Archives of real estate blog entries for June 18, 2008

Featured blog posts


3 Free & Simple Ways to Help Your Listings get More Showings! - 12:05 AM
The MLS gives you a limited amount of pictures to place with a listing which means they really have to help sell the property. You can't afford to squander this opportunity.  Buyers' agents use photos to weed out listings so don't underestimate the value of your photos.  With digital cameras you can snap hundreds of pics at no cost and delete the photos you don't use.  A few tips will help in snapping the best photos to show your listing in the most positive light.  
•1.    For the exterior shot, ask you sellers to move their vehicles.  They distract from … (129 comments)

To Take Overpriced Listings Or Not to Take Overpriced Listings? - 02:17 PM
I wanted to list the house for tens of thousands more than they wanted to get because I just loved the way they had decorated their house and the fact that they had raised their kids there. They kept trying to convince me otherwise and they didn't want me to waste my time and their's in an exercise of futility by listing an overpriced property. They tried to convince me that the house was worth less than what I thought it was worth. They spent hours going over an amazingly professional CMA that they had prepared. They showed me the most … (35 comments)

Do Most Real Estate Agents Really Need An Office At Their Brokers Office? - 02:20 PM
Most real estate brokerages today are faced with an extremely thin margin of profit if they net any profit at all.  Brokerages are faced with the many financial challenges including their physical office space, the phone systems and the cost and contracts required, the utility bills for these large offices and obviously other general fixed costs.  The question is "What if the majority of the real estate brokerages could operate out of one half the space they are currently occupy today...would that help the brokerage become more profitable? 
With the current wireless technology and access through cellular broadband do most agents need an actual real estate office to meet clients?  Do most agents spend … (74 comments)

Hidden iPhone Feature Discovered – I Had to Try it Myself! - 02:11 PM
I admit it. I am an iPhone junkie. The iPhone makes mobile surfing a breeze and the interface is so intuitive, even a 3 year old can use it. Seriously, I saw my son hit the home button, slide his finger across the screen to unlock, hit the photos button, then start thumbing through the photos. Of course, he is my son so I already knew he was a natural geek!
So, when EWM called me to come visit them in Miami and do some consulting, I knew my iPhone would make the trip with me. Before going to the airport, … (67 comments)

Active Rain, Localism, and writing good content. - 02:36 PM
By now I am sure that you realize the enormous power that Active Rain has with SEO and getting your target market right in front of you starting online.  
Here's the thing... what message are you giving to them once they get here?  
Do you post Junk for points?   If you are NOT one of the junk writers, then I don't have to tell you that writing quality content in your blog is so crucial to your image as a professional.  My friend Cyndee Haydon told me to always Think of your blog as your Online Resume!  She introduced me to Active Rain, … (73 comments)

Most Positive Experience: Appreciating ActiveRain as Both A Social Network And As A Team That Can Make A Difference In Our Lives. - 08:42 AM
My Most Positive Experience on ActiveRain is really the many friendships that have made me a better writer, a more knowledgeable real estate practitioner using technology and Web 2.0 to become self actualized and a far better professional in the real estate industry. I have grown so much here on ActiveRain and it is just the end on my first year.
We all know ActiveRain is a social real estate network, on that we probably agree.  But aren't we also a team?  I ask this as I thought about what a team is and what it means to be a team player here on … (107 comments)

What Real Estate System Really Increases Your Business? - 02:34 PM
Here is the big question for all new agents...and many seasoned agents who seemed to have lost their way in the past couple of years. First a couple of things:
Part 1. Although business in most areas is not as good as it was a couple of years ago...you must recognize that if you are doing the same things as you did in the past (or if you are new you follow what others in your office are doing) you will likely remain on a downward trend.
Part 2. The system you choose is less important then the fact that most agents … (25 comments)

Mortgage Meltdown: Who is to blame? - 12:03 AM
AJ Nisen wrote a blog entry about who was to blame for the mortgage crisis, and I had to comment... I thought the point was worth repeating, so I am placing the comment here as well.
I find it remarkable that we think we can actually assign blame for this... the investment banks saw everyone making money in real estate, and the people whose money they managed wanted to get a piece of the action, so teh investment banks sought and found vehicles for investing in mortgages... all fair so far, if not a bit of greed, but then that is … (43 comments)

