Tim Bayne

Tim Bayne joins the North office. Tim is a lifelong Lincoln resident. He has invested the majority of his life in education/training at the public schools, university level and overseas.  Tim has a strong background in working with and helping individuals in pursuing their future dreams. He is looking forward to helping clients achieve their dream of being a home owner. Tim can be reached at 402-429-8121 or tim.bayne@homerealestate.com.

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.homerealestate.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.HomeRealEstate.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!

The goal of the Mark of Excellence award is to promote professionalism in the industry by recognizing members for their participation at the local and national levels of the REALTOR® organization, for activities in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Institutes, Societies and Councils, for Designations earned, for educational activities and for political involvement. Obtaining the Mark of Excellence award results in better educated, active members who will bring credit to themselves, to the Association, to their clients and to the public by demonstrating functions of being a professional.

Since 1917, the Nebraska REALTORS® Association has served as The Voice for Real Estate in Nebraska™. Our 4,000 plus members subscribe to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and take pride in the communities in which we work, serve and live.

Vladimer Gorbun

Vladimer Gorbun joins the Pine Lake office. He grew up in Waverly, Nebraska. After graduating from Waverly High School, he moved to Lincoln with his wife Lydi. He enjoys playing different sports with friends and spending time with his family.  He is very excited about joining his wife Lydi at the Pine Lake office and looks forward to working with  you. Vladimer can be reached at 402-217-0771 or Vladimer.Gorbun@homerealestate.com.

John Craw

John Craw joins the Pioneer Greens office. John grew up in a military family, moving every 3-5 years for his whole life. He is familiar with finding a house and what it takes to turn it into a home. John moved to Lincoln to be active in golf. He spent the last 16 years as Director of Golf at Holmes Park Golf Course. His hobbies include helping his wife in the yard, spending time with grandchildren and golf. John can be contacted at 402-570-4667 or john.craw@homerealestate.com.

Janelle Wise

Janelle Wise joins the Pioneer Greens office. Janelle has been licensed since 2004 and excited to return to real estate. Her hobbies include spending time with grandkids, baking, boating and spending time outdoors. Janelle can be reached at 402-429-7679 or Janelle.Wise@homerealestate.com.

CEO Gene Brake with Celebrity Judges Miss Nebraska Kayla Batt, News Anchor Rod Fowler and Chef Jake Thiesen.

HOME Real Estate agents and staff helped to raise nearly $3,000 during the third annual Soup or Chili Cook-off for Cancer Wednesday in Lincoln.

The Chili Cook-Off itself raised $1,840 for the American Cancer Society through the voting beans and cookbooks sold. An additional $1,135 was raised in a silent auction to go toward a local REALTOR’s lung transplant fund. The group raised about $1,200 in 2010 and $1,700 in 2011.

This year marked the first Celebrity Judge Award, which went to Rachael Pittman and Casey Collins of the Woods Bros Realty Beatrice office. Celebrity Judges were 2011 Miss Nebraska Kayla Batt, KLKN-TV Anchor Rod Fowler, and Sandhills Golf Club Head Chef Jake Thiesen.

The People’s Choice Award (with the most beans) went to Susan Ferris of the Woods Bros Realty Wilderness Hills office. 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. Entries ranged from sweet and spicy beef chili to even Thai-style chicken soup and potato soup.

“Not only was it a good event to raise money and awareness, but also to fellowship with other REALTORS,” said HomeServices of Nebraska CEO Gene Brake.

The 2012 participants from HOME Real Estate were: Jan Thomas, Cotner; Donna Shinaut, North; Barb Bulow and Stacy Grooms, Pioneer Greens; Don Dahlquist and Patti Whitbeck, Pine Lake. Larry Melichar represented the Support Services office.

Tracy Oehlerking joins the Cotner office. She grew up in Scottsbluff, NE and move to Lincoln to become a hair stylist. She was in the hair industry for 26 years and decided to make the change to Real Estate. Her hobbies include gardening, decorating, shopping and reading. Tracy can be reached at 402-417-3414 or tracy.oehlerking@homerealestate.com.

Lee Saltzgaber joins the North office. He grew up in Palmer, NE (North of Grand Island). He attended University of Nebraska Kearney where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. He loves spending time with his wife Kristin and their two children.  Lee can be reached at 402-440-8424 or lee.saltzgaber@homerealestate.com.

New additions this year include three celebrity guest judges: 2011 Miss Nebraska Kayla Batt, KLKN-TV Anchor Rod Fowler, and Sandhills Golf Club Head Chef Jake Thiesen. Furthermore, the group is introducing a silent auction to help raise additional funds. 100 percent of the proceeds go to the local American Cancer Society. The group raised about $1,200 in 2010 and $1,700 in 2011.

“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 and Woods Bros Realty agents and staff, along with staff from Nebraska Land Title and Abstract, 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 their name on the Top Chef plaque.

The 2012 participants from HOME Real Estate are: Jan Thomas, Cotner; Donna Shinaut, North; Barb Bulow and Stacy Grooms, Pioneer Greens; Don Dahlquist and Patti Whitbeck, Pine Lake. Larry Melichar is cooking for the Support Services office.

Here are the January numbers from all HOME Real Estate offices including Lincoln, Seward and Milford:

• $16,030,209 Total Volume Sold (Down 9% from Jan. 2011)
• 120 Total Sides Sold (Down 5% from Jan. 2011)
• 212 Sides Placed Under Contract (Up 16% from Jan. 2011)
• 495,516 Page Views on HomeRealEstate.com
• 57,393 User Sessions on HomeRealEstate.com
• 7,944 User Sessions from a Mobile Device
• 66 New Saved Searches on HomeRealEstate.com
• 1,630 New Saved Properties on HomeRealEstate.com
• 218 New Customers/Clients on HomeRealEstate.com
• 1,055 Daily Active Users on Facebook.com/HomeRealEstate
• 74 Text Inquiries to HOME4U at 59559
• 3.099 Guided Tour Views at HomeRealEstate.com
• 164 Views at HomeRealEstateTV.com

View our monthly Market Snapshot here.

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 HOME Real Estate’s commitment to our clients and agents to simplify the real estate transaction. For more information, contact a HOME agent.