Archives of real estate blog entries for August 2, 2007

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TRENDS: THE BABY BOOMERS' BLAST - 11:49 AM
NEWS for BABY BOOMERS ALFA  produces the most authoritative and comprehensive publications and reports on assisted living, as well as important market research studies
SO! have you heard?  GOOGLE is going GREEN. They have chosen one of my favorite architects in the entire world, William McDonough. You can expect amazing news on that front.  Daily, such eco-nomically friendly news impacts trends in the real estate market.  I've written about this for what seems like a cyber-time dinosaur's age.  AND!   What else is NEW?                                            The Baby Boomer Blast HELLO! Get ready Asheville's "green" real estate market, the baby boomers are on their way.  They could be getting ready … (93 comments)

Fear and Closing in Real Estate - 11:12 PM
          
  Albert Einstein once said that, "Anyone who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."  I often think of this rather exciting quote when dealing with the real estate business day to day; in fact I think of it when dealing with day to day life.  There is a lot to be said for the magic that seems to take hold when we face our work focused on the love and excitement involved rather than on the potential obstacles involved.  
 I think there is a rather large … (21 comments)

A USELESS STATISTIC ABOUT BLOGGING FROM THE NAR - WHAT IS THIS PREOCCUPATION WITH REALTORS' AGE? - 11:47 AM
An article today by Brian Block about real estate practitioners who blog or do not blog leaves me wondering about the purpose of the statistic from NAR.
So only 96% of all real estate practitioners blog.  So what?
From the title to Brian's article, "Shhhhh? 96% of Realtors Aren't Blogging", it would appear that Brian is glad that only 96% of us are blogging.  I agree because, from a position of competition, if one believes that blogging will help our business, we should be glad that our competition doesn't blog.  However, blogging is different than other forms of business generation. 
BLOGGING IS DIFFERENT because it takes more than … (69 comments)

Contest #2: No Writer’s Block Allowed – My (My Family’s) Favorite Hang Out Is… And the Winner is... - 11:43 AM
Well, after a full 31 days for this contest, there were only 9 entrants that followed the directions for the contest. (STEP 8 - AND POST A LINK TO THE POST HERE IN THE COMMENTS.)  Sorry, to all those of you that wrote a post and only submitted it to the group.  RULES ARE RULES. (Someone has to enforce them.)
(This comment is being provided thanks to George Souto - see his comment below)
Of the 9 entrants, 1 disqualified herself, even though I am sure we would all love to find sanctuary in her family room playing PS3 or reading a book … (18 comments)

What Real Estate is All About - 11:50 AM
Sometimes we forget what business we are in. It's easy to be caught up in listing and showing and negotiating and settling. But that's all just the mechanics of our business. Today I got a delightful reminder that we really do is make dreams come true.
A few months ago, I wrote about a house that was a "disastrous, dirty, cluttered, smelly, mess" and could only be sold after it was stripped bare – carpets, appliances, window treatments, everything had to go. The buyers didn't think they could ask for that, but the sellers were delighted to take their "stuff" with them, … (42 comments)

A Little Green Education, Please - 11:06 PM
As GREEN Building catches on across the United States, the need for more education about it rises.  GREEN Building is a very in depth topic and one that is not easy to explain.  Most cities/states have their own Guidelines for what is considered a GREEN Built home.  There is a Minimum Standard and then there are builders that take a step above that..sometimes several steps. 
As the word gets out, there will be many Real Estate Professionals trying to jump in sell GREEN Properties through both listings and buyers.  Without enough background on the topic there is a chance of increased … (45 comments)

Pricing Under Market Value? - 11:55 AM
I've been researching pricing strategies and I've deduced two somewhat prominent ones. The first one is to list the property at a higher than market value price then lower it at intervals. The second is to price the property below "market value" and let buyers submit offers, often higher than the asking price.
The first strategy is fairly common, the latter one not so. I was recently informed by a real estate attorney that sellers can sue their agent for damages arising from pricing a property too high. We know that pricing a property is not an exact science and some … (35 comments)

What Did I Learn at Bloggers Connect? (Part 1) But First the Tragedy in Minneapolis - 04:48 PM
Like a bunch of other Rainers, I attended Bloggers Connect in San Francisco yesterday - a meeting of some of the top blogging minds in the country. It was an inspirational event, with opportunities for learning, exchanging ideas, meeting up with old friends, making new acquaintances, and much more.
However, before launching into my musing on what I think I learned, I feel compelled to comment on the tragedy in Minneapolis, which certainly put a damper on my spirits last night.
I learned about this in a voice mail from my wife, currently in Michigan, which I picked up on the … (29 comments)