Are you a Cloned Real Estate Agent or an Original Real Estate Agent ? - 02:23 PM
What is a system : A technical definition similar to the common one, but not very specific, is offered by Hall and Fagan: "A system is a set of objects together with relationships between the objects " or better said as :  "a group of units so combined as to form a whole and to operate in unison"
 In both the personal and business world there are systems and systematic events to yield an end result. If one would take a closer look at a system or systematic approach you could take the "cooking a pancake" for example. In order … (28 comments)

A Wonderful Day In The Rain - A Google Milestone and My First Potential Client From AR - 08:47 AM
Yesterday was a great day for me.  First thing in the morning I found that my blog had hit #1 on the first page of a google search under greater hudson valley ny real estate and I also had the #7 spot on the same page one for an individual blog.  Woohooo raise the roof.  I also located myself on page one of with several different search word combinations.  And this without any of the fine services that I have been offered by the "For A Fee Locating Companies" that promise to place your paid ad and teach you the secrets … (44 comments)


Blog posts


Virtual Meetings? Does Anyone Do This? - 06:41 AM
Being part of the tech committee at the Daytona Area Association of REALTORS we try to come up with some innovative ways for real estate professionals to do business.
Yesterday I paid $4.01 a gallon for gas and I can see in our area prices are on the rise rapidly.  So a question was posed to all of us.  Would we be open to a virtual meeting?  Yes, I would, it's really not about the gas prices but to try something different.  Outside the box or is it?
Our AE suggested 2nd Life I suggest maybe a webinar.  Does anyone attend … (14 comments)

GAO is taking another look at the $35 billion Air Force tanker contract - 02:19 PM

 
There is an article "GAO Favors Boeing In Tanker Contract Dispute" from KIROTV.com that just came up.  It says "The Government Accountability Office said Wednesday that it found "a number of significant errors that could have affected the outcome of what was a close competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman."
This is very good news for The Boeing Company.
 
If you are interested is seeing the website for my political campaign (I am running for Washington State House Rep. 36th District, Position #1) it is blossforthe36th.com.  It has been very interesting, lots of fun and I will be … (2 comments)

Question- Is there a $$ Value to your business? - 07:36 AM
Poll Question:  Have you paid $$$ to buy a Realtor's Book of Business?

Preface: I have been a Realtor for almost 3 years and just now heard about others who sell their book of business when they decide to retire.
Is this a common practice in your area? What have other Realtor's in your area charged for taking over their business?  Has it been a successful transition? How would you value your business? (charge 3 X annual gross/net income? or what??)  How about an REO business?  Would that make a difference in price?  (Contacts with banks, asset managers, etc.) Thank you in … (4 comments)

Sign Graffiti Looks Bad - 07:48 AM
Does your sign look like this?  Why do you have so many numbers for people to call?  Do you not think the consumer might get frustrated wondering which number they're supposed to call?
When I see a sign like this, I think, "Which number do I call?  If I get a voicemail on one number, should I call another number?  Should I just call the 800 number for recorded information?  But what if I have a question?  The recorded information cannot answer my questions... maybe I'll just call the office number so anyone there can answer any questions I have."
I'm sure … (21 comments)

JC Bell's website goes live! New Oil coming soon! - 05:14 PM
Well I am truly honored! Not only has JC Bell's website gone live today, but both of my radio interviews with JC are right there on the media page!
Also, there are investment opportunities!!! Go and visit http://www.bellbioenergy.com/ right now and read all about it.
If you've been following my blogs on JC, then you know this is all about bio mass. Some people don't think we have enough without changing the way we manage our agriculture and forrestry - you could not be more wrong as the following map will show you.

