her family and scrapbooking. She also works as a nurse at Madonna. Theresa can be reached (402) 730-1036 or Theresa.Baker@WoodsBros.com.

Mike Gay is joinging the Woods Bros family at Lincolnshire. Mike grew up in Beatrice, Nebraska! He has lived in Omaha and has lived in Lincoln for the last 8 years! He comes from the teaching profession. He is currently working on his PhD at the University of Nebraska. Mike enjoys playing tennis and bowling. He played for the University of Nebraska men’s bowling team and Kearney State College in tennis in the 1980s! Mike can be reached at (402) 217-0672 or Mike.Gay@WoodsBros.com.

Callie Yrkoski joins the SouthPointe office. She has lived in Lincoln since 1996. She is happily married and the mother of two boys. Callie enjoys knitting, cooking and running. She will participate in the Lincoln National Guard half marathon in May. Callie can be reached at (402) 730-8232 or Callie.Yrkoski@WoodsBros.com.

Abbey Peterson joins the Lincolnshire Square office. Abbey is a lifelong Lincoln resident and has always been interested in a real estate career. She attended Lincoln East High School and the University of Nebraska. She is happily married to Andrew and they have two dogs. Abbey enjoys seeing new movies and running–she will participate in the Lincoln National Guard half marathon in May. Abbey can be reached at (402) 525-5076 or Abbey.Peterson@WoodsBros.com.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Woods Bros Realty had a great month in February, representing over 36% of all listings and sales in the Lincoln market. We’re coming up on the year anniversary of the end of the Homebuyer Tax Credits, so the listings placed under contract will show to be off from last year, so the comparison to last month is also included. Here are the February numbers from all Woods Bros offices, including Lincoln, Seward, York, Beatrice and Grand Island:

• $25,780,358 Total Volume Closed (Up 45% from Feb. 2010)
• 161 Total Sides Closed (up 18% from Feb. 2010)
• 230 Sides Placed Under Contract (Up 10% from Jan. 2011, down 21% from Feb. 2010)
• 495,913 Page Views on WoodsBros.com
• 50,021 User Sessions on WoodsBros.com
• 43 New Saved Searches on WoodsBros.com
• 1,199 New Saved Properties on WoodsBros.com
• 101 New Customers on WoodsBros.com
• 129 Visits to Facebook.com/WoodsBros

View our monthly Market Snapshot here.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

CEO Gene Brake presents Arla Meyer with the March Shining Star award.

Arla Meyer, assistant managing broker of the Woods Bros Lincolnshire Square office, was named the Shining Star for March.

The Shining Star award is a monthly award to recognize an employee, sales associate or sales manager who has exceeded expectations in some area of his or her work.

One of Arla’s many nominations said, “Everything Arla does makes her a Shining Star. Not only is she a great mentor to all of the agents at Lincolnshire, but she also helps out the staff here with her support. Going up and beyond and actually doing our jobs if we need a helping hand. She knows every staff job and does not delegate, but actually takes time from her own very demanding schedule, to come into our office and lends a helping hand if needed. That makes her my Shining Star.”

Shining Stars are HomeServices of Nebraska associates, including managers, employees and agents, who help make our company a better place for our customers, clients and for each other. Nominees must exemplify the following:

1. The person went out of their way to exceed the HomeServices of Nebraska Standards and best practices.
2. The gesture or service was above and beyond normal job requirements or expectations.
3. The employee, manager or agent went beyond the call of duty to ensure the needs of a customer, fellow employee or agent.

Anyone is invited to nominate employees, agents or managers who have displayed The Shining Star Spirit. For someone to be recognized, a Shining Star Nomination Form must be submitted by the 15th of every month. *A participant is eligible to win one (1) time per year.

Shining Star Values

Positive Attitude – A positive attitude is focusing on what is useful, beneficial and worthwhile in each and every situation. Your attitude is displayed through your words, actions and facial expressions with your customers and those around you.

Accountable - Accountable is being responsible for your actions and behaviors as they impact customers and those around you.

Responsive – Being responsive is being open to the situation as it occurs and responding in a sensitive manner to meet needs and expectations.

Teamwork – Teamwork is helping each other win and taking pride in each other’s victories. No one person or department alone can provide for the comprehensive needs of our customers. We achieve our goals when working together as a team.

No Excuses – A culture of no excuses acknowledges when mistakes or perceived shortcomings are made and seeks to correct or make right rather than rationalize or justify the problem.

Exemplary - To serve as a model or example of positive action; strive for high performance standards and deliver results. Demonstrate technical competence. Set high standards for self, demonstrating integrity and superior customer service skills.

Responsibility – Responsibility is acting with initiative and understanding that our organization and our customers are depending on us.

Service - Service is everything we do to exceed the needs and expectations of our customers at all times.

Safety – Demonstrate the importance of safety and how it may influence our daily lives.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

CLOSED VOLUME:

Amy Mosser

Ann Deck

Craig Loeck

Dick Young

Diana Sonder

Marsha Turbett

John Nanos

Gayle Coffin

Doug Vandervort

Diane Richters

Rob & Teresa Predmore

Matthew Hardesty

Susan Vaccaro

Sandra Harder

Chuck Winkler

CLOSED UNITS:

Craig Loeck

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

2011 Mrs. Nebraska Karalyn Hoefer

Woods Bros Realty SouthPointe agent Karalyn Hoefer was crowned Mrs. Nebraska Saturday night.

She will represent Nebraska in the Mrs. America Pageant at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia in April. Mrs. Nebraska 2011 also wins a prize package worth more than $15,000, according to the Lincoln Journal Star.

Hoefer has been a REALTOR with Woods Bros Realty sice 2001. She and her husband, Brian, have two daughters, Kalyssa and Kaitlyn. She holds her Graduate, REALTOR Institute (GRI) designation.

According to the Mrs. Nebraska website, “the Mrs. Nebraska Pageant is the state preliminary to the Mrs. America Pageant. But more importantly, it is the vehicle by which women in Nebraska are able to promote family values, women’s causes, and local charities. Past holders of the Mrs. Nebraska title have spoken out—and continue to speak—statewide on topics such as spending more time with our children, youth volunteerism, building strong marriages, breast cancer education in Nebraska, and domestic violence.”

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

January 2011 by Volume:

John Ball
Bob & Sally Peterson
Vladimir Oulianov
Linda McCall
Lou Ann Merwick
Trish Jarvis
Craig Loeck
Michael Thomalla
Melanie & Max Bachmann
Shelly Nitz

January 2011 by Units:

Linda McCall

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty