Archives of real estate blog entries for April 11, 2007

Featured blog posts


Active Rain Top Dog! An Interview with Tony Marriott - 01:08 AM
This interview has been a couple of weeks in the works.  I decided to interview Tony Marriott for a few reasons.
He has the highest point total on Active Rain and I am sure many would like to know his secretHe is an extremely successful REALTOR®He is one of the few Active Rain members I have met in personHis business model is somewhat unique and interesting to meHe has more training and more designations than any Realtor I knowHe and his wife are in the business together. (Something my wife and I are afraid to try)I enjoy reading his blogs and his … (79 comments)

Broker "Bubba" Bryant speaks his mind.....again! - 04:35 PM
OK, I just survived my first five days of being 50. It wasn't too bad. Business is good and I was able to get out of bed every morning. I guess at 50 just getting out of bed is a good thing. So life is grand.
I must say though, I seem to be bringing out the "best" in folks this week on Active Rain. I wrote a couple a posts this week that were in response to consumer Emails, that I had received, and another awhile back on buyer rebates. As usual I addressed the issues and tried to come up … (78 comments)

I wanna TALK about me.... - 05:45 PM
OK, I have a gripe, complaint and I'm going to nag about it here. Has anybody here used the TALKING House program? It's the radio transmitting system you place on a property. I admit I was TALKED into the program and immediately regretted saying yes. When a very large, very heavy box arrived I denied it, never opened it, returned it.
Well, you guessed it! The TALKING House people charged me and REFUSE to talk about refunding my money. They said if I wasn't happy within a months time I could return everything and my money returned. And silly me since … (65 comments)

Unbelievely Bad Realtor Photos - A Collection - 11:34 AM
I got a kick out of this collage of bad Realtor photos that Norm Fisher from Royal LePage Saskatoon put together on his website.  Make sure you have your volume on, his comments are what really made me chuckle. 
http://www.visualtour.com/applets/flashviewer/viewer.asp?t=830679&sk=46&dm=teamfisher.com
 He is right about how it is sad that home owners let their home be showcased in this way.  Doesn't seem like he had a shortage of photos to chose from. 
 Actually, what a great way for Norm to market his visual tour services.
… (35 comments)

Unofficial Tech Support ~ Adding photos and wrapping the text... - 09:34 AM
AS the unofficial tech support person, I occasionally have the pleasure of being asked to help explain various "how to stuff" on AR.  The following is an email I received awhile back...hope you find my response helpful.
"Hope all is going well for you. I was reading your blog on adding photos -- It is excellent. If you have a moment, I am having trouble finding out how to get the text to near or wrap around the photo. Can you point me in the right direction. Every time I upload a photo there is a lot of space and I don't know … (75 comments)

Sellers - make sure that visitor is REALLY an agent. - 06:24 AM
Many agents think that that photos on cards are cheesy. I tend to agree. Even some marketing studies show that having your photo on your card can sometimes work against you.
However, I would say that there is a good reason to keep a photo on your card, if for no other reason than for the safety and peace of mind of ourclients.
We have probably all heard by now of cases where someone posed as a real estate agent to gain entry to a home to "case" it for a future robbery or other activity. In the case in Texas, the person … (29 comments)

How Well Do you Use Your Website? - 06:22 AM
A recent post by Lauren Warden of Albuquerque, NM asked "How Good is Your Website?" got me thinking.
How well do you use your website? And I don't mean just adding content. Information rich websites are definitely the way to go- but do you use the other features of your website? With the help of my web coach- I have started to use my web statistics. I had a website for 2 year without knowing how to read my stats. Once I did, it become unbelievably clear that my website was failing.
Your stats can tell you important things. It's just … (21 comments)

All Aboard The Rain Train - 08:11 PM
I was first licensed over 10 years ago.  At that time the industry was beginning to undergo significant changes.  Listings came in optional paper catalogs.  The main method of access was with a dial-up system.Today is a very different world and many innovations have forced sales people to stay on their toes.A few months ago I interviewed Brian Brady.  At that time Brian pointed out to me how becoming a member of The Rain is like hitching a ride with “the geeks.”  In this particular case the geeks had put together an innovative real estate network.  I'd like to see The … (24 comments)

Zillow, do consumers like it? - 02:15 PM

Zillow is the web site with a huge percentage of our homes on it.  They have information about the homes and of course the Zestimate of value.  Now Zillow has added some features where the general public can talk about your home.  It used to be that the neighbors would talk but mostly behind the scenes, now we can all go on line and dish.
Anyway my point here is that a home over in California asked to have his home removed from Zillow, I took a screen shot (above) of the request and of Zillow's response:

So for people who don't … (46 comments)

