Archives of real estate blog entries for April 16, 2007

Featured blog posts


Stormy Weather and My REALTOR® Still Stands Tall in the Field, (Part 2, Balance. Stamina) - 08:13 PM
 
        Snow flakes are flying north-to-south across the wildly bobbing heads of the daffodils as the mountain wind roars ferociously down the ridge by my home office this morning. Stormy Weather. The scene is both powerful and empowering as a reminder of the life of a  REALTOR®, where, even in  "stormy weather"we brave the elements to come to a happy closing event.  Our impact in the role  of problem solver   can provide  the "shelter" of balance and endurance through the turmoil.
This morning, as the wind howls down the mountain ridges and over craggy cliffs, I'm wondering if, when we  approach our  work  from a … (41 comments)

April Blog Tour - 01:28 PM
For those of you who are new(er) around here, a few months ago we started something called blog tours. Last month, we took a hiatus, and John Novak put up a nice post about a spring break blog tour.  This month some of our blog tourists have been wondering "where we are" and so we realized, it is well past time for the April Blog Tour. 
Why go on Blog Tours?
Apparently there are a number of us who not only blog on ActiveRain, but maintain other real estate blogs out there in the 'real world.'  My other blog is called … (35 comments)

What happened to the brochure - 08:07 PM
What is the difficulty in keeping the brochure box filled?  Is customer service so difficult that a listing cannot be visited by the agent or an assistant on a regular basis?  Does any other agent or potential home buyer get frustrated when they drive by a property and there are no brochures in the box.  Just as bad is a copy of the MLS printout in the box acting like it is a brochure.  Why is it so difficult to put a color brochure together and provide something that is representative of the real estate industry.
I know that it can be … (40 comments)

The Top Ten Internet Marketing Scams -- Watch Out! - 10:37 AM
I don't think I have to tell you how many marketing scams are out there.  Hopefully this article will be able to educate you on some of the more popular scams...
 
1. “We’ll Submit Your Website to Hundreds of Search Engines!” – Bad idea. This is one of the worst internet marketing scams. First of all, there are 4 primary search engines that handle about 95% of all internet searches, so submitting to anything other than the primary 4 is pretty much useless. Second of all, search engines don’t like submissions. There is alot of documentation to prove this. SE’s … (21 comments)

Be prepared for the unexpected: certified copies - 11:59 AM
What would you do if one of your valuable documents were lost, or destroyed?
I did a closing for a woman whose husband is in a nursing home. He granted her Power of Attorney.  There was just one problem. The title company wanted the power of attorney document so that it could be recorded.  The borrower was very upset about this, because it was the only document she had showing that she has power of attorney. And she uses it often.
Colorado notaries are permitted to certify copies of documents.  So, with her permission, I made a copy of the power of attorney … (12 comments)

Who put a link in the comments of this post? Please Do!!! - 06:43 AM
Would You?  I know it's against the general guidelines of Active Rain and the Etiquette 101 Group to put links (SPAM) in the comments of other members posts.  I agree with this rule and will fully abide by it.  In this one case, can we make an exception?  
I wanted to share with others, some of the coolest things I have found out on the rain.  Being a newbie (there's that word again),  I wanted to share the resources and discoveries I have made.  My invite list has grown larger than expected, and I feel I owe them this post! 
I am asking … (189 comments)

Points & Rum Cake- Guess Active Rain Membership Contest Update # 3 - 02:21 PM
Hello Everyone,
Let me first say, I learned what not to do when having a contest, and that is to start a group to track entries. Though the intention was good, I think it has made the process to sign up very confusing. In the best interest of everyone, I will be DELETING the GROUP. Your prediction is listed here. If you don't see it, please leave a comment below and I will get it added. 
If you would like to play, here are the guidelines:
Contest is to guess the numbers of members on Active Rain by Midnight, July 1st, 2007, PST.One entry per personYou may edit your entry … (36 comments)

Calling All Real Estate PROFESSIONALS - 02:40 AM
Your telephone rings.  It's one of your favorite past clients.  You exchange pleasantries, then BAM!  They hit you with the words that chill your blood, "Congratulate me!  I've decided to go into Real Estate."  This is a form of flattery, I guess.  Sadly, we must have just made it look so easy, that they just had to give it a try.
It's even crept into the media.  While watching a Kurt Russell film recently, one of his lines was something like, "Well, if our son washes out of the program, he can always go into Real Estate."  When did this notion that Real … (56 comments)

MY 2 CENTS WORTH..... - 07:43 PM
If you think real estate farming is old fashioned and doesn't work, there's nothing to see here... please move on to the next blog.   Thank you. 
OK...Now for the rest of you.  I've talked about farming in previous blogs:  Still Farming After All These Years.  AKA The Bull Poopie post.  And  The Queen of Refrigerator Crap.  AKA The Crap post.
Here's what is really cool about farming.  A lot of agents are absolutely convinced it doesn't work!!!  A lot of agents think that since they are techie that they don't need to farm.  Hey, only old timers who can't use a computer do farming!  Right?   Say YES!!!   … (56 comments)


Blog posts


La Grange Wins vs. Chicago for First-Time Buyers - 11:33 PM
I had received an inquiry from first-time home buyers looking in Chicago and possibly some suburbs close to Chicago.  They were interested more in the north side of Chicago so I referred them to one of my referral agents in the city.  They weren't too happy with the areas they were being shown in their price range.
They decided to look with me in the suburbs.  We looked at La Grange real estate, Forest Park, North Riverside and Oak Park.  They chose a great house in La Grange.
Their criteria was a city close enough to Chicago with a good crime … (2 comments)

Stop and Smell The Roses; it is a must ! - 11:12 PM
Make Plans Now :
The Pocket Theatre in Hot Springs is preparing for another great performance. In hopes that many of you will come and enjoy this and so many wonderful attractions in our great little town, I wanted to get this out there as soon as possible. For this and other neat stuff, check out our "Hot Springs Go2Guide " at www.paradiseinhotsprings.com  to stay in the LOOP  with the most fabulous town in Central Arkansas !
… (1 comments)

Reverse Mortgages - 11:34 PM
Trends in Reverse Mortgages - A New Option For Senior HomeownersEveryone's needs are unique--but a desire to enjoy a full life is universal.  Often, this means having enough money to cover bills and relieve some of the anxiety that comes from figuring out how to make retirement more comfortable. 
Many retirees looking for ways to supplement fixed incomes and defray living expenses are increasingly finding the answer in their homes--it is called a reverse mortgage.   
The versatility of reverse mortgages has already been demonstrated by thousands of seniors who have used this tool to help them generate the cash needed to … (5 comments)

APR doesn't affect rate or your monthly payment...PERIOD! - 02:58 PM
What is an Annual Percentage Rate (APR)?
The annual percentage rate (APR) is an interest rate that is different from the note rate. It is commonly used to compare loan programs from different lenders. The Federal Truth in Lending law requires mortgage companies to disclose the APR when they advertise a rate. Typically the APR is found next to the rate.
The APR does NOT affect your monthly payments. Your monthly payments are a function of the interest rate and the length of the loan.
The APR is a very confusing number! Even mortgage bankers and brokers admit it is confusing. The APR … (0 comments)

Austin Photo Tour - 10:26 AM
Hey folks, I went out yesterday to take photos around the Austin area.  It was a perfect day and many shots came out well.  I just did an Austin Photo Tour page on my website so visitors cound get an idea of some of the highlites around the area.  Here are a few samples:
This is the view looking south over Lake Austin from Mt. Bonnell.
This is a waterfall on Bull Creek on the Bull Creek Greenbelt.  The greenbelt is in nortn, central Austin and is a true paradise surrounded by the city.
… (0 comments)

Officially Judged On Project Blogger. Oh Yeah, We Are Already Generating Leads! - 12:31 PM
So the first week of official judging is here, finally.  Jackie’s growth since we launched the blog just over 3 weeks ago has been staggering.  Her stats below tell the story, but it is one specific announcement that we need to make that have us jumping for joy. Jackie has generated her first bona fide inbound lead through her blogging efforts on RealEstateSizzle.com!
Yes, you read that correctly; in less than one month of blogging, we have started to generate leads on her real estate blogsite.
You may remember from last week’s review, Jackie is in Europe, so her team will be following … (8 comments)

TypePad: Adding A Custom Banner - 06:47 AM
First of all, you will need to create your banner in Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, or another image editor of your choice.  If you've never done this before, stand by, I'll give some links and ideas in another post.  For now, you can experiment with just about any image you have handy.
The one considersation, for now, is the size of the banner image.  At http://www.nelalive.net, my banner immage is 900 pixels wide by 200 pixels high.  You could just as easily use an image that is less wide, and allow a background color to fill the unused space.
So here … (2 comments)

Coastal area Home Owner Insurance News - 11:45 AM
I have attached an article that may be of interest to Realtors and Brokerages in florida and other coastal regions in relation to the Home Owners and buiness owners Insurance debacle.
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/4162007_Pending_Foreclosures.asp
… (1 comments)

Don't You Dare Throw Those Boxes Away! - 09:12 PM
Bury Those Boxes!                
                                                                          We've been enjoying an excess of "liquid sunshine" these last couple of days as a massive nor'easter rolls up the Atlantic coast. Good! Just what my yard needs after the cleanup. 
             
A couple of days ago it was beautiful cool, sunny weather, perfect for getting the yard in shape. The lawn was cleaned up, weeded, and the trees and garden beds were mulched to keep the weeds away. I thought about all the people who were doing the same thing, getting the outside of their home ready and raising the curb appeal.
Here's a … (11 comments)

443 Water Street - Celebration Florida - 10:54 AM

This is an Orlando Avenue Top Team listings and features 2 bedrooms/2 baths condo built in 1998 with charming courtyard views and centrally located in Celebration and a quick walk to Downtown.
443 Water Street is situated in the Main Village area of Celebration in the Water Street Condos.   Listed at #295,000.
Call me today at (407) 467-5155 to view this condo and explore the possibilities of living in the heart of Celebration.  To view more Keller Williams listings check out my post at our Orlando Avenue BLOG about our tour last week!
… (0 comments)

Who would you play this song for? - 04:34 PM
Our ACRE group has been sharing some great information today.
ACRE is Accredited ...
Kerry Bodily from Expert CMA said
Invaluable advice $200/hrRegular advice $100/hrWorthless advice $FREE
Here is the song let us know who would you send it to?
Here is the song...ENJOY
… (2 comments)

MY 2 CENTS WORTH..... - 07:43 PM
If you think real estate farming is old fashioned and doesn't work, there's nothing to see here... please move on to the next blog.   Thank you. 
OK...Now for the rest of you.  I've talked about farming in previous blogs:  Still Farming After All These Years.  AKA The Bull Poopie post.  And  The Queen of Refrigerator Crap.  AKA The Crap post.
Here's what is really cool about farming.  A lot of agents are absolutely convinced it doesn't work!!!  A lot of agents think that since they are techie that they don't need to farm.  Hey, only old timers who can't use a computer do farming!  Right?   Say YES!!!   … (56 comments)

Getting Personal about Internet Clients - 11:43 PM
I haven't ever sold a home off a blog, but for the last few years, about 30-40% of my business comes from the web.  I am hoping that the success I've enjoyed on the web will grow into success with blogging. I really don't know what I'm doing with blogging, but I hope to learn. And meanwhile, I'll share with you what I think has helped me to have some success with web leads.There are a bunch of ways to get leads online - most of the time, it's buyers looking for homes. So having listings on your site (or sites) … (9 comments)

Santa Clara County - Feb. 2007 - Real Estate Market Analysis - 08:16 AM
Again, we have a month where I could almost just plug in all the key points from the last few months. Inventory is higher than in the same time last year. It's not at the highest it has been since 1998 - but it ain't good. Sales are at about the same level and fewer homes were added to the inventory in Feb. than at this time last year. That is a bit of good news, but inventories remain high regardless. Even in the more short term view, we are seeing a steady increase in inventory and stagnant sales. Given the … (3 comments)

Should government "Bail Out" buyers heading for foreclosure? - 08:29 AM
The debate of the subprime situation and the coming cloud of foreclosure has some politicians talking about a "bail-out" program.
It practical terms, it is less of a bail-out and more of a refinance - with pretty amazing terms.
So the question becomes, should the government even be doing this? I tend to think this is a bad idea, far outside the charter of what our government is supposed to do, but then they have been working outside their charter for decades.
I would be more supportive of an effort to  encourage the private sector to step up with solutions and refinance options for … (2 comments)

Preparing sellers for "The Long Haul" - 09:24 AM
With the market moving in the direction it is.... at least in my area, sellers need to be ready to hunker down for a long listing period to sell their home. In addition, they need to be aware of the fact that to sell quicker, your sales price is really the only thing you can change to make a difference.
Even homes that are at the average for the market are taking over 70 days to sell in my market area. Now my market happens to be pretty robust. The average across the country is likely to be quite a bit more … (1 comments)

Some really evil people out there... - 02:03 AM
Some really evil people out there...by Kaushik Sirkar, Chandler REALTOR®Chandler AZ Real Estate
I typically post about Real Estate related matters; however, every so often I have the habit of deviating from the beaten path to discuss other topics.  Its my blog and I'm allowed to!
So an article I just read in the Arizona Republic.  This article did three things to me.  It saddened me.  It angered me.  Then it got me thinking about Realtor®. safety.  What is the article about?  In summary (and please read for all the details) this lovely couple from Arizona decide to retire to the sea.  They … (16 comments)

Horrible Tragedy in Blacksburg - 12:01 PM
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and everyone involved in the tragedy in Blacksburg today.  Just horrible - something like this should never happen. … (1 comments)

NEW builders in the Valley? - 11:52 PM
NEW builders in the Valley?by Kaushik Sirkar, Chandler REALTOR®Chandler AZ Real Estate
With record inventories in the Phoenix metropolitan area and slower sales throughout many parts of the country we see reports of builder earnings and profitability suffering.  Large number of spec homes sit unsold gnawing away at the bottom-line of builders both small and large.  I'm sure some would expect builders to cut back - and rightly so this is happening in many places.  But not everywhere and not with every builder.
As the Phoenix market has cooled, various builders not previously established here are making a move int othe Valley for … (6 comments)

Join In...Where VAs Talk the Walk - 11:40 AM
The most recent podcast buzz in the VA industry would have to be the VA Talk Show to be launched in May. Tawnya Suthlerland, founder of VANA (Virtual Assistant Networking Association), has once again out done herself with this one. A podcast show for Virtual Assistants covering topics such as: Interviews with various VA OrganizationsVA Spotlight interviews Guest speakers discussing business strategies to assist VA's in their own businessesand a whole lot more...The VA Talk Show will bring awareness to the virtual assistant industry while providing valuable resources and information for VA's to use in their own practices. I look forward … (0 comments)

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