So there you have it! The man who … (24 comments)

Yes, I want to save these trees! - 10:17 PM
This is not a story of the bad French who hate Americans and have therefore acted in this way. No this is a story of bureaucracy winning out over common sense - and the result is a loss of history - gone forever.
The beech trees of Saint Pierre de Varengeville-Duclair forest bore a poignant testimony to the D-Day landings for more than six decades. Thousands of American soldiers stationed there after the liberation of Normandy spent their spare hours with a knife or bayonet creating a lasting reminder of their presence.
Although the trees grew and the graffiti swelled and twisted, … (20 comments)

3/2 Gulf front on Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE " Thursday June 19, 2008 - 03:18 PM


Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE" Direct Gulf front Thursday June 19, 2008 9 AM, Reduced $100k..
 Just finished on the annual " Parade  of Homes " !
Owner will include one of the hot " SMART " cars with the purchase of this home !
 Wouldn't this put a smile on her face !
Gorgeous 3/2 direct Gulf front home. Totally decorator furnished home.  I will be hosting this  listing on Thursday starting at  9:30 AM .  If you have been looking for a move-in ready beach front this is it.   If you are on Fort Myers Beach  Thursday  stop in and and say … (2 comments)

TypePad Custom CSS: A Revelation - 08:07 AM
You know you're screwed when you Google for an answer on something, and all that comes up is stuff you yourself already wrote on the topic.
Don't laugh.  This actually happened to me yesterday.
I've written a lot of "how-to" posts here on AR about using both the  WordPress and Typepad  blogging platforms.  For safe-keeping, I republished many of the posts on http://www.dablogmother.com   
Anyone who has read my posts regularly knows  my primary motivation isn't really sharing the knowledge, (although that's very fortunate side benefit) it's making some notes for myself so the next time I need to do the … (11 comments)

Vlad Zablotskyy V. ePerks The Cliffs Notes Version - 08:16 PM
Several people have mentioned that the Zablotskyy case is difficult and hard to follow.  And that is true.  I often find that if I can arrange difficult situations in chronological order ... in a timeline ... they are easier to understand.
This post is not intended to be slanderous. It is intended to be a simple recital of the events, as reconstructed through other already published sources.
Sometime in June 2007, Vlad wrote his initial post about ePerks, titled "ePerks - A New Approach to Real Estate".  That post has since been removed from the web.  It was favorable towards ePerks. 
It … (19 comments)

Hi I'm calling to set a showing. What you won't let me? OK there's only 15 others to show. - 12:11 PM

 
I was doing some showings over the weekend, and as I was setting some showings up on a number of homes(With 3 day notice), I have to say I was a bit surprised that out of all of the home owners, 1 out of 9 said no.
Believe me I understand it was Father's Day weekend, and we all have personal lives, but really if you really want to sell, you got to get people through the door.
So after all the showings were through the buyers decided on a home to put a slam dunk offer on. Now I can't … (8 comments)

Real Estate News for You! - 02:20 PM
Importance of Showing Instructions
You are considering listing your Western New York home for sale. You are interviewing agents and trying to decide which one is the best to represent your home sale. You are weighing a lot of factors like commission, advertising and staging. I want to talk about a couple of very important aspects of selling your WNY home. Accessability of your home for sale.

WNY Market Report
Wurlitzer Park N. Tonawanda NY Market Report June 2008»
Wurlitzer Park N. Tonawanda NY Market Report for June 2008. Year to date in Wurlitzer Park there have been a … (2 comments)

Outer Banks Real Estate-What is the market like in Duck and Corolla, NC? - 10:43 AM
What is the market like in Duck and Corolla, NC? We have been trying to purchase there for years but the area was experiencing extremes of price appreciation. Asked Tue Jun 10 2008 11:55 by B. M.
I answered this question the other day from one of the sites I belong to and wanted to post my answer here.
Matt Huband answered:
Just like everywhere on the Outer Banks the prices in Duck & Corolla have come down to where they were in 2003-2004. Most of the homes in Duck & Corolla are in the $500,000+ range with most over $1M an this price range … (1 comments)

Outer Banks Real Estate-Follow Up To Previous Post On Duck & Corolla - 11:34 AM
To follow up on the previous post about the prices in Duck & Corolla I wanted to show 2 recent closed transactions.
Here is an example of the great deals buyers are getting now on the Outer Banks in Duck & Corolla!!
Located in Duck 1 Lot Oceanfront

MLS#55721
5 Bedroom 4 ½ Baths
2000sq ft Built 1995
Pool & Hot Tub
Fully Furnished
$42,000 Rental Income
Originally listed on 10/05 for $1,100,000
Sold 6/12/08 for $726,500- $373,500 off original list price!!!
Tax assessment on this house was $933,700!!!!!



