Archives of real estate blog entries for October 11, 2009

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This Activerain Realtor, is busy while everyone else in town is mystified. - 12:49 PM
 
     Mystified   Mystified  Mystified Mystified ....?
 
 
They don't get it, How can you be busy?  What are you doing differently than the rest of us?
 
I blog about real estate and my areas of expertise!!
 
 Every inquiry I get about buying or selling has seen my name somewhere, they say we were looking on line for help and you always come up...as the White Mountain expert.
 
My outside blog here on , let me choose the domain name that fit my niche perfectly.
www.steveswhitemountainblog.com
 
 
my localism blog…. www.localism.com/nh/lincoln  Is registered for the … (182 comments)

There Are Angels Among Us at Activerain - 07:37 PM
Last week I had the emotional roller coaster ride of my life and this Activerain community provided the high point. 
Monday morning I was notified that my bank refused to rewrite documents for a commercial loan that mistakenly included my home as part of the collateral.  If I didn't sell enough lots over the next 12 months in the subdivision I'm developing, I could lose not only my entire investment, but my house as well.  The bank wanted the paperwork signed within 24 hours, after months of no response to offers we'd made of alternative collateral.  
My own attorney also represents the title company that made the mistake, so … (53 comments)

My Top 10 marketing tips - 07:26 PM
My Top 10 marketing tips.
Market yourself, in good times and bad, but especially in bad times. This means that you have to properly capitalize your company because some of the worst times that a company will go through are those first few days, weeks, months, and possibly years in business. If you want to be in it for the long term, you have to be able to survive the short term. Do whatever works, as long as it is legal and meets your own moral and ethical standards. Some people don't want to be pushy like a used car salesman, … (66 comments)

500 and Still Swinging... - 02:33 PM
The saying that time flies when you're having fun definitely applies to blogging on ActiveRain.  500 Blog Posts have been a journey for me that started back in 2006.  Like a lot of journeys, this one has had more than it's share of pit stops and layovers.I think back to my first introduction to ActiveRain when I read a short blurb about the new phenomena of blogging for real estate agents in my daily update of industry news from Inman News, where I proceeded to this new website offering free blogs to those in the real estate industry.  So I signed … (59 comments)

Exclude realtors from posting on a real estate network. Huh? - 01:08 PM
On TRULIA a real estate related network where people post questions about buying, selling, market conditions, etc. , there was a recent question that had me shaking my head in disbelief.
What is the best way to wall off the so-called "pros" from discussions? This poster said that he "got tired of the endless self-serving promotion by realtors of themselves and the real estate market. It is quite a turnoff and just ends up dumbing down the entire discussion to a sort of infomercial level."
And he asks:
Is there any way to have a section here where realtors and brokers … (72 comments)

Shhh ... Don't Tell My Competitors ... How to Have a GREAT January! - 12:40 PM
I am torn -- to write this post or NOT write this post.
I want to write it to help other Rainers.
I am scared to death my competitors will read it.
But I'm posting it anyway ... besides, unless your name is Jonathan, if you're one of the 300+ agents in "my turf", you're not reading this post because you are NOT on Active Rain. Your loss. Jonathan and I are doing just fine here in the Rain, right Coles?
When I first started in real estate, in 2000, I started my career in January 2000. I started off with … (140 comments)

The "X" Chromosome: Why I love women so much....... - 10:26 AM
Just had to write a blog about this subject because it's very worthy of it.
As a male who has been on the planet for more than 40 years, I can truly say that women are such a blessing.  I really think that if women were not around all of us males would not be around because we would have killed ourselves by now by letting our testosterone get out of control and blowing ourselves up!! 
And I really thank God that women have come into society into whatever they choose to be, as males have had that right much longer … (209 comments)

How are you reaching out for more business? - 12:40 PM

On Friday, I decided that even though I have over 2000 blog posts all working for me on Google, that there had to be a way to do more. How can I make Google love my blogs even more and also build business?

