Archives of real estate blog entries for October 24, 2008

Featured blog posts


Paint: The Cheap Fix for 'Ugly' - Before & After Pics - 09:47 PM
We have always told friends, family & clients that painting is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to improve the appearance of a home.  After years of renovating our own homes, you would think we would stop being amazed by the transformations.  But this is just too good ... we have to share.
We bought a place at Lake Merwin Campers Hideaway in May 2006.  We were told that it sat for 8-10 years with little or no maintenance.  If there had ever been stain on the deck or siding, it had long since broken down.  The wood deck has gray and had … (73 comments)

Blogging Seminar with Bob Stewart of Active Rain & Missy Caulk of Ann Arbor, MI - 09:08 PM
Thank you to Missy Caulk and Bob Stewart for putting on a great blogging seminar at the Keller Williams Ann Arbor Market Center. 
This was a motivating presentation, whether you have been in the rain for a while or if you are just starting out.  The information was excellent and provided great inspiration.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Missy is very generous with her knowledge and this one slide is the essence of her thoughts about posts.  Share who you are to the public and let them get to know you!
 
The other … (23 comments)

@NAR2008 - Keep In Touch At The 2008 Realtors® Conference - 03:34 PM
WARNING: THIS IS A SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT.
I felt like I needed to say that. :) I have no idea whether the @nar2008 GroupTweet account will work as I hope it will, but i think it's worth the effort. And the only way to test it, is live and with a large group. 
Here's how the @NAR2008 GroupTweet for The National Association of REALTORS® Annual Conference came to be.
At the last few real estate conferences, reBarcamp, Inman, reBlogWorld, the twitter crowd used hashtags to help people keep track of events and conversations taking place. This allows you to … (37 comments)

Day 5 at ActiveRain - 01:07 PM
I'm at home right now, drinking coffee and watching the stock market freak out.  Later today, I'll be working on Localism, and then creating some robot ActiveRain members to hang out and identify problems.
I probably should have mentioned that I'm a new hire for ActiveRain, a long-time web developer with a passion for making clever things.  The work environment is as fantastic as everyone says it is.  The people are without exception: bright, hard-working, and positive-minded.  It's like working at Google, I imagine, only better.
What's your favorite feature of ActiveRain?
… (39 comments)

Staging and Some Paint Transform a Portland Property - SOLD IN 6 WEEKS - 09:47 PM
UPDATE - After sitting on the market for 7 months, the home sold 6 weeks after staging and closed on Christmas Eve.  Had to de-stage in a snow storm - new blog coming soon!
Here is our most recent staging ---
We were contacted directly by a homeowner whose house had been sitting vacant on the market for months.  They had been getting a surprising amount of traffic, but no offers.  Not only was the house vacant and off a busy road, but some of the wall colors were not working for potential buyers.  How about a mint green kitchen, partially … (47 comments)

Keep Austin Texas Weird -What's that all about? (LOCALISM FEATURED) - 01:58 PM
"Wait, what was that, I ask?  My son responds again, "its 107 degrees according to that thermometer at the starting line".  I moan and try to figure out WHY I have agreed to participate with him in the Keep Austin Weird 5K (and costume contest with each entrant issued a pair of "Elvis" sunglasses) at 6pm in the afternoon in the middle of a brutal Texas summer... The event is a benefit for the RunTex Carrozza Foundation, a nonprofit group that provides running shoes, coaching and race entry fees for people with low incomes. Paul Carrozza is also the owner of RunTex, the … (82 comments)

To Preview or Not to Preview! - 02:15 PM
To Preview or Not To Preview! To Preview or NOT to Preview? Have you ever been on a short-notice search (less than 16 hours!) of a mother-in-law (MIL) suite for your clients? I took a wonderful couple shopping for homes in my area, looking for brick ranch homes with either separate living quarters (kitchen included) or a full, finished basement (also with a kitchen) to be used as a mother-in-law suite.  The problem here in Charlotte is that there are not alot of high-end ranch style homes available that were built after the 1980's.  This is primarily due to the subdivision … (62 comments)

I had a ball at Real Estate barcamp Houston yesterday! - 01:34 PM
I had a ball at Real Estate barcamp Houston yesterday!
Some functions are fun and some are not! This was just wonderful! I didn't completely understand what to expect with a "Free form forum" but I will say it was great. The presentations were fun and informative.
I was able to meet so many Rainers that I felt I was home.
 

Is that strange?  After getting to know so many people through comments, following their lives and seeing their pictures each day I felt like it was a homecoming!
Adding hugs, face to face conversation, and sharing space with … (55 comments)

How To Be Refer-Able - 01:48 PM
As new agents, most of us did a huge amount of prospecting.  We took floor duty, did Open Houses, started a geographic farm, put together our Centers of Influence, harassed reluctant FSBO's and went after expired listings.  Some of us even, shudder gasp, did cold calls!  Brrrrr! And we spent money on advertising, from personalized "forget me not" seed packets, to web sites to putting our faces on grocery carts.  It was work intensive and expensive.
And the idea was to work hard, give good service and turn each new hard won client into a huge fan who would refer us … (58 comments)

Don't List Short Sales- If You Don't Know How To Do A Short Sale! - 01:49 PM
Don't list those short sales unless you know what you are doing! STOP! Do not pass Go until you know!
We listed a home while we were helping homeowners with their foreclosure options at the HOPE Taskforce Workshop this past Saturday.
This single mom who had been divorced since they had purchase their home can no longer pay her mortgage payments.
She had her home listed with an agent and this is what the agent told her:
Countrywide turned down your short sale because you do not qualify. Countrywide turned down a $115,000 offer on your house. You need to give … (71 comments)

5 AMAZING Ways To Cut Expenses In Your Home Office - 01:48 PM
5 AMAZING Ways To Cut Expenses In Your Home Office
One friend says I know more ways to stretch a dollar than anyone she knows.

My background as an artist might be part of that. I know that when funding gets a little low, I can find creative ways to stay in business. Below are my best tips of how I recently made adjustments to my LLC business to create more cash flow.
 
Skype.com- Unlimited long distance service that you can call, text or chat with anyone online for a year in the USA and Canada for only $29.50. I … (88 comments)

What do you consider appropriate time to respond to an e-mail? - 09:45 PM
 Where did basic manners and courtesy disappear among a few Fellow AR Realtors?
 I am very troubled by the lack of courtesy and manners some of our members in this community have. I am not referring to new members who do not necessarily know what protocol is. I am referring to some allegedly well respected members. Hence I will share my experience and you tell me if I am wrong and am over reacting. 
Before I do that, let me ask you if some one sends you and e-mail what do you consider an appropriate Response? Is it two hours, is … (98 comments)

Do you know the Difference between a ' Click ' and a 'View'? - 01:33 PM
 Do you know what the difference between a "Click" and a "View"on your Statistics Page  is?  I've been here for 7 months and I only just found out what it was!   I always thought that the Click was when somebody clicked to read your whole post....and that a View was when they took a quick peek but didn't scroll down through the whole thing.  It made me think hmmm....I guess if your first paragraph was really good and caught their interest.....they would then "View" the whole thing! lol
                                                
How much sense does that make? Duh...So I was just on my Statistics Page looking at the … (150 comments)

What Did You Miss at REBarCamp Houston? - 09:46 PM
I've never been much of a seminar or convention person.  Until I joined Active Rain, there was really no one that I had a burning desire to hear speak or to meet in person.  Now, of course, I have a loooooong list of people that I'm hoping to one day get to see face-to-face.  That list got just a little shorter with REBarCamp Houston yesterday.
The morning started early, with registration starting at 8 am, even though many of those who were out the night before dragged in a little later than that!  Frances Flynn Thorsen and Mike Price did a fabulous … (129 comments)

Thank you to all of you who made our Houston ReBAR Camp such a success!! - 01:35 PM
My Mother always taught me that I should send thank you notes when I really appreciated something someone had done; so this is a 21st century thank you note to all who made our Houston ReBAR such a success.  I was not planning on writing a post about the Houston REBar Camp training so I took not one picture but I felt the need to thank those who put it together.  I'll be honest I went not having a clue what I was going to or what to expect.  I did however know that Active Brad, Active Rich and Jeff Turner were going to … (45 comments)


Blog posts


Daytona Beach Real Estate VS. Daytona Beach Real Estate Trainer - 12:17 PM
Ok, so you got Lisa Hill's version...after a few years of blogging and interacting on line...Lisa Hill and Midori Miller finally meet.  It just so happened that Lisa stopped by my office on my birthday...the same day my new flip video camera came in...and I got it for FREE!  That's because I attended the FAR convention and my buddies from Zipvo.com were there and I won the drawing. 

