Archives of real estate blog entries for January 12, 2008

Featured blog posts


This land is my land...errr....no it isn't! - 10:11 PM
A law dating back hundreds of years to English common law, has been invoked in Colorado to steal a lot a couple were planning to use to build their dream home on.
Boulder couple Don and Susie Kirlin bought a piece of land in the early 1980s some 200 yards from their home. Raising a family delayed their construction plans until 2006 which is when they discovered the land had been stolen by neighbors - although what you and I might call theft, was in fact perfectly legal.
Their neighbors - a former judge and his lawyer wife used something called "adverse possession" … (40 comments)

Censorship: One of the Hot Topics at BloggersConnect - 11:17 PM
For many years, I worked for a brokerage that was eventually gobbled up by a much larger fish, perhaps the largest real estate brokerage enterprise on the planet.  And I didn't leave right away.  I wanted whatever move I made, whether to go or to stay, to be a carefully thought-out business decision. 
Then, one day, it came.  That old cliche last straw!  And I was out of there. 
A lot of my clients are journalists, both print and media.  Don't know why!  It started with one and they keep referring me.  But they refer me not only to colleagues who … (42 comments)

NAR opening their eyes to Blogging - 11:50 AM
Look who I found yesterday in non other that NAR's Magazine?
I don’t know about you, but it feels good when I open a random article by NAR and actually know who they are talking about. Although they are covering Inman’s Real Estate Connect (it only seems right), it was great that Brian Brady and Dustin Luther were featured. They are 2 good guys that I look up to and like their style.

Take a look at the article:
Bloggers Debate Best Way to Attract Consumers
They both present interesting strategies for blogging successfully and although there is no right or … (59 comments)

What will the consumers think? - 10:58 AM
There's a lot of talk in Active Rain these days asking what will the Consumers think if they see an agent joking, an agent having a beer at a convention in NYC, an agent speaking harshly or with a word spelled incorrectly or...
Truth is, the consumers get more upset when agents pretend to be perfect.  They get more upset when agents pretend there is no downside to buying real estate.  They get more upset when agents don't point out a home's weaknesses along with the homes positive attributes.
Would you WANT a client that expects everything to be perfect all … (133 comments)

Don't Tell Me How To Blog - 10:02 AM
In society, we are guided by rules and laws which govern what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to do it. There’s no question that without these institutions, we would not be able to have the living environments that we enjoy today.
In the artistic world, rules are purposely thrown out the window to create new and original works whether they be musical in nature, sculpted or built.
Blogging began a new era and a clash between the artistic world and the world of rules. Some view blogging as an extension of journalism while others … (34 comments)

At least there's that - 10:18 AM
Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose.  - Evan Esar
So I joined in October of last year and quickly was able to get up well over 38,000 points, coming up to 40,000 soon. At first, it was all about getting as many points as possible, as the competitive nature came out. But after a while I began to notice a pretty cool phenomenon...
My posts were being noticed by Google, and even more important, by people. And getting noticed on Localism was becoming more of a focus for me as this is where the general public … (57 comments)

The Pacman Syndrome - 10:03 AM
The Pacman Effect:  The Strong Gobbling up the Weak. 
Today, it was announced that Bank of America gobbled up Countrywide Bank for $4B.  Is this good or bad for the industry?  Probably a little of both.  There were rampant rumors that Countrywide was facing foreclosure.  I personally believe if Countrywide failed, the resulting backlash and uncertainty would result in the financial market and economy spiraling downward into a long cold economic winter.  But, is it good for any industry to have one giant who can control the markets?  What about the small guy.  Will the markets be free?  But from a … (16 comments)

What Do You Do When A Seller Calls You While He Is Still Listed With Another Agent? - 11:21 PM
This is super tough real estate, not as hard core as Lenn Harley's real estate posts, but nevertheless please read this post at your own risk.
One of the things that has been on my mind lately are posts and comments that I have read regarding speaking to sellers or buyers who are under contract or not with other agents. Some people are saying it is against the law to talk to a seller while he has his listing with another agent. Some people say you can not talk to this person until their listing has expired. Some people are … (147 comments)

