Archives of real estate blog entries for November 20, 2006

Featured blog posts


Why blogging and being a kid are nearly identical - 06:51 PM

At some point, we all realize that we have no clue. We are kids that don't even know how to play. Yet then we pick up the ball, bounce it a few times, and fairly soon we are making new friends. 
I’m sure we are all experts in various things- one of my strengths is writing. I’ve written media copy, magazine articles, classified ads, government grants, a book or two, technical manuals, job postings, executive presentations, lines for stand-up comedy, intensive plot for theatre, and a few strange ideas on post-it notes.
When you are an expert in a specific field, … (35 comments)

Threats to The Web's potential. - 12:15 PM
Face it - you can't survive without the Internet.
Especially from a business perspective. Think of the things that we use every day that we would 'die' without: our websites, email, blogs.......
I suppose you could still run a business without it - but do you even want to consider that?
My generation (30-something-ish) was the last one to start without personal computers and the before/after difference is HUGE.  The first computer I used was a TRS-80 in my senior year of high school!   
The growth in power, speed and complexity is astounding - (check out the details of Moore's Law and Kryder's Law if you're a true geek -like … (23 comments)

Carnival #19 - One stop shopping.. . - 09:57 AM
 
Over at the Ubertor Blog you can view this weeks Carnival winners and sign up for a website.  Very innovative. 
Not only did the Uberator post the winners - but included the start up of each blog.  That was a nice touch.  And without further ado....
Taking this weeks Carnival
Pat KitanoReal Estate Web 2.0 First Mover Advantage? So far, none
Dan MelsonBuyers Who Don't Want A Buyer's Agent
Douglas HeddingsThe Luxury Market: Is It Really All that Stable?Joel BurslemSee How Your Site Stacks Up with Quantcast
Jonathan Dalton (WooHoo)NAR and me ...
Liam LaveryCraigslist Court Decision
Kyle ElseSomething's FishyGreg TracyWhat if Zillow Got Serious?
Jim CroninWho … (20 comments)

ActiveRain week in review #3 - 04:17 PM
This is the third edition of the ActiveRain week in review where we'll highlight some of the most discussed topics and blog posts made during the last week.  You can find an archive of the past week in reviews here.  Feel free to repost the ActiveRain week in review on your non ActiveRain blog. 
Reminder: If you want to get some additional exposure, submit your best blog post to the weekly Carnival of Real Estate today.
Mortgage Blog Wars:
This week saw a major "blog war" among a number of ActiveRain members in the mortgage industry.  Blogging is a great way to share dissenting opinions … (35 comments)

Sharing the dough... - 07:15 PM
I give myself a raise by adding an assignable buyer's agreement at the end of the listing agreement. Why??  Because, I know they will be moving somewhere. I offer my customers the service of interviewing Realtors that service the area they are moving to, and find them one that best meets their needs. My sellers feel like they are getting full treatment when they start receiving searches, school zone information and even discounts to hotels and restaurants or exchange rate info if they are moving to another country, they can start forming a relationship with that Realtor from the moment I … (24 comments)

The $800,000 House - 07:10 PM
 
Over the past year or so I discovered an interesting Real Estate wrinkle I call "The $800,000 House Phenomenon." I didn't recognize it at first because I think it used to be called "The $600,000 House Phenomenon" but as the housing market changed, so did the phenomenon. And although I personally find it unique to the Northeast Side and North Shores of Chicago, its probably present in every market in any city at some pricepoint or another. It lays out something like this:A client, or more accurately a young couple, decides to buy their first big single family home. If they … (41 comments)

Buy from me or get out of my car! - 04:22 PM

During the last buyers market (late 80's early 90's) I spent a lot of time driving people around. When I was really new.. I would take them around until they would "buy or die" (die - figuratively...)
As I was learning to take better control of my business I had the good fortune to see Steve Stewart speak and at that time he really struck a chord with me. The one thing that I really remember from his seminar though, was the round red button that said "Buy From Me or Get Out Of My Car!"
I put it on the passenger side visor and it changed my … (90 comments)

NAR's list of "dangerous" anti-trust phrases - 04:11 PM
After making a comment on one of Broker Bryant's posts, I guess I'll take him up on the offer of making a post our of my comment.  
While competition is healthy for any industry, how we compete may mean the difference between excelling in your marketplace and facing prosecution for antitrust violations.
While there is a lot of great information in some of AR's posts regarding antitrust laws, just reading about it may not make sense as to how to apply it to real estate and it makes us way too paranoid as to what we can and cannot say, so here is a great list that … (34 comments)

