Archives of real estate blog entries for March 18, 2007

Featured blog posts


Blog Identity Crisis - 6 Question Opinion Poll - 10:16 PM
My questions are things like:
What makes a good blog design? What catches your eye?What kind of information do clients and potential clients look for in a blog? What topics are really relevant, and which topics are done so much that no one cares anymore?  In other words, what's hot and what's not? Is a blog better if it gives market information, or if it focuses on sharing experiences? Should an Active Rain blog be geared towards fellow professionals or both professionals and clients? Which real estate blogs are the hottest these days? What sets them apart? Of course I'd … (24 comments)

An UNrepresented Seller - At What Cost? - 07:51 PM

I'm working with a great young couple, looking to buy a new home for their soon-to-be growing family.  After meeting with them for a buyer consultation, we began emailing them listings that had potential for them to look through.  They would drive by those that sounded appealing to them, and from there, they'd let me know which ones looked interesting enough to see the inside.  A little while back, we had 3 in one of the towns in the surrounding areas around Portsmouth New Hampshire.  We picked a day and time to meet up, and I went to work making the arrangements for … (70 comments)

Solano County Realtors - Join The Newbies Group! - 08:12 PM
 
Yesterday was our first class on BLOGGING for the Solano Association of Realtors members.  As the Technology Committee Chair, together with Mike Mueller from Patagonia Finance, we introduced BLOGGING and Active Rain to around 40 Realtors. Each Realtor paid $5.00 to attend the class. The money collected was donated to the "Teachers Wish List", a local charity that raises funds for local schools.
The Real Estate Professionals in this group just wanted to know -- What is a BLOG? 
They were not dissappointed, we covered:
Definition and Benefits of Blogging  5 reasons to BLOG for your (Solano County) Real Estate Business 10 things to not do when BLOGGING your clients in Solano County101 things to BLOG about - that will increase your … (34 comments)

The Puzzle of Relocation - 12:37 AM

Denver real estate & relocation
The warm velvety feeling of spring is in the air. The best part of all, my telephone is ringing. It's ringing off the hook.  Well actually not really, as it doesn't have a hook, it's a cell phone...but I don't know better analogy, you get the picture, right?
Conversations about relocation are a common part of my day.  Strangers find a part of my long tail on the Internet, pick up the phone to chat.
Some folks know they are coming for sure, they have jobs to start, homes to sell or have sold and they are on their … (43 comments)

The stress, the book and the test!! C.E. part 2 - 12:34 AM
OK, last Saturday I wrote, a post, about my struggle with having to complete my 14 hours continuing education, for my license renewal, that is due by March 30th. Anyway, I decided to order the book, from Bert Rogers School of Real Estate, so I could complete my 14 hours and take the 30 question, multiple choice, test at my leisure time.
So yesterday, with much excitement, I went down to the Post Office to check my box, to see if my book had arrived. YIPPEE!!! It did! So I run home with great enthusiasm and a determination to go through … (93 comments)

Q&A. Opportunity for success? Or a law suit? - 10:26 PM
Hello fellow Rainers. I don't normally post two days in a row but felt compelled today to write a quickie. This topic has been bugging me so thought I would throw it out here for discussion. I'm talking about the new Q&A feature on AR. If you haven't seen it, it's right up there on the AR tool bar. See it? OK, what this is, is an area where the consumer can post a question about Real Estate and we as members can respond. This is an excellent feature and I can see it being a great way to help the … (107 comments)

Real Estate Profiles on Active Rain - Keeping it Fresh - 06:45 AM
Spring is almost here -- why not take this opportunity to update your Profile Page and perhaps increase visibility on the Internet... Did you know that the search engines are searching our Active Rain profile pages?  
 
Don't forget to update your Active Rain profile page on a regular basis with fresh content!  When was the last time that you updated yours?  And remember to check your profile page over on Localism which is a direct feed from your Active Rain profile.  You might need to make some modifications to ensure it looks right there as well.
Don't just stop at … (77 comments)


Blog posts


I blog, therefore I am. - 04:34 AM
In case you haven't noticed, I am preoccupied with blogging. Not just with blogging itself but the nature of blogging. Is it the greatest breakthrough since Gutenberg's invention of movable type?
Speaking of movable type I actually learned to set type by hand, letter by letter, lead piece by lead piece, then tie the type block together with jute string and print my composition with a letterpress. No, I'm not 89 years old. But I've seen metal type replaced by photo type, first the analog then the digital variety, then seen the demise of the typesetting industry, the evolution of desktop … (9 comments)

A Slice of the Kirkland Condo Cake - 12:38 PM
Friends my age are downsizing. They've become empty nesters. Their kids are off to or soon out of college. Like my son who is graduating from Wheaton College this Spring. He'll be staying in Chicago where he's accepted a job with a Fortune 500 company.
My friends are downsizing from 2,400-plus homes with large backyards to condo living. Preferred destination: Kirkland. The closer to the center of town the better. Views are preferred but price tags my forbid.  
… (0 comments)

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover! - 02:52 PM
Have you ever heard someone talk about someone you have never met?  Good or bad doesn’t really matter.    You finally get to meet them and you have already judged them based on what you were told? 
 
I was judged....
I can remember meeting a male customer once and he told me based on your picture, "I thought you would be uppity in your business suit and drive a BMW."  "I thought you would not want to work with me."  I laughed and found it strange, I had a sundress on, drove a Ford Contour and I live in the … (10 comments)

Spring is in the air - 07:44 PM
Gratitude, it escapes me more times than not. So many kindnesses and little gestures just pass me by. Is'n it funny though that the weather can give us such a change of spirit? Driving along the main streets here in Hot Springs today; there was MUCH to be miffed about. There was the St. Patrick's parade (which created a traffic nightmare) The Oaklawn was just letting out- whew ! Yet all around me were little trees budding the most beautiful violet buds
Breathtaking for sure.Birds were singing little melodies and I noticed that everything grey was turning green again.Tourism was alive and … (0 comments)

Holding open houses during the week - 11:00 PM
I have a question about holding open houses during the week. Most agents hold open houses on the weekends, what are your thoughts about holding them during the week.
Daniel Lowery, Certified Negotiation Specialist (CNS)REALTOR® Broker/Sales Coldwell Banker Gordon Co. Realtors Direct: (573) 291-1819 Office: (573) 761-3312Email: daniel@daniellowery.comWebsite: www.daniellowery.comWhen Service Matters Call Dan!
… (2 comments)

Active Rain Wish List - 03:14 PM
About every three months or so, I end up putting up an Active Rain wish list post. Matt, Caleb and Ben have done a pretty good job accommodating things that the membership has requested over the last several months. This request is inline with one of my pet peeves, spammy comments.   Since AR has really taken off, spam is rearing its ugly head yet again. The majority of it is from non-members, but a few members MAY have contributed as well. 
What I would like to see is the live link option removed from blog comments. From some of the comments … (8 comments)

Photography 101: Attention Kodak V705 Users: You Have Exposure Compensation - 05:15 PM
Kodak V705 users:  Did you know your camera has Exposure Compensation?  You may not have known that.  It certainly is not mentioned in the 28 page manual.
So what is Exposure Compensation, and why would you want it? 
Remember the discussion of Auto Exposure in this blog, I AUTO Get Out More ?
When your camera is set on full Auto Exposure, its tiny electronic brain measures the amount of  light in the scene and selects the lens aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, that it is programmed to think is the correct exposure.  But Auto Exposure can be fooled.  We've discussed that before!  Most commonly it … (16 comments)

Three Bean and Pork Slow Cooker Chili - 08:50 PM
If your into chili, this is a good one.  I got the recipe from Weight Watchers, and it's yummy and easy to make. Only 5 Points per cup!
Ingredients:
1 medium onion(s), chopped 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced 1 cup carrot(s), chopped 1 Tbsp chili powder, medium-hot 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed 1 small jalapeno pepper(s), seeded, chopped (don't touch seeds with bare hands) or 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped 1/2 tsp table salt 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 2 pound lean pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch chunks 15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed 15 oz … (2 comments)

Real Estate Profiles on Active Rain - Keeping it Fresh - 06:45 AM
Spring is almost here -- why not take this opportunity to update your Profile Page and perhaps increase visibility on the Internet... Did you know that the search engines are searching our Active Rain profile pages?  
 
Don't forget to update your Active Rain profile page on a regular basis with fresh content!  When was the last time that you updated yours?  And remember to check your profile page over on Localism which is a direct feed from your Active Rain profile.  You might need to make some modifications to ensure it looks right there as well.
Don't just stop at … (77 comments)

Attention Celebration Florida Home Buyers! - 05:32 PM

Deciding to purchase a home can be an exciting and confusing time.   I have compiled some great resources at my website for both buyers and sellers.
Here is some information on the Celebration Florida area and some links to helpful information for buyers:
Here are some basic information about Celebration Florida Villages and some great reference materials.Watch my video about the Steps to Home Ownership and you can review the list afterwards at Steps to Ownership. Not sure about Celebration, perhaps you want to explore other areas!  Great!  I would love to help you find just the right place for you!  Call me today and we can start the process of … (3 comments)

South OC's Best Kept Secret for Value Priced Single Family Homes with Ocean Views - 02:16 AM
Looking for a Home in South Orange County that Offers the Best Price for an Ocean View along with No Mello Roo's Taxes, Gated Community, Reasonable Association Dues, Built 2004 to 2006, Driving Distance to the Beach, Shopping, Schools and the 5 Freeway. Consider buying in The Reserve in San Clemente. The Reserve in San Clemente offers the 4 Distinct Communities of Reserve East, Reserve North, Reserve South and Reserve West. Square Footage ranges from the mid 2000s to mid 4000s. There are View and Non View homes located within the 4 communities. The View Homes offer outstanding Catalina Island and … (0 comments)

