Archives of real estate blog entries for January 25, 2009

Featured blog posts


Change the Channel To Google! - 09:44 AM
What Channel Are You ON? Do You Need One? You bet! Active Rain is changing like a New York minute, faster than a speeding bullet and faster than a fox with a hound on his heels.
I'm one that seems to always )*%%^&*( about any kind of change. It just doesn't settle well with me at first. I have to examine it, analyze it, toss it around, stew on it, simply consider it, disect it, put it back together, whine a bit, argue, attempt to control the issue of change and then I might feel comfortable with it.
Maybe.
It seems … (109 comments)

Signs The Real Estate Market is Not All Bad - 05:04 PM
There are signs the real estate market is not all bad.
The newspaper is not giving you that message. It almost appears the new media is determined influence the real estate market rather than report on it.
In the last few weeks I am seeing signs of things picking up in many of the communities I service. I am getting more showings on my listings and have several buyers who were waiting in the wings now actively looking for a new home.
Last week I submitted offers on two different condos for a buyer. In both cases we were in a multiple … (93 comments)

What Is This Growth Leader Program So Many Is Talking and Writing About? - 09:35 AM
When I post my Growth Leader weekly updates, I almost always get asked, "What is this Growth Leader program" I am takling about?
So, I'd like to introduce the Growth Leader product to you based after I have used it for almost a month now.
This Growth Leader program that I have discussed for weeks now is a product produced by Market Leader, formerly known as HouseValues. It is a lead generation effort via a website and pay-per-click.
How Is It Different From The Former HouseValues Leads?Very different. While I never purchased previous lead generation efforts of Housevalues, I have not … (43 comments)

ActiveRain Week in Review 1/18/09 -- 1/24/09 - 10:38 PM
If you hang around ActiveRain long enough, you will inevitably receive an email from Mr. Neal Bloom...asking if you would like to take a turn doing the Week in Review. Actually...Neal has a way of finding me when I've been away from the Rain too long and bringing me home. Thanks, Neal!!

If you have ever had the honor of doing a Week in Review, you know that it is incredibly difficult to decide which posts to include...as there are so many brilliant bloggers from which to choose. After many hours of reading hundreds of posts from this past week, I have … (62 comments)

Feng Shui actually worked! - 05:02 PM
My wife and I have had a listing on the mountain here at Schweitzer Mountain Resort since August. It is a great little 1 bedroom condo, wonderful views, priced right, clean and located very near the slopes...not quite ski-in/ski-out, but close. It should have been an easy sale.NOTHING. All the realtors on our mountain MLS tour agreed..."GREAT CONDO" they wrote on their evaluation cards..."PRICED RIGHT"...."NICE LISTING!" So what's up? I know the economy is trashed, the real estate market is down but, hey, this is Schweitzer Mountain Resort...This is Sandpoint, Idaho! This place rocks! My wife and I decided to switch … (59 comments)

Active Rain's New Outside Blogs -- Oh How Easy and Awesome They Are - 08:45 AM

I wanted to share my experience in setting up my new outside blog.  First, I want to say that as soon as I learned about the new outside blogs, I was very excited.  Having the right type of outside blog that has built in search engine optimization is very powerful.  Having Active Rain behind our outside blogs is even better.
I was thrilled when I saw Brad Andersohn's featured post on The 10 Easy Steps to Creating an Outside Blog.  This is a great how to.  Wouldn't it also be great if I could read!  I was so excited about getting this going that … (50 comments)

Crofton in Photos - The Crofton Village Green (LOCALISM FEATURED) - 05:04 PM
Located on Crofton Parkway in the heart of "Old" Crofton at the top of Crawford Boulevard, you'll see the Crofton Village Green as you enter this community.
In Crofton's early days it was the scene of the Spring and Fall Craft Fairs and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, but both events outgrew the Green as the community expanded far beyond the original triangle bounded by Routes 3, 424, and 450.
You can still catch a free summer concert at the Village Green, however, and residents frequent the many businesses ranging from Sly Horse Tavern to a variety of professional offices.
The … (28 comments)

When A Simple Thank YOU is Not Enough - 05:04 PM
Today, I received a special email from Lynda Eisenmann, Broker/Owner of Preferred Home Brokers located in Brea, CA and right here on Active Rain.
It was a call to action. One that I am so very grateful for. She didn't have to do it, but she did! Heck, she didn't have to even figure it out by clicking...but she did!
Some might have overlooked it. Some might have been too busy. Some might have never clicked to find out.
But Lynda did!  And I am ever so thankful! It may seem like a small thing but it wasn't.  It wasn't something … (62 comments)

REBarCampLA is Coming to Los Angeles in April 2009 - 05:03 PM
There have been discussions on Facebook and elsewhere about offering REBarCamp in the Los Angeles area.
It all started after REBlogWorld last summer and I suggested to Irina Netchaev and Ricardo Bueno (who were there, among many other AR friends) that we needed to get a group of folks together for an AR gathering in SoCal as we had done several times in the past couple of years.
JUST FOR FUN:
ActiveRainers on the Beach in Southern California
The California AR Crowd Celebrates in Long Beach
Things evolved from there and Ricardo got the ball rolling to host an REBarCamp somewhere … (20 comments)

Can I Use That Photo? - 06:35 AM
I recently commented on a blog by Mary Pope-Hardy Source of Images to Use on the Web? about using photos and graphics on Active Rain. Copyrights can be tricky and here's what I have learned through my own personal marketing. I hope this helps other Active Rainers. 
Goggle images have copyrighted images mixed in with images which may be OK to use. Personally, I have images that I use on the internet that do have full-fledged copyrights and I have seen these images appear on Google images. Could I be doing something wrong when posting? Maybe. There are probably a lot of … (56 comments)

A Newbie Contest - It's even better than American Idol !!! Come join in the fun... - 09:17 PM
 
Don't many of us love to be on stage?  To get that chance to be in front of others, to show our talents. Or in many cases, actually learn how to shine later in life, by getting a chance now and learning from others?  Well, Active Rain allows all of us to accomplish this one way or another. Sure, there have been some bloggers from day one when joining Active Rain, they were good at what they did within their blogs. For myself, I felt that it took about 6 months, to not only find my voice, but to feel … (52 comments)

When is a Gift Not a Gift but a Bribe? - 08:11 AM
When you're in the business long enough and think you have heard it all, there's always somebody around the corner to shatter that illusion. I am used to buyers sometimes asking me for commission kickbacks, but this one took the cake.
When I listed a short sale last month, I explained to the sellers how the commission works. The bank will need to approve it, and most likely the bank will reduce it. From the portion I receive, I give half of my fee to an associate who negotiates with the bank and handles the paperwork. So my receipt of funds … (118 comments)


Blog posts


What can the NAR do for you? This is your chance to tell them and know they'll hear it. - 02:25 PM
Next week I will be speaking to the NAR Strategic Planning Committee in Washington DC.  The committee consists of all of the NAR top brass and other influential leaders.  I am putting together my presentation this weekend and I want to reach out to our membership to see what types of things you would like addressed with our leadership.
Please think big. My sole focus in going to Washington DC is to speak on behalf of our members and I am not afraid to be bold.
To learn more about the NAR's current Strategic Plan click here: http://www.realtor.org/research/research/strategicplanning
… (114 comments)

I show up to work terrified, everyday. - 03:17 PM
I started my first real mini-business in 1994 when I was still in high school. It was called Paradigm Interactive Media (pimedia.com) and we were a web site development company. Since I didn't know anything about developing websites, my job was to go out and sell the websites to local business; jewelery shops, hair salons, restaurants, etc. 
Every time I entered one of those businesses looking for a sale, I was terrified.

Right after high school, my family went through some financial setbacks and I wanted to do what I could to help, so I got my real estate license … (44 comments)

When Your Customer Asks-May I Speak To Midori-AKA-THE MANAGER? Communication Breakdown! - 12:55 PM
This post was written in 2007 and today while rereading it..I thought it was worth repeating for a couple of reasons. Its nothing new but packed with info and truth... you take a risk when your customer feels they must talk to the manager...somewhere...somehow communication broke down and there is usually and underlying issue of why a customer becomes upset.
Take these thoughts and compare them to your current listings.because that is what I do prior to talking with the customer...and I do...dissect that listing and all the documents before I pick up the phone....I can tell you in most instances...these … (7 comments)

Highland Park Photo Survey 2008 - 10:13 AM
Last month, walterrrrr proposed a photo survey of Highland Park during the last week of 2008.  That was during the really intense period of my relationship with MU, and consequently, I didn't attend any of the meetups.
I did however manage to cruise around the neighborhood and shoot a few snaps for a little while on Christmas Day (it was raining). 
And I finally today uploaded them to the Highland Park Survey 2008 Flickr Group.
Better late than never.  :-)

… (0 comments)

Dover NH Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:35 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 288 homes sold in Dover.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages in the … (0 comments)

Barrington NH Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:40 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 111 homes sold in Barrington.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages in the … (0 comments)

Rochester NH Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:43 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 319 homes sold in Rochester.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages in the … (0 comments)

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:48 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 264 homes sold in Portsmouth.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages in the … (0 comments)

Hampton NH Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:56 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 270 homes sold in the Hampton area.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages … (0 comments)

Kittery ME Real Estate Market-Year End 2008 Market Update - 08:59 AM
Although the real estate market was tough in 2008 as you will see below, 105 homes sold in the Kittery area.  People still have to move and homes still do sell regardless of the market.  With that said, here is A Little Perspective on the Real Estate Market:
•  More than 1000 banks closed in 1930 (three years before the FDIC was created) BUT Only 14 banks have been taken over in 2008,
•  There are 76 million households in the US that own their home--24 million of these homes are owned free and clear,
•  There are 52 million homes with mortgages … (1 comments)