This fsbo is one tough cookie - 01:52 PM
Okay, guys...
My friend and I have been working on a fsbo for several months.  Generally, we are very good at being able to list a fsbo...but this guy is going to take some work. 
Lets start from the beginning,  we were told by a client of ours over the summer that the seller of this home is building another and is wanting to sell... ok, so we go and do our thing and knock on their door, and visit with the sellers...by the end of the visit we have an authorization to show..they let us take photos, video, the whole … (29 comments)

Working with Seniors... requires some flexibility! - 06:49 AM
Well I finally had my opportunity to talk about real estate staging to the group of seniors selling their homes. The auditorium was PACKED with an overflow crowd... to a point that there were those that needed to be turned away. To be honest I did NOT expect so many.
Upset and anxiety filled the room. You could feel that the folks attending were searching for help and answers. ANY answers on how to sell their homes. Boy was I glad I prapared my "staging" case.
The idea of staging a houses for its sale is still for most people a new concept. And... it has been my expirience that the SENIOR market is … (47 comments)

Using Google Local business listings to capture search traffic - 02:56 AM
One thing every Active Rain member should do immediately is go through the steps to list your business on Google Local. Don't know what Google Local is?
It's basically their mapping portal, but it's really much more than that. I'll explain why.
Google has been including Google Local results at the top of generic search results for awhile now. When Joe Homebuyer types in "Yourtown Real Estate," there are a number of ways he can find your site.
Organic SearchIt is the holy grail of most website owners to be #1 for their targeted keywords in organic search. This means that Joe Homebuyer finds … (31 comments)

Rules Are Meant to Be Broken - 12:15 AM
Some rules are meant to be broken.  I don't recommend it for rehabbers, but I'm as susceptible as the next person when it comes to emotionally buying.  Breaking the rehabbing rules can cost money, however!
This little house is an example of broken rehab rules.  It's the latest project on my rehab screen.  It's kind of ugly on the outside but has a lot going for it on the inside.  It's one bedroom (broken rule number 1: one bedroom limits the pool of potential buyers in a slow market); one bathroom (but it's big for a little house); one car detached garage; a full basement … (12 comments)

Real Estate Agents Who Are Not Realtors - 04:32 AM
I have heard they were out there. 
I was once told they travel in a parallel universe. 
I have even felt they may be a figment of someone's imagination.   
Am I speaking of Big Foot or ET?  No I am speaking of real estate agents who are not Realtors.
Since getting my Hawaii brokers license I have been approached by a couple of referral companies who need a broker.  These companies take on real estate agents who have a license, but have not joined the world of Realtors and do not sell houses. 
This seems a little funny on the surface.  Why would … (37 comments)

Pubcon Keynote Speaker - Guy Kawasaki - 12:34 PM
After a really long line to register and a quick bite to eat I was ready to go. To start the day off we had the pleasure of listening to Guy Kawasaki who was part of the start up for Mac (read more at Charles' post). Guy is a great speaker and a true motivator. After listening to him talk about "Bozo's" I realized that we have the same issues in our business.
See a Bozo is someone who stops you from following your dreams or stops you from achieving you highest potential. Many times you can see the bozo clear … (22 comments)


Blog posts


Lenders - Are they really doing the right thing for our clients? - 07:01 PM

I know I might upset some lenders but its just my opinion on lenders treating our clients the best they can. So I have a question regarding lenders making money on the backend. For those who don't know how this works, a mortgage professional can get paid by raising the clients interest rate and getting paid by the bank at closing. Sometimes this has to be disclosed and sometimes it doesn't depending on if the loan is coming out of the bank you work for or its brokered out to another lender. Here is my background, I’ve been in the mortgage … (2 comments)

Sharing the dough... - 07:15 PM
I give myself a raise by adding an assignable buyer's agreement at the end of the listing agreement. Why??  Because, I know they will be moving somewhere. I offer my customers the service of interviewing Realtors that service the area they are moving to, and find them one that best meets their needs. My sellers feel like they are getting full treatment when they start receiving searches, school zone information and even discounts to hotels and restaurants or exchange rate info if they are moving to another country, they can start forming a relationship with that Realtor from the moment I … (24 comments)

ActiveRain week in review #3 - 04:17 PM
This is the third edition of the ActiveRain week in review where we'll highlight some of the most discussed topics and blog posts made during the last week.  You can find an archive of the past week in reviews here.  Feel free to repost the ActiveRain week in review on your non ActiveRain blog. 
Reminder: If you want to get some additional exposure, submit your best blog post to the weekly Carnival of Real Estate today.
Mortgage Blog Wars:
This week saw a major "blog war" among a number of ActiveRain members in the mortgage industry.  Blogging is a great way to share dissenting opinions … (35 comments)