So, after 2000 posts without any help from anyone else, I reached out to a couple mortgage professionals and I will be reaching out to a few more here in the next couple days. I've asked them to be contributors to my outside blogs. Not with technical stuff, but just stuff about the community that I … (64 comments)

What Does a "For Sale By Owner" Want? - 02:36 AM
Many of my colleagues believe that a for sale by owner (FSBO) wants to eat their young, draw and quarter real estate agents, and own a broom with a glove compartment. My experience is that few do. FSBOs are not a different species. 
Consider this: Home Depot sold tens of thousands of drills in recent years to people who didn't want drills. 
They wanted holes. 
FBSO's may not want an agent, but nobody with their home listed on the MLS wants an agent either. You read that right: No home seller wants an agent. They have no use for them. 
They … (101 comments)

Never, Never, Never Give Up on Buying a Home - 02:29 AM
Hey, Buyers, Pull up a chair and let's have a heart-to-heart chat for just a couple of minutes.
Face it. Sometimes buying a house is hard. Especially if you're out there on your own.
But that's why your professional Realtor -- your buyer's agent -- is here. If you listen to your Realtor, you can get into a new home with the least amount of hassle possible at the best price possible.
All you need to do is follow a few simple rules and you'll be getting those house keys before you know it.
1.) Choose Your Realtor -- As a … (32 comments)

Real Estate Negotiating 101 - You Can't Manufacture Leverage - 10:42 PM
I had to spend a bit of time thinking about the subtitle of this post.  I think this captures the essence of what I am about to cover here.  These are by no means compreshensive lists, but I think they provide a good start.  :)
Let me start by giving a few quick tips for listing agents: If you have had a listing on the market for 6+ months, and you don't truly have an offer in your hand, don't try to convince me that you do.  Don't act shocked by my offer, or use phrases like "I had to use … (73 comments)

How Many of our ActiveRainers Will Develop Breast Cancer? - 12:18 AM
I am torn.  On one hand, I don't want to scare the heck out of everybody with this post...  And on the other hand, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I want to remind everyone just how insidious this awful disease is and how much it plagues our beloved wives, sisters, friends, and daughters.  We really need to stay on top of it.
Because... See the picture of my wife to the right of this post?  She's gone because we were not educated about the real dangers of cysts and lumps and so forth.  We did not stay on top … (45 comments)

My 14th Anniversary Surprise from ActiveBrad - 07:13 PM

Hi everyone, this is Debra Andersohn, Brad's wife.  I wanted to sneak into his Blog to write this while he's away.  A few weeks ago, Brad told me that he had a surprise for me for our anniversary and asked me to take off three days from work.  I was planning on surprising him, but I was happy to just go with it.  We left early Tuesday morning and headed for what I thought was Monterey which is our spot where we usually go.  Little did I know what an amazing and creative imagination my husband really has.
As we … (141 comments)

Are You a Real Estate Veteran with a Short Memory? - 11:09 PM
"Think before you speak!"  - Steve Shatsky's Mother, (throughout his childhood)
"I said it... and it felt good!"   - Steve Shatsky, October 11, 2009
I have heard it said many time that we will always remember the agents who treat us badly as colleagues, and I have to say, that while I also remember the ones I love to work with, the ones who I have had bad experiences with stick with me.  One such experience was with an agent I will call "Lucy".
As a real estate rookie, I had the misfortune to deal with veteran agent Lucy on one … (61 comments)

I Said No Twice this Month! - 07:32 PM
No!
It's a difficult word for a real estate professional to say.  We want to help.  We want to get the listing.  We want to serve and sell.
But sometimes Mr. and Ms. America just ask for the wrong things, or they ask too much of us.  That is when we have to stand up and say "No!"  I had two opportunities this month where I had to decide whether to serve or say No, and actually turned the prospects down.
In the first case, a fella contacted me because he was flying in for a job interview.  He had a day … (108 comments)

Comments - My 2¢'s Worth... - 07:05 AM
Comments - My 2¢'s Worth...  By now, most of you have seen the new changes in the ActiveRain blog roll. Gone are the date stamps that accompanied these posts and probably more importantly are the number of comments that each posting received. Lately, I have been reading several member's comments about comments. One member wrote, "I do not comment on featured posts. They will get several comments anyway. Why bother?" Another wrote, "I get so disappointed. I rarely get comments." It is important to get recognition and comments on our efforts. When people do not get feedback and recognition, many get … (121 comments)

Does Your Facebook Fan Page Have a Vanity URL? It Should! - 12:38 AM
A few months ago, Facebook announced that it would allow vanity URLs for any fan page with more than 1000 fans.  Then, it lowered it to 100.  Now, I believe it allows you to create a vanity URL if you have at least 25 fans.
So, if you haven't grabbed your vanity URL, why haven't you?  Go to www.facebook.com/username and go get it.
Why would you want a Facebook vanity URL?  There are 300 million active users on Facebook.  50% of active users log on to Facebook, daily.  The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is people over 35. 
And, how much … (65 comments)

Activerain Week In Review: 10/4/2009-10-11-2009 - 12:48 PM
One of the fun things about doing the week in review is that writing it forces you to read beyond your normal subscription list and you get to meet new bloggers.  And this weeks picks include some old and new friends1.    Before I get too serious, there is credit due to Susan Brown, whose post, Reciprocity Tag  talent here on Active Rain.  And I think if we all followed her method for a day or two a week, we’d be surprised at how many new blog buddies we’d find.  I used it to find some of the blog posts that I've … (38 comments)


Blog posts


"You take Sunday's off and your in Real Estate??" - 12:38 PM
I just got off the phone with a buyer's agent who wanted to know the exact amount of a mello roos tax on one of my listings. Now if you know me then you know I don't have just one listing and I don't sell in one city so I don't have all the aspects of my properties in my head. I told her I have all that info in my office and will me there on Monday. She was apauled that I actually took a day off. She asked me "you take Sunday's off and your in Real Estate?? And … (20 comments)

When In Doubt...Search - 11:36 AM
Whenever I am looking to launch a new web campaign or looking for topics to blog about that will help with my Google Search Results I turn to key word searches.If you don't already have a free tool that will help you identify the various key word variations in your market, then first thing I suggest you do is a Google Search for a term similar to FREE KEYWORD TOOL.  This will return nearly 17 Million Results, so I'll bet you can find one pretty easy without me having to make a recommendation.

SEARCH YOUR KEY WORDS and PHRASES
Once … (18 comments)

500 and Still Swinging... - 02:33 PM
The saying that time flies when you're having fun definitely applies to blogging on ActiveRain.  500 Blog Posts have been a journey for me that started back in 2006.  Like a lot of journeys, this one has had more than it's share of pit stops and layovers.I think back to my first introduction to ActiveRain when I read a short blurb about the new phenomena of blogging for real estate agents in my daily update of industry news from Inman News, where I proceeded to this new website offering free blogs to those in the real estate industry.  So I signed … (59 comments)

"I Hate to Be the Bearer of Bad News, But...." - Delivering the Truth to Our Seller Clients - 10:00 PM
I was just spending a few minutes looking through some older blogs when I came across this pearl of wisdom offered by Jason Crouch.  So please take a brief moment and see if what Jason shares makes as much sense to you as it does me...
Via Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653) (Austin Texas Homes, LLC):
Over the course of my career, I have been the bearer of tough news for my listing clients many times.  I don't ever relish the thought of sharing bad news with anyone, but I must admit that my skills in this area have … (6 comments)

NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES: OPEN HOUSES FOR SUNDAY OCTOBER 11 - 07:07 AM
Listing of Sunday's Open Houses from I-Tech MLS Listing of Sunday's Open Houses from Combined L.A. Westside MLS
Featuring Open Houses in the Los Angeles communities of Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Mount Washington, Glassell Park, Sycamore Grove, Garvanza, Montecito Heights, Cypress Park, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, Monterey Hills, and Hermon

… (0 comments)

It's time for the Blue Pumpkins! - 11:29 AM
It's time for the Blue Pumpkins.
We are a family that likes pumpkin.  A little Pumpkin can go a long way.  But the best pumpkins for eating are not the Orange ones you get for decoration.  The best Pumpkins for eating are Blue Pumpkins.  There are all sorts of Pumpkins, Red, White, Blue (very American type food), and even Orange.  There may be more I am unaware of.
The Blue Pumpkin actually looks kind of gray, but who wants a gray pumpkin?  The Blues have more meat than all the rest.
My wife gets the Pumpkins and slices them in quarters, … (9 comments)

Speechless Sunday - Got Cake? - 10:42 AM
Hailey Grace Cooper at her very own 1st Birthday Party!Got Cake?

