Matt Garner of the Woods Bros Realty Country Club Plaza office is the June Shining Star recipient.

CEO Gene Brake presents Matt Garner with the Shining Star award.

His nomination read:

“Matt, while listening to KLIN talk radio, found a chance to get some good exposure for the Country Club office when Jack Mitchell of their morning show lost a bet. Jack was going to walk from North Star high school to Lincoln Southwest High School, in a route that was going right by the office. Matt rallied up the agents to raise more than $300 for the Lincoln Community Foundation for Jack to pull manager Thane Jensen in a wagon for one mile in front of their office. This was great exposure for the company and for the office, and I’m just thrilled that Matt took the initiative to pull this off.”

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

Rita Dinger of the Woods Bros Realty Lincolnshire Square office is the March Shining Star recipient.

CEO Gene Brake presents Rita Dinger with the Shining Star Award.

Her nomination read:

“One year ago on March 20th, I about died from Spinal Meningitis. While on my death bed literally I had my sister phone Rita Dinger. I don’t even remember this conversation, but Rita told me about it just today, March 14th. My sister had told her that I was in the ER and that I wanted to speak to her. I said to her, “Rita, would you watch over my business for me?”  Without a question, she said, “YES!”  RITA is a shining star every day, but at that moment in time she went above and beyond what is expected, and she did it with so much love and compassion.

I will always view Rita Dinger as a shining star. From the bottom of my heart to yours Rita, THANK YOU so much for all of your assistance, time, love, and friendship. We at Lincolnshire and Woods Bros as a whole have so many Shining Stars, it makes me happy to be associated with! Good work, Woods Bros, and again thank you, Rita Dinger, a very deserving recipient of this award!”

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

WoodsBros.com is currently down for our scheduled maintenance window, which is between 12am CST and 4am CST Sundays.  It isn’t every Sunday, but if you are seeing this page – we’re currently down to do upgrades to our web platform and should be up by 4am.

During this time, you can view our listings on our online TV channel at www.MyWoodsBrosTV.com or download our mobile apps:

• iPhone/iPad
• Android

Thanks for visiting, and we look forward to being back to normal after 4am!

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Woods Bros Realty celebrated its top real estate professionals with an Awards Banquet Feb. 15 at the Country Club of Lincoln.

Vladimir Oulianov of the Country Club Plaza office was named the Salesperson of the Year for 2012, with the Most Transactions Closed, Most Listings Closed, and Highest Volume of Closed Listings. Oulianov and Craig Loeck of the Lincolnshire office were both recipients of the Century Award for closing over 100 transactions in the calendar year. Loeck also received the Most Closed Sales Units Award, and John Nanos of the Country Club Plaza office had the Highest Volume of Closed Sales.

Gene Ward of the Lincolnshire Square was honored with the Woods Bros Realtor of the Year award for 2012 for his dedication through the years to Woods Bros, as both a past manager and an agent, and the real estate profession as a whole.

Trish Jarvis of the Lincolnshire Square office won the Excellence in Outgoing Referrals award for helping people relocate in other areas. Sales Couple of the Year went to Bob & Sally Peterson of the Country Club Plaza office, and the year’s Rising Star for most success within the start of his career was their son, Boomer Peterson, also of the Country Club Plaza office.

The overall Outstanding Achievement award went to Karen Duncan of the Lincolnshire Square office for her 190 percent increase in sales from 2011 to 2012. Office Outstanding Achievement Awards also went to: John Nanos, Country Club Plaza; Tammy Peter, Wilderness Hills; Pam Norton, Beatrice; Chuck Kotera, Seward; and Melanie Bachman, Grand Island.

Top Sales Associates by office were: Vladimir Oulianov, Country Club Plaza; Craig A. Loeck, Lincolnshire; Susan Ferris, Wilderness Hills; Chuck Winkler, Grand Island; Shelly Nitz, Seward; Gayle Coffin, York; and Pam Norton, Beatrice.

To see more of the top awards, please visit www.WoodsBros.com/Awards.

View photos of the event on our Facebook page. Be sure to “Like” us!

