Archives of real estate blog entries for June 15, 2008

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Are You Cutting Back or Increasing Your Service? - 12:01 PM
While many agents are struggling there is a lot of opportunity for top agents to gain market share.  One consistent pattern I am seeing among struggling agents is that their level of service has stayed the same or dropped and their marketing is almost non-existent.  When business volume gets a little tight in your market it is not the time to cut back on those two items.
Last year I made a goal of doubling my business.  Most people thought I was crazy.  In order to be successful I developed a plan that included three parts to it.
I marketing plan … (72 comments)

Dad - 11:58 AM
How does one encapsulate the life of a father?  Can a fitting tribute really fit within the confines of a solitary blog post?  Maybe for some.
In a very literal sense, my old man is my best man.  Not only did he fulfill said role at my wedding, but the daily example that he is far exceeds the symbolic. 
 I will never measure up to my father.  Please don't contradict me, it's the truth.  Don't feel badly for me either, for I have yet to meet the man that does.  Most of us find reasons why we are not able to accomplish.  … (46 comments)

I'm Coming Home Daddy One Last Time! Home Is Where The Heart Is! - 11:59 AM
This Father's Day is a memorable one as a matter of fact it will be my last with my dad in Pompano Beach, Florida.  I won't be there tomorrow but I will be there next week helping them pack and move to their new home in Alabama. 
There has been numerous phone calls back and forth as my parents had a difficult real estate transaction.  I won't talk about it any further as it has not closed and hopefully they will close on the 20th as scheduled.
One thing I will say is that it triggered a lot of feelings..the end … (35 comments)

A Tribute to My Dad on This Father's Day - 11:58 AM
There is in this video a message that I hope you all will appreciate. I found it and it expressed so many things that I experienced. Perhaps you did as well.
Life is for a measured time, we can't make more of it and we can't extend it beyond it's measure. We have an opportunity in life to get it right the first time. For most of us, it takes all too many times and sometimes we never quite get it right.
If I could reach across time and touch my Dad, I would say this to him. "I Love You Dad … (50 comments)

Lessons from the Main Man - 11:56 AM
While my father passed away nearly two years ago in August 2006, we both were very comfortable with the mortality of all our lives. We used to laugh that when you think about it we are all "terminal", some just get pronouncements from doctors if they get a terminal illness and an estimate about life expectancy. But each day we are all out there "dodging bullets" and you just do the best with the cards you are dealt. We both agreed that in death we would both see each other again some day. That is from our belief in our faith. … (52 comments)

A Very Simple View of Our Sub-prime Crisis. Who is to Blame? - 11:54 AM
Introduction:  Key Players in the Sub-Prime Crisis
The sub-prime mortgage crisis is an ongoing problem which continues to demonstrate itself with our current liquidity crisis.  There were early warnings as early as 2000, during the final months of the Clinton administration, when Treasury official Gary Gensler noted that sub-prime lending had expanded along with some troubling trends including an increase in foreclosures. This crisis became evident in the banking industry in early 2006 with the bursting of the "housing bubble", accelerated in late 2006 with high default rates on "sub-prime" and other adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) which were sold to … (108 comments)

Another Excellent Buyer Off Active Rain - 11:16 PM
Had an excellent buyer call me on Thursday.  She had tried to hook up with the agent that her new department at the university had recommended but didn't receive a call back.  She read my profile on AR and was very happy with our match.  When writing your profile remember to include trivial things about yourself, sometimes it builds a repoire with your new client. In this case the fact that we both grew up in Michigan and are both Virgos was the clincher. 
She's found a great house, in an awesome neighborhood and we've each found a new friend!  New … (38 comments)

ActiveRain member Ann Cummings sad news - 11:14 PM
For those of you that know long time ActiveRain member Ann Cummings I thought I'd share with you some very sad news.
Yesterday Ann lost her fiancé Dewitt "Bear" Perkins, commonly referred to as her "honey" Bear...for those that know Ann, know that Ann and Bear had been a couple since 1991.
It's hard to think of one without the other and Bear will be sadly missed by all those that knew him and loved him.
Jay and I have many-many memories of Bear, NAR conventions were always a blast with Ann and Bear and we attended many of them together … (78 comments)

