Archives of real estate blog entries for December 30, 2008

Featured blog posts


My 2008 Blogging Revelation: Blogging to Consumers Opened My Eyes. - 10:11 AM
How does reality fit into the lifestyle of a marketer? 
When the marketer digs their hands into the dirt and is willing to be covered in soil, pulling up the weeds, planting the seeds, watching them grow.....learning their story. 
Last August I began blogging to consumers online as a cororate blogger for an online internet advertising company.  Blogging opened up a whole new internet world to me.  Admittedly, the interactive web was skimming right past me and I needed to change fast. 
2008 Blogging Observations and Reflections:  How Blogging to Consumers Opened My Eyes
You can empower consumers and make a … (48 comments)

Never Say Never: How One Hopelessly Unqualified Buyer Won Me Over, And Got Her House - 10:20 AM
Sometimes in the real estate business, you don't work for money. Sometimes you know there is no  justification to keep going with a client. And for reasons that no one understands but you, you decide to help the one that appears to be hopeless.
You think that maybe this is the way a doctor must feel when he tries to save the life of the guy who has no health insurance. 
You do it because it is what you do.
THE WORST CLIENT
Last spring Deborah the Realtor sent me her "worst" potential buyer for a pre-approval.
"Worst" as defined by … (49 comments)

The Top Ten Real Estate Movies of All Time and What We Can Learn From Them - 11:03 AM
Here's a fun look at some of the top ten real estate movies of all time following in the vein of my top ten countdown til 2009. Now, any lists are always subjective, these are just a few of the more amusing ones from Amy Hahn.
Which would you add to or take off the list?
10. Neighbors starring John Belushi and Dan Akroyd
Hehe always make sure you meet your neighbors and get a good feel for the neighborhood.
9. The Amityville Horror starring Josh Brolin
Follow your instincts. If you feel weird about a house, maybe there's a good … (64 comments)

What Was YOUR Best Post of the Year? - 09:15 PM
 
 

I just did my last post of the year.  I sat back and pondered and really, really liked the post for many reasons.  Five minutes later, and even more proud of myself, and my post, I deemed it, in my own head, my best post of the year!  I know it's short, and you may not see what I see, but that's ok.
I'm not writing this post to pat myself on the back, I'm curious to know what YOU thought was YOUR best post of the year.  You don't need any explanations or criteria---give me your gut instinct!
… (63 comments)

How Active Rain can reach new Membership levels in 2009 - 08:01 PM
I have invited several people to Active Rain and so far only 6 have joined. Unfortunately, none have started to post yet. Why do you think this is the case? I somewhat hold myself to blame as most of the people I have invited are somewhat intimidated by technology and I haven't taken the initiative to help them along.
In order to make sure that this does not continue to happen, here is what I have done. I am a Realtor with Home Real Estate in Denver, Colorado and because I like my brokerage I have decided to talk to my … (33 comments)

Smile Into the Phone & Win Over Clients - 04:48 PM
I've only been a real estate agent for a short time. I chose the profession because it fits many of the strengths I developed in corporate management. Since much of my previous experience was customer-service oriented, I felt this was an additional qualification that would serve me well.
What I didn't realize? There's a profound difference between customer service at the 'corporate level' and customer service at the 'people level'.
When I first started meeting with potential clients--either over the phone or in person--I assumed a tone of authority. Very businesslike. Logically, it seemed to be the right approach. I'm dealing … (30 comments)

For the Loan Originators... - 09:35 PM
Here’s one for the Loan Originators… Quick… Which of the following Social Media Networks do you think you would most likely find a not too technical, 47 yr old Real Estate Agent? You know, that long time Agent who is never in the office, works from home, sends out seasonal recipe cards, and is closing one deal every other month?
The one without a real website (or blog)?  Yeah, that one!
Would it be…
MySpace? Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? You’re right! You did say LinkedIn right? (ok, maybe the title gave it away)
That “Old School Agent ” signed up for LinkedIn … (30 comments)

The Blanket Blame.........Are you included???? - 05:02 PM
We are authors of several blogs as like you we have lots to communicate and blogging offers the freedom many of us have yearned for.
Before I start this Blog – Let me provide a disclaimer. I have been in this business for nearly 25 years and proudly display my license as the authority granted by the State of California to represent people for various real estate related transactions. Likewise our company has appropriate licensing as well as our staff. We take pride in representing clients and yes, we also have diversified (who wouldn't in this market) our operations to assist … (14 comments)

5 Powerful Tips to Optimizing Your AR Profile Page! - 01:59 PM
Each time we receive a Dakno Real Estate Marketing website inquiry before returning a call I go through my usual "drill" and Google the name of the party interested in our Dakno real estate website & blog products and services. (Do you go through that drill when someone contacts you about your services? - Maybe you should.) Because of the awesome SEO-power of Active Rain, many times a profile will appear at the top of the search results of an agent who has invested considerable time blogging at AR. Why not take advantage of this Google power and really make your … (82 comments)

The tables have turned - When your children become mentors - 12:00 PM
When my children were growing up I had hoped that I would  teach them through example, and that they would learn what they needed to get through life from me. Today, they have become my teachers and I'm not too proud to admit it.  In fact, I'm darned proud that they are my mentors in ways that I would not have imagined.
 
Last night my husband and I went to a local pub where my oldest son was performing, one of his last performances in our area for a while. He is a self employed musician who has spent … (42 comments)

Out With the Old...In with the New - 12:00 AM
Out with the old, in with the new Someone recently emailed me and asked why I had slowed down on my posts on Activerain. “I’ve been busy with real estate”.
This past December has been the best December in my 13 years in the real estate business. Not the purpose to go into all the transactions occurring but I am very grateful. After the surprise economic crisis in October and the election in November.
December saw a lot of buyers and sellers moving forward with their realty decisions.
This has been a great year Tomorrow I will close out my books … (100 comments)

Cleaning house on my AR back room - UPDATE 12/31/2008 - 11:05 AM
UPDATE: In response to some on the comments concerning deleting " my comments", I wanted to clear up maybe a confusing reference.  When I mentioned   Delete " my comments" on the home page, my home page is the back room or back office where the statistics  are kept and your profile is controlled.  I think "home page" threw some members into thinking that I meant the comments on the posted blog.  Just my opinion...I would not delete the comments on a published post, out of respect to the members who took  the time to comment and post an opinion.  I thought … (36 comments)

Growth Leader Test Program - Week Three - 12:10 PM
Growth Leader Test Program - Week ThreeTo date, prospects continue to register on the website at a consistent pace. Currently, 33 prospects have registered (I registered two myself), and I have had four prospects un-subscribe. When I receive a new prospect, I am notified by both text message and email. I am currently in dialogue with three of the prospects who are currently searching for a home in my area. One of the prospects called me this past Saturday after registering the site that morning, and we made an appointment to see property yesterday. After creating a buyer tour, I took … (38 comments)

Cancer trumps a good business plan any day! - 10:13 AM
Yikes, that is a merry title for this time of year!
Sorry for the buzz kill, but hang in there!
Earlier this year in late May(my Birthday in fact) I took myself to the emergency room after a day doubled up in intense pain. It ruined a great day of golf! I thought it would subside, but once it became far more painful than labor pains, I gave in.
12 hours later and some astronomical medical bills pending I headed home. The medication I was prescribed actually brought me back to Active Rain. I was writing my posts at ungodly hours … (53 comments)

Top 65 things we learned this year - Our 2008 Active Rain Review - 12:08 PM
Being on the network for the past 5 months and reading articles after articles from members of this past year, we felt it would be best served to showcase some of the best material from this past year and bring it back out of the archives for you all to review once again. We spend several months archiving these posts in our bookmarks section and also had several word documents with links saved for this day. Without further ado, The Top 65 things we(members of this network) learned this year on Active Rain.

Active Brad gave us his Top Free Picks … (35 comments)

I'm Doubling my Income in 2009 with a Bucket List; how 'bout you? PART 2 - 12:31 PM
I have made a commitment to Double my Income in 2009; here's how!  Since December was slow I took the time to really think about selling real estate and where my business comes from.  I made a list of 10 Buckets and thought about them strategically.  In a previous post, I listed how to double your income with items 1-3; so I thought I'd share items 4-6! 
For item 4, I have selected Active Rain!  I think it is important to have strategies for buyers and sellers that you know and will be referred to you from your database (see Bucket 1 … (44 comments)


Blog posts


Hawaii roof information - 02:29 AM
Hi All,
I did some research and wrote about house roofs in Hawaii.  The article includes information about roofing styles, materials used and reflective roof coatings.
Take a look at our article, titled Roofs and Hawaii homes.  Prior to writing this article, I appreciated the older style roofs seen in neighborhoods like Manoa and Kahala, but knew little about them.  I hope you will find the information useful.
Aloha, Mike
… (0 comments)

New Hawaii postage stamp out in 2009 - 02:32 PM
We're getting a cool new stamp in 2009!  It commemorates Hawaii's 50th year of statehood.  The stamp features a surfer catching a wave in the foreground and two persons in a Hawaiian canoe in the background on the same wave.

This stamp reminds me of surfing in Waikiki, where we frequently see canoe paddlers catching waves along with surfers.  One of the top surf spots is Canoes, located right where the Duke Kahanamoku statue stands on Kalakaua Avenue.
Note - if you're out surfing and a canoe is catching a wave, steer clear of it!  Hawaiian canoes are heavy and don't manuever … (2 comments)

Lots of People Moving to Texas - 08:09 AM

 
There was an article in the Houston Chronicle recently that talked about how many people moved to Texas between July, 2007 and July 1, 2008.  As you can see on the chart to the left, Texas lead the nation in terms of the number of people moving here.
The article also talks about where people are coming from.  Many are leaving economically depressed states like Florida and Michigan.  I wouldn't be surprised if some who are leaving Florida are just sick of the hurricane risk and high homeowners insurance premiums thanks to hurricanes.
People also came to Texas because … (0 comments)

A Better Me in 2009....Active Rain Success ! - 12:55 PM
       
I am quite certain that the judges in box will be full of entries proclaiming success during 2008. I read the blogs every day. I see the success that some agents realize, in part, due to their membership here. There are stories of sales accomplished. There are tales of sales resurrected. There are personal stories tinged with joy, hope, sadness and pragmatic understanding. There are blogs that focus on the market conditions that result in traffic to websites.
I suppose some folks here have made a lot of money in 2008.
I don't have the same yard stick.
… (8 comments)

Relocating- First Hand Experience Part 11 - 09:31 AM
We were in Austin again last week for the Holidays, but to also meet with our "new" builder so we can make sure everyone is on the same page.  This is getting more and more frustrating by the minute.
Some of the previous framing issues have been resolved, but not all.  The back door is now correct.  We found out that the back of the house will now be stucco instead of siding.  That's an upgrade we didn't pay for. Not that I like stucco, but apparently it's the "in" thing in Austin.
The shower heads hit my husband in the chest. … (6 comments)

Alyssa's Holiday Excitement - 09:46 AM
Even though Alyssa was around last year for the Holidays, she was a lump on a log and this is considered her first Holiday Season.
She had a blast.  We celebrated at my mom's on the 20th where she got a rocking horse that makes lots of noises.  We named it Pokey.  She also had a tasty treat called Crayons.  Yummy!
Then, off to Austin we went to celebrate at my in-laws.  There, she was tortured with a Santa outfit that turned out to look cute.  At 13 months, she's already showing 'tude with her hands on her hips.
After playing … (14 comments)

