Homes for Heroes is pleased to introduce our new affiliate, Michele Ladd!
Michele is a NYS Licensed Associate Broker and has been loving her Real Estate career since 1996. Recently, Michele has committed herself to Exclusive Buyer’s Agency as her passion and joy is helping every buyer find their new home with complete loyalty and confidentiality and to make the process as enjoyable and stress free as possible.
Having a son in the Marines that has served in Iraq twice, Michele was searching for a way to give back to all of our heroes to say “thank you for all you do to protect and serve our country”. With Home for Heroes, she is thrilled to be able to offer 25% of her commission to help those that help us.
Rochester, NY is a beautiful place to live and Michele is excited to work with our heroes relocating as well as our local heroes searching for their new homes. Whether you are Military, Police, Firefighter, Healthcare Providers, Teachers or Pastors, give Michele a call today!
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Michele Ladd
True North Realtors
Associate Broker
Exclusive Buyers Agent
585-729-0966
Homes for Heroes wants to share this inspiring article about how firefighters rescued a family, including a 7-month old baby, from a fourth-floor window.
United States (New York) – Ten people including a 7-month-old child who was dangled from a fourth-floor window by her terrified cousin – were plucked from a Bronx apartment inferno in a stunning series of rescues yesterday, authorities said. Firefighters rushed to the high-rise on Pelham Parkway and Wallace Avenue shortly after 2 p.m. to find several people trapped in a smoke-clogged, three-bedroom apartment and many at windows gasping for air.
Homes for Heroes was founded shortly after the tragic events of 9/11.
Daily, for eight years throughout the country, we have strived to give back to those who give so much,and to honor and ensure a legacy of rememberence, for those who lost their lives that day.
Below is not just a video, but a documentary… Please watch so that WE WILL NEVER FORGET!
Until your good name is besmirched. Homes for Heroes in the past has taken people leveraging our brand as flattery. We often ask if they would like to continue to use our good name by joining forces with us, and if they do not want to we are okay with that decision also. But recently something came up that does need to be addressed. We will let the Morris Daily Herald explain it.
Illinois allegation hurts ‘real’ Heroes
Minneapolis, Minn–When Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan took enforcement action against the Minooka, Ill.-based Homes for Heroes Inc., says Brad Oosterhuis, it was not a reflection on the “real” Home for Heroes.
“Our organization has been serving heroes continuously since 2002, and we have a serious concern that the publication of the charge against the Homes for Heroes company in Illinois could seriously tarnish our good name,” said Oosterhuis, executive director of Home for Heroes, in a recent e-mail.
Since the founding of Homes for Heroes, a press release from the Minnesota-based organization notes, many organizations have tried to duplicate the Homes for Heroes model and have illegally used the trademarked name. The widespread recognition of the Homes for Heroes name across the nation has caused many groups to attempt to leverage this successful brand to their advantage.
“While Homes for Heroes encourages all companies to support our heroes, it is illegal for them to use the Homes for Heroes trademarked name,” said Ruth Johnson, president of Homes for Heroes. “It is especially disturbing when these organizations are providing false claims and tarnishing the good name and work that Homes for Heroes is doing.”
In an effort to advance its cause and protect its name, Home for Heroes, which is now in its seventh year of operation, recently created the Homes for Heroes Foundation.
Due to its highly recognized name and brand nationally, the press release notes, Homes for Heroes became inundated with calls that were predominantly from severely wounded military personnel asking for assistance.
“These requests went far beyond the scope of our business model and ability to help,” Johnson said. The shareholders of Homes for Heroes saw a need for a charitable organization that would have a similar vision to its own. After much thought and the desire to help, they formed the Homes for Heroes Foundation.
The foundation will endeavor to provide or coordinate financial assistance to the heroes of our nation, such as military, police officers, firefighters and first responders who are in need.
Meanwhile, with the busy spring housing market well under way, Homes for Heroes affiliates will continue to “give back” by providing significant savings to its local heroes, particularly military personnel, police officers, firefighters, teachers, health care workers and others who serve our country and communities everyday.
If you would like more information about the Homes for Heroes, please call Ruth Johnson at (866) 443-7637 or log onto www.homesforheroes.com or www.homesforheroesfoundation.org.