Inflation and the Impact on Real Estate. - 11:15 PM
Inflation is a measurable increase in the costs of goods and services.  Inflation is something that as ordinary citizens we deal with everyday.  High costs at the the gas pumps, $4 a gallon for milk, higher prices at restaurants, food, produce, transportation...the list goes on.  It is sticker shock!  So how does it impact our business?  First of all, buyers take a holiday, and then real estate sales cool for many reasons.  
The first thing that happens wiht inflation is that consumers go into price shock, and their confidence on how things are going to turn out at the end of the … (94 comments)

I Lied and That's The Truth...Most Positive Experience. - 11:13 PM
***With this submission I just hit 100,000 points! Wow. That is the truth.*** I lied Picture this: the year was (I'm not going to share this) and I was a child. I was a child raising children. My two children were very young. My husband had a well paying position but we still needed money. Who doesn't? I had a tich of sales experience and a tich of formal education. I combed the newspaper each week for a job and went through multiple interviews. I was either over qualified (for stocking shelves with Pepsi) or under qualified for everything else. I … (109 comments)

Blog Design: premium themes, marketing week in review - 11:56 AM
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Blog Design: Premium Themes
 
 Hi everyone, the next part of the blog design series will cover a topic that creates almost as much confusion as the free blog themes do. First, what is a premium theme?
 Technically a premium theme is a theme that you pay for. Typically premium blog themes range in price from as low as $5 to $100 or more. Theoretically premium themes have more features and better designs than the feebies. Is it true? Not always.
 Just like the free themes I talked about 2 … (67 comments)

We are on an Uncharted Road...The SIF Week in Review June 8-15, 2008 - 11:19 PM
 
Personally, I hate traveling without a plan.  I like for things to be smooth and uneventful so that I can arrive at my destination on time and without incident.  However, life is rarely like that...especially in the world of staging, where the journey is uncharted and the destination unknown. 
The members of SIF have chosen to travel that road together and help each other along the way.  This is what our road looked like this week.
 
THE UPS...
Shift Happens!   by Akanke Cadden 
Staging Here For The Long Haul?  by Tori Lyn Ross
When One Door Closes, Another Shall … (22 comments)

What To Do With Old - 11:17 PM
 
That is exactly what I was saying to myself when I saw this house. Dated, dated, and dated some more. So I took a deep breath and dug deep for this one. I was all ears when the General Contractor and Agent gave their ideas.
First things first: a big list was given to the homeowner of what stays and what goes, and they did it all. The next thing was lose the paneling, pull out the carpet and show off the wood floors. Then what color? What was going to make this house pop and what was going to … (71 comments)

Week in review 06/08/2008-06/15/2008 - 12:05 PM
I was honored when Neal Bloom asked me to write a week in review.  Boy, has it been a doozie!  Since he asked things have been pretty busy at my house.  I got two executed contracts on listings, enrolled my daughter in summer school (she says math sucks), had a birthday, and my husband had unexpected medical issues.  However, I was down for the task.  Gees, someone to actually ‘ask' for my opinion feels good.  It forced me to stretch outside my ‘groups' to find more blogs.  I learned some, taught some, and laughed a whole lot!
Anyone who knows me … (39 comments)

Do You Post "Public" or "Members Only"? How About "Draft" - 11:56 AM
As a fairly new blogger, I once posted a bit of a rant.  It involved buyers and sellers in one of my transactions, and some of the characters were behaving badly.  And the situation was actually pretty funny, so there was a combinatoin of irony and ridicule that certainly made the reader laugh, and I felt much better about the situation after I wrote it.
After it went up, I got a very nice email from a more experienced blogger whose name I recognized - she'd commented on some of my posts. She suggested that it would be prudent to go … (60 comments)