Do You Make Waves or Go with the Flow? - 09:21 PM
Do you tend to just go with the flow, or are you one to create some ripples in the smooth water and make some waves?
Me, I make waves.  I left corporate world to become my own boss to not just go with the flow.  I was speaking with someone this afternoon and he was all up in my face about how I needed to calm down, chill, and go with the flow more.
Why?
Why should I say things to make other people happy?  Why am I not allowed to say things that make me happy?  I don't have a … (14 comments)

22nd Annual Fort Myers Beach Open Golf outing - 12:17 PM
Attention all golfers !  Make plans to be part of the Fort Myers Beach 22 nd Annual Golf Open on Saturday, January 10, 2009.  Held at the Fort Myers Beach Golf Club.  Start time is 8 AM.  Cost: $60 includes Fun, Food & Prizes.  Winn $500 at the Ball Drop !  Entry Deadline: Wednesday Jan 5, 2009   Call for details:  239  454-7500.
… (5 comments)

The Real Reason Behind the Economic Crisis - 10:41 AM
Here is a good video on the role "mark to market accounting" played in what went happened:
http://www.mortgagesuccesssource.com/go/markmarket/
 
… (0 comments)

How to rename a WordPress Theme - 10:07 AM
If you work with customizing WordPress Themes, you most likely make multiple copies of each theme you work on; for safe keeping.  And that is a very sensible thing to do.
On the other hand, you might end up with 2, 3, 4 or more copies of the same theme in your WordPress Dashboard Manage Themes screen, and no way to determine which is which.

 
If you rename the themes you modify, you will be able to tell them apart from the original unmodified version, in the Manage Themes screen, without needing to apply or open each one up.
Here's … (6 comments)

Snyder Market Report December 30, 2008 - 10:19 PM
Current Snyder Real Estate Market Report
Current Market Conditions As of December 27, 2008
· 124 active single-family listings with an average list price of $145,705 ranging from $659,900 to $48,000. · 14 pending sales in Snyder. With an average sale price $168,164 ranging from $369,900 to 89,900. · In the past thirty days there has been a total of zero closed sales in Snyder. · Year to date there has been a total of 328 closed single-family home sales in Snyder averaging $138,043 sold price and spending an average of 44 days on the market. · Highest SOLD YTD - … (1 comments)

If you can't do the time......... - 04:47 PM
Hi folks. What better time, than the end of another year, to discuss.........
Time management. This is a very important part of being a successful REALTOR(r). Or, in being successful at anything, for that matter. We all have 24 hours a day. That's it, 24 hours. 24 hours to do business, spend time with our families, exercise, relax, eat and sleep. Now for me, I like to spend most of this time on the last two, eating and sleeping. Well, not really, even though I do love to eat and I cherish my down time, whether it's spent relaxing, reading, blogging … (66 comments)

Should We Let Doom and Gloom Control Our Destiny? - 11:02 PM
There is a Russian Professor who for the past decade has been predicting the fall of the United States.  His prediction has been ignored for the most part until just recently when the U.S. Economy has been taking a hit.  Now the powers that be (read Russian media) are giving Professor Igor Panarin his day in the limelight.
Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six … (83 comments)

Discussion Over Carolina North Continues - Chapel Hill, NC - 10:05 AM
Discussion Over Carolina North Continues - Chapel Hill, NC
                                                        
Representatives from UNC Chapel Hill and members of the Chapel Hill Town Council grappled for a balance between specifics and generalities during a recent Carolina North planning session.  David Owens, the UNC School of Government professor consulting with trustees and council members during the months-long journey toward a development agreement for Carolina North, submitted a vision of the campus favored by staff members from both institutions that would separate building into four stages and varying scales of development.  The so-called "principal options for areas and scales of development" outlined by … (0 comments)

Chapel Hill NC Transit Explores Pittsboro-Chapel Hill Route - 10:09 AM
Chapel Hill NC Transit Explores Pittsboro-Chapel Hill Route
                                                       
