Archives of real estate blog entries for February 2, 2007

Featured blog posts


Monopoly my a..! - 05:09 PM
Ok, today I want to talk about monopolies and how some folks seem to think that NAR and it's members are monopolizing real estate and prohibiting other business models from participating in our closed "secret society". Now folks, I'm not one to use big words and I don't waste much time reading about the DOJ and their law suit against NAR, so if my response to all this sounds too simple, well, it is. I can only respond based on my perspective and how things are in my market. So with that in mind, my first reaction is "Monopoly my ass!"
Real … (79 comments)

Unlicensed Contractors - 06:54 PM
When we're considering a remodelling project, we often think about licensing - the benefits of a professional license, proper insurance, and workmen's compensation. But what about the times someone comes to your house asking to do a "little" job? Your palm trees need trimming, and it's just too high for you to reach now. Your windows are dirty, and someone is here offering to clean them for you. The young couple looks so nice, and they're really trying to start a business....you've seen this fellow do the trees down the street and he does a really good job....
Don't, don't, don't.
If everything … (14 comments)

Condo Burger...we had some fun in the office today! - 09:40 PM
The Condo Burger, The Midrise
The long awaited Condo Burger finally arrives!  Starting as an off topic Gabbly Chat with none other than Sellsius on the Sellsius Blog….the Condo Burger was born.  Joseph G. Ferrara, one of Sellsius co-founders set the pace.  He said, Tony…go to your Boston burger joint, put in an order for a condo burger and see what you get?
So that is exactly what we did.  We forgot the camera so we had to bring the burger back to the office, however…there was nothing big enough to wrap it up in so we needed to break … (33 comments)

GET A LIFE! - Review #7 of The WeBLOG Handbook, by Rebecca Blood - 09:28 PM
This is the last review of a series, of a book called WeBLOG, by Rebecca Blood. 
Although I will go over the last Chapter, I urge everyone to look beyond Chapter 7 into great tools included by the author in Appendix I, II and II at the end - which cover tutorials from writing linktext to buying a Domain.
I found the author's tone in this book to be motherly and nurturing, as if Rebecca was speaking directly to me and telling me the do's and don'ts of blogging - as if she was holding me by the hand showing me the ropes.  … (26 comments)

Results of our first video experiments on YouTube - 12:24 PM
Take a minute to visit YouTube and watch Coldwell Banker agent Lyn Flannery talk about Wilmette, Illinois. 
YouTube, as I noted in a previous post, is a video search and sharing site that's the 5th most visited side on the Web. It was recently acquired by Google, which integrated its content into the search on Google Video, and is expanding its functionality,
Wilmette is an attractive, leafy suburb, population about 27,000, on Chicago's affluent North Shore. It's part of the nationally-known New Trier School District.
If you run a simple search for Wilmette Illinois on YouTube, the first result is the video we've embedded … (48 comments)

The Cost of a Phone Call - 11:27 AM
I got a call the other night from my daughter's teacher and her husband.  They are selling their house and having some problems with their current agent.  At the outset everything was going okay, though their agent delayed a bit in getting the listing on MLS initially.  Since that point, however, things have been sliding downhill.  Apparently they have not seen their agent since signing the listing.  Further, it is now two months later and they are still asking for a copy of the listing contract with no response.
Several times they have called their current agent to request information about their listing or to make a … (24 comments)

Localism and Homeland Security - 09:18 PM
While catching up on some of the buzz on a local internet forum I came across an interesting thread. It seems that there have been a few incidents here in Charlotte where people have been confronted by security guards and told that they could not take photos. This stems from a recent incident in which a foreign visitor was arrested in July after the police found him videotaping the FBI headquarters in Charlotte. When the police reviewed the tape in his camera, they found it full of "other shots of skyscrapers and other American landmarks". While no terrorist ties were proven, the … (19 comments)

