Archives of real estate blog entries for January 28, 2008

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Cigarette Anyone? - 08:20 PM
      I think this is the worst example of excessive smoking/deferred maintenance I have ever seen.  This discoloration may represent hundreds, if not thousands, of packs of cigarettes and one has to wonder how much nicotine might actually be present.  Should this be considered a hazardous waste site?  Who is going to clean up this mess. Can it be painted over?  Should it be painted over?  According to "How Stuff Works," Sixty milligrams of nicotine (about the amount in three or four cigarettes if all of the nicotine were absorbed) will kill an adult, but consuming only one cigarette's worth of … (84 comments)

Someday IS NOT a Day of the Week! - 07:52 PM
 This is a article for anyone who thinks they may be a procrastinator, or who has procrastinated in the past, or any one who may have said "Someday I will blah, blah, yada, yada........"
 Well we have all done it, procrastinate that is, myself one of the biggest perpetrators, and I caught myself in the nick of time before I did it again.  Let me explain.....
 I had the good fortune of meeting a lovely mature lady, who was house shopping  for herself.  She was recently widowed, lives alone with her "puppy", and is in a word or two "well off" 
 On the … (24 comments)

ACTIVE RAIN REFERRALS - 03:18 PM
I recently submitted a referral on Active Rain about my daughter wanting to buy a home, and I must say that I was absolutely thrilled and surprised to see that I received 33 responses from eager Active Rainers ready to take my daughter on as a client.  If you were one of the respondents, I want to thank you very much for your interest and desire to help.
Do you realize how difficult a task it was to weed through 33 responses to find the right agent?  I found out that it was sort of like weeding through job applications to find … (39 comments)

Sellers Do you have A Commission Based Realtor or a Client Based Realtor? - 03:29 PM
Wouldn't it be nice for you to know the difference and choose a listing agent who is focused on your property even when they are not in front of you?  After all, you are exhausted from the process, choosing an agent, getting ready to go on the market and just the physical demands of keeping it up so it can be shown every day. A focused agent on your team will allow you to focus on your life, while they focus on the proper way to market and sell your home.  They can be trusted to utilize the tried and true … (35 comments)

Does This Listing Make Me Look Fat?!?!? - 09:55 AM
I realize the importance of listings. I work hard to attract realistic sellers, however; there is always that one home that makes me wonder......
I believe that in some way the listings we take reflect on us as professionals. Is that crazy? My listings are my inventory, my inventory is my business. My business is where I spend most of my time.
I have done the "We should really paint, you may want to declutter, speech"  to no avail. This particular property is priced well, yet it lacks the appeal needed to really draw in the buyers. Before signing the listing … (80 comments)

If you thought last week was a roller coaster. . . - 09:48 AM
The week of January 21, 2008 was one of the more exciting weeks I have seen on the market in quite some time, and that comes with being just a 4 business day week.  Of course, most of us around here worked Monday, also; I didn't.  I'd planned vacation for the entire week for more than a month. 
By the end of the week, we'd seen a degree of volatility in the stock and interest rate markets that hadn't been seen in a long time.  Here's a quick recap of some highlights:
Tuesday saw the Dow open down more than 3%, … (21 comments)

Short Sales Suck (the energy right out of you) - 08:39 AM
 
Ok ok,,,I did jump head first on the short sales bandwagon. I did read and research all I could find. Now I feel like I could write a book.
I even made a move to  a Real Estate firm that works them with a system. Its only a system if everyone plays by the rules. Some lenders are wasting our  time. Our assistants are getting burned out of being on hold, and dealing with yet another person who does not have a clue where the file is, and how many offers we have faxed in. I am involved with dozens of these … (86 comments)

Lessons in doing it right! - 08:37 AM
I am nowhere near stupid enough to think I know it all - although it is amazing how many people I encounter in a typical week who actually think they do.
Having said that I do know that exceptional customer service is just one of the many things that sets me apart from my competition.
And every now and then something comes along that reminds you of a couple of things.
First of all - that part of my business I'm doing right. That actually brings me some of the greatest joy to be honest.
Second thing I learnt yesterday, is that the world is … (45 comments)