A Life Lesson - Don't Give Up - 02:36 PM
Well, I'm finally back to update you on the post "Overcoming Adversity, Change, and Life's Challenges" As most of you know, our family started off the New Year with quite a barrage of unfortunate events. When my wife told me that I should write a post on my Blog about the whole 3 day ordeal, being the stubborn Leo and mule that I am, I resisted! I was in too much shock and drowning in self pity to think anyone needed to know or would care. Man, was I wrong!
After finishing the post, I did feel a bit better, but when … (157 comments)

Another Way To Go Above And Beyond For Your Clients - 06:46 PM
Many of us on Active Rain blog to show our clients how we are different from the rest.  We put out information to help people make decisions on buying and selling their homes in hopes that they will call us when it is time for them to start their buying or selling process.
With Active Rain, it also seems that the clients that DO call us have a fairly high expectation of our ACTIONS.  We need to practice what we preach.
Well, my Active Rain Blog picked me up a Relocation Client.  She is looking for a Floorplan to fit her needs, not … (38 comments)

Localism Works! - 06:51 PM
Today I showed one of the listings I posted here on AR and Localism and will have a signed deal. The customer found the property on localism, liked it from what he saw, went and looked at the other photos on our website and called me. He was ready to take action without even seeing the property! How perfect is that?
He decided to come over for the weekend with his family and take a look. I knew if he were this excited and ready BEFORE personally seeing the property, he would be hooked from the moment he walked in. I was right...they all fell … (68 comments)


Blog posts


Are 2 incomes better than one? or just the same ? - 01:22 PM
Why do people always assume because your married, there is no need for you to have or depend on the income of both husband & wife ?  Yes being married we can probably afford more than the average single person, but we still have to pay for it.  Therefore we both have to work.   Being a real estate agent. Things are slow. I happened to mention, I may need to get a part time job for supplement income until things pick up.  This is what I heard  "you don't have to worry your husband works"..."I am single I don't have another income"...OK this … (6 comments)

Learning How to Invest In Foreclosure Real Estate - 12:57 PM
The market today is ripe for investors to "get in' the Hemet Real Estate market, as there are may foreclosure homes that can be obtained for a price that will generate an immediate positive cash flow.Many wanna-be investors are just unsure about how to go about making the move into the Hemet real estate market as an investor.  First off, many of these people are already successful in their own chosen industries and to start off as a novice investor can sometimes make a future investor a little uneasy.So, many real estate investors interested in the Hemet real estate market will … (3 comments)

Bank of America....Countrywide....What's up? - 11:06 AM
Bank of American announced that it is in the process of buying Countrywide Mortgage. There are many differing opinions on this transaction. There are many questions that have not been answered. I leave the hard stuff for the pundits to banter. What does it mean to the consumer and the real estate market? Well, Bank of America is a bank. Countrywide is a mortgage lender. Banks do loan money and have a relationship with consumers in that area. Mortgage lenders do not have the same products or philosophy that is found in banks. Mixing the two is like mixing water and … (6 comments)

Welcome to the National Naval Medical Center - 11:42 AM
   This logo represents the home of the finest Navy Medical care in the world. Those of us that live and work in the area, have driven by the hospital for years and I have to admit, that after a period of time it becomes merely a benchmark in a trip up and down Wisconsin Avenue.
Well, your new duty station (or place of employment) has been standing since the day after Independence Day in 1938. Members of your facility have been called upon to take care of Presidents and foreign dignitaries. Your alumni were the ones that assisted President Roosevelt with … (2 comments)

A Man About Town...Kensington - 12:34 PM

So, every town has a jewel and I have found most of them. Kensington is a quaint town on the outskirts of DC. It is home to the Mormon Temple and their wonderful display of lights at Christmas.

