Archives of real estate blog entries for May 6, 2008

Featured blog posts


Your Scottsdale Non Bank Owned Property Specialist! - 11:53 PM
Remember back in the day when the buying process entailed finding the home of your dreams?  When value was defined by the home that held the most value to you?
Boy I do.  I remember it like it was ... 2004, actually.
See, in 2005, everything went nutty in Scottsdale.  With rampant speculative buying driving the market up, up and away, the average homebuying Joe stopped looking for a dream home.  He just wanted a house.  Any house.  If it took bidding against 8 other Joes, he did it.  He might not have ended up with his dream home, but so what?  He'd just turn … (80 comments)

Active Rain & Twitter Saves Agent (and Me) From Potential Ethics Violation! - 11:11 AM
 
Yep! It happened! I threw out a question on my Twitter stream to @Mizzle asking about a property flyer headline written by a client that I questioned as a possible ethics code violation.  Her immediate reply:
 

I let my client know that I thought it might be a violation, and she quickly realized her mistake and had to remove the headline from the MLS as well. Whew!
This was another example of why Active Rain & Twitter can be incredibly valuable tools. @mizzle is Mariana Wagner and has written a wonderful series on Understanding the REALTOR (R) Code … (53 comments)

Home prices continue to slide - 11:22 AM






Zillow released our Q1 Home Value Report today -- a comprehensive look at what's happening to house prices nationwide. And it's grim. Here are some highlights (or lowlights):
- nationwide, home prices declined 8% year-over-year, the 5th quarter in a row of declining prices and the largest decline in the 12 years for which Zillow has data
- 5 of the top 10 declines were in California
- 130 of the 160 cities we studied declined; 29 of the 30 largest cities declined (Dallas was the holdout)
- 45% of homeowners who bought their home in 2007 are … (37 comments)

How To Build Customer Loyalty - 12:49 AM
Are your clients loyal? I just had an agent friend tell me how ill she was about a consumer that went the other direction after she had helped him up until time to show the home. Of course, it's pretty hard to keep your thumb on people before house showing. True loyalty will come after the sale.
Don't think for one second that because you sold them their first house, you will sell them the second. Your job isn't done. You will always be working to remind your clients/ past clients that you are the one to work with. It's so … (48 comments)

There's no JACK DANIELS in decorating!!! - 02:45 PM
I made a comment in another post that bachelors are my favorite clients. I think I want to clarify that. While the men are my favorite clients because they are so sweetly clueless, and so very appreciative of what I can do for them, their homes are definitely not my favorite projects! The staging my daughter and I did this Saturday was a perfect example of why I feel this way.
The agent paid for two hours of staging. Although it was  better than nothing, it was like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. The homeowner was a 25 year old welder, … (84 comments)

Julea's Builder Models - More Window Treatments, Details & Tricks of the Trade - UPDATED - 12:54 AM
Wow!! - Such a great response, I added more. 
I also wanted to add how I work with clients.  Whether I'm working with a residential client or w/a Builder - My design philosophy remains the same:
Understanding how to get the right mix - when to spend it and when not to.
The trick is getting that perfect balance of the wonderful pieces that will last you a lifetime and the "oh my gosh" triple red sticker find. I call it the mix of "Rich and Poor."  Like I said - It's like wearing the Chanel Suit with Cubic Zirconium stud earrings...
For … (28 comments)

The biggest obstacle to climbing the Active Rain ladder to success - 12:46 AM
The biggest obstacle to climbing the ladder to success is weeding your way through the crowd at the bottom. I'm sure you've all heard that before but it is so very true.
Climbing the ladder to Active Rain success is not all that different and it is not hard once you push your way through that crowd hanging around on that first step.
In NH we currently have 513 members with only about 100 of them having posted a blog or two. The rest... the crowd at the bottom have done nothing but perhaps put up a profile. Some haven't even up … (127 comments)