If you are ever looking for a Buyer's Agent or Seller's Agent in Worcester County,  Hampden County, or anywhere in Central Mass, please don't hesitate to contact me, Kathleen Cooper at kathleencooper@jckcrealty.com .  Please make sure to visit my website at http://www.MassachusettsHomeLocator.com and find everything you need from market snapshots, Buyer and Seller information, property searches, my blog and more! 
kathleencooper@jckcrealty.com , cooperagents@charter.net , 508-523-8632 www.activerain.com/jckcrealty, www.JCKCRealty.com,  www.CentralMAListings.com, http://www.realtor.com,  www.MassachusettsHomeLocator.com, http://www.facebook.com, www.trulia.com, www.myspace.com/kfcooper,  http://jckcrealty.postlets.com/ , www.loopnet.com,  http://twitter.com/jckcrealty
I am proud to be a full time real estate professional and Massachusetts Realtor.  … (13 comments)

How to embed a video in Google Wave. - 06:12 AM
Embedding a video in Google Wave took me a little while to figure out, despite rather clear instructions in the help forum, because evidently at the moment it only works with YouTube videos, (and the first video I was experimenting with was not a YouTube video).  OK.
1.  Choose a video from YouTube, and copy the video's URL (NOT the embed code).
2.  In an open Google Wave, either click the Reply icon, or click on the bottom border or a particular comment in the thread.

A text box opens for your comment....

 
3.  You can type some … (9 comments)

Pinehurst NC Real Estate - 10:11 AM

 
 
The above information was provided by Dale Heck, an award winning Pinehurst, North Carolina real estate agent.  If you are looking for a retirement home you might find that Pinehurst is the deal place to retire into.  If you are interested Pinehurst NC real estate, a Pinehurst waterfront home, a Pinehurst golf Front home, a Pinehurst Condo or a North Carolina horse farm please visit one of my sites listed below.  Try Easy Search on anyone of my four web sites, it's the easiest way to search for real estate in Moore County. 
 
Pinehurst Real Estate  - … (0 comments)

Find a Pinehurst NC Real Estate Agent - 10:20 AM

If you are looking to find a Pinehurst Real Estate agent I would like to offer my services.  As a full-time agent, I have always made customer satisfaction my number one priority.  My short Bio is below. 

Your Realtor
Dale Heck is an avid amateur golfer who played most of his competitive golf in the Philadelphia area in the 1980's and 90's.  He received his BS and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University.  During college, he caddied in a US Open and once caddied for Arnold Palmer and Doug Sanders.  Dale spent several years with Firestone … (0 comments)

"Tell the Bank you have the house Listed as a Short Sale ..." - 07:12 AM
  We got a call today from a nervous Mom....she is a widow and her 20 something year old daughter bought a house a couple years ago...no money down and a part time job while still in college...and without her Mother's knowledge...and now...she is upside down....Her mother says her "heart aches"....the relationship is strained and the property is now listed as a short sale.  Mom wants to minimize her daughter's stress...and her own. You can hear the frustration in her e-mail "voice."
        "Please tell the bank the house is listed as a short sale so they won't bother my daughter … (3 comments)

Identity Theft and Mortgage Fraud - 07:28 AM
Holidays ahead will mean more shopping...with credit cards in person and on line...Beware...Be Careful..Be Safe !
Via Victoria Luhring (The Danberry Co):
Mortgage fraud can be the result of identity theft. Here are some helpful tips for avoiding identity theft:
Never leave receipts in random places such as bank machines, gas stations, or trashcans. Always sign your credit cards. Never give your credit to someone else to use. Report lost cards immediately. Keep an eye on your monthly statements to see if anything shows up that shouldn't. Shread important documents, such as pre-approved credit card applications, bills, and credit card receipts. Avoid keeping … (3 comments)

What a Short Sale Does NOT Do....Banks are Not Fairy Godmothers... - 08:10 AM
   Short Sales are not as common in Wisconsin as they are in many parts of the country.  There are consumers and realtors alike that are uninformed and misinformed and we see it as part of our job to provide information about short sales...correct things that people believe that are not true...and explain things that are true in an effort to save more sellers from foreclosure.
    One of the myths that we have heard recently is that if a seller choose to...they can take all the debts that they have...medical, credit cards, tax liens and have them put as liens … (5 comments)