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

The Woods Bros Realty mobile app just got a major upgrade! Here are some of the new features in this version:

1. Much faster map searching
2. Text / Keyword Searches (refine map or criteria search).
3. 3D Property icons with the list price
4. Favorite or recommended agent
5. Live statistics on every screen. You always know the lowest, highest and average list & sale price.
6. App Touring: tap and hold (for a few seconds) the compass icon on the lower right. The app now updates your location and nearby properties every 5 seconds. This is ideal for property tours, open houses and market surveys.

If you’ve already downloaded our app to your device, simply update it. If you haven’t yet downloaded it, you can do that here:

• iPhone/iPad
• Android

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

In addition to our website, www.WoodsBros.com, did you know there are other ways to search our listings? You can also view our complete site in a mobile-friendly version on your phone, create your own online TV channel at www.MyWoodsBrosTV.com or download our mobile apps.

Download the apps here:

• iPhone/iPad
• Android

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Members of Woods Bros Realty’s Foundation for Giving committee met in November to allocate funds raised throughout the year to local charity organizations.

The Woods Bros Realty Foundation for Giving was established in 1987 by Pace Woods, Sr. to support those less fortunate in the communities the company serves. Every time a Woods Bros sales professional closes one side of a transaction, the agent makes a Foundation contribution, which is then matched by the company.

In the fall, a committee of agents, selected by their offices to serve two-year terms, reviews all the requests and determines funding. A Woods Bros agent or employee must sponsor each request accepted by the Foundation.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to have the privilege of working with all the agents and the different agencies our agents are affiliated with,” said Arla Meyer, Foundation for Giving chairperson. “There is nothing better than being able to give back to our local communities, based off of the team effort of all Woods agents and the company. Together we are able to make this happen, and we believe that is what helps set Woods Bros Realty apart from all other companies.”

This year, the transaction donation total was $15,408, a 36 percent increase over 2011, with a last-minute plea from the committee’s agents that raised an additional $2,900. Since the inception of the Woods Bros Realty Foundation for Giving, over $293,000 has been donated.

2012 Foundation for Giving committee members were (from left to right): Cindi Hahn, Gordon Opp, Nickie Casburn, Nanci Burchess-Smith, Judy Sasek, Arla Meyer, Doug Vandervort, Lynne Schroeder, Shelly Nitz, Karalyn Hoefer, Pat Schmit, and Linda McCall

Some companies who were helped by the Foundation for Giving in 2012 include the Humane Society, Kids Against Hunger, St. Monica’s, Voices of Hope, Lux Center for the Arts, CASA for York County, Meadowlane Area Resident’s Association, Nebraska Community Blood Bank, Community CROPS (Combining Resources, Opportunities and People for Sustainability), The Lincoln Children’s Zoo, Backpack Program, Heartfelt Connections, Bright Lights, Child Advocacy Center, Make a Wish, Cedars Youth Services, Young Life, Friendship Home, Mourning Hope, Huntington School, Grand Island Habitat for Humanity, Youth Leadership Lincoln, Clinic with a Heart, Lincoln Children’s Museum, Seward Youth Center, Lincoln Community Playhouse, and TeamMates Mentoring Program.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Max Bachman

Woods Bros Realty is pleased to announce that Max Bachman will serve as the managing broker for the Grand Island office at 819 Diers Ave.

Bachman has a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He received his real estate salesperson license in 1992 and his broker’s license in 2005. Bachman has been associated with Woods Bros Realty since 2000.

“We’re thrilled to have Max take on the leadership role in Grand Island,” CEO Gene Brake said. “He will be a great addition to the management team.”

Bachman, a lifelong Grand Island resident, has been married to his wife, Melanie, for the past 30 years. Together they have two children: a son, Grant, who teaches in Kearney and lives in Grand Island with his wife, Becky, and their daughter, Braelyn; and a daughter, Danielle, who works in a cancer clinic in Omaha while preparing for PA school.

Bachman can be reached at 308-380-1983 or Max.Bachman@WoodsBros.com.

