Brokers Attend National Land Conference in Nashville TN

 

Innovative Land Solutions, Inc. Brokers Mary Beth Blythe and Harriette M. O’Zell attended the Realtors Land Institute 2009 National Land Conference on March 26-28 in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

The two day conference offered attendees thought provoking education sessions that delivered strategic insights on the big issues facing land professionals in today’s market.  As well as networking opportunities to market local properties and buyer’s wants on the national level.  

 

According to Mary Beth Blythe, “ it is organizations such as RLI (Realtors Land Institute) that allow Innovative Land Solutions and it’s agents to provide a higher level of service to their customers/clients. It sets us apart. Education and networking within a specialized market are the key to successful land transactions.”

 

Topics discussed in Nashville included, 2009 economic outlook, mini-farms, highest & best use of lg. tracts for alternate energy (wind and solar farming), proper management of recreational properties.

 

David Morris, founder of Tecomate Wildlife Systems and television host of  “The Bucks of Tecomate”, was among the many guest speakers providing valuable information to the approx. 230  attendees from all over the United States.

 

“It is attending events such as this one that gives our firm the ability to better serve our clients and customers…The education, information and networking opportunities give us an edge that traditional brokerage marketing philosophies do not cover and this is paramount in any market”… Harriette Ozell

 

RLI was established in 1944 and is the only real estate organization dedicated to serving real estate professionals who broker, lease, sell, develop and manage land.  Members of RLI receive specialized education, networking opportunities, and research tools geared specifically to land transactions.

 

For more information on this event and services offered by Innovative Land Solutions please visit their web site at www.innovativelandsolutions.com

LOCAL REALTOR® ACHIEVES NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® GREEN DESIGNATION

March 2, 2009

Brunswick, GA– Mary Beth Blythe with Innovative Land Solutions Inc. has been awarded the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR’s) Green Designation, the only green real estate professional designation recognized by NAR. Mary Beth achieved this prestigious designation after completing 18 hours of course work designed specifically for REALTORS®. The courses were created in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of industry experts from across the country; ensuring designees gain comprehensive knowledge of green homes and buildings and issues of sustainability in relation to real estate.More specifically, Mary Beth was trained in understanding what makes a property green, helping clients evaluate the cost/benefits of green building features and practices, distinguishing between industry rating and classification systems, listing and marketing green homes and buildings, discussing the financial grants and incentives available to homeowners, and helping consumers see a property’s green potential.
“As energy costs rise along with concern for the environment, homeowners are looking for innovative ways to save money and live responsibly,” said Dick Gaylord, NAR’s immediate past president. NAR’s Green Designation was developed in response to growingconsumer awareness of the benefits of resource-efficient homes and buildings. The designation helps consumers who care about energy efficiency and sustainable building practices identify REALTORS® who can help them realize their green real estate and lifestyle goals.
As an NAR Green Designee, Mary Beth has gained the knowledge and the tools necessary to become a trusted green resource for Brunswick, Blackshear, Waycross and the Southeast Ga. area.

For more information about Mary Beth Blythe please visit www.innovativelandsolutions.com or marybeth@innovativelandsolutions.com.

For more information about NAR’s newest designation, visit www.greenresourcecouncil.org

Goodbye Mayberry!!

With the steady rise in  population and  influx of  northern “snow birds” to the deep south, the good ole’ days of sitting on the front porch with a cold glass of lemonade and waving to the neighbors as they walk by (and knowing them by their first name) are a thing of the past. The small,  sleepy communities of south Georgia are becoming fast paced, moderately  populated cities. It is my opinion that if these communities don’t acknowledge this change and embrace it, the town will suffer the consequences. Change will come…either the town will grow and prosper or it will wither and die. Community leaders and elected officials should lead the growth in a positive direction, not fight against it. So why do they?? A popular saying comes to mind when I ask this question……..”I like change..you go first” or maybe even “who moved my cheese?”. Small town America needs visionaries who embrace the change and are willing to lead the communities on that path of growth, not down a path to destitute.  This post is not to provide an answer but to find one… why are we fighting the inevitable? Why are we not leading change in the direction we want it to go rather than letting it lead us???? I anxiously await your views.

“Going Green” – What does it really mean??

“Green”   — What does going green really mean?  On the television, on the radio, at the grocery store, in the retail stores, everywhere you go you hear  this word “GREEN”. With the increasing populations of our cities and towns, comes the concerns over the environmental impact or the “footprint”  that we are  creating. “Going Green” means different things to different people. Some hear it and immediately envision tree-hugging activists or “Save the Whales”, while others think  recycling, alternative energy, organic farming, paper vs. plastic, energy effecient appliances, water conservation…the list goes on.  In the real estate industry, we are challenged with the task of serving a new generation of clients, those who understand and appreciate the importance of protecting our environment for future generations. The goal of the REALTOR is to educate  our clients on the features or designs of  homes and/or businesses  that will ultimately save them  money as well be eco- friendly. One can emphasize home  features / designs  that are environmentally friendly but we are still in a mindset that is driven by the motivation to  save money, fortunately they  go hand in hand. Simple things that we do everyday can save the environment and save you money. GREEN is a broad term that is very subjective. Innovative Land Solutions is going to put you  in the driver’s seat and provide you with a map so that you can explore the world of  “Going Green!”  I will post tips and resources that will help you better understand how you can make an impact while putting a little extra “green” in your pockets.  Look for the “Green Tip” of the day in  daily blogs and keep this in mind:

“When we walk on Mother Earth we always plant our feet very carefully because we know the faces of our future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground and we never forget them”

Chief Oren Lyons , Onondaga Faith Keeper

Hello world!

Welcome to Innovative Land Solutions. My Associate Broker  &  friend  Harriette O’zell and myself Mary Beth Blythe joined with Greg Lee and Eldon Mixon about 7 months ago to form our company Innovative Land Solutions. The goal of our company is offer a new twist to real estate through out of the box thinking and specialized targeted marketing. We focus mainly on land, commercial and developments but we still handle traditional residential real estate and provide consultations as well. Innovative Land Solutions is putting together a team of specialists who can bring to the table a wide array of knowledge. Through this blog, I hope to bring information that will be both informative and entertaining to our clients and customers.  Harriette and I  could write a book on our “mis-adventures”.  Look forward to “talking dirt” with you!!