Archives of real estate blog entries for July 29, 2008

Featured blog posts


Revamped Google Keyword Search Tool. I Love It. - 10:12 PM
Google recently revamped their keyword search tool and it is so much better than it used to be.  I used to love using the Overture keyword tool but they've discontinued it.  The Google Keyword tool used to just give graphs showing relative search volumes.  Now it gives specific numbers.
Some big Internet marketing gurus seem to think it's a big deal from what they've posted on some of their forums and blogs.
Play around with it and learn the details.  It will be well worth your time.  One big thing that I noticed is that it now shows plurals along with singulars. 
(42 comments)

Do You Tell People What YOU THINK That They Want to Hear? - 05:06 PM
Salespeople in every industry usually work on a commission basis.  Some may have a small salary or a draw against commission, but ultimately, a salesperson's compensation usually has a direct correlation to closed transactions.  Because of this, salespeople sometimes will tell people what they think that they want to hear rather than telling them the truth.  This is pervasive in the world of sales, and not limited to any particular industry.
 
In a recent post entitled, The Lost Art of Listening, I spoke of my experience in dealing with salespeople trying to get me to purchase a timeshare.  The post … (51 comments)

An ActiveRain Referral That Made EVERYONE Happy! - 12:41 PM
Jim and Ellen Crawford, of RE/MAX Greater Atlanta, contacted me a few months ago about a prospective listing in Bowie, Maryland.  We kept in touch, as weeks went by, since the seller wasn't quite ready to make the commitment to sell her home of 40 years.
Finally, the "okay" came, and I contacted the seller and her daughter, a friend of Jim and Ellen's who was helping her mother prepare for relocation to North Carolina.  My husband and I went by a few days before the scheduled listing appointment so I could take some exterior photos and we were pleasantly surprised … (52 comments)

What To Expect With An REO Purchase - 03:47 AM
Hello REO World:
After spending 8 months in the REO Division of buyers and sellers, gaining new clients and losing a few, I felt it was time to address this unsettled REO Market and how we can be successful with our clients.
It has dawned on me, that purchasing a home in today's market is much different with a whole new set of rules for success.  The REO's listed today can be in an variaty of shapes sizes and conditons.  We need to keep in mind that most lenders require homes to be lieveable i.e. must have stoves, and sinks with proper plumbing.  I am … (13 comments)

Tuesday Truths.......How $34 and 7 pounds changed my Real Estate Career - 09:57 PM
We've all had times in our lives where things weren't the best.  Some people have relationship problems, some have financial, work, children, or health problems.....we all have had problems, no one  is exempt.  But what happens when we lose control, and allow our "issues" to overcome us? 

 
 
 Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
~John Quincy Adams~ 
 
 
 
 
Let me go back a little for those of you that don't know me.  I was doing very well in my business until the end of 2006.  Last year was … (109 comments)

ActiveRain Voices - Members Speak Out - 02:19 AM
When I returned home from Inman's Real Estate Connect in San Francisco last week, I searched through my notes, videos, photos and handouts looking for something to post about that might be unique. There were so many things that I learned this year, some really great topics and technologies, wonderful panels with experienced speakers, it was fantastic. I was a bit challenged on what to post and share today.

Looking back, the one thing I came away with more than anything else this year, was the impact of the people and all the friendships I have made. Socializing, Networking and … (124 comments)

What in the heck does CC have to do with real estate? - 09:39 PM
I think we could all learn a lot from cross country runners. 
My daughter is a high school cross country runner.  I have got to say that I don't understand her fascination with this sport.  We live in Arizona, so she runs in 101 degree temperatures with many kids passing out from heat stroke & dehydration.  Unless you are one of the first to cross the finish line, if you cross the finish line, you collapse in an "end zone" littered with puking exhausted sweaty bodies. 
Before we moved to Arizona, we lived in Ohio where Cross Country is HUGE!  … (15 comments)

The ActiveRain Community Guidelines = Respectful Blogging - 03:58 AM
Remember when you first started blogging? Maybe ActiveRain was the first network you were invited to and you had no clue what was going on.
That was me.
I learned the hard way through my length of time here on ActiveRain. I got 'reprimanded' and I didn't understand that sometimes people meant well and it was MY PERCEPTION on what they were telling me through the written word that got confused.
~~~
My own perception and thinking. What a concept!
Bottom line, I did not read the ACTIVERAIN COMMUNITY GUIDELINES before I even started. I learned by trial and error and reading … (134 comments)

10 Easy Steps to Get Your Home SOLD in Ann Arbor (LOCALISM FEATURED) - 03:58 AM
Everyone wants to know what they need to do to get their home sold in Ann Arbor in a buyers market. Homes that are selling have done the 10 steps listed below. You have a part and the Realtor has a part. Together you can make it happen.
10 Easy Steps to Sell Your Home in Ann Arbor
1) Hire a technology Realtor
2) Curb Appeal
Make sure the first impression is a good one. Paint the front door, trim the hedges, plant some flowers. Simple really.
3) Hire the Realtor that tells you the truth
4) Price it right from … (57 comments)

Back To School in Wake Forest, NC - All The Resources You Need (LOCALISM FEATURED) - 04:05 AM
 
Here it is!  Are you ready for it?  Time to gear up, "feed" those brains, buy the new sneakers and get those bedtime routines polished up -
IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL!
Don't panic!  Here are all the resources that you need to make this transition from summer to school-time much easier!
Whether you live in Wake Forest, Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Knightdale, or Rolesville you child's school will fall under
Wake County Public Schools System           3600 Wake Forest Road Raleigh, NC 919-850-1600
Their website will provide you with a wealth of information in getting ready for the big day!  Here are some additional … (26 comments)

"Going Loco Over Localism!" - 01:52 PM
Let me begin by saying that this is undoubtedly the LONGEST blog post I have ever written! I apologize in advance, But the subject matter is crucial to gain a better understanding of where we're going...
~    o    ~    o     ~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~    o    ~
It's been interesting, to say the least, to observe the response and resultant discussions across the Network regarding the recent private BETA launch of the new Localism.
Member comments have covered the full spectrum from thrilled elation to threats of mutiny. We're either the best thing since sliced bread or … (151 comments)

No, no, no ----- Don't let your seller do this! - 03:54 AM
Home Sellers mistake in Colorado Springs -- Buyer's gain
I showed 6 homes yesterday to my buyer who is in the military and looking at buying his first house in Fountain which is south of Colorado Springs.  Very exciting times for him!  Nothing better than first time home buyers, as they are so excited.
We pulled up to the last home in Fountain and the seller was still at the house.  No problem I thought, we'll just look through the house anyway.   The seller had 3 young girls, so it probably wasn't that easy for her to leave.  While I was … (88 comments)

The New Localism – Why I’m not thrilled … - 06:13 PM
There are plenty of issues surrounding the “New Localism” which are cause for serious concern. Until just the other day, I stayed out of the fray, but I was quite annoyed at the AR bias against featuring any of the plethora of posts on the main feature blog roll that were negative. All they have been doing is posting the “rah, rah” stuff even if its tripe while long time members were left to lick their wounds. This is a prime example of the simple truth that “nothing is ever truly free.” I had asked several times why AR wasn’t monetized … (165 comments)

ActiveRain Localism - Get on Board the Moneytrain! - 09:37 PM
7-29 AR localism I only learned about this blogging stuff last year at Inman Connect where I was introduced to ActiveRain. I checked it out, did a couple posts about some BS or another, and kind of forgot about it in the heat of everything else I was doing. Hey, even when you've got no business you can still be plenty busy. During the holiday season last year, I determined it was a good time to work on my social networking skills starting with Facebook and MySpace and re-discovered this ActiveRain link. I finally got started for real about February or … (34 comments)

Does Activerain have a glitch? Or did I unlock some Mystical Power? - 12:29 PM
The other night I was leaving a comment on Jason Crouch's epic saga, How to get over 100 comments on your blog posts-a retrospective. While leaving my ccomment, I going to add an ! to the end of the sentence. The problem was, my finger was not on the shift key, but on the ctrl button underneath.
What happened?!? All of a sudden, the text size changed! So I then began playing with it to find out the potential behind my new discovery. This is what will text will look like if you hold down the CTRL and click on … (159 comments)

Do You Co-Brand With Zillow? - 12:07 AM
In my opinion, Zillow.com is not the most accurate site for determining the value a property, but because it's a site that Buyers often consult when researching a particular home, I have respect for the information it does provide and make sure all of my listings are posted for sale within days from being listed.
Recently, I received the below email advertisement from Zillow.com, promoting the fact that I can co-brand with them for free. By simply linking to their site, they state that anytime a visitor views, they will see my information at the top of the page.
Since I am a believer that not much in life … (55 comments)


Blog posts


Matthew McConaughey's little brother is in the house - 06:32 PM