 
I have to say...a couple of things about Lisa Hill...
She is the number one featured agent in Volusia County, Daytona Beach Florida...
Yes..there were days she was getting on my … (10 comments)

Judy Orr Topix Editor for Oak Lawn, IL - 06:01 PM
Thanks to Bill Gassett's post about becoming an editor on Topix, Judy Orr, a long-time resident of Oak Lawn,  has become the editor for Oak Lawn, IL.  There were no editors for the village so Judy jumped in (even though multiple editors are allowed). 
Judy already added one of her local blog posts about a quaint Oak Lawn restaurant called Millie's Ice Cream Shoppe and Deli.  She will continue adding local blog posts and articles for the Oak Lawn page.
Judy invites you to view the Oak Lawn Topix page.  Just visit Topix.com and put Oak Lawn's zip code in (60453) … (3 comments)

Anderson Island Lake View Lot - 02:47 PM
… (0 comments)

Most accurate 2004 Pollster calls it a dead heat - 11:50 AM
We all know that the 2004 polls were incredibly wrong, but there was one that was pretty accurate - IBD.
And now this organisation which uses tipponline as its polling partner, has the race all but tied up in a statistical draw. The deep analysis makes very interesting reading too.
the following is a link from IBD's website (Investor's Business Daily).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
… (33 comments)

Fort Myers Beach " Hope Rocks The Beach " Benefit for Hope Hospice - 07:19 PM
Please mark your event calandars for Saturday, Oct 25th , 2008.  On that date the Fort Myers Beach Holiday Inn will host the Benefit for Hope Hospice !      Start time is 10 AM  -  8 PM with live music, hotel and dinner raffle prizes.  It’s a ropical beach party so dress your tropical/island best to win great prizes !  Live entertainment during the day.  For additional details: www.HOPEROCKSTHEBEACH.com
WWW.BillSellsFortMyersBeach.com
 Buying or selling?  Bill Gillhespy  239  699-7128
 
… (1 comments)

Seth Godin and Active Rain and My Book - 10:00 AM
 
I am absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity, enthusiasm, and support of all the Rainers who have reached out by email and phone and I think even mental telepathy to marketing guru Seth Godin on my behalf. With a jump start from wonderful Broker Bryant, you've been sending the word every way you could, and you can be very proud of your efforts.
Now I can tell you that I wrote to Seth and he responded!  He's very gracious and says that he envies me for the great friends I have. And that what really worked was "… that you reached … (42 comments)

Margaret Rome ~ Radio Host~ Sunday 12 noon - 11:13 PM

 

 
… (17 comments)

Who cares what it sells for. It's the NET that matters. - 05:03 PM
Hi folks. Holly Lynch wrote a post yesterday titled: "Have you EVER had to ask your Buyer to pay your commission for a FSBO?"  In her post, Holly is voicing her frustration at a FSBO who had agreed to pay a commission and then changed their mind after Holly's Buyer expressed an interest in the property.
The FSBOs reaction was "I'm not paying your commission." How many times have you heard that? It's times like this that you MUST use one of the greatest closing tools we have....The Seller Net Sheet.
First, if you are not presenting the Seller with a Net Sheet at … (50 comments)

Currituck Mid County Bridge Down To 3 Options - 09:46 AM
The North Carolina Turnpike Authority put out a press release this week about the 3 options they have decicded to go with for the proposed new bridge. The options include a "No Bridge" option that was just added recently. That's right they are now  considering to not build the bridge and just do road improvements from the Wright Memorial Bridge all the way to Corolla. I can tell you that option is not going over well with the locals and local government. To read the article go to my blog at my website at www.HometownOBX.com or to the Mid-Currituck Bridge post directly.
Also … (0 comments)

Taylor, Texas - 02:39 AM
Taylor, Texas, is a small city about a half hour's drive north of Austin near Interstate 35 and Highway 79, and the city was originally named Taylorville, in honor of Edward Moses Taylor, who was a well known railroad official. Taylor was founded in 1876 when the Texas Land Company auctioned lots in anticipation of the arrival of the railroad. The town was founded primarily by Czechoslovakian immigrants, along with mostly German and Austrian immigrants who purchased the land, most of which was being used by the railroad since the city was becoming a shipping point for cattle, grain and cotton. … (0 comments)

The Village of Salado - 02:52 AM
The village of Salado, between Austin and Waco on Interstate 35, is a very historic community that emphasizes an interest in the arts, education, natural beauty and scenic attractions. The longest continually operating hotel in Texas, the Stagecoach Inn, is in Salado, and the hotel is known for its excellent restaurant and historic setting. Salado is also proud to have eighteen of its oldest buildings included on the National Register of Historical Places and twenty-three Texas Historical Markers.
Salado was not incorporated until the year 2003, and the town boasts a population of just under 5,000 residents. Salado was founded … (1 comments)

Mortgage Interest Rates Tumble After Fast Rise - 03:05 AM
So I imagine many people are breathing a sigh of relief this week. Last week mortgage rates made one of the largest one week jumps in the last 20 years. 30 year rates rose from 5.94 to 6.46 for over a half point increase. I thought that rates would drop this week since typically after a large move rates readjust in the opposite direction. But instead of a small readjustment rates tumbled back almost to the same position they were at last week. After going from 5.94 to 6.46 last week 30 year rates came back down to 6.04. We saw … (1 comments)

