Western Mass Homes Lesley Lambert

Lesley's Life

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday…Celebrate A Western Massachusetts Icon

Happy Birthday Dr Seuss

“If we didn’t have birthdays,
you wouldn’t be you.
If you’d never been born,
well then what would you do?
If you’d never been born,
well then what would you be?
You might be a fish!
Or a toad in a tree!
You might be a doorknob!
Or three baked potatoes!
You might be a bag full of
hard green tomatoes.”

“Or worse than all that…Why,
you might be a WASN’T!
A Wasn’t has no fun at all.
No, he doesn’t.
A Wasn’t just isn’t.
He just isn’t present.
But you…You ARE YOU!
And, now isn’t that pleasant!”

“Today you are you!
That is truer than true!
There is no one alive…
Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday to Dr. Seuss!

His actual name was Theodor Seuss Geisel and he was born in Springfield, MA. While I never met Dr. Seuss in person, I had the opportunity to have several connections to him. The first was geographical. In addition to being from Springfield, MA myself, my grandparents lived on Mulberry Street in Springfield. “And To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street” was Geisel’s first children’s book and contains not only the street name from his home city, but lots of imagery of Springfield, as well.

My college internship was done at the Springfield Library and Museums public relations department. My largest project with them was my work on the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden. It was my responsibility to much of the behind the scenes work for the press conferences and it was exciting to have a hand in something so important. A few years ago I visited the sculpture garden with my daughters and was moved to see the magical creations on the Quadrangle in Springfield, MA.

As a mother of two young girls, I have spent many hours reading Dr. Seuss. My daughters brought home a notice from school this week reminding that Geisel’s birthday, March 2, has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.

I know there are many of you who, like me, have memorized Dr. Seuss’ work….in honor of his birthday and the National Read Across America Day I thought we could have a little fun with it. I will start with “Green Eggs and Ham”…pick up the next line after me and let’s see how far we can get!

Sam I am
I am Sam
Sam I am
That Sam-I-am!
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like that Sam-I-am!

Look Ma- I am in REALTOR Magazine!

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It is no secret that I am a big fan of all things social media and technology in real estate. Using location-based applications is no exception. I have been using applications like Brightkite, Foursquare and Gowalla for a couple of years now in Western MA and have spent a lot of time thinking about how I can utilize them to help with exposure in the local Western MA real estate market.

Last summer I wrote a post on this topic for Agent Genius magazine geared toward sharing some of my thoughts on how location based applications like Foursquare can be used in a marketing and branding sense to expose real estate agents to a new market.

I was beyond flattered when REALTOR Magazine emailed me and asked if they could use some of my post as a quote in an upcoming article on the same subject. Yesterday my broker presented me with the magazine and when I saw the article I was even MORE excited because I shared space in the story with Todd Carpenter, NAR’s social media manager. Todd and I have had the opportunity to meet a few times and I am so honored to be quoted in the same story!

If you want to take a look at the REALTOR Magazine story, click here. I am so proud to see my quote followed up by says Lesley Lambert, a sales associate with Park Square Realty in Westfield, Mass!

If you are interested in learning more about social media, technology or location-based applications you can contact me. If you want a REALTOR who is using new media techniques to help her clients achieve their home-ownership dreams then definitely contact me!

Park Square Realty Awards Breakfast

Park Square Awards Breakfast

Today was the Park Square Realty Awards Breakfast at Tucker’s Restaurant in Southwick, MA. Agents from both the Westfield, MA and Feeding Hills, MA Park Square Realty offices were honored with awards for production, loyalty and some special awards for all kinds of amusing reasons.

One of the reasons that I like working for Park Square Realty is that in addition to being a group of high producing, hard working professionals – we know how to have fun, too!

I was proud to have met my 2010 goal and to have placed in the Platinum Circle and top 5 agents in the company. I also received a loyalty award for five years of working for Park Square Realty.

I made this video to share with you so you can glimpse the inside of Park Square Realty…there is a reason we are number one in our area!

Homeownership is Emotional : a REALTOR’s take on Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me”

In reading a recent REALTOR Magazine I saw the interview with Tom Douglas who wrote the lyrics to Miranda Lambert’s hit “The House That Built Me”. I am not much of a country music fan, so this song had gone under my radar, but his answers in the interview intrigued me to go find the song and give it a listen.

You conceived of the song during the housing boom times, but it wasn’t released until 2010. Did the dramatic changes in the market affect the song’s meaning in any way?

Douglas: A house is not simply four walls or a financial investment. It becomes your heart. It’s still the dream for most people, regardless of whether the real estate industry is booming. Having our own home is what we aspire to, whether it’s a trailer or a mansion on a hill.

Home ownership is so emotional and Douglas gets it right when he points out that it isn’t four walls. We all bond with our homes for different reasons. People often choose a house because it “feels like home”. Over the course of my 23 years as a real estate professional in Western MA, I have seen this time and time again. For reasons unknown to me, one house speaks to the buyer and gives them that “warm and fuzzy” feeling that tells them they want this to be home.

I grew up in Southwick and Westfield, MA and still drive by my childhood homes to catch a glimpse of my youthful memories. It is amazing how imagining my homes at certain points in my life is evocative of so many emotions. When I drive by I see the lilacs that my grandfather planted and the pool I loved to swim in. I see the lawn I mowed each week as a teenager and the spot where I parked my car. I remember the family room that hosted so many slumber parties and my lavender bedroom with the most expensive carpeting in the house. Just thinking of these spaces brings back a rush of memories and my mind’s eye can see things the way they were.

As Miranda Lambert sings her song, I realize that we all share those attachments to our homes and I am humbled to be part of the process that puts people into their home.

Here is the video for Miranda Lambert’s “The House that Built Me”…enjoy!