Another Online Tool of Merit for Mobile Professionals - 12:52 PM
I try to keep abreast of the cool new online tools that I think may be beneficial to real estate agents, brokers and other entrepreneurs that tend to be mobile.
Although this is one that I investigated some time back, I recently reviewed some of my favorites (during a flurry of organization, in preparation for the New Year) and rediscovered "Backpack It."
If you are looking for a place to grab and organize multiple projects that you can access from anywhere, you may want to sign up for this free service of note... "BackPack-it" ... an online "filing" and reminder and collection location.
Visit … (0 comments)

Utilizing RSS Feeds as a Collaboration Tool for a Free Online Project Management Service - 01:06 PM
An online collaboration services, Wridea.com offers the convenience of utilizing RSS feeds to collaborate with your project management peers. 
For example, if you and I were working on a project together using this free service, and you had a brainstorm and added notes to the project, I would be automatically informed via an RSS feed (I use Google Reader for my RSS feed subscription management) that you had updated the notes. A nice feature, IMHO.
The service also offers "idea rain" as a visual brainstorming tool. It's not a mind-map, but it has similarities. If you are working with a group of people … (2 comments)

Texas- Property Tax Valuation Arbitration Case - 12:33 PM
I'm so excited! I blogged back in October about  how I took the Arbitration class and I just got my first case! There was a gentleman in the class who was taking it for the second time as a refresher because he took the class over a year earlier and has yet to be chosen. I've been on the registry for about 2 weeks and have already received my first letter.I was so excited that I didn't want to mail it back, so I scanned and emailed it back to their office. I just received a returned receipt showing they received my … (3 comments)

College Station Named by Money Magazine as Most Educated City in Texas - 08:26 PM
College Station's very beginning highlights what happens when a community is built around a college, instead of a college being put in a town.  The railroad throught the area was completed in 1860 and in 1871 the site was chosen for A&M.  College Station didn't come into being until after the campus was opened in 1876, in 1884 the population was 350. 
Texas A&M's triple designation as a Land, Sea and Space Grant Institiution continues to bring more and more highly educated individuals into the area.  Ongoing projects by agencies such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research and … (5 comments)

Pubcon Keynote Speaker - Guy Kawasaki - 12:34 PM
After a really long line to register and a quick bite to eat I was ready to go. To start the day off we had the pleasure of listening to Guy Kawasaki who was part of the start up for Mac (read more at Charles' post). Guy is a great speaker and a true motivator. After listening to him talk about "Bozo's" I realized that we have the same issues in our business.
See a Bozo is someone who stops you from following your dreams or stops you from achieving you highest potential. Many times you can see the bozo clear … (22 comments)

Should I Purchase A Wood Frame Home In Florida? - 09:48 AM
 
Many times I am asked should I purchase a wood framed home in Florida?  There are lots of questions surrounding wood framed homes and I think it is important to share some of the information that I have gathered over the years. 
I showed a wood framed house yesterday to a prospective buyer.  They got extremely nervous about it because of the risk with termites and their belief that these homes are not "hurricane proof".  Bottom line is even CBS homes have wood in them, they are less resistant to termites because they have less wood in them.   One thing worth noting … (11 comments)

Marketing Benefit - PlanetRealtor.com - 11:58 AM
 
Just thought you would like to know that you can submit your website for the Featured Spot on the Marketing Page on http://www.planetrealtor.com/. 
All you need to do is send an email message to WOW@planetrealtor.com to submit your website.
I was named site of the week in June, here is what they said about my site:
PlanetRealtor Names Colleen Kulikowski's website Realtor Website of the week
Naples Florida, 6/18/06 - PlanetRealtor which is a national Realtor Resource just named Colleen Kulikowski's website their website of the week. Below is the description that points to this site for other Realtors to see.
Colleen Kulikowski's Web … (10 comments)

Carroll Crossing in Lawrence Township - 10:06 AM
Just a mile south of Pendleton Pike in Lawrence Township is a newer CP Morgan community called Carroll Crossing.Located at 62nd street and  At present, there's 25 lots left for building upon before CP Morgan completes the community and closes it out. 
The ammenities that are apart of Carrol Crossing are an 18 acre common area, large playground and two ponds.  Upon visiting, you will find that this community is located close to shopping, McCordsville, Fortville, a large park, I465 and I70.  There are five models to view on site, four of the homes are two-stories and one is a ranch.  Not to mention that there's various floor … (0 comments)