In her enforcement action against the Minooka-based company using the Homes for Heroes name, Attorney General Lisa Madigan alleged the company and its owner, Patrick Gleason of Minooka, conducted a fraudulent charitable solicitation campaign and engaged in deceptive practices by falsely representing the local Homes for Heroes is “a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.”
Gleason has gone on record calling the IAG’s action “absurd.”
“This is absurd,” he said. We filed for our corporation and status a long time ago. The IRS asked us to put it on good paper, not wallpaper. It was done, it was all signed and sent in again. So, they’re trying to smear our names with improprieties …”
For you Homes for Heroes affiliates in the Twin Cities area pay attention. There is some serious coinage being thrown around by Minneapolis and St. Paul first time home buyers. A federal program called Take Credit is providing $8 million in federal tax credits. First time home buyers need to purchase a home in Minneapolis or St. Paul before December 1 in order to get an $8,000 tax deduction. According to the article only 130 first time buyers will be able to take advantage of this program. To get the details on the Take Credit program do the obligatory click here and read more.
To sweeten the pot and make it more interesting, the City of St. Paul’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority has just voted on a first time home buyers program. They are putting up $500,000 for 33 first time “Hero” home buyers that want to live in St. Paul. Veterans, Police, Firefighters etc. will be able to get up to $15,000 in a zero percent loan to use towards down pay or principal reduction. In fact, no payments are necessary until you sell the home or no longer use it as a primary residence. Even bigger news is that if the buyer lives in the home for 10 years the loan will be retired.
Spread the word, the tax credits and the 33 loans will not last long. This HRA program combined with the benefits of the Homes for Heroes program will surely make home ownership for our heroes an easier reality. This program will launch later this month, so get moving and get some heroes into homes.
Since Homes for Heroes started doing Bio’s on our affiliates, we have asked the affiliate to provide some background information for us. With that info we would put together a post and put it out there. Reading this affiliates bio, there was not much more we needed to do. In his own words, Homes for Heroes, would like to introduce you to Mikal Knotek.
In 2006, the economy was beginning to unravel. The mortgage industry was the stone that broke the camels back with fraud and poor lending practices acting as the heaviest weight. I saw misinformed loan officers through out the industry using poor judgment and taking advantage of unknowing clients.
In 2007 I re-evaluated my business plan and included room to give back. I wanted to give back because the greedy side of our industry had taken so much. I wanted to change public perception and bring confidence back to my clients. It was important for them to know that Bell Mortgage was one of the good guys in the industry
I searched for several months to find an organization to align myself with that would take advantage of my skills in the finance industry. I knew right away after speaking with David Cohen and Ruth Johnson (Homes for Heroes) that Homes for Heroes would be the perfect fit.
The HFH philosophy is easy, do what’s best for our heroes. Homes for Heroes unites a whole industry on behalf of the Hero. No other program that I have seen does this. Becoming a Homes for Heroes affiliate has given me the opportunity to say thank you to the people who give everything of themselves every day.
MIkal Knotek
Mikal Knotek has been a successful mortgage professional, manager, technology entrepreneur, and industry consultant.
Mikal entered the mortgage industry in 1991 after the purchase of his first home. Learning the business from the ground up, he quickly moved his way up the ladder and became a leading roll in production. In 1997 he co-founded The Harrison-Knotek Group with his residential business partner, Kathy Harrison. In 1998 they moved their group to Bell Mortgage and helped evolve Bell into one of the area’s premier residential mortgage lenders. His residential origination’s exceed 300 million dollars over the past 15 years.
While still in the mortgage industry, Mikal founded Audit Technologies, a lender based audit and consulting firm. His keen industry insight gave new light to how lenders manage their service portfolio.
Audit Technologies and Mikal’s growing residential mortgage business led to the founding of Clear View Software, Inc. in 2001. Mikal used his industry knowledge and technical background to develop ground breaking industry technology that moved data to and from consumers and lenders with the highest level of speed and security. His company was later purchased by a leading Minnesota lender. Mikal’s extensive technical insight keeps Bell Mortgage at the forefront of industry changes and improvements.
In addition to Mikal’s residential originations, he is also co-founder of the Bell Mortgage Commercial Lending Group and oversees its day to day operations.
Not only does Homes for Heroes save you money in your real estate transactions, they also will pass on from time to time some great frugal ideas on how to save money in your day to day life. Last month we we spoke of some frugal tips that put a great dinner on your plate for under 5 bucks. We then followed up with some home gardening tips that will put nutritious vegetables on your plate saving you grocery and gas money.
Well today I found another couple of ways to save some serious cash. Just by reading this blog you will have the opportunity to save over 40 American dollars and put some decent chow in your belly.
The other day the batteries went out in my wireless mouse. I scrounged around looking for some batteries. They weren’t in the usual places so I started raiding the kids rooms. Cd players, remote game controllers etc. Couldn’t find any, so I gave up on watching TV. I can’t watch TV without a remote, probably a guy thing. So I went up to the computer and started some research for frugal blogging. I found these next two videos that will be very helpful to any one who has a remote or digital calculator.
This video saved me an evening of work. I pulled down the smoke detector and tore the nine volt apart. Sure enough, there was some spare batteries for the remote. There are savings right there. 4 AAA batteries cost about 4 to 5 dollars. A single nine volt is under 2. My curiosity peaked I went back to YouTube and looked for some more interesting battery saving tricks. Here is another that will have even bigger savings if you are the type that likes little battery operated gadgets.
I am now off to the store to purchase my 12 volt battery. I will need the savings because the wife was not too happy about my foray into frugal battery saving. She said something about safety and having the house burn down while we sleep. So off I go to the hardware store down the street. On the way there I could stop at the Red Robin and get a free burger. You didn’t think that I would just give you some frugal tips without including food. No, Ninja’s need nutrition too. This web site has some more ideas on not only where to get a few free meals but also some other great stuff for free. Check it out and see if there is anything there that you might be thinking of spending money on. It is more frugal if you could get it at no cost.
If you have any frugal tricks let’s hear about them. Post a comment and I will see if we can get it into another blog. I have to cut this one short. My eldest agitator seems to be having some disagreements on child raising. Will inform you all tomorrow.
Homes for Heroes would like to introduce to you another Homes for Heroes affiliate here in Minneapolis.
David Cohen
David A. Cohen has been a Residential Realtor since 1995. He has built his career based on determination to protect and advocate for his clients best interests. His goal is to educate his clients so that they can make the best possible buying or selling decision for their families’ lifestyles as well as their financial future.
David has well balanced skill set to insure a well thought-out and well informed transaction. He prides himself on his analytical skills for assisting buyers and sellers interpret the vast market data. He is a master marketer who knows how to expose his seller’s properties by using old school gorilla marketing and using cutting edge online marketing technology.
Most importantly David understands the human and emotional element of Real Estate. He truly cares and takes a personal stake in each of his clients’ transactions. He treats his clients like they are family. That is what has driven David to join Homes for Heroes. He has a passion for giving back to our nation’s heroes! He said,” It is least I can do to back those individuals who have chosen to put their lives at risk to protect our society’s well being and defend our freedom.” He also believes in giving back to The Silent Heroes like the Nurses who are on the front line of health care and our educators who we are trusting with our number one resource, our children. David thinks that participating in Homes for Heroes is the right thing to do! It is the least he can do to say THANKS!
Now I had mentioned that David Cohen has an eye for marketing and now I can get to Elwood. You all remember the great car chase scene from the Blues Brothers. Homes for Heroes and David Cohen had an opportunity to meet the real Elwood at a local wine shop. The idea hit David hard and the rest is Home for Heroes history.
This last Saturday, Dan Aykroyd (aka Elwood Blues) was in Minneapolis promoting his new Wine and Vodka Products. He generously offered Police, Firefighters and Military (our heroes) a free autographed bottle of wine! And of course David was there clad in his Home for Heroes sweatshirt. Never missing an opportunity to spread the word of Homes for Heroes to a captive audience; David seized this highly publicized event to stand in line for FOUR HOURS to hand out lovely Home for Heroes T-shirts he digitally prints himself. When finally his turn in front this celeb for a signed bottle of wine, David offered Mr. Aykroyd his very own Homes for Heroes t-shirt. Seeming to welcome a chance to take a break from the repetition of signing bottles endlessly for hours, he happily replied ” Thanks, that’s a great program!”
Elwood driving got David to the event on time.
David and his gift for Dan Aykroyd
The driving and the wait pays off.
The day was a success for David Cohen and Homes for Heroes. If you are looking for a truly dedicated Realtor that will ensure you receive top notch service with enthusiastic marketing knowledge visit our web site to get in contact with David.
3 shattered coffee cups, 3 messily dismantled ink cartridges, one worn out electric pencil sharpener, 721 pencil stubs (that is how many pencils it takes to wear out an electric pencil sharpener), and one semi-melted microwave oven. That’s it. That is the only damage that has occurred at the Homes for Heroes office in the last two weeks. I think I have been on my best behavior.
Apparently not well behaved enough. My boss just walked in this morning and dropped a newspaper on my desk. Reaching for the paper, my boss put her hand on it inhibiting my retrieval. She looked at me and asked if I had left the country this weekend. I took a quick look at my shoes, just to make sure before I answered her. Nope, they were not my traveling out of country shoes, I looked back at her and answered, “I don’t think so.”
Then it hit me. When trained as a ninja, keen observation was drilled daily and was a required skill. I am a natural at observation and it only took me a few seconds to realize my boss was not only holding the paper in place on my desk, but she was also pointing at an article on top of the fold. With a knowing smile, I nod my head in understanding of what she was doing. She is lucky to have someone with my skills in her office. I can tell she knows that too. Her sighs and head-shaking can only mean she is trying to shake those goose bumps after she talks with me.
Australian wrestles kangaroo from family home, read the title. What could she be talking about I thought as I started to read the article. Somewhere around the second paragraph my eyes widened in disbelief. “My initial thought when I was half awake was, ‘It’s a lunatic ninja coming through the window,‘” Beat Ettlin (yes his real name) said.
Doesn’t he understand? Ninja’s do not, nor have any need to break through a window at night just to jump on the bed. I have many times snuck into homes, find the sleeping victims and jump on their bed without them even knowing. That is how good us ninja’s are. This injustice must be corrected. We are always getting a bum rap.
It occurred to me that my boss suspects that I may have something to do with this. She knows I am a ninja and I am thankful that she keeps that piece of information from the other office workers. But if she thinks I would bungle something as easy as jumping on a bed she is sadly mistaken.
I grab the paper and head to her office. I close the door and ask her why she thinks that this home intrusion had anything to do with me. I think she spots something on the ceiling because her eyes seem to be rolling in that direction. “Paris,” she responds.
“Ahhh” My only bungled ninja assignment. I was contracted to carry out some ninja business in Paris last year. Very top secret ninja stuff. I had planned being invisible by being very visible. (A very ancient ninja trick) Needless to say the “business” trip did not end well and I was forced to hide in my own luggage to get back home. I can’t really explain what happened but watch the video below as I try to blend into Paris with my modified ninja camoflauge.
That was a fluke and in no way was of true ninja. I was about to protest that point and then everything went to straight to “H”, “E”, double tooth pick.
The super looking office babe sticks her head in the office and says, “Boss, you gotta see this right away.” The stress in her voice told me that this was serious. My boss and I head out to her desk. She was sitting at her desk going all “Chloe” (24 fan reference)on the computer. “Someone is messing with us,” she says. “Why,” my boss asks. “We just got about 700 hits on our website in the last 30 seconds and the phones are ringing off the hook.”
Sure enough, my ninja observation skills picked up that every phone in the office was ringing and people were scrambling back to their desks. “Don’t panic everyone,” I shouted. “Line up in an orderly fashion and I will lead you out to the parking lot,” I said trying to bring calm to everyone. My boss puts a hand on my shoulder and suggests to me that ringing phones are not a problem and that I should probably stop the phone on my desk from ringing. I nod in agreement and bolt for my desk, grabbing the phone and smashing it to the floor.
With completing my task I sit down and observe that all the others that still have ringing phones on their desk. “They’ll never be ninja’s,” I mutter to myself and start working at my computer. I read one of the comments on our website that mentioned they had heard us mentioned on TV and was interested in our program. They did not mention when, what channel or what show they heard about us so I went to the Google and asked it what tv show were we on. Surprisingly enough it did not provide me with an answer. I spent the next half an hour trying to figure this out when the good looking office worker announces, “We were mentioned on the CBS “Early Show”. Here is the video. The response to that mention has kept us quite busy for the last few days.
I must admit that some of this blog has been exagerated. I can’t say which part, you will have to understand the way of the ninja to figure that out. However, the Homes for Heroes program is not exagerated. It is a great savings program for our Heroes. Check us out at Home for Heroes and see for yourself.
