Archives of real estate blog entries for December 14, 2006

Featured blog posts


What I Recently Learned From Some HUGE Producers! - 09:15 PM
An interesting thing happened to me recently when I attended a two day event in La Jolla, CA to sit and learn from some HUGE producing Realtors and Lenders - it's called a paradigm shift.
The event was sponsored by By Referral Only Inc ( http://www.byreferralonly.com/ ) and was called the 2006 Strategic Leadership Forum. Most of the agents and lenders here have anywhere from 70% to 100% BY REFERRAL ONLY business - literally. Talk about quality clients and great life style! Many earn big 6 and 7 figure incomes in 30 hour work weeks, ALL referral.
Theses B.R.O. members have been taught to … (38 comments)

List and Locate are NOT the Same as Sell and Buy. - 01:25 PM
“The days of paying thousands of dollars to real estate agents are over…” Working with the TV running in the background (a bad habit), this is what I thought I heard. I looked up to see a bird’s eye view of suburbia with signs of promised savings hovering over the landscape. Next, the viewer was directed to the website – www.shopprop.com Curious, I checked it out. (You should, too.) An introductory slide show proclaims: “Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to list and locate properties but the rates have remained as high as ever.”  That’s in part correct. The rates … (27 comments)

Will You Cut Your Commission? - 09:01 AM
Here's another way of phrasing that question, "Will you buy my business?" Think about it for a second, by cutting the standard commission, you are either a) telling the consumer that your services aren't worth the standard fee b) telling the consumer that you're desperate and will do anything to get paid (including a strong likelihood of not representing their best interests entirely in order to simply close a deal) and c) placing yourself in the "commodity category".
There's only one way to avoid this trap and that is to have incredibly strong consulting skills.
What do "incredibly strong consulting skills look, taste, … (32 comments)

Dear Santa - - 11:09 PM
Dear Santa,
I was helping Savannah write her list earlier.  For the record she's been very good. ( I'm not counting the incident with the scissors and the cat needing a haircut and I really don't think you should either.) But anyway working on her list made me realize I needed to write mine. So Santa, here is the list of things I want for Christmas.
World Peace - http://activerain.com/blogsview/23874/I-Really-Had-To
Smart Sellers who listen to me - http://activerain.com/blogsview/23287/Seller-s-are-not
Lots of great vacations - http://activerain.com/blogsview/Tuesday-Morning-Fun?5806
http://activerain.com/blogsview/25752/WHILE-ON-VACATION-I
http://activerain.com/blogsview/17810/An-Active-Rain-First
(ok, I really want this one)
Lots of referrals -  http://activerain.com/blogsview/26461/U-R-an-International
Great friends who make me laugh - http://activerain.com/blogsview/16612/Active-Rain-Contest
Time for Shopping  - - … (20 comments)

Success Or Failure Can't Be Judged In The Moment - 09:56 PM
I received an email from Craig Schiller on Wednesday morning. What a shining example of what ActiveRain is all about.  His email was so honest and moving and well written, that I had a very difficult time responding to it. Each time I tried, I felt like my response was inadequate. He shared so openly his career ups and downs and his desires for the future. It was a breath of fresh air that left me breathless.
In the midst of attempting to respond, a few thoughts kept getting in the way. I just could not shake them. I had to … (59 comments)

Marco Island Real Estate Report - 09:52 PM
This past week has been a dynamic week for real estate in Marco Island.  Since our report last week, the total for pending sales has jumped over $5.5 million dollars from $44 million to almost $50 million in pending sales for single family homes.  How does the pending sales for homes on Marco Island breakdown?  Let's look at the highest price range first.  From January 1, 2006 to November 15, 2006, there were 17 homes sold in the 2 million to 3.6 million price range.   At time of report, there are 5 homes with pending sales in this same price range.   … (1 comments)

So Your Friend/Cousin/Uncle Is An Attorney, Eh? - 03:02 PM
Today's closing drama, brought to you by the numbers '$550' and 'I' (that's short for "I don't DO real estate closings on a regular basis")
Buyers and sellers. We know that you have friends and family members who are attorneys.  We as real estate professionals applaud them for surviving the three (or more) grueling years of law school!  However, you should know that just because they had to study real estate law as a course or two while in school, they may not be experts in real estate law.
Case in point.
*Allow me to preface this story by saying that I am NOT … (51 comments)

Going Beyond "The Rate..." - 11:56 AM
Everything in the mortgage industry is geared towards the rate. What are your rates? Who has the best rates? What are the rates doing?
I'm here to tell you that the mortgage industry goes far beyond what the rate is. The rate is just a number! Yes, a number the ultimately determines the amount that a client will pay on his/her mortgage every month...but it still goes deeper than that. For example, "Does the rate really matter if you don't get the loan to begin with?"
The mortgage industry is about people. With that, it's about asking questions and understanding the goals, … (21 comments)