Current Geist Valley Estates Listings - 11:14 AM
These are the active listing for Geist Valley Estates Subdivision as of 11/20/06.  If you are looking for a subdivision that does not have a Home Owner's Association you might want to visit this subdiivision.
If you would like to know more about these homes and others, please visit my website http://cyndisloop4indyhomes.com/. I would love to help you.
… (0 comments)

Mortgages For Bremerton Wa Real Estate - 06:23 AM
Not many people in this day and age are in the financial position to pay cash for a piece of real estate. If they are, they're definitely among the few. In ‘normal' situations people require a mortgage in order to buy a house or any property. Mortgages for Bremerton Washington Real Estate are no different from any other mortgage. There are procedures, plenty of papers to sign, interest rates to consider. The list goes on until, one day, your mortgage is paid off. It's nice to dream.
When looking for Mortgages for Bremerton Washington Real Estate, it might be good to start … (0 comments)

If You Have Questions, Fire Your Loan Officer: It's His Job to Educate! - 06:29 AM
When you apply for a mortgage loan, you are sure to have many questions regarding your options and the functionality of the various loans.  You'll need help with paperwork and deciphering real estate language, which frequently seems like an unbreakable code.  You'll also need help understanding the terms and conditions of your loan.  When you begin this process, you'll be in need of assistance from a professional, but upon completing the loan process and receiving your loan, all of your questions should have been answered.  Whose job is it to make sure you are completely informed to the point of having … (2 comments)

15 VS 30 Year Mortgages: Advantages, Disadvantages and Affordability - 06:46 AM
So you need a mortgage.  What term or length will you select for that loan?  There are several options out there including 7, 10, 15, 20, 30 and even 40 year mortgage loans. Which one is the right one for you?  There are several things to take into consideration when it comes to selecting any of these.  The bottom line is a combination of what you can afford and what you can save.  You see, the longer the term of your mortgage, the more you will ultimately pay for your home.
Terms: What They Mean
The term of your loan is something you … (1 comments)

FHA Loans - Compare and Contrast - 07:36 AM
Using an FHA loan is an excellent way for the first time property buyer to purchase a home. However, you are required to have a fairly good credit history to be approved for an FHA loan. If you are looking for a home but are limited on the amount of money you can put down on the property, then the FHA loan would be perfect for you. An FHA loan can also help you qualify for a low closing cost by including most of this fee in the actually loan.
There are several similarities and differences between an FHA loan and … (3 comments)

My website doesn't work: What should I do? - 10:18 AM
I was asked for some help the other day. It's the same help I am asked on a regular basis, and of course I said "yes". The conversation went something like this:
Him: Hey Mark, got a minute?
Me: Sure, what's up? Did you want to get started on the garage remodel?
Him: No, I am going to do that soon but I wondered if you could help me with my website.
Me: Oh, okay. What's the matter with the site?
Him: Well, I don't really know. It just kind of sits there and I keep hearing of other agents that get leads from their sites. … (5 comments)

How do you recharge your batteries? - 05:01 PM
What do you do when life piles on? When every way you turn it's one challenge after another, and you never seem to get caught up? My answer is to walk away for a few hours and "recharge my batteries." That's just what I did a couple of days ago.And what a fabulous day it was, spent with one of the greats in real estate. This man is a legend in real estate sales training. I have known and followed him since my first year in the business.So of course, when I learned that Floyd Wickman would be giving a seminar … (16 comments)

Broker Bryant's crash course on covering your arse! - 04:40 PM
Are you an employed Realtor? Or, are you an unemployed Realtor? Do you have an employment contract or are you just trusting your Broker to treat you fairly? It never ceases to amaze me how many Realtors do not have an employment contract. In fact I have heard from Realtors that didn't even know there was such a thing. How can that be? How could you go to work for someone and not have a contract? To me, this is the single most important document that you should have. With out it, in my opinion, you are unemployed.
In Florida this is … (30 comments)

Outer Banks Real Estate-Is There Opportunity In The Real Estate Market?? - 01:35 PM
If you had to choose to go buy a car at a dealership with 2 cars for sale or a dealership with 200 cars for sale and they were the only choices you had which one would you choose?? I would hope the dealership with 200 for sale. Why?? Selection and price.   
 Now if you had to choose to buy a house in a market where the choices were limited and you competed with many buyers (sellers market) with prices rising or you could buy in a market where your choices were many and no one was competing with you (buyers market) with prices falling. Which one would you choose?? Again … (0 comments)

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