Kensington has a wonderful collection of shops on Antique Row.
The real jewel is found on Connecticut Avenue, across from the Shell station. Locals know what I am talking about. Continental Pizza is an institution that has survived since the mid 60's. This family-run business has been serving the best sandwiches and pizzas at low prices for over 40 years.
… (0 comments)

A Man About Town...Laurel - 01:01 PM

Aha, you hear the name Laurel and most people conjur up a vision of Laurel Race Track.
Others will be reminded of the largest one-day street festival in the State. 
After all, the Main Street festival is the place to be the Saturday before Mother's Day. This little town is minutes from I-95 to the east and a few miles to Ft. George Meade, to the west.
I have enjoyed both venues. You can drive up and down Route One and enjoy shopping and dining. You can dance the night away at one of the clubs or enjoy a game … (1 comments)

Insurance CEOs to tell the truth! - 10:45 AM
Oh yes! Senior Executives of some of the largest insurance companies in the nation are going to be forced to tell the truth about pricing or face jail time for perjury.
State Senate leaders in Florida, including President-designate Jeff Atwater, have been appointed to a special committee that will hold two days of hearings on property insurance beginning Feb. 4.
Back in January of 2007, the Legislature provided a means for the insurance companies to buy cheaper re-insurance (they increased the State's catastrophe Fund to $28bn)- but the law clearly stated that those savings had to be passed directly to the customer - … (4 comments)

I was just asked to commit mortgage fraud - 07:23 PM
Now there's not much unusual here. It happens all the time to all of us. What is different about this one however, is the source of the request.
One of my clients had his home listed with me. Due to a variety of circumstances he needs to re-finance the home and so I told him in order for him to do that, he had to forget about listing it for a while and take another look at the situation in three to six months from now.
And so the listing was withdrawn. But I just received this from his lender.
Hi Simon:  Can you … (12 comments)

This land is my land...errr....no it isn't! - 10:11 PM
A law dating back hundreds of years to English common law, has been invoked in Colorado to steal a lot a couple were planning to use to build their dream home on.
Boulder couple Don and Susie Kirlin bought a piece of land in the early 1980s some 200 yards from their home. Raising a family delayed their construction plans until 2006 which is when they discovered the land had been stolen by neighbors - although what you and I might call theft, was in fact perfectly legal.
Their neighbors - a former judge and his lawyer wife used something called "adverse possession" … (40 comments)

Excitement on the radio! - 10:16 PM
We have a very exciting radio show for you tomorrow including an in-depth discussion of the countrywide/Bank of America situation - the exact scenario predicted by The Home Team Radio Show more than two months ago.
In addition to that we will be talking about Senate hearings coming up which will include under oath testimony from some of the Insurance company CEOs on why they have failed to comply with Florida law. These executives have been warned that jail time awaits them if they are caught lying to the committee.
As discussed elsewhere in my blog, we will be bringing the story of Florida … (2 comments)

Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE " Sunday Jan 13, 2008 9 AM Reduced $100k - 09:02 PM
OPEN HOUSE "    Sunday  Jan 13  , 2008    9 :00  -       Reduced $100k  Wouldn't this put a smile on her face !
Gorgeous 3/2 direct Gulf front home. Totally decorator furnished home.  I will be hosting this Sunday starting at 9 AM .  If you have been looking for a move-in ready beach front this is it.   If you are on Fort Myers Beach  Sunday  morning stop in and and say " HI".  This beautiful home is a real charmer with light. bright beachy colors and decorator upgrades. Furnished and ready for you to move in !  Just reduced $100k to $1,695,000 .   Call me direct for additional details on ownership … (0 comments)

Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE " Sunday Jan 13, 2008 1 PM Reduced $100k - 09:15 PM
Fort Myers Beach single family home for sale.
This 3 bed 2 bath home is on a beautifully landscaped  double lot on a quiet friendly street.  Walk to the Gulf beach, downtown, shopping, restaurants and pier.  Easy on-off the island.  Three houses from the bay.  Owners have redone every inch of this immaculate Fort Myers Beach island home. Jen-Aire appliances in the gourmet kitchen, tile and extra storage everywhere.  Working fireplace, open floor plan and casual front sitting area make this a pleasure to live in and great place to entertain.  There is simply nothing on the island in this price range … (0 comments)