Why do listings Expire? - 09:38 PM
There is always a reason a home doesn't sell.  I mean ALWAYS!  Wrong price, inaccessible to view, cleanliness, odors, needs work, bad location, lack of marketing, structural issues (plumbing, EIFS, siding etc...), and the seller are just a few that comes to mind.  In my books, the seller is the ultimate reason.  The Buck stops here!
The sellers are the only ones that can choose the agent, interpret what he/she hears, accordingly set - raise or lower price, decide to paint, change or clean the carpet, tidy up the home, and ultimately act as an adult and claim responsibility!  Even when I … (62 comments)

Adding "Breaking and Entering" to Your Resume - 09:41 PM
Last week I went to one of my listings to meet the appraiser so she could do her thing.  The seller had left his eldest daughter at home to let us in.  The house had been put under contract quickly and I had not gotten a key to the property yet.
When the appraiser arrived she started her work outside the house.  When it was time to go to the back yard, the big ferocious looking dog became an issue.  He hadn't been all that ferocious when I had taken the property pictures but then again the boys had tied him to a … (38 comments)

What are your area statistics? Listings and agent count! - 09:30 PM
Over the years, a lot of agents come to me and ask about how to improve their business.  The first question I ask them if it is a buyers market or a sellers market.  What is the absorption rate for their particular area for class of listed property...how many active listings are on the market...is that higher or lower than preceding years...what is the number of agents in the MLS... and it that number up or down for previous roster lists?  They invariabley look at me like I have two heads!
My focus is that to keep ahead of the competition, I … (23 comments)

This is Awesome...Just Not in My Backyard! - 06:55 PM
 

Yesterday, there was some disturbing news on the ABC News evening broadcast.  Charlie Gibson reported that the Army Corps of Engineers had identified 146 levees nationwide that it said posed an unacceptable risk of failing in a major flood.  The deficiencies were mostly due to poor maintenance and were going to force a number of communities from Connecticut to California to invest millions of dollars in repairs.  A Sacramento, CA man was interviewed who indicated that he had been informed that his flood insurance rate was going to quadruple.
In a related article by USA Today, the Corps and … (14 comments)

My first Blog: Going outside my comfort zone. - 09:45 PM
I set up my account over a month ago.  Indecisive on what I wanted to cover on my first blog, I came up with Seminars, since currently I am putting one together.
First I would like to share with you my background.  I have been in this industry since June of 96 where my uncle brought me into this career.  As his assistant, I coordinated between him, the processor and his clients.  He showed me how to structure loans, resolve issues, talk with clients and answer their questions about the mortgage process, which included rates, good faith estimates, hud settlements, programs etc...  After 4 … (38 comments)

25 Signals of Poor Quality Web Sites - 09:33 PM
As usually, Barry Schwartz (SERoundtable.com) points out very interesting thread that is being discussed at WebMaster World forums about the signals of poor quality sites that may trigger search engines. Barry makes a good point that this topic is pretty cool just because it's reversed in comparison to "Top.." or The best..." type of articles and discussions. Of course the thread is pure speculation, but it turns out to be an interesting read since it based on people's/webmasters' experiences and opinions. They try related this signals to search engine bot possible judgment, but I wouldn't look at it this way - … (29 comments)

More real estate user generated content - Inman News Wiki - 11:47 AM
User generated content is continuing to be a big topic in the on-line real estate world.  The most recent example, Inman News launched their Real Estate Wiki, which Brad says is "The World's Largest Real Estate Encyclopedia"  They have seeded this wiki with over 5k past articles and pieces of content from the Inman News archives, but plan on real estate professionals as being the main contributors to the site.
Zillow already has their own real estate wiki and I'm sure there are several others out there, but I get the feeling that the one on Inman News will probably get the most … (19 comments)

Active Rain - in our thoughts all the time. - 09:34 PM
Thanks to Sarah Cooper's recent featured post, I could relate to her thoughts about "Top 10 Things I've Learned from Active Rain So Far ..."   so I'm taking a little break from the serious posts, since Ines, the Miami Shores Real Estate expert(s) doesn't 'recognize' me anymore! :^)
So I wondered about all the Rainers out there and what we possibly have in common,. no matter what aspect of real estate, mortgages or staging you work in... oh yeah and appraisers too! ;)
Aside from the obvious things that we all may be doing on a daily basis like:
telling people about … (57 comments)