Woods Bros Realty, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, is a full-service company offering 123 years of expertise in real estate as well as experience in mortgage, title, closing, and insurance services. Providing an easier way to buy and sell, more than 200 sales associates work with clients in Lincoln, Seward, Beatrice, York, Grand Island, and southeast Nebraska. For more information about Woods Bros Realty, visit www.WoodsBros.com.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Berkshire Hathaway affiliate HomeServices of America, Inc.™ and Brookfield Asset Management announced today that they have partnered to introduce Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices®—a new franchise brand that joins the existing brands and affiliate networks of Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate.

In addition to being the nation’s second largest, full-service residential real estate brokerage firm, HomeServices is now a majority partner in one of the largest residential franchise networks in the United States. This transaction reinforces HomeServices’ status as a leading real estate company with an impressive record of financial strength, profitable growth and operational expertise.

Woods Bros Realty remains a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America.

“The new HomeServices Franchise will have little impact on our company here, but will expand our national footprint,” HomeServices of Nebraska CEO Gene Brake said. “Woods Bros Realty is a trusted, long-standing brand in the local community, and we will continue to provide our agents and clients with the same great service. The new franchise just increases the strength and influence that Woods Bros has backing them. It is exciting to be with a growing organization that has great vision.”

For more information about Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices®, visit www.BerkshireHathawayHS.com.

About HomeServices of America, Inc.™

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Woods Bros Realty is pleased to offer a fast, powerful local real estate application for Android and Apple mobile devices.

Home buyers can search for listings and open houses via criteria, maps or current location (GPS required), or even draw a search area to find the most properties in any mobile real estate app. Flip through additional photos; turn the screen sideways for full screen viewing. Quickly save interesting properties for comparison or contact an agent. Share properties via message, e-mail or Twitter, and easily look up office and agent information.

FROM YOUR DEVICE, click the link below to download. OR, scan the QR code from your device. You can also search for the company names in your device’s application store. iPad users? Be sure to check out the iPad app.

iTunes (for iPhone and iPod)

Google Play (for Android phones & tablets)

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Debbie Shields, Agent Services Representative at the Woods Bros Realty Lincolnshire Square office, is the May Shining Star recipient.

CFO Todd Yorges presents Debbie Shields with the Shining Star Award.

One of her many nominations read:

“Debbie creates first class, professional looking marketing materials for us. She is happy to use your ideas or create something for you. I have had two Premier Property listings recently and my sellers were very impressed with the marketing booklets she produced for us. She is working with me to add more content to my webpage and for my builder also. Debbie always has a positive attitude and is a great multitasker. She has a lot of requests coming from all directions and always gets things done in a timely fashion with a smile.”

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

Early this morning we rolled out a new build of our website that adds some really cool new features to keep us at the leading edge with our online presence.  Here’s what’s new!

Facebook, Twitter, and Google + sharing on the mobile site

Our mobile traffic, and mobile traffic across the industry continues to grow exponentially.  We’ve been focusing a LOT on the mobile site since launching the first local real estate mobile site two years ago – so I’m very happy to announce this feature.  Now you can share a listing to the “big three” social networks instantly from anywhere on any device.  Check it out by visiting m.woodsbros.com from your smartphone today!

Printable Listing Brochure

You can now click “Print Brochure” on any listing and will be presented with a new layout that’s much more clean and includes some really nice features.  We’ve included a ruled area at the top for notes, and a new revised map at the bottom that allows you to map from your address to the property while also including agent-entered driving directions.

Saved Search notifications via Text Message

We’re all-in on the mobile device shift, and to continue to adapt we’ve added text notifications.  Now when a property receives a price change, open house, or other update and you have enabled these notifications – you will immediately get a text message!  This is only the beginning – and it works very well. To make the change, log in to www.WoodsBros.com, click on “Profile Settings,” and add your Mobile Phone Number and Carrier. Then under “Notification Preferences” select “Text Message.”

In every text message we include an unsubscribe link to allow you to easily unsubscribe at your discretion.  Nothing complicated, just a simple click of a link!

