Archives of real estate blog entries for October 26, 2008

Featured blog posts


Helping a Bachelor in Portland Stage his Vintage 1908 Home ~ Before & Afters - 06:04 PM
As professional home stagers we work with a variety of clients (realtors, homeowners & investors) but some of our favorite clients are bachelors ... they often need our help as a resource to prepare their homes for sale.
Room Solutions Staging in Portland Oregon was recently contacted by the listing broker of this 1908 vintage farmhouse bungalow, who asked if we could help the bachelor owner;  he had basic furniture but needed accessories, art & some addtional furnishings.  We met the delightful bachelor owner of this charming home and gave him our recommendations for easy cosmetic repairs, a list of items to remove, and scheduled our staging day for two weeks … (79 comments)

How to Feed Your ActiveRain Blog Directly to Facebook and Twitter - Get More Exposure for the Same Effort! - 05:45 PM

I have been out of town for several days, having attended the RE Barcamp in Houston.  Before I left, I wrote a post about leads that I have garnered from AR along with other social media sites:
How I Managed to Receive Leads from ActiveRain, Twitter and Facebook!
I told my wife jokingly that I need to travel more often, since that post gained me an additional 53 subscribers!  I might need to go to Houston every month.  :)
At any rate, I promised the comments to write a post about how to automatically feed your AR blog to Facebook.  … (218 comments)

Does Your Link Say "My Website" or "Click Here"? - 06:03 PM
If you're using these phrases to describe your link to your website or blog you're missing a golden opportunity to call out to the search engines your website identity. Why you ask? Unless your website name is MyWebsite.com or ClickHere.com, you're promoting the wrong URL with your choice of "text". The text you insert to identify your website or blog is called the "anchor text".
What is Anchor Text? Anchor text is defined as the underlined hyperlinked words that identify your website or blog URL. As I stated above, the (Key)words you choose to identify your link is very important to … (88 comments)

A NEW PARADIGM FOR BUYERS AGENTS. TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR BUSINESS - 05:38 PM
IMPROVE YOUR LEVEL OF SERVICE AND SELL MORE REAL ESTATE BY TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR BUSINESS.  Use your time wisely and save it for serious home buyers.   
We often read about agents who show properties to buyers for months and sometimes years.  That's very nice and may result in a sale.  OR NOT.  However, in the long run, I believe that buyer's agents will improve their business and income if they take control of their business and establish ground rules for the agent and the buyer. 
GRANT ME THE FOLLOWING PREMISES:
Real estate agents know the listing inventory far better than the … (93 comments)

How To Use Local Video To Drive Traffic To Your Own Neighborhood Pages And Not Your Video Provider's Site - 04:14 AM
Local pages are a great way to build a sense of community and, as an agent or broker, farm that community for business purposes. Video is a great way to add content to these types of pages because you aren't asking people to write blog posts or take a lot of time to create local content - they'll just upload the videos for ball games, church events, local meetings, and neighborhood business videos that they create during the normal course of neighborhood life.
That said, it all sounds great until you realize the following:
- someone has to cut and paste … (41 comments)

The principle of SOWING and REAPING: MY TRUMP CARD for this troubled real estate market! - 05:41 PM
If you are like most of the real estate professionals I know…2008 has probably been the most difficult year of your career. Top-producing REALTORS® and loan officers…who easily earned six figures a few years ago…are struggling to keep food on their tables. Many are even losing their homes to foreclosure.

In August of this year, I personally felt the biggest impact that I’ve experienced thus far. Like the eerie calm before a violent storm…everything just stopped. There were no phone calls and no showings on my listings. Business wasn’t slow…it was dead!
 
Being the eternal optimist…I took a deep … (78 comments)

Writing From the Soul for Business Success. - 06:01 PM
As I gazed out on the burnished orange and soggy maple leaves that still clung to the sugar maple outside my window, I began to reflect on the concept of blogging, not pseudo-blogging, as in ghost written blogs, but real, live, written by the blog-owner, blogging. Peeling back the layers of who we are, we bare our souls to all those who care to cast a glance our way.
Sometimes things happen in conjunction and it's at these times you just know that the universe is trying to tell you something.....usually it's a big something, or the conjunction wouldn't have happened. … (101 comments)

Active Rain- It Is All In Your Name! - 04:21 AM
Active Rain It Is All In Your Name
Active Rain - It's All In Your Name! Your Active Rain Profile First and Last name are the most important names and words on your profile page and on your Active Rain Blog. You want to make sure you choose your first and last name correctly on your profile page for 2 reasons.
1. When you comment on other members' blogs you want people to know who they are answering back to, who they are talking to. Just as you would not go to a cocktail party and start talking to people … (159 comments)

