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

Chuck Winkler

Chuck Winkler of the Woods Bros Realty office in Grand Island, was recently honored with the REALTOR® of Distinction Award from the Grand Island Board of REALTORS® (GIBOR).

The REALTOR® of Distinction Award is used to recognize an agent for outstanding conduct in business and in the community.

Winkler has been a REALTOR® since 1973 and an Associate Broker since 1976. He holds the At Home with Diversity, Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Graduate of REALTORS® Institute (GRI) designations. Winkler was president of GIBOR in 1977 and 1992, in addition to serving in other offices and committees.

He is a founding member and advocate for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Hall County and supports the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.

Winkler and his wife have been married 41 years and have 4 children and 5 grandchildren. For more information about Chuck Winkler, visit his website at www.WoodsBros.com/ChuckWinkler.

Woods Bros Realty, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, is a full-service company offering 124 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

Mark Kohler

Mark Kohler joins the Wilderness Hills office. He is a lifelong resident of Lincoln. He enjoys history, historical structures & historical preservation. He is currently the President of Capitol View Neighborhood Association. His hobbies include home renovation and pets. He has one dog named Joey. Mark can be reached at 402-405-9955 or Mark.Kohler@woodsbros.com.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

The past couple of years there has been a response to the national economic indicators with a general insecurity about spending money in general. This year that seemed to lighten up, and we continued as Realtors to stress that all markets are local. Lincoln has very strong economic indicators, with very low unemployment and community investment in several new projects.

The local market saw a distinct jump in a positive direction. Most impressive is that year-end residential sales closings were up 18 percent from both 2010 and 2011. New construction permits were up, and lot sales were brisk.

There was an odd sense of “watch and wait” through the election time and through the “Fiscal Cliff” deliberations. Our clients wanting to discuss their plans for Spring of 2013 have started calling early this year, and with interest rates still at such low rates, the coming year should be a strong one for real estate buying and selling.

The future is especially bright for the millennium buyers who are hoping to experience their first-time home buying process. The first-time home buyer programs do not offer tax credits anymore, but there are a lot of future homeowners realizing that they can qualify for affordable home mortgages with some very good loan programs.

 Posted by Susan Ferris

The first snowfall has officially come and gone, ushering in Winter 2012. Depending on which side of the millenium you were born, you may have met it with disdain or ecstacy. If you were like me, who experienced more than half of the previous century, you gave it mixed reviews. If you were one of 30-some thousand area students, it was a preview of Winter break, with flannel boxers or sweat gear the day’s fashion wear.

Wednesday afternoon found me rummaging through the depths of our basement in search of snow shovels, a quest not unlike exploring the underside of our vehicles’ seats spelunking for ice scrapers. I’ve made a pretty consistent practice of not seeking any of the above until they’re significantly past being needed. Sort of like those late night, last-minute collegiate papers……….I digress. This time, however, the forboding fright-cast of local meterologists prompted earlier preparation. The basement findings included a couple of sleds, resting in retirement from our now-adult children’s days of spills and chills on inclines such as Holmes Lake Dam or Riley Elementary School. Good times those were, with soothing mugs of hot chocolate and mini-marshmallows thawing out fingers and toes at the completion of the icy escapades.

The outlook on the snowfall is a classic tale of observation. Most remember Ralphie and his little brother, waiting hopefully for snow and the excrutiatingly slow arrival of Christmas. Would there be a Red Ryder B-B gun? And who doesn’t remember the challenges of snowpants, boots, mittens and stocking caps? Those items always seemed to prompt the urgency of bathroom treks, but NOT until you were fully mummified in the winter outerwear.

The coming of the first snow on winter’s eve was a good thing, I’ve decided. Helped me re-trace some days not unfamiliar to our classic friend Ralphie. It helped me appreciate a couple of good mugs of hot chocolate and the sounds of neighborhood school escapees frolicking in the winter froth. It was a good day to listen to holiday music. It was a good day to find a little escape from some crushing headlines, although my mind keeps repondering those awful events in Connecticut.

Here’s to the first snowfall and its welcomed moisture….and to hot chocolate…..and children gleefully escaping school for a day…..and holiday music…..and friends like you.

All the best of the seasons to you and those you hold most dear. This year, may we all hold those a little more tightly.

Peace,

Lance Hall

 Posted by Lance Hall

Woods Bros Realty professionals Polly Figueroa, Jennifer Gatlin, Jeff Graham and Russ Quick have all been awarded the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation.

These Realtors have completed the curriculum required for the designation by attending 90 hours of classroom instruction covering a variety of subjects, including contract law, professional standards, sales and marketing, finance and risk reduction.

The GRI designation sets those Realtors who have obtained it apart because it indicates to the public that they have obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base the services they provide.

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

Trish Jarvis, Bob Danley and Vladimir Oulianov, all of Woods Bros Realty in Lincoln, have been awarded the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the National Association of Realtors®.

Realtors who receive the CRS Designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated professional expertise in the field of residential real estate. Fewer than 31,000 Realtors® nationwide have earned the credential.

Home buyers and sellers can be assured that CRS Designees subscribe to the strict Realtors® code of ethics, have access to the latest technology and are specialists in helping clients maximize profits and minimize costs when buying or selling a home. For more information about the Council of Residential Specialists, visit www.crs.com.

Trish Jarvis has been a full time real estate professional at Woods Bros Realty for over 17 years. She specializes in residential sales: new construction and  existing homes, townhomes, acreages and downtown condos. She also represents Hausmann and Sons Construction.

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

Congratulations to Jean Piontek, who is celebrating 20 years with Woods Bros Realty. CEO Gene Brake and Wilderness Hills Office Managing Broker Judy Sasek presented her with a 20-year clock today.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Matt Kinning

Matt Kinning joins the Wilderness Hills office. He attended Southwest High School and studied Construction Management at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. He is also a member of Kinning Design Build, Inc.  They began building homes in the Lincoln area in 1986.  The company was founded as Kinning-Sydow Builders, Inc.  by two couples, Jerry and Julie Sydow and Mike and Mary Kinning.  The summer of 2010, ownership changed to Mike and Mary Kinning and their son Matt.  With second generation arising, Kinning Design Build, Inc. is eager to carry on the tradition and standards the company has been known for in the home building community for years. Matt can be reached at 402-430-1023 or Matt.Kinning@woodsbros.com.

 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

Kris Stettner

Kris Stettner joins the York office. She has been a licensed real estate agent since 2005. She began her career with Woods Bros Realty in Grand Island, NE. Kris and her husband Rick have 3 children. Rick was born and raised in Hampton, NE , they have lived in that area for 20 years. In their spare time you can find them at ball games. Kris can be reached at 402-631-7619 or kris.stettner@woodsbros.com

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty

Cathy Dennison

Cathy Dennison joins the Beatrice office. Cathy has a background in accounting and has been a licensed real estate agent since 2005. As an U.S. Navy veteran, Cathy had the opportunity to travel around the country and that didn’t stop when she married her husband, Don. They have moved several times and recently settled in Beatrice to be closer to family. Cathy and Don enjoy spending time with their seven grandchildren. Cathy can be reached at 402-741-2074 or cathy.dennison@woodsbros.com.

 Posted by Woods Bros Realty