How to Earn the Right to the Relationship - 11:27 AM
In our businesses, networking and growing relationships with our strategic partners is a huge part of our growth.  Unfortunately, we approach networking in the wrong way by thinking with two major flaws in mind.  These fundamental assumptions are that it is a sales activity and that it is all about you.
The reality of networking is that it should leave a lasting impression and positve experience on those you meet.  It is about creating value for those you maintain contact with, whether they are a client or not, because they could become your best referral sources.  The ultimate goal for most of … (18 comments)

A Funny Thing Happened to me in Active Rain - 09:36 PM

So I join Active Rain and I'm running with it.  I see the #1 guy in Seattle and I'm out to get up and over him.  I post more than anyone wants me to.  I do "my homework" EVERY DAY.
Ten comments, post-post-post-post-post-post, ten comments, post-post post...you know the drill.
I jumped over ten barrels at a time!
I whizzed past people that looked like they were stuck in the quicksand.
I make it to number three and I'm looking up there at Mr #1 and UH OH!!
It's Leslie Bloss.  I don't know her, but doesn't she look like … (69 comments)


Blog posts


More real estate user generated content - Inman News Wiki - 11:47 AM
User generated content is continuing to be a big topic in the on-line real estate world.  The most recent example, Inman News launched their Real Estate Wiki, which Brad says is "The World's Largest Real Estate Encyclopedia"  They have seeded this wiki with over 5k past articles and pieces of content from the Inman News archives, but plan on real estate professionals as being the main contributors to the site.
Zillow already has their own real estate wiki and I'm sure there are several others out there, but I get the feeling that the one on Inman News will probably get the most … (19 comments)

Laguna's Phenomenal Thunderstorm - 06:02 PM
 
On midnight of January 31st, an amazing thunderstorm broke loose in Laguna Beach. It had already been raining that day, but now it was raining cats and dogs. 
I was driving home from spending the evening at a girl friends, when, as I neared the high school, all the power went out. (Or was it out already? I don't remember). Power had gone out in my area, the Top of the World, at noon that day. 
It was phenomenal. As I was driving, all was dark except for what fell across the path of my headlights. Flashes of white rippled … (4 comments)

Library Court Condos - 08:53 AM
… (0 comments)

Chase Point Condominiums - 08:32 PM
… (0 comments)

Condo Burger...we had some fun in the office today! - 09:40 PM
The Condo Burger, The Midrise
The long awaited Condo Burger finally arrives!  Starting as an off topic Gabbly Chat with none other than Sellsius on the Sellsius Blog….the Condo Burger was born.  Joseph G. Ferrara, one of Sellsius co-founders set the pace.  He said, Tony…go to your Boston burger joint, put in an order for a condo burger and see what you get?
So that is exactly what we did.  We forgot the camera so we had to bring the burger back to the office, however…there was nothing big enough to wrap it up in so we needed to break … (33 comments)

Please Help answer a Newbie's Question About Blogging and ActiveRain - 10:46 AM
Please Help answer a Newbie's Question About Blogging and ActiveRainby John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORReal Estate, Hemet CA
I was checking out the new blog posts this morning, as is part of my morning routine and came across this short post from a new REALTOR - someone ho has not yet sold their first home - seeking advise about Blogging and Real Estate.  I took the time to answer him in my normal long-winded way,  After posting the comment, I thought this would be a great Blog to publish to let as many others see it and weigh in.
So please join me … (9 comments)

A Breakthrough - 11:15 AM
My Breakthrough on Creating Rapportby John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORReal Estate, Hemet CAYesterday I wrote that I had attended a 3 day training presented by Tom Ferry, at the Riverside Convention Center.  The name of the program is TAG - The Appointment Game!. There was definitely a lot of energy and excitement in the air.I try to attend trainings on a regular basis, even thought I know the presenter has his agenda of selling me something.  OK, fair trade.  When I go, I am keeping a open mind looking for that one "A-ha" moment that can make a difference.
Now that I … (12 comments)