Active Rain Week in Review 1/20/08 - 1/27/08 - 12:53 PM
So here I am my third shot at the week in review.   Now let me explain my mindset and that will explain my choices.  
Its a new year and to me that means change.   I know one thing for sure..... If you continue to do the same action, you'll get the same result.
As agents, with the market "changing" as it has, we have to adapt.  Change.  
With change comes questions.   I am full of questions.  I am always asking questions. If you ask my other half Al, he'd tell you I never shut up.  Okay so maybe that could be true.  I am … (69 comments)

Discount for Stagers with Domestications - 08:23 PM
I wanted to pass this valuable information along to everyone. I did blog about this before but I know that some may not have remembered this.
Domestications www.domestications.com is a company that I have been dealing with forever, long before I was staging homes for a living. I have always loved their bedding and accent pieces. Their prices are always excellent. Months ago I called and introduced myself as a home stager and asked about discounts.
I was directed to their commercial sales department and I was immediately signed up. I receive 10% on all orders but it was not until today that … (34 comments)

How NOT to post to Localism - 08:33 AM
When posting to Localism, the idea is to get your information tied down to a specific area. If you are doing a market report for a home in Tempe AZ, you don't want it showing in Charlotte NC.
So how do you do that?
Well, first, here is what NOT to do: Do not choose General Information
See the red (Region required) beside all the other options? This not only means that you must choose the location for the posting, but also that without it the post will become general information and thus just float around localism.
Once you choose how you want it to … (44 comments)


Blog posts


Writer's Strike...Why? Real Estate Will Be Affected! - 08:28 AM
Last night I sat and read wikipedia about the writer's guild strike. I truly can see both sides of the issue. In 2007, the studio's and the writer's could not come to terms with the renewals of upcoming contracts. Therefore, in fact it brought us to this point.While some actors and actresses are supporting this, they too, are suffering, paying writer's out of their pockets...and really without writer's their craft is affected.
As I went through the lists of T.V. shows that will be affected...some shows weren't picked up until after the strike was announced...it horrified me. Not because of the … (20 comments)

Open House with Extra Chores - 12:48 PM

I held a house open yesterday afternoon and no one came.  The owner had left at 4:30 in the morning and the young adult children had not done the dishes.  Their dishwasher broke last week--so maybe they don't know how.
I called one of the children and asked if the dishwasher was still broken and if the garbage disposal worked.  They said yes to both questions, so I got rid of the food waste and washed the dishes.  I also washed of the kitchen table and all the kitchen counters.  If there had been some windex around, I would have taken the "dog … (7 comments)

Which is Right for You? Buying vs. Renting - 04:18 AM
 
No one knows what the future holds for you, your family, your job or your finances. But Bankrate.com can help you understand what you're going to encounter when you embark on the sometimes-difficult journey toward the American Dream of owning a home.
When you get that urge to buy a house, the first thing to do is step back and ask whether it makes more sense to keep renting for a while. If you still want to buy, you need to figure out how much house you can afford. Here's what they have to say...
Economic differences between renting and owningIf you're looking for … (5 comments)

Week 4- Official Weigh-In Challenge Results - 09:13 AM
  Here we are at WEEK 4 of the Official Weight Loss Challenge!  How did you do?  I gotta tell you, I was surprised when I got on the scale this morning because I had a piece of pizza earlier in the week.  Some of you might say, "What?  One piece of pizza can make such a difference?"  And I'm here to say YES, it does!! 
I quit eating bread in April of 2000.  When I found out I was pregnant, I had a sandwich, followed by more sandwiches, followed by some pizza, and then bread sticks at Italian restaurants, and it … (10 comments)

Lessons in doing it right! - 08:37 AM
I am nowhere near stupid enough to think I know it all - although it is amazing how many people I encounter in a typical week who actually think they do.
Having said that I do know that exceptional customer service is just one of the many things that sets me apart from my competition.
And every now and then something comes along that reminds you of a couple of things.
First of all - that part of my business I'm doing right. That actually brings me some of the greatest joy to be honest.
Second thing I learnt yesterday, is that the world is … (45 comments)

