Archives of real estate blog entries for December 15, 2006 (Page 1)

Blog posts


Windstorm For The Rain - 06:57 PM
We’ve had a windstorm where we are. A lot of us are without power. Not a lot of people were hurt, but quite a bit of property damage occurd. Most people in the area are without power roads are blocked and traffic is moving slowly.
Matt had a tree come down and take out his fence. My parents had two trees take out fences in their yard; my grandmother as well had two large trees come down causing damage. I sat blissfully by nothing happening to me.  I expect that we’ll all be back up online by Monday at the latest. … (41 comments)

Track Santa's Progress - 10:19 AM
OK, this has nothing to do with real estate, but it is great for anyone with young children.  For many years, the North American Radar Defense (NORAD) has monitored Santa's progress around the world.  Check it out a the NORAD tracks Santa website.  Obviously Santa hasn't started his trip yet, but there are other things on the site for the kids besides the tracking that will start in about 9 days. … (0 comments)

Trying to be Sick, but too busy! - 08:45 AM
I've been sick all week, and I must say, it's been one of my busier weeks in the past couple of months.  My phone has been ringing off the hook.  I try to ignore it and get some rest, but that didn't work.  One of my buyers called 4 times in a 5 minute period, so I called her back and we put together an offer on a house.  She constantly low-balls and each house she's written an offer on has had multiple offers, so we don't get it, and I should have just stayed in bed.
Another buyer I have been … (5 comments)

Are There Rules for a Handshake? - 11:07 AM
I hate shaking people's hands.  It's not that I don't want to greet them nicely and professionally, but being a woman, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to shake hands.
Many women do the dainty, limp fish hand shake, which is why I'm sure men don't always know how to shake women's hands.
For example, I'll gage the gentleman and think about his personality, and I'll think he's going to have a hardy grip.  I go in with a firm grip, and he's barely touching my hand... oops.
If I think he's a less aggressive person, I'll go in with a less firm grip, and then … (9 comments)

Who Has Time to BLOG? - 06:02 PM
I have a new obsession, I feel like I am cheating on Active Rain.... I have been working with a new tool and it is taking up all of my time!   I am talking about one of the greatest tools I know (sorry Active Rain you can't manage my contacts, workload or listings, remind me to make calls, follow up or BLOG, and send out email messages automatically for me...)
What has me obsessed?  Well I am talking about setting up plans and working my leads via Top Producer!   I got my listings to feed directly from Top Producer to not only my website, but … (14 comments)

City Lights Come On In Georgetown! - 08:18 AM
Georgetown, Texas, is finally getting a movie theater!  (We last had one, the Palace Theater, in 1989 - it now holds live stage performances.) 
City Lights Georgetown Twelve opens today.  With 12 screens, the entrances of which are bult to represent the marquees of historical theaters, a full service restaurant (City Cafe), and meeting rooms, City Lights will fulfill a longstanding need in Georgetown, and we will no longer have to drive to Round Rock to see a movie.  Southwestern University andGeorgetown High School students will no doubt be especially delighted.
… (0 comments)

Guess the Active Rain Member Profile...Win This Fabulous Prize! (DAY 3) - 11:16 AM
Congrats to yeaterday's winners of the "Guess the Active Rain Member Profile...Win This Fabulous Prize!" project!
Jason Price of Knightlines Mortgage Services, LLCMarc J Blasi of Internet Realty BrokersBrio RealtyKnightlines Mortgage Services, LLC is a Florida-based Mortgage Brokerage Business that Jason founded. The company believes in the old-fashion way of business: good old face-to-face, straight forward dealings. A Florida native, Jason believes in strong family values that translate over to how he does business. If you are ever in need of financing for a property in the Central Florida area...be sure to call Knightlines Mortgage Services, LLC!
Jason's permanent link is now on the GA-agent.com … (13 comments)

LowerFee.Com sounds like a Priceline.Com for Real Estate - 04:39 PM
Earlier today another fellow blogger http://activerain.com/blogsview/27091/LowerFees-com-A-New wrote a post about a new company https://www.lowerfees.com/.  I visited the site to see what it was all about.  Interesting to say the least.  It gives you an idea of standard fees a home buyer or seller will see on a HUD.  Then it gives you an option to check into their lowerfee partners that have agreed to do real estate transactions for less monies.  In fact, you can get an instant quote. 
But what I really found interesting was this:
Our services have been reduced to a "Priceline.com".  People are being encouraged to name their real estate transaction price. 
There's … (3 comments)

Where Eagles Rome..... - 07:35 PM
The other day I received a phone call from Margaret Rome. She had recently read and commented on a blog that I had written. She was basically calling to "put a face to the writer" and to tell me she liked one of my comments.
Now I have received calls from other Active Rainers before. There are a few I talk to regularly and some I email out of the Rain. But this call was different. This call made me feel happy and I didn't know why.
Now I am the type of person that has to "know" the whys and … (6 comments)

Another Contest ! Live Radio Show- Sunday 12 Noon - 11:56 PM
 
 
Sunday December 17th   12noon   ALL ABOUT REAL ESTATE   Radio Show
Call In 410-922-6680 or listen http://www.wcbm.com/  East coast time!
The call came in today: "Can you come on the radio program Sunday as a guest?"
 Well sure I can, of course I can and I would love to:  OK, So I had to change  the time  of a showing on one of my unique properties and then I had to  postpone a listing appointment to later in the week....  No problem..the show is always fun and I never know who is going to call in or what topic will arise.   It also helps the host Terry Stafford and Dave Meurer to have … (22 comments)

Just for fun and other holiday sites - 06:14 PM
Ken Deshaies sent us a fun link about elfamorphosis.  If you have children or if you are a child on your own you may want to try it out.  Here is the link to the site would be great to include in a holiday newsletter and was alot of fun to do.
Next Ken shared with us a card website at Jacquie Lawson which was very inexpensive about $8.00 per year and it had some wonderful cards.  I also signed up for this today.  My thanks to Ken Deshaies in Summit County Colorado!
Hope you all enjoy this too!  What are you doing to … (8 comments)

Come2theislands is calling you! - 07:08 PM

If West Indies Cricket and Caribbean dreams are in your plans don't miss the the opportunities in the Caribbean to own a piece of paradise! 
Check out all the offerings from the Caribbean to Margarita Island or Coche Island not to mention the luxury on Nevis.  The come2theislands website has all the information and for previews here are a few links to help.  Nevis , Caribbean Beach, Coche, Margarita it is only the beginning all the information about the each development is there at come2theislands.com
… (1 comments)

Your home is your castle, not an ATM machine! - 05:13 PM
Tomorrow, I'm placing a home on the market, that is going to require a short sale. Seems like I'm getting an awful lot of these lately. This is one where I just don't understand what some folks are thinking. Nice young family, who were first time homebuyers just about 2 years ago. They bought a great little house, new construction, and they only paid $135,000 for it in November of 2004. This was right before our big increase in prices that happened in Poinciana in early 2005. So when I made my appointment with them, earlier this week, I assumed they would … (101 comments)

3 Secret Tips on appearing in your local newspaper for FREE - 01:30 PM
Attention Real Estate Professionals:
Advertising inside of a newspaper can be very pricey so here are my secrets to appearing in your local newspaper for FREE!  I read blogs everyday that help me out with my Real Estate business so I always enjoy giving back to the on-line community that I am a part of.
On Wednesday night, December 13, 2006 I attended a Business After Hours Holiday Party for the Fairfield, Connecticut Chamber of Commerce http://www.fairfieldctchamber.com/ .  I knew a board member so I asked him to inroduce me to the Real Estate Professionals that were there that night first … (140 comments)

Mortgage Man's Holiday Gift to Active Rain! (Must See, members only) - 06:43 PM

Happy Holidays to everyone here on Active Rain.
It has been a great 6+ months and I look for many more months to follow.
I enjoyed putting smiles on your faces and ideas in your brains.
Thanks for sharing all of your ideas with me.
I love Active Rain and will continue to love Active Rain in 2007.
Now my gift to you all is the following picture which was taken at my company holiday party.
Enjoy the funny pic!  I laugh at it when I look at it, I am sure you will too!  Happy Holidays!

Ok fine, … (6 comments)

Christmas Season in Historic Fredericksburg Virginia - 09:21 AM
This past weekend the holiday festivities began in Historic Fredericksburg Virginia!
An annual highlight is the Candlelight Tour of selected homes in downtown Fredericksburg.  This year the weekend included an added attraction.  The National Park Service had a commemoration of the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Entire blocks of downtown Fredericksburg were closed to traffic so that thousands of visitors could view homes featured in this year's tour.  Homeowners opened their doors to those who desired to view the homes that had been professionally decorated for the season.  This year the tour featured homes not far from downtown Fredericksburg.  The tours are arranged by the … (0 comments)

A Closer Look at the Real Estate Market - 03:20 PM
There has been a great deal of talk in professional journals, national newspapers and on national TV about the state of the real estate market.
Just today, one of my clients told me that her friend in Northern Virginia told her that the market was getting better!  My client asked me if the real estate market here was getting well.  My reply to her was that while there was a 1.44% improvement in the average sold price between October 2005 and November 2006, the number of total units sold for the month saw a 31.63% decrease.  If that is getting well . … (2 comments)

The Holiday Season - 04:36 PM
Last night (I think it was) there was a survey being take by Lou Dobbs of CNN fame.
The question was something like this "Do you object to someone saying 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Hanukkah' to you?"  The results were quite overwhelming - about 97% if I recall correctly, had no objection.
Lou Dobbs followed up that survey with an article that I found quite interesting.  You may read it at this link: http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/12/Dobbs.Dec13/index.html
Personally, I take no offense with anyone wishing me "Happy" anything except for "Happy Birthday."  At my age, following the advice of our eldest son, I am satisfied with only "Birthday."  So next … (5 comments)

You are your database.... - 07:04 PM

Bill Gates, in his book called "Business at the Speed of Thought" said "How you gather, manage and use information to serve the needs of your customer will determine whether you win or lose in your business."   I happen to think Bill Gates is a pretty smart guy.  I know he has more money than I do, so I try to pay attention to what he has to say.
Whether you are a single agent or have a team, whether you use Top Producer, Online Agent, Outlook or something else for contact management, you should spend some time each week on your database.  You'll … (28 comments)

REO Manager...Would YOU buy this? - 12:59 PM
Foreclosures are dominate in the market these days.  You don't need a special map or even an address to pick them out of the neighborhood.  All you need to do is drive down the street with your eyes open. They will pop out at you.
Why? There is a "look" a foreclosure has, a sad neglected, nobody loves me type look.  Why?  Because nobody loves them, that's why.  The investors or management companies in charge of them just aren't paying attention.  Instead of sprucing up the properties with some basic tender care, they are throwing them on the market "as is" thinking … (36 comments)

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