Valerie Osterhoudt's Blog

PAY IT FORWARD... I  can only hope.  I have written a few times about a friend of my sons, and how he has taken food from my home. How he is only 12 years old and has the responsibility of taking care of his 2 year old niece.. without adult supervision at times.  He is the one that I bought flowers for, so he could give it to his mom for Mother's Day.

Two days ago, on Friday, I caught wind of a church here in Cromwell, CT that is looking to help out a needy family.  I called the church and explained what was going on, and gave them as much information as I could on this boy, who is my son's best friend, and what his family is going through.

They thanked me and said they would look into it.  There is no way I will ever know if this family is chosen by this church, but at least there is hope.

PAY IT FORWARD... Cleaning up after a client tried.  I always get a good feeling when I am able to help out a client and see them move from a rental property to their own home. 

This client I worked with for the last 2 months is no exception.  She had difficulties *years* ago with keeping up her mortgage and decided to sell her home before it went into a short sale and moved into a rental property.  She wanted to  regroup, pay bills and get her life back on track and decided to rent for a few years.

Two weeks ago she moved into her new home.  She was so excited.  Being older and have limitations with mobility, she cleaned her rental apartment the best she could.  The management company denied her deposit to be returned.  They felt it was cleaned enough/ or well enough to their liking. 

I asked her to call them back and see if it were to be clean again, could they come back through for a second check.

She called be back and said they would, but she didn't see how it was possible.  I politely asked her for a key to her apartment, and left it at that.  This past week, I spent 3 days there cleaning a little each time.  The last day I brought my rug shampooer and did all the rugs.  By that point, the place looked good when it was done.  My shampooer *died* but it did helping someone else.

I asked her to come over Saturday, yesterday.  When she walked in the door she almost collapsed.. she was shocked to she how clean it was.  She was anticipating coming over to help me clean.  LOL.  That was my surprise to her... and my gift for buying a home.

I hope she now gets her deposit back... she deserves it.

PAY IT FORWARD.... Recycling bottles and cans...As many of you know, when it comes to recycling and helping out this planet, I'll do my share.  I've even posted blogs about the local Boy Scouts in Cromwell, CT that month take donations of recyclables.  This is coming up again too.

However the last 2 months I have missed this event.  So, I've been carrying around bottles and cans in the back of my van for 2 months now.  I keep adding to them, saying I will make to next months' Boy Scout Drive.  That is until yesterday when I was driving around and hearing nothing but bottle clanking in the back of my van... I couldn't take it any more.  So, I went to Stop n' Shop (a local grocery store) and went to recycle them myself.  UGH.

I loaded up a carriage, and had to make two trips... not fun.  After an half hour of nothing put putting these bottles, cans and plastic bottles into machines, I came out with $14.70 in receipts...  that is  354 bottles/cans... unbelievable.  I now see why the Boy Scouts collect these... they can make a good sum of money for their cause.

I was just finishing up putting the last few cans in the machine when a mother and 3 children came in to recycle their cans.  Noticing their attire, I realized they were upon hard times.  Clothes were dirty, hair unkempt, etc.

So, instead of taking the receipts into the store, I went over to this woman and asked if she could do me a favor.. I said "Excuse me, I just noticed the time, and I am now running late for a meeting and just don't have time to cash these receipts... Would you mind taking them for me"?

She was a little taken aback at first and didn't know what to say... I continued by saying "I'd really appreciate it if you take these receipts, otherwise they will just sit in my van... and maybe get misplaced".

She took them, and said "Thank you".  The smile on her face when I left was well worth giving them away. 

I felt like I walked away with more than $14.70 would ever do for me.  Doing this gave me such a good feeling, that I felt I was walking on air the rest of the day, I think I will do this again some day.

FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION ON REAL ESTATE... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AGENT 

Info about the author:

Valerie Osterhoudt is a Cromwell Connecticut Residential Realtor who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Middlesex County of CT, which includes Cromwell, Rocky Hill, Berlin, Middletown, Wethersfield, Newington, as well as all other surrounding areas.  Please visit me at www.CTrealtorMLS.com for all your relocation and/or local needs.  