Rick & Ines - kicking off Project Blogger - 03:46 PM
I will kick off Project Blogger week doing something we are not supposed to do.  I hope Paul Chaney doesn't come knocking on my door screaming "ARE YOU NUTS....HAVEN'T YOU LEARNED ANYTHING???"  (For those of you that don't know him....he is truly a Southern Gentleman and would never do that).
Your posts should never be about YOU, YOU, YOU!  They should engage the reader.  Because a lot of people don't know us, I thought it would be appropriate to introduce ourselves in order to make this trip down Project Blogger a little easier to comprehend and digest.
Truth be told, Rick does … (55 comments)

Expired Listings? An Opportunity or a Distraction? - 12:38 PM
As market inventory has increased in most areas, more listings are not selling and show up as expired. Conventional wisdom is this is one of the best places to prospect if you want to increase your business. Sometimes this is true, but sometimes not. Should you be spending some time in this niche? My question for my coaching clients is to ask themselves each day "what is the highest and best use of my time?" My companion question to ask yourself, "What 3 actions could I take today that would make the most difference?" Hint: these are not usually the squeakiest … (39 comments)

Are you the "Founder" of a group here on Active Rain? - 08:33 PM
As many of you already know, there are many groups here on Active Rain. I personally have contributed 3, Everything Oregon, Share because YOU Care, and Membership Predictions for 2007. I also belong to a considerable number of other groups.
As membership here on Active Rain grows, so do the groups. Here are some tips to help you manage the masses effectively:
Become familiar with the different roles members can have. To do this in your Group, go to the Members screen, click on Roles and look over your options from the pull down menu. Founders can change these role settings, and I think … (59 comments)

Working with Other Realtors - 12:58 AM
Something happened recently and I decided to post it here to see what other active rainers thought.  I was contacted by another realtor in Oklahoma who found me through my website (yeah!) and was going to send me a referral for a couple she knew in Georgia who were in the military and moving out to Colorado.  We agreed upon the referral fee and she informed me of the type of home this couple wanted and their timeline.  She asked me if I had my CRS designation and I said "not yet" and she asked me how long I had been … (37 comments)

Spellchecker on ActiveRain - 06:32 AM
                                                                                                             
Hey I just wanted to give a tip to all of the fellow bloggers out there on activerain. Did you know after you type a blog entry or if you comment someone back that you can easily check your spelling?
After typing your comment or blog just click on the     icon that is listed up above and poof all of your words are checked for spelling. This is a must have feature for anyone publishing information anywhere.  I think using incorrectly spelled words can really hurt your image and it says a lot about a person.
So the tip of the … (37 comments)

Case Study for Discussion: Closing delayed 3 years! - 08:50 PM
 
A long, long time ago in a FLORIDA real estate market far, far away, a pre-construction, beachfront condo sold in one hour of its release to the public.  WOOOHOOO!
The purchase contract was written for $789,000 with a closing date of April 2004.  The commission was to be split equally between the listing and selling agents.
Fast forward to 2004...........Closing delayed 6-12 months.
Fast forward to 2006..........Closing delayed 6-12 months.  The buyer is still hanging in there. The listing agent (who is also the developer) is still hanging in there.  The selling agent can't make ends meet. He goes INACTIVE because he needs … (11 comments)

We Are Responsible for Our Words - 09:36 PM
I have been thinking a lot about Don Imus and the hot water he's in over racial comments he recently made. I keep thinking about the new members here, trying to find their voice as they learn how to BLOG. 
What's the lesson to be learned here for all of us here at Active Rain?  In this immediate publication via the Internet, we should remember that what we say is going to be out there for a very long time. Blogging can be seen initially as a personal journal and sometimes we think it is private, but the minute we use … (48 comments)


Blog posts


All Aboard The Rain Train - 08:11 PM
I was first licensed over 10 years ago.  At that time the industry was beginning to undergo significant changes.  Listings came in optional paper catalogs.  The main method of access was with a dial-up system.Today is a very different world and many innovations have forced sales people to stay on their toes.A few months ago I interviewed Brian Brady.  At that time Brian pointed out to me how becoming a member of The Rain is like hitching a ride with “the geeks.”  In this particular case the geeks had put together an innovative real estate network.  I'd like to see The … (24 comments)

Edmonds Massage Center - Massage therapy, Great business in Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood Washington - 04:16 PM
     www.edmondsmassage.com     
I wanted to take a moment to highlight some great businesses in the areas I work.  Edmonds Massage Center is a peaceful diverse clinic equipped to provide the highest level of patient care.  They are experts in both injury or illness treatment and preventative wellness.  They have a staff of 10 highly skilled therapists trained in a wide range of massage modalities.  They are professional, and they are committed to the highest level of health care.  If you need injury treatment or just want to be pampered I recommend giving them a call.  Edmonds Massage Center accepts … (0 comments)

King5 Television Spots - 05:51 PM
For those of you in Western Washington, do you watch King5 News?  This is just another plug for my blog - King5 is now airing spots during its morning and early evening news for the King5.com condo section.  And, if you look really quickly, and I mean a fraction of a second, you'll see my name. 
Seattle Condos and Lofts provides condominium content for King5.com, the Seattle NBC affiliate.