Blog posts


Madera California Real Estate and Information : Foreclosures - 10:43 PM
Madera County
Madera County is one of the most attractive counties located in the hub of Californian State. Yosemite National Park, which is a gem of the nation, is an asset of the Madera County and makes it a preferred place for living, learning and earning. The County is not all about businesses and buildings in it. It is about its beautiful environment and the people living in it. The atmosphere of the county is perfect for people who desire to have a living in a way it should be. The surrounding gives them harmony and peace in conjunction with excellent … (0 comments)

Real Estate Professionals Is Coaching and Accountability Micromanaging? - 04:59 AM
From the time I started in this business.....I have always looked at ways to be better...to be more efficient..and competitive.  To grow and learn and thrive.  While I have always been my hardest critic and my own biggest fan sometimes...someone steps in..and hands you a reality check and you learn...you don't know everything...and there will always be a better way...and more efficient way..and the ability to always do more.

While attending a recent training session with 3 separate companies in the room, one thing that was up for discussion was a new coaching and accountability program. 
Now I missed the … (27 comments)

I'm Coming Home Daddy One Last Time! Home Is Where The Heart Is! - 11:59 AM
This Father's Day is a memorable one as a matter of fact it will be my last with my dad in Pompano Beach, Florida.  I won't be there tomorrow but I will be there next week helping them pack and move to their new home in Alabama. 
There has been numerous phone calls back and forth as my parents had a difficult real estate transaction.  I won't talk about it any further as it has not closed and hopefully they will close on the 20th as scheduled.
One thing I will say is that it triggered a lot of feelings..the end … (35 comments)

Good future for Bellevue, Seattle's sister city! - 03:00 AM

 
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest,
it was common for residents of the Bellevue/Eastside and residents of Seattle not to intermingle, viewing Lake Washington as a great expanse separating two very different worlds. I still encounter people who won't jump the "pond" to the other side, but for those in the Emerald City ignoring their eastern neighbor, an almost seemingly overnight transformation is taking place.
Calling Bellevue Seattle's sister city may be a bit presumptious, but no doubt this shining star is becoming a neighbor with which to contend. Why?
Bellevue residents have the "hots" for Bellevue,
and the … (4 comments)

Our First Father's Day Celebration - 03:07 PM

Today is my husband's first Father's Day.  Alyssa and I made this little collage for him and framed it in a fram that says, "Me and My Daddy."  She also got him a Pebbles and Fred card that says, "My Daddy Rocks!"  She picked it out herself.
We made him pancakes for lunch and they were awesome.  We didn't do them for breakfast because someone decided to wake up at 5:15am and not go back to sleep so her mommy was very tired.
Dinner will consist of smoked Brisket at my parents' followed by some homemade pie!
Here's to many … (14 comments)

Buyer Beware! - 10:30 PM
Prospective buyers in Bryan and College Station need to take several things into consideration when looking at homes.  Focusing on resale value from the very start will definately put you in the drivers seat when selling later down the road.  Many buyers come into the market not looking at their purchase from this perspective and suffer later down the road.
Things to consider:
1)  How long do you plan on living in this particular home?  Obviously, plans change frequently, but this is the first thing to consider.  If you are planning on a stay two years or less you may want to rethink … (1 comments)

Another Excellent Buyer Off Active Rain - 11:16 PM
Had an excellent buyer call me on Thursday.  She had tried to hook up with the agent that her new department at the university had recommended but didn't receive a call back.  She read my profile on AR and was very happy with our match.  When writing your profile remember to include trivial things about yourself, sometimes it builds a repoire with your new client. In this case the fact that we both grew up in Michigan and are both Virgos was the clincher. 
She's found a great house, in an awesome neighborhood and we've each found a new friend!  New … (38 comments)

Businesses Pouring Into Bryan Texas! - 11:20 PM
Bryan certainly seems to be in the news lately!  With the new Toyo Ink Plant (the 3rd largest ink manufacterer in the world) coming here and the new A&M Health Science Center quickly becoming a reality along with the new Bryan Rudder High School that is soon to open it certainly seems that Bryan is the center of a storm of new businesses.
The Super Target will be opening July 20th at the corner of Highway 6 and Briarcrest soon.  It's anchoring a whole conglomerate of great stores and restaurants that will truly add to Bryan's prestige and the enjoyment of every … (3 comments)

New Condo Listing in Palmer, MA - 06:31 PM
JUST LISTED - Modern and stylish duplex style condo in area of newer condos. Hardwood floors and ceramic tile throughout the first floor. Living room boasts an inviting gas fireplace and access to wood deck for grilling and relaxing. Central A/C will keep you cool all summer long. Spacious master bedroom with nice sized walk-in closet. The 1 Car Attached Garage doesn't steal any storage room from your full walkout basement with finishing possibilities.  Great access to MA Pike and short walk to the scenic Swift River.  Call James and Kathleen today for a showing at 508-523-8632 or 508-868-4291.  You can … (0 comments)

The Origins of Father's Day - 06:53 PM
Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful dads out there.  Did you ever wonder where Father's Day came from?  I did a little research and found that Father's Day originated back in 1909 in Spokane, Washington by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd.  She had been sitting and listening to a sermon about Mother's Day when she thought of how her father had raised her after her mother passed away.  On June 19th, 1910 Spokane celebrated the first father's day.  Sonora had chosen this month because it was the month of her father's birthday.  In 1926, a National Fathers Day Committee … (0 comments)

Which CMS do you prefer? - 10:40 PM
With so many real estate agents jumping on the blog bandwagon, the number of platforms to pick from keeps growing. But which platform is right for you? Really most of them come down to personal preference and your own level of technical knowledge. Let's take a look at some of the more popular content management systems out there.
Blogger. Everyone has heard of it and there are a ton of real estate blogs using this platform, like this self-hosted Arizona Real Estate News blog and there are some being hosted for free by blogger, as this Las Vegas Homes Blog is. … (12 comments)

Direct from Twitter Land - 10:05 AM
I know the AR gang is working really hard to get things upgraded and up to snuff.  But just in case they don't already know this:
People do tend to get a bit crazed when the system funks out on them:

I changed the screen shot to protect the innocent. (If you didn't see it, it was an illustration of the normal reaction an Active Rain member has when the system funks out and a carefully thought out post is lost forever.)
But, a warning to everyone, its a really good idea to compose your posts in something else, Blogjet, Word, … (36 comments)

Opps. I forgot how to code frames.... - 02:21 PM
Frames have fallen into disfavor over the years, for a number of different reasons, not the least of these being the fact that search engines don't like them.
But now and then you come across an idea that seems well suited to Frames.  How about this idea?  You have several single property web sites.  You want one page to showcase all your single property sites, and you want someone viewing that page to be able to move thru all the single property sites without leaving the main page.
Sounds to me like a good application for frames.
I haven't built a … (6 comments)

Dover NH Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 10:03 AM

An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  The media is often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on in … (0 comments)

Barrington NH Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 10:17 AM
An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see how real estate has … (0 comments)

Rochester NH Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 10:29 AM
An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on … (0 comments)

Portsmouth NH Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 10:35 AM
An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on … (0 comments)

Hampton NH Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 10:45 AM
An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on … (0 comments)

Kittery/Eliot ME Real Estate - May 2008 Market Update - 11:00 AM
An important thing to keep in mind when it comes to real estate is that each and every town is different.  Depending on where you are in the country, one town can be thriving and the next town over can be in a slump.  This can also be true for large cities-certain sections of a city can be desirable...others not so much.  Please keep this in mind when you listen to the news.  Reporters are often giving you statewide or national market data and your home town is not the "national market".  With that said, let's see what's been going on … (0 comments)

Some Unusual Relocation Clients - 10:09 AM
While I've been so busy, we've also had some relocation clients that moved to our place.  Yep, brought 'em right home with me! 
Per the ag appraiser, we needed some more cattle in order to keep our agricultural valuation for tax purposes.  So, we asked Mr. Goode, the gentleman who leases the land next door to run cattle, to pick us up some likely looking heifers at auction.  Eventually, he found us some, and brought them home to us.
They were a bit skittish the first day - after all, they were in a new community, in a new "house", didn't … (5 comments)

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