Bird Dog Pups For Sale (Adult Content) - 11:01 PM
I WILL  SOON HAVE BIRD DOG PUPS FOR SALE.
ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED PLEASE  CONTACT ME, THE LITTER WILL PROBABLY  BE ABOUT 7 - 10 PUPS WHICH I WILL  SELL AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE.
 I ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE  MOM AND DAD SO YOU WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE PUPS WILL LOOK  LIKE.  
 PLEASE  LET ME KNOW SOON, AS THEY MAY GO FAST - THANKS   
… (4 comments)

Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE " Tuesday Jan 29, 2008 2 PM Reduced $100k - 09:51 PM
Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE "   Tuesday Jan  29, 2008   2 PM    Reduced $100k
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 … (0 comments)

I'm Concerned About Sellers/Buyers Insanity In Seattle - 02:04 PM
2008 is starting with a whimper in Seattle. All agents/brokers are having to keep ears to the walls and it's the only way to hear anything right now. And yet, Seattle is one of the strongest markets in the U.S. . Our employment and quality of life picture is bright. What is really going on? Are we the last important market to begin feeling the pain? Or is the Seattle market creating it's own downturn, as factors here are so different from the rest of the country? Is this human nature at work and not the fundamentals?
 Based on my regional tour of homes for the … (3 comments)

Power Your Domain With WordPress - 08:31 PM
Let's say you have a domain http://www.mysite.com,  and let's say you started a WordPress blog in a subdirectory http://www.mysite.com/myblog/  and now that your blog is taking off, you are ready for the blog to become the initial starting page of your domain.
Here's how to move things around to make that happen.
Login to the WordPress Dashboard, click the Option tab
 Leave "WordPress address (URL):" alone.
Change "Blog address (URL):" to the root domain name http://www.mysite.com/.
Click Update Options.
Open your FTP utility.  From the Wordpress panel, download the core WordPress file index.php to your computer.
After downloading, open index.php in a text editor (not MS Word!).  You … (16 comments)

How not to sell your home - 09:06 AM
It has played out in your mind already, hasn't it? Less than 24 hours after you put your home up for sale, several buyers start a bidding war that results in an offer higher than your asking price. But what if that's not how selling your home plays out? What if 24 hours stretch into 24 days, then 24 weeks without a single promising offer? No doubt you'd like to avoid that second scenario. Steer clear of the following mistakes, and you'll decrease your chances of watching the months pass without a pending sale in sight.
Aiming too high
Some sellers figure they … (2 comments)

Thinking of getting your NY state Real Estate License? You are going to want to read this! - 08:13 PM
There are significant changes in the education requirement for NY State Real Estate licenses effective July 1, 2008.   There are also new requirements regarding taking of the exam as there are no longer walk-in exams.
For those of you in the process and ready to take the exam:
In order to take either a real estate salesperson or broker examination at the Albany, Franklin Square, Hauppauge, New York City or Newburgh exam centers, you are REQUIRED to schedule an online appointment. Walk-in exams at these locations are not allowed.
If this is your first time scheduling an examination, you must register before you can … (0 comments)

Broker Bryant.....you're FIRED! Or not. - 03:14 PM
 
Recently, I re-listed one of my listings that had expired about six weeks ago. At the time it expired the hubby decided they need a new REALTOR® so did not re-list with me. I HATE it when that happens!!!
I had the property on the market for 5 months and had quite a bit of activity but being on the high side of the market, for Poinciana, we never received any offers. Got real close but nothing materialized.
Anyway, the Sellers came down before Christmas and decided to try another REALTOR® that was a friend of a friend of a friend. We … (39 comments)

What I Learned From My Cousin Vinny - 05:33 PM
 
Riches in Niches - A Book Review 
The books I love are pretty worn; I'm hard on them.  I even turn down the corners of the pages that speak to me.  I have plenty of corners turned down in Susan Friedmann's Riches in Niches, How to Make it BIG in a Small Market.  SEO experts lecture about using "the long tail" in your internet strategy. Susan explains how to use "the long tail" in your everyday business and for me, it relates perfectly to real estate.  It's the "sell more of less" theory, the same theory that Seth Godin talks about in Small is the New … (34 comments)