Increasing Advertising During a Recession: A Timely Move or an Easy Way to Go Bankrupt - 03:17 AM
Over the last year the US, once flying high, has fallen and face planted into a somewhat ugly recession. For people with steady jobs the fear is of course the dreaded pink slip. But as long as they can keep their jobs their paychecks in most cases will remain the same. For small business owners a recession is often felt in the pocketbook. With less people buying their goods and services their revenues and profit margins can start to sink. And it can be painful for a number of reasons. First many business owners have an emotional attachment to their business. … (6 comments)

What Are Your Three Top Tips for Thriving Through the Downturn? - 01:03 PM
When I got my license in early 1993, the market was a little like this. Buyers just weren't buying. It was not nearly so bad, of course, but it was memorable. One young agent simply doorknocked, all day, every day, until she got a client to work with. Her tenacity eventually propelled her to the top of the industry.
Things are far worse now. The number of Realtors and affiliated real estate business professionals has been declining and will continue to do so for the next year or so at least. If you choose to remain in this business, what will … (2 comments)

Halloween Events in Almaden, Los Gatos & Around Silicon Valley - 08:07 PM
It's not too late to get into the "spirit" of Halloween! Our subtropical, northern California weather could not be nicer and there are lots of reasons to get out and enjoy the spookiest of seasons!For a good list of fun things to do in Silicon Valley, please visit my Valley of Hearts Delight blog post: Halloween Events in Silicon Valley.
And if you enjoy real ghost stories, please stop by my Haunted Real Estate blog! There you'll find stories of things that go bump in the night - many of them from real estate professionals who report their hair-raising events in the … (0 comments)

Creating Simple Graphics for Your Blogs - An Easy "How To" - 11:51 PM
When I started blogging a couple of years ago, my #1 concern was where to get images and graphics. How on earth did people find them without violating copyright????One simple way is to make them yourself. Frances Flynn Thorsen opened my eyes to the easy, simple and amazing things that can be done with Microsoft Paint. It's not enough by itself, but it becomes awesome when combined with Picnik.Let's say you want to make a button. For our example, it will be a "contact me now" button.
Go to Paint.
First decide what shape your button will be. For our purposes, let's choose … (9 comments)

New Stoplight & New Medical Facility - 01:01 PM
Well, we are now a 4-stoplight community.  The stoplight at the intersection of Purcell and Industrial Boulevads is now in operation.  This will make it so much easier to turn left out of the Safeway parking lot at "quitting time". 
The stoplight is also in preparation of the opening of the Parkview Medical Facility on the Northwest corner of Purcell and Industrial.  This facility is an 18,000 square foot, one-story building to be used as a 24/7 emergency and outpatient facility, including laboratory and radiology services.  If construction is on schedule, it should be open before the end of the year.  … (0 comments)

Milestones....Or Mill Stones...Do you Keep Track ? - 08:54 AM
 
                                                 
 
    I got an e-mail from our pal and neighbor to the west....and AR Super Blogger, Tom Braatz the other day....he sent a note of congratulations for being a dedicated member of AR and reaching 100,000 points...oh yeah...sure enough...we are into 6 figures. 
   Lots of folks remember all kinds of things....
 
 
 
 
 
They quit smoking  8 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 3 days ago Career total sales are now $10 Gazillion Million or they have sold 42 billion homes They have lost 87 pounds in 6 months Celebrating  x years in their … (3 comments)

What's Happening in Orange County This Weekend? - 12:42 PM
Orange County Happenings October 24-26
October 24, 2008 - October 26, 2008

33RD ANNUAL HOME REMODELING & DECORATING SHOW



October 24, Friday, Noon-8 p.m.
October 25, Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
October 26, Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Admission: General $6.75   *   Seniors (55+) $3   *   Children 12 and under are free.

Parking: Free (Preferred available for $5).

NEC Group, Inc.
(818) 557-2950
thehomeshow.com

Saturday October 25, 2008
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
NATIONAL POLICE RODEO

Grandstand Arena

Southwest Productions
(714) 210-4871
… (2 comments)

Helen Ga Real Estate "A Rainy Night in Georgia" - 10:06 PM
To all the "leaf lookers" today and tonight have been rainy.  But the weather wizards say that tomorrow will be beautiful in the Northeast Georgia Mountains and Swiss Alpine Helen!  Pack up the car and come on over to visit.  The leaves are changing and falling.  Hopefully the next two weekends will be great for the viewing and photographing the colors of fall.  We have so very many points of interest in the area, you will definitely have a difficult time choosing, if you are only coming for one day!  Gas prices have fallen and we have no gas shortage in … (0 comments)

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