Enhanced Search Experience

We continue to enhance our property search to cater both to tablets and to usability.  Buttons and headings continue to get larger and more colorful – allowing much easier clicking on iPads and other tablets, as well as drawing attention to them.  We’ve also recently updated the “Your Selections” area at the top to allow you to easily see the search criteria you’ve entered.  And this is only the beginning — stay tuned!

Show All Photos on Mobile Search Results

We’ve added usability to the mobile site by jumping straight to a page with all of a listing’s photos if the photo count below the primary listing photo is clicked.

That’s all we have for this go-around but much more is coming this year!

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Woods Bros Realty announces a partnership with NEBCO, Inc., for residential sales in its Northwest Lincoln Fallbrook community.

The two companies each have over a century of experience building in Lincoln and both support the sustainability and new urbanism concepts that Fallbrook embodies, where people can live, work and shop within their neighborhood.

“There is a lot of positive growth happening out in Fallbrook, and we are thrilled to be a part of marketing such an exciting concept,” said Gene Brake, CEO of Woods Bros Realty.

Woods Bros Wilderness Hills sales professionals Jayne Debus and Karalyn Hoefer will be focusing on residential sales at Fallbrook out of an onsite sales office at 570 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 110.

Debus, originally from Wyoming, was a real estate broker in Hastings, Neb., for 30 years. She moved to Lincoln seven years ago, where she and her husband, Bruce, have enjoyed living in the Fallbrook area. She was the residential broker for NEBCO Realty Group in the Fallbrook Development, and she will continue to use her expertise of the area.

Debus has been very active in her local, state and National REALTORS® Associations and is currently serving as chairperson of the Governmental Affairs committee at the REALTORS® Association of Lincoln, where she was named 2011 REALTOR® of the Year.

“I’m excited to continue specializing in Fallbrook while also having access to the tools and network of agents at Woods Bros Realty,” Debus said.

Karalyn Hoefer has been a REALTOR® with Woods Bros. Realty for 13 years. She is an associate broker and has earned both the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designations. She has served on the Woods Bros Advisory Board, REALTORS® Association of Lincoln and is past president of the Lincoln Chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS®. She currently serves as Secretary for the State Chapter of Certified Residential Specialists®.

When not specializing in residential real estate, Hoefer is an active volunteer with the American Heart Association and Miss Nebraska Scholarship Pageant. Hoefer and her husband, Brian, have two daughters.

“I have been impressed with the Fallbrook area since the first time I toured it. I am looking forward to living and working in such a great community and being able to share that with others,” Hoefer said.

For more information on Fallbrook residential sales, visit www.WoodsBros.com/Fallbrook or call Debus at 402-432-9555 or Hoefer at 402-450-1355.

Woods Bros Realty

Fallbrook

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Woods Bros Realty is pleased to announce the completion of a project to make a paperless real estate transaction possible.

Utilizing Doc Central from Real Estate Digital, our online technology partner and industry leader, we now have the ability to instantly give agents and clients online access to transaction documents from anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, we entered in an agreement with the online signature leader, DocuSign, to provide the full product to our agents at a substantial discount. This is just another step in Woods Bros Realty’s commitment to our clients and agents to simplify the real estate transaction. For more information, contact a Woods agent.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

On behalf of HomeServices of America, we are pleased to announce that Oregon-based Prudential Northwest Properties is joining the HomeServices family of companies. Founded in 1948, Prudential Northwest is one of Portland’s largest and most respected real estate brokerage firms. Prudential Northwest has nearly 500 agents throughout 21 offices serving the Portland metropolitan area; Southwest Washington, including Vancouver and Longview; Central Oregon; and the Oregon coast. In 2011, they had nearly $900 million in sales.

Prudential Northwest is HomeServices’ entry into the Pacific Northwest market, and they have chosen to take this step with a company who has long-term ties to the community, decades of experience and an unparalleled reputation for consistently providing outstanding services to their homebuyers and sellers.

Please join us in welcoming Prudential Northwest Properties to our family.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty