Next months issue of the Welcome Home Grand Lake Magazine will have an article about us inside. This is

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt at a recent Grand Lake Area Chamber fucntion

it.

Dave and Debbie Wagenblatt, the “Get Grand Results” Team, with RE/MAX Executives, work, and are very familiar with the entire Grand Lake Area.  Dave & Debbie say, “Many people aren’t familiar with Grand Lake and aren’t sure where they want to be.  We can give them an unbiased opinion of each area of the lake.” 

Not only are they knowledgeable about the lake, they are extremely knowledgeable about selling real estate, and marketing.  Between the two, they have over 35 years of experience in the real estate industry.  Debbie started her real estate career in 1977 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma.  Subsequently, she also spent about 18 years in the mortgage lending industry, loaning on homes, before returning back to real estate sales in 2000.    Debbie says, “That mortgage lending experience is an invaluable asset in assisting us with our real estate sales.”  Clients rave about Debbie’s common sense, honest professional approach, and extensive knowledge about real estate.

Dave on the other hand, had years of experience in marketing.  He was the manager of  market development for a billion dollar corporation and national sales manager for another large company before moving back to Oklahoma. He felt he was too young to retire, and got into real estate sales in 2003, in Tulsa.  The first individual Realtor website at Grand Lake was GetGrandResults.com, created by Stan Irvin, Debbie’s deceased former spouse. It is the Grand-daddy of them all.  Dave took off building numerous other, very popular, predominate websites, including, SurfGrandLake.com, OfficialGrandLake.com, PatriciaIslandEstates.com, to name a few.  Dave, also put systems in place which allow them to do much more than traditional agents. Dave says, “That marketing experience is also an invaluable asset in assisting us with our real estate sales.   I guess that means we just make a “grand” team.”

You must go to one of the above mentioned websites to view their story of the tragedies that came into each of their lives, and the coincidences (or divine intervention is how they look at it) that brought them together.  Of course, you must also go to those websites to see everything Grand Lake has to offer.   Together, they have become top producing Realtors at Grand Lake.  They have consistently received RE/MAX top production awards and are currently ranked 20th through March of this year, for all RE/MAX teams in the state of Oklahoma.

Grand Lake view from a lakefront home

With all the wild swings, no wonder people are uncertain in the investment world of stocks and bonds on Wall Street. Try thinking outside the box and about this. They are not making any more lakefront property and Grand Lake in Oklahoma still has some of the most affordable waterfront homes in the country. This is in addition to all the other things the lake and area have to offer. Not only have values continued to go up making Grand Lake, OK  homes a good investment ,the future appears to have the same outlook. Now here is something to add to that mix. Purchasing a Grand Lake, lakefront home can also be an investment in yourself, your family, your retirement, and your future. Here’s more… You get to actually enjoy your investment and probably get a tax write off too! Talk about a Win – Win opportunity. As with any investment or major puchase be sure get “expert counsel”, meaning a good Realtor familiar with the lake and real estate market. Grand Lake is large having 1,300 miles of shoreline and is over 60 miles long. There are are a number of different things which affect the value of lake front homes. There is lots of information available in this blog and other web sites about Grand Lake. It’s a great lake, a great lifestyle, and a great investment.

Aerial View of a Grand Lake Home

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt, The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com

Grand Lake Sparkles at Christmas

Christmas at Grand Lake in Oklahoma is like no other because you are of course at the lake. Sure we have the traditional parades and decorations seen all across the country but there’s more. Besides the parade down the streets of the towns around Grand Lake we have a parade of lights where we don’t decorate floats. We decorate boats. And of course you can drive around and see all the pretty homes with christmas lights, but can you ride around the lake and see all the show from the water? Wow! This is fun. Then we have the Polar Bear Plunge where people jump in the lake in December. No, they are not totally crazy. They are like most all “Grand Lakers” because of their big, generous hearts and capacity for giving. The Polar Bear Plunge at the Arrowhead Marina is a fund raiser to help others, just as celebrations like the Giveth & Receiveth party at The Shebang or the Toys for Tots campaign at the Road Hog Saloon.  As a matter of fact these type of activities occur all year long, so in a sense if you’re lucky enough to be at Grand Lake, it’s like Christmas all year and you’re lucky enough. So come and join us at Grand Lake. Oklahoma’s favorite place to have fun and live life to it’s fullest.

We wish you Merry Christmas!

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt, The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com

    When it comes to your biggest investment … Don’t Let Your Money Fly Away! Don’t Gamble or Take a Chance!   

1. Selling your home? Courthouse records for the square footgage of your home are often erroneous and everyone uses “dollars per square foot” as one tool for judging what they think the home’s value is. If you actually have 100, 200, 300 or more square feet in your home, it could be worth thousands more than people might think based on the courthouse records. Realtors should be using courthouse records or square footage measurements from a licensed appraiser when listing a property. It only costs about $100 to have your home measured for square footage only. A small investment.

2. Paying Cash for a home? Banks and Mortgage companies require an appraisal when loaning money on a property for good reason. You should also make certain you are getting the value you think you are by utilizing a licensed appraiser’s services. Occasionally we have seen buyers love a home but pay way above market value and find several years later when they wanted to sell, they couldn’t get their original investment back.

There are many things to consider when purchasing Grand Lake Real Estate and the service provivided by an experienced Realtor knowledgeable about the local area can help you. You may also want the services of a licensed appraiser.

For more information about Grand Lake OK Real Estate, please contact Dave and Debbie Wagenblatt at 918.257.8381 or email them directly at davewagenblatt@remax.net. Dave & Debbie , The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com 

Do you want to know more about Grove, OK and the homes for sale?

View of Grand Lake from a Home at Patricia Island Estates in Grove, OK

Real estate in Grove is much like other areas except there is an added dimension because of Grand Lake Oklahoma. When looking to buy or sell property here, you must be able to recognize the differences. Then you’ll want to evaluate them to decide if you are getting a fair deal, whether buying or selling.

Your interests are best served by working with a local “expert” at Grove, Ok or any of the real estate at Grand Lake. That’s where Debbie and I come into play.  We work the real estate market in Grove, OK, Grand Lake, as well as Monkey Island, the south end, and points in between full time, 7 days a week. We see it all.

Now back to Grove. Some of areas which seem to be in constant demand are of course the waterfront homes which are more costly but usally are your best investment. After that, lake view homes and then nice homes in the subdivisions. Some subdivisions which provide all three of these are… Buffalo Shores South, Buffalalo Shores North, Buffalo Shores III, and Patricia Island Estates. There are too many to mention all of them so I’ll stop with these for now. Waterfront homes in these areas are typically $500,000 and up depending on age, condition, amenities, view, dock etc. At this time a dollar per square foot range could be $150/sq. ft. to $250 /Sq. ft. (November 2008)

Be sure and read some other articles written on this blog concerning this subject such as  “Buyer Be Careful”  This is not intended to scare anyone away. It is intended to provide food for thought and a short course in the real estate market in Grove, OK and Grand Lake.

Homes which are not waterfront of course, will be less per square foot but value still depends on some of the same things previously mentioned including that old saying in real estate… Location, Location, Location. Is it on a golf course? What are the other homes like? Is the area well groomed? What is the location relative to shopping, schools, medical care etc.?  The price range here is around $75/sq.ft to $135/sq. ft.

Big differences to be sure.  So make sure you look at enough homes for sale to help form an opinion and ask your Realtor questions. One thing we like to do is show you some homes you are interested in that we know you won’t care for.   This will help you learn about the Grove OK and Grand Lake OK real estate markets.

Grove OK is a wonderful place to raise a family or retire. It’s a smaller community with so many special qualities and things to do, without some of the problems you might encounter in a large city. There is more information about Grove and Grand Lake OK on the Grove Chamber of Commerce web site and the Grand Lake Association Web site.

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt, The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com or call 918-257-8381

Monkey Island Oklahoma real estate has some of the best waterfront values in the country.

Brighton Bay waterfront home at Grand Lake on Monkey Island, OK

Actually all Grand Lake OK real estate fits into that category. This article touches on the Brighton Bay subdivision located on Monkey Island along the shores of East Bay at Grand Lake. Brighton Bay is a very nice gated community with about 50 homes. Most come with a boat slip. Here is something people from other parts of the country may not realize. These are all free standing homes, however, they are organized under condo by-laws. What this does is provide for the shared cost of keeping the grounds manicured, upkeep on the swimming pool, tennis courts, playgrounds and community boat slips. Lots of people love this kind of set up because they can come to the lake and play. No worries about the other things which go along with home ownership. Brighton Bay homes have a very nice setting.

