Archives of real estate blog entries for April 14, 2007

Featured blog posts


Is your LONG TAIL riding a Hydroplane? - 04:32 AM
Is your LONG TAIL riding a Hydroplane, or is it Running Deeper to give Better Results?
Want to sell more houses from your web site?  Of course you do!  That's why we are here, right?  Let me introduce you to the long tail and the hydroplane factor.
The power of the long tail can be seen on a graph in the image at left borrowed from blog.searchenginewatch.com. 
What it shows is that you can get more web site visitors from the "also ran" (or top 100) search terms than you can get by winning placement for the #1 or #2 most popular search terms.  For many web sites, the total web site visits from … (31 comments)

Words That Sell Houses - 05:06 AM

As a real estate Virtual Assistant, I spend my day creating marketing materials for Realtors. So, you can understand why I was interested in the results of a study conducted by Paul Anglin, a professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada who teaches real estate and housing trends. The study dissected wording of more than 20,000 Canadian home listings from 1997 to 2000.
The study shows consumers to be more interested in style over substance and respond more positively to words about 'curb appeal' and attractiveness than words about value and price.
'Beautiful' homes sold 15 percent faster and for 5 percent higher in price than … (47 comments)

Photography Tip’s and Tricks - 09:44 PM
Good Pictures are priceless when it comes to the marketing of a listing. You don't have to spend much time on Realtor.com to realize there's a bunch of bad photographers out there and most Realtors don't value what good photography can do for their image and sales.
Tip 1Wait for a good day, blue skies sell houses. I've seen million dollar houses photographed in the rain.
Tip 2Take your front shot with the sun to your back, your skies will be bluer and your image will look much crisper. Front shots should not have cars parked in the driveway and the … (43 comments)

Added Value - Sell Features/Benefits - 02:14 PM
Too many Realtors focus on "trying to sell the home" according to superstar Ron Campbell of Albuquerque, N.M.  In his 1997 interview with real estate coach Howard Brinton Ron said that focusing too much on just selling the home is the reason Realtors don't sell more homes.  Instead of getting caught up to much on square footage and bedrooms/baths start focusing on "Features/Benefits".
Ron is big on selling Features/Benefits to buyers.  He points out that when we as Realtors point out features/benefits to a potential buyer all of a sudden the home has what he calls "Added Value" that the buyer may … (56 comments)

Zillow Ordered to Cease and Desist - 04:11 PM
According to the Arizona Board of Appraisal, Zillow.com will need an appraiser license for offering its zestimates in Arizona. "It's the board's feeling that (Zillow) is providing an appraisal," said Deborah Pearson, Arizona's Board of Appraisal Executive Director.
It would seem a simple matter for Zillow to hire a licensed Arizona appraiser to overzee the Arizona zestimates, but it might also set a dangerous precedent for them. If they concede to Arizona, the door might open to all other states.
It is a minefield for Zillow, and their response is a cautious one. Amy Bohutinsky, Zillow's Director of Communications, said, "We have responded … (93 comments)

Active Rain...For everything else there is MasterCard - 02:29 PM
Active Rain...For everything else there is MasterCard
The reason I joined Active Rain was not for the points (BOY ARE THEY ADDICTIVE!) it was for the opportunity to hopefully grow my team. I really wanted real estate agents and mortgage people that were thinking of changing companies to see me here and say...HEY! Now that's who I want to join forces with. While that hasen't happened (yet), this has...
I have been here just about six weeks now. During this time I am in constant competition from some GREAT people here in Wisconsin for the 1st place state position. Thank you to Terry … (52 comments)

Historic Home Niche - 04:59 AM
A lot of you know that I have a passion for historic homes and historic preservation.  To my great surprise, there are a lot like me out there, and I was happy to find a couple of Active Rain members in the specialized field of historic homes, take a look:
Staying Power: The Joys and Challenges of Historic Homes1 Dollar Homes For Sale in MassachusettsLonely struggle in the rubble of China's hottest real estate'Queer' Guy Snags Washington Avenue B-stoneIs this your money pitNewburyport, Historic PreservationStaging it Wright in the Architecturally Historic Oak Park / River Forest Areas of Illinois Long Beach realtor shows … (36 comments)

DO YOU KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED? - 08:04 AM
 
Keeping an "eye" on property values can be a bit challenging from a distance.
Every now and then ,wouldn't it be nice for the sellers to borrow someone's eyes and ears for an occasional update of their neighborhoods values?
That's actually what I am doing for them ,"free of charge!"
You might be wondering why I do this for free.....it is because I feel that  if I can show them the value they get from all this wonderful information I send ...then when it comes time for them to sell , they will choose me as their Realtor.
Inventory has tripled during present market conditions, making … (95 comments)

Subprime Bailout Rant - 10:18 PM
I'm sorry, but I really need to let off some steam... 
Congress is starting to rumble about devising a program to bailout subprime borrowers.  Now that adjustable rates have started to rise, potentially 1.1 million homeowners could be forced into foreclosure in the next 6 months.  The government isn't suggesting it will pay off loans, but that a program focused on counseling and loan restructuring could help the problem.
No offense, but I don't want my tax dollars to pay for this program.  Why isn't accountability being pushed back on the agents, lenders, and underwriters that started this fiasco?  Granted, some of the lenders are defunct … (41 comments)

Survey on A/R vs. Quit Smoking - 05:17 PM
Okay, everyone.
I have this need to get a pat on the back because.....as of yesterday I have three months under my belt for NO
SMOKING!
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                  And now....replaced it with ......
                                                                  !!!!!!!!!
That's okay, right?  I mean...it's healthier, right? 
I just have the need for you all to take this survey:
Do you:
1) Get all excited when you get up in the morning thinking you will be checking A/R comments on your latest post?
2) Get all excited driving home from the office/showing property/shopping thinking you will be checking A/R when you get home?
3) Replaced other addictions with A/R?
4) Still have those other addictions … (85 comments)

Marketing Idea to Bring Buyers and Sellers to You - 04:26 AM
If you are looking to build your business by increasing your listings and buyers this is an idea I have used in the past and am getting ready to impalement again.
We all know that when a buyer sells a property and buys another they generally purchase at about an additional 50% of the home they just sold.  A seller sells for $100,000 they will generally purchase at $150,000 to $200,000.
If when you take a listing you create two marketing campaigns - one for the house you know the standard just listed whoo hooo look at my new listing and secondly - send it to a neighborhood that has an average … (72 comments)


Blog posts


Dallas & Texas Discount Real Estate Broker - 12:42 PM
We continue to save our clients 1000s of dollars, when buying, selling or leasing real estate. We are proud of the fact that we are the Premier Dallas Discount Real Estate Brokerage. So if you are thinking of purchasing, selling or leasing real estate make sure to give us a call. We can assist you maximize your bottom line. … (0 comments)

The Arkansas Derby - 07:41 AM
Oaklawn Live Racing is wrapping it up.....with a bang ! The 103rd year of live racing has been very exciting this year with THE largest crowds ever. "Derby Day" , which is the annual celebration leading up to "The Arkansas Derby" reported a record crowd of 72,464 in attendance. This is a strong indicator that TODAY, which is "Arkansas Derby Day" will also be a record breaker.
Track officials point to 3 factors which they believe contributed to the extreme growth at Oaklawn : larger purses, Instant Racing, and Electronic Games of Skill.
Here's a few details about todays events :Post time is … (0 comments)

Preparing for The Listing Appointment - 01:23 PM
Is it necessary, or even desirable, to wow your client with multimedia presentations and glow in the dark CMA's at the first meeting?  I don't believe so...Now, I will be the first one to congratulate you if you take along a Virtual Tour or your creation from Jeff Turner's Real Estate Shows www.RealEstateShow.com.  I typically take pull up my website, and Localism to show them the difference between myself and every other agent in town.  Countering objections and having market knowledge might just be the most important component to the listing presentation though, and multimedia flash and dash might not help with … (4 comments)

Anatomy of a 12 Hour Day - 10:05 PM
I had such a much more postive attitude when I was a newbie in real estate.  These days I really need to see progress get made before I go to bed...  Today I started work at 9 am and made it home at 9 pm.  I didn't eat lunch, though I did stop at a restaurant long enough to eat a hurried dinner.  What did I accomplish???  Probably nothing.
9 am:  I presented an offer to a seller.  The house is listed at 124,900. The offer came in at significantly less.  I talked to the buyers agent (a newbie) who assured me … (10 comments)

Texas, See it to Believe it! - 10:14 PM
It was a week for a major wake up call.  I had clients in from Oregon and they were interviewing with the university.  I went to pick them up at the hotel on Monday and they were amazed at how lush and green everything is here.  They always thought of Texas as desert land.
Remember, for those of you that haven't visited Texas before that it is a lush paradise in many areas.  Our town is filled currently with not only green, green grass and beautiful canopied trees, but an abundance of wildflowers.  Bluebonnets dot the landscape, mixed in with Indian Paintbushes … (2 comments)

Starlight Music Series at Wolf Pen Ampitheatre - 10:33 PM
College Station in conjunction with College Station Utilities, is announcing their 5th annual Starlight Series at Wolf Pen Creek Ampitheatre.  Grab your lawnchairs and your coolers (though a new concession stand is opening with hot snacks and cold beverages served) and come join us at the Saturday night extravaganzas!
These events are one of the best parts of living in Brazos Valley, and the best news is the cost...IT'S FREE!!!!
April 21 Hotel California with Wild Horses
April 28 Brazos Valley Symphony
May 12 Aaron Watson with JT Coldfire
May 19 Karan Chavis with Stony Creek of the 4th Infantry Division Band
May 26 Vocal Trash with … (0 comments)

Posting Your Listings To Websites - 10:44 PM
I read one blog that says that you can post your listings to several different websites by employing tools such as V-flyer, then I read other blogs that say that we are feeding the monster so to speak by doing this.  What is the general consensus, or does anyone know yet?
I want to expose my listings to the best of my ability.  It is my job when I'm a listing agent to shine the spotlight on my listings as much as possible.  I would, however, like to be able to accomplish that without cutting off my own foot to spite.
Zillow, Trulia, … (15 comments)

How to select a Brokerage for new agents - 07:23 AM
I get ask this question frequently and thought I would share my latest thoughts - I welcome other agents to share their perspective on this topic!
_________________________________________________________
At the end of the day we make money through 3 activities:1) Getting Listings - over 80% of listings come from our extended sphere of influence.2) Selling our listings - According to NAR - the place that buyers first discovered the home they purchase follow: Realtors (36%), Internet (24%), Yard Signs (15%), Friends, Family and Neighbors (7%), Newspapers (5%) and Magazines are only responsible for (1%)and 3) Buyer side transactions - again over 70% of Buyers … (8 comments)

TypePad: Editing The Elements - 07:58 AM
Editing The Elements
You can accomplish a good deal of customization in TypePad by simply using the "Customize Your Theme" wizards, without ever touching the CSS or HTML.
Tip:  Even if you intend to convert to Advanced Templates in order to later add your own CSS or HTML, build as much of the structure and appearance as you can with the wizards, before converting to Advanced.  It will save you hours of tinkering time.  Trust me on this.
Go to http://www.typepad.com  Click Members Sign In in the upper right corner.  At the Welcome Back page, click on the Weblogs tab
Click Design
Click Change Theme
Click … (4 comments)

Washtenaw County Housing Statistics - March 2007 - 04:55 PM
Well, this could be an interesting year for real estate in Washtenaw County.  What initially looked like a split personality in the market, finally resolved itself in March.  The first quarter of 2007 is behind us and it is safe to say that the market is getting tougher on sellers.
Average List Price
 
 
 
 
 
Average Sales Price

 I don't think much needs to be said about these two charts in conjunction with each other.  From the Big House Data Executive Summary:
"The split personality has also resolved itself in the average list prices and sales prices. While list prices jumped in February, March realized a … (0 comments)

Traditional Media vs. Blogging - 12:07 PM

 
I was listening to National Public Radio and there was an interesting discussion about how traditional Sports media is threatened by the BLOG world.  The broadcast was title:  "ESPN Apologies for Radio Host's Attack on BLOG"
Sound familiar folks? Listening to the broadcast I was struck by the changes in the media and how we as human beings process such information.  And the impact of it. Blogging is immediate, traditional media has lag time.  
Traditional Media outlets are loosing their audiences daily to BLOGS and they are threatened. 
But it isn't just Don Imus that is getting into trouble with what he … (13 comments)

What Does Celebration Florida and Active Rain have in common? - 04:06 PM
 
 
 
 
 
 
This is fun, I was driving around Celebration yesterday and I suddenly started thinking of writing a really cool post about the various streets here in Celebration Florida and how they have to relate to the famous fruits that we have to input when we post comments.
You know those apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherry, carrots, dates, elderberries, figs, grapes,  grapefruits, gooseberries, lychees, gauve, kiwis, kumquats, lemons, limes, mangos, olives, oranges, papayas, passion, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plums, pomegranates, strawberries, tangeriens and tomatoes we are constantly reminded about...  That reminds me I am getting hungry, but I am … (12 comments)

New to Indianapolis? Visit the Monon Trail. - 05:26 PM
Are you new to the Indianapolis Area?  Have you had a chance to walk on the Monon Trail?  This wonderful pathway runs through Marion and Hamilton County.  Once an abandon railbed for the Monon Railroad, has now become a popular pathway for many in this area.  On any given day you will find someone, walking, jogging or riding on this path.
Starting at 10th street in Indianapolis and ending at 146th street in Carmel.  (Future extensions are planned in Westfield, Sheridan and Washington Township.)  The park is open from sunrise to sunset and is over 10 miles long.  This path winds and connects parks, businesses and neighborhoods … (5 comments)

Active Rain Hits Over 15000 Real Estate Agents Today!! - 12:15 PM
Real Estate Agents (15002)
Just noticed that Active Rain has now reached over 15000 Real Estate Agents. This is remarkable that this has happened in  less than a year!
In July 2006 there were 1000 Real Estate Agents
In September 2006 there were 3000 Real Estate Agents.
In December 2006 there were 7000 Real Estate Agents
In January 2007 there were 8000 Real Estate Agents.
And today April 14, 2007 there are over 15,000 Real Estate Agents!
Way to go!
Congratulations on your success Active Rain.
                                           
… (16 comments)

Customer Service - 02:26 PM
This week I shared a video with our team I recieved from LaDawn Knicely who sells homes in Harrisonburg VA.
Here is what she shared simple but true..Will you be Johnny?
So what do you think?  Is there something special you can do.  We tried a new for this week on note cards that said here is what we loved about your home.....with a thought for the day at the bottom.
Any other suggestions?
… (0 comments)

Speaking of Service - 02:36 PM
Last weekend at our get together I was told about a blog that Neal Bloom did about his dog. 
A friend sent me this yesterday and it reminded me of what Neal and had talked about and decided to share the story with everyone.
THE POSTAL SERVICE NO ONE HEARS ABOUT
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4
year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed
Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to
heaven, God would recognize her.
She dictated and I wrote:
Dear God,
Will … (10 comments)

Tax Laws Help Homeowners And Real Estate Investors - 10:38 AM
Recent changes in the IRS codes affect owners of real estate, whether they own just their personal residence or also have investment properties.
For the sale of your home, the law still remains that, if you have lived in the property as your principal residence for two of the past five years, you can exclude $250,000 in gains as a single person or $500,000 as a married couple from taxes.
But what if you have lived in the property for less than two years?
Well, the IRS has come out with guidelines specifying three conditions under which you may prorate the amount of … (0 comments)

Prices Up, Foreclosures Down - 10:16 AM
I have been hearing, anecdotally, that there really aren't many foreclosures in Silicon Valley. In my experience, getting a home this way is not easy, nor is it often much of a bargain. But right now I have a wonderful new client who really wants to investigate buying a home this way. So I've been paying more attention to this arena, and working with her to see what we can do there, and today read an article that was worth blogging about at Live In Los Gatos on this topic. Broderick Perkins is a national real estate writer who lives locally in San Jose … (0 comments)

Project Blogger: Winding Down on Week One - 05:13 PM
We are winding down on Week One of Project Blogger. Was it good for you?My coach, the fabulous Frances Flynn Thorsen, has been having some sort of computer nightmare this week, so we have not been in touch (much).  More like: phone tag, talk to you soon (or eventually).  But I'm plowing ahead out here on the Left Coast just the same. Accomplishments this week included these:* fixing formatting so my blog, http://www.liveinlosgatos.com/, looks right on various browsers (IE, Firefox) and no longer runs off the edge of the page in an annoying manner* added some feeds besides the one that … (8 comments)

Can you buy homes below market? - 02:22 PM
Most buyers will see between 5-10 homes before making an offer, an investor who makes bargain buys usually goes through many more. It takes a lot of determination to find a real "bargain." There are a number of ways to buy a bargain property:
Buy a fixer-upper in a transitional neighborhood, improve it and keep it or resell at a higher price. Buy a foreclosure property (after doing your research carefully). Buy a house due to be torn down and move it to a new lot.We have helped many investors find that bargain! Give us a call or visit our website and … (0 comments)

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