"Top Ten Rides!" - The Carnival of Real Estate #89 - 12:57 AM

Most of us remember our first ride at the county fair or at the carny that would pull through town every year. Mine was at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California. One of the classic rides back in the day was the "Tilt-A-Whirl!" I recall making the unfortunate mistake of porking out on every conceivable fairground junk food before climbing aboard, mustard-plastered corndog included. What resulted wasn't pretty.
What is is about the people running those rides? No matter how loud you scream "STOP THE RIDE!" at the top of your lungs, they're totally oblivious.
Needless to say, no one on that … (45 comments)

Very Interesting Listing Appointment - 02:57 PM
I went on a very interesting listing appointment yesterday.  The owners had called me off of an expired listing letter I sent to them.  They live in their new home and had been trying to sell their old home for 6 months basically as a "for sale by owner" with the help of a local brokerage that only lists the property in the MLS for a small fee and does nothing else to service the listing. 
I met with them at their new home and later we went over to their old home for a tour of it.  Their new home is a $400k luxury … (52 comments)

Dual Agency...Good Business Practice or Lawsuit Waiting to Happen? - 02:53 PM
 
Eric and I feel that it's impossible to be effective agents for both sides of a deal.  In the process of negotiating an agreement, both sides will tell their agent things the other side shouldn't know.  If you represent the buyer, you'll know how much they can spend.  If you represent the seller, you'll know how much they owe and what number on the offer gets them where they want to be.  You'll also know their level of desperation.
We have sold our own listings, but the buyer signs a paper that says we represent the seller.  We're bound by the code of ethics … (64 comments)

Be loved, create a BLOG for your farm! - 02:59 PM
What is cooler, cheaper and more impressive than the tired old newsletter/postcard/mailer marketing?
A BLOG for your farm!
It's service personified...
It's high tech & high touch...
It's amazingly simple to create & maintain...
Best of all - it's absolutely free!
This is one of my favorite marketing tools.
NOTE: Only use this idea if you want to be loved and appreciated by neighbors and potential clients.
This is an example of a blog I created for the development I live in...you can set one up on Google, wordpress, or many others. I like wordpress.com - I can password protect documents, email directories, etc. You can provide … (70 comments)


Blog posts


Are You A Modern Day Nobody? We Can Do Great Things! - 08:10 AM
The past few weeks have been extremely challenging for a number of reasons...morale is down..and so are our sales. Sometimes when our spirits our weak..something incredible happens but you can't waste your energy in wallowing in self pity because you might miss golden opportunities the ones that can make you somebody...
Everyone goes through challenging times but its those times that allow your true fighting spirit to come out....when you hear that great things cannot be done meaning you can't, it won't work..give it up...
It's these types of thoughts that drive me..to be better...to know and to believe... Modern day nobodies … (18 comments)

Fruit Trees and Blueberrie Bushes planted in Orange CT - 07:07 PM

Photos from my side back yard.  Last fall we ordered 32 fruit trees from a nursery in Pennsylvania and dug rows with a back hoe to get the soil prepared for when the trees arrived this spring.  The white tags you see in the photo are mesh bags filled with a bar of soap in the hope that they will actually keep the deer from eating the trees - we shall see.
Behind the small pond we planted several varieties of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, and in a row before the fruit trees several different kinds of blueberries.  I LOVE fruit … (0 comments)

Wow – I had a Great Meeting With Suzie Burke (President of the Fremont Dock Company) - 11:02 AM
 
 
On Thursday, I called Suzie Burke of the Fremont Dock Company and told her that I was going to be running for the State House Seat, Position #1 in the 36th District.  She said “Why don’t you come over and we will talk about it.”  So Friday, I spent a few hours in her conference room listening to her concerns and ideas.  I wish I had brought a tape recorder.
We talked about transportation which included the “Mercer Mess” (which is a pain for so many of us) and how she feels we could fix it by starting from Elliott and going … (2 comments)

The Seattle City Council is Having the Transportation Talk About Working on Mercer Street --View it Live - 11:23 AM
 
The Seattle City Council is meeting this morning.  The meeting started at 9:00 and I am unable to attend because I have an appointment at 10:00 that I cannot miss.  You can view this live right now.  Why this is important is that they will be talking about working on Mercer Street (we know it as the Mercer Mess).  I heard about this on the KOMO radio this morning.  They said that it is not going to relieve traffic problems--it will be benefiting Paul Allen's Lake Union project.
If you are reading this post too late here is the link to the … (4 comments)

"Top Ten Rides!" - The Carnival of Real Estate #89 - 12:57 AM

Most of us remember our first ride at the county fair or at the carny that would pull through town every year. Mine was at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California. One of the classic rides back in the day was the "Tilt-A-Whirl!" I recall making the unfortunate mistake of porking out on every conceivable fairground junk food before climbing aboard, mustard-plastered corndog included. What resulted wasn't pretty.
What is is about the people running those rides? No matter how loud you scream "STOP THE RIDE!" at the top of your lungs, they're totally oblivious.
Needless to say, no one on that … (45 comments)

Global Referral Network~SCAM!!! - 11:16 AM
A little over a year ago I was given an opportunity to buy 75 guaranteed pre screened leads. They were suppose to come to me over a 6 month period and when I hit the end of the 6 month period the company may continue to send me leads but a referral fee was now tacked on but I no longer had to pay. So I had success with this type of online company before (I have also had failures with this type of company before) I wanted to read thru the contract and get a feel for it and make … (1 comments)

Designations - 11:29 AM
To get a designation or not to get a designation that is my question! I have done fine without a designation thus far but I have recently became a member of NABPOP and I was reading about CREO. The CREO designation takes some time. It's not just a class you can take and add it onto your card so maybe it can be helpful. I was wondering if anyone has this designation and if they find it helpful. Also when I see a Realtor with a ton of designations I wonder why? What's the thought behind it? I can understand 1 … (12 comments)

Be a good REO agent~Make a wish - 04:55 PM
Did you know you can donate 100 dollars to make a wish foundation thru NRBA.com for every REO listing you receive and 5 dollars from every BPO order during the month of July? If you click on the link above it tells you all how to sign up. It's just one month and just 100 dollars so let's all do something good for some children who could use it. I know I would like to make a wish come true!! … (1 comments)

REO websites - 07:41 PM
REO websites have had a rapid growth in the last year. I remember 9 years ago there was a small hand full and to sign up with all of them took me a couple hours. Last week i signed up with NREON.com and today I came across another one called REOagents.net
The REOagents site is located down the street from my house. BUT......you can sign up now for free and I am sure you will have to pay down the road. NREON you have to pay and you have to be a seasoned REO agent ( so I have been told ) … (7 comments)

REO websites - 07:42 PM
REO websites have had a rapid growth in the last year. I remember 9 years ago there was a small hand full and to sign up with all of them took me a couple hours. Last week i signed up with NREON.com and today I came across another one called REOagents.net
The REOagents site is located down the street from my house. BUT......you can sign up now for free and I am sure you will have to pay down the road. NREON you have to pay and you have to be a seasoned REO agent ( so I have been told ) … (4 comments)

A sick real estate scam - 01:41 PM
We have all seen the letters from Nigeria promising millions for a small amount of help with the acquisition of property. They are obviously scams and yet they must work because we all still get these things on a daily basis.
Well today these people sank to a new low. I could not believe the e-mail I just received.
Dear Friend,   I will require your assistance to take care of some financial matters for me and you will be adequately compensated for rendering your assistance.   Here is an idea on what I am trying to say:  
LINK
LINK 
You will have to … (17 comments)

Ten things sellers can do to improve their chances - 03:40 PM
If it is a sluggish market for sellers, then by definition, it is a great market to be a buyer. One of the things that makes it such a great market to be a buyer is the choice that is out there right now. And so if you are a seller, what can you do to make your home stand out from the crowd?
The South Florida Sun Sentinel rounded up some real estate professionals and asked them. Here are there top ten.
1. Curb appealThis is arguably the most important part of preparing your home for sale because it's the buyer's first … (6 comments)

Fun in the Florida Sun - 2008 Players Championship, Day One - 07:15 AM
Our youngest daughter is home from college for the week. She and her boyfriend accompanied us to the first day Practice Round of the PLAYERS Championship and we all had a blast!
The weather was perfect, the company was delightful and the course is beautifully manicured and ready to welcome the strongest field in golf for a week of exciting PGA Tour play.
Being day one, there weren't a lot of the top pros available to watch but we had a marvelous time anyway and look forward to getting up close and personal today and tomorrow. I think the practice rounds … (0 comments)

