Archives of real estate blog entries for December 19, 2006 (Page 3)

Blog posts


Central Florida Happenings..... - 11:52 PM
Rod Stewart will be at the newly ordained AMWAY arena (formerly the TD Waterhouse arena) January 16th...... Whoohoo ~~~~ all you Rod Stewart fans out there!!! Call Ticketmaster for your tickets!
The Nutcracker (Russian Ballet style) will give it's last performance on Dec. 22nd at the PlazaTheatere --- for tickets call 407-221-8146......
 For all of you who remember The Lawrence Welk Show, on Feb. 22nd from 2:00pm to 3:30pm Guy and Ralne will be at the Peabody auditoriumm in Daytona Beach.... a $75 contribution to WMFE gives you the entire show along with a complementary subscription to The Lawrence Welk Newsletter......
 The world famous … (2 comments)

"I am better then you and I don't need to follow your rules!" - 01:32 PM

Last week there was quite a bit of hub-bub and upset around 2 types of chronic Cutting & Pasting of NON-ORIGINAL information into Active Rain blogs.
The 2 types are:
1.) Cutting & Pasting of statistical data NOT generated by members of Active Rain but posted solely as their work for their blog.
2.) Cutting & Pasting blatantly stolen information originally authored and posted/printed elsewhere on the web or in the media, and then claimed to be an ORIGINAL contribution.
While this has been an ongoing problem since I joined 5 months ago, last night I just about had a fit... because I saw BLANTANT example, after example after example of this taking place.
The … (71 comments)

Donald Trump visits St. Paul Real Estate Blog - 04:15 PM
My blog got a visit from Donald Trump today and all I have to show for it is this screen shot.  I can't find an email address or I would invite him to active rain.
When his Avatar started showing up on blogs we thought it was a joke,  Donald Trump does have a blog. : http://donaldtrump.trumpuniversity.com/
According to Jim Cronin, at the real estate tomato Trump really did join MyBlogLog today. All I can say is the next time someone gives me a bad time about blogging during business hours I am going to point out that the Donald does it too.
Of … (15 comments)

Commercial Real Estate Investment Properties - 04:49 PM
Dear Members
I am sending you this E-mail to determine if you still Interested in off-market & regular commercial real estate listings? I would like to win your business as a private source and provide you with an updated commercial real estate listings. No matter what the price range of your opportunities or where they are on the Planet Earth, this web-site has become a major world community of Investors with a like minded interest waiting to do business in Global Real Estate and bring Global Investors to our local market knowledge. Currently available Las Vegas Hotel/Casinos, 6*5*4* Hotel from around the … (0 comments)

Real Living is awesome - 05:28 AM
Real Living is the number one real estate company in Ohio.
What Columbus Real Estate Company has been number one in Cenral Ohio for years?  HER Real Living.  HER was number one in Columbus long before the formation of Real Living in 2002. 
HER Real Living lists and sells homes in Central Ohio.  Real Living is now in 16 states.
 
 
 
Real Living is so Web 2.0 *
Real Living has a blog.
 
Real Living has the best Open House list in Central Ohio
 
HER Real Living's history  from the Real Living website:  "The 1950s: ... economic expansion ... suburban … (8 comments)

Dublin Area Market Report - 05:38 PM
There are areas of the City of Columbus which are in school districts that are not the City of Columbus School district. Parts of northwest Columbus are in the Dublin City School district.  For example some neighborhoods off Sawmill Rd and off Frantz Road.   
The problem with the TrendGraphix Market Reports I create for my blogs is that they are only available for an MLS area.  The problem with our MLS areas are they've been around a long time and they really don't make a lot of sense. The good news is I believe we will be getting away from MLS areas because of mapping shortly.  Yahoo!  
Buyers don't come to REALTORS® and say "I want … (2 comments)

Worthington Area Market Report - 06:43 PM
There are areas of the City of Columbus which are in school districts other than the City of Columbus School district. Parts of northwest / north Columbus are in the Worthington School District.  For example some neighborhoods off Smoky Row Rd, the Hard Road area and off Flint and Park Roads are in the City of Columbus but the Worthington school district.    
The problem with the TrendGraphix Market Reports I create for my blogs is that they are only available for an MLS area.  The problem with our MLS areas are they've been around a long time and they really don't make a lot of sense. The good news is I believe we will be getting away … (4 comments)

Christmas season here in the Golden Isles - 12:39 PM
It is that time of year here in the Golden Isles when the weather is a little cooler and the Christmas decorations are out. Everyone seems to get that little twinkle in their eyes knowing that Santa Claus will soon pay them a visit. It is a time of year to be thankful for the important things in your life. Christmas is about being with family, friends and creating memories that will last a lifetime. It is about seeing the excitement in the faces of your children on Christmas morning and the all important Christmas dinner. Christmas is about traveling to see family … (1 comments)

The Future of Real Estate Marketing - 10:52 AM
Civics
•         55 to 58 Million Consumers ages 61 and older
•         Key drivers = dedication and sacrifice.
•         Goal= help them feel ok spending their hard earned dollars
Key Message = "You have sacrificed long enough. You deserve to reward yourself."
Boomers
•         78 million consumers ages 42 to 60
•         Single largest generation in history
•         Key drivers = Adventure Transition & New Experiences  "Too cool to retire!"
Key Message = Help them transition into the next stage of their (very exciting) lives.
Generation X (X'ers)
•         48 million consumers ages 30 to 41.
•         Key driver = fierce independence!
•         Latchkey Kids that made Internet Useful (Web 1.0)
•         … (0 comments)

Holiday Time - 07:47 PM
I thought that I'd write something serious and edifying...but, then this little voice said: "What? This is the week before Christmas! Get real."
Now, I've always liked the week before the holidays because in our neck of the woods it's quiet. No phones ringing. No new leads. No ads. Our office, in fact, will be closed both Sunday and Monday and open only a half day on Saturday.
This is the perfect week to sort thru all my folders, do all my files and get all my "stuff" ready for the accountant.
I suspose it would also be the perfect week for a Realtor Vacation...but … (9 comments)

Brokers, Agents, MLS services ... we offer Quality FREE Exchange LINKS for Real Estate Property Links and Improving your web site Ranking - 12:29 PM
 
Real Estate Property Link Exchange FREE Offer to Qualified Web sites to improve Your Web Site Search Engine Rating , and  Visibility on the Internet ....Top Rated site http://www.johnvostenak.com/ is looking for real estate brokers' and agents', MLS's listings web sites with which to exchange web links.Your web site must be related to Real Estate Broker, Agent, MLS Listings services only, and have Google page rank at least or greater than 3/10, we have higher rank of 5/10.Your links page must be reachable from your front/home page by two clicks or less.
Check Your Search Engine ranking for your web site before you apply for … (0 comments)

Yes Active Rain there is a Santa Claus! - 03:42 PM
Yes Active Rain there is a Santa Claus.  I have always been a closet believer, but not I am coming out.  I have seen it with my own eyes! 
I have met one of Santa's elves.  His name is Rob.
It first happened in November.  My company, First Choice Equity Group, signed up to be a drop off location for Toys for Tots  which delivers new toys to under-privileged children for Christmas.  I sent an email to everyone I know that is local to let them know that FCEGi is a drop off location.  Soon after, the elf named Rob showed up with … (11 comments)

A quick introduction - 11:48 PM
Welcome all -
I created this forum and then actually had to run off to work ... (in December, at that!) -
My name is Sara - I'm an appraiser in the Portland, OR metro area.  Some information about me and my appraisal information can be found at http://www.saragoodwin.com/ or http://groups.myspace.com/appraisershaven
Feel free to add who you are and where you're from!
Sara
… (2 comments)