… (1 comments)

Speaking to the Media Help - 08:50 PM
A number of ActiveRainers have been very successful with the media so I'm hoping to tap into your media-savvy experience.  Does anyone have suggestions or tips on how to be interviewed by media?  And, what's the best technique to be quoted?
I've been fortunate to be interviewed by the NY Times, Seattle Times and a couple of Seattle magazines but have only been quoted by an alternative weekly newspaper.  So, obviously, my interviewing technique is severely lacking. Anyone have any suggestions or a good resource they can recommend?
… (8 comments)

Psssst....Mr. and Mrs. Seller...Can We Talk? - 03:09 PM
As of today in our Daytona Beach Board MLS there are 9246 Active Listings. The buyers are out there, while taking their time and really shopping for their dream homes, sellers are getting impatient, some reducing prices while other's just sit and wait and wait!                        You see I am a firm believer NEVER take Overpriced Listings unless you have written a condition to the listing agreement that a market adjustment will take place by __/__/2007. I don't blame you Mr. and Mrs. Seller for the unrealistic prices and unsaleable house.  I blame the agent who put you in the mix with the other 9245 listings in the … (33 comments)

Compliments From a Stranger - 10:50 AM
I just got another of many compliments I've received from visitors to my Chicago Suburbs Real Estate website.  He mentioned how helpful both my website and my Chicago blog were.
This is a couple relocating to the Chicago area and although he was "assigned" an agent, they are not happy with their current agent.  I replied asking them whether they signed a Buyer's Agreement or not (which, believe it or not, is not used much in my area).  
They're coming into town next weekend and hopefully they'll be able to work with me.  All because of my website.  This is not the … (5 comments)

NEW HAMPSHIRE BUYER AND SELLERS – TAX INCREASE MAY MAKE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSING UNAFFORDABLE - 11:54 AM

Contact your State Representative and State Senator and request that they OPPOSE funding of Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) through an increase in the Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT).  Realtors® support the funding of LCHIP through the budget process.  There is a $2 million dollar line item in Gov. Lynch's proposed budget for the funding of LCHIP.  However, a new tax related to real estate is unreasonable and will affect the affordability of housing in New Hampshire.
            The Senate public hearing on the budget was held on Tuesday, April 17, from 3 to 5 and 6 to 9 p.m. at the … (4 comments)

Spring in Austin - 04:11 PM

Looking at the barbed-wire fence, if you can make it out, you might think I took this on a ranch or out in the country.This is actually just behind my office building in the city of Lakeway, TX.  These Texas "weeds" brought some really nice color to the area.
Texas is noted for its wildflowers in the spring and this is a good example.
… (3 comments)

3000 Longleaf Lane College Station Texas Home for Sale - 05:14 PM
Here is your chance to own a home in College Station for under 125K!  This 1472 square foot home is in immaculate condition and is sure to please!  Three large bedrooms and an open floorplan with the kitchen and dining areas looking out to a nicely landscaped backyard and mature trees.  This home offers a newer roof, replaced in 2005 and newer tile surrounds for tubs that look fantastic!  Visit my website for more information at www.ChrisTesch.com.
 
… (0 comments)

The Importance of Internet Marketing - 01:50 PM
It is estimated that 77% of all homebuyers start their home search online. If you are thinking about selling your home it is important that you hire a REALTOR® who will aggressively market your home online. As an e-PRO® Certified Internet Professional I understand the importance of marketing your home online, that's why I have developed a marketing plan designed to aggressively market your home online as well as offline. To find out more about my Internet marketing please feel free to contact me.
There is no other Agent in Central Missouri who is doing as much as me to get your … (0 comments)

Sun City Grand Real Estate – Surprise Arizona Homes – March 2007 - 03:01 PM
In Sun City Grand real estate there was 59 homes pending as of the end of March 2007 and 47 sold homes.     The average price of these homes were $403,720 (list price) and $381,187.23 (sold price).
As of the last day of March 2007 there were 409 active homes for sale with an average list price of $373,985 in Sun City Grand.     There were 6 homes that were pending with contingencies.  
For more information about Sun City Grand, please visit my website at www.donrichhomes.com or call me at (623) 640-0937. 
… (0 comments)