This post is "Members Only." And you know what that means! - 05:38 PM
It means I'm on a rant! Now, I know that's nothing new for me. I get up in arms about the stupidest little things, like finding a "Q" in my Cheerios or too much cinnamon in my pumpkin spiced latte.
And I am not an ActiveRain newbie. I have been around long enough to have made a ripple in the pool of writers on the service. I work hard on both my posts and my presence, and I try to keep up with a lot of other writers too. Right now, I have to admit, that my "best" friends are here … (479 comments)

Active Rain - Week in Review - October 19-26, 2008 - You Won't Want to Miss It! - 07:09 PM
               
 Well its Sunday night and its time for The Readers Digest Version of Active Rain ~ The.......
                                              
 
  I've been reading posts like a mad crazyand what a week it's been..!                      
So grab yourAND          You'll be glad you Did!



            
 
Well its been a perfectly Rantalicious week.........and with so many some have been feeling a little 'outa the water'....A very popular theme has been the "To Feature or Not to Feature........hmmm That is the Question"!
This has put some of us in a flap since none  few of us have been able … (136 comments)

Do you have a designated agent to take over for you in an emergency? - 06:01 PM
Over the last 10 days our office has had 2 wonderful agents be hospitalized with serious conditions.
Both of these agents have busy real estate businesses.
Neither one of them have assistants that were familar with their day to day transactions or clients.To say that the past 10 days has been hectic for those of us who have been helping them out during this health emergency would be an understatement.
 
 
Sometimes it takes an emergency to cause people to think, and institute a plan of action.   I know that because of what happened to these 2 agents that … (71 comments)

Turn Your Clients Into Advocates and Raving Fans - Nurturing Lifetime Relationships - 05:38 PM
We spend an incredible amount of time in our day to day business negotiating, marketing, showing properties, returning calls and overseeing all of the details of the transactions of our buyer and seller clients.
Yet how many times have you closed on a transaction and in turn closed the door on the relationship?  A unique opportunity is lost for repeat business and referrals when we fail to establish a system to nurture those relationships.
Are you currently adding value to your clients’ use of your services and systems so they will become advocates and raving fans sending your referrals of family, … (88 comments)

How to Find Your Unofficial ActiveRain To-Do List - 06:08 PM
Before you start looking for To-Do List among the ActiveRain options, click on the My Home tab at the top of this page.  You won't find To-Do List on the links in the left navigation bar - or anywhere else.
Simply look at the center of the My Home page where it says Your Messages - you know, the list of people who have commented on your blog posts, contacted you, or sent you a group e-mail.  This is my Unofficial ActiveRain To-Do List.  


Here's my routine:
1.  When I first sign in to ActiveRain, My Home is always my first stop - even before I glance … (91 comments)


Blog posts


The People Who Use The Net- A Must Read For Internet Marketers! - 12:09 PM
I've been on a mission lately...you see..I have trouble understanding many of the financial posts and articles on the net...I think sometimes maybe its me.... but the reality is...my mind works different...different from most financial wizards..I know am not alone.  I need it spelled out for me...just like many.... just like many consumers.
It's the same thing with the net..I'm no SEO expert..or even technical for that matter...I didn't take computer science in college..it was typing 101..and that alone has helped me with on line marketing.  I study, I learn and I use plain common sense.
In order for me … (15 comments)

Got Ghosts? Country Tavern Restaurant - Nashua New Hampshire – a hauntingly delicious experience - 11:16 AM
 
          If you want to have a hauntingly delicious meal you have come to the right place
The Country Tavern Restaurant in Nashua, New Hampshire is a beautifully restored farmhouse which was built in 1741. 
     I have eaten at the Country Tavern many times, and the food always is prepared to order and it is delicious!  I love the Old Country Charm of the restaurant and the attentive staff!  My favorite time to eat at the restaurant is around Halloween!
     At the Country Tavern you can enjoy a delicious entrée accented with locally grown vegetables and fruits, along with a side of "spirits" of … (47 comments)

Obama camp cuts off access to Florida TV station following tough questions - UPDATED - 10:12 AM
I've said it before and now the Obama camp has decided to prove it for me. It has cut off the ABC station, WFTV Chanel 9, following some tough questions posed to VP candidate Joe Biden.
Personally I thought Biden handled the questions pretty well, but that is hardly the point is it?
And the interviewer didn't do a great job.
She didn't for example, follow up on Biden's statement that the campaign did not give a penny to Acorn for get out the vote. Simple untrue - $832,000 which they lied about.
Also she used the wrong … (44 comments)