Do I Need To Have a Survey Performed? Absolutely! - 04:46 PM
Today in the office I was talking with another agent.  She was telling me about a problem that had arisen with one of her listings.
She had listed a country home with acreage a little while back.  She went to the courthouse and pulled the data card which showed that the property had eight acres.  The owners confirmed that information.  The lady that owned it said that her father had purchased the property over fifty years ago.
Now I wasn't even around fifty years ago so I don't really know much as to how business was done then.  But I will guess that … (2 comments)

Stop the Presses! Birmingham Michigan home sold in 6 days! - 07:36 AM
To those of our readers from places other than SE Michigan, that title is very ho-hum. “So what?”, you ask. But readers nearby know that half million dollar homes in SE Michigan have usually experienced much longer market times in 2006. I’ve held off announcing this sale since it went under contract in October. No postcards to the neighbors even. I’m cautious, even though I knew the buyers were well qualified and excited about their purchase. I preferred to make it through closing. That happened late last week, and I think both the buyers and the sellers are thrilled.
So what … (19 comments)

REAL ESTATE IN LAUREL, MARYLAND - GUIDE FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS - 07:58 PM
Real Estate in Laurel Maryland, November 2006 Market ReportLAUREL, MARYLAND REAL ESTATEA lovely town with historic roots, Laurel is identified as "on Route 1 halfway between Washington, D.C.and Baltimore, Maryland.  Laurel is a lot more than a location.  It's a quaint town with homes the representVictorian architecture and the styles of the 21st Century.                
 HISTORIC HOME IN LAUREL  *  HOME IN RUSSETT, LAUREL MARYLAND  *  TOWN HOMES IN LAURELSHOPPING IN LAURELLaurel Town Center and Main Street are located in Prince George's County.  Parts of Laurel are located in Howard County and in Anne Arundel County.  Main Street in Laurel is a mix of … (2 comments)

Are First Time Homebuyers Being Left Out Of The Current Housing Market? - 09:57 PM
I came across an article by the associated press in the MSNBC Real Estate Section, back in October entitled "First-time homebuyers being left out."  The article went on to quote a poll stating that "Eighty percent of Americans believe it is difficult for most first-time buyers to afford a home, according to an AP-AOL Real Estate poll. Many people - 59 percent - believe the situation is worse now than five years ago." Even in the Midwest, the real estate market in my own backyard, over 50 percent of those first time homebuyers surveyed feel it is more difficult for first-time … (4 comments)

Personal Attire At a Home Inspection -- For the Inspector - 12:30 PM
Personal Attire At a Home Inspection-For the Inspector
I have seen two extremes in the inspection business. 
Inspectors that dress upInspectors that don't dress up enough 
Inspectors that Dress Up-
Look.  You do not need a tie to project a professional image.  You crawl in crawl spaces, you bend down in the dirt, you are in insulation, etc.  Nobody expects you do look like you belong behind a desk at some insurance office.  Get real.
Inspectors that Don't Dress Up Enough-
I have been to conferences, local meetings, etc. and seen inspectors that I would... never allow in my home.  Stained shirts, beer bellies hanging out … (1 comments)

The Pain of Re-Inspections - 12:57 PM
I would say that most of the "troubles" that I have as a home inspector deal with reinspections.
For those who don't know what a reinspection is, or what I am referring to:  A reinspection is when the client (usually the buyer) has the inspector come back to the home (usually for a nominal fee) to make sure that any repairs ordered (usually by the seller) were performed correctly.
Water in a Crawl Space
This time of year, I would say that about 25% of the homes I inspect in the NW have water under the home.  While I am certainly able to offer … (2 comments)

What is Said During and Inspection and What is Written on a Home Inspection Report - 01:06 PM
Some inspectors live in a perpetual state of "fear".  For instance, take this statement from Principles of Home Inspection-Systems and Standards:
"One of the dangers of written reports...is the possibility for discrepancies between what was said and what was included in the report.  You [the inspector] should be ... careful that your verbal comments are consistent with [the] written report.  People are quick to pick up on inconsistencies and resent having the bad news buried in a written report that was not explained to them on site.  This unprofessional approach is likely to cause problems for the inspector" (p. 46-47).
The "problem" with … (1 comments)

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