Corte Bella Real Estate – Surprise Arizona Homes – March 2007 - 03:03 PM
In Corte Bella, a newer active adult community in Surprise Arizona, there were 93 active homes as of the end of March 2007.     The average list price for these homes was $446,121. 
During the month of March 2007, six homes were listed as pending in MLS.    These homes had an average list price of $387,715.
For more information about Surprise Arizona or real estate in Corte Bella, please visit my website at www.donrichhomes.com or call me at (623) 640-0937. 
… (0 comments)

Mountain Vista Ranch Real Estate – Surprise Arizona homes – March 2007 - 03:05 PM
In Mountain Vista Ranch there were 8 homes sold during the month of March.     These homes reflected an average price of $227,748.  There were 81 homes active as of the end of March 2007.    These homes had an average list price of $246,803. 
There were 13 pending homes as of the end of March 2007 in Mountain Vista Ranch, Surprise Arizona.    These homes had an average list price of $235,212. 
For more information about Mountain Vista Ranch, please view my website at www.donrichhomes.com or call me at (623) 640-0937. 
… (0 comments)

April's Large Group Meeting - 05:19 PM
Holy Smokes!  Anyone else want to chime in on what you learned today?  Geez, Paul was on a tear today! 
John Marker and I were chatting at the break about Paul's "brass tacks" approach to selling, let alone coaching.  John's right, where else can you go on a monthly basis, learn from nearly 35 years of successful real estate experience, laugh and learn?
I will say that the morning session, as free form as it can be sometimes, was chock full of ideas!  I came out of the morning session alone with a handful of ideas on how to attack the market, how … (0 comments)

Subprime, Wallstreet, Bonds...Oh My! - 08:56 PM

A sad, yet interesting phenomenon has been happening with greater frequency in the realm of real estate.  That's the talk of and acceptance of short sales as a way to sell a home.
Short sales, in the "Cliff Notes" version, are the way for sellers to negotiate directly with a bank or note holder the difference in sales price and amount owed on the loan. In other words, a short sale is when a seller realizes that they cannot continue to make payments, cannot get out of the house what they owe in the current market, yet negotiate with the holder of … (4 comments)

Two New Active Rain Groups - 11:25 AM
 
I have been contacted by several people looking for the latest Active Rain Member Spotlight, and here I just realized that this would be an excellent use of groups!  So there are two new groups on Active Rain (I know just what we need another group) but I think that these two are necessary:
Active Rain Member Spotlight  which is located at http://activerain.com/groups/spotlight
Members writing the spotlight should post their post here.  Only Member Spotlight posts will be allowed.  Thanks for understanding!Active Rain Flat Stanley Project which is located http://activerain.com/groups/arflat
This is for all the posts that relate to Flat Stanley (aka the FLAT … (8 comments)

We Are Responsible for Our Words - 09:36 PM
I have been thinking a lot about Don Imus and the hot water he's in over racial comments he recently made. I keep thinking about the new members here, trying to find their voice as they learn how to BLOG. 
What's the lesson to be learned here for all of us here at Active Rain?  In this immediate publication via the Internet, we should remember that what we say is going to be out there for a very long time. Blogging can be seen initially as a personal journal and sometimes we think it is private, but the minute we use … (48 comments)

On Tour at Anchorage Drive - 07:46 PM
MLS#: 2674966          LP: $ 332,000          8941 Anchorage Drive     Indianapolis, IN  46236
This week's tour home is located in Admiral's Bay Subdivision on the North-east end of Lawrence Township.  Admirals Bay is in Marion County and part of the Geist Area .

From the beautiful hardwood floors to the crown moldings this home will impress you.  Other great features
 
include a familyroom with built-in book cases, the kitchen has a center island and oak cabinets, the master retreat has two walk-in closets, spa tub, seperate shower and double-sinks.  You can feel safe with the home security system and video survelliance cameras.  There's also a … (1 comments)

Broker "Bubba" Bryant speaks his mind.....again! - 04:35 PM
OK, I just survived my first five days of being 50. It wasn't too bad. Business is good and I was able to get out of bed every morning. I guess at 50 just getting out of bed is a good thing. So life is grand.
I must say though, I seem to be bringing out the "best" in folks this week on Active Rain. I wrote a couple a posts this week that were in response to consumer Emails, that I had received, and another awhile back on buyer rebates. As usual I addressed the issues and tried to come up … (78 comments)

Walnut Creek Market Update - 11:26 PM
Take a look at how are market is doing and see the trends for yourself.  Things on the street are improving and you'll see that our sold and pending numbers have trended upwards for March, the number of months of inventory on the market is trending downward.  Will the trends continue in this (right) direction? So how will spring shake out?
… (0 comments)

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