Congratulations and Welcomes are in Order! - 01:12 PM
Well some  great things are happening!  First and foremost, I would like to CONGRATULATE the oh so smart and handsome loan officer in my life, Bob Sloop for hitting a BIG milestone around here known as the 100th post.  He has accomplished this task in a much shorter amount of time than I did.  So HURRAY Honey - way to go! 
When I met Bob (July 2000) what amazed me most about him was how much he loved his job as a mortgage consultant.  The more I got to know him, the more I could see how much he cared about … (3 comments)

The stress, the book and the test!! C.E. part 2 - 12:34 AM
OK, last Saturday I wrote, a post, about my struggle with having to complete my 14 hours continuing education, for my license renewal, that is due by March 30th. Anyway, I decided to order the book, from Bert Rogers School of Real Estate, so I could complete my 14 hours and take the 30 question, multiple choice, test at my leisure time.
So yesterday, with much excitement, I went down to the Post Office to check my box, to see if my book had arrived. YIPPEE!!! It did! So I run home with great enthusiasm and a determination to go through … (93 comments)

Q&A. Opportunity for success? Or a law suit? - 10:26 PM
Hello fellow Rainers. I don't normally post two days in a row but felt compelled today to write a quickie. This topic has been bugging me so thought I would throw it out here for discussion. I'm talking about the new Q&A feature on AR. If you haven't seen it, it's right up there on the AR tool bar. See it? OK, what this is, is an area where the consumer can post a question about Real Estate and we as members can respond. This is an excellent feature and I can see it being a great way to help the … (107 comments)

An American Dream has become an American Nightmare! Thoughts, Story & Article! - 04:03 PM
Dear Reader,
An American Dream has become an American Nightmare for some homeowners.  As the guidelines for sub-prime mortgages tightens more and more families will have to wait and be patient to purchase their home. 
 My Thoughts:
The changing of the guidelines is making it more difficult for borrowers to get approved by major financing institutions.  I personally don't see any light at the end of the tunnel for the time being.  As major financial gurus/financing analysts on CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/ said this past week, it is going to get uglier and no ease is in sight.  It is very sad to see … (3 comments)

1875 Tall Oaks Drive #2409, Aurora IL 60505 - 07:02 AM
 
 
… (17 comments)

Don't get out of the car just yet! - 08:26 AM
Last November I wrote a post about Steve Stewarts famous (infamous?) button that say's "buy from me.. or get out of my car!", I was lamenting the loss of my button years before...
then... my good friend Linda Davis found an extra one lying around the office.. and sent it to me!
So with five sets of transferee's under my belt and several local buyer's.... I would have to say that the vote is in... the overall reaction is one of...
BEMUSEMENT
That's right... the buyer's "get it"
the reactions have been:
"Hey Honey, look at this!"
"Hey Honey did you see this?"
a chuckle... and a long drawn out "NIIIICE!" and … (56 comments)

The Puzzle of Relocation - 12:37 AM

Denver real estate & relocation
The warm velvety feeling of spring is in the air. The best part of all, my telephone is ringing. It's ringing off the hook.  Well actually not really, as it doesn't have a hook, it's a cell phone...but I don't know better analogy, you get the picture, right?
Conversations about relocation are a common part of my day.  Strangers find a part of my long tail on the Internet, pick up the phone to chat.
Some folks know they are coming for sure, they have jobs to start, homes to sell or have sold and they are on their … (43 comments)

Active Rain Q & A ~ Built-in Value All Around - 02:11 PM
Active Rain continues to progress and morph into yet another area that means recognition for us bloggers in the real estate industry.  The latest addition has been around a few weeks and is now gaining some strength.  If you don't know what I mean take a look at the top navigation bar, that's right look up and see something new!
 
Did you see what I am talking about?  The Q & A is brand new.  Click on it, no actually follow along with me, I'll do the heavy lifting. :)
Wow! How cool is this!  Now the public has their own non-threatening forum.  … (15 comments)

Global warming, scientific fact or science fiction.............you decide - 11:48 AM
"All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that's an alibi for my ignorance." Will Rogers
"NORTHAMPTON, Mass. --As the world's warmest winter on record drew to an end with a weekend snow storm, a group of religious leaders started walking across the state Friday to bring attention to global warming.
"The Rev. Andrea Ayvazian of the Haydenville Congregational Church said the snow was so deep, it felt like she was breaking trail.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported Thursday that in the past century, global temperatures have increased at about 0.11 degrees per decade. But that increase has … (5 comments)

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