Eagle watch over Brighton Bay

Once you drive throught the gate there is a long tree lined black top road which winds to the homes, and it is not uncommon to see deer close by. There are wood carved statues of bears, a dolphin and eagle mixed in among the homes. There are currently 2 waterfront homes for sale at Brighton Bay. One has a Virtual Tour. Other Gated communities on Monkey Island OK include Newport Village, Silver Key, St. Andrews, White Chapel, Beacon Hill, Mainstay, Shangri-la Estates, Shangri-la Chateaus and more.

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt, The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com

By Dave Wagenblatt

One of the most wonderful things about living at Grand Lake, OK is our backyard. Actually our backyard is Grand Lake, OK.  From our deck, we look east from Monkey Island across the main lake toward Patricia Island. One day a light came on in my head, and I realized and appreciated all the changing beauty Debbie and I get to witness… Nature at its best! The fiery red/orange morning sunrises and the evening full moon shimmering across the lake are so tranquil. This serene setting will certainly add happy years to our lives. The changing of the seasons adds to the experience. The term, “Spring has Sprung”, takes on a new meaning and dimension with the dogwoods and redbuds blooming. Activity is all around, as there will soon be new life.  We also enjoy the privilege of viewing the wildlife up close. Birds are everywhere, but beyond the usual robins, wrens, blackbirds, cardinals, bluebirds, gold finches, and hummingbirds, there is more. We also have seen egrets, blue herons, mallards, geese, sea gulls, pelicans and even American Bald Eagles which winter here. There’s even more.  We see chipmunks, gray squirrels, rabbits, skunks, raccoons and occasionally a wild turkey, red fox or deer.

Fire in the Morning ... a Grand Lake Sunrise ....... Photo by Dave Wagenblatt

Our backyard comes complete with other entertainment. Summer brings the peak of activity.  People from all over the United States come to the lake to escape, relax and have fun. People want to enjoy a brief get-a-way from their everyday duties and responsibilities. All the water sports can be seen in our back yard: swimming, skiing, fishing, sailing, and boating. We also watch the Cherokee Queen cruise by, giving tours or dinner parties along the Grand Lake shores. The Cherokee Queen is a Mississippi style paddle boat reminiscent of the Mark Twain era, which starts from Sail Boat Bridge traveling to the tip of Monkey Island and then back again.

Fall is our favorite time of year, if we had to choose one. (We actually love each season here.)  After Labor Day, activity starts to slow down. The air will soon be turning crisp bringing a new freshness.  The leaves will turn color, and the fall migration will begin. Fall festivals are coming, such as the Grand Lake Rally, a “Taste of Grand” fund raiser, the Fall Wine Festival, and the Pelican Festival. There is always something to look forward to at Grand Lake. And there is our back yard. It’s the same backyard, but it changes with each season. Each day is different with something new to discover. How lucky can you get? It’s like winning a lottery in life.

Monkey Island Sparkles on Grand Lake OK .... Photo by Dave Wagenblatt

The winters are still fantastic as we sit in front of our fireplace and look out through our picture window at our magnificent backyard….. Of course, I mean Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. It’s like living in the middle of a picture on a Hallmark card, 365 days per year. In wishing you the best, it means that we wish you could have a “backyard” like ours.  As we say on our websites… If you’re lucky enough to live at Grand Lake, you’re lucky enough!

Dave & Debbie Wagenblatt, The Get “Grand” Results Team©, are top producing Realtors® with REMAX Executives at Grand lake, OK. To learn more about the Grand Lake area and community visit their web site www.SurfGrandLake.com

Debbie & I ( Dave) are Realtors and the “Get” Grand Results Team. Our license is with David Momper who is the owner broker of the RE/MAX Executives office in Tulsa. However, we live on Monkey Island at Grand Lake Oklahoma and do all our real estate business here. We work the entire lake so we can help guide you though the pro’s and con’s of the different areas. Grand Lake is a very fun place where you can own waterfront, boat to restaurants, golf and do all the things you would expect at a premeir lake area. It is over 60 miles long and has about 1,300 miles of shoreline.

To learn more about this wonderful playground visit our web sites www.SurfGrandLake.com or www.GetGrandResults.com for the most extensive information about the lake, activities, community and real estate.