Laura Frantz

Laura Frantz joins the Pioneer Greens office. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. She attended Lincoln East high school and University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She is married to Kendall and they have one child. In her free time, Laura enjoys traveling, shopping and spending time with family. Laura can be reached at 402-570-9000 or Laura.Frantz@HomeRealEstate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

Shining Star Jane Bartunek with CFO Todd Yorges

Jane Bartunek, staff member at the HOME Real Estate Pioneer Greens office in Lincoln, was named the Shining Star for May. 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.

Jane’s nomination said:

“Where do you begin with Jane? She is committed to HOME Real Estate, she takes her job to the next level. She has been with the company 19 years. Is always there for the agents, jumps up to assist in any situation, greets everyone when they come through the door. I find that all I have to do is mention something about a project or something that we need to look into and it is done. She always assists other offices when they call and ask a question. Even corporate will call and ask her questions when they run into a problem with the day to day operation of a system that may not be going smoothly. She is the cheerleader of the office, sets up fundraisers for agents and their families when they need assistance, and has even been known to jump out of a plane for cancer!! She is the glue of the office and we would come apart at the seams if she weren’t here!!!

Every day, Every way, Jane deserves a Shining Star Award…our office runs smoothly because of Jane Bartunek…she is ALWAYS willing to lend a helping hand, and so VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE about Real Estate…we ALL look to Jane to know what to do when we have exhausted our own resources, she is always willing to help us figure it out…not to mention she is willing to listen to each agents daily problems because she truly cares, and keeps them to herself.”

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 byHOME Real Estate

Andie Gaide

Andie Gaide joins the Pine Lake office. She grew up in Lakewood, Colorado before moving to Nebraska to attend school at Concordia University in Seward. She will graduate with her bachelor of science degree in Business Communications and minor in Psychology in May 2013. When she is not studying, Andie enjoys running, cooking and spending time with family in the Rocky Mountains. She is excited to be a part of the HOME Real Estate family! Andie can be reached at 303-502-6532 or Andrea.Gaide@HomeRealEstate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

Pat Ohmberger

Pat L. Ohmberger with HOME Real Estate’s Pine Lake office was honored as the 2013 Nebraska REALTOR® of the Year during the Nebraska REALTORS® Association Convention and Exhibition, April 15-17.

The Nebraska REALTOR® of the Year is the highest honor awarded by the Nebraska REALTORS® Association and is given to a member who exemplifies service not only to the association, but to the community and the real estate industry at large.

For the Nebraska REALTORS® Association, Ohmberger is a former state association president and currently serves on numerous committees, including the Graduate REALTORS® Institute (GRI) Board of Governors, REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Trustees, and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Ohmberger is a past president of the REALTORS® Association of Lincoln (RAL) and was also the 2004 REALTOR® of the Year for RAL, 2005 state and local Member of the Year for the Women’s Council of REALTORS® (WCR), 2007 WCR Lincoln Business Woman of the Year and served as the Regional Vice President for WCR in 2005 and 2012.

For the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), Ohmberger served as the Nebraska Representative for the Major Investors Council in 2012 and continues in that role for 2013. Ohmberger is also a 2011 graduate of NAR’s Leadership Academy.

Ohmberger holds her Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), GRI, and At Home With Diversity (AHWD) designations.

Ohmberger was born in Crete, Nebraska. She and her husband, Jim, live in Lincoln. Ohmberger has two children, 2 grandchildren and is a step mom and step grandmother to her husband’s two children and three grandchildren.

HOME Real Estate, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway and wholly owned subsidiary of HomeServices of America, is the area’s leading real estate company serving the Lincoln, Seward, and surrounding areas. The company’s agents are committed to providing clients with exceptional service in all stages of the building, buying, and selling process, including real estate, mortgage, title, and insurance. For more information about HOME Real Estate, visit www.HomeRealEstate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

Jennifer Witzel

Jennifer Witzel joins the Cotner office. She grew up in Champion, NE. She moved to Lincoln in 1996, married and started a family. Her hobbies include wake boarding, cooking and spending time with family. Jennifer can be reached at 402-416-9858 or jennifer.witzel@homerealestate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

John Crumrine

John Crumrine joins the North office. He was born and raised in Grand Island, NE. He began his interest in real estate from his mother who is an agent in Grand Island. John and his soon to be wife Joni will be married in May of 2013. His hobbies include fishing, boating and spending time with family. John can be reached at 402-499-5079 or John.Crumrine@homerealestate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

Donna & Larry Melichar

HOME Real Estate agents and staff helped to raise more than $2,000 during the fourth annual Soup or Chili Cook-Off for Cancer Wednesday in Lincoln.