Lets ASK the pro's - 07:42 PM
 
The answer!!!:
   Michigan is currently the worst declining state in the nation. Some markets as much as 30% already. Sure, there are homes for sale, but most are not selling with any reasonable market value compared to the rest of the country.  The ones that are selling, (a good majority of them) I have found are distressed sales way below market value.
   Therefore, any true comps to compare your property to refinance too, are far, not like, and a good majority of them are distressed sales. Therefore the answer to the scenario: There was never a deal with the numbers … (0 comments)

Agent earns Master of Real Estate Certification - 09:51 AM
Darryl L. King ACCEPTED TO THE MRE SOCIETYOF THE ARIZONA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
     Phoenix, Ariz. January 17, 2007 - Darryl L. King, a member of the WEST MARICOPA COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (WEMAR) was recently accepted into the MRE (Master of Real Estate) Society by the Arizona Association of REALTORS®.
Criteria to belong to this Society within the Arizona Association of REALTORS® is:
Be a REALTOR® in good standing  Hold an NAR-recognized designation (earned after completion of 90 hours of classroom instruction and examinations)  Hold another NAR-recognized designation or be a candidate for another designation awarded by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® … (1 comments)

Interview With A Real Estate Blogging Goddess - 05:08 PM
Our regular readers and seasoned real estate blogosphere readers all know Teresa Boardman.  Recently she has gained some broader exposure in national publications as an example of a locally focused real estate blogger that is firstly generating business from her efforts and secondly gaining respect from her peers nationally.  Along with this success has also come some misinterpretation of who she is, why she does it and how it’s done.  We have enjoyed having Teresa here on the Tomato Soapbox, and felt that her articles have brought some much needed clarity to our voice, so in turn, we would like to return … (6 comments)

Just Listed-Young Colonial in Southbridge, Massachusetts! - 01:50 PM

Young colonial features 3 large bedrooms with ceiling fans, master bedroom with 2 closets and crown molding, 1.5 baths with ceramic tile floors, new 16X13 dining room added in 2002 with pergo floors and 2 sliders overlooking privately fenced in backyard with patio and heated in-ground pool with slide for fun in the sun. One car attached garage with workshop area. Attic insulated for additional storage. Home is located in a desirable Cul-De-Sac neighborhood with easy access to I-90 and I-84.
Click Here for more info and photos!
… (0 comments)

Too funny - 12:54 PM
I had put up a post, Just for laughs, with a link to the Weird Al video for the song "White and Nerdy".  If you haven't seen it by now, you're probably one of the 10 people on the planet that hasn't.  I was reading Jim Boykin's blog and stumbled across this post Linking Dirty - Blackhat and Dirty. If you haven't seen the Weird Al video yet, watch it first otherwise none of this will make sense.
He re-worded the song to make it seo relevant. Pretty funny and worth a quick read. Enjoy. :) -Charles
… (9 comments)

Reverse mortgage provides seniors with liquidity - 07:11 AM
Tuesday, January 23, 2007 / CHRISTINE DUNN (The Providence Journal)
BRISTOL, R.I. -- In 1964, Alexander Paiva paid $18,500 for his ranch-style house in Bristol, R.I. More than 40 years later, the property has an appraised value of $285,000.
Paiva, 64, retired last summer from his job as service manager at an automobile transmission shop. Some of his retirement benefits won't be available until he turns 65 this year.
To help tide him over, and to pay for a few extras, Paiva has tapped the equity of his home with an increasingly popular financial tool for the elderly: a reverse-mortgage loan. With these … (0 comments)

Hackers can speak to your Vista - 07:21 AM
By Stan Beer    Friday, 02 February 2007  
It appears that Microsoft's new operating system Windows Vista is too smart for its own good. A blogger has found that Vista's speech recognition system is good enough for hackers to issue security breaching commands using malicious sound files on rogue websites.
One of less touted features of Vista is its vastly improved speech recognition system, which allows users to issue commands using spoken words instead of via the keyboard. Naturally, the question arises as to whether hackers could exploit this feature by issuing recorded commands through a computer's speakers.According to a ZDNet blogger, the answer is … (0 comments)