What makes up my payment? - 08:59 AM
If you're already a homeowner, chances are you're familiar with the components of your monthly payment to your lender. If you have yet to make the leap into homeownership, you may not understand what this monthly payment includes.
Breaking down PITI
There are generally four components that go into the computation of your monthly payment: principal, interest, taxes, and insurance; collectively referred to as PITI.
Principal
Principal is the amount you originally borrow. Payments in the first years of the majority of loans go mostly toward the interest - only a small amount per month actually goes to pay down the … (0 comments)

Braden Castle in Bradenton Florida - 06:04 PM
I just updated my blog post on ReynoldsRealty.com with a new video of Braden Castle in Bradenton Florida. Be sure to go and check it out and let me know what you think of it.
If you are looking to find homes in the area be sure to check out www.ManateeHomeSearch.com and get listings emailed right to you without even talking to me so you can get your listings at 3 AM if you wish.
… (0 comments)

Winthrop in Riverview Florida - 06:08 PM
I just updated my blog post on ReynoldsRealty.com with a new video of Winthrop in Riverview Florida. Be sure to go and check it out and let me know what you think of it.
If you are looking to find homes in the area be sure to check out www.ManateeHomeSearch.com and get listings emailed right to you without even talking to me so you can get your listings at 3 AM if you wish.
… (1 comments)

Art, Friendships, Blogging....These Are a Few Of My Favorite Things - 01:28 PM
 
It has taken me two years to give my friend a gift, but finally Tatiana has joined Active Rain. And now our community has gained another talented artist. When you look at her work along with mARTi's, you'll see why I saw a connection between them and wanted this very talented and accomplished marketer to join.
A couple a years ago, I was drawn to mARTi's work, especially his violin. Besides being a talented ceramic artist, Tatiana is also a musician. She played the cello for many years and held chamber music concerts in her historic church/gallery/studio in Maryland. When … (6 comments)

Tough Times for Sellers AND Listing Agents - 04:25 PM
SOMETIMES, IT'S TOUGH BEING A LISTING AGENT!
   Last week, I had the unpleasant task of discussing price reductions with a few of my sellers.  These are sellers that I have long term relationships with - you know, the kind you send family Christmas cards to, the kind who know you have a son at UVM and another who plays basketball at Stowe High School.  They listed their homes with me and listened to me about the market and pricing.  Their properties are always in top notch condition and are really priced right.  But, now, everything has changed and I had to really … (1 comments)

Active Rain's New Outside Blogs -- Oh How Easy and Awesome They Are - 08:45 AM

I wanted to share my experience in setting up my new outside blog.  First, I want to say that as soon as I learned about the new outside blogs, I was very excited.  Having the right type of outside blog that has built in search engine optimization is very powerful.  Having Active Rain behind our outside blogs is even better.
I was thrilled when I saw Brad Andersohn's featured post on The 10 Easy Steps to Creating an Outside Blog.  This is a great how to.  Wouldn't it also be great if I could read!  I was so excited about getting this going that … (50 comments)

3772 Powder Horn at Buckingham Forest, Furlong PA. - 01:45 PM
… (1 comments)

New Listing - 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath Pool Home - Priced for Quick Sale - 03:54 PM
… (0 comments)

Minnesota Winter Photography - 10:35 AM
Last night I discovered that at 2 degrees Fahrenheit my camera battery is good for 29 minutes and will take 30 photos before it dies. With the -20 windchill I lasted forty minutes.  My Friends did much better than I.  The picture is blurry because I was shivering and couldn't hold the camera steady.


This one was taken at a temperature of -20. I did not stay out long enough to see how long my camera battery would last at that temperature. The way to do it is to have two batteries. When the first dies it can be … (11 comments)

New York Harbor - Views from Battery Park City - 09:14 AM
New York Harbor is the bodies of water, rivers, bays, ports and islands around New York City at the mouth of the Hudson river. The first recorded European in the harbor was Henry Hudson in 1609. He was greeted by the native Lenepe Algonquins when his ship entered the harbor. He discovered Manhattan island and sailed up the river named after him.
Battery Park City is a 92 acre planned comunity at the southwestern tip of lower Manhattan. The land it is located on was created from the Hudson river using dirt and rocks excavated during construction of the World Trade … (5 comments)

Related links

New Members for 2009-01-25

 Archives:

31 Jan
30 Jan
29 Jan
28 Jan
27 Jan
26 Jan
25 Jan
24 Jan
23 Jan
22 Jan
21 Jan
20 Jan
19 Jan
18 Jan
17 Jan
16 Jan
15 Jan
14 Jan
13 Jan
12 Jan
11 Jan
10 Jan
9 Jan
8 Jan
7 Jan
6 Jan
5 Jan
4 Jan
3 Jan
2 Jan
1 Jan
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006