The Chili Cook-Off raised $2,190 for the American Cancer Society through the voting beans and cookbooks sold. The group has raised a total of nearly $8,000 to date.

The People’s Choice Award (with the most beans) went to Donna Melichar of the HOME Real Estate Pine Lake office. Deb Wagner of the Woods Bros Realty Lincolnshire Square office won second place, and Regina Kastrup of the HOME North office won third. Voters were made up of HOME and Woods Bros agents and staff, along with staff from Nebraska Land Title and Abstract, HomeServices Lending, HomeServices of Nebraska Insurance and Larabee School of Real Estate.

This year the Celebrity Judge Award went to Karalyn Hoefer of the Wilderness Hills office for her Southwest corn chowder. Celebrity judges were Channel 8 Eyewitness News Anchor Rod Fowler, Country Club of Lincoln Executive Chef Lorin Dagel, and Miss Star City Kalyssa Hoefer.

Lorin Dagel, Kalyssa Hoefer, Rod Fowler & Gene Brake

“We’ve had a lot of cancer within our organization, and it’s just affected so many families, so many agents, that we wanted to do something,” HomeServices of Nebraska CEO Gene Brake said. “This was our way of participating and trying to help find a cure.”

The 2013 participants from HOME Real Estate were: Tracy Oehlerking, Cotner; Regina Kastrup, North; Betty Burback, Pioneer Greens; and Donna Melichar, Pine Lake. Connie Hain represented the Support Services office, and Samantha Kinnett and Mary Pro cooked for NLTA.

View photos from the event here.

Channel 8 covered the event as well.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

Holly Thoene

Holly Thoene joins the North office. She was born and raised in Lincoln, NE. She is married to Neil and they have two children, ages 3 and 4. Her hobbies include reading mystery novels and spending time with family. Holly can be reached at 402-805-9544 or Holly.Thoene@homerealestate.com.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

HOME Real Estate is gearing up for the fourth annual Soup or Chili Cook-off for Cancer Wednesday, February 27 at 11:30 a.m. at 3355 Orwell St. in Lincoln.

Celebrity guest judges this year are: Channel 8 Eyewitness News Anchor Rod Fowler, Country Club of Lincoln Executive Chef Lorin Dagel, and Miss Star City Kalyssa Hoefer. All of the proceeds go to the local American Cancer Society. The group raised about $1,200 in 2010, $1,700 in 2011, and $2,975 in 2012, with $1,840 going to the American Cancer Society and the remainder to support an agent’s transplant fund.

“Cancer has affected so many of our family of agents and employees that we wanted to find a way to support this worthwhile cause and put the heat on cancer,” said HomeServices of Nebraska CEO Gene Brake.

HOME agents and staff, along with staff from Nebraska Land Title and Abstract (NLTA), HomeServices Lending, HomeServices of Nebraska Insurance and Larabee School of Real Estate vote for their favorite soup or chili with purchased voting beans. The winning chef gets bragging rights and his/her name on the Top Chef plaque.

The 2013 participants from HOME Real Estate are: Tracy Oehlerking, Cotner; Regina Kastrup, North; and Donna Melichar, Pine Lake. Connie Hain is cooking for the Support Services office, and Samantha Kinnett and Mary Pro are cooking for NLTA.

 Posted byHOME Real Estate

HomeRealEstate.com is currently down for scheduled maintenance, which can occur on Sundays between 12am and 4am CST.  It’s not every Sunday, but if you’re seeing this – we’re hard at work doing some upgrades to our web platform for you.

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

• iPhone/iPad
• Android

We will be back online and back to normal after 4am, so feel free to come back and see us again then!

 Posted byHOME Real Estate