Located in Corolla

6 Bedroom … (0 comments)

NEAT & CLEAN 2-Story CHARMER! Great Price! 4 bed, 2.5 home approx. 1484 sq. ft! - 12:49 PM
… (3 comments)

Available Presentations at CommerceSource Online Convention - 03:04 PM
The CommerceSource June 2008 is finishing up today.  However, the presentations will still be available through September 16th for viewing.    You still have time to take advantage of these presentations...Here are some of the speaker presentation topics:Showcase Your Commercial Property Listings -- A Value Proposition  (discussing the new national commercial listings service "CommercialSource.com" now being provided free to members by NAR and future enhancements plans).Commercial Real Estate Outlook
5 Ways to Survive the Downturn In Real Estate Services
From Residential to Commercial Real Estate Brokerage
How to Analyze and Value Income Properties
Introduction to Real Estate Auctions
Real Estate Investments May Trigger … (1 comments)

CommercialSource.com - National Commercial Listing Service From NAR - 04:46 PM
CommercialSource.com was created by NAR to become THE national commercial listing service.  It was started with the acquisition of 10-year old ePropertyData (March 2008), which provides the engine and hosting for the commercial listing service.  It currently has over 50,000 listings, growing weekly and is projected to reach 250,000 by 2009, and will continue to grow as the service is developed and features are added.According speakers James Marrelli and Allen Benson, who presented their overview of CommercialSource.com at the NAR Commercial Alliance's Online Convention the main Commercial Source listings site will be a national display site (compared to Loopnet listings), free to NAR members.  It is being feed automatically by local CIEs … (8 comments)

PODCAST: Market Heads Up June - Long Distance Investing - 05:55 PM
 
Here we are at the beginning of June and we take a few minutes to talk about where things are going in the coming month. We will review some of the latest market numbers and see if that gives us any insights. Also, we will take some time to talk about long distance investing. While I often suggest to new investors that they invest in local properties, sometimes we find other areas and cities that look too good to pass up. We will spend some time talking about the special considerations when jumping into an investment way outside your local … (0 comments)

PODCAST: Think Outside The Financing Box - 05:57 PM
 

Even though we find ourselves entering the "Season", sellers are still in a position where they have to be willing to entertain just about any offer on their home. For those that are willing to step outside conventional methods of financing, this is a great time to explore lease options and seller financing.
Even for those buyers who have done the math and realized that they can still pay far less in rent than what a mortgage would be, this market can work for them. In this show we will talk about how things like a lease option can … (0 comments)

PODCAST: Gas Prices And Buying Your New Home - 06:04 PM
 

 Are gas prices effecting your search for a home? Do you find yourself changing your home search to areas closer to work, just to keep those gas expenses in check? Many people are in the same boat and are finding that they are having to change their home searches from places they want to live to places they feel like they have to live in order to keep their gas expenses under control. Well, in this weeks show we explore some of the other options you have so that you can still live where you want and not suffer … (0 comments)

Do Most Real Estate Agents Really Need An Office At Their Brokers Office? - 02:20 PM
Most real estate brokerages today are faced with an extremely thin margin of profit if they net any profit at all.  Brokerages are faced with the many financial challenges including their physical office space, the phone systems and the cost and contracts required, the utility bills for these large offices and obviously other general fixed costs.  The question is "What if the majority of the real estate brokerages could operate out of one half the space they are currently occupy today...would that help the brokerage become more profitable? 
With the current wireless technology and access through cellular broadband do most agents need an actual real estate office to meet clients?  Do most agents spend … (74 comments)

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