Who was Stage It Forward's MYSTERY MODERATOR? - 04:40 PM

One of the things that makes Stage It Forward such a thriving and active group here in the Rain is the fact that the Moderator position is passed to someone new each month. Each month what is featured in the group as the "best to be read" for the day is selected by a different person with a different perspective. While a particular moderator might not pick what other's feel is "best" for the day, the fact that differing insights are welcome keeps the group vital and active.
In return for taking taking the time and making the commitment to the group, the moderator gets a … (24 comments)

Project Blogger Winner Announcement at Blogger's Connect - 11:50 AM

And the winner is....Frances Flynn-Thorsen and Mary Pope-Handy!!!! Congrats to them and to all the contestants. Perhaps the best part of this whole exercise was that $5,000 was raised for CARE, a non-profit organization. (Sorry about the sucky photo. I took it with a cell phone and I guess my hand was moving. Go to Flickr for better ones...none up now, but will be hopefully.)
Technorati tag: connectsf … (29 comments)

Buying a House Is Like Falling In Love. - 12:02 PM
 It has been said that people don't want to be SOLD, they want to buy.  Years ago when I first started my career in Real Estate, I was interviewing different companies around Ann Arbor, and Saline, Mi. I was looking for the "right fit" for me. That meant "no cold calling", "no knocking on doors".  Shortly after, when I started working with buyers, I discovered that wonderful little secret.
My little secret that has made my life fun (most of the time) is that my job was to just introduce people to the homes that matched their criteria and they would either … (120 comments)

How did you come up with that price...anyway? - 11:45 AM
 When preparing a Comparative Market Analysis, CMA, recently I was trying to determine a good listing price. It's not an easy job!
I had to put more weight on the "on markets" than the "sold" comps.
Traditionally real estate agents are taught to put more weight on the "solds" when trying to establish a property value. 
After all, the "solds" tell us an important story. They tell us what a property actually sold for!
Not the pie in sky hopes that the listed price usually indicates but what a buyer actually paid. Very important data for sure. And in the old days … (51 comments)

The Illusion of Security - 07:52 PM
 
I am dismayed that the MLS here in Washington State has decided to implement a strong password rule with password changes every 90 days without asking it's users how they felt about it. Only the Brokers who are members were allowed to discuss this issue, and most of them are not computer savy.   
Let me tell you why this is such an issue. Strong password rules are ancient technology!   
Today, if your computer is compromised, requiring a password change won't fix that. The Trojan or keyboard sniffer  will just get the new password and pass it on to the hacker and nothing is … (32 comments)

What Did I Learn at Bloggers Connect? (Part 2) - 11:53 AM
I attended Bloggers Connect in San Francisco on Wednesday (yesterday) and wanted to share my thoughts on what I learned and observed at this meeting of fellow bloggers, some of whom are the best we know. (that's Brad Inman and me at the opening reception Tuesday night - PHOTOS ADDED BELOW - SORRY BUT THEY ARE NOT STELLAR)
These are not in any particular order, nor shared with any special intent.
I love blogging - the act of blogging, reading about it, and learning about it. And I realize that so may others share this passion. It is an addiction, of sorts, … (50 comments)


Blog posts


Building Your Business: You've Got Your License - Now What? - 11:51 AM
Most new agents don't have the recommended 6 months worth of savings when they begin their careers. They need cash right away.  So what can a new agent do to Build your Business?
First - interview several different brokerages. You can reach me at my web site: http://jaysunderland.point2agent.com to compare. Ask the broker what kinds of training, splits, fees and support they offer. Ask what they will do to help you build your business. I recommend you interview no fewer than 5 different companies and when possible, at least 2 brokerage offices of the company you choose.
Next, to build your business, … (0 comments)

Need help with attorney referral - 07:28 PM
Can anyone give me recommendations for internet marketing attorneys in Washington?  I am looking for an attorney who is experienced with independant contractors and work for hire regarding internet work.
 I am in the process of suing a designer who I paid thousands of dollars to, and she did not perform the work.  One REALTOR needed a refund due a financial crisis, and due to this designers' "No Refund" policy on designs, even when the work was not performed, literally screwed the agent out of a ton of money.  Another situation, I paid this designer top dollar for services, and because of … (4 comments)

Marketing 102 - 05:50 AM
It has been quite a while since the Marketing 101 post, so, sit back and read my opinions on marketing in the 21st Century:
 When I first started selling real estate in the mid-80's we would advertise in the local Shopper and wait for the phone to ring.  Believe it or not, there was little to no co-operation between the local real estate agents.  MLS had been to our small part of Missouri, but the real estate interest rates had stopped most activity, so everyone dropped MLS and just started trying to sell their own listings.  Sellers went back to open listings … (0 comments)

Beauty in High Plains Village at Centerra w/ Separate Carriage House - 02:04 AM
Great home in High Plains Village at Centerra. This property has it all including 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, finished attic, wood flooring, upgraded tile, multiple raised planting beds to grow your own fruits and vegetables, wonderful views, huge deck and a 3 car finished (heated and cooled) garage. Oh, I forgot to mention that this is just for the main house. The separate carriage house has 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a full kitchen, walk-in closet, pantry, wonderful views, very private and comes with it's own air conditioner and furnace. Carriage house is great for guest, long term visitors, mother-in-law quarters and … (0 comments)

Awesome Home in Bryan, Texas - 08:07 PM
Need a great home on a budget?  Look no further!  This beautiful home has been updated extensively and is beautifully landscaped with large trees and deck!  Featuring 3 bedrooms and two baths with a large formal living room and utility room with extra storage!  Directly across from the award winning Johnson Elementary School! Priced right at $129,990.  Open house held August 19th from 2-5 pm. Stop by and get cold drinks and brownies!!! Get more great College Station Homes or Bryan Homes! … (11 comments)

Incredible Windermere opportunity - 12:13 AM

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY to acquire a custom built home on a one acre homesite. This beautiful Mediterrainean Estate is currently under construction in the gates Lake Markham Preserve. Completion is expected by the end of summer. Almost 7000 sq ft of luxury! Just some of the features include exquisite beautiful tropical landscaping with lighting. Patterned brick pavers;3 Car Garage; Faux Paint and Iron Work Detail; Dominating Mediterranean Themed Stone Work and Wraught Iron Balconies. And that is just OUTSIDE ! Inside we have all main flooring with Crema Marfil Marble Chiseled French Versailles Pattern; Foyer area with intricate detailed Glass Mosaics; Dining … (0 comments)

Golf Course Home in Sorrento - 07:43 AM

This home represents outstanding value. Three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms in nearly 1900 sq feet and all with golf course frontage for a price you won't believe! The home features ceramic tiles in all the wet areas; formal living and dining; ceiling fans; inside utility room; double vanities adn a seperate whirlpool tub and shower in the master bath. Pride in ownership is obvious here and all for less than $250,000!! Nope - I'm not joking!! Call me today on 407 876 8200 or visit my website at www.simonconway.net
… (0 comments)

Lake Markham Preserve in Sanford - 07:50 AM

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY to acquire a custom built home on a one acre homesite. This beautiful Mediterrainean Estate is currently under construction in the gates Lake Markham Preserve. Completion is expected by the end of summer. Just some of the features include exquisite beautiful tropical landscaping with lighting. Patterned brick pavers;3 Car Garage; Faux Paint and Iron Work Detail; Dominating Mediterranean Themed Stone Work and Wraught Iron Balconies. And that is just OUTSIDE! Inside we have all main flooring with Crema Marfil Marble Chiseled French Versailles Pattern; Foyer area with intricate detailed Glass Mosaics; Dining area with exotic Marble flooring with border … (2 comments)

Blogger Connect - 06:36 AM
As most of you know, I ran up to Blogger Connect for a day trip yesterday.  I ddin't make it to the hotel 'til about 9:00 AM, so I missed most of the first panel with ARDELL, Marlow Harris, Phillip Ferrato and Drew Meyers.  :-(
I really enjoyed finally meeting so many friends face to face!
Tisza, Mary, Joeann and I walked to the Subway Sandwich Shop just down the street, and brought our food back to the meeting room.  It solved that pesty little problem of the program not allowing enough time for lunch!
Everyone waiting for the Project Blogger Winner annoucement:  Joe, … (3 comments)

The Price Target CMA: what would it be worth? - 08:54 PM
Many Realtors are familiar with the CMA - the Comparative Market Analysis.  It's standard operating procedure:  when a home owner is interviewing a Realtor to potentially list their home for sale, most Realtors will provide a CMA that shows what the Realtor believes the property will sell for, given the condition of the property and the condition of the market.In addition to doing CMAs for my sellers here in Santa Cruz county, I also do a CMA for each and every property that a buyer is thinking about purchasing. My clients and I will use this as a guide to determine … (1 comments)

I'm Finally Turning "Officially" GREEN! - 12:56 PM
Well, I've been talking about it, and I finally did it - I signed up for my EcoBroker courses for my EcoBroker designation! 
So far, I've only had one lesson from one course out of the three, but it was interesting, if not particularly relevant to our area (radon - when I look at the map of areas for testing purposes, almost our entire state is expected to have a low radon rating).  It's sufficiently challenging that I don't feel like I'm just "buying" a designation, but actually getting an education on the issue, which is good. 
My goal is to … (6 comments)

Confused As To What Others Use Active Rain Community For? - 02:09 PM
Are you confused as to what other people use Active Rain Community for on the Internet?  We write about being here for support among our peers and to provide information for consumers who will hopefully become clients.  Broker Bryant has made funny videos about selling you comments for your posts or being the #1 Too Busy Real Estate Agent but do we really address what some sales people come here for and use the information they find from our public profiles?
I've written about this before but I'm angry at a phone call I received a little while ago.  Some of you … (14 comments)

Plug It In, Plug It In! - 08:10 AM

Whoopee!! I found a new gadget! Well actually my daughter Erica www.ericarome.com  found this wonderful new toy for me. With one plug in the car cigarette lighter, I can charge up to four devices at the same time including my tablet PC and my Treo 700p.
So what's the big deal? The big deal is that I can recharge things that have a regular two or three prong plug. And it swivels so it is not in the way of something really important like the cup holder. Take a look at the photos.

 
Now I can stay connected and charged anywhere by using this cool … (36 comments)

What Real Estate is All About - 11:50 AM
Sometimes we forget what business we are in. It's easy to be caught up in listing and showing and negotiating and settling. But that's all just the mechanics of our business. Today I got a delightful reminder that we really do is make dreams come true.
A few months ago, I wrote about a house that was a "disastrous, dirty, cluttered, smelly, mess" and could only be sold after it was stripped bare – carpets, appliances, window treatments, everything had to go. The buyers didn't think they could ask for that, but the sellers were delighted to take their "stuff" with them, … (42 comments)

Nima aka Active Rain's Mortgage Man wants to E-Network with YOU! - 12:04 AM

View Mortgage Man's Introduction Video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0_BB0ZKtk
Dear Active Rainers,
Welcome to another MEMBERS ONLY BLOG so it's for your eyes only!  I guess you can say this is "THE ART OF MARKETING ME".  In the past 72 hours I've been spending some time on-line with Active Rain and Myspace.  What I noticed was that I was being a bit outgoing and aggressive on Myspace and I've already found 3 Realtors that I am going to be networking with very soon.  Then I thought about this during dinner tonight that I never really asked for business or was aggressive here … (6 comments)

Fun With Tisza - 09:43 PM
Tisza Major-Posner drove up to Los Gatos from Claremont last Sunday and we had a chance to show her around our fair town  on Monday. Thought the Active Rain and Project Blogger community would enjoy seeing a few photos of our fun in Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz.... Enjoy!Our home sits at the very base of some foothills (which enjoy a view) and to begin our introductory tour of Los Gatos, I drove Tisza (and my daughter) to the top. Normally you can see not only downtown San Jose, but all the way to San Francisco if the day's clear - but no such … (3 comments)

The Fun Continues: Picking Up Kevin - 10:57 PM
"I can resist anything but temptation" the saying goes.We really did intend to behave, honest. But Tisza, Kevin and I just couldn't help ourselves. Tisza and I had just picked Kevin up from San Farncisco's airport and we were meandering toward The Cliff House, where I wanted them to enjoy a great view and great food with some neat ambiance.Skirting the edge of Golden Gate Park, Tisza cried out, "That's the Blog Bus!!" It took about a quarter of a second for us to realize that this was too good to pass up. A few turns later, we were parked behind … (20 comments)

Florida Vacation Condo In Active Community Forest Park - 01:46 PM
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Calling All Golfers and Beachcombers! This is YOUR Florida Vacation Condo! - 02:22 PM
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Copeland Group Hiring: Additional Buyer Specialist - 12:19 PM
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