For real estate.. all you need to know, is VALERIEO  

If you're thinking about buying a home in Cromwell CT area, there are plenty of great buys in today's market.  There is no better time than now to take advantage of these homes while interest rates remain at an all time low.  For more information on Cromwell CT real estate's homes and/or condos please visit Johnson Real Estate to access the newest listings.

  Copyright © 2011 - By Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR - All rights reserved...... ***PAY IT FORWARD.... Recycling bottles and cans...***

Pay It Forward... Don't walk home in the rain.

My son had a friend over for the day, if is the beginning of Spring break from school.  When it was time for him to go home, I couldn't believe how hard it is raining.. and it is only to get worse tonight. We drove slowly, it was just so hard to see.

When I dropped him off, I couldn't wait to get home.  At the last light I took a right into the condo complex.  What I saw was so upsetting, that it still bothers me.  There was this older woman (who I do know.. that goodness) was walking home from the grocery store.  YES, in the pouring rain.  She was pulling one of those baskets on wheels, filled with groceries.  I IMMEDIATELY pulled over and asked was she OK, why was she walking in the rain?

Seems her daughter was supposed to pick her up, but she blew her off.. she rather go out with her friends.  She had no other way of getting home, so she was walking it... IN THE RAIN. 

Thank goodness she knew me, she probably would not have gotten into my vehicle if she didn't.  This blows my mind, it is POURING rain. 

After I dropped her off at her condo, I gave her my cell phone number, this way if her daughter wouldn't help her, or she couldn't find a ride from a neighbor, I would help her out.

FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION ON REAL ESTATE... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AGENT 

Info about the author:

Valerie Osterhoudt is a Cromwell Connecticut Residential Realtor who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Middlesex County of CT, which includes Cromwell, Rocky Hill, Berlin, Middletown, Wethersfield, Newington, as well as all other surrounding areas.  Please visit me at www.CTrealtorMLS.com for all your relocation and/or local needs.  

For real estate.. all you need to know, is VALERIEO  

If you're thinking about buying a home in Cromwell CT area, there are plenty of great buys in today's market.  There is no better time than now to take advantage of these homes while interest rates remain at an all time low.  For more information on Cromwell CT real estate's homes and/or condos please visit Johnson Real Estate to access the newest listings.

Copyright © 2011 - By Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR - All rights reserved...... ***PAY IT FORWARD.... Don't walk home in the rain***

For the past 5 years, during the winter months I would make homemade soups.  It started out where I would share this with the staff in my office and then it began to grow.  It went from 5 people up to around 15.  It looked like a restaurant in my kitchen with the huge pots, and the amount of food.

This past year with my surgeries, I just couldn't do this.. and everyone understood. 

Back in the beginning of March, I was planning on meeting a client for lunch when I received a call that she is in the hospital, she had to have emergency rotator cuff surgery.  Being 80 years young, I knew this would be a surgery that would take a while to heal from.  Seeing that I've had four of these surgeries, I knew what she would be facing.

This past week she came home. Realizing that her arm would still be in a sling, and cooking would be difficult to say the least, I made my homemade chicken soup.  I brought over 2 quarts along with some Italian bread.

She was so elated, that she invited me to stay to join her this past Tuesday for dinner.  I did, but went back over on Wednesday with another quart of soup to replace the one we had the night before.

FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION ON REAL ESTATE... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AGENT 

Info about the author:

Valerie Osterhoudt is a Cromwell Connecticut Residential Realtor who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Middlesex County of CT, which includes Cromwell, Rocky Hill, Berlin, Middletown, Wethersfield, Newington, as well as all other surrounding areas.  Please visit me at www.CTrealtorMLS.com for all your relocation and/or local needs.  

For real estate.. all you need to know, is VALERIEO  

If you're thinking about buying a home in Cromwell CT area, there are plenty of great buys in today's market.  There is no better time than now to take advantage of these homes while interest rates remain at an all time low.  For more information on Cromwell CT real estate's homes and/or condos please visit Johnson Real Estate to access the newest listings.

 Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR - Johnson Real Estate, Inc. - 860.883.8889 cell - ValerieOhomes4u@gmail.com

 Copyright © 2011 - By Valerie Osterhoudt, ABR - All rights reserved...... ***PAY IT FORWARD... homemade chicken soup***