Did you know that paying $1,200 a month in rent will amount to paying $72,000 towards someone else's mortgage, in five years? Not ideal...but here's how we can help...

I wanted to invite you to a Home Buying Workshop that I will be co-hosting with mortgage expert, Christie Valli.

Our workshop will be geared towards first time home buyers, or anyone who needs a refresher on the financing and home buying process. We will be teaching about down payment assistance, equity in ownership, as well as the process by which you purchase a home in the current market. 
It's a free workshop, breakfast is provided, and we will even have some fun door prizes.

Fell free to pass this invite along. And, if you, or anyone you know, is interested in attending, please reserve your spot by emailing or calling me directly:
(248)-981-2160

Saturday, March 10th at 10am-noon

Keller Williams
901 Wilshire Dr.
Troy, MI 48084

Take Care,

Jenn Batey

Thankfully, most of the time my children are fairly healthy little humans. Today, however, I had to bring one of them to the doctors to be tested for the flu. Gratefully, the test was negative...phew.

On the way home from the doctors, I decided to make my favorite Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. This recipe has comforted my family in both sicknesses and health.

My secret ingredient is the leeks! I accidentally made this soup about ten years ago, when I realized that I only had leeks in my fridge; no onions. That mistake was the best thing that could have ever happened to this recipe...I hope you like it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of butter
Olive Oil, or EVOO
1 whole chicken
1 leek, sliced
1 bunch of celery, sliced or chopped
1 bag of baby carrots, cut in half or thirds
LOTS of Sea Salt
Pepper
Pasta (optional-I use gluten free)
Coriander, or other spices (optional)

Generously swirl the bottom of a giant pot or Dutch oven with Olive Oil.
Add the butter and melt.
Add the chopped vegetables, and a generous amount of Sea Salt (I do about 15+ turns on my salt grinder) and saute on medium high for about 8-12 minutes...make sure the leeks and celery look slightly translucent.

Add the entire chicken to the sauteed vegetables, then fill the pot with water until the chicken is covered, or almost covered.

Bring to a boil, and allow soup to boil (in between a simmer and a rapid boil) for about 2 hours.

Take out the chicken and place it into a pan with sides (so the juices don’t spill all over).

Reduce the soup to a simmer, keep simmering while you prep the meat.

Slice apart the chicken in a few places, and let it cool for around 20 minutes, until it is cool enough to handle.

After the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bones. Break apart the meat into desired bite size pieces and add the chicken meat back to the soup.

Taste and re-salt. Add pepper (and any other spices you enjoy such as Coriander).

Let simmer until the carrots are a desired texture. You can add any pasta you would like, now.
Boil the pasta for the required amount of time… and your done!

*If you are going to use gluten free pasta, cook the noodles separately, and add the cooked noodles to the soup for best results.*

I like to let the soup cool for awhile, and then do a final salting, if needed.

Enjoy!!!

Stay healthy, everyone,

Jenn
 

GREAT QUESTION!

With the rise in technology, and websites like Zillow, Trulia and Realtor, one might legitimately consider the necessity of using a Real Estate Agent when buying or selling their home. Millions of homeowners are able to access 'Zestimates,' and the like, to obtain a computer-generated home value estimation. You would think this rise in technology would have put a significant dent in our industry, wouldn't you? Surprisingly, though, according to the National Association of Realtors, almost 90% of home buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent in 2016. That stat is up almost 70% from 2001. 

That begs the question...why?

I speculate the answer lies in the needs confronting our clients that cannot be met through technology, alone. Although technology definitely has it's place, and should be utilized by agents and owners alike, technology is, at its core, a tool. It can help automate your home search, it can help confirm your home value, and it can make marketing your home much more effective and efficient. However, at the end of the day, technology will never replace the education, expertise, service, and connection offered by a proficient agent. 

When our clients sit down to sign those closing docs, we consider it our job to make sure that they understand everything they are about to sign. We are intentional about educating our clients, so that on closing day, they feel confident concerning the value of the home they are about to buy and/or sell. We want our clients to have enjoyed the process, and most importantly, we want to make sure that when they are handed their new keys, they feel safeguarded and optimistic about the future ahead of them; a true celebration!

Technology is vital to our industry, and we are so thankful for that. But, always keep in mind that your home is perhaps the largest and most important investment in your life and portfolio. That investment deserves attention, service, and solid expertise...and you deserve peace of mind. 

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Real Estate...Uncomplicated