One of our developers Jorgen Hahn (aka Matthew McConaughey's little bro, aka the guy who fixed spellcheck) and the developer who did and will be doing most of the work on "New Localism" is now up visiting the ActiveRain offices.  The resemblance to Mr. McConaughey isn't quite a striking now that he's got a little scruff on his face, but it was sure working as a good line when we were out in Vegas a month ago.
Seattle may prove to be information overload to him compared to his home state on Kansas. But don't worry, we've got him chained to … (19 comments)

Unfortunate outages (no, not ActiveRain) - 11:53 PM
I was just reading Todd Clark's post Forced withdrawals from ActiveRain suck! - R.I.P. Henry (Members Only) and it reminded me of something that happened Sunday night that is fairly amusing in retrospect.  I'm sure me real-time Twitter posts on it were fairly amusing especially since it was me typing into a vacuum as everyone was asleep.
Anyways Sunday night we were scheduled to put up a bunch of new code for ActiveRain onto our servers to add some enhancements and fix a slough of bugs.  This release was scheduled to begin at 12:00 (PST) and last about an hour, hopefully … (13 comments)

Happy Birthday Marti Garaughty! - 08:37 PM
 

 
Today I had to get on the rain.  I got permission..special permission for a very special person on the rain. 
See I waited until 9 pm and checked to see if someone knew a little secret..I could not let this day go by without him knowing just how much he means to so many.
Thanks Plaxo for the notification... It's Marti Garaughty's Birthday !
 
I dedicate this song to Marti-I love the lyrics and I have to admit...Marti makes my heart go pitter-patter in a virtual way. 
Happy Birthday Marti!
(23 comments)

NRBA working with a Franchise????? - 01:22 PM
That's right Michael Krein, a well-known national expert on REO sales, has been named Sellstate's executive director of franchising. Krein serves as the founder and president of the National REO Brokers Association and owner/broker of Nevada Real Estate Services.
I recently took a postition as the REO director for Sellstate Estates in Mission Viejo, CA. Our REO biz and my team is a well tuned machine. I told you guys here on the rain about a month ago I had some good news coming and here it is!!
What does this mean??? This means that for many years the NRBA has … (7 comments)

AMHERST YOGA ~ JUST BREATHE AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE - 09:09 PM
 In this hectic word in which we live Amherst Yoga is the place to stop, relax and renew.  Meet the owner of Amherst Yoga, Ginny Jackson and her excellent teaching staff...and get ready for a life-changing experience!  BREATHE -- This is the first word you will see when you enter the Amherst Yoga studio.   Breath or Pranayama is composed of two Sanskrit words, "Prāna", life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "āyāma", to lengthen or extend. BREATHE .....We often start the morning with a hectic routine - walk the dog, feed the kids, drop the kids off to school or day … (18 comments)

Are Real Estate Marketing Niches Too Restrictive? - 10:27 PM
I talk to a lot of agents about identifying a niche market to go after.  Those discussions end in different ways.  Some agents immediately see the value of a niche, others really feel that narrowing their marketing focus will be detrimental.
There are a couple things I try to communicate about defining a niche:
1.  Defining a niche doesn't mean that you eliminate all other prospects.  If you specialize in working with people who are relocating, that doesn't mean that you won't work with local buyers or sellers.  It just means that you don't market to the local folks.
2.  Most … (15 comments)

Conservatives discover that sticking to your principles gets results - 03:47 PM
In an era when the Democrats have become Marxists and socialists and the Republicans have become - well Democrats actually - it is interesting to note what has been taking place in the UK.
For years now, the Tory party (also known as the Conservative Party) has been swinging more and more to the left. And losing more and more elections. I guess the people decided that if they wanted a left wing Government they should vote for the real thing.
Well the Tories over the years have had their own environmental czar, they have proposed their own quality of life policy … (9 comments)

Absorption Rate for Naples Homes - 07:52 AM
The absorption rate for Naples homes reflects an improving market for the 4 specific time frames - 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 twelve months ending June 30, 2008 for active listings as of July 1, 2008. The 3 month time frame reflects an inventory of 22 months significantly down from the 44 months ... continue reading.

Click here to learn about Naples real estate.
(0 comments)

Naples Condos Absorption Rate - 07:57 AM
The number of months of inventory for Naples condominiums for sale has been significantly reduced since February 2008. Using the four time frames of 12, 9, 6 and 3 month moving averages. The 12 month moving average in February was calculated to be 37 months of Naples condos for sale. As of the end of ... continue reading.

Click here to learn about Pelican Marsh in Naples Florida.
(0 comments)

Naples Home Market Update - June and 2nd Quarter 2008 - 08:15 AM
June Analysis:
Listings: During the month of June 696 Naples homes were listed for sale. For the same month in 2007, 779 homes were listed for sale; this represents a decrease of 10.6 percent. The decrease from 2006 was 15.7 percent from the 826 new listings. In May 2008 there were a total of 771 homes listed ... Read more analysis of June and the second quarter of 2008.
Click here to learn about Pelican Bay real estate. … (0 comments)

Naples Condo Market Update - June and 2nd Quarter 2008 - 08:25 AM
June Analysis:
Listings:
During the month of June 490 Naples condos were listed for sale. For the same month in 2007, 654 condos were listed for sale; this represents a decrease of 25.1 percent. The decrease from 2006 was 38.4 percent from the 795 new listings. In May 2008 there were a total of 556 condos listed ... Read more about the June and second quarter analysis for the Naples condominium market.
Click here to learn about Pelican Marsh in Naples Florida.
(0 comments)

Hammock Creek - Palm City's Golf Community - Homes For Sale - 11:09 AM
Hammock Creek is one of Palm City's most popular golf course communities.  Located just off the exit from I-95.  This community around 800 residences has been one of the areas top golf communities for years.
For more information about Hammock Creek - or to receive our market report for the area -
Contact:
David AbernathyWaterfront Properties & Club Communities 561-628-0128 
 
(0 comments)

Los Angeles River: Mission Accomplished - 02:15 PM
Mission Accomplished!   The George Wolfe Expedition successfully navigated the Los Angeles River from its beginning to its end.
Here are the official LAist Photos of the Los Angeles River Expedition
In depth coverage from LAist

 
(5 comments)

What does a Buffalo home seller get with National Internet Exposure? - 08:39 AM
What does a Buffalo home seller get with National Internet Exposure? This topic has been swirling around in my head for some time now, ever since I read this post by Eric Blackwell over at Bloodhound Blog.  The folks over at Bloodhound have a way of stirring the pot and start people thinking.  In his article, Eric pointed out why National Home Search Sites suck and he so simply stated the issues many home sellers don't realize may be impeding their ability to sell their homes.   How many of you have had a presentation by a Realtor about how much exposure you will get … (2 comments)

Things to do to get your home ready to sell.... - 01:15 PM


 
There are many things that you need to do to prepare for the sale of your Western New York home. Things are changing in the WNY Real Estate market and there are several things that you should know.
Here area few things you need to understand before selling your home:
Understanding the current market, competitive homes currently on the market, what has sold in the last 30, 60 and 90 days and the absorption rate of properties in your neighborhood. Why it is important to work with an experienced Real Estate Professional and what it is that they do … (2 comments)

Why you should be preapproved for your mortgage - 10:24 PM
Mortgage Pre-approval Advantages
Knowledge - You will know exactly how much you can afford before you start home shopping.Competitive advantage - Sellers and real estate agents will consider you a serious buyer.Speeds time to closing - Since you are preapproved you can move into your dream home much faster!
Know Exactly How Much You Can Spend!
You might have an idea of the loan payment and mortgage you can afford in Western New York. Lending requirements are changing rapidly in today's market so the bank might not agree with your thinking. Do you really want to find the absolutely perfect home … (2 comments)

Get out and explore... Who knows you might just find the next great article to write! - 10:30 PM
Let's go on a little Internet Tour ActiveRain...   This means the links below will take you outside of ActiveRain.   It is ok, I promise you can return when done.   And when you do, you might just be inspired to write some really incredible articles...   And guess what, you might just see a few familiar faces in this tour!
Use the links in these articles to travel through the internet and explore other writers!   Inspired by an article that you discover, then link to it in the comments!   Share it here!
 
Buyer & Seller Articles
•·         Scottsdale Real Estate: Why My … (7 comments)

38 Largo Road, Warwick Rhode Island Home for Sale - 09:33 AM
 Are you looking for a great deal on a foreclosure in Warwick, Rhode Island.
This home is in the Greenwood section of Warwick, just off Strawberry Field Road, near the airport. There is a fairly large fenced backyard with a shed and nice swingset. Easy to maintain home in a quiet neighborhood.
Particulars.
Bank owned, selling As Is. Need to be prequalified or Proof of funds to submit an offer Two beds, one bath, Living Room, breezeway, garage Partially finished basement 1,088sf Yard is 7000sf large deck in rear Needs some work. Kitchen cupboards need to be replaced. Some minor rot … (3 comments)

285 Lakeshore Drive, Warwick, Rhode Island Home for Sale - 09:45 AM

You will not find a home for much less in the Lakeshore Drive area. This is an older Beach cottage which needs your vision and decorative touch!
There is a view of the Lake from the front windows which could be improved by adding some larger windows, a deck on top. Be creative! A fairly good sized fenced in yard and a full basement make this home a good investment while prices are still low!
Particulars:
Bank owned, foreclosed and will be sold As Is Prequalification letter or Proof of funds must be submitted with All offers Assessed by City … (5 comments)

55 Wollaston Street, Cranston, Rhode Island Multifamily Home for Sale - 10:00 AM
Are you looking for a Multi family for an investment? This home is in a wonderfully quiet neighborhood, with highway access. There is a nice garage and a small fenced in rear yard. A front porch is an added bonus!
Particulars:
Bank owned foreclosure will be sold As Is All offers must be submitted with Prequalification letter or Proof of funds First floor consists of one bedroom, bath, double parlor, kitchen, rear deck and porch Second floor consists of two beds, parlor, bath, kitchen Small fenced in yard in rear Two car detached garage (left side has been converted into a … (2 comments)

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