ARE YOU READY FOR THE FORECLOSURE BUS TOUR??? - 12:52 PM
… (6 comments)

Foreclosure Bus Tour Concept in Atlanta? - 01:30 PM
ARE YOU OUT THERE??
ANY REAL ESTATE AGENTS OR BROKERAGES INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING AND POSSIBLY CREATING A Foreclosure Bus tour (caravan) in the Atlanta Area?????
I was watching "Open House" on CNN this morning and to my amazement and wonder....there was a Real Estate Agent taking potential buyers on a BUS tour of  local foreclosures. He had all the listings printed and handed them out to a filled bus.  How ingenious!!!!!!!! How creative is that?????????????
He claims to have closed 38 deals since October of 2007!
He claims that Real Estate agents, from around the country have been
calling him for advice. I tried to find a CNN link to the news about … (5 comments)

Drive a Green Machine in Texas! - 08:47 AM
The State of Texas has just released a new program that will make it easier for some folks to drive clean and green (in more sense than one). 
Currently available in just a few participating counties (including Travis and Williamson in Central Texas), this program gives a voucher worth $3,000-$3,500 to anyone willing to turn in their older (ten years or older) vehicle that meets specific qualifications (registered in the participating county for the past 12 months, failed an emissions test, gasoline powered, and others). 
The participant can take the voucher to a participating dealer and use it towards the purchase … (8 comments)

Free Real Estate Link Exchange, Pinehurst Real Estate - 08:52 AM
Free Real Estate Exchange
If you have a website you probably already know how important it is to exchange links with other sites.  I have four websites and I am willing to exchange links with other sites.  Simply email me and request the link exchange.  I will check links on a weekly basis, so if you don't plan to keep my link on your site don't bother too contact me.
  
The above information was provided by Dale Heck and Cathy Bason, award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agents.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is … (0 comments)

Morre County real Estate Sales 2007, Pinehurst NC Real Estate - 04:16 PM
 
The following table summarizes the home sales in Moore County for the year 2007.  As shown, 1585 homes sold in Moore county for the entire 2007.  The average sales price was approximately $263,000 and the average days on market was 135.   If you have any questions concerning these results, I can be reached at 910-528-4652.
 
The above information was provided by Dale Heck and Cathy Bason, award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agents.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is the deal place to retire into.  If you are interested Pinehurst NC real estate, … (0 comments)

Pinehurst NC Real Estate Sales - 04:21 PM
 
The following table summarizes the home sales in Pinehurst, North Carolina for the year 2007.  As shown, 565 homes sold in Pinehurst for the entire 2007.  The average sales price was approximately $300,000 and the average days on market was 130.   If you have any questions concerning these results, I can be reached at 910-528-4652.
 
The above information was provided by Dale Heck and Cathy Bason, award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agents.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is the deal place to retire into.  If you are interested Pinehurst NC real estate, … (0 comments)

Southern Pines NC Real Estate - 04:24 PM
 
The following table summarizes the home sales in Southern Pines, North Carolina for the year 2007.  As shown, 277 homes sold in Southern Pines for the entire 2007.  The average sales price was approximately $304,000 and the average days on market was 128.   If you have any questions concerning these results, I can be reached at 910-528-4652.
 
The above information was provided by Dale Heck and Cathy Bason, award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agents.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is the deal place to retire into.  If you are interested Pinehurst NC … (0 comments)

Southern Pines NC Horse Farms - 04:28 PM
 
The following table summarizes the Horse Farm sales in Moore County, North Carolina for the year 2007.  As shown, 24 horse farms sold in Moore County for the entire 2007.  The average sales price was approximately $727,000 and the average days on market was 280.   If you have any questions concerning these results, I can be reached at 910-528-4652.
The above information was provided by Dale Heck and Cathy Bason, award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agents.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is the deal place to retire into.  If you are interested … (0 comments)

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