Two Laws of Real Estate - 11:17 AM
We all know the law right?  When it comes to real estate the 3 most important things to focus on are;
locationlocationlocationWhat about the second law?  Everyone knows that;
timingtimingtiming Actually everyone doesn't know the second law.  In fact I have investors tell me all the time how they have the bad habit of buying high and selling low.  Sad but true, sometimes we make mistakes that can be avoided. 
The market actually does present us with clues.  Of course clues aren't hard set rules, but they are indicators that have been tested over time and found to have a certain amount … (39 comments)

Stress and the Realtor - 05:55 AM
Did you know that being a realtor is in the top 15 occupations for stress ? I was reading a recent article and I was surprised it was actually documented. Of course we all know real estate can be stressful.
The other day my daughter and I were talking, she is a buyer agent on my TEAM and is working on a very difficult transaction. Buyers will low credit, less than forthright lender ( no not one of ours........they couldnt' get them qualified ) on top of that a bank foreclosed home and the listing agent that is handling it ONLY deals … (29 comments)

"Hard Money" makes sense for good credit borrowers - 01:10 AM
Why would a borrower with a 736 FICO score get a hard money loan?
I'm deviating a bit from my earlier blog, So you want to be a California Hard Money Broker?  I know I promised more detailed information about  the disclosure process in California Hard Money transactions and I will.  Tonight, I'm not up to that arduous task.  I'll share with you some reasons why a borrower with GOOD credit would actually pay the high points and rates associated with a "hard money loan"
Introduction:  Private mortgages or "hard money" loans are all about taking on risk that is unacceptable to conventional … (22 comments)

What has been happening around the 'RAIN' -- The Weekly Review #5 -- 12/04 to 12/10 - 12:57 AM
Okay..... now I am not having a good end of the day. The Rain Gods must not be with me now. I now have just spent 4 1/2 hours on this and I am not giving up. Long story and no, I didn't save anything.
Caleb and Matt asked me to fill in for Toby Boyce in this weeks review who had some last minute commitments. And  Christine Forgione will do next weeks in review, 12/11 to 12/17.
So, now as I limber into the night, yes, with another introduction to last weeks honorable mentions....  here they are: 
BEST STORIES:
The Call, The Dog … (47 comments)

East Meets West.....................ActiveRain Get Together - 05:14 PM
Wednesday was spent working from home. Typically this means that I am glued to the desktop plugging away. Mass mailing campaign for pre-foreclosures, expireds and properties at the beginning stages of the foreclosure process. I had just returned the week before from a three day junket at the Realtor Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. You know the feeling of guilt that comes over you like a pall. I felt the Need to get back to tweaking the machine.
These days inherently, the machine includes AR. While reading posts and leaving comments, I came upon Toby Barnett's post for gathering in Kirkland, WA … (22 comments)

Sales Award Denial Rules Upheld - 11:16 AM
If you are eligible to receive an award as a result of your production or sales volume for 2006, be careful about when and how you choose to let others know about the pending award or you may lose it! 
A New Jersey court has considered whether the New Jersey Association of REALTORS® (“NJAR”) properly denied a member a sales volume award because she violated the award’s rules by advertising her receipt of the award prior to acceptance. Glory-Ann Drazinakis (“Member”) is a member of the Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS® (“HSAR”) and NJAR. In 2005, the Member qualified for NJAR’s “Circle … (19 comments)


Blog posts


Zillow Experiment: Day 7 - 09:45 AM
The excitement mounts!  Ok - well, not really. 
At least it appears Zillow won't just let you zone out and completely forget about your listing.  Hopefully this will keep listings on their site somewhat relevent.   Received this from them today: 
Hello, We're checking in to see if the home at 330 7th Ave is still for sale. Click the "update posting status" link below to let us know.
Update posting status
You will receive this e-mail reminder each week so we can keep this home's status up-to-date for the millions of monthly visitors who come to Zillow. If the status is … (9 comments)

T-Shirts - 10:52 PM
… (0 comments)

List and Locate are NOT the Same as Sell and Buy. - 01:25 PM
“The days of paying thousands of dollars to real estate agents are over…” Working with the TV running in the background (a bad habit), this is what I thought I heard. I looked up to see a bird’s eye view of suburbia with signs of promised savings hovering over the landscape. Next, the viewer was directed to the website – www.shopprop.com Curious, I checked it out. (You should, too.) An introductory slide show proclaims: “Today’s technology makes it easier than ever to list and locate properties but the rates have remained as high as ever.”  That’s in part correct. The rates … (27 comments)