"But...But...But...The Bank CAN'T Raise the Price on a Short Sale...".... - 12:55 PM
   We recently got several offers on a wonderful short sale listing...a large almost new home in the country. It wouldn't be for every buyer in this otherwise, largely urban area...but for those who want to be outside the hustle and bustle....some land, a huge heated out building and attached 3+ car garage....finished lower level....it is just the ticket at the right price.  It was on the market for a while...and all at once, 3 offers. The bank decided that they wanted more than the offers were written for....sooooo off went a multiple counter.
   "You Can't Do That....The Bank Can't … (7 comments)

Franklin TN Real Estate - Franklin Named 1 of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America! - 10:40 AM
Prior to moving to Franklin, TN, I lived in California - both in the L.A. area (La Canada) and in San Diego.  While each had their own charms, there was something missing.  There wasn't a lot of character to any of the towns I lived in.  When we found Franklin, we were hooked.  I didn't know "Main Street USA" (from Disneyland) was taken from real towns out there.  I thought it was a figment of someone's imagination. 
I often use the Disney comparison to try to explain Franklin to my out of state clients.  Almost EVERYBODY has been to Disneyland or … (1 comments)

Cheerful and Fast = Referrals. Every time! - 01:45 PM
I love being totally impressed by agents.
My dear friend of over 35 years may need to short sell her house - not sure yet. There are a few variables.

The house is in CA. Where I lived for 33 years - 16 years ago. Not qualified to advise.
So I went to the AR oracle. Found Keisha Hosea. Dropped her a line and ran to the ladies room. (Probably the only place I don't take my Blackberry, HAHA!)
BAM! An e-mail AND voice mail waiting.
WOW! Fast and I love fast! Listened to the message. To say Keisha … (11 comments)

Speechless Sunday, Leaking Water Tower - 05:25 PM

In the 1800s, New York City required that all buildings higher than six stories be equipped with a rooftop water tower. This was necessary to prevent the need for excessively high pressures at lower elevations, which could burst pipes. Today the towers have become fashionable in some circles. As of 2006[update], the neighborhood of Tribeca requires water towers on all buildings, whether or not they are being used.
 
iPhone Photo Courtesy of: Mitchell Hall, Associate Broker, The Corcoran Group
My Listings Testimonials Latest Corcoran Report View My Blog
 
©Mitchell Hall 2009
… (16 comments)

Halloween Picnik it's ghostly - 06:01 AM
 
Halloween Picnik - Special Effects

Picnik.com - a little Halloween fun
Picnik.com has Vampire Eyes, Dracula Dermis, Vampirascope*, Fangs, Ghoul Eyes, Zombify 2.0, Wounds*, Ghostify*, Crystal Ball*, Lightning*, Ghosts*, Ogrevision*, Face Painting, Blood Stains, Halloween Props*, Halloween Stickers, Sppoky Text and more...
Some of the Picnik effects are for portraits.. fangs, skin color, eyes...  but some apply to places, houses, buildings, street signs.
Need a haunted house?  Make a haunted house.
The effect above is ghostify.  It works on people and places.
I added the lightning too.
Ghost would be adding a ghost into a group of people or … (16 comments)

The Photo Blog! An idea that looks great if you like taking photos and blogging - 08:25 PM
     Starting to get a photo blog going. Has anyone tried this to date.  Its in the early stages and still getting ideas as to it eventual path.  The start is to be able to post a photo per day about New Orleans and the neighborhood that I work. That is easy enough.  Then to follow it up with neighborhood blogs about the area and types of homes.  I am lucky to be in a historic city like New Orleans thats gives a great many photo choices on a daily basis. Check it out. www.frenchquartercondotrends.com 
 
… (7 comments)

Lake Barrington - Black Cat Says - I'm Special I'm a Halloween Treat! - 12:15 PM
I guess the photo says it all, but this is one of my kitties. She is a little girl at only 8lbs, has a big personality and lets nothing get in the way of her ideas. Because she is little in size, she fits into all manner of things. Take some of the water bottles out of a case and she gets in under the plastic to hide and pounce on whoever walks past the pantry door. Now she has decided that Halloween is for her, but I reminded her that if she stays in the treat bowl she may get … (3 comments)

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