Staging Tips - 12:06 PM
STAGING YOUR HOME FOR SALE Selling your home? Beyond the basics of completing needed repairs and addressing any issues revealed in your pre-listing home inspection, it’s also important to consider the effect your home’s appearance will have on prospective buyers. “Staging” a home should be thought of as creating an appealing but neutral space that will allow buyers to see the potential of your home. Naturally, it’s difficult to look at your own home objectively; it’s yours, after all. So consider enlisting a friend to help you evaluate your space, or you may wish to hire a professional home stager to … (1 comments)

Blog Directories - 10:02 AM
I don't have any misconceptions that listing my blogs in blog directories is going to generate tons and tons of traffic.  On the other hand, I don't see that it will hurt anything.
Here is my current blog directory list.  Anyone want to suggest others to add to the list?
1.  Claim in Technorati http://technorati.com/
2.  Add to MyBlogLog http://www.mybloglog.com/
3.  http://www.blogged.com/
4.  http://www.topblogarea.com/real_estate/ 
5.  http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/real_estate 
6.  http://www.bloghub.com/ 
7.  http://www.blogarama.com/ 
8.  http://www.sitemeter.com/
9.  http://www.blogexplosion.com/
10.  http://www.getblogs.com/
 
 
 
 
OH --- Here's one more to add to the list  --- Build a Squidoo Lens and add links to your blogs … (8 comments)

Ringling Art Museum Sarasota Florida - 07:03 PM
The Ringling Art Museum in Sarasota Florida is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Huge rooms that house some of the most famous paintings around. The Ringlings spent years collecting art and displaying it in this wonderful building.
The courtyard is breath taking as you stroll through the gardens and view the statues interlaced among the grounds. When you sit on the veranda, you get the view of Sarasota Bay just past the grounds facing West.
If you are in the area, this is one place that needs to be on your must visit list.
… (0 comments)

Walking and Talking - 07:21 AM
A long time ago, I promised myself I would walk for an hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday starting at 8:00 a.m. Most of the time, I do. 
Last week in Pittsburgh, Tim Kinzler and I had a wonderful conversation about the importance of taking care of your health. Of course, we all know that we have to look after ourselves, but how often do we put off exercising because there's a listing to take or a house to show? When the day is going to be busy, it is oh so easy to say, "I'll walk tomorrow." 
Tim is very … (15 comments)

Real Estate: Where's The Bottom? - 03:49 AM
In recent months, the US real estate market has seen its fair share of turbulent weather as house prices continue to fall. While the Federal Reserve has taken significant steps towards making lending cheaper, interest rates remain artificially high as the troubled financial sector continues record write-downs. So far, only a quarter of the IMF-estimated $1 trillion in sub-prime losses have been reported, which means mortgages won't be affordable for a long while, even if homes continue to decline in value. According to the Case Schiller house price index, which covers 20 major metropolitan areas, house prices are depressing at an … (2 comments)

Putting In A Flowerbed - 03:56 AM
Putting in a flowerbed is a great way to add a splash of color and charm to your lawn, and turn an ordinary yard into a place to stop and smell the roses. All it takes is a little dirt work and a weekend afternoon, and you’ll be ready to plant azaleas and daisies to your heart’s content.
The first step is to decide the “where and how big?” question. There are a few things to keep in mind when making these choices, such as proximity to a water faucet (Or whether you need to buy a new, longer hose), … (3 comments)

SERPs keep getting better and better - 05:22 PM
Last week Google did another PageRank update to the visual green bar. A few of my sites faired pretty well, gaining a point, but my main site lost a point. Since June I have lost 2 points and now sitting a 3. I about jumped out of my jeans with panic but was assured by colleagues that PR really does not have any or very little value associated with it.
Sill not fully convinced I trusted their opinions and kept on doing what I know is the right moves and published some content, got a few more links and so on. A … (7 comments)

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