All real estate is local: Wichita, KS metro area. - 12:35 PM
All Real Estate is Local!
Thank goodness I sell real estate in the Wichita, KS metro area.
While real estate values are down 5% -10%-15% in other markets, the
Stable Wichita market showed a 5.7% gain from Nov., 2006 to Nov., 2007.
Wichita's real estate market after 7 years of increased units sold finally slowed down a little bit in 2007 (-3.2%).  2007 was still the 3rd best real estate market we have ever had. 
Wichita, unlike other cities, had a decrease in new residential listings in 2007 (6.2%).  This kept our prices from falling.  Total homes left on the market at the end … (0 comments)

Sovereign-Wealth Funds: Savior or Menace? - 06:05 PM
In recent months, the sub-prime crisis has reached unforeseen heights, infiltrating banks and financial institutions worldwide and causing many to report multi-billion losses due to the risky investments going sour. While the underlying economy of the US appears to be relatively robust, and the dollar's continued weakness has made investment and exports more attractive to foreigners than ever before, these factors have not salvaged pessimistic markets: The FTSE has dropped more in the past two business days than any other point since September 11th.
In order for global markets to respond in such a definitive manner, they must either believe … (0 comments)

Santa Cruz Surf City Lawsuit to end - 08:22 PM
Santa Cruz trademark “Surf City” lawsuit to end.

A Santa Cruz businessman has been fighting to use the name “Surf City, USA” for the past several years. The moniker has been used for Santa Cruz for approximately a century. In keeping with laid back Santa Cruz’s demeanor, no one thought to trademark it. I am guessing the feeling was it was like “windy city” or “motor city” or other monikers that are used for quite awhile and have no particular “ownership” claimed by anyone. While I can’t speak for the aforementioned names being trademarked or not, the point is made.
… (0 comments)

.....Insulation or NO insulation? - 10:48 PM
Here's the deal: 
I represent the seller, we have a contingent offer pending on the property.  The buyer must sell their home first, in order to buy my seller's property.  The inspection time frame has approached and we still have no offers on the buyer's property. So, we just have a stagnant deal for now.
The inspection found no insulation in the floor nor around the perimeter of the foundation wall.  My sellers also had the property inspected before their purchase and this issue was not discovered. (This is a tri-level home and only approx. 900 SF is affected by this un-insulated … (11 comments)

#1 on Google Baby! - 11:18 PM
Man... I've been working so hard to get back to the number one position on Google(non-sponsored).  Recently I had dropped to the #4 position and was frustrated.  I slacked off on blogging for a while & it has taken about 4 weeks to get back to #1...
 Woo Whoo!!
So, I have been changing the content on my front page a little more frequently.
I have been adding internal links (deep links) within my own site.
I've been blogging a bit more on Active Rain and....
I've been including relevant content within my own site.
So go to google......  Type in the search term "Idaho Real Estate" … (16 comments)

Spotlight: Builders Bet on Texas Lake Real Estate, Commit to 400-Acre Lake Houston Development - 07:47 AM
Fictional character J.R Ewing, from the popular 80s television drama, Dallas, was a betting man. What would the rich Texan do in today's housing market?
I think he'd take a peak at lake real estate in Texas, which are poised for a comeback in 2008. Investors and buyers know that know that the market for second homes, luxury estate, and lakefront estate homes in Texas are still in demand. 
We recently reported on Trinity River development in Dallas. Today's spotlight is on an upcoming 400-acre neighborhood development on the west side of Lake Houston.
A FEW DETAILS:
This $90M-plus Parke Patterson Land Development … (0 comments)

Some Suggestions - 04:48 AM
Nate,
Below is an e-mail that I sent to Dave Dickey with some suggestions on the program.  I know that you are swamped getting people signed up, but as I pointed out to Dave - wanted to get them in while it was on my mind.
"I have now imported all my contacts into PP and also explored some more.  A couple of suggestions for the program.  
When in E-mail module you cannot get back to contacts, calendar etc without minimizing the module. When you use Jump To at the top, you can search for contacts, but in the drop down list … (3 comments)

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