Did you get out to Denny’s for the free Grand Slam meals yesterday? I planned on going very early thinking I would beat the crowd. I called some staffers at the Homes for Heroes office asking if they would be interested in joining me for a free breakfast. Most of the staff at Homes for Heroes are Realtors and I know how much they enjoy free food. The first call I made was at 4:30 a.m., I wanted to make sure they were ready for Denny’s 6 a.m. opening.
I learned another thing about Realtors this morning. None of them, for some reason or another, like to be woken at 4:30 in the morning. I can only conclude they like their sleep more than 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, 2 pieces of sausage and 2 flapjacks for free. So alone I wander out into the below zero weather and head over to the nearest Denny’s. I get there at 5:45 a.m. and cannot find a parking spot. I park about 3 blocks and walk back to the restaurant. I am surprised by the amount of elderly people standing outside the door. Especially their rudeness. I learned that I should keep a 4 to 5 foot distance from the ones with canes.
Why all this hostility from our “Greatest Generation”? It took about four whacks and a couple of stitches to figure out why. These people have been going to Denny’s for years and it comes to them as a surprise the Denny’s wants to reward the nation for their patronage. They are not happy with Denny’s poor decision. I had to learn this the hard way, I hope most of you figured it out after the first smack.
On my way back from the emergency room, hungry and sore, I saw something that made me think I got hit harder than I thought. This is something one should not witness after being hit in the head with a cane. I entered the office and was asked why I was late. I was hoping the bandage on my head would gain sympathy, but I think the fake cast last week severely impeded those chances. My boss could see I was visibly agitated and her eyes softened a small bit. Is there anything I should know about, she asked.
Forgetting about my bandages and bruises, I started to tell my boss about the incredible thing I saw on the way back from the hospital. The softness in her eyes went away and I was told to get to work. I am not sure what a demerit is but some how I received another today. I got to my desk and immediately got a cup of coffee. As you know I had an incident with my morning rituals at work. I have been changing up my routine to keep the office ninja from messing with me. I now get my coffee first then sit down and turn on my computer. I have had to make other adjustments in the office and some of them have been very successful in sabotaging any plans the ninjas might have. We’ll have to discuss that later, I can’t let the ninja know I am on to him/her.
Once the computer comes up, I go to You Tube and try to see if others have seen what I saw on the way to work. It took some time but I found it. I don’t know how it is done, but I am relieved that I was not hallucinating from the concussion the elderly provided for me.
My boss calmed down a bit after seeing this video, it seems like I wasn’t being my usual self after all. But that was short lived. Some students at the University of Minnesota had a great idea. They had a garbage truck dump a load of garbage in front of the student hall to go through it and see how much could still be recycled and or reused. I started to call around and found a local refuse company that was willing to come by and drop a load off in the parking lot.
The lot was full and I had to call the refuse company to reschedule the drop off at lunch. At the prescribed hour the garbage truck arrived and there was an available spot. I instructed the driver where to make his deposit and he started to back up to the spot.
Now you might be wondering why I would want a load of garbage dumped in our parking lot? The answer is quite simple. I figured I could do a whole week of reuse articles from stuff that people threw away. Coffee filters could be washed and bleached then used to line your pots for plants. Keeps the dirt from coming out of the bottom. Cans can be turned into small camping stoves, plastic bottles turned into…… See, the ideas are endless and the articles produced would save money for families across this blessed nation. As the truck started dumping it’s load my boss happened to come back from lunch early. She got out and stopped the garbage man mid dump. As I came around the truck my eyes met my bosses and I immediately turned and ran.
Ninja instincts took over, I hopped behind a bush. Being hidden from view I changed into my ninja garb and climbed the wall to the roof. On the roof top I made my way back into the building. With extreme stealth I made it back to the office and got under my desk. This hiding place would offer me sanctuary until things blew over. About 15 minutes later I hear some one call out, “look what I found in the trash out in the parking lot.” I extract myself from my desk to see what was found, upset with myself for not finding it, whatever it was. As I stand I come eye to eye with my boss. She drops a coffee can on my desk then points to her office. Let me get back to you.
Michele is a NYS Licensed Associate Broker and has been loving her Real Estate career since 1996. Recently, Michele has committed herself to Exclusive Buyer’s Agency as her passion and joy is helping every buyer find their new home with complete loyalty and confidentiality and to make the process as enjoyable and stress free as possible.
Posted by homesforheroes 
Until your good name is besmirched. 