US Army warns Twitter could be terrorist tool - 11:32 PM
Not a joke. The United States Army has identified Twitter as a potential terrorist tool in a draft intelligence report. Produced by the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion and posted on the Federation of American Scientists website, the report looks at various web technologies and their potential uses by terrorists. Speed is at the root of the problem according to the report which states that messages known as "Tweets" were sent out reporting on the LA earthquake last July faster than news outlets. It also noted that extremists used Tweets to report on police movements at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.
… (17 comments)

Haunted Harvest Storytelling Festival - 06:22 AM
On Tuesday, October 28th WE TELL STORIES - LA's multi-ethnic children's storytelling theatre company - presents The 3rd Annual **Haunted Harvest Storytelling Festival** from 3-8 pm at the Old LA Farmer's Market in Highland Park at Avenue 58 & Figueroa, 90042.This FREE outdoor festival is a great way for families to enjoy Halloween in a comfortable, lively setting with fun for the whole family.We Tell Stories will perform three 30-minute story-plays filled with the spirit of the season. Performances begin when three actors arrive with a trunk full of costumes and props. Audience participation is encouraged as kids are selected to … (1 comments)

Still catching up on stuff - 06:07 PM
Well, here's a project I started fiddling around with about a year ago, so I guess I can't blame the delay on the lack of a DSL connection for over a week.  :-)
But I finally got a few of my friend Lilian's jewelry pieces set up in an Etsy shop.  You can check it out at http://abovetherainbow.etsy.com

Over the last few days (my unplugged days) I got a few other pieces photographed.  Now I just need to get those photos edited and uploaded.  :-)
… (1 comments)

A fun look at recent posts over at Buffalo Home Sales.... - 08:47 PM
Latest Articles of Interest ....
 
Listing Humor doesn't always happen when you are Staging Your Home - It isn't always all about what you see...  I am tired of just giving a list of recent posts, so I thought that I would share How Buyers Can Save Money (and aggrevation) on their WNY Home Purchase and What Should WNY Sellers Disclose to Home Buyers? 
It is so important when you are searching for Your Buffalo Home - Selecting the Right Real Estate Agent to Represent YOU! An agent that knows that there still is 100% financing mortgage is still available!   Looking at the … (6 comments)

Poinciana Florida Real Estate is Flying Off the Shelves!!!! - 05:16 PM

So the big news in real estate this week is.... "The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes rose by 5.5 percent from August to September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million units - far better than the flat results analysts had expected. On an unadjusted basis, sales were up 7.8 percent from September last year. But even with the gain in sales, prices kept falling. The median sales price has dropped to $191,600, down by 9 percent from a year ago." (From Newsweek) 
Let's see how this applies to real estate in my … (22 comments)

Short Sale Tale Prt 13; No You Can't "Buy Your House Back"! - 07:56 AM
We listed a short sale and priced the house...the previous listing agent "bought the listing" and had a price tag six figures OVER what it ever should have been....(You think maybe some realtors pricing practices play a part in this short sale proliferation ?) The home owner was shocked when we showed comps of homes that had sold in the area.  You have to wonder if the first realtor ever did any or just asked the sellers for a price and hoped it would sell...
      "Wow....at that price....I could afford to buy it back ! " was the comment Well no....he … (0 comments)

Think About It... It ALWAYS has to be about THEM...... - 09:55 AM
 
     
  A few situations over the last week have proven to me once again....over and over...it has to be about them.  What does that mean ?
                 We had a realtor write an offer and I questioned the use of a distant...and not well known lender especially for a VA loan.....there must be a reason. The realtor snapped at me..."I am not going to be one of those realtors with a full time job at Walmart. I am going to get every buyer I can and get homes sold." That part of her commentary might be viewed as … (0 comments)

Can We Agree to Disagree ???? - 12:11 PM
   There are many spirited discussions going on these days....who is the best person to lead this country ?

 

                                         
 
 Very few things in life.....politically, religiously or in real estate....are Black and White....
              
More than likely....there are lots of shades of gray.....
 
