Archives of real estate blog entries for July 2, 2008

Featured blog posts


What Happens When Banks Get into the Real Estate Business? - 12:25 PM
A few years ago Realtors® were up in arms about the thought that banks might get into the real estate business.  Letters were fired off, hearings were held and the NAR spent thousands to make sure that banks stayed at arms length from the real estate transaction.
Fast forward to today and across the country, banks and lenders ARE in the real estate business.   In fact in some areas of the country there are more bank owned properties listed in the MLS than there are seller owned properties.  What makes this so frightening is that the banks and lenders have no … (59 comments)

The Power of Active Rain - 01:49 AM
As an Active Rain member since August of 2006, I have had the opportunity of getting to know many professionals within our real estate community. Active Rain provides each of us with an experience that continues to assist us, as Realtors.
This past week was no exception. I received a call last month from a former client, Jenni whose house I had sold 3 years ago in Sacramento. Jenni had moved to AZ. She was disappointed that she had not heard back about a job and indicated that she would be moving back to Sacramento.
During that month, Jenni did hear from the … (64 comments)

Think About Your MLS Descriptions - 12:32 PM
When a house is listed, one of the first things that needs to be done is to come up with a description of the house.  The description should be something that is going to make people say to themselves, "I must see this house!"  The description shouldn't be something where people says to themselves, "This says nothing useful."  Many listings are immediately eliminated because they don't provide the type of information the buyer is needing in order to make an informed decision to actually take the time to view the inside.
I was looking through the MLS today, and I ran … (47 comments)

Bloggers beware! Copyright battle might be coming - 01:58 AM
Here's a helpful warning to bloggers: "Be prepared." It's the Boy Scout motto and it's also good advice for people in all walks of life. It appears that many bloggers, myself included, are a little unprepared for the possibility of close scrutiny of blogging. What if we were told that we had used too much of someone else's news article in our blog entry or that we got our facts wrong and are guilty of negligence or even defamation? It's a scary thought, but that's the risk we take in offering our work in a public environment.Have you noticed that, as bloggers, … (51 comments)

Localism: From Beta and Beyond - 04:32 PM
(I wrote this article over a year ago when we launched Localism in its BETA form. With the pending launch of the New Localism, it's still very much applicable ~ Jonathan)
~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~
The end game in real estate blogging is blogging about your local geographical area of expertise. 
Why blog about the real estate industry? Why blog about the latest real estate technology that was just announced?  How is it going to generate you business? 
It isn't going to generate you much unless you are a real estate coach, … (46 comments)

HOW TO "STAKE YOURSELF OUT" AND WAIT FOR THE COPYRIGHT STAMPEDE - 12:28 PM
IT'S COPYRIGHT TIME AGAIN.  This post inspired by Robert Lockhard, Bloggers beware! Copyright battle might be coming.
Fair Use?  Or, an invitation to a Cease and Desist Notice and Demand for Damages?
From Title 17 of the U.S. Code:  Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered "fair," such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Section 107 also sets out four factors to be considered in determining whether or not a particular use is fair:

the purpose and character of the use, including whether such … (68 comments)

My Long Journey: The PLATINUM Hall of Fame & 300,000 POINTS - 12:21 PM
The Star Hall of Fame groups were created by Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston  for the sole purpose of telling our story of each milestone and journey's in the Rain to get to each of these Star Hall of Fame groups:
Activerain Bronze Star Hall of Fame- In order to qualify you must reach at least 50,000 Activerain points. Activerain Silver Star Hall of Fame- In order to qualify you must reach at least 100,000 Activerain points. Activerain Gold Star Hall of Fame- In order to qualify you must reach at least 200,000 Activerain points. Activerain Platinum Star Hall of Fame- In order to qualify you must reach at least 300,000 Activerain points
… (124 comments)

LOCALISM FEATURED: Wow What a Weekend.... Buffalo New York has a lot to be proud of! - 12:48 PM

 
 
Buffalo New York has a lot to be proud of.   Buffalo Homecoming has once again showcased the best of Buffalo!   The four day celebration June 26-29 gave us the opportunity to share the great restaurants that the Greater Buffalo Region has to offer, showcase 20 of the most progressive CEO's.   There were 40 companies at the Career Fair with amazing job opportunties.
 

We celebrated the Arts and Cultural organizations in Delaware Park and saw the launch of the row boats in Hoyt Lake after years of them not being available.  
On Saturday we discovered all that … (13 comments)

If You Don't Have A Clue, Can You Please Get a Grip? - 02:13 AM
Warning...this post is going to seem harsh for some.
I've always been an observant person, maybe too much so. I'm obsessed with the details, direction and the nuances of real estate. Just last week a seller said to her husband while we were doing a walk-through of their home, "She doesn't miss a thing!".
If you're in the real estate business, it pays to look & listen. And I've been doing alot of both lately.....watching agents and listening to what they have to say.
I'm afraid that many, many of my associates really don't have a clue about what's going on … (94 comments)

Should Agents sleep with their Home Inspectors? - 12:24 PM
     Now that I have your attention----
     Seattle is a very friendly place, and there are lots of "touchy-feely" people here.  While this expression can have both positive and negative connotations----I will leave it up to you how you want to apply it here.  Hugging amongst friends is as common as with one's own family.  Hell, we even hug trees here.
     There are some agents that I feel "close" to after doing many inspections together, but is it appropriate to hug them in front of our buyer? 
     I, for one, like to maintain some "professional distance" in order … (76 comments)

Why Get an Outside Domain for your Outside Blog - 09:45 AM
As I announced yesterday, I recently launched my very own domain outside blog using the new features from Activerain. For those of you who are not familiar with what I am referring to, start by reading Brad Andersohn's post about Activerain Launching Outside Blogs.
One of the options is to have your own outside blog as a subdomain, but the other option is to purchase your own domain and direct your Activerain blog to that domain. If you are wondering how to do that, read How to Set Up Domain Name for Outside Blog.
A question that I keep seeing … (53 comments)

Are you ready to RUMBLE? - 12:34 PM
This post took a left turn somewhere between its first title and the videos...  The post this was going to be will be written, but this one is SO much more fun...
 

There is competition everywhere we turn in the RE World. Think about it for a minute.
Other agents FSBO promoters Listing aggregators Lead aggregators Even our own companies sometimes In the internet jungle, we have to fight for position in order to keep Google and the other search engines as friends.  But I'm going to let you in on a secret...
You can win and it isn't … (52 comments)


Blog posts


Localism or more appropriately Localizing content - 01:00 PM
The end game in real estate blogging is blogging about your local geographical area of expertise. 
Why blog about the real estate industry? Why blog about the latest real estate technology that was just announced?  How is it going to generate you business? 
It isn't going to generate you much unless you are a real estate coach, amazingly interesting, or a company selling real estate blog sites! Home buyers and sellers just don't care. Internet home buyers care most about three things: Listings, home values, & neighborhood information. 
Listing information can be found on thousands of agent, broker, and lead generator, … (41 comments)

Localism: From Beta and Beyond - 04:32 PM
(I wrote this article over a year ago when we launched Localism in its BETA form. With the pending launch of the New Localism, it's still very much applicable ~ Jonathan)
~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~   o   ~
The end game in real estate blogging is blogging about your local geographical area of expertise. 
Why blog about the real estate industry? Why blog about the latest real estate technology that was just announced?  How is it going to generate you business? 
It isn't going to generate you much unless you are a real estate coach, … (46 comments)

Full-Time VS. Part Time Real Estate Agent? What's The Definition to you? - 06:59 AM
Yesterday in our sales meeting we talked about the Makeover2Takeover contest.  My apprentice, Jeannette Neerpat puts approximately 20 hours a week in real estate.  Years ago that might be considered part-time but today, if you streamline your business you can infact work fewer hours and enjoy getaways and vacations.

 
Quality hours working with systems and tools to help you to be much more efficient..
That's what this contest has given Jeannette..a much easier way to manage her real estate career.
Electronic Contact Management E-Mail Autoresponders Websites and Blogs Paper Presentations and Electronic Presentations Voicemail Buyer Systems and Seller Systems … (27 comments)

It's Official My Parents Closed On Their House! Where Are Dad's Pants? - 02:46 PM
Today mom and dad called from Cullman Alabama, it now official, money wired and they have officially closed!  Hooray, this has been wearing heavy on everyone's mind in the family. 