A proposed express bus route between Pittsboro and Chapel Hill is drawing enthusiastic support from Chatham County residents who make the daily commute along U.S. 15-501.  Brian Litchfield, assistant transit director for the Town of Chapel Hill, said Chapel Hill Transit has been working with the town of Pittsboro for several months to expand bus service to Chatham County. While many of the details -- including stop locations, hours and cost -- still have to be ironed out, the service could begin in early 2009.  "We've developed a general idea of … (1 comments)

Pittsboro NC on Biofuels Map - 10:12 AM
Pittsboro NC on Biofuels Map
                                                           
Pittsboro is joining the global race to create standards for biofuels.  The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, has established an office in the Chatham County town to lead its effort in the Americas.  Biofuels, used as substitutes for gasoline and diesel fuel, are struggling to gain acceptance as alternatives to imported oil. The Swiss effort is bringing together hundreds of growers, producers, users around the world and others in an attempt to create a seal of approval for biofuels produced using ecologically sound methods.  The organization set up its Americas office … (0 comments)

Entrepreneurship Fund Established in Chatham County NC - 10:15 AM
Entrepreneurship Fund Established in Chatham County NC 
                                            Entrepreneurs in Chatham County could get a financial boost in the midst of a struggling economy, thanks to a recently implemented loan fund.  The Chatham County Economic Development Corporation and the Center for Community Self-Help have established the Chatham Loan Fund, which will help finance loans to residents who are starting or operating a business in the area.  Dianne Reid, the president of the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation, said the fund will target businesses owned by local women and minorities, as well as residents as young as 18 years of age.  "We … (0 comments)

1135 CHASE DR, WINTER GARDEN FL 34787 - 03:00 PM
 
MLS#  S4647258              1135 CHASE DR, WINTER GARDEN    $$$ 179,900 $$$

SHORT SALE.  Summerfield custom home.  Come inside this like new 4/2 bath home with split floor plan & volume ceilings. Many upgrades including a cabinet package in the kitchen with all stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops & a walk in pantry. Cherry hardwood floors, tile & carpet throughout. Master bathroom comes beautifully tiled with a marble vanity & roman tub.  Utilities are inside, beautiful screened in porch, taxes are 3638.00 & low home owner association dues are only $300.00 a year!
For more information on this property and many … (0 comments)

720 SIENA PALM DR # 105, KISSIMMEE FL 34747 - 03:03 PM
 
MLS#  S4647248           720 SIENA PALM DR # 105, KISSIMMEE FL 34747   $$$ 149,000 $$$

PRICE REDUCTION---GOING THROUGH SHORT SALE PROCEDURE.  BEAUTIFUL 2B/2B  HARDWOOD FLOORS KIT,L/R,D/R-GRANITE COUNTER TOPS KIT.AND 2 BATHS.  SALE OF PROPERTY CONDITIONED UPON THIRD PARTY APPROVAL.  PROPERTY IS CLOSE TO B EAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN CELEBRATION, WDW,A ND THE ORLANDO AIRPORT
For more information on this property and many more like it in Celebration, contact Steve Glose with Keller Williams Realty at 407-616-7286 or visit www.thefloridalivingteam.com.
… (0 comments)

14452 WHITTRIDGE DR, WINTER GARDEN FL 34787 - 03:08 PM
 
 MLS# S4645236               14452 WHITTRIDGE DR, WINTER GARDEN FL 34787   $$$ 159,900 $$$

Move in Ready at a Great Price!  Peaceful living in Independence.   Why Rent when you can call this your own?  Side split floorplan, great kitchen space w/ breakfast bar, open floorplan, large master bath. Move in ready at an unbeatable price! Don't rent when you can own. This home offers peaceful living in Independence with an open floor plan, great kitchen and breakfast bar and a large master bathroom. Community features include parks, biking and walking paths and a community pool.  Future plans include a town center … (0 comments)

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