Here Are Some Ideas To Get You Started On Marketing Your Real Estate Business - 05:00 PM
Most agents miss the boat on marketing, even those spending thousands of dollars on it.You keep spending and in the back of your mind or conciously you know there is a better less expensive way to reach your potential clients. First you have to ask yourself these questions... 1. What are my markets? 2. What message do I wish to convey to those markets? 3. And, what is the best method to convey that message in those markets? Then you decide how you want to market your real estate business... Direct mail and CRM are marketing mediums that clearly produce the … (1 comments)

Tempo Tips - 02:50 PM
If you use Tempo to access your MLS, I have a couple of tips for you. 
If you want to do a search by MLS number and want to see ALL listings on a map, here is what you do:  set up a custom search with the only field being ML#.  When you input all your MLS numbers a d hit search, what is returned looks like regular search results.  You can click on the listings you want to display and hit the map button.
What if you're loking for a home with a hanger (airplane) or boat dock.  Set up a custom … (1 comments)

Public Speaking Key to Building Business - 10:05 AM
What fear do we have that is greater than the fear of death?  Studies show it's public speaking.  As much as people fear it, they tend to admire it as well.  Remember the last time you went to a good seminar or class?  It probably isn't all that memorable exclusively because of the material, the speaker typically either makes or breaks the situation.
Why is it beneficial in our business?  Networking is a key to success in business.  Joining a group and broadcasting what you do can drive your business to new levels!  Conducting first time buyer seminars is another avenue to driving more … (4 comments)

Taking Buyers Seminars to a New Level - 08:44 PM
Have you been wondering how to market your First Time Buyers Seminars?  Team up with your community in the effort.  Community education is offered throughout the United States, in large cities as well as small towns.  Volunteer to do a class for First Time Buyers.  You might even think outside the box and offer to do a class for sellers in how to maximize their profit from the sale of their home. 
This not only results in a possibility of connections for you, but free publicity for the classes as the community development office mails out and displays the catalogs at … (1 comments)

12 Days of Christmas - Marco Island Style - 01:44 PM

 
Ok I have been busy designing ads the last week!  I have also worked on another ad, but that is another BLOG about how to do print ads and sometimes it is just better to given them camera ready art than let them loose with an idea...  
The ad you see on the right comes as a result of a BLOG that Maureen Henry did on December 5th - 12 Days of Staging. There are so many benefits to Active Rain to each of us, one of them is the creativity that it spurs in each other.  We share and exchange ideas and sometimes even … (10 comments)

Quincy Named Second Safest City In Massachusetts - 11:43 AM
… (5 comments)

Braised Pork and Black Beans - 07:38 PM
Another meal that's great of a winter evening.  This one's been a favorite in our household for a couple of decades.
16  ounces  black beans, cooked -- or 8 ounces dried
1    pound  pork tenderloin -- cut into 1" cubes
4    cloves  garlic -- crushed
2    Tablespoons  low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon  black pepper
6    Tablespoons  white wine
1    white onion
1    Tablespoon  olive oil
1    cup  low sodium chicken broth
2    cups  brown rice, cooked
If using dried beans, soak for two hours in water to cover.  Drain, add fresh water, bring bo a boil, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.  Put pork cubes in a pot with the garlic, soy sauce, … (4 comments)

The World Gets Smaller and Smaller - 09:25 PM
Our local world, anyway.  State Highway 130 opened yesterday.  Another of the new toll roads in Central Texas, this one bypasses Austin to the east, but provides quicker access to East Austin by avoiding IH35 from north of Georgetown down, thusfar, to U.S. 290, with access in Williamson County at State Highway 195 (just up the road from Jarrell where I live, about 15 miles north of Georgetown), State Highway 29, FM 971, U.S. Highway 79 (near Hutto), Country Road 104, and Country Road 109.  Right now, you can go from IH35 to Hwy 290 near Manor. 
Development is anticipated to … (3 comments)

Guess the Active Rain Member Profile...Win This Fabulous Prize! (DAY 2) - 10:46 AM
Let's shift gears a bit...
From here on out, there will be (3) different profiles posted on a daily basis. This will allow (3) different ActiveRain members to participate in the "Guess the Active Rain Member Profile...Win This Fabulous Prize!" project. The first (3) different ActiveRain members to answer and post correctly are the winners...
Let's give a round of applause to yesterday's winner:
The Dynamic Duo Maureen Francis & Dmitry Koublitsky!
This husband and wife team could well be considered one of the pioneers of the network. They are one of ActiveRain's top bloggers and continously add valuable content about the Michigan, Oakland County … (4 comments)

You Gotta Pay Your Dues! - 10:31 PM
How many newer agents hear that mantra on a regular basis?  And what is paying your dues anyway?  I paid plenty of dues when I got my license and joined NAR, IAR and MIBOR!  (Hummmm. . . Guess that wasn't the "DUES" they were talking about.)
Normally when you pay a "DUES" you pay it to belong to something.  People pay dues to a Homeowner's Association, to a Golf Club, Chamber of Commerce, Car Club and many, many more. 
So what does this adage mean?  I believe that it means "Hard Work" in getting your name out to the public, building a … (5 comments)

Exceptional Service...Without Exception! - 03:43 PM

In Boston there is a fantastic lady - Realtor® and friend -  named Mollie Wasserman. She's written a new book with a title that Mary McKnight would love:  Ripping the Roof Off Real Estate:  It's Not What You Save, It's What You Keep. Mollie also worked with her partner, Paula Bean, to create a new ACRE course (Accredited Consultant in Real Estate) for training real estate agents in working and getting paid for their consulting and expertise.

Not long ago Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach and a dynamo herself, interviewed Mollie for the Agent Real Estate Roundup Podcast on … (6 comments)

Isn't RedFin a tuna? - 05:20 PM
This past Monday morning I was sitting on my adjustable, vibrating, craftmatic, temperpedic bed enjoying my morning coffee with breakfast (toast), that TLW delivers to me every morning, "working" on ActiveRain, when my phone rang. "Good morning Tutas Towne Realty, this is Broker Bryant your local sooooooooooo good looking area Real Estate expert, how can I help you on this beautiful sunny Florida morning?" Well, maybe I didn't say EXACTLY that, but it was close. Anyway, a very pleasant lady on the other end starts asking me about one of my listings. She said she was a Buyer, so I answered … (22 comments)

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells even Taco Bells! (Holiday Cards Reminder) - 11:25 AM
All Real Estate Professionals:
Do you hear the bells?  They sure are jingling and it is the holiday season baby!  It is Thursday December 14, 2006 and we are less than 2 weeks away from Christmas.  Have you sent out your Holiday Cards yet?  Time is running out.  Most of you have already started to receive your holiday cards so if that is not a reminder to start sending out your holiday cards to your current clients, past clients, business partners, family and friends then let this HOLIDAY CARDS BLOG be your reminder.
You like the subject of this blog, I … (6 comments)

The Stamford Connecticut Chamber Of Commerce - 11:22 PM
          
Stamford Chamber Of Commerce
733 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06901
http://www.stamfordchamber.com/
Primary mission: "to represent, strengthen and unify Stamford business community efforts to provide the best environment in which to work and live"
Largest business organization in southwestern Connecticut. Representing more than 1,600 business and professional firms in Stamford, Connecticut. Over 60 events per year, check out calendar for upcoming events. http://www.stamfordchamber.com/eventcal.asp Twenty committees with over 250 members volunteering, helping the Stamford CT business community. One of the fastest growing Chambers in the northeast United States. Upcoming Events:

*Events as listed on chamber website* 
Countrywide … (0 comments)

Oswego Real Estate By The Numbers - 10:46 PM
The Village of Oswego was a sleepy little farming community along the Fox River not so long ago. These days housing developments are the crop growing from those farms. The downtown area is small and quaint, but is starting to wake to it's own natural charm of being a river city. As the developments have come, so have the amenities that come with the growth. Restaurants, shops and more... The potential extension of the Metra commuter line to Orchard Road on the west end of town has fueled growth there.
The overall real estate market in Oswego is sluggish just as it is elsewhere. Inventory … (7 comments)

Two Laws of Real Estate - 11:17 AM
We all know the law right?  When it comes to real estate the 3 most important things to focus on are;
locationlocationlocationWhat about the second law?  Everyone knows that;
timingtimingtiming Actually everyone doesn't know the second law.  In fact I have investors tell me all the time how they have the bad habit of buying high and selling low.  Sad but true, sometimes we make mistakes that can be avoided. 
The market actually does present us with clues.  Of course clues aren't hard set rules, but they are indicators that have been tested over time and found to have a certain amount … (39 comments)

Scratch Your Niche - 04:58 PM
Have you got a niche?  If you don't have a niche you should, here's why...
Having a niche helps you as a business person reach both your short and long term goals.  Niches help a solitary business person stand out in a sea of generalists.  Being unique is a worth goal, having a niche helps achieve that goal.
How does one discover a niche?
the best way to discover your own special niche is to evaluate;
your marketyour personal strengthsyour personal weaknessesBy making an assessment of your real estate market you will discover areas that are best served and those that aren't served at all.  … (35 comments)

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