While it was not the smoothest transaction in a REALTOR daughter eye's, my parents are happy and our now in the works of having a home built for them.
Mom did not call to tell that they officially closed, she wanted to know where her cannisters were and did I mark the box special?  
As we talked I retraced my steps...3rd truck...marked fragile and kitchen. 
As I sat and … (11 comments)

Think About Your MLS Descriptions - 12:32 PM
When a house is listed, one of the first things that needs to be done is to come up with a description of the house.  The description should be something that is going to make people say to themselves, "I must see this house!"  The description shouldn't be something where people says to themselves, "This says nothing useful."  Many listings are immediately eliminated because they don't provide the type of information the buyer is needing in order to make an informed decision to actually take the time to view the inside.
I was looking through the MLS today, and I ran … (47 comments)

Cell Phone Calls and The Annoyance We Pay For - 09:27 AM
As a real estate agent I don't prospect by calling.  I can't say never, because there are times when a client will tell me someone is thinking about selling and I will call them, but very rarely.  When I do I use common sense and don't call during the dinner hour, or after 9 pm local time.  On the rare occasion I call I do give them a brief description of what I'm calling about after I identify myself and my company and then I ask if it's a good time to talk. 
Unfortunately lately my cell phone won't stop ringing, and … (7 comments)

Sweeping the Beach - 09:29 AM
I love real estate, it's a passion for me and and all consuming love affair!  Lately however I've been consumed with endless tasks of self repetition such as buyers that negotiate a deal and then want to renegotiate over and over again, sellers that call you at 10 pm to say that they can't find their listing on some website out there that we don't belong to and problems with listings that come up.  One listing had a window broken, another the mailbox fell down, another the sprinkler system went out.  The list is endless and I'm finding myself in a … (1 comments)

Appraisal Issues - 09:37 AM
Six years in real estate and five with only one appraisal gone wrong.  That was an occurance where an out of town appraiser really didn't understand proximity to the university for value (even with a ton of comparables selling at higher prices per square foot right across the street).  This year has been a quagmire of appraisals coming in at lower than low values.  Values that make you want to take out your checkbook and say "if that's what it's selling for...I'm in!"  Anyone else finding these problems again and again?  I'm afraid that this has the potential to further erode our … (9 comments)

God Bless America! - 09:26 AM
It was indeed July 2 and not July 4 when the declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and so today I am able to say "Happy Birthday" to my new home.
Irving Berlin once said that, "a patriotic song is an emotion and you must not embarrass an audience with it, or they will hate your guts." This philosophy made him one of America's most outstanding writers of patriotic songs from World War I through World War II.
It is perhaps fitting that this greatest of all patriotic songs was written by the son of Jewish immigrants, who came … (9 comments)

The rambling views of an anti-American moron! - 01:55 PM

Isn't freedom of speech a wonderful thing? It allows us to express the most moronic sentiments for the world to see. But there is another freedom we have as well - freedom to cancel our subscriptions to a newspaper that allowed this garbage to be printed. Freedom never to buy that newspaper again if we don't happen to have a subscription to it.
We also have the freedom to call in to speak to the editor and freedom to let the other local media know exactly what we think.
I am talking about Chris Satullo- a Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist - … (28 comments)

Fort Myers Beach " OPEN HOUSE " WED July 2 , 2008 3 - 5 PM, Reduced $50k - 01:42 PM
OPEN HOUSE" Single family home  Wednesday  July 2, 2008 Reduced $50k
 
If you are looking for a great Fort Myers Beach home for under $400k this is it !   Very charming 2/2 just across the street from the Gulf.  Two under building parking spaces, nice lot with room for a pool, rear deck and nice views.
This association owns a private Gazebo on the Gulf and a small dockage on the bay for the use of owners.  Very nice neighborhood !
Priced at $319k this is one of the best values on the island !  Stop  by and say " … (0 comments)

Great News in Milwaukee! The Marquette Interchange is opening soon. - 10:29 AM

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=768208
The Biggest highway construction project in state history will finish under budget in August
Every last freeway lane and ramp in the Marquette Interchange will open for traffic on Aug. 30, roughly two months ahead of the schedule for a project that also will come in millions of dollars under budget, Gov. Jim Doyle said Tuesday.
I travel this route everyday, and I can say without a doubt this will really shorten my drive times, especially with the west bound route from the south side opening.
I know I'm not alone on being excited here, since there are usually … (0 comments)

my first and hopefully last Active Rain junk mail - 03:11 PM
MY DEARESTI am miss unice gukama, a young and romantic girl. I intouched your profile here in (activerain.com) and i will like us to click together for a long lasting relationship. please contact me directly at my email address... (unicegukama@yahoo.com) because i will love to send you my pictures and also tell you more about my self in my next mail. i eagerly wait for ur mailthanks for your acceptance,unice
 
i've heard of other folks getting these too, so at least I'm not alone.
 