 
 
 
       I always say, if there was only legal opinion...there would be only one lawyer.  Some people might view that as a good thing....but then again, that's just one opinion.
             As the election draws closer....let's remember that relationships with neighbors, relatives, business associates, the real estate community, church … (4 comments)

Portsmouth NH Homes - City Tax Rate To Increase - 04:50 PM
If you're a homeowner in Portsmouth New Hampshire, then you should be aware that the Portsmouth city property tax rate is increasing by 3.9% for the fiscal year 2009.  The new rate will be $16.98 per $1,000 of your assessed valuation. 
What does this mean for all of us who are property owners in Portsmouth?  It's a change of just 64 cents over last year's rate of $16.34. 
Portsmouth NH tax year runs from July 1 to June 30th, and this new increase will be reflected in the bills we receive next month.  Our tax bills cover 6 months each, 3 … (0 comments)

Portsmouth NH Condos - Real Estate Market Update for September 2008 - 05:37 PM
Real Estate Market Update for Portsmouth New Hampshire Condos - September 2008
Real estate is local, VERY local!  The condo market in Portsmouth NH can be very different than the condo market in Hampton or Exeter or Dover, etc.  Make sure, when making assessments about your local real estate market, that you talk to an agent who really knows your market and can provide you with accurate detailed information.
Real estate is always one of the topics of conversation wherever we go, and who isn't interested in real estate and how markets are doing!  There's always someone looking to buy a home, sell … (6 comments)

EarthMoment - Shop and get Carbon Offsets - 05:24 PM
Carbon offsets represent investments that reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon offsets typically include investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. They are one way to begin to make a difference in influencing climate change. Personally, I am not a huge fan of this approach but it definitely beats doing nothing and it provides funding for efforts to do more.
That said, many of us do a fair amount of online shopping. http://EarthMoment.comoffers an opportunity to get carbon offsets when making purchases from more than 1.000 online vendors including Target, Sears, Macy's, PetSmart and Barnes and Noble. You pay no … (9 comments)

Helen Ga Real Estate "This Week in Living Color" - 08:33 AM
Sunday is beautiful, temps will be in low 70s here in Helen, but watch out for the rest of the week, if you come to Helen, bring your jackets!  We will be in low 40s and 30s on Mon, Tues, and Weds, IF the weather wizards know what they are talking about for our area!   What does this mean besides bring your jackets?  It means you can enjoy the fireplace in the cabin you have rented for the weekend, curl up in a thick throw, read a book or just watch the leaves fall from inside!  When you are forced out … (0 comments)

CHARLES STALLIONS AUCTION -SATURDAY AND SUNDAY 1 TO 5 November 1st and 2nd - 07:43 PM
Home will be open to the public at this time. Open style bidding will begin immediately. How To bid: There will be bid sheets located in the kitchen of the home. Please follow the instructions on the forms- Name - Phone Number - Bid. You will see the highest bid at all times (no undisclosed bids or sealed bids will be accepted). At 5 PM on Sunday the five (5) highest bidders will be called and given one chance to up their bid. Then the final bid will be accepted subject to bank approval.

… (5 comments)

The Social Networking Buzz: Twitterland - 01:47 AM
I signed up for Twitter this Summer after reading about it on ActiveRain. With only 140 characters and chatty conversations between people that seemed to know each other, I totally didn't get it. As part of the social media webinar assignment, our homework was to log in Twitter and get our feet wet. I was ready to dive in. First, here's a quick explanation from CommonCraft:
I started slowly by searching for and following real estate agents (including Missy Caulk from Ann Arbor and Teresa Boardman from St. Paul), real estate techies and local folks. Gradually I started participating by … (11 comments)

Yes, Banks are Lending Money. so why not just buy your home? - 05:29 PM
Everywhere I go lately, speaking with those who would like to purchase homes.  There is a misconception  out there that needs to be addressed:
Myth:
Banks don't have money to lend or are so strict that nobody can buy a home.. NOT TRUE!
Banks ARE still lending money to buy homes. Mortgages aren't easy to get for those with poor credit and/or no money to put down... BUT, BUT..
Your credit doesn't have to be perfect, but cannot be extremely scarred either. You do need some money down on most loans.. generally 3-5% minimum.
Yes you can still buy a home.
… (2 comments)

Sea Isle City Homes Sold for the Week of October 18 to 25 - 01:13 PM
6422 Central Avenue, South
 Sold for $672,500 on 10/24/08 
220 87th Street, Lot #2 sold for $850,000 8/7/08, listed on our MLS this week.
137 38th Street, Vacant Land sold for $625,000
There are four homes now "under contract" this past week. 
For all of your real estate needs, call Gerri Rescigno, RE/MAX BEACH HOME REALTY, 609-263-3600 or visit http://www.SeaIsleShoreHomes.com
… (0 comments)

Safety First - when you meet someone, log their photo - 01:21 PM
My Mobile Witness is an excellent safety tool I learned about this morning. Often real estate agents meet someone at a property (whether it's a potential buyer or a potential seller). If you're a member (membership is free) of My Mobile Witness, take a photo and send it to the My Mobile Witness link, and there is a date and time stamped photo in a secure environment. You can add a message if you like. This data can only be accessed by law enforcement agencies. Getting into someone's car - even a taxi cab at an airport - snap a photo … (20 comments)

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