Keller Williams Realty Pushes For Peak Listings Potential with New Online Marketing - 07:25 AM
Maximum Exposure: Keller Williams Realty Pushes For Peak Listings Potential with New Online Marketing Tool
By Stephanie Andre
RISMEDIA, Jan.31, 2007-In the ever-evolving world of technology and Web-based solutions, online competition for prospective home buyers has never been stronger. To that end, Keller Williams Realty has launched a new marketing tool-the Keller Williams Listing System (KWLS), a new database of all Keller Williams Realty listings, to increase the online presence of its 73,000-plus associates. Here, COO Mary Tennant and Dave Therrien, chief technology officer, offer their thoughts on the new platform and how they believe their agent sites will become the "go-to" source for … (4 comments)

TITLE INSURANCE RATES REDUCED - 07:50 AM
TEXAS (San Antonio Express-News) - Texas regulators have ordered title insurers to reduce their rates by 3.2 percent effective Feb. 1.The order, signed by Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin, will cut the cost of title insurance for a typical $100,000 home to $843, compared with $1,023 in 1998.
In the last eight years, Texas has cut title insurance rates by 17 percent, including a 6.5 percent reduction in 2004, the department said in a news release.
Please visit www.danfrankrealty.com
… (0 comments)

U.S. HOME SALES FALL BIG - 09:44 AM
WASHINGTON (Associated Press, Real Estate Center) - The nation's housing market cooled last year after a five-year boom, with sales of previously owned homes falling by the largest amount in 17 years.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said sales of existing homes totaled almost 6.5 million units for 2006, down 8.4 percent from 2005. The five-year boom that ended in 2005 drove prices up at double-digit rates and caused a stampede of investors who purchased houses hoping to quickly sell them for big profits.
Texas was an exception, experiencing a record year. According to Real Estate Center figures, almost 290,000 homes … (0 comments)

Is anyone going to the Mike Ferry Productivity School in Chicago 2/13-2/16? - 01:24 PM
I just signed up for this event yesterday and plan on going solo for the week. So I would like to meet-up with some of you out there for drinks and what have you.
For more info on the event
http://www.mikeferry.com./event/ps.php
 I like his approach it just seems very logical to me, not magic bullet kind of stuff.
 If you're going leave me a message and we can meet-up/.
… (1 comments)

Last Weekend of Indianapolis Home Show - 01:35 PM
If you are looking for something to do this weekend before the BIG Colts game, why not visit the 2007 Indianapolis Home Show? 
Pictured to the right is this year's Home Centerpiece by Centrex Homes.  This is the second year that Centrex has built a home at and for the Home Show Exhibits.  Just think, it's all done in less than 30 days.  That's fully constructed and landscaped to boot!
If you stop by on Sunday, Feb. 4th between 2 - 4 p.m. I will be there with my partner Bill Foxworthy at the Carpenter Realtors booth.  (We are located by the … (1 comments)

Obstacles Are Just Small Detours to Your Goal! - 02:14 PM
If the Wright Brothers had given up on their idea of flight, where would we be today?  It would seem that putting an airplane in the sky would not be possible.  Yet the resistance of the air and speed are what produce the condition of flight in relationship to birds and airplanes.
Often times obstacles appear and it seems like we'll never reach our goal. Yet if we look at obstacles as a way to grow and learn how to do something better it's no longer an obstacle but a chance to use our abilities to make something happen.
The Real Estate Business is no … (6 comments)

Related links

New Members for 2007-02-02

 Archives:

28 Feb
27 Feb
26 Feb
25 Feb
24 Feb
23 Feb
22 Feb
21 Feb
20 Feb
19 Feb
18 Feb
17 Feb
16 Feb
15 Feb
14 Feb
13 Feb
12 Feb
11 Feb
10 Feb
9 Feb
8 Feb
7 Feb
6 Feb
5 Feb
4 Feb
3 Feb
2 Feb
1 Feb
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006