Now don't be contacting my new lady. LOL.
… (6 comments)

Buffalo Homecoming - How to bring people back to a community - 12:44 PM
Buffalo Homecoming - How to bring people back to a community
 
Buffalo NY - No better place to call home!
Pride in Buffalo shined this past weekend.  Even though the weather didn't always cooperate, it was an amazing weekend!   Buffalo Homecoming 2008 showcased the best that Buffalo has to offer!   The four day celebration June 26-29 gave us the opportunity to share the great restaurants that the Greater Buffalo Region has to offer, and showcase 20 of the most progressive CEO's.   There were 40 companies at the Career Fair with amazing job opportunities.  We celebrated the Arts and … (0 comments)

LOCALISM FEATURED: Wow What a Weekend.... Buffalo New York has a lot to be proud of! - 12:48 PM

 
 
Buffalo New York has a lot to be proud of.   Buffalo Homecoming has once again showcased the best of Buffalo!   The four day celebration June 26-29 gave us the opportunity to share the great restaurants that the Greater Buffalo Region has to offer, showcase 20 of the most progressive CEO's.   There were 40 companies at the Career Fair with amazing job opportunties.
 

We celebrated the Arts and Cultural organizations in Delaware Park and saw the launch of the row boats in Hoyt Lake after years of them not being available.  
On Saturday we discovered all that … (13 comments)

Party Time!! TRAC Auctions Happy Hour - 11:08 AM
… (6 comments)

The Kluge Book Signing .....a bit of clumsiness! - 02:05 PM
This past Saturday, I went to a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Ellicott City. My friend's husband introduced his son Gary Marcus...well it was sort of an introduction, and a bit of kvelling, and maybe a bit of embarrassing praise for this very personable and very brilliant young man. Gary has a long list of accomplishments including graduating high school at 15 or, as Phil Marcus says, he dropped out of high school to go to college. He graduated from Hampshire College in Massachusetts and went on to get his Ph.D. at MIT. Now he's a professor of psychology at NYU. … (15 comments)

Poinciana Short Sale..... For Sale. - 04:16 PM
Folks, this could be the one! Over 1500 sq ft living area and good as new. Only.....$115,000!
Folks this is a great opportunity to own a 4 bedroom home in Poinciana for a reasonable price. The house is in very good condition. This is a short sale and will require minimum 60 days to close. Seller will contribute towards your closing cost if the price is right. Ceiling fans in all rooms. Tile flooring through out. *****Listing price may not be sufficient to cover all encumbrances, closing costs, or other seller charges and sale of Property at full listing price may be … (17 comments)

Anyone Looking To Retire To The Outer Banks & Run A Wonderful Business?? - 03:02 PM
If you have ever dreamed of retiring to the Outer Banks but still wanted something to do I have the perfect opportunity for you!!! I just listed a wonderful piece of property that consists of 2, attached but separate entrance, single family homes with a wonderful art gallery on the bottom of one of the units. That's right you don't even have to leave you home to go to work!! The Sally Huss Gallery has been a local and visitor favorite for over 15 years and now the owner is ready to pass on this amazing business to someone else. The … (2 comments)

Wichita Housing market remains stable - 01:04 PM
July, 2008:  Wichita ranks high on wealth building survey by Salary.com.
Wichita, KS just ranked #6 on a survey of 69 cities for building personal wealth and Quality of life.  The survey shows Cities which have the largest difference in pay and expenses plus quality of life.  Education, industry and colleges in the area were also considered in the ranking.
 
More good news for Wichita housing!
July 2, 2008: A new study by PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. ranked 381 Metropolitan areas in ability to hold their market value over the next 2 years.  The